My world has gone full circle in the past seven days: the cobblestone streets of old town Alexandria, Virginia; fashionable Georgetown and trendy Dupont Circle in the District of Columbia; National Harbor on the banks of the Potomac in Maryland. The unifying element was the elegance of fashion.
It began with me darting in and out of old-fashioned ice cream parlors and quaint little shops punctuating block after block of Alexandria, also known as the first family’s favorite daily indulgence when escaping the confounds of the White House. The fashion is best described as urban chic with a nod to retro glamour — capris and a classic white T-shirt personalized with Jackie O-inspired oversized sunglasses. Then, there were glimpses of the Little Black Dress accessorized with espadrilles, sunhat and occasionally a bold scarf.
A few days later, I found myself in artsy Dupont Circle where hip is the norm and where new meets old on every corner, all shades of individuality expressed from the diverse folks passing through or making themselves at home. Oddly enough, even this more liberal scene is about as reverent to the past as it is fashion forward: winged eyeliner, white fingernail polish, and teased bouffant all made new, but clearly seen before.
Then, the fashionable favorite of mine, Georgetown with all of its history, culture and energy, was bubbling over with beautiful inspiration from the classic chinos in pastel shades to vintage-inspired summer totes. Best described as preppy, as I looked down from the top of the hill it was a sea of Land’s End and Ralph Lauren.
So, on my neighborhood-hopping travels through the nation’s capital city and some of its surrounding neighborhoods, I am reminded that some things go in and out of style, but the classics remain in fashion. It seems you can just never go wrong with a simple Polo shirt or a Little Black Dress.
And now that I’m home, I’m already wondering where I will get to go next. I’ll be sure to give you a full report!
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.