New Website Geared Toward Florida

An interesting new website is being put together. It will feature everything a Florida resident needs to know. FloridaLifestyle.com is currently being put together and will include articles on local restaurants, estates, fashion, and arts. Sign up today and you can have the monthly newsletter emailed to you.

The Sophisticated Flamingo will be keeping an eye on this sight and updating you on the progress. Hopefully the wait is worthwhile.

Lana Marks: Palm Beach's Purse Guru

Lana J. Marks is the CEO and designer for Lana Marks Handbags and Accessories, a company based out of Palm Beach, Florida.

Her collection features 150 unique styles made from crocodile, alligator, ostrich, and lizard. The handbags, clutches, and matching belts are all crafted in Italy, according to the Lana Marks website.

Pieces start at $1,000.

Jennifer Aniston, Helen Mirren, and Kate Winslet have all been spotted on the red carpet with a Lana Marks bag in hand. Below, Charlize Theron carries the $100,000 jeweled Cleopatra clutch.



This summer for a fashionable bag, try the Bells and Whistles Tote in purple alligator, as seen below:

Jimmy'z Brand at Wellington Green Closes

The Jimmy'z Brand store at Wellington Green mall is closing! Currently all items at the store are 40 percent off. Clearance items are an additional 40 percent off. The store is owned by Aeropostale and features trendy clothing for casual days and for dressing up. If you like surfing, clubbing, or South Beach, you'll like this store. Make sure to stock up on clothes before the store leaves the area.

Regulars at the store will be keeping an eye out since sales at the store should increase to 60 percent off. Make sure to grab a signature "Foil Wing Graphic Tee," like the ones seen below. These tees are the most popular item in the store, and a constant staple.

While the store didn't take off in Wellington. Fans can still buy Jimmy'z clothes and accessories on the online website. For directions to the mall visit The Mall at Wellington Green Web page.

Couture for Teens, 20s, and even Maternity

Rapunzel's Closet offers popular couture brands that kids, teens, soon-to-be-moms, and young adults will love. Randi Siegal, a Florida native, opened two stores in 2003. Siegal wanted to offer an edgier clothing choice since Palm Beach was known mainly for its well-tailored look. Jeans, vibrant patterns, and flowy fabrics are staples for the company. Since then, the company has grown to include ShopRapunzel, an online site where teens can find fashion foward clothing and designer brands, nationwide. For directions to the local stores or more information, visit ShopRapunzel or Yelp.com

The Perfect T-shirts for Summer

Two new companies provide the perfect shirts for a summer in Florida. Both Salt Life and Ocean Slayer are companies that originated in Florida. Salt Life started out in Jacksonville and brings the ocean to every design they put out. They offer shirts, rash gaurds, and hats that any diver, fisher, or surfer will love. Shirts start at $20. The latest trend popping up around Palm Beach County: Salt Life decals on cars, trucks and SUVs.


Ocean Slayer is another up-and-coming brand that started in Florida. While it started after Salt Life, the brand is quickly gaining sales and creating a fierce competition between the brands. Similar to Salt Life the company offers hats, t-shirts, and decals with a ocean theme. Shirts also start at $20.

You can purchase merchandise both online and in select stores. Gander Mountain in North Palm Beach offers both lines of clothing.

In Memory of Burdines: The Florida Store

After a merger with Macy, Inc., Burdines disappeared and Florida lost a part of its shopping history.

William Burdine opened the first Burdines in 1898 in Miami, Florida, according to the Palm Beach Post. Originally named Burdine & Son, the store sold clothing to Native Americans and construction workers. By 1912, the store had expanded into a well-known department store where the most sophisticated women in Florida shopped.

In 2003, Federated Department Stores, Inc. announced that Macy's and Burdines would be merging. Sales at the Florida store had been dropping and layoffs were at an all time high.

The store became Burdines-Macy's. Then in 2005, Federated Department Stores, Inc. decided to drop Burdines and the store officially became Macy's. Customers in Florida can still reminesce when they enter Macy's since the store kept Burdines' trademark palm tree center pieces, like the ones seen below, in Florida-based stores.

Wikipedia provides a short but accurate biography of the Burdines Stores. Read Robert Trigaux article for the St. Petersburg Times for details on the Burdines merger and other stores that have disppeared.