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At J. Mendel

Posted on February 19, 2009
Filed Under Events | 2 Comments

The 9am J.Mendel show was to be my first-ever “real” fashion week show, and of course I overslept and was running late. Thankfully, so does the entire fashion industry. It’s typical for shows to run 20 or 30 minutes late, so my showing up around 9:10 was totally normal. I’m perennially late, so I could really, really get used to this fashion schedule! Anyway, I definitely arrived wearing last night’s eyeliner.

The “scene” at Bryant Park was remarkably calm and laid-back. I was really surprised, but it was an early show so most people are still sleeping off last night’s after-party. I had been texting the Post’s Ashley Parker from the cab and was relieved when she wanted us to take pictures of ourselves in front of the huge Barbie display in the middle of the lobby. I mean really, how can you be serious when you’re standing in front of a huge Barbie? (that show looked fun) I brought a little camera I have really no idea how to use…thank goodness for the speedy delivery of images online!

We got right in line and quickly made nice with a guy standing right in front of us, who left the finance industry to follow fashion (he also looked remarkably like Perez Hilton). Once inside, our standing-room spots actually provided a great view. It’s wild how small the tents really are. I felt lucky to be there.

As the show started, I noticed New York socialites Jennifer Creel and Lisa Airan on the front row (above, between the model and the blonde in black), probably making mental notes of the looks they’d wear out to charity balls and events around town next fall. First were Gilles Mendel’s standout furs, mixed with metallic threads and double faced satin atop sleek wool separates in black. Hair, makeup and shoes were the perfect match: bold red lips that matched the bottoms of Louboutin boots and sleek ponytails pinned in at the nape of the neck.

What really stood out to me about these fur looks was how light and not at all bulky they looked. With the exception of one look with a fur skirt (coat bottom?), the fur trimmings added shape in all the right places and plenty of gorgeous texture. That being said, it’s tough to make these impossibly thin models look weighed down.

You couldn’t help but think of Michelle Obama when two pumpkin-hued wool sheaths came down the runway, particularly in the cut of the second of the two day looks, modeled by the sole black model in the show (coincidence?). Loved this color.

The gowns were impressive, and this black silk charmeuse one with oversize ribbons at the shoulders was particularly gorgeous. And then, before I knew it, the show was over.

{images from NYmag}

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An Ol’ PB Fave

Posted on February 19, 2009
Filed Under Around Town | Leave a Comment

Just saw Washingtonian.com’s finalists for their color photo contest, and look who’s there….Hollywood! He’s one of Washington’s best characters, and photographer Quentin Miles captures his spirit (spend 10 minutes talking to the guy) flawlessly.

The photo is simply amazing, but I also like the jumping-on-the-bed image (because that’s so much fun! And I love the dreamy colors and how it looks like she’s floating) and the green-on-green photo, because looking at the world with a photographic eye and then scoring an impromptu shot like that is a lot of what it’s all about. The message on the red background in “Lobby” is like an ironic Valentine’s Day conversation heart.

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Love from New York

Posted on February 18, 2009
Filed Under Events | 10 Comments

I came up to New York on Monday, a bit earlier than I had originally planned (actually, I give myself way too much credit there – I’m not much of a planner). I didn’t want to miss the chance to check out a promising young designer who showed her inaugural collection yesterday at The Greenhouse, a LEED-certified club/space in SoHo. Turns out the lush, intricately-lit space was the perfect fit for FIT grad Allison Parris, who, along with biz partner Marissa Kim, uses organic, repurposed and/or sustainable fabrics and materials. Even the lining is made from recycled plastic bottles. As I Twittered before (no idea what I’m doing with that really, but I’ll figure it out), the line is Anthropologie-pretty without any of the preciousness. No cutesy stuff here – the soft pinks, creams and beiges get toughened up with brass and leather details, all styled up with pitch-perfect tailoring and a slight vintage flair. These clothes are modern, feminine and playful without being fussy.

These clothes would go over well in Washington, particularly the peplum-cut coats, floaty skirts and a navy wool dress that manages to strike that coveted sexy-but-great-for-the-office tone . My fave looks:

These and more here.

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….tweet?

Posted on February 17, 2009
Filed Under Around Town | 1 Comment

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PB Interviews: Diana Minshall @Dascha

Posted on February 13, 2009
Filed Under Interviews | 3 Comments

Did this interview weeks ago…figure now’s the time to post! This is a long one, but trust me, worth the read. Happy Valentine’s Day inspiration!

{Diana at the store with a mini feather whip: “Sometimes when I get bored at work, I snuggle with it.”}

My first encounter with Diana Minshall was as this perky, preppy salesgirl who worked at the equally preppy and perky Sherman Pickey (hi, Ethan and Lindsey!). Fast-forward a year or so, and she emails to let me know about Dascha, the “boudoir boutique” where she’s working on a quiet street in Georgetown. I went in and basically had my mind blown. She and the (awesome) owners Ann and Analena talk about sex in the most refreshingly open and honest way. Take, for example, the day I walked in to check out their lingerie selection. In walks Diana’s male friend W, a regular fixture on the Georgetown social scene (I won’t say his full name in case that’s embarrassing) with a gaggle of girls. He’s asking her questions in a kind of boasting way, and she launches into this explanation of vibrators and then starts talking about water-based lubricant versus silicone-based lubricants. He asks, “can I go upstairs and try one out?” Without missing a beat, she says, “I can give you a sample to take home.”

At this point, I’m like, slack-jawed impressed with her and hiding behind a display of vibrating rubber duckies. Read on to find out how Georgetown just got a lot more interesting.

Tell me about working at Dascha. Must be different from Sherman Pickey! It is challenging every single day in a way that I have never been challenged before. Every day is different from the one before, and there is always something more that I can learn from each experience whether it be about retail, the sex toy or lingerie industry, communicating with others, or my own feelings about sex and relationships. The job is incredibly unique in the sense that it deals with something that is so important in our lives, yet so personal and private. I have had to become as knowledgeable as possible about all of the merchandise and products we carry so that I can offer the best suggestions to the customers depending on their individual situations. Since sex is such a taboo topic, our customers feel very relieved that they can feel comfortable coming into Dascha and talking to us about one of the most private aspects of their lives. We are part saleswomen, part sexperts, part therapists! There is nothing more rewarding than knowing that you have truly helped someone and made them feel better about themselves. This is the first time in my life that I have had a job where I get up every morning before work and genuinely look forward to what the day will hold.

Working at Dascha is obviously a huge change from working at Sherman Pickey, but so much of the basic job is the same. Thankfully, I had great bosses at Sherman Pickey that took the time to teach me how to merchandise well and deal with customers in a way that was professional and helpful. I can safely say that most of the retail knowledge I brought to Dascha came from my wonderful experience at Sherman Pickey.

What are top sellers? There are items that we are constantly selling out of and having to reorder, namely the We-Vibe and certain Lelo toys. The We-Vibe is an unbelievable creation, so it’s no wonder we can hardly keep it on the shelves- it’s the 2008 sex toy of the year, and the only toy designed to be worn during intercourse. It’s shaped like a little, curvy “U”, with two motors on either side. It’s completely rechargeable, water resistant, and made of really high end medical grade silicone. For years, sex toy designers and scientists have been trying in vain to make a hands free toy that provides G-spot and clitoral stimulation during intercourse without interfering in the process, and these guys just absolutely knocked it out of the park with the We-Vibe. As for the Lelo toys, our best sellers have been the Gigi, and the Iris. Lelo is a Swedish based company that sells some of the highest end toys on the market. They are all made of high grade medical silicone and plastic, they’re all rechargeable, and all crafted with the best motors in the industry. Most of them are made in feminine colors, and have very non threatening, unintimidating designs. The Gigi’s great because it can be used for external, clitoral stimulation, but it has a nub on the end that is great for G-spot stimulation as well. In addition, it makes a perfect anal toy. It’s very versatile, and you get a lot of bang for your buck (pun intended)! The Iris is another great toy that we can barely keeps on the shelves- it’s a little like the Rabbit in the way that it’s shaped, except that it’s rechargeable and has a few different design components that really enhance the overall experience and hit all the right spots.

You’re always preaching about lubricants. Most of our new customers are shocked to find out that there is a whole other world beyond KY and Astroglide. It’s incredibly difficult to describe how much better these lubricants are without experiencing them, but suffice to say almost all of our customers end up purchasing one as soon as they put a drop on their finger. It’s like realizing you could be driving a Maserati after driving a Honda for your entire life. For not that much of a price difference! In addition, most people don’t realize the differences between all of the various types of lubricants and what they’re optimally used for. Once they figure it out, they don’t usually go back to run of the mill, sticky, tacky lubricant.

Also, toy cleaner is one of the most underrated products out there- I sometimes feel like a pushy salesperson when I sell a toy and recommend that the customer also purchase x, y, and z to go with it, but toy cleaner is one of those things I will always strongly suggest. Even if the customer ends up not purchasing a whole thing of cleaner, we give them a sample so that they at least have some. If you invest in something that is going inside your body, it’s important to take care of it and use a cleaning product that is designed for that purpose. Soap and water is not!

Your favorites products? There are so many cool things in the store, so it would be really hard to pick out my favorites. But, we do have this great little lipstick vibrator that charges in your computer’s USB port. Great for the gal or guy on the go! As far as sex toy technology goes, I think that’s really cool.

Who are your customers? What do you wish more women would do to enhance their sexual experience? Our clients are typically people that are eager to learn and better their sex lives, be it with a partner or by themselves. I wish that more women would read the guide books. They are incredibly helpful in terms of exploring your body and figuring out what works for you and how to figure that out. It’s very important to know and be comfortable with what you like before you can do it well with a partner. Getting to know your body well is totally underrated but necessary. Also, the the importance of safe sex. We stock a wealth of products and try to encourage people to protect themselves and their partners. We even ordered these amazing condoms from Japan that are super thin but super strong, so it doesn’t feel like anything. And we have cute little compacts that you can hide condoms in so they’re not just floating around your purse at night.

Read more

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Sweet Saleage

Posted on February 12, 2009
Filed Under Shopping Events & News | Leave a Comment

And this just arrived in my inbox. Too good a sale to not post.

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That Good, Good Loving.

Posted on February 12, 2009
Filed Under Shopping Events & News | 1 Comment

Look at this beautiful handmade card, made locally by etsy designer artsharkdesigns, featuring a couple walking together along the Mall. Love!

By the way, if you want my thoughts on a last-minute gift for Valentine’s Day, here it is: lingerie. Yes, seriously. Buy beautiful, luxurious, satiny lingerie for your girl. It will make her feel pampered and sexy, and it’s a huge bonus that she’s not likely to buy it herself with the economy the way it is. Ladies, buy the same for your guy. He doesn’t want cufflinks, he wants you to wear this.

Go to Dascha in Georgetown, Coup de Foudre downtown or Sylene in Chevy Chase. Done.and.Done.

Now that we have that out of the way, onto more important things, like a handful of local fashion tidbits you should all know about:

Tickets to the Spring District Sample Sale went on sale today, and the event itself is March 18. If you can swing it, VIP tickets are worth every penny.

This is how you get everyone to shut the f*ck up about you and your magazine. Nice get, Anna, and huge kudos to The Washington Post for breaking the story. Pics etc. here.

Crystal Couture opens tomorrow. Over the next two weeks, the event will feature trunk shows, fashion shows and sample sales – all aimed at upping Crystal City’s style quotient and highlighting area boutiques and organizations. And it’s all free!

The new FW is out.

Ever wonder who writes the DC edition of Daily Candy? Well, her name is Erin and she’s super-nice. She’s also walking this March in Fashion For Paws, the annual fundraiser for the Washington Humane Society. You can meet her next Thursday, the 19th, at 6 pm at Chi-Cha Lounge (1624 U Street). A $10 donation gets you a free drink, the chance to win prizes, and lots of love from cute little doggies. Plus, happy hour pricing til 9:00.

……And just because I love you, this. You’re welcome.

Xo,
Rachel

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