Tampa: Are we there yet, shoppers?
What do we have? More importantly, what don't we? Let us count the ways Tampa's shopping scene has and continues to evolve.
1. Zara: Vogue worthy style at decidedly less snobby prices has finally landed at International Plaza. Thank the shopping gods for delivering!
2. Whole Foods: The sign is up on Dale Mabry Highway, replacing the store formerly known as Wild Oats. We are elated, but the pride is bittersweet. If it's taken this long to get Whole Foods, we have no hope of Dean & DeLuca. And we still yearn for Trader Joe's.
3. Ikea/Crate & Barrel: In two years, we will look back and wonder how anyone decorated before the arrival of these titans of chic and affordable home furnishings. Let the countdown begin ... Ikea, Summer 2009. Crate & Barrel, 2009. And let's begin a campaign for The Container Store, and West Elm.
4. Saks Fifth Avenue: In the dark days before Saks, women had to go as far as Atlanta to find anything more exciting than Talbots. Repress the memory. Now we have full-line Chanel boutiques in Saks and Neiman Marcus. An embarrassment of riches!
5. Tiffany & Co.: How did anyone say "I love you" before the little blue box?
6. Anthropologie: Girly, flirty, hippy, happy. So few of us can look like we roll out of bed with good taste, which is why we have shelled out big bucks for their little tee's ever since this gem opened in Tampa's Hyde Park Village. And while we're counting blessings, here's to Urban Outfitters, an edgier cousin in Ybor.
7. Lest we think we're arrived and get a swelled head, let's pay homage to stores that Tampa Bay has landed and lost: FAO Schwarz, St. John Knits and Lladro among others.
Still waiting, after all these years ...
8. H&M: Why, why are we cursed? In real cities, H&M is the staple of cheap style on a budget. We pine away and dream of taking trips to New York.
9. Bloomingdale's and Barneys: We adore our Nordstrom, Dillard's and Macy's, but the department store lineup remains sadly incomplete. Tampa is not asking for the moon. Just give us Bloomie's and Barneys CO-OP.
(Photo: You won't see the Bloomingdale's brown bag in Tampa, but the little blue box is here.)
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Katie Sanders foolishly spurned pretty dresses and shoes as a child, tossing new clothes over her shoulder at birthday parties with a totally rude "no, thank you." Her drab days of monocolor outfits are over now, and she certainly knows better than to turn down free stuff. Her wardrobe mixes classic with quirk. Think blazers with statement necklaces, and lots of patterned ballet flats. She can be reached at 850) 224-7263 or 
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 
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 
From camo pants and construction boots to sundresses, sweaters and sling backs, Keyonna Summers knows how to make all of it rock -- at rock bottom prices. A Detroit native, Keyonna delves into her urban roots to find fashion pairings that give a nod to street fashion while maintaining the class of the modern, professional woman. She believes in searching for affordable clothes that look expensive and can easily be dressed up or down. You won't find plaid shirts or fleece jackets in her closet; the only hiking Keyonna does is to the bargain basement. She can be reached at (727) 445-4153 or 
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