By Kennedy Gilbert
Fast fashion is convenient and trendy. It’s the “thing to do,” and it’s cheap. But why do students prefer to do this over choosing a local boutique? Why do this when South Tampa offers so much more?
South Tampa has several local boutiques that are still affordable and have something that fast fashion will never be able to replicate: character and personalization. They offer a service that allows the consumer to get to know the seller, which helps elevate the experience for future purchases.
The Pink Palm is a boutique that has resided in Tampa for 23 years. The current owner of the boutique is Sarah Katherine Henderson. The boutique is extremely pink and most fitting for the “true girly types.”
“It’s a bit of an escape from reality when you come in here because everything is so happy and colorful,” Henderson said.
That is an understatement. It’s like walking into a tropical paradise.
However, the boutique did not begin with her. “Two friends started it back in 2001, and it has changed hands one other time and then I bought the boutique. This will be my eighth year,” said Henderson.
It is a Lilly Pulitzer signature store, meaning that it is the primary brand offered to customers. However, several other brands have been integrated into the boutique.
“We carry Smith & Quinn, Emily McCarthy, Alivia, and J.Marie,” Henderson said. These are just some of the brands they offer, and more can be found on The Pink Palm website.
They also offer the service of dressing families for photoshoots for holidays or special occasions.
The best feature of the boutique is the people that come in.
Henderson said, “People have been shopping here since the store opened, even just the eight years I’ve been here, I’ve seen kids grow up. We joke that we are like a clothing bar — people come in just to talk to us and hang out.”
Boutiques are ideal for any age, said Jocelyn Pines, the co-owner of The Haute Shop Boutique.
“I would say our average customer is somewhere between 30 to 50, but we also carry things for college girls, high school girls that are going to start recruitment for sorority rush, and I also have people that are in their 70s that will grab something,” said Pines.
Pines believes affordability is important in her boutique.
“We try to carry affordable brands. … When you think of a boutique, you think, ‘super expensive’ and ‘I can only buy one piece,’ and I never wanted to do that. I wanted people to find unique pieces that you don’t see at a mall so they don’t worry that everybody else had the same exact dress on but it didn’t break the bank,” said Pines.
The boutique is stylized in a contemporary way. Their specialty is apparel. At this time, the boutique is also seeking someone to create content for their social media. If you are interested, contact The Haute Shop at 813-258-8100. Check out more on The Haute Shop Boutique website.
Olivia Jacoby is the owner of Monkee’s of South Tampa. She is also the owner of The Southern Swan, a bridal salon in Lakeland, Florida. She comes from a family that is full of fashion. Her grandmother was a couture seamstress who curated all of the wedding dresses in her family. Jacoby’s two aunts and cousin also have master seamstress experience.
Monkee’s is a franchise that is found predominantly in the South. Their home base is Wilmington, North Carolina.
“I always try when I’m curating things to pick local brands because they are better about getting products to you and they understand the market. They understand what a woman in Florida wants to wear versus a young lady in Massachusetts,” Jacoby said.
The prices are reasonable too.
“Our average top is around $100 and the average dress is like $250ish,” said Jacoby.
A unique feature of Jacoby’s store is the service that you get. She is a designer at heart, and that shines through when working with her customers.
“We pay to have things altered because I have a background in design and I draw $3 or 4,000 wedding gowns. I’m very honest with my customers, and I try to educate them on how to dress their body, so what I love most about Monkee’s is you are really getting styling services packed into what you are buying,” said Jacoby.
Monkee’s of South Tampa is also seeking anyone interested in employment. If you are interested, contact them at 813-644-7223.
There are several other boutiques in South Tampa. This is just a select handful.