…not in dated order:

The District Sample Sale Thursday, September 16 starting at 5:30. It’s back – and it keeps getting better and bigger each season. The event pulls in thousands for children’s and women’s charities, and this year’s beneficiary is George Washington Hospital’s Mammovan, the area’s only mobile mammography unit. At this moment, only about 10 $100 VIP tickets are left. They’re pricey, but you do get the best access to the goods. Other than that, your best bet is to buy a $40 general admission ticket, leave work early, and camp out to be as close to the front of the line as possible.

All You Can Grab Bag Sale at It’s All Good August 29 at noon. More than a lot of me wants to keep this all to myself, because the idea is that you pay $10, get a bag, and stuff it with as much as you can (including these awesome size 6 Franco Sarto boots). I have fond memories of the bag sales at the Stonewall Jackson Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Shop growing up in Lexington, and to this day, there’s nothing better than a triumphant thrifting trip. The event is being billed as a teen back-to-school event, so to all the Mileys out there, be warned: I’m older and I have more experience.

First-ever Bloomingdale’s Outlet opening this Friday at Potomac Mills. From 9:30-10 am, all the Bloomie’s VPs and assorted corporate folks will be on hand to celebrate with a ribbon-cutting, refreshments and local entertainment from Urban Nation H.I.P.-H.O.P. Choir. If you’re interested in snagging some affordable new clothes for fall, this should be exciting news. The store’s hours will be Monday-Saturday from 10-9 and Sundays from 11-6.

Fashion’s Night Out evening of September 10. Fashion’s Night Out is a global initiative created by American Vogue, the CFDA, NYC & Company, and the City of New York to celebrate fashion and boost the industry’s economy. But now Washington and a bunch of other cities are officially getting in on the fun. The entire Georgetown shopping district will be a part from 6-11, with more than 60 stores offering discounts, free drinks, gifts with purchase, trunks shows and special appearances. Cirque du Soleil performers from OVO will be taking to the area’s streets to give away tickets to see the show, Washington Post Express and FW‘s Jenn Barger and Katherine Boyle will host a fashion chat at The Proper Topper, Urban Chic will host a Halston Heritage trunk show, and as one of the event hosts I’ll be….well, doing something taking shape now to be unveiled later. You can also snap up a FNO tote for $10, 100% of proceeds going to Labels for Love, the DC-based charity helmed by DC Real Housewife Mary Amons. Details on FNO Georgetown here.

Over at Neiman Marcus Mazza Gallerie from 6-9, listen to a live performance by local band US Royalty, who will play songs from their new album out in October, a Fall Lafayette 128 runway show with designer Edward Wilkerson, a design-your-own-cupcake bar, Bobbi Brown makeovers, a digital photobooth, W Hotel lounge and giveaways, and with every $25 donation to The Trust for the National Mall, a chance to open and win one of three Tumi suitcases filled with prizes.

…wheew!

We did a scavenger hunt at the Phillips Collection Jason Wu/Robert Ryman event the other night, and everyone had to ask me “who” I was wearing. I must have educated at least 300 people on the line. I deserve a new dress.

Images of the inspiration boards Jason Wu used while coming up with his collection for the fall TSE collection were sent over in advance of the event tonight – interesting that the placement of the images on the boards is the focus; it’s not cluttered with swatches and it’s not collage-style like you’ll often see. I love how clean and spare they are, just like the collection.

Kristen Lee and I were separated at birth. Note to self: obtain vat of bleach.

Very very excited to announce that I’ll be teaming up with Neiman Marcus for a fashion-themed evening of art and inspiration at Phillips after 5 next month. The event is focused on the interplay of inspiration between minimalist painter Robert Ryman and a one Jason Wu. Wu drew inspiration for his Fall 2010 collection for TSE from Ryman’s work – of which neutral colors and materiality are hallmarks – so it makes sense for Wu to explain that for this collection, he wanted to consider TSE’s cashmere as the ultimate canvas (isn’t it, though!).

Please see awesome comparative slideshow here!

FASHION COLLECTION BY JASON WU MEETS ITS FINE ART INSPIRATION AT A SPECIAL PHILLIPS AFTER 5

With Neiman Marcus Mazza Gallerie and Project Beltway’s Rachel Cothran

WHEN: Thurs., August 12, 5–8:30 p.m.

WHERE: The Phillips Collection

WHAT: Designer Jason Wu cites Robert Ryman’s paintings as the inspiration for his Fall 2010 TSE cashmere collection. For one evening, models act as living works of art in the Ryman exhibition, bringing Wu’s designs face-to-face with their fine art inspiration. A video of Wu’s fall 2010 ready-to-wear runway show is on view in the café, and a scavenger hunt leads visitors through the museum, collecting fashion and fine art facts for a chance to win prizes. The program is part of Phillips after 5, a lively evening of art and entertainment with food and cash bar.

WHY: In conjunction with Robert Ryman: Variations and Improvisations on view at the Phillips through Sept. 12, 2010

COST: Due to the popularity of Phillips after 5, advance reservations during special exhibitions are encouraged to insure admission: $12 for adults, $10 for visitors 62 and over and students, free for members and visitors 18 and under. Reserve online until 12 hours before the event at www.phillipscollection.org/calendar or 202-387-2151.

{Two looks from Jason Wu for TSE Fall 2010 Collection with Robert Ryman. To Gertrud Mellon, 1958, © 2010 Robert Ryman}
{Two looks from Jason Wu for TSE Fall 2010 Collection with Robert Ryman. Untitled, 1964, © 2010 Robert Ryman}

A woman stepped into a Metro subway car over the weekend wearing a long, simple white column dress that appeared to have been made out of a sheet. It was as if she’d woken up next to her lover, gathered the bedsheet about her like women do only in movies to stand up, but then continued — pausing to wrap her hair in a purple headscarf — out the door and down, underneath the street. It struck me as incredibly chic, modern, and a bit mysterious, and I haven’t been able to get it out of my head since.

I kick off “Intern Fashion Week” on the Washington Post’s Campus Overload blog with some rules of thumb for our city’s interns. I’m pretty proud of the “cardigans, not Kardashians” bit. Look out for advice from other bloggers throughout the week.

Our intern at work sounds like Gina from Empire Records, so naturally I told her she needs to sing Sugar High at some point this summer. Such a great song (the real version, kids…), to turn up and flail around to while in your car or in your room getting dressed.

Your incredibly delinquent fashion blogger here, reporting for duty. Thanks to the number of you who wrote me, begging me to come back/making sure I wasn’t dead-in-a-ditch-somewhere. I have no real excuse for my absence other than overall busy-ness with work. I promise to be better, which for me means not obsessing over making a post long or super newsy, but sharing this site as more of a visual diary of fashion and whatever else I find interesting. Anyway, enough apologies and promises. Let’s kick things off with some fun dresses! I’m not one to post many personal style shots, but I can’t resist showing you three amazingly gorgeous dresses I’ve worn recently(ish) to events at work and around town.

This is a silk Mischen dress from Gilt Groupe that I wore to Washington Life’s Young & the Guest List party. I love the shot of bright coral with that peachy pink and bone neutral. I’m loving long dresses and skirts lately – the look is certainly enjoying a renaissance, thankgawd, effing minis…- and would love to style this dress up to wear semi-casually, too.

Another Mischen dress! This is a closet favorite at the moment, due in no small part to the alterations I had done by my all-time favorite seamstress gurus, Kristen and Erin of ReVamp (out of an apartment in Shaw, for now). Both work at Treasury when they’re not tailoring and repurposing. If you love something, have it tailored.

Speaking of fit, observe the dress I wore to the Corcoran Ball, made for me by local designer Taimur Baig. The dramatic molded shoulders were hand-embellished with jet beads and feathers, and the overall look was inspired by his Spring/Summer 2010 moth+butterfly themed collection. Yes, we do have this level of design talent in this town.

* who’s that girl with the dark Uma Thurman bob and awesome taste in dresses? My colleague, Kristin!

Food and fashion compete for top billing in my ever-expanding stable of interests, so I was thrilled to be invited to attend the RAMMYs this year, the awards gala for the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington. The event was forties themed and what I hoped would be a fantastic eating opportunity. So, pretty much the ultimate combination for me, and I wasn’t disappointed. I snapped a handful of attendees in adorable outfits and glam hair and makeup (including my Sidewalk Style subject for this week), and I ate. Ohhh did I eat! There was so much decadent food that I was disappointed in finding myself full after checking out only two of the four region-specific stations (Chile, Virginia, Australia, Mexico). I wore a simple black forties dress (scallop-edged sleeves, peplum waist) and the whole glossy waved hair and red lips things that I love so much from that timeperiod. Unfortunately, the only photos I have of the outfit reveal a bit too much of my (very pretty, if I do say so) underthings. Next time I’ll remember a slip…

Summer has hit to hit its humid, sweaty stride, and yet I’m already craving fall.

{via Refinery29}