Dressing for Success in Cool ‘n’ Casual Elegance

Some of the best shopping in Tampa is centered around Hyde Park Village, which is a short drive from downtown. This is a quaint area of gracious homes and elegant storefronts. The shopping strip covers five attractive, tree-shaded streets and several alleys.

Hyde Park Village boasts top-line and prestigious designer boutiques, including Polo/Ralph Lauren, Rodier and Jaeger labels, as well as outlets for cutting-edge gadget and home-accessory shops such as the Sharper Image and Williams-Sonoma.

The district also features shops with merchandise not easily found in other cities.

In Tampa the emphasis is on dressing for success by riding the fashion wave’s crest with casual, elegant and lasting clothing. This city’s boutiques are abreast or ahead of the trends.

Dressing in Silk

For example, the fad for wardrobing with easy-to-wear mix-and-match garments of washable silk hit Tampa before it swept the nation.

Lightweight silk breathes well in Tampa’s warm weather, offers protection against bay breezes and is simple to care for.

Several Hyde Park boutiques feature washable silk clothing for all occasions at very reasonable prices.

For example, Royal Silk, 738 S. Village Circle, part of a chain of stores in Eastern cities, is a large shop offering a rich array of casual to dressy separates and dresses in various types of pure silk from batiste to crepe de Chine, and silk blends such as the textural Bhagalpur Silk (weave of 55% silk blended with 45% cotton).

Royal Silk’s clothes come in a rainbow of colors, plus basic black, white, neutral tan and gray. A basic silk T-shirt with cap sleeves ($16) comes in red, white or black, and Mediterranean shorts in crushed silk ($29) are pastel pink, blue, yellow, aqua, olive and taupe. Bow ties ($5) are available in a dozen colors, along with the classic long-sleeved shirt ($29). Lightweight scarfs ($15) are in 14 colors.

Royal Silk’s sweaters ($31 and up) blend silk with cotton, linen, Angora and synthetics and are color coordinated with skirts ($40 and up) and slacks ($52 and up). There are also black, classic coat dresses ($68), suits (about $120) and silk knit bikini panty and tank top sets ($19). Handsome men’s crepe de Chine ties ($15) sell in six colors.

Dressy by Design

Winston’s Designer’s Collection, 706 S. Village Circle, shows finely tailored and pricey silk and linen clothing, mostly quite dressy, by designers Alexander Julien, Rafaella and others. Average for a dress is about $220.

Studio 2, 1605 Snow Ave., features versatile silk separates by Chelsea Designers. Vibrantly colored tank tops ($60), full skirts ($170) or harem pants ($100) with elasticized waists and large overblouses or jackets ($100 and up) can create flowing, layered looks. Studio 2 also carries tailored shirts ($80) and slacks ($100 and up) by other labels.

Sisley, 1619 Snow Ave., has unusual and stylish casual sweaters and mix-and-match knits, mostly of cotton. Prices about $60 per item.

Swim Dewey, 1627 Snow Ave., has beach attire and swimsuits, including a suede and shell bikini ($90) that can be worn in the water.

J. R.’s Designer Shoppe, 1601 W. Snow Circle off Snow Avenue, specializes in pricey, top-of-the-line sportswear. Labels include Nancy Heller and Phyllis Sues.

Leather Accessories

Austen-Hyde’s, 1607 W. Snow Circle, great leather accessories include bags big enough to carry all to the beach ($147), heart-shaped coin purses ($6) and hunting bags ($78), plus a wide selection of leather agendas ($65 and up).

Patchington, 727 South Dakota Ave., has exclusive use of care free Silkmore, a silk look-alike, feel-alike fabric made by the same factory that produces Ultrasuede. This synthetic can be machine washed and doesn’t need to be ironed.

Designed by Burt Waters, Patchington’s collection consists of color-coordinated dresses ($150 and up) and separates, including fitted and full skirts ($70 and up), slacks ($78), loose and tailored tops ($68 and up) and sweaters ($210 and up), available in sizes 2 to 16.

Many garments are appliqued, and there are coordinated scarfs, belts and other accessories to complete the Patchington look.

Another grouping of fashion shops is at Harbor Island Market, 601 Harbor Island Blvd., connected to downtown Tampa by a futuristic people mover. Attractive shops are adjacent to the Harbor Island Hotel.

Alexia Natural Fashions, a chain of stores with outlets as far west as Palm Springs and Laguna Beach, Calif., features the silks of designer George Georgiou in a wide range of soft pastel and brilliant primary colors.

These classic styles include coat dresses ($139), trousers ($90) and tops ($45 and up). Men’s suits ($280 and up) are traditionally cut in wool, cotton and/or silk.

Also at Harbor Island Market, Paul Harris and Pasta, owned and managed by the same company, provide attractive clothes for mature and young clients, respectively. Paul Harris’ suits (about $200), daytime dresses (about $125 and up) and tailored separates have a conservative look, while Pasta’s knit jersey trousers and tops (about $30 each), miniskirts and leggings are decidedly trendy.

Styles for Men

Harbor Island’s trendiest menswear shop is Alexander’s, featuring styles by Matinique and other European labels. Trousers in textured fabrics (about $80), coordinated shirts (about $65), jackets (about $160) and accessories are all on the cutting edge.

Two downtown men’s shops have wide-ranging reputations and a national clientele. Greiner’s, 117 Whiting St. in an old brick building that was once a warehouse, has been in business since 1899. The shop offers custom tailoring by Joe Canzoneri. Traditional suits in tropical woolens ($460) and cottons ($300) are shown with Greiner’s own label, cotton, button-down shirts ($37 to $55), Italian silk ties and Cole Haan shoes.

George, 200 N. Tampa St., offers clients superb styling, with Ermenegildo Zegna’s first pick of cashmere coats ($1,700), wool and silk blend suits ($1,000 and up), Georgio Armani suits (about $700) and other pricey togs.

Made-to-measure suits cost $400 to $1,000, shirts are about $50 and up. Vince Cuffaro is George’s master tailor. Gift items include golf, tennis and other theme ties (about $50).

George’s clientele is made up of businessmen and celebrities visiting Tampa. The shop is sometimes called upon to send stylists to the homes of customers.