Tag: Clothes

Celebrating International Women’s Month

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There are many reasons to love March. The official arrival of Spring. Spring break. St. Patrick’s day. March Madness. And International Women’s Day.

I celebrate women every day (my sisters, my BFFs, my team members), but I celebrate them extra in March. A few years ago I wrote about a few of my amazing innovative girlfriends.  This year, I celebrate this week’s International Women’s Day by highlighting some of my favorite DC-area women-owned businesses.

Bellacara
This Old Town beauty boutique is owned by Angela Sitilides, a former attorney and mother of four boys who decided that entrepreneurship and beauty were a more fulfilling career path. Her store, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this month, carries a curated assortment of skin (yes, including Alchimie!), bath & body, hair and makeup brands, along with amazingly delicious-smelling candles.

Betsy Fisher
My favorite clothing boutique in DC, the eponymous Betsy Fisher blends trendy and
conservative, as is necessary in the nation’s capital. Too busy to shop? Betsy will personally choose items she thinks will work for you and have them couriered to your home or place of business.

Hank’s Oyster Bar
An institution in DC, I must confess to having gone to Hank’s Oyster Bar for the first time just a couple of weeks ago, on a Saturday when I woke up craving a seafood tower… and realized that their first location (opened in 2005) is walking distance from my house. I don’t know owner Jamie Leeds, but I am grateful to her for helping with my random craving!

Ninotch, an Urban Retreat
Owner and therapist Tatiana Tchamouroff’s petite size belies her strength. She has been
offering therapeutic treatments and sports massage to the DC sports community for over 20 years, and I can personally attest that her hands are both powerful and magical. With locations in Bethesda and Tyson’s, her spas also offer facials, flotation therapy, and spray tanning. A must for the stressed out among us….

Salt & Sundry
Opened in 2012 in Union Market, this lifestyle boutique carries the most unique goods from independent designers both local and global. This is my go-to source for gifts (especially for that friend who has everything), and a favorite place to receive gifts from (most recently the most amazing gold-rimmed water glasses). Last night, at Moki Media’s Dainty Doesn’t Do It event, I had the privilege of hearing Amanda McClements, the founder of this boutique, moderate a panel – which made me love this boutique all the more!

What are your favorite women-owned brands and businesses?

Cleaning out closets, Spring 2012 fashion trends

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Every January, I like to clean out my closet. It makes me feel organized, it helps me plan my clothes and accessories purchasing for the first half of the year, and it means that usually I will wear some long-forgotten clothes during the first month of the year (shopping my own closet). This week, I organized my closet, with two new twists. I happened to do this the same week as the Fashion Group International of DC Spring Trends event, which was this past Tuesday at Tysons Galleria. I got a fabulous preview of spring 2012 trends, which further motivated me to clear out some space for a few new gorgeous pieces. The second twist is that for the first time in my life, I have coordinated hangers. I made the mistake of walking into The Container Store about two weeks ago, to buy just one item, and I got lost in the hanger aisle. $150+ later, I am the proud owner of a complete collection of Platinum Huggable Hangers. I never thought that good hangers could make such a difference in a closet, but now I can’t believe I waited so long. My closet looks better, my clothes aren’t slipping off the hangers. And, added benefit, I had to physically touch every hanging piece of clothing I own to switch its hanger. This made for a more thorough closet clean-out. And thorough closet clean-out + springs fashion trends = I have my shopping list ready.

  1. More boots. This may be left over from fall, but with a single pair of black boots, I need to invest in this department. At the same FGI event mentioned above, I found fabulous olive-colored Chloe Gold Accent boots on sale (which usually wouldn’t sway me, but Chloe….).I still need rain boots, and I would like them in plum color please. Thank you Simply Soles. For this DC winter weather, I definitely need a pair of real winter boots; I am fascinated by the Caribou nubuck leather and rubber ones by Sorel.
  2. With boots come tights. I am not a fan of tights, I feel so strongly about not liking tights I even blogged about it a long time ago. But, tights are necessary it seems (I have stubbornly tried my black boots with dresses and no tights in the winter, with no positive results). Hue opaque tights it is. I’ll stick with black, I am not ready for their Deep Red or Aubergine selections.
  3. Spring 2012 will be filled with color, color that pops, jewel tones. Specifically tangerine and deep turquoises. Trina Turk exemplifies this perfectly in this dress. If not that one, I will definitely add a jewel-toned short dress to carry me from day to night this spring.
  4. The LWD is taking over the LBD. White is back, I can’t wait to wear more of it. My choice, Jason Wu for Target, I am in love with this white dress. It comes in black too, I might have to get both.