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Posted on June 19, 2008
Filed Under Shopping Events & News | 2 Comments

UPDATE: Besides DEKKA, the Great Harriet Kassman Giveaway starts today: an additional 50 percent off already reduced spring/select summer merchandise from lines like Lela Rose and Pink Tartan! And if you’re already there, you might as well pop into Saks – I hear from their reps that the “entire store” is on sale – some more than 60 percent off.

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Report from the front row

Posted on June 19, 2008
Filed Under Only in Washington, Shopping Events & News | Leave a Comment

What a fun night! I’m really happy with how the pictures for Washingtonian.com turned out from the other night’s Nordstrom Designer Preview. The place was packed with a an equal mix of well-coiffed & lipglassed New York executives and equally polished Washington women, who brought out the bling and major bags for the occasion (a male friend of mine: “I’ve never seen so many quilted Chanel bags in one room”). Hors d’oeuvres were great and thoughtfully appropriate (ie, not embarrassingly sloppy to eat): tenderloin crostini, sushi “pearls,” truffle-infused risotto in little glasses with little spoons…and “Watermelontinis” that tasted so good you marveled at the alcohol content.

I sat next to DC Magazine’s Cory Ohlendorf for the show. We acted in symbiotic fashion tandem, gesturing and murmuring appreciatively when looks we loved slinked down the runway. Here are my thoughts, as it went. Check out the pics and you’ll understand what I’m talking about…

Donna Karan presentation, first “Scene” of 10: frustratingly distracted by camera adjustments. wahh.

Dolce & Gabbana: opened with four models in bright satin dresses, proving that fall isn’t all burgundy and hunter green (yay). The seventh look was totally rock-meets-rockabilly: plaid Western-style shirt, abbreviated denim and David Bowie face tee. It was the outfit Olga Sherer modeled in the “actual” fall show (where a David Bowie remix was the music of choice). I loved the fur and ruffled-silk coat.

Jil Sander: all lean, sculpted shapes, with a focus on the jackets designer Raf Simons does so well. The music is appropriately stark and a little paranoia-inducing. Love how the models walk differently for each collection…for this one, they were stony-faced and walked very linearly down one side of the runway, directly across the front, and down the other side.

Michael Kors: an appealing, if kitschy, nerdy-ladylike mix. According to my not-so-scientific survey afterwards, this was the surprise hit of the night. Narrow mid-calf skirts, camel cashmere cardigans and cheetah suits were totally forties lady-detective (I’d scribbled “Brenda Starr” in my program so I wasn’t surprised when I later read that the collection had garnered Hitchcock-chick references). I can see myself wearing the violet brush-stroke Jacquard tulip dress.

Valentino: tres French, from the Jane Birkin hair to the spectator pumps & booties to the music: a male voice speaking words like “baguette” and “Camembert” in a ridiculous French accent. It opened with a double-breasted navy coat that was the indication of a fall trend, and later, both Blumarine and Versace emphasized navy where black might have formerly held court. Not to say that black isn’t back for fall in a huge way – the rest of Valentino’s collection was black, white and grey with touches of red patent on accessories. Some great jacket-coats.

Roberto Cavalli: looked young, and not in the sweet, romantic way he notably showed for his Spring collection. So it was definitely a return to the brights and metallics (hello, reflective gold heels!) – certainly fun to wear for a night out.

Missoni: further emphasized the season’s key accessories: hats and long gloves. These were paired with plenty of color-blocked separates, signature patterned knits, and one of my favorite looks, the teal and grey “floral” Scilla coat. One belted dress in particular was a mesmerizing marriage of color and texture – it’s hard to say what color it was, and the fabric’s overall effect was of shimmering scales or even little shells.

I have to say that I didn’t particularly love much about the looks from Blumarine. If that show was the moth, then the following collection, Carmen Marc Valvo Couture, was literally and figuratively the butterfly: the winged creature was the reference for everything from the feathers in hats to the colors (emerald, cobalt, black) of the sumptuous fabrics. The last look, a berry-colored gown, was pretty but was far too much dress for the skinny model. Hallelujah for a dress that would have looked better on someone with more of a figure (I’m thinking Catherine Zeta-Jones)! I was lusting over the black leather over-the-elbow gloves by the end.

Versace closed the show, opening with several navy looks (including a gorgeous one-shoulder cocktail dress) and plenty of fuschia, purple, and floral. There were two colorful silk shifts emblazoned with city scenes that proved popular with a few teenage attendees post-show, and are sure to inspire more than a few knock-offs.

Beyond the sheer giddiness I felt from the uninterrupted parade of eye candy – clothing I’d only glimpsed via online slideshows – I found the show itself interesting since really, these looks are the result of the buyer perspective. What I saw are the looks Nordstrom’s buyers felt were commercially viable – what women will want to wear and buy this season. With that in mind, I’ll take one of each!

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Oversize Floral, P Street

Posted on June 18, 2008
Filed Under On The Street, Women | Leave a Comment

She thought I was crazy since she’d bought this abbreviated maxi-style dress at the beach “years ago,” but it seems like everyone’s getting in on the big-flower train, from Banana to the breezy sheer tunic at Muleh I’d admired just before I snapped her photo.

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All Ages Show

Posted on June 17, 2008
Filed Under Men, On The Street | 4 Comments

This little eight year-old was holding court in front of a pretty large crowd in Georgetown over the weekend, playing (and singing!) classic rock favorites and The Star Spangled Banner. Check out the rocker stance and Chucks! I think Converse look good on boys of all ages – including my Sidewalk Style subject for this week.

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The Fall 08 Shows Come to Washington Tomorrow Night

Posted on June 16, 2008
Filed Under Events, Only in Washington, Shopping Events & News | 1 Comment

Does everyone know about the Nordstrom Designer Preview tomorrow night at the Building Museum? It benefits local charity Knock Out Abuse Against Women and is one of those events where all the fabulous ladies of Washington show up to strut their well-heeled stuff and see what is basically a mini-version of “the fall shows” (babsied has a great review of last year’s). Expect fall looks from Lanvin, Dior, Missoni and more. This will be my first year attending, and I’m thrilled for what sounds to be one of the most exciting nights of fashion in Washington, both on and off the runway. I was just emailing with a few friends who are also going and it sounds like there are some tickets left still, if you’d like to come. Best of all (I used to work in nonprofit), 100% of the ticket price ($200 and $125) goes to KOA, so you can be assured that your dollars aren’t being spent to provide you with free apps or an open bar. It’s from 6:30 until 10:00 and the number to call is 202-725-5604.

Oh, whatever will I wear?!

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Vintage Vest

Posted on June 16, 2008
Filed Under On The Street, Women | 3 Comments

I’m kinda done debating kaffiyeh-as-fashion (though I came across this just now and laughed), and anyway, I think this one looks to be sorta kaffiyeh, more tablecloth – in a cute, gingham-esque way. I’m liking all of the pattern and texture and color going on in her outfit, particularly in the vintage vest she’s wearing. Her friend was rocking a pair of perfectly faded, artfully rumply purple shorts.

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Chatter!

Posted on June 13, 2008
Filed Under Only in Washington, Shopping Events & News | 2 Comments

Whew! The chat today was so much fun (I want to go shopping now!) We talked all things summer: the best shoe options for skirts, what to wear on the walk to work without melting. We even got into skincare! So clickit on over to read all about it. I had to duck out early unfortunately…I’m headed to coffee with Anna Post, who I met the last time she was here in the District. I’m dying to add my 2 cents worth to the questions I didn’t get to take part in there at the end though! I’ll answer some of those right here on PB soon so stay tuned.

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