The English Dept.

By far the best bridal shop in Portland! (and i visited quite a few) Annie and Britta were beyond helpful when picking out my dress. They were graceful and kind and I felt so comfortable there. The new location in the SE is so sweet and elegant. This place is perfect if you are looking for a bohemian chic dress that’s too ‘BRIDAL’. Their selection is gorgeous with reasonable prices. I’m so happy a friend referred me here!

This is a truly beautiful & inspiring shop to be in! It’s Scandinavian aesthetic lend to this romantic, ethereal feel.
{pros}
–very sweet, non invasive & genuine assistant!
–no sales pitch
–gathered information of the dresses loved and promised to email the bride with the details as we were all starving!
{cons}
–limited selection
–selection is more more the simple, romantic bride

They have a small, but beautiful selection of less traditional gowns and cute accessories. When I called to make my appointment, they told me most of their gowns are in the $ 1800-​$ 2800 range, which I found to be true when I browsed the dresses in the store. The samples they had in stock all seemed to be between a street size 4 – 8 (there may have been a couple larger ones). The attendant that worked with me was a new employee and just a bit awkward (she was nice enough, but not particularly outgoing or friendly with me and my guests — the atmosphere felt a little stuffy as a result) but maybe she was just nervous? Overall, she was helpful and I did end up buying a dress at my appointment.

I went to a lot of different bridal stores in Portland after I got engaged looking for the perfect wedding dress. I had fine experiences at all of them but The English Department took the cake. The first time I went to the English Department, I was looking for a specific dress from Jenny Yoo. They didn’t have it and the rest of the gorgeous gowns in their shop were a little over my budget (which was around 1,000). They explained that a couple of weeks later they were having a Jenny Yoo trunk show and that dress would probably be there, and at a discount since it is a trunk show (yay!). So I came back and worked with Britta, who was extremely helpful, relaxed and not pushy at all. A wonderful change from all the other bridal stores. I tried on the dress I wanted to originally try on and instantly fell in love. She recommended that I have my friend take a video of me in the dress to send to my mom who was unfortunately across the country. I wanted a simple flowy gown for my outdoor wedding, and this place was perfect. I love the shop, they have a a specific but wonderful collection, and Britta was so pleasant. I would high recommend this shop!

The English Department curates a low pressure, possibly perfect dress shopping experience. No high pressure, and they let you grab what you’d like to try off their thoughtfully diverse rack of dresses. My mom and friends and I had such a wonderful time in the shop. No weirdness about snapping pics… I can’t recommend this shop enough. I’m so happy I stumbled on this shop years ago and remembered it when I got engaged. CANNOT wait to wear my beautiful dress next summer!

Britta, Sydney and Chelsea are all wonderful women who work here. I’ve been in several times. I went to Charlotte’s, Ania’s, Anna’s and Divine Designs… I didn’t even come close to finding a dress I liked even with trying on about 50 dresses. When I got to the English Department, I realized I would be extremely happy in pretty much every dress that they carry. I surprised myself and chose a Nicole Miller beaded gown. I had the moment and cried! It was comforting to be surrounded be real and genuine people.
Additionally, Britta invited me to come back to try on the sample dress after I had my hair and makeup trial so I could better select my accessories (veil and headpiece). I did, and it helped so much. I chose a gorgeous recreated vintage veil that was actually made by Chelsea. She later told me she made it with that dress in mind! I also got a garter made by Chelsea that is so pretty. It doesn’t fit perfectly, but I never wear garters and don’t exactly know how they are supposed to fit… She was so sweet and told me she could readjust it if need be.
When I was 16, I passed by this store and told myself that when I get married, I am going to buy my dress here. It is so magical!

Gorgeous gowns, tranquil atmosphere, helpful staff. I definitely recommend The English Department, especially if you are looking for something not so conventional, something with interesting details, materials, and colors.
I brought my crew in last summer and tried on maybe 7 dresses total. All of the dresses were easy to put on, I never felt like a squished sausage! The staff was helpful and not pushy or overbearing in any way – she just let me look through the rack of beautiful dresses and point out all the ones I liked. She also brought out the Elizabeth Dye gown I had been eyeing online, which ended up being my choice and I am unbelievably happy with it!
The staff helped make the whole experience easy, relaxing, and fun; I really appreciated this since trying on dresses can be so stressful and full of pressure and disappointment. There was no pressure to buy anything and no pressure to stick to a time limit (though we were out of there in under an hour).
The gowns themselves come in a wide variety of styles and materials, not just the princess-​y or mermaid-​y styles you see everywhere. This was my primary reason for choosing the English Department – I really am not into looking like a princess or wearing something stiff and heavy; I wanted something easy to wear and dance in. They have some accessories like belts and headpieces, which are a little pricey, but so is almost everything related to weddings. I purchased a crystal belt as well and I felt its design and level of craftsmanship was worth the price. Wedding is coming up and now that the dress has been tailored (a tailor they recommended, who does excellent work!), I feel amazing and beautiful in the dress – and I can definitely dance the night away in it!

Oops… I reluctantly purchased a dress in Las Vegas prior to my visit here. I knew in my heart it wasn’t THE DRESS and I couldn’t let myself walk down the aisle in a dress I didn’t love. No one wants to put on their wedding dress and immediately think «meh” — this will work. After a few failed attempts at various bridal stores… I settled. I immediately regretted my decision and decided to cut my losses and start from scratch. I happened to be in the Portland area for work and decided to pop by this shop on a whim (w/​o an appointment).
As soon as I walked into The English Dept, I knew that I came to the right place. What a gem! This boutique oozes style, elegance and charm. Britta, my consultant, welcomed me and offered her assistance. I explained my dilemma and told her the details of my destination wedding. She listened to my concerns attentively and asked me what I was looking for (Nicole Miller gowns) and what my budget was (modest at best). She promptly loaded my dressing room with a handful of beautiful gowns and off we went.
I was in awe… The selection of gowns she pulled were all beautiful! Britta did an ahhhh-​mazing job helping me pick gowns and making me feel 110% comfortable (this meant the world to me since I was shopping solo). In fact, the 1^st gown she picked out was the one I fell in LOVE with. It had the WOW factor I was looking for. It was perfect!
Ordering was a breeze… Britta took my measurements and walked me through the whole purchase process. You have an option of putting 50% deposit down or making a full payment. She explained the timeline for my order and the shipping process. Bonus: Oregon doesn’t have sales tax which is a treat for out of state visitors (like me).
While more minimal than some of the larger chains, The English Dept. provided charm, ambiance, and attention that made me feel valued as a client. I want to personally thank Britta and the the English Dept. for making my experience memorable… start to finish. I couldn’t be happier with my dress or my experience.

Ah, the store where I walked in and they said they didn’t have anything in my size while the size two bride stood there being fitted. No effing way will I recommend this store to anyone with that attitude and lack of respect for women with actual curves.

I went to a handful of shops with my girlfriends when I first got engaged to try on dresses, and The English Department made the list. I called ahead to book an appointment, and then a couple days before got a call from one of the girls saying that they had accidentally double booked during that time. She apologized for their error and asked if I would mind coming in an hour earlier for my appointment (which it turned out was an hour before the store even opened, and she was coming in early just to make up for it. Major points in my book.). Luckily this worked out perfectly for my schedule and I agreed.
The English Department has a really beautiful selection of unique gowns, and it was so nice to have such a variety of styles to choose from. Having the store all to myself for that hour really was a treat. The space is beautiful, and on a bright sunny day with the big front windows and the giant mirrors, it was pretty much picturesque. That was another bonus: I was allowed to take pictures of the dresses I tried on! I know some stores have a pretty strict policy about this, which I respect, but it was so helpful being able to get snapshots to reflect back on.
The girl (I cannot remember her name for the life of me, I feel so bad!) was so sweet and attentive, letting me really take my time and putting zero pressure on me whatsoever. She made a few suggestions here at there with accessories to add to a dress for a look, but I never felt like she was trying to sell me anything.
That week there happened to be a Nicole Miller trunk sale going on. There were a bunch of great N.M. dresses there, but unfortunately almost everything they had sent to the shop was in size-​tiny-​person. Most of the dresses I could get over my head and then not past my shoulders (and I am an averaged size lady). I understand that wedding dresses tend to run at a different size than street clothes, but these were too-​tiny-​for-​average-​people sized. It’s a shame, too, because I would have liked to get a glimpse of some of them on me. This of course was not a reflection on The English Department, of course, as they don’t control what sample dresses N.M. was going to send.
Overall this was one of the best experiences I had with my dress shopping, and even though I didn’t end up buying my dress from The English Department, I would highly recommend that any bride-​to-​be drop in for a visit.

Alight. As soon as I walked into this place it was like the clouds parted. HELLO amazing amazing dresses! The English Department had a beautiful selection exactly in the style I was looking for from Elizabeth Dye and Nicole Miller.
I can’t say enough about Britta, the girl who helped me. She was friendly, sweet, helpful and not intrusive in any way. She was RIGHT THERE every time I was ready to put on or take off a dress and she took special care to make sure I had as much privacy as possible (the dressing room doors face the street windows). She also had a way of pointing out the details of the dresses I didn’t notice right away that made me love them even more. I wish everyone who’s helped me in the bridal stores I’ve gone to would take some clues from Britta.
BIG props to the designers. I have never felt more beautiful. The fabric and designs complemented my body and felt oh so comfortable. Drool…
Unfortunately none of the dresses I tried on were less than $ 1900 (over my budget). It could be argued that I shouldn’t have wasted their time trying them on, but I felt like a kid in a candy store! I thought the least I could do was write them a good review. I also got a much better idea of what I’m looking for.
If you have the budget and want something a bit more unique with a vintage flair that will look and feel amazing, look no further. Your dress is here!

I couldn’t have asked for a better experience at the English Department.
I came with a small party and we were the only appointment at the time, so the experience was very intimate and the sales girl was attentive and lovely. I can’t for the life of me remember her name right now, but she really was the sweetest. I tried on quite a few dresses because I wasn’t sure of what style I was looking for, it was only my second shop I’d visited, and my girl was patient, had wonderful advice, and incredibly intuitive to what dress would look good on my body. I said initially what my price point was and she stuck to it, it was my mother who had her pull the perfect dress though (at double what I wanted to spend) but I don’t regret for an instant buying it. The sample dress fit me perfectly, and it felt like the dress was made for me, I honestly can’t stop thinking about it and I’m not typically like that!
They gave me a bouquet, sat me on their beautiful vintage sofa for pictures with the train flared at my feet, and I couldn’t stop smiling.
I came back several times to try on the dress again for different people and the ladies at the shop were kind and accommodating every single time. It was a very personable experience. I finally got measured and ordered after trying it on I think 3 or 4 times, and it’s waiting for me at the shop right now, less than 2 months afterward.
I did try a couple other dresses on after this experience, but it only solidified how much I loved the dress at the English Department. I highly recommend this shop. Because of these ladies the dress experience was stress-​free, beautiful, and flawless.

A friend recommended me to the shop. I decided to stop in prior to deciding if they have the dress I need. They were booked, but allowed me to walk around the shop and looked at the dress. They were very beautiful for the classic bride. I will definitely recommend to friends who are wedding dress hunting.

received my dress yesterday and it was just as amazing as the day i tried it on! shipped on time and it had a sweet little thank you note from the boutique attached. LOVE this place, you guys ROCK! thank youuuuuu!

I finally found my wedding dress (not in Portland) so now I’m going back and posting reviews of all the places I shopped along the way to finding it. I’m trying to make each of my reviews as similar as possible so a bride looking to save time can narrow down which places to try.
Without further ado:
Hours: Less convenient than average. You’ll play a little phone tag setting up the appointment (they never picked up the phone all the times I called them but always returned my messages).
Selection: The selection here is very distinct. If you are a looking for a big dress with a long train, a ball gown skirt, or a dress in heavy satin or with elaborate beading, I would skip this store entirely. You won’t find it here. Alternatively, if you’re looking for a sheath with a slim silhouette, want something in a silk or chiffon, or want your dress described by the words simple, slinky, sophisticated, or lingerie-​esque you will find far MORE than you will find at other Portland bridal boutiques. Brands carried include Nicole Miller (one of the only stockists in PDX), Ivy & Aster, Jenny Yoo, Jessica Fontaine, Carol Hannah, and Elizabeth Dye (who is a local designer)
Prices: The cheapest gown you will find here is $ 800. The most expensive might be $ 3K? I’m having trouble remembering.
Sales: The sales attendants are politely distant. They will hand you the dress and let you try it on yourself. They will not provide you with help unless you ask, but I did ask for help on a few and they did help me.
Size 12+ friendly rating: Looking to feel great about yourself? Skip this place. Some of the samples were hard for me to squeeze into with size 8 hips. No one is really clipping things here unless you ask them to do so. I wouldn’t be surprised if a size 12+ bride would be able to try on many of these dresses, nor would most be flattering.
Group friendly rating: The dressing room fits 1.
Follow up: They offered to schedule me a follow up Sunday visit in a few weeks, but didn’t call me to confirm it.
Overall I’m sticking with a 3 star rating as an average. For certain brides, the English Department will be the only place in town for what they’re looking for and it will be a five star place. For other brides, they won’t work at all.

Thank you English Department & Aneka!!!
I found my wedding dress in such a happy and helpful setting. Aneka met and fitted me, I picked out some dresses I liked, and she picked out a few that she thought might interest me as well. The one I ended up getting was one she picked out.
This place is so cute with a great selection. Aneka was so knowledgeable and sweet. I tried on dozens of dresses and with each dress she added straps, a veil, and a belt so I could see the look I wanted. I don’t know how I would have found my dress without her.
I ended up buying a dress for under my budget and am so happy I went to English Department.

I work with Commonwealth Vintage rentals and we recently used one of English Dept.‘s dresses for a photo shoot. We were so impressed with the space and loved how well lit it is. The staff was so friendly each time we went in and so helpful with honing what dress would work well for what we needed. We would definitely recommend it to any brides of the hunt for a beautiful dress and great service!

This is one of my favorite wedding shops I’ve been too. Although they have a small selection of dresses (especially if you aren’t a size 2), it is really well selected and the consultants are just dolls. Great customer service that isn’t pushy or aggressive, something I found common at other wedding boutiques. I didn’t actually end up purchasing my wedding dress there, but I always recommend it to girlfriends in Portland who are getting hitched.

I found my wedding dress at the English Department. It was the Elizabeth Dye Giselle dress and I love it.
My shopping experience was very pleasant; the girl who assisted me (sorry but I blank on her name) was incredibly professional, helpful, and intuitive. She picked up on what I wanted quickly and was great and calming down my MIL, who kept bringing me more and more gowns to try on. I found the perfect dress for me and it was way more affordable than I had expected. Furthermore, I liked the intimate, less-​tacky environment of this unique shop and the less conventional designs it had to offer.
So why the average rating? My pick– up was a disaster.
1) My dress was late. Yes, they had my wedding date and knew there was still plenty of time for me to tailor it, but since you are dealing with a clientele of mostly brides, wouldn’t you expect a phone call or email if a bridal gown was late?!? I called a day before my scheduled pick up and they told me it wouldn’t arrive for another couple of weeks, but what if I had gone in expecting my dress and found out then and there? I would have been so devastated! An apologetic phone call would have granted this review another star.
2) When my dress finally did arrive, there was no garment bag for it! Seriously? This is Portland we’re talking about here. It is very likely to rain, all the time. It was raining when I picked up my dress! How was I supposed to carry it out of the shop, not to mention hide it from my soon-​to – be-​husband? Lucky for me, my friend who had just gotten married had her wedding dress garment bag in the car. But seriously?!?
I feel like the mistakes that happened should not happen in a store that deals with brides… I mean, we are a stressed demographic. So ladies @ the English Department, you got the style down, no get it together with the service, please.

I’m extremely grateful for the English Department especially Elizabeth’s Dye’s above and beyond customer service.
I came into the store yesterday on the verge of tears because a friend of mine made my wedding dress and it looked extremely off/​homemade/​weird in all the strange places. Prior to coming into the store I went to a tailor to see if they could fix it and they told me that my dress had reach the point of no return and that I should just buy a new one. I felt devastated because I had designed my own dress, shown all my friends photos of it (while it was in the making) and spent a significant amount of money on it, and didn’t want to offend my friend.
Elizabeth and Anika gave me a glass of water and told me to try it on to see if it was salvageable. After mulling some ideas in her head Elizabeth figured out how to save the dress (having someone re-​do the top part based on a similar pattern she found online and sewing it on with bottom). She then WALKED OVER WITH ME to a nearby fabric store, showed me where I could buy the pattern SHE HAD RESEARCHED online and asked the owner of the store if she could recommend some seamstresses.
Anyone who has the opportunity to have Elizabeth Dye as their seamstress is extremely lucky. From my brief encounter with her I realized that she is someone who puts a lot of thought and effort into doing a job well done. As I mentioned prior, she went above and beyond the call of duty to help a distressed bride to be. No wonder she has won all these wedding dressmaker of the year awards!

Adorable wedding dress boutique! I set up an appt w/​Elizabeth a couple weeks in advance before my Portland trip. She was really professional and got back to my many inquiries about her shop, dresses, prices and availability.
I visited her store with a few dresses in mind. I tried on those and more and found a Jenny Yoo dress I really liked. Elizabeth explained the different kinds of fabrics and available customization. I left with a great feeling that I was well taken cared of.
My absolute favorite part of the shopping experience was trying on her one-​of-​a-​kind boleros. OMG ADORABLE! I want to wear her boleros every day!
Side note: I ended up choosing to go with another designer to make me a custom-​made dress for my wedding. That said, I completely recommend all Portland (or visiting) brides check out English Dept and meet Elizabeth, she’ll treat you right!