By Arianna Smith
TAMPA, Fla. –– A new sense of fashion has reached Tampa girls all over the city. Tampa is consistently growing and expanding with new businesses, like Sirena Boutique located at 3310 W. Cypress St., just within the Midtown area.
Sydney Boright, the owner of Sirena, brings coastal and urban fashion to Tampa while offering unique clothing and accessories. Sirena means “mermaid” in Spanish, which offers a representation of effortless beachy clothing with a hint of city trends. So are you ready to be a #sirenasweetie?
Growing up in Lewes, Delaware, which is a small coastal town, Boright picked up a touch of creative style.
Boright studied fashion merchandising and social media marketing at the University of Alabama. She was a stylist for six years before and during college, which was when she started striving for something more.
“I moved to Tampa to work in marketing,” said Boright. “[A]fter a year of working your typical ‘9-5’ [job], I realized I was ready for a change.”
Boright’s dream job after college was to open a boutique that carried her favorite brands, so she quit her job and did just that.
Boright attended Coterie in New York City for her bulk buying and was able to meet with upscale brands and designers. In her early 20s, Boright was able to open her dream store, but she emphasized the challenges she faced when opening her own store.
“When opening a business[,] it is terrifying, but trusting my gut and believing in myself got me through the scary times,” said Boright.
Boright analyzed her pros and cons to figure out how she would make this work from a monetary standpoint.
“I spent hours creating profits and loss charts with the saved money,” said Boright. “I had to see how much money I would need to make my dream come true. Finally, I came up with a number for rent, build out, and merchandise. I found the perfect space in Midtown and I signed the lease on a Thursday and began the build out on the next Monday.”
Boright was excited to open her store and get things moving quickly.
Boright’s vision is “to have Tampa be the destination where women discover their wardrobe essentials and leave with a renewed sense of confidence.”
She carries clothing brands in her boutique like [BLANKNYC], Boys Lie, and For Love & Lemons.
For Love & Lemons carries a feminine coastal apparel that aligns with the aesthetic of Boright’s boutique, whereas Boys Lie is a brand that created casual clothing with the consistent message that “Boys Lie.” Boys Lie was founded after two friends went through a big breakup with their boyfriends and formed a deep bond.
Lastly, [BLANKNYC] adds the city touch to Sirena that is the perfect intersection to the boutique’s coastal apparel.
Ellie Bouchard, a senior at The University of Tampa, said that this is one of her favorite stores.
“Sirena makes me feel at home,” said Bouchard. “I grew up in a coastal town in Massachusetts and I really appreciate the owner’s style. Sirena reminds me of so many of my favorite stores in [Massachusetts]. I’m glad this style reached Tampa.”
The UTampa student claimed Sirena was the missing part of Tampa.
Boright’s future is her store. She loves the location and store she is in now but would love to open a secondary store.
Boright has done pop-up events with Bodybar Pilates, Sage’s Playground, Casa Nuccia, and LINK x LOU. She also has recently hosted a Galentine’s Day party for her customers in collaboration with Ayu Skin and V with Love, a local tattoo artist.
Boright’s success has just begun here in Tampa and will only go further.
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Photo courtesy of Sydney Boright.