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Hey Frenchie!

Posted on April 21, 2009
Filed Under On The Street, Only in Washington, Women | 2 Comments

My Sidewalk Style subject this week was rocking the coolest Sonia Rykiel pants when I stopped her over the weekend. They had suspenders! Such a great menswear-inspired, relaxed-cool look.

Speaking of street style, did you all see the spread in this Saturday’s Washington Post? They’re going to be doing a monthly street-style spread, and the photographer is none other than Joshua Yospyn, who is one of the four fashion photographers showing in Flaunt this weekend. See you there!

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Freebie Tuesday: At-Home Beautifying

Posted on April 21, 2009
Filed Under Everything Else, Shopping Events & News | 12 Comments

In tough economic times, little feel-good splurges like pedicures and facials are some of the first things to go. A compromise? Taking matters into your own hands and treating your skin at home. So today’s contest winner will receive the Spa Facial At Home kit from Swiss line Alchimie Forever, which includes their Excimer+ facial scrub, Kantic brightening moisture mask and a spa headband and fan applicator brush, all in a convenient little mesh cosmetic case. But wait, there’s more! The winner will also receive a Marvelous Mineral Mascara from Kiehl’s. This stuff has all sorts of yummy ingredients like jojoba oil, Acacia Senegal and aloe to healthify and beautify at once, and mineral ingredients add natural color. Both are perfect ways to Spring-clean your beauty routine.

So, to win. As you all may or may not know, I am pretty low-maintenance when it comes to beauty (especially HAIR. I am a bit useless, really). So please share your top beauty tricks and tips in the comments (or email me at rachel [at] projectbeltway.com).

Also – I realize that I cut off the contest a bit early yesterday. Today’s contest, and the others this week will end at 9 p.m. And of course, you may enter the contest each day (in fact, that would be great!). Happy entering!

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Freebie Monday: Stylish Books from Neiman Marcus

Posted on April 20, 2009
Filed Under Everything Else, Shopping Events & News | 20 Comments

Ok, contest time! I have so many things piled up here that I’m trying to decide how to sort it all out. For today let’s start with some coffee-table books, courtesy of Neiman Marcus. The first offering is InStyle Parties, which might just inspire you to finally host that girl’s brunch or to at least to gussy up your impromptu BBQ. The second is The Fashion Questionnaire, a simply presented tome that reveals the design inspirations of designers including Thom Browne, Alber Elbaz of Lanvin, and Karl Lagerfeld. And we’ll throw in a sample of La Mer serum we snagged on a recent visit.

In the spirit of each of these books, tell us either:
1) Your favorite party trick (quick and easy appetizer, drink idea, cheap decor idea), or
2) Your fashion motto (it’s one of the questions in The Fashion Questionnaire)

Since I think we’d all enjoy reading the answers, leave your answer in the comments (be sure to use your real email so that I can get in touch with you!). If you’d rather, go ahead and email me at Rachel [at] projectbeltway.com. The winner will be chosen at the end of the day today.

Happy entering!

Oh, and speaking of Neiman Marcus (and probably more free swag…), the Chevy Chase outpost is hosting a Jason Wu Fall Collection preview tomorrow evening from 5 – 7:30. The designer won’t be there unfortunately, but the director of sales will. Everyone gets a sketch of a gown Wu designed for Katie Holmes!

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Enchanted!

Posted on April 19, 2009
Filed Under Uncategorized | 1 Comment

For me, the idea of “style” is related to the appreciation of so many things: art, nature, food – even trash on the street. I find inspiration everywhere. Which is why this post, mainly a collection of images from Friday night’s Corcoran Ball, features just as many photographs of decor as it does clothing.

I arrived Friday evening (in my polka-dot, vintage Betsy Johnson dress) to find my workplace completely and utterly transformed into a dream-like fantasy world. Every room was different – the lighting, linens, and tablewear inspired by the artwork in that particular gallery.

One room featured antique crystal and furniture (above), while another – definitely my favorite – so lovingly captured the lushly feminine Vigee-Lebrun portrait that to sit in the room felt like being inside the painting itself. This was easily the most special gala event I’ve attended in Washington.

These tablecloths were fashioned entirely from the corners usually sliced off and discarded when a round tablecloth is made:

And these pink silk beauties were custom-made for the Corcoran Ball:

And now, for some outfits! Art-world-eccentric-perfection:

A painterly, classic Oscar de la Renta gown:

(me, my colleague Kristin Guiter, publicist Lindley Thornburg and The Washington Times’ Stephanie Green, who was all excited about this scoop)

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Party Pics & A Week’s Worth of Freebies

Posted on April 17, 2009
Filed Under Around Town, Shopping Events & News | 3 Comments

I’m about to start prep for the Corcoran Ball tonight (Desiree Rogers, David & Sybil Yurman, Larry Gagosian…!!), but wanted to put up a few photos from last night’s Washington Life magazine Young & the Guest List party. Funny to think that, years back, before I even knew what this party was, and how important it was to a certain set of people in DC, I attempted to crash the annual soiree at the behest of a certain local media professional who shall go unnamed, who made sport of crashing parties around town.

The recession has been tough for everyone, and taxes have been an additional crush for some (I owe a good chunk of money this year…ugh.) Starting this Monday, I’ll be doing a week’s worth of giveaways on Project Beltway. This was inspired in part by the awesome 45-day long giveaway spree Lucky Magazine did recently (crossing my fingers that one of those prizes crosses my doorstep!) and giveaways like one from Chickdowntown for this Tibi mini green dress. We all deserve a little something right now.

There will be a different prize each day (possibly more than one per day), and something for everyone – including the guys. See you then!

Xo
Rachel

Forgive me for shameless pictures of myself (with Becca Glover, left, and Sarah Taylor), but I had to show you my dress from Dana Greaves that I got a while back but was waiting for just the right occasion….

Gents.

DJ Chris Burns (who totally gets away with wearing a denim suit) with girlfriend Star Silva.

The party was in a to-be-office building in NE Washington near Ibiza Nightclub (site of the afterparty), so the site had a real raw/unfinished, warehouse-vibe. We joked that Mr. Potato Head had gotten shot in this very spot.

Paula Mendoza and Muleh’s Chris Reiter.

Paula was wearing a jumpsuit that has a great, vacationing-in-Barcelona vibe (she has that vibe…so enchantingly effortless). I cannot get enough of her amazing jewels (sold at Muleh and Saks, I believe).

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Oh, Snap! Flaunt.

Posted on April 15, 2009
Filed Under Events, Only in Washington | 1 Comment

I’ve been working on a photography/fashion collaboration event with Honfleur Gallery and Ten Miles Square and here are all the details!! The designer and photo teams have been staging all kinds of cool photo shoots on the streets, inside in studios and God-knows where else, and the result will be revealed Saturday, April 25 at Honfleur. Then in June, a fashion presentation. The idea of this collaboration being to present different ideas of fashion portraiture while celebrating the artful, creative side of fashion.

Flaunt: Photography & Fashion Collaboration
Opening April 25, 7 p.m. (Free and open to the public/DJ Felipe/)

Runway Show and Closing Reception June 6, 7 p.m. ($10/DJ/pop-up boutique/goodies)

The designers! More on them PLUS the amazing photographers in future posts. For now:

Lara of L-Shandi – known for africhic clothes in styles that are both modern and vaguely retro at once…we’ve scoped her stuff in Lucky, and seen the goods at Caramel on U St.

Dana of Artistic AYA – Triple threat: paints & sketches, crafts jewelry, designs clothes…obviously, I’m a fan (read: April 26 event).

Taimur of Mirza Mperial – Worked at Kenneth Cole at one point, and his looks have this great refined, girly, retro-thing going on (that was a photo taken from a show he did that I posted last night!!)

Will Sharp/the guys of Durkl. They have do eighties-hipster like nobody’s business (at your heart out, Marc) and will bring some serious attitude. This show is all about attitude. Bring it!

{Malinda 31 by Joshua Yospyn, courtesy Ten Miles Square}

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Event Inspiration.

Posted on April 14, 2009
Filed Under Events | 1 Comment

{photo courtesy Bo Zhang}

I’ve been busy planning two events, and you will learn more about this one tomorrow!

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