St. Armands Surprises

New finds to brighten your holiday shopping spirit.

By Carol Tisch

If you think you know St. Armands Circle, get ready for some fun surprises. All you have to do is look beyond the obvious, check out the back cases, ask what’s new. Consider Taffy’s Men’s Apparel, for example. Everyone knows the men’s clothes here are mostly classic—blazers and cashmere sweaters, stove-pipe trousers. There’s the bread and butter basic tan and navy…but the eye-popping golf club colors (apple green jackets, hot pink pullovers) are what made Taffy’s stand out.

John Daly

Now they’re taking bodacious golf fashion to a hip new level. Taffy’s is the first in Sarasota to carry the same knit tops and nylon/spandex stretch pants worn by pro golfer John Daly. They’re made by LoudMouth Golf, a new company that does retro stripes, paisleys, outlandish checks and harlequins straight from the fifties, sixties and even the eighties. Larger than life, Daly is known as the prodigal son of golf for his outrageous personality- perfectly captured in this un-subdued collection that’s sure to keep stray gators off the genteel greens of Sarasota.

Foxy Lady’s gorgeous jeans are just for skinny women--right? Wrong. They have celebrity-endorsed Privy Premium for the under size-8 crowd and CJ by Cookie Johnson (wife of NBA superstar Magic Johnson) for sizes 2 to 18. Named to Oprah’s Best List after the weight-challenged star wore them for the cover of her October, 2009 issue, these jeans were designed by Johnson because she was so frustrated at never being able to find denim that fit her curvy but size 8 frame.

Cookie Johnson and Oprah show off curve-friendly CJ jeans.

Cookie teamed up with Michael Glasser, one of the original creators of 7 for all Mankind and creator of Rich & Skinny jeans for help designing and merchandising her line. Oprah wore the jeans again on a “The Best” segment of her show, and the rest is history. At $145 to $198, fans say CJ jeans are worth the price: actually the thin set pays these prices for premium denim without batting an eye. The secret to the fit is a comfortable and figure-flattering stretch denim fabric that (according to Oprah) makes them the best jeans for women with “real booties.”

Jewelry at Addison Craig.

Amid the sea of designer shoes at Addison Craig you’ll find the most amazing little glass vitrine just brimming with sparkling crystal accessories. I know I must have passed it by at least a dozen times, but the bling caught my eye on a recent visit. Turns out, Addison Craig is showcasing a terrific selection of Erickson Beamon jewelry. Karen Erickson and Vicki Beamon were the darlings of fashion stylists accessorizing runway shows before their new vintage jewelry became status symbols among superstar celebrities—the most photographed among them now Michele Obama.

Guys, no woman could resist Erickson Beamon’s chandelier earrings (at $350 they’re the best-sellers from EB at Addison Craig), and if you really want to impress, get her one of their trademark off-center necklaces ($855 to $1200).

Taffy’s Men’s Apparel, 14 S. Boulevard of Presidents, (941) 388-1155

Foxy Lady West, 481 John Ringling Blvd, (941) 388-5239

Addison Craig, 28 S. Blvd of the Presidents, Sarasota (941)388-3400, www.addisoncraig.com

Posted: 12/7/2009 9:13:42 AM | 0 comments