Tampabay.com
JUNE 20, 2008

Diva in the news: You can't have this!

Michelleview2_3 You want it, right?  You toootally want the black and white summer frock Michelle Obama rocked on "The View" Wednesday.

Well, you can't have it. At least not locally. The Tank Leaf Print Dress, which retails for $148, is from White House Black Market. I called the local store in St. Petersburg's Bay Walk, and the sales associate said it's sold out. The closest dress is in Georgia. BOO.

If you're a preferred member, the store will order and mail it to you. Stop in or call a WHBM to find out more. 

Miss O looked fierce. Relaxed, feminine, but sophisticated. No dickey-brooch-perm-sensible shoe-knee high political wife style of old. She's the cool mom who will show you how to shave and wear Spanx when you're good and ready.

It's akin to Barack's style, with his breezy open necklines and sport coats. Are these people vying for the White House, or going on holiday in Cabo? Really. I want whatever margarita they're sippin.'

I love White House Black Market. Their stuff is structured and well-made, but chill enough to rock when you wax about your hardcore love for bacon (see: Michelle Obama). Many of their dresses have built in bras, which is handy for doing the Cupid Shuffle at weddings. And the prints are very recognizable, even in, well, black and white. When I saw her dress, I immediately guessed it was WHBM.

The shop's a tad on the pricey side, but they have good sales. I got a denim skirt for $12 there once. Bow to me. Always check the back corners of the store for clearance.

~ Deal Diva Stephanie

(Photo: AP)

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THE AUTHORS

Stephanie Hayes came out of the womb wearing high heels. While other kids were reciting multiplication tables, she was learning to calculate an extra third off the half-price discount during buy-one-get-one week. She loves animal prints, black mascara and anything that sparkles. She objects to visible panty lines, Crocs and anything that costs more than a car payment. And she doesn't drive a nice car. She can be reached at (727) 893-8857 or shayes@tampabay.com.

Emily Nipps As a sullen teenager, Emily Nipps refused to wear anything but black, olive green or burgundy, preferably ripped. She has since added color to her life but still experiments with her dark streak. A product junkie, she has tried tons of overpriced face creams and hair products but loves drugstore brands that work the same. She's an Aries and a bassist in a punk band. She has a pet pig, seven chickens, three cats and a rabbit. And just as many lip glosses. She can be reached at (727) 893-8452 or nipps@tampabay.com.

Kameel Stanley has never encountered a thrift store she didn’t like. Her mother taught her that the true value of clothes isn’t how much they cost, but how many outfits one can create from them. Having grown up in Michigan, she was delighted to learn upon moving to Florida that she almost never needed to wear socks or boots again. There’s a lot of turnover in her closet, and she’s obsessed with dresses, necklaces and wedge heels. She can be reached at (727) 893-8643 or kstanley@tampabay.com.

A disciple of the little black dress classics school, Letitia Stein stretches her budget by looking for styles with staying power. She lives for 80 percent off shoes at DSW, floral sundresses and bohemian chic tops. She confesses to being a bit of a snob when it comes to handbags and jewelry. She can be reached at (813) 226-3400 or lstein@tampabay.com.

Coming from a long line of fashionable women, Kim Wilmath considers herself lucky to fit into their hand-me-downs. Her wardrobe staples include her grandma's vintage blouses and her mom's funky jewelry. When she's in the market for "new" items, Kim hits her favorite thrift stores -- a habit she also picked up from mom. But when circumstances require a visit to the shiny stores in the mall, you'll find Kim at the sale rack like a good little diva. She can be reached at (813) 661-2442 or kwilmath@tampabay.com.

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