The ladies and I are throwing another Butler + Claypool vintage shopping event this weekend, from 11 AM-5 PM at Cork Market’s Tasting Room. We’ll be bringing out our best women’s AND men’s vintage clothing, accessories, and more. I’ve been hoarding since the last event in the summer and can’t wait to pull out my finds. We’ll be setting up shop in the private tasting room and offering winter and spring wares a selection of our handmade wearables, hot cider, music and fashionable chatter.

Can’t wait to see you there!

The just-released Autobiography of a Fashion Designer: Ralph Rucci ($195; Bauer and Dean)
Ralph Rucci is one of the most underrated American designers in the industry. He was the first American designer to receive an invitation to show at the Paris couture shows since Mainbocher in the thirties. This book would look great in my new apartment, resting on my coffee table, as I watch Ralph Rucci: A Designer and His House.

Classes at The Bar Method
I grew up in dance classes and I miss the rhythm of being in a studio.

Cartier’s Baiser Vole perfume
Somehow they’ve bottled freshly cut lilies. It’s a gorgeous, gorgeous scent. I always recommend including small sample vials of a perfume when giving a scent as a gift – they are perfect for stowing in a clutch and for travel.

A Tiffany blue Tiffany handbag
I recently found myself at the Tiffany store in Chevy Chase and was completely blown away to discover that Tiffany even had a handbag line, but also that they are all completely gorgeous. The designers behind Lambertson Truex are responsible for the designs; many of which include some way to include the company’s signature eggshell blue. The Tiffany Reversible Tote, above, is a simple design in a gorgeous color, and it’s reversible to a metallic leather in an act of thoughtful day-to-night construction. This was just one of a number of handbags that I admired–including one clutch featuring a strap that can be removed and worn as a necklace. It’s a brilliant, well conceived line.

Cozy Knits: A knit Cowl scarf and Slouch Beanie from De*Nada
Local designer Virginia Arrisueno’s knits are incredibly soft and stylish, and have the exact-right amount of heft and drape. Form and function in one warm, cozy place.

Major Earrings
I’m scheming an accessories plan for the year ahead that involves big cuffs bracelets and big, bold earrings. Right now I’m loving the Black Teardrops from local designer ARTAYA (she has a trunk show this weekend at the Bloomingdale’s in Chevy Chase; details are on her website) and various styles from Etsy seller DolorisPetunia, including the watercolor rhinestone lovelies above.

Happy holidays!

The ladies of Treasury (who used to be Listopad, read the interview with them way back when) are taking over DC vintage institution Meeps! Cathy and Katerina will add buy-sell-trade and local designers alongside casual, affordable unique lovely pieces and to top it all off, and to kick it all off, they’re throwing themselves a welcome party with music and a $20 all-you-can-cram-into-a-bag deal TOMORROW, which reminds me of the bag sales at the Stonewall Jackson Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Store in my middle school years when, my dear readers, my love for vintage all began.

First up: tonight, local designer Dana Ayanna Greaves hosts a fashion party at the Shaw Library (styling by fellow rag+bone DIY Ambassador Brooke Kao). Right now I’m crushing on her magazine tote and this necklace.

Monday night is the District Sample Sale, and if you haven’t ever been, you’re missing out. There are scores to be scord, so don’t sleep on snagging a ticket. What I bought last time: Loeffler Randall wool/silk dress shorts from Hysteria and a Trina Turk raw silk pencil skirt from Sherman Pickey.

Hu’s Wear & Hu’s Shoes is established in the hearts and minds of those of us who adore fashion in this city, but more likely than not, the wares have appeared in dreams as opposed to closets. But on FNO, this Thursday starting promptly at 6 pm, both Wear and Shoes will open the coffers of seasons-past designer goodies at a whopping 80% off from designers such as Alexander McQueen, Sonia Rykiel, D2Squared, Cacharel, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Sergio Rossi, Proenza Schouler. Racks and racks full, including at least an entire rack of jeans. Over the Labor Day weekend, we stopped in for an exclusive peek, just for you lovelies. Here’s the exclusive sneak peek.

Above, my one of my favorites:
S/S 2011 Martin Grant black and pink colorblock shift
Original: $1175
Sale: $235
Size: xs
Quantity: one

Early bird gets the worm.

OK…FNO this year is shaping up to be off-the-charts awesome. I have to say, the energy in this city for fashion and the fall event season is buzzing right now, and Georgetown’s work to bring FNO to Washington has been a big part of that excitement.

I’m honored to be a Host Committee member for FNO this year, and starting at 8:30 that night, I’ll be helping guests shop and doling out style advice at TARI. Voted Best Vintage Store in the Washington City Paper’s 2011 Best Of list, TARI stands out for designer vintage and consignment (men’s too!). The owners and event conceptualists Art Soiree have put together a night that will be both glamorous and see-and-be-seen and intimately private, thanks to their outside private lounge and event space, to be revealed that night.

You can shop for free of course, but $20 gets you admission to the outdoor event, complimentary antipasto, and Lambrusco. We’ll be playing La Dolce Vita on the big screen, encouraging playing dress-up and photographing you in your new outfits (oh, and if you end up purchasing something, you get in the event for free). Also, the 2012 Lamborghini Aventador will be onsite, which is just as exciting as it was for me to get to ride in one for my thirteenth birthday (it was ALL I WANTED at the time).

Check out event details and RSVP here. See you there, all you fabulous, sexy Washingtonians!

UPDATE: I’m giving away a pair of tickets to he TARI party! Enter to win by telling me something Italian that knocks your socks off: a particular dish, movie, designer, whatever. We’ll pick the lucky winner Wednesday, September 7 at noon. Good luck!

Jackie has a serious talent for pattern mixing!

On Saturday, my friend Jackie and I woke up early to head out to the grand opening of the first b-thrifty chain to open in the area. The kind folks at b-thrifty gave us $100 each to spend so we could share just how much great stuff you can score. How much great stuff can you get, exactly? On my end: 4 dresses, 2 jackets/blazers, 2 skirts, 3 bags, a pair of earrings and a bunch of pretty housewares including a ceramic dish that would look at home on One Kings Lane.

One of my dresses is a forties polka-dot number that I can’t wait to wear early fall; I also scored a sporty-minimalist neon Byblos dress that I can’t wait to wear with black turtleneck and leggings. My new teal blazer will look really graphic with my new rag + bone cobalt cords.

A few tips for the novice thrift-shopper:
* Most thrift chains do not have dressing rooms (b-thrifty does, though), so wear a form-fitting first layer so you can slip things on and check them out in the mirrors at the end of the aisles.
* Don’t spend too much time trying to decide if the item is a keeper; throw it all into the cart and edit later!
* Sorry if this grosses anyone out, but smell the garment! If something is very musty, you’ll need to weigh whether it’s worth risking a purchase if the smell doesn’t come out with a washing.
* As with any shopping experience, check the washcare instructions! If it’s dry clean only, factor that time and money into the decision.

Happy shopping!

B-Thrifty
13412 Jefferson Davis Highway
Woodbridge, VA 22191-1211

Last night I donned my Favorite Black Wrap Dress (thank you, Mango a few years ago!) and cabbed over to CUSP Georgetown to join my fellow Hosts to celebrate the countdown to Fashion’s Night Out on September 8 in Georgetown. With the stamp of approval from Conde Nast and a bunch of great shopping + events planned (hint: hot air balloon!), the event has me super-excited for the fall season. Last year I left a red-carpet party on the waterfront, hopped a (free!) pedi-cab up to the now-shuttered Proper Topper, and hosted what has become one of my favorite events in the city – an intimate, candlelit fashion chat with Jenn Barger and Katherine Boyle from FW/Express and the dashing and wise Walker Lamond. We were joined by a wonderful group of fashion enthusiasts and a few curious and wonderful neighbors and their dogs. I can’t wait for this year!

{pic courtesy Vincent Gallegos}

My new favorite thing to wear when it’s unbearably hot? A vintage cotton bustier! I wore mine to our pop-up this weekend – which was fabulous, thank you to everyone who came out – and got a ton of compliments. I’m telling you, there is nothing more fun, fashionable and heat-proof than one of these retro pieces. Wear one with a high-waist pair of shorts or a skirt for more femme/pinup effect. I found mine on Etsy; there’s a similar one here, a less girlie version in leather here and a really cute gingham one here.

Butler + Claypool will set up shop at the ReadySetDC fashion mixer this Sunday. We’ll be selling awesome stuff. Get it’s while it’s hot (and damn, is it hot).

Details here.