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Does the thought of summer approaching make you dread the shopping that takes place to prepare for the heat? This year put the summer insecurities in the closet for once and step out into the world in fantastic style! Summer shopping doesn’t have to entail throwing clothes around the fitting rooms, this year you can make summer shopping fun! There are a lot of stores in Southwest Florida gearing up for the summer months, possibly stores you never thought existed that are just right around the corner. The fashion for summer 2008 consists of a fun and bright style and attitude. I scrounged up some of Southwest Florida’s most fashionable stores you may not know much about, such as Sephora, Bella Rain, and You Look Mahvelous. These stores have the “it” fashion for summer and a few must-haves for the everyday Southwest Florida girl.

Photo by KYLA MCDERMOTT

SEPHORA @ Coconut Point

23161 Fashion Drive, Estero

(239) 390-9889

Sephora, the leading chain of beauty stores in Europe, has almost everything a girl can think of that has to do with make-up and cosmetics, and it’s located in Estero, Florida at Coconut Point Mall. Sephora carries brands such as Urban Decay, Stila, and even Kat Von D from Miami Ink has her own line of makeup sold at the store. The summer trends that can be found in this fashion forward beauty store consist of a lot of glitter, bronzing products, and volume-boosting mascara. Urban Decay is a great brand to pick up if you’re looking for a hip, original makeup style. A lot of their products have funky names like, “Big Fatty Mascara” and “Fishnet Eyeshadow.” It’s all about bright glittering colors for your eyes and long eyelashes, while keeping a nice bronzed tan. The beauty store also features a lot of interesting products with fun ideas behind them like a cellulite cream by Bliss called, “Fat Girl Slim.” Sephora doesn’t just carry makeup but also a wide selection of perfume and men’s cologne and beauty products as well, and the staff is always ready to help you find the best make-up solution for your skin, eyes and lips. Stay in style this summer with the makeup trends found all over the Sephora store.

Photo by KYLA MCDERMOTT

BELLA RAIN

410 Pine Ridge Road #11, Naples

(954)474–2722

Located in Naples on the corner of Goodlette Frank and Pine Ridge Road, Bella Rain is a modern couture store. It carries a lot of women’s clothing pieces that would perhaps be found walking down the runway, and the price really confirms that claim. But if you are looking for some high fashion in Southwest Florida and don’t feel like driving to Miami, then Bella Rain will satisfy your craving. With brands such as CC California, Hype, and Nannette Leopold this chic boutique will wow you with tons of unique and trendy selections. Short cotton dresses with elastic bottoms and bohemian-inspired shirts swarm the walls of this small boutique. The trends for this summer are colorful printed dressed, linen pants, and high-wasted dresses and shorts. You can find a lot of designer named pieces that perhaps you’ve never heard of and may just fall in love with! My personal favorite is a cotton Hype dress with a green, blue and orange flower print all over it and an elastic bottom; perfect for a hot summer day. Bella Rain has a lot of pieces to look at, but they tend to only carry a few sizes of each piece, so cross your fingers and hope to find your size! To get high fashion that isn’t found in department stores, Bella Rain is the perfect place to go when you want to be stylish and different.

YOU LOOK MAHVELOUS

13711 S Tamiami Trl Apt S, Fort Myers

(239) 433-3600

You Look Mahvelous is located on the corner of 41 and Daniels in the Target Plaza in Fort Myers. Famous for its cheap prices and “imitation” jewelry, this small boutique is a great stop to pick some cool summer accessories. My favorite section of the store would have to be the table that displays an array of imitation Chanel, Juicy Couture, Louis Vuitton, and Tiffany jewelry. It’s all about accessories this summer so go wild! No one will ever know you only paid $15 for that Tiffany’s heart necklace, nor will they think that those gorgeous Chanel earrings were only $5. The merchandise at You Look Mahvelous changes every week so you will always be able to catch a good deal! This boutique makes it easy for Southwest Floridians to wear high fashion pieces at a very affordable price.