Fashion is an extension of our personality—a way to express ourselves through colors, patterns and textures. It’s also the first thing people notice when we walk into a room. These five Tampa Bay residents know how to make an entrance, each showcasing their unique flair and take on style.
Golden Goddess | Carla Shah
“My style is classic, romantic and storytelling. It’s driven by key pieces that capture my eye and ignite a feeling within me – regardless of the fashion genre/trend it’s defined by. With my always-on-the-go personality, my outfits need to be practical, ease to fit, yet accented with a thoughtful accessory.”
A Miami-born mother of two, Carla Shah balances her lifestyle of wellness, travel and managing the Liberty Group investment portfolio with a keen focus on her wardrobe. Her favorite pieces often carry special memories, such as the crystal-embellished YSL earrings she wore on a trip to London or the Erdem denim skirt her friends gifted her for her birthday. Her closet features a palette of golden hues and emerald greens, which inspire her creativity and pair beautifully with soft neutrals. To complete her look, Shah loves adding a perfect pair of shoes, a jeweled headband or vibrant earrings to a monochromatic outfit, instantly elevating her mood and her ensemble.
Sustainable Stylist | RaShawn Davis
“I learned to develop style from anything. If I like it—whether it’s at the gas station or at the fair—if it’s something that I feel is in style or fashionable, or just catches my eye, I’ll purchase it.”
For RaShawn Davis, style is in his DNA. His uncle was a sewer and his aunt was a model who studied merchandising. However, it was his mom from whom he truly inherited his sense of style, spending weekends together scouring clearance racks and thrift shops, giving new life to old finds. His fashion expertise deepened in New York City while interning for Betsey Johnson, where he worked his first Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week show, as well as with Time Out Magazine and in visual merchandising with window displays for Roberto Cavalli. Today, Davis’s style is defined by mixed prints, pieces that reflect his faith, watches and bags—his favorite being a Coach camo bag.
Conscientious Chic | Kari LaRocco
“I don’t want to wear what’s on the mannequin or what everyone’s wearing. I want to wear something that you can’t get, that’s different, that’s from a different country and is also just my expression of self.”
Growing up as a tomboy, Kari LaRocco, an Ameriprise Private Wealth Advisor with LaRocco & Associates, didn’t connect art and fashion until her 20s when European influences transformed her perspective. Now, she views fashion as a tool for self-expression and making a statement. She’s often mindful of how and where her clothing is made and supports organizations like Wine Women & Shoes and the Dalí Benefit Teen Fashion Show. When it comes to style, LaRocco gravitates toward monochromatic looks or mixing patterns and textures to reflect her mood, often adorning her outfits with watches and earrings. Her cherished items include a 1940s-era trench coat from Banana Republic and a Boy CHANEL handbag she gifted herself after finishing an IRONMAN.
Monochromatic Maven | Enrique Crespo
“Fashion is such a personal and exciting journey for me… I would describe my style as formal and classic with a definite edge. I love experimenting with different styles and combining them to create a look that’s truly my own.”
An interior designer for the last 25 years, Enrique Crespo has a keen eye for fashion and art, serving on the boards of the Tampa Museum of Art and Tampa Bay Businesses for Culture and the Arts. The Cuban-American, Tampa native prefers solid colors over patterns in his wardrobe, with black being a favorite for its sophistication. His go-to accessories are cufflinks, which he’s been collecting since he was 16, adding a personal touch to each look. While he admires brands like Givenchy, Dior, Saint Laurent, and Giorgio Armani, his most prized possession—aside from his two French bulldogs, Tootie and Josephine—is an Alexander McQueen cape he purchased in Paris.
Bold Beauty | Taneka Bowles
“My style has evolved over the years. I mean, obviously, when I was in my 20s, life was a lot different back in the ’90s. Fashion changes often and repeats itself every 20 years or so. I would say my fashion is still evolving.”
Coming from a large family of women, style was always a priority for Taneka Bowles. Her grandmother instilled in her the importance of feeling confident enough to have her picture taken before leaving the house. Today, Bowles, founder and CEO of Tampa Bay Fashion Experience and wife of Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles, gravitates toward black, denim and a well-fitted pantsuit often sourced from brands like alice + olivia and Cynthia Rowley. Her everyday accessories are more simplistic, though a nice timepiece or cross is essential, along with a Gucci handbag and Louis Vuitton shoes. Her favorite items are a toss-up between a Yves Saint Laurent denim cape and a pair of Dolce & Gabbana denim boots.
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