panda head features...

name: BabsieD
age: Vintage
occupation: Publicist
[she's not kidding; seriously check out this PARTIAL list and thank her next time you hit up the district sample sale or some posh boutique opening: Marimekko Boutique Launch (Launch event/public relations for 4,000 sq ft Finnish clothing and lifestyle boutique) May 2007, District Sample Sale (Event development, implementation and public relations for twice-yearly charity shopping event featuring 20 high-end Washington-area boutiques)February 2007/September 2006, Haute for the Holidays at Alex Boutique (Event development, implementation and public relations for VIP vintage couture and current ready-to-wear shopping event) December 2006, Manfacto Launch (Launch event and brand development for luxury custom atelier at Café Milano) December 2006, Artefacto Launch (Launch of high-end 16,000 sq ft Brazilian furniture store in Georgetown) October 2005; Upcoming: Maria Felix Estate Sale Launch at Christie’s New York (Logistics and press for celebration of the renowned Mexican movie star and art collector, hosted by Salma Hayek, Eugenio Lopez, Olarte de Kanavos and Angel Sanchez) July 2007, District Sample Sale (See description above) fall 2007/date TBA, R. Nichols Shop Launch (Storefront launch for fashion’s most beloved stationer, R. Nichols, in Orlando, FL) fall 2007/date TBA. AMAZING.]

describe your style.
Tailored bohemian — it’s the constant battle between the two sides of my existence, as a publicist in the luxury lifestyle market and former thrift store-digging pauper hippie. I really run the gamut depending on my mood — my Birks and Blahniks get equal playing time, and I have a collection of vintage pieces, including an amazing trove from my husband’s grandmother (Shout out to Doot!), that I love.
do you pay attention to trends? how do you stay current?
Reading WWD for my job every day certainly helps, and I have some fashionable friends that keep me in the loop (specifically Liberty from Alex and my BFF Erin, who has amazing London style). And if I’m doing an event for a store, that’s my excuse to indulge in a few of their current pieces as well!
what are your wardrobe staples?
I tend to wear things to death — right now it’s a pair of Chinese silk pants from Ralph Lauren and a grey Manoush dress that’s become a fashion crutch. It’s at the tailor now and I feel like a piece of me is missing. And I have a Monet multi-layered gold chain necklace from the 50s — it belonged to Erin’s grandmother and I wear it at every opportunity.
do you keep an organized closet?
Not. At. All. We’re actually in the process of building one out as our current closet space is horrible. My clothes are everywhere. My room looks like H&M at 5 on a Saturday all the time.
where do you like to shop?
Locally: Alex Boutique is my hands-down favorite, and Periwinkle has things you don’t see everywhere else. Marimekko is such fun — and their fall pieces are great — great designs, well cut. And I can’t wait for Nanette Lepore to come to town.
In New York, I always hit my little SoHo loop: Kirna Zabete, What Comes Around Goes Around, Barbara Bui and Scoop.
Online, I live for Yoox.
who or what inspires you, stylewise?
My sister — she’s always had an amazing eye. She’s a little taller than I am but our legs are the same length, so her hand-me-downs are always perfect. A complete reversal of philosophy from when I was five.
any favorite designers?
Balenciaga (Nicolas Ghesquiere) is pure genius as are Alber Elbaz and Doo.Ri. Locally, Iky T-shirts are fantastic, and every time I see a piece from Purveyor it just floors me.
what's your current favorite item of clothing?
I have a couple of things that are very “me”: a pair of Chanel sandals (they’re kind of a cross between Tevas and Birks) that I got at Bergdorf’s about 10 years ago that I keep resoling, and a pop art daisy tote from Celine that I bought when I got a little bonus at my first real job years ago — it’s classic and trendy and totally 60s all at the same time.
how do you define 'stylish?'
Confidence. Those with it can pull off just about anything.
what's your take on DC style, in general?
I think all you hipsters finally tipped it over the edge toward fabulous. Overall, I think this coming year will be a tell-tale on the fashion horizon — a lot of amazing independent boutiques opened up, the big guys took notice and started opening up their own — hopefully the fashion community will be able to support them all. It’s great having so many voices out there (to say nothing of the great fashion media that’s developed as well!).

interview: morgan. photo of babsieD, that celine bag, and her viktor & rolfs courtesy of babsieD! to keep up with her events, etc. check her blog here.

rock and roll hotel: julyoween - new rock church of fire and the gaskets.

mt. pleasant: the raven.

black cat: EVIL DISCO.

FD! DC! BYT!

click over to BYT today to read my style column for the week: FASHION DISTRICT!
thanks!
love!
morgan.

panda head interviews...

i first met stacy mcneal when i was working at the remix vintage. she really was the ideal customer - not only did she have a huge knowledge of and appreciation for vintage, but she was able to style and incorporate it in a way that was never anything less than contemporary. it came as no surprise, then, when i found out that she designed accessories, that her own pieces reflected her innate ability to reference the past while still looking completely modern. from her leather 'grenwich' tote to the ridiculously gorgeous 'tear it up' topaz earrings, stacy mcneal designs are lady-like but never stuffy, statement-making but incredibly versatile, and more more more than worth a look!

how would you describe your personal style, and to what extent is that reflected in your line?
All over the map.
I collect and wear 40s & 60s era clothing, mostly for their structure and sometimes a lack thereof. But I will say I blend some version of current fashion trend with SOMEthing vintage and go from there. This is my formula when I get dressed, almost always.
My line reflects how I personally like to accessorize, and I'm finding that sometimes that stance results in my generally ignoring what the majority of people are currently doing. I try to dress instincively - on my own terms and doing what works. Some aspects are constants though - like animal prints - I think they are so utterly sexy and relevant and timeless, and they are always on hand in my closet, which is known affectionately as "The Garage".
how does the design process typically work for you?
My process is really varied (and likely) too boring to explain...I see something and it just goes on to take its own direction, usually. Sometimes it's controlled; sometimes it just "happens."
what's your favorite stacy mcneal design?
I'm in love with jewelry in general and have been since I was very young and annoying my mother by rooting (uninvited) through hers! Hands down, I love to wear cuff bracelets most. I have dozens in my own vintage stash and my sterling silver collection features several options as well. They're bold and typically on the large side. I like them because a strong bracelet can do a whole lot of work all by itself. And they go everywhere well, too.
you design bags, jewelry, and belts. how do you get dressed - is it accessories first, then clothes? is one more important than the other?
Accessories are always first, and to me they are most important. I will confess, it usually starts with The Shoes. What's fun for me is somehow managing to look distinctive, while at the same time appearing natual and very comfortable at that level, and whatever the occassion may require.
who or what inspires you, style-wise?
There's really no "who" prototype. But there are, of course, Steve McQueen, Tina Turner, Sharon Stone, and (who can neglect?) Medusa. Mainly, just stong personalities who do their thing and get on with it - on their own terms. I try to be attentive to the fact that style takes many forms: beautiful architecture, an elegant wild animal, a color found only in nature, a vintage auto, film. It's everywhere. Authenticity is really stylish to me.
where do you like to shop in and around DC?
There is no rock I will not consider peering underneath if I think it has cool stuff!!! Having said that, I go everywhere and have learned the hard way to keep the best places under my hat, so to speak.
what are your thoughts on DC style, in general?
DC's not the most adventurous place in that regard...Of course, it may be unfair to compare DC to New York, a city rife with creative people and arty institutions with the theater, design houses, and an all-over tremendous energy saturates NYC and generates a style all its own. A vital factor that contributes to create that city's unmatched and highly visible street style. But I do think DC is gaining ground; we live in an international city and that helps in positive ways to ramp-up style awareness and brings us exposure to things in other parts of the world, and that includes the fashion world.

interview: morgan. photos by yvonne taylor. stacy mcneal designs are available for purchase at stacymcneal.com, so click click.

hirshhorn: after hours.

wonderland ballroom.

art party: columbia heights.

2423 18th st: mercedes bien

i usually keep my comments on the comment page, BUT: this was a shopping event the girls of listopad put together (they're in the middle, sorry i blurred you i'm having flash problems); with write-ups everywhere from the sunday source to DC scout they clearly did the awesomest job ever marketing it, and it really was neat - people who aren't around on weekends got to see mercedes's (up top!) amazing vintage collection, and we all got an intro to kata and cath's stuff as well - which ran the gamut from sweet vintage dresses and tops to way cool checkerboard sunglasses and some dope silver LA gears, still in their original box. stay up-to-date on their future events at the listopad blog, and be sure to check out mercedes bien if you haven't already - she's got a great eye and every single piece is amazing. that is all. the rest of my commentary is back where it belongs!

APC DIY at BYT!

the birthday party: dupont rooftop.

panda head interviews...

ryan ryskamp, maseh zarif, and matt corrado are the three owners/designers of aplomb clothing, a DC-based apparel company that, since its inception, has sought to 'throw out [the] boundaries' of the typical 'indie, urban, or skate' company, and focus on producing designs that appeal not only to each of the partners' individual styles but are distinctly in, of, and representative of DC. like what you see? aplomb tees are available at kickballers and at their online store.

do you, maseh, and matt have similar styles? to what extent are they reflected in your line?
All three of us have pretty different styles actually. This sets us apart from other companies today because we effectively mesh all three tastes into one design and construction.
what was the catalyst that made you all decide to go ahead full force with aplomb?
I would say it was when I asked Matt and Maseh to be partners in the company. After those two came on everything seemed to flow, one person would make leeway on something and it would completely inspire the other two to push forward as well.
what are your individual strengths, and how does the design process typically work for you guys?
Individually it's a pretty simple breakdown. Maseh is getting his MBA from Georgetown now and handles our financials and promotions. Matt is a RISD graduate and handles our design work. I seem to be a renaissance man these days haha...I act as a liaison between Maseh and Matt. I have my hand in everything, some things deeper than others. We like to collectively come up with design ideas as well as tackle business issues.
what's your all-time favorite aplomb design?
Well naturally our favorite designs are the ones that are coming out in the Fall! But if I had to pick one of those I would say our "K Street" design. We did a piece about the Madame from K street that catered prostitutes to high-ranking officials and politicians...the design is sick and it is thought provoking; we try to strive for just that with all of our designs.
what are style/design inspirations for the three of you?
Mas spends a lot of time in the posh clubs of DC and his style definitely reflects that. He listens to house music and brings a high-fashion element to the table. Matt produces a number of hip-hop artists in the area but also skateboards. His style is pretty broad, which we need because he transforms all of our ideas into fresh designs. I have always been into the rock and punk scenes and still love snowboarding and skateboarding.
We all bring our own elements to the table but agree that it is important to keep our designs socially conscious and thought provoking (that's probably a product of growing up in DC).
are there any advantages to being a clothing/design company in DC?
Each of us have received criticism for starting a clothing company in DC but [those people] obviously haven't thought about the advantages. DC has a style that hasn't really been reflected in a brand before. Which can be good and bad but in our case we are going develop that style and accurately represent it. Now we could have gone out to California or up to New York but we would have been a dime a dozen, more people might listen there but then you are still doing what everyone else has done. Coming out of DC we are original and we appeal to multiple markets... we feel those doubts we received will actually be the reasons we succeed.
where do you all like to shop in and around DC?
There are a number of skateboard shops in DC and Northern VA that I personally like to hit up. Major is alright but honestly I think Kickballers is the baddest store in DC right now. It completely represents DC's style just like we are attempting to.
what are your thoughts on DC style, in general?
Recently at the DC Stock Exchange trade show this guy came up to me. He was from San Diego and remarked how much he liked our stuff because it seemed to cross all the boundaries as to having an urban, skate, or whatever brand. He worked at this bar in Dupont and said that he loved DC because he saw everyone getting along. Punk kids hanging out with hip-hop kids, people with tattoos talking to lawyers in suits. Apparently San Diego is the same "spikey haired guy with a girl with fake boobs on his arm," haha. But I was really taken aback by that because it's one thing to say your clothes mesh styles and rep DC correctly... but it's [on] a completely different level to hear it from a customer that you've never met.
anything you're not usually asked about aplomb that you want people to know?
We are a creative company coming out of DC and if you are like us we have a hill to climb...together. Our market is big enough for all of us to thrive and to thrive we must work together and build each other up. Once the DC market gets too small for all of us...then we move on to the rest of the Nation! Also, the website is up, the online store is up, our stuff is in Kickballers in Gtown and YES all three of us are for hire to bring your wildest fantasies to life!


interview: morgan. photos from aplombclothing.com; picture 2 features shoes from get dizzy. visit aplomb at their website or at the aplomb clothing myspace page.

m street: georgetown.

ft reno: mary timony/medications/charm offensive.

my $40 fashion spread: GRECO FAB at BYT.

HU at BYT, DIY at fashionista!

click over to BYT to discover DC style sourcing: outrageously chic at howard university! annnnnnnd a big huge thanks to one of my favorite sites, fashionista.com, for featuring my BYT marc jacobs studded flats DIY from may. and thank YOU for suffering through all that linkage!
love,
morgan.

rock and roll hotel: garutachi.

for more more more garutachi check out their flickr and/or BYT!

panda head features...

name: Kelley McNutt
age: 15
occupation: High school student/Hyperactive art enthusiast

describe your style.
Spasmodic. I'm constantly changing and discovering new things, and my style definitely reflects that. I always fall back on cute (sometimes weird) prints, and girly dresses and blouses.
do you pay attention to trends? how do you stay current?
Of course. Trends are everywhere: in art, music, film - I love seeing what becomes popular, it's really interesting. I don't follow every trend I pick up on though, that would be confusing. The trends I take note of are usually started by other teenagers around me; it's exciting to see something new evolve from a group of kids.
what are your wardrobe staples?
Vintage patterned sweaters and my army green military jacket in the fall and winter, lots of dresses and an old pair of white sneakers for the summer, and a healthy collection of masks year round.
do you keep an organized closet?
I have a terrible memory, so if everything isn't right in front of my face I will forget I own it. So yes, my closet is pretty organized - [but] my mother disagrees.
where do you like to shop? any frequent eBay searches?
Locally my favorite stores are The Remix in Del Ray [now of Capitol Hill] for vintage dresses, and Prevention of [Blindness] for bags, scarves, children's sunglasses, and other odds + ends. I get a lot of basics from American Apparel and Urban Outfitters. I just have to be careful with those stores, because their clothes have such a specific style; it gets boring when you can tell someone is wearing a head-to-toe look from any one store. I do a ton of online shopping as well. It's a win win situation for me, I can avoid doing work while hunting down things I can't find in stores around here! My favorite online stores are Topshop, Fred Flare, and Art in the Age. eBay stresses me out, so I avoid it.
who or what inspires you, fashionwise?
Musicians like Devendra Banhart, Francoise Hardy, Jona Bechtolt, and bands like Parenthetical Girls and Au Revoir Simone have fantastic style. In terms of art, The Royal Art Lodge and Paper Rad along with Loretta Lux's and Ryan McGinley's photography are inspiring. Sweden is kicking major fashion ass right now, and The Moz is my ultimate style icon. Nylon and N.E.E.T magazine both do a really good job of mixing popular trends with things about independent artists and designers.
any favorite designers?
Like [every] other teenage girl, I too am a Marc Jacobs fiend, but I'm also a huge fan of Peter Jensen and Karen Walker. They always feature really cute prints.
what's your current favorite item of clothing?
Lately I've been wearing a black knit pencil skirt almost everyday. My favorite item of all time would have to be these Chinese kickboxing booties I got in Chinatown last winter, though. I have to wear them sparingly because they're practically made out of paper and are falling apart.
how do you define 'stylish?'
A stylish person is someone who can take a classic style or a new trend and put their own mark on it.
what's your take on DC style, in general?
DC doesn't really have a "style," which I think is both a really good thing, and a disappointing one. It's good because it means there's a mix of trends and looks in the city, but it would also be fun to be in a city known for a particular style.

interview: morgan. pictures by kat mcnutt. get more of kelley at blogtastic.

hot damn.

DC placed 2nd in the first round of STREET CLASH! thanks so much to everyone for voting, and keep an eye out - i'll be letting everybody know when to vote again in round 2!
figurative fashion knife fights,
morgan.

muleh: 3.1 philip lim trunk show.