Sunday marks the most prestigious of award show ceremonies, but the real attraction is watching A-listers sashay down the red carpet wearing the sort of threads the rest of us can only salivate over. While we Washingtonians may not saunter into work come Monday wearing a Vera Wang gown, the DMV is still chock-full of bangin’ boutiques for every body (and budget).
To help crown the best of the best, we caught up with Washingtonian magazine’s Shop Around blog editor Sarah Zlotnick. Having sifted through thousands of racks from Takoma Park to Tysons Corner, Sarah knows DC’s fashion scene better than 30-something professionals know the inside of Ann Taylor. Without any further ado, we bring you the first-annual DC Fashion Oscars…
Best Actor in a Leading Role (Best New Menswear Boutique)
“I gotta give this one to the boys over at Federal on 14th street. I love that all this heritage-y Pendleton/Red Wing/Filson goodness can finally be found under one roof in DC. I’m no skater (kind of tough to do in pencil skirts), but I always thought Palace 5ive was impeccably merchandised. It’s very cool to see owner Greg Grammen try something a little less Cali-tastic next door to his first shop.”
Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Best Menswear Accessories Haven)
“Dr. K’s without a doubt. They’ve got more shoe options for guys than Nordstrom! Brogues, cowboy boots, old-school Chucks—we are talking real quality vintage here people. The bag selection is a bit smaller, but I think I’ve drooled over each and every duffle I’ve come across.”
Best Actress in a Leading Roll (Best New Women’s Boutique)
“The Style Étoile sisters up in Rockville are killing it. Killing it. It takes serious lady balls to sell Eleven Objects studded collars to a surburban Washington clientele, but they’re doing it! Here’s how I described the store on Washingtonian’s Shop Around blog: ”If the Man Repeller grew up, got a (glamorous) 9-to-5, and spent Saturday night sipping martinis at BLT with her financier husband, this would be one of her favorite places to shop.”
Best Actress in a Supporting Roll (Best Women’s Accessories Haven)
“Pretty People Vintage in Alexandria. Owner Annie Lee knows her glitzy, oversized vintage Chanel jewelry like no one else in the city, and successfully translates that aesthetic into newer, more affordable pieces as well. Rachel Zoe would die all over the place.”
Best Animated Film (Best Illustrator’s Blog)
“Locally, I have to salute My Closet in Sketches here. Who would have thought a girl from Shaw would be the pen behind the illustrations in Lucky Magazine? You go Lauren!
I also love Inslee Haynes. Her fashion watercolors are always of-the-moment, and equal parts cute and elegant. I’ve actually got a few of her prints hanging in my bedroom.”
Best Art Direction (Best Store for Apartment Decór)
“And Beige—it’s contemporary and trendy without being too over the top.”
Best Animated Short Film (Best Place for Boudoir Shopping)
Best Cinematography (Best Blog Photographer)
“I’m biased because she photographs for us as well, but Katie Warren of Go Kate Shoot has stuck herself right in the heart of DC’s creative scene. I love living vicariously through her blog as I sit at home in my PJs. Her images are so full of energy I get tired just looking at them.”
Best Costume Design (Best Couture Vintage)
“Inga’s Once is Not Enough in the Palisades because owner Inga Guen uses the proceeds to take care of wounded vets. What a class act.”
Best Director (Best DC Fashion Icon)
“Mrs. O[bama]. I don’t care if it’s obvious. In my fashion Oscars, she wins every year.”
Best Documentary Feature (Best Street Style Blogger)
“The Locals, formerly Copenhagen Street Style. Interesting minimalism is an oxymoron everywhere except Denmark. I took some design classes in Copehagen during college, and I’m obsessed with every aspect of the country’s clean aesthetic.”
Best Documentary Short (Best Fashion Tweeter)
“Cindi Leive, EIC of Glamour Magazine. Here she sits, probable heir to Anna Wintour’s throne, and still seems nice enough on Twitter to hold the door open for you when your hands are full. She’s my hero.”
Best Film Editing (Best Fashion Videographer)
“New York Magazine has some great, insider-y videos. Who else has the power to bring Coco Rocha and Jenna Lyons together on one screen? I also liked these interviews with NYFW models.”
Best Foreign Language Film (Most Stylish DC Transplant)
“Isn’t everyone kind of a DC transplant? The answer is definitely Albanian Aureta Thomollari though. Between the spiked Louboutins, feathered Marchesa dresses, and jaunts to all sorts of exotic locales, that woman is a walking W editorial.”
Best Live Action Short Film (Best Custom Tailor)
“Honestly, I just go to ZIPS in Van Ness because I can get my dry cleaning done at the same time for mega-cheap, and pick up everything together 3 days later. Washingtonian also did a list of great tailors together for our annual Best of Washington issue.”
Best Original Score (Best DC Fashion Events)
“It’s a toss-up: ReadySetDC‘s Fashion: District does the best job of highlighting local design, but CapFABB‘s monthly meet-ups are the most densely concentrated with stylish people.”
Best Original Song (Best Shop for 9:30 Club/Black Cat Attire)
“Forever21. Let’s be real—there’s an 89 percent chance someone is going to spill a drink on you.”
Best Makeup (Best Makeup Emporium in DC)
“I really want to say Bluemercury because it was founded locally, but I grew up on free gifts with purchase from the Clinique counter at the Bloomingdale’s in Tyson’s Corner. My list of favorite brands has expanded some over the years, and I still find they’ve got the best ratio of friendly-but-not-aggressive saleswomen to customers. They’re currently redoing the space to give it even more of a boutiquey feel.”
Best Picture (Absolute Favorite Store in DC)
“Trohv in Takoma Park. I’m not a nester by any means (we moved 4 months ago and there are still cardboard boxes in my room), but this massive gifting emporium has enough cool knickknacks and one-of-a-kind vintage finds to bring out my inner Martha. It’s like the home goods section of Anthropologie, but so much better.”
Best Sound Editing (Best Shop for Art/Music Fest Attire)
“Muléh for anything art-related. There’s something very cerebral about the mix of Phillip Lim and Vivienne Westwood separates in there. For musical festivals, it’s Forever21 for the (second) win—here there’s a 95 percent chance someone will spill their drink on you.”
Best Adapted Screenplay (Best Pop-Up Shop)
“Butler & Claypool. Five of Washington’s most creatively dressed women hoard vintage finds from all over the country, then purge them out in cool places like American Ice Co. and Cork. I’m also really proud of DC designer Dana Greaves for her jewelry pop-ups at the Tyson’s Corner Bloomingdales.”
Best Visual Effects (Best Jewelry Boutique/Etsy Distributor)
Best Sound Mixing (Best Dressed Local Band or Artist)
“Muralist Aniekan Udofia. He makes ’70s-style prints, fedoras, and wide lapels look damn good.”
Best Original Screenplay (Best Classic Staples)
“Every girl should own a bright pencil skirt (neon orange > boring black) and a pair of platform stacked heels with an ankle strap she can walk to death. I rely on these for a look that’s professional, interesting, and keeps me standing when a long day at work rolls straight into my plans for that night.”
