Sidney. (Dafna Steinberg)
From Dafna Steinberg. Follow her @AlizaySteinberg. Email her at dafna[AT]borderstan.com.
Borderstan is sorrounded by fashion and fashionistas up, down and all around. Here we showcase their style.
Fashion Friday: Street Style showcases fashionable people in Borderstan. After I photograph them, I ask them what they were thinking when they got dressed.
This is Sidney. I met him while shopping around Martha’s Outfitters one spring day. When I asked him what inspired his style, he told me:
“I like the 30s and the 40s. Thats how I dress.”
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Daniel Mahdavian. (Dafna Steinberg)
From Dafna Steinberg. Follow her @AlizaySteinberg. Email her at dafna[AT]borderstan.com.
Borderstan is sorrounded by fashion and fashionistas up, down and all around. Here we showcase their style.
Fashion Friday: Street Style showcases fashionable people in Borderstan. After I photograph them, I ask them what they were thinking when they got dressed.
This is Daniel Mahdavian. I met him over the summer. When asked what he was thinking when he put his outfit together, he said:
“I was thinking ‘beach’.”
Which is what I think we are all dreaming about now in this cold weather. Hopefully, Daniel’s great color scheme and attention to perfected detail can get us all in the mood for new upcoming spring looks! Notice the ring on his finger? That’s sterling silver Versace!
From Dafna Steinberg. Follow her @AlizaySteinberg. Email her at dafna[AT]borderstan.com.
Why Not on U street NW. (Dafna Steinberg)
Happy New Year all… hope everyone had a stylishly good time on New Year’s Eve (I know I did!).
With a new year comes new promises we make to ourselves. “I will lose those 20 pounds I always said I would.” “I will take that class I always said I would take.” “I’m going to run a marathon!” Yet, with these new promises, one thing never seems to be on anyone’s resolutions list: Fashion.
It should be. Better style can help make for a better year. It can also be a great reward for all those long hours you promised yourself you would be spending at the gym. So to help you out, dear readers, I have come up with a list of style resolutions for you.
More Color
One of my biggest pet peeves (and as I’ve mentioned before, there are many) when it comes to styling or helping people finds clothes that work for them is the phrase “I don’t really wear colors.” First off, it’s a pretty silly statement. Of course you wear colors. Black, white, beige and brown ARE colors.
What you mean to say is “I don’t wear INTERESTING colors. Only boring ones.” If you open your closet and the only difference in color is the shade of black, you need to go out to some stores and spice it up a bit. This does not mean you have to run out and buy everything in hot pink. Start off small.
Try adding a colorful scarf or tie. Then work your way up to a sweater or shirt. When you feel comfortable enough with that, try coordinating colors. If you feel nervous about clashing colors, ask a sales person to help you next time you’re in the store. That’s why they are there.
Better Fits
I am directing this specifically to the male readers, though ladies can pay mind to this as well. Guys…remember when everyone was making fun of Paul Ryan because his suits looked like they were hand me downs out of Mitt Romney’s closet? Yeah, don’t be Paul Ryan. The man was the poster boy for P90X, but you never would have known it based on his suits.
It’s 2013. Zoot Suits are out (unless you are really into vintage and swing music). If you buy a suit off the rack, take it to a tailor and have it fitted properly. For one, it makes you look more serious at your job. Two, it makes you more attractive to the opposite (or same) sex. There is nothing like a well-fitted suit on a man that causes one’s head to turn and take notice.
Quality, Not Quantity
Stop. Buying. Clothes. At. H&M. Or even worse, Forever 21. At least stop buying ALL your clothes there. Yes, they have trendy clothes for cheap prices. But you are getting what you pay for and that cute skirt will have a hole in it within two months. If you are out of college and have a professional job, you should invest more into your clothes. They will make you feel better about yourself. I promise you.
Support local area boutiques. There are a number in Borderstan that pride themselves on having unique clothes in LIMITED quantities. That adorable t-shirt you bought on the sale rack at J. Crew? It’s your favorite. And the favorite of the 2,000 other people that bought it as well. Spend a little more and stand out from the crowd. If you are concerned about saving money in difficult economic times, keep in mind… small boutiques have sales too!
Investing in Self Image
There is one idea that connects all of these resolutions together and it is belief in self image. If you are making resolutions to lose weight, try that new Paleo diet, or work out more, you obviously want to feel better about yourself by taking pride in your self image. This should apply to your closet as well. I realize in these tough economic times, spending money on clothes seems frivolous.
But believe me, if you are already putting so much effort into making yourself look better, having the clothes to match will only accentuate the hard work you have put in. You will look as great as you feel and that, dear Borderstanis, is worth more than the price on the price tag.
Stay tuned for another edition of Dafna’s fashion.
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Meoux on 14th Street NW. (Dafna Steinberg)
From Dafna Steinberg. Follow her @AlizaySteinberg. Email her at dafna[AT]borderstan.com.
Borderstan is sorrounded by fashion and fashionistas up and down and all around. Here we showcase their style.
Fashion Friday: Street Style showcases fashionable people in Borderstan. After I photograph them, I ask them what they were thinking when they got dressed.
“I’m an architecture student, so I think proportion. And volume. And I wanted to look cute.”
The DC Flea Month Long Extravaganza is currently taking place at Montserrat House (2016 9th Street NW). (Dafna Steinberg)
From Dafna Steinberg. Follow her @AlizaySteinberg. Email her at dafna[AT]borderstan.com.
Let me start off this column with a shameless plug: I am running and working at the DC Flea Month Long Extravaganza, which is currently taking place at Montserrat House (2016 9th Street NW).
A couple weeks back, we did an event with ThirstDC, a great group that “aims to create and foster thought leaders” through social events and talks. Our joint event, Style X Swag, allowed guests to come in, hear talks about fashion and then be styled themselves. One of the speakers, local fashion enthusiast and bow tie maker, Eliot Payne talked about how so many people don’t try something different in their style because they think “Oh, I couldn’t pull that off.”
He touched on one of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to people and fashion. As a shop owner and person who loves helping people find cool clothes, it is really is frustrating to hear someone look at an item of clothing, love it but then refuse to try it on. All because they feel they wouldn’t be able to wear it or they would be judged for it. You will never know if you don’t try it on!
Now I’m not saying that if you are a person who wears suits or khakis and polo shirts normally, you should suddenly don a cat suit with an inflatable inner tube skirt (that is a hard look to pull off…believe me I’ve tried). I am simply suggesting that people should step out of their comfort zones with fashion. What you may think may not work for you may actually be a staple piece in your wardrobe.
So in other words:
- If you are shopping and see something you like, but aren’t really sure that it will work for you… just try it on. You don’t have to pay for a moment in the dressing room.
- Be open to suggestions. Sometimes sales people or stylists know you better than you think, so if they suggest something outside your comfort zone, be bold and try it on.
- Go through your closet and try to find new and interesting outfits you would never have thought to wear. A plaid shirt with a striped sweater can look better than you think.
If you want to come visit DC Flea, we are open Thursday-Saturday 12-8 pm and Sunday 11 am – 6 pm. Stop in and get styled!
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Diala and Laila at Peregrine Espresso on 14th Street NW. (Dafna Steinberg)
From Dafna Steinberg. Follow her @AlizaySteinberg. Email her at dafna[AT]borderstan.com.
Borderstan is sorrounded by fashion and fashionistas up and down and all around. Here we showcase their style.
Fashion Friday: Street Style showcases fashionable people in Borderstan. After I photograph them, I ask them what they were thinking when they got dressed.
Here are Diala and Laila. I met them in Peregrine Espresso on 14th Street. They had matching Marc Jacobs handbags.
- Diala: “I just like the bright pants and the polka dot combo”
- Laila: “Just day off comfort, I guess.”
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Fashion Night Out on September 6. (Dafna Steinberg)
From Dafna Steinberg. Follow her @AlizaySteinberg. Email her at dafna[AT]borderstan.com.
For the most part, DC’s Fashion’s Night Out on on September 6 took place in Georgetown. There was a lot of fanfare around it this year, as it was a pretty big event. But while everyone was rushing to see and be seen, a few 14th and U Street boutiques were doing their own thing away from the hustle and bustle of M Street. I hit two events, one at Redeem (1734 14th Street, NW) and the other at Lettie Gooch (1517 U Street, NW).
Redeem had a laid back evening of Hendrick’s gin fizzes and new fall looks. The store was showcasing their newest design brands Carla Fernandez (for women) and Munsoo Kwon (for men). I personally fell in love with Munsoo Kwon’s striking designs for men. Both designers had bold looks, something that we need more of in DC. Mutiny, Redeem’s resident pop up shop, also had some cool new things: short novellas from famous authors, men’s accessories, and hygiene products, in addition to the usual array of fun trinkets.
After enjoying some drinks and snacks, I headed over to Lettie Gooch for their Champagne, Clutches and Couture evening. There was already a frenzy of women there in high gear shopping mode. DJ Munch was in the window playing upbeat music that put everyone in a party mood. Besides some great sale items, Lettie Gooch featured fall looks from old and new designers as well as great handcrafted leather handbags from Diamantina Bags. Cork Wine Bar was also there, providing delicious champagne cocktails.
Seeing so much stylish fall clothing definitely made me excited for the upcoming cooler weather. It was also great to see so many fashionable people out enjoying the evening. Perhaps more boutiques will get involved next year, and we can bring FNO to the U Street Corridor.
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The GLAM event is at Hillyer Art Space and Gallery on Thursday night. (Courtesy Hillyer)
From Rachel Nania. Check out her blog, Sear, Simmer & Stir. Follow Nania on Twitter @rnania, email her at rachel[AT]borderstan.com.
What’s better than a fashion show and sample sale at a trendy Dupont art gallery? How about one that donates all of its profits to a local child advocacy group?
On June 28, G.L.A.M. (Giving Labels A Meaning) will host an evening of fashion at the Hillyer Art Space and Gallery to benefit CASA DC, a community-based organization that works to ensure children in foster care find permanent homes faster and get the life-changing services they need.
General admission tickets to the fashion show and sample sale are $10; VIP tickets are $30 and come with a SWAG bag and automatic entry into the evening’s raffle. Visit the event’s website for more information and to purchase tickets.
The show starts at 7 pm and goes until 9 pm. Hillyer Art Space and Gallery is at 9 Hillyer Court NW, west of Connecticut Avenue and just off Florida Avenue NW.
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From Rachel Nania. Check out her blog, Sear, Simmer & Stir. Follow Nania on Twitter @rnania, email her at rachel[AT]borderstan.com
This Tuesday, Aura Spa is hosting an evening of fashion and beauty at the local oasis’ Summer Fashion Open House.
The interior sitting room at Aura Spa at the Renaissance Hotel. (Courtesy Aura Spa)
In addition to showcasing the latest trends in clothing from Ida’s Idea Woman’s Boutique and Stylish Fit, Aura Spa is also offering complimentary swag gift bags, vodka cocktails, lip waxing, facial consultations and chair massages to visitors.
The event — which runs from 5 pm until 7 pm on June 12 — is free and open to the public, but reservations are required. To attend the open house at the Renaissance Washington DC Downtown Hotel, email elaine[AT]vidafitness.com; to attend the open house at Aura Spa-Metropole at 15th an P Streets NW, email jacob[AT]vidafitness.com.
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