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1) FashionEnvy
This new boutique specializes in cool, well-priced casual wear in sizes 2 to 22, from breezy print sundresses by Analili (shown, $177) to plus-sized jersey tees and other separates from co-owner Fresia Rodriguez's own line, Kingley&Posh.
» 1314 King St.; 703-299-0250
2) Dash's of Old Town
The original incarnation of this menswear shop dressed dapper locals from the 1960s until closing in 1989. Heir Victor Dash resurrected the store in 2005 with a snappy mix of well-crafted suits (starting at a very reasonable $550), and zippy Luigi Bianchi ties ($150 each), plucky plaid shirts from Paul & Shark and eyeglasses, cuff links and even cologne.
» 1114 King St.; 703-299-4015
1) Lips Serviced
Winter weather might finally be — fingers crossed! — in the rearview mirror. But we're still suffering the beauty roadblocks of the interminably cold season. Itchy skin. Dry hair. And, please, do not call attention to our cracked, chapped lips. Enter Shiseido's new Perfect Rouge lipstick collection ($25, department stores), which boasts a light-yet-moisturizing formula that feels as pucker-replenishing as ChapStick but — in a range of 20 rich, perfect-for-spring shades — slides on much, much prettier.
2) Dude, Step it Up
Baggy suits, blousy button-downs and mile-wide power ties came under attack in fashion expert Tom Julian's first book with Nordstrom on men's style, out last year. Now, Julian takes on puffy khakis, fraying fleeces and other out-of-date casual wear in the "Nordstrom Guide to Men's Everyday Dressing" ($18, Chronicle Books), out Saturday in Nordstrom stores and online. The savvy handbook offers stylish-but-wearable ideas — like classic-cool penny loafers, a vast improvement from the holey sneaks you've been sporting since college.
1) Prep's Cool
Fashion is in the midst of a throwback revival, with old-school brands (Barbour, Cole Haan, Sperry) back in style, thanks to sleek spins on Muffy and Biff classics. The latest brand to join the pack: L.L. Bean, which debuts its Signature collection in stores and online Saturday (Tysons Corner Center, 703-288-4466). Men's and women's pieces (such as a striped Breton sailor sweater, $59, and heavy canvas duffle, $54, right) still invoke the line's preppy-meets-outdoorsy roots, but with slim-cut silhouettes and graphic patterns.
2) Flat Tops
We've emptied our piggy banks ISO the trick to sleek, smooth hair, throwing money at fancy frizz serums, boar-bristle brushes and enough bottles of conditioner to fill a CVS. The winner: Salon Tech's Silicone 450 flat iron ($200), which — besides delivering Jennifer Aniston-esque shiny, straight tresses sans frying — heats in just 17 seconds and boasts temperature settings for different hair. Yes, it's pricey, but not compared to the 37 vessels of discarded products clogging our bathroom.
Continue Reading "Grab Bag: Old-School Revival, New-School History" »
1) Riffs Not For Stiffs
The problem with finding rocker-cool men's clothing: Lines such as John Varvatos and Rag & Bone often come at prices more suited to a banker than a bass player. Comune, a skater-meets-punker brand out of Orange County, mixes 1980s staples (a waxed black denim jacket, shown, $88) with thoroughly modern pieces (graphic print tees, $25). The priced-for-starving-artists act just took the stage at Redeem (1734 14th St. NW; 202-332-7447), which sits near at least one good place to rock this stuff: the Black Cat.
2) Chokered Up
Jewelry designer Justin Giunta's Subversive line transforms heirloom objects (vintage cameos, antique chains) into high fashion — but, sigh, at high-fashion prices. A cheap-chic Target collaboration in 2008 made Giunta realize he had fans who loved his offbeat aesthetic yet couldn't afford his designs. The result: a new, lower-priced collection, Deviated, which swaps his usual precious materials for less costly ones, as in a sinuous brass and crystal necklace ($525). The designer hosts a trunk show Sat., noon-5 p.m., at Upstairs on 7th (555 12th St. NW; 301-351-8308).
Continue Reading "Grab Bag: Rocker Jackets and Silhouette Coasters" »
1) A Whiff Of Warmth
If S.A.D. (that's snow affective disorder, a new term we're submitting to the medical authorities) has you down, think spring. Or — even better — sniff it, courtesy of the new cherry blossom fragrance from luxe French line L'Occitane en Provence ($46, L'Occitane, 3106 M St. NW; 202-337-6004). The pretty floral fragrance is light yet slightly woody and wild. Not enough? Well, there are 43 days until the National Cherry Blossom Festival starts. Yes, we're counting.
2) All the Gritty Girls
Joan Jett, Karen O and Beth Ditto provide sartorial proof that rocker chicks can look both edgy and weirdly elegant. The stacks and stacks of skinny bracelets favored by such downtown divas are climbing the fashion charts for spring. Linda Levinson's pretty-gone-punky styles in leather and rhinestones ( $85) just strutted into the Shoe Hive (127 S. Fairfax St.; 703-548-7105). Don them for a night at the Black Cat or a day at the office.
1) Sticky Business
The time between mega-sugar benders just got a lot shorter. Peeps, not just for Easter anymore, star at the world's first store dedicated to the cutesy marshmallow treats at National Harbor (150 National Plaza, National Harbor, Md.; 301-749-5791). Expect hordes of trad bunnies and chicks plus T-shirts, plush toys and holiday puffs shaped like snowmen and reindeer (shown, $1.60 for six). Their seasonal cleverness should make up for the long winter's stomachache an overdose will cause.
2) Dapper Wrapper
Local style whiz Mauro Farinelli stocks his Clarendon shop with beyond-hip menswear labels (Rag & Bone, A.P.C., Fred Perry) not easily found in the area. The latest brand to join the natty racks: Wolf vs. Goat, Farinelli's own line of gentlemanly dress shirts, work pants and slim-tailored pea coats (shown, $565). Check out the store's whole snappy assortment Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., when Brit designer Andrew Buckler will be on hand for a trunk show (Farinelli's, 2839 N. Clarendon Blvd., Arlington; 703-647-9856).
Continue Reading "Grab Bag: Peeps and Treats to Adorn Yourself With" »
WHEN IT COMES to good grooming, guys usually catch a break. Forget to shave? A five o-clock shadow passes for scruffily sexy. (Not so much on a woman's legs.) Six months between haircuts? Shaggy hair equals surfer cool. Calloused hands? That';s a sign of a hard-working dude. But in an era of metrosexuals and a manly yet manicured president, those excuses start to fall flat. And, truthfully, there's no good way to justify those long yellow toenails hanging out of your flip-flops, Howard Hughes Jr.
A cabinet full of facial products isn't a stretch for a guy with a longtime subscription to Details mag. But can your average, Capitals-loving dad embrace the pore-cleansing mud mask? This reporter was slathered, scrubbed and softened by a bunch of treatments to see whether he could still feel like a man — even when sporting a good mani/pedi.
FIRST THERE WAS Coco Chanel. There there was Coco Moore, a most fashionable Sonic Youth offspring. And now there's Coco Perez. That's right, gossip biddies — to quote Sir Elton John, "the bitch is back," but in a whole new wardrobe.
Infamous celebrity blogger Perez Hilton expands his media empire with the launch of sister site Cocoperez.com, focusing on all things fashion and fashionable.
While he's usually the one asking the questions, we put on our most haute coutre press hats and turned the tables on the 31-year-old self-proclaimed "Queen of All Media" to get the scoop on his vogue new endeavor.
Continue Reading "Coo Coo for CocoPerez.com: Perez Hilton Talks About His New Web Site" »
MARK MCNAIRY KNOWS a little something about modern preppy style. The dapper New York designer not only has the Southern charm and classic taste natural for those raised in North Carolina, but he's also the man J. Press hired to revive its venerable Ivy League brand. This summer, he launched his own line of bench-made English shoes, from "dirty" suede bucks to two-tone spectators. The classic shoes (your grandpa probably had both) have been given a shot of au courant style via subversive colors and modern shapes made to be worn with your Monday-morning suit and your Friday-night jeans.
"The shoes are staples — well-made but not precious," McNairy says. "And that's really what this return to preppy is all about — hip kids that want quality pieces to mix into their everyday wardrobes." That translates into a look more Georgetowner-gone-hip than Biff on the boat dock.
Continue Reading "Beyond Button-Downs: Modernizing Preppy" »
SPRING WEATHER in D.C. can be as unpredictable as the stock market. Still, a few key items can see any dude through the ups and downs of the thermometer (and the economy). Men may not spend as much as women when it comes to a wardrobe overhaul, but it's a sound move for them to snag some classically cool pieces. "Guys might be buying less, but they're investing in quality basics," says Mauro Farinelli of Farinelli's. Smart bets: Cotton suits that work on suddenly sweltering days and trim shorts (without - gasp - cargo pockets) to serve as staples until fall. Here's our checklist of surefire buys. If only assembling a winning stock portfolio were this easy.
» 1. Tailored shorts, like Band of Outsiders' madras option ($230, Lost Boys, 1033 31st St. NW; 202-333-0093) and Woolrich Woolen Mills' Bermudas ($235, Farinelli's, 2839 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington; 703-647-9856), can be dressed up with wingtips and a button-down.
» 2. A scuba-style watch, such as this orange one by Armani Exchange ($195, Saks Fifth Avenue Men's Store, 5300 Wisconsin Ave. NW; 202-363-2059), is a playful alternative to a heavy metal 9-to-5 timepiece.
Addison Road