Rumor Mill: C-Mart Closing "DC" Doors for Good

Yup, you heard it correctly.

After probably only a year, the C-Mart powers that be have decided to close the "DC" doors in Landover in order to "go 'E'" - as in e-commerce. In a lengthy email (I always wonder why they write such diatribes rather than just giving us the deal details), C-Mart explains that they've upgraded, acquired, and now are going online.

Which is lovely and all, but it means they're closing the local outpost.

Which isn't so terrible at all, given:

a) they're doing a Super Sale tomorrow to liquidate - 50% more off whatever the last price is on an item. Only tomorrow - they even suggest playing hooky (which, of course, I would never condone).

b) once they do go online in a month, 4/28, shipping will be completely free.

We'll just have to see how it all works out.

If anyone manages to make it through the crowds, report in on your finds!

Style Dilemma: A Guy's BizCasual

Hey Celine,

I'm involved in more and more investor type meetings where I feel out of place with my fashion sense. I'm pretty good at the old school suit and tie look or business casual (khakis, shirt, and tie)...but I need a little help updating my wardrobe to more of the sport coat and open collared shirt look...something sophisticated yet relaxed. Got any time to help a friend?

PS - my next meeting is Friday. Any short term advice I can use to update the wardrobe quickly and for not a lot of $$$?

Thanks,

M

Dear M:

Ooops! So I goofed and missed your meeting - hope this is still helpful. (But then again, something tells me you're not worried about fashion except for the blue & red kind at the moment.*)

Now...to your question. A couple of points:

1) The easiest way to do the "sport coat and open collared look" is to put your suits into service. It can be a little tricky to not look like you're missing your tie, but wearing a colored shirt (think pastels - sorry!) goes a long way to fight that battle. Wear your favorite (and well-tailored) suit with, say a pale blue shirt, and you'll make a good, cool impression. Think about what the suit at right would look like if you left off the paisley tie (which I think I'd do anyway, but I'm not a BR stylist, so...)

2) Again, putting your suits into service, update the shirt look with a collared sweater or two. Find yourself a merino wool (really, truly a 3.5 season fabric), polo-style sweater in a genteel shade, like charcoal or navy, and put it on under the suit.

3) Hit the stores and find three key pieces: a pair of snazzy (subtle plaid, pinstripes in unexpected colors) fitted, flat front (at the most one pleat) slacks, a neutral button down with a lovely hand (the fabric will add a certain something), and a jacket. The jacket's admittedly the toughest. Be sure to stay away from the overdone blue blazer, and do. not. buy. another pair of khakis.

Good stores to try that won't break the bank:

Zara (though their fits can be decidedly European) - for all three pieces

H&M (with the same caveat) - for the slacks. Shirt and jacket won't be in nice enough fabric here to make a good impression.

Filene's Basement, Loehmann's, TJ Maxx, etc. - a little more work, but you can score some deals

C-Mart. Need I say more?

You can also try the sale racks at J. Crew or Banana (though you'll have to watch the prep factor at both places - less so at Banana - see the looks above for hints)

And, if you have time and patience, check out the local Goodwill or Salvation Army outposts, especially for the jacket and slacks. You could find a pair of vintage pants with a great pattern for practically nothing. I had one coworker, always impeccably dressed, who found nearly his whole wardrobe at secondhand stores.

Lastly - think about ditching the khaki-polos look for business casual, and step it up a bit - all you need to do is leave off the suit jacket for any of the looks above, and you've got a stylin' look that's a little unexpected for the DC workplace.

*M just happens to be a died-in-the-wool-born-and-raised-in-Lindenhurst Giants fan. He's a little preoccupied right now.

Betsey Johnson Takes Over the BW Region

From the Friday night showing of her spring collection to C Mart starting tomorrow, Betsey's taking over the Baltimore-Washington corridor.

If you missed the announcement in yesterday's C Mart e-newsletter, a "HUGE" (their emphasis) shipment of Betsey Johnson's spring collection is going on sale at the Baltimore store tomorrow. If you can fake an illness (the sudden cold snap brought it on!) and ensure that your boss doesn't scope out the net for C Mart sales, then claim a "family emergency" and go stock up.

I, unfortunately, will be at a meeting with many retired military men in Atlanta. I just have to decide which piece of clothing to wear to startle them. Already done the Daslu boots and the red patent leather pumps. So what's next?

If you do manage to hit the store this week and snag any good bargains, share with us - we want to bask in your glory! Especially if someone manages to snag a suit like the one at left. I'd love to see it on the streets of D.C.!

Don't Forget! C-Mart opens tomorrow in DC

I know most of you are already setting your alarms, but don't forget! that C-Mart opens up tomorrow just inside the Beltway.
So from a little town off The 405 (I still think it's amusing that Californians use "the" in front of any highway number), with my balcony door open to hear and feel the ocean breeze, I ask you, the DC Fashionistas, to Go Forth and Report...tell us what you find (other than 100s of other madwomen) at the C Mart opening tomorrow.


And if you report in, I promise a juicy (no, still no star-sightings) report from La-La Land when I return.

The Full Scoop on C-Mart Washington

Again, local news to the rescue. [Update: M found this post.com article on the opening, as well.]


This morning, in between foundation and deodorant, I hear the commercial again.

Saturday 17th February

Doors open at 10 AM

Exit 17B on 495 (right in front of Fed Ex Field)

C-Mart Washington Opens with 120,000 sq ft of Shopping Space

The alert sent out late last night to email subscribers explains it all. C-Mart wanted to make sure we, The Shopping Community, has the opportunity to spend money on even more deals. Apparently, there have been lots they've had to turn down because they couldn't logistically handle the loads. So now, with the Baltimore-area and Washington-area stores, our opportunities are 2x greater.


At least that's the spin they put on it. Makes relative sense to me. And makes it much less of a trek to get there, without removing the opportunity to slide off 95 on the way back from the 'rents in PA.


I'll be in LA that weekend (pooey!), but welcome any Guest Reporting that might come from a First Day Visit.

A Scoop Worth Watching the Local News?

H teases me all the time for watching the local news instead of the Big Bad Cable Network News.

"It's all bad news," he says. "Just shootings and people missing."

Well, two arguments to counter that.

1. I like to know what our DC government has or hasn't done. I'm the only one in the family who knows (kinda a fun position to be able to explain what's happening with Metro 'cause I'm all, like, informed).

2. You see commercials for C-Mart coming to Washington, D.C.!

Yup, you read that right. C-Mart in D.C.

So it's not a real scoop, I didn't get it from a Secret Confidential Source, like some of my BlogWorldFriends* have. I got it from plain ol' TV.

Unfortunately, I didn't catch the details. All I could catch in my just-awakened stupor was the logo, what I think was RFK stadium, and a date. Not which date, unfortunately. I can't tell you where, when, or even what, other than C-Mart. But I'm putting the Non-Rumor out there and hoping the Infintessimal Readership can come out swinging and figure it out and share...the website is tight-lipped.

Anyone? Permanent or temporary relocation? Furniture or fashion? We want to know!

*Sorry, Babsie D, it's just jealousy. Honest. I want to have a Source.