Style Inspiration: We Met on the Internet

When I started blogging back in, oh, December 2005*, I did it in large part out of frustration for DC's lack of style.

There. I said it. I said The Same Thing Every Other DC Style/Fashion Blogger Says.

I do have a lot to say about style and fashion blogging in the District of Columbia and Greater Metropolitan Area. I promise (yes, I know this is a blogger-no-no, promising a post for later) a post here or article over at my other written style project with Jessica Quillin, Finessed Fashion, one day relatively soon.

In the meantime, though, there have been a few recent developments in the DC Blogger World and style in general. One of my favorites? Very Smart People are strutting their stuff in unique, thoughtfully styled ways. Then there are the people capturing them on film. Yes, there's the daily style blogger, putting (usually) herself out there for the world to see. There are also brainy, style-inclined folks like ThirstDC founders, Eric Shulze and Lori Noto, entrepreneurial minds like Eliot over at Accoutre, and, though she's not the first street style photog to grace DC's streets (Rachel, this nod's for you), Kate of Go Kate Shoot is getting some beautiful images of what we stylish folk in DC think beautiful.

So last week, a few of us were tweeting away when suddenly we had a date for drinks and shots (with the camera). I think it was 6 of us to start. Apparently that expanded. It became a Thing, and threw me into a frenzy of What to Wear I'm Going to Be in a Picture. I even dragged H along, styling him in a vintagey, geeky T just for the occasion.

Wonderful, amazing, colorful shoes (and on a snowy night, girl after my own frostbitten toed heart) Go Kate Shoot

The long and the short of it? H and I made it out for drinks at Smith Commons, even on a snowy night when others stayed in. It was worth it. The laughter, the style, and the photographic record of the evening tell the story of a DC happy to style its way through the night.

The lovely, sweet, and incredibly stylish KC Ellis. The first time we met "IRL," at #BlackChampagne, I gushed over her ensemble so much I was afraid I'd offended her. Go Kate Shoot

The shots here, as stated, are all the work of one lovely Kate Warren, and she graciously said it would be ok if I posted a few of my favorites. She posted a whole slew of them on her blog (look for the Style Flash Mob DC post). Please go check them out - she's just amazing.

Yup, that's me on the left, in my shit-there's-going-to-be-a-photographer-there-what-do-I-wear outfit. H is holding up the brick wall on the right, complete with Captain America T picked out by The Bean. KC smiles at us from the back, with her sweet F (soon to be H) gazing at her lovingly. Go Kate Shoot

[editorial note: darned Chrome or Blogger or something isn't happy about me posting pics right now. But I will. I promise (there I go again). In the meantime, follow the links to Miss Kate's site and drool over your keyboards at the eye candy.] Look! I kept a blogging promise!

*seriously? 6+ years? why, oh, why, haven't I had a blog birthday party? Oh. Right. Those Beans of mine. And H (though the blog idea was his - I'll tell that story one day). And that day job. But maybe, just maybe, we'll have a 7-Year-Itch Blog Birthday Party or some such nonsense. Start the planning!

Style on the Runway, in the Museum, and on the Streets

I'm no more into the zodiac than the next does-it-say-anything-good-about-today reader, but there must be some fashionable stars and planets aligning for the weekend of October 21st. Add that in with the slew of parties and runways the weekend before, and you have events upon events, all of which promise a unique view into the fashion and style scene of Washington, D.C.

So where will I be next weekend? Down tha shore. It'll be a much-needed family weekend with my parent and childhood BFF, but the closest I'll get to style is a run at the Atlantic City outlets (which I'll never knock, as I've scored some great pieces and basics there, but still...).

Then the weekend of the 21st? H is traveling on business. All weekend. For my birthday. [cue pitiful violin music and ring up Masala Art for a daily takeout order, please]

October 13 - ThirstDC's next event. Full disclosure, it's a new pet project of mine. Nouveau Nerds, they say, are the next WhereIt'sAt. Well, of course we are. Happy hour at the Bier Baron, DJ Neekola, and 5 compact talks by 5 utterly fascinating nerds. You. Need. To. Go. If you want to go, email me or DM me on twitter and I'll give you a Secret Code for a discount on the already reasonable ticket (early bird, $15).

October 14-16 - readysetDC's Fall 2011 Fashion District. A designer meet and greet Friday night, a full runway show Saturday, and, well, shopping on Sunday. Artaya, Cote Minou, DeNada Design, Derringer Friday, Durkl, Espion, Ginger Root Design, Hugh & Crye, SaintCHIC and Sika. Also a reasonably priced event, with the meet and greet at $0, and the runway show at $40, but including an open bar.


October 21 - NOW at Night. The Corcoran Gallery's NOW program features new and site-specific work from emerging and mid-career artists. This is The Event. All the cool kids (also nerdery prevailing, but of course of the artistic variety - dontcha love the DC-cool-kids-are-nerds scene. Take that, HighSchoolInCrowd!) will be there to catch the music and video projections by multimedia artist DJ Spooky, last-chance viewing of the NOW at the Corcoran exhibition Chris Martin: Painting Big, private viewing of the newly opened special exhibition 30 Americans, and the Corcoran’s collection of modern and contemporary art. Not cheap, it's $100, but absolutely worth it - if not only for the chance to put on the sparkly dress and sport the tux, just because you can.


October 21 - Pink Rocks the Runway. Here's your chance to see local darling Christian Siriano's glorious gowns up close. Raising money (tickets, even general admission, are steep) for breast cancer awareness? Yes, please. Rock and roll with Charm City Devils? Yup. Couture gowns? Yes, please, again.


If the planets realigned and found me a sitter for one night, where would I be? No offense to the other events - if I could be at them all, I would, but I'm a sucker for art. I suppose I'm a frustrated artist, as I have charcoal and paper stashed away somewhere in my drawers and closets. I've been itching to hit one of The Corcoran's events. Any volunteers?