Alternative lifestyle at J Miles Clothing Co.

J Miles proudly touts itself as the longest running gay-owned men's clothing and gift store in the U.S. The owner, Jerry Miles, has owned the store for 32 years and recently moved it to its present Federal Highway location from its prior spot next to Las Olas Boulevard.

The store can be seen from the main road but to access it, you must drive around the corner at the traffic light and to the back street where it sits building to building with a few other little stores. It is a very small space, about the size of a hallway. It contains t-shirts, bathing suits, sun glasses and bags for men and assorted gag gifts, such as drinking ice luges in the shapes of body parts.

 

Some t-shirts are ironic and humorous, bearing the "Pampers" or the Superman logo. Others are music-inspired, such as one that features Lady Gaga, and others contain literary or pop culture references, such as one that has "Catcher in the Rye" written across the chest. The glasses are spunky and colorful, coming in colors like pink and purple and prints such as leopard. The men's bags are largely made of canvas with metal details and there is a big assortment of men's speedo bathing suits in various colors and patterns, as one customer can attest to in his satisfactory review.

Prices are low. You can find glasses for $5-$10 and t-shirts from $20-$30. JMiles Clothing Co. is located at 831-A N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304. The web site does not seem to be working.

Intricate designs at Kum Ba Ya in Fort Lauderdale

Kum Ba Ya on Las Olas Boulevard is a small store with a penchant for elaborate designs screened onto tops. Playing on the well-known African American spiritual song (Kumbaya my Lord, kumbaya...) for its name, the boutique offers tops, hats, sun glasses, jeans, etc. Some of the tops feature detailed art pictures interspersed with colored (fake) crystals and evoke an Indian feel, reminiscent of vibrant saris and gems. Others are more direct, featuring pictures of cities such as Paris, with the name written across the chest.

 The store has biker-style hats in nude leather and bright, metallic cylinder-shaped purses. It has a table of jewelery, featuring chain link necklaces with circular pendants and light blue ovals.

Prices are moderate, ranging from $7 for sunglasses to $100 for a dress but most items are on the low end of the scale as one customer stated in a review on Yelp. Many of the items in the store include crystals, such as denim with bedazzled back pockets.

Kum Ba Ya has been operating for 10 years. The store does not have events, except for sales. It is located at 1012 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. Unfortunately, it doesn't have a web site.

Fresh-picked fashion at Lilac and Lilies in Fort Lauderdale

Lilac and Lilies is a boutique located just across the street from the upscale Galleria Mall in Fort Lauderdale and it does a fine job competing. The store is stocked with contemporary, hip pieces that are fashionable but not over the top.

They have the latest trends, like colored denim (mint skinny jeans and bright red jean shorts) that are casual and fashion-forward. The collection of pictures on the wall, featuring the owner with the likes of celebrities such as Paris Hilton, shows how they like to keep up with pop culture. In fact, the popular South Florida entertainment news show, Deco Drive, filmed Lilac and Lilies on March 8 for their local fashion segment.

But the store is not a slave to the trends. The clothing is stylish and represents the wearable, "cool" trends; not crazy, over-the-top ones that aren't really suited to be worn outside in the daylight.

You may want to check the store's return policy carefully if you are buying online, as one customer  posted in this review of the store.

The boutique holds events through out the year, such as one that took place on March 22 for local jewelry designer Jacqueline Pinto. The price range is varied, starting from as low as $6 and going up to $400. The store has been in business for three years, operating at this location for 1 1/2 years. The staff is helpful and the space is bright with a (literally) open door.
Lilac and Lilies Boutique is located at 2541 E Sunrise Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304. They have a web site and a Facebook page.

Accessorized at Essentials Boutique in Fort Lauderdale

Essentials Boutique sits in a plaza in a lively part of town, home to restaurants and shops frequented by locals for years, such as Carlos and Pepe's and Dough Boys Pizza. The boutique carries clothing of course but their essentials are accessories, namely, handbags and jewelry.

The main clothing items carried at Essentials are dresses. Some are tight and form-fitting (such as the Herve Leger-like dress pictured) and some are loose and flowy, while others run the gamut in between. Some dresses are best suited for the day, such as a rose-patterned cotton dress I saw, and others, for the night, such as the black and white number to the left.

Essentials carries a variety of bags, purses, pocket books, clutches, etc for day and night outings. They come in bright and neutral colors and fabrics from leather to canvas. They carry designer Vera Bradley, among others. Bags come in a variety of sizes, some with quirky drawings or word collages on the front, while others are more chic and simple. In fact they received a glowing review by a happy customer detailing her love for these purses.

An entire section of the store is dedicated to jewelery and they carry Brighton and Pandora. Known largely for their customizable charm bracelets, Pandora is very popular right now. Much of the jewelery inside the store is silver with colored charms.

Fashion-forward at LF in Fort Lauderdale

LF on Las Olas Blvd is catering to the young fashionista with money to burn, offering a collection of eclectic, pricey pieces. The store feels kind of like an attic, with it's dark wood fixtures and floors, cozy size and array of daring clothes, shoes and jewelry strewn about. There are designer pieces to be found in the mix, such as Dolce Vita sandals and Sam Edelman heels.

The style is unique, offering items like chunky, cable-knit sweaters in neon greens and navy blue lumberjack print skirts.

 They have a sizable selection of funky and pretty dresses and skirts, like leopard print and lace silk dresses and chiffon ombre skirts in light pink and blue. In one corner is a shelf with brightly colored denim shorts sporting masses of metal spikes. LF has had positive reviews too from women posting their love for the trends it offers.

LF has stores in California, New York, Florida, Massachusetts and Texas and the Las Olas boutique has been in business for nine years. Pricing is high, with the average sweater going for around $150.

Fashion for formal occasions at Zola Keller in Fort Lauderdale

You don't even have to walk inside Zola Keller to know what this boutique is all about because displayed in the shop windows are vibrant wedding and prom dresses. Yes, it is a bridal/prom/pageant/formal occasion boutique.

The boutique has two stories; the bottom floor features mainly prom and cocktail dresses while the top floor is the bridal floor featuring wedding wear and suits. The dresses are all colorful and covered in either rhinestones, feathers or both. Many dresses come in multiple colors and are adorned with crystals on one part of the dress (chest, waist, etc) and many are ruffled or textured. Therefore only buy here if you want to stand out at that bat mitzvah/wedding/prom you're attending because these dresses practically shout at you to notice them.

I have no problem with colorful, adorned dresses and if done right, they can be very stylish. But to be completely honest, some of Zola Keller's collection is a bit "too much", too much sparkle, color and print on one dress. The fashions have a bit of that wild "Betsey Johnson" party frock feel.With that being said, there are dresses that I did find to be fun and cute.

Zola Keller does do something very cool. They offer customized creations at no additional cost so that the customer can design and create their own dress and be measured for their size. Off-the-rack sizes range from 2-24.

The owner of Zola Keller, designer and retailer Zola, has been very active in dressing beauty pageant contestants for two decades, dressing everyone from Miss Latina Florida to Miss America. She is passionate about charity and fund raises for many, including cystic fibrosis and the American Cancer Society. In fact the store is holding a fashion show to raise money for cystic fibrosis March 15.

The boutique holds numerous events throughout the year, including trunk shows for specific designers so that customers can see their collections before they are displayed.


The boutique has been in business for 30 years. The price range is about $150 to $4000, as it is a specialty store featuring prom and wedding dresses, which are notorious for being expensive.

Italian inspiration at Moda Mario in Fort Lauderdale

Moda Mario is a unisex clothing store featuring both men's and women's wear inspired by European, and most specifically, Italian fashion. It isn't the Italian fashion of Versace's bold colors and geometric patterns or Dolce and Gabbana's leopard silk bustier dresses, but classic Italian fashion; the Italian fashion that is known for high-quality leather, well-tailored suits and soft, flowing dresses.