09.16.2006 Boutique is heaven for little girls

Daniela Jay shop offers classic styles with fresh twists

The one thing I miss about not having a girl is the shopping.

Any mom raising boys knows that shopping for back-to-school or holiday clothes just isn't the same as picking out cute outfits for girls. The options are limited and I literally have to drag my sons to the store.

A visit to Daniela Jay Boutique in north Glendale is enough to make anyone want to borrow a little girl to dress.

Mariter Torres opened this very girly boutique in May. It's named after her inspiration, her 2-year-old daughter, who also models some of the clothing in the artsy photos on the wall.

Although the shop carries some boys clothes, the dresses are what really stand out.

At this shop, you won't find the typical girls clothing that is merely women's clothing shrunk down. Instead, Torres, who gained her retail experience in the Philippines and has always dreamed of owning a boutique, carefully selects classic styles done in fresh ways.

Clothing in the shop is filled with special touches, such as hand-smocked and hand-embroidered accents. Many use almost antique-looking fabrics and vintage-looking crotchet lace trims.

Styles range from fancy, such as a pink dress with a velvet top, beaded belt and velvet ribbons dotting the tulle overlay ($89), to the everyday, like a cotton, short-sleeved school dress with a 1940s-style look in a soft-yellow floral print ($59).

Carol Jones of Peoria has purchased several dresses for her granddaughters since she first visited the shop a couple of weeks ago. She said the quality of the clothing is well worth the boutique prices.

"These are so well made," she said as she turned one dress inside out to show the finished seams and itch-proof lining.

Another fan is Jenifer Samaha, who also does all the photography for the shop. Samaha has a 3-year-old daughter, so she was "so excited" to find this boutique near her north Phoenix home.

"We moved here from Scottsdale, and the one thing we missed are all the boutiques," she said.

While girls clothing dominates, Samaha also found a pair of casual cargo pants for her 5-year-old son. The pants ($38) feature either an embroidered dragon or tiger appliqué down one leg and are even popular with girls.

The shop also carries maternity clothes, infant clothing and accessories and a selection of comfortable clothing for moms, including tanks and yoga pants.

As the fall season begins, Torres takes another step in her entrepreneurial career by launching her own line of precious dresses in sizes 0 to 10.

It's just one more reason to be thankful that I now have a niece to spoil.

Arizona native Angela Rabago-Mussi is a freelance writer who lives in Glendale. She loves to shop and can be reached by e-mail at amussi@cox.net.

Daniela Jay | 6525 W. Happy Valley Rd., Ste. C103, Glendale, AZ 85310 | Ph: 623.566.8380 | Info@DanielaJay.com