Mingle in Style: Living Chic Blog Launch Party

...with Stacy London!

Yes, that Stacy.

The gals at Urban Chic are launching their blog, Living Chic, and throwing not one, but two parties to celebrate.

First, Wednesday, 22 July from 5-9pm at the Georgetown store (1626 Georgetown Ave), then

Second, following, an after party from 9-11 at Blue Ridge, down the street.

If I weren't traveling to Rocket City, USA (free "get of style jail free" card to the first person who knows where that is) for a good part of the week, I'd be there...

Style Dilemma Solved: Summer Stripes

I had my own Saturday Style Dilemma: what to wear to The Bean's 2nd Birthday Party! I needed:

• Comfort


• "Disposable" (read: who cares if it gets cake or BBQ sauce on it 'cause it washes easily)


• Chic-ness


• Shows up well in pics - posterity, you know

My solution: actually shaving my legs and donning a b&w striped minidress. Sleeveless cowlneck, it was cool and easy to move in. Can't really go wrong with black & white, either. Red toes, silver flat thong sandals stolen off my mother's feet (literally - I had forgotten shoes), and 3-day hair originally blown out and curled by Jae.

I felt good, and it made it easy to celebrate 2 years of The Bean.

In the Interest of...

cheap chic, recession rewear, and all of the other cheezy but very applicable style for less monikers out there...

Capital Hill Style has just launched her Resale Salon. Got stuff (good stuff only, please) you want to "share" with your fellow DC fashionistas? List it on the Salon and get cash for your goods.

I had a dream...

...that I waltzed into Harriet's closing store and bought a whole bunch of things, including a blue silk scarf.

Of course, it wasn't really her store, but some other place that actually reminds me of a menswear store (lots of dark wood), and the saleslady was not nearly as lovely as the women who work with Harriet. And I have no idea why the only thing I can remember buying (though I know I scooped up a whole bunch of things) is the blue silk scarf.

That's just the way dreams are, I suppose.

But H did ask me this morning - when I lamented that I have no idea what I'm going to wear to The Bean's 2nd Birthday Party on Saturday - why I hadn't gone to visit. (Yes, I have the best H in the world that he would consider something like that - and go a step further and say "I don't know why you haven't gone yet - why don't you go tonight?" Seriously.)

Now I know that HK probably wouldn't have something I'd want to wear to a child's birthday party with sticky fingers and wading pools, but I do wish I could find a way to get there. It might all be gone at this point, what with news spreading like wildfire last week (I think it was the most twittered and tweeted and statused thing in the DC Style World ever), but maybe just a minute to peek in...

Style Dilemma: Mama Rocker Chic - on the cheap

3120 4ever posted on facebook: looking for ideas for what to wear to a concert at Merriweather in a few weeks. Stone Temple Pilots. I have virtually nothing useful in my closet right now and was hoping to get to the mall soon. Something skirtish but not dressish?

Background: 3120 4ever just happens to be one of my bestest friends - and my college roommate. She's in the same boat I am, with a Bean and not enough time to find style sometimes (though she always manages to look better than I at things).

The rest of the conversation:

DC Celine: funny - i'd go straight for a summery casual dress. why no dress?

3120 4ever: I guess I was trying to bring out my inner rocker and sundress seemed too girly. But since I rarely dress up anymore, maybe it's worth the investment. I have a bridal shower the weekend after, so that's at least two chances to wear it. Plus, if I get something this week, you might see it on Saturday for The Bean's [2-year-old birthday - eek!] party!

DC Celine: you can do rocker chick and dress at the same time! lemme look online tonight!

Of course, it took me longer than a night to get back to her. In my head, I have something slightly flowy, cotton (for the sweat absorbtion factor), and not fussy at all. Jersey would work well. My initial search at target.com (easy to find a location, and not. expensive) yielded:

Fun strapless, a little beachy, and understated cool-chick color. Problem? Wearing it at the concert works, but maybe not anywhere you have a grabby toddler...wardrobe malfunction, anyone? Put on a pair of understated gladiators (ubiquitous though they might be), and you're golden.

Love, love, love the fun color, and seems cool and wearable. A little girlier, but with a bad-ass bangle or cuff, out comes the inner-rocker.

The other place to look? Urban Chic's Baltimore outpost (3120 4ever's up north) - and all locations, for that matter - have just started a summer sale - great time to pick up a few pieces you can still wear for the rest of the summer and not break the bank (as much).

Well-Fitted

It's the "tip" that everyone and their mother's brother (almost literally) has heard: the fastest way to make a woman's clothes fit and look better is to wear The Right Bra.

17,300,000 results in a web search. Vicky's touts it with miracles and angels. "As Seen on TV" ads offer all sorts of ways to adjust what you have, the latest being the round thingy that slides your straps together and "makes you look at least a cup size bigger."

Right.

But the right one, well-fitted, honestly will do wonders for how things look and feel. I've written about my troubles, and lately I've had a hard time finding one that fits. I haven't taken my own advice and Gone Fitting, but rather I attempted an online purchase because I just plain ol' didn't have time to go to a store. It sorta worked. What I found works better than the ancient, worn out things I'd been wearing, but it's just not quite right.

I'm still not convinced that The Right Bra is out there for me, though I've certainly found ones that Fit Better.

But for those who really need the update, there are absolutely local options. Nordstrom's has a competent department, and Bethesda's Sylene and Vienna's Trousseau are touted - at least to brides-to-be and those looking for undergarments for formalwear (though they both serve the general public, too). In the Post, Brigid Schulte gives us a first-hand account of what it's like to be fitted by an expert. Amusing, frank, and, yes, helpful...it's a fun read that will motivate you out the door to Get Fitted.