Last-Minute Gifts & Stocking Stuffers
• May 3, 2012

Attention last-minute shoppers: this is the gift guide for you! Stocking stuffers are usually the last gifts that we remember to buy and they usually consist of things like nail polish, socks and, if you’re lucky, a piece of cheap jewelry. Make it fun for your friends and family to un-stuff their stockings this year with this gift guide. With presents this clever, they’ll never know you bought them the day before.
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Wedding Registry
•

For your wedding wishes this season, you’ll want to go for a traditional interior style, mixed with exotic details. Think creamy white and strong colors, like coral, turquoise and yellow. We also love contemporary pieces in materials such as steel and glass. The bride and groom will want to be prepared for romantic dinners and fabulous dinner parties. Even more importantly, to be perfectly equipped for long, snuggly mornings in bed.

1. These classic Athena bed linens in luxe egyptian cotton are offered with monograms. YvesDelorme, $160-$590 a piece.

2. Diane von Furstenberg decorative pillow brightens up your bedroom or living room. Bloomingdales, $360.

3. Rivulets Bedding provides a romantic feel in the bedroom. Anthropologie, $68-$368 a piece.

4. Madeira Court four-piece set dinnerware, classic and fun for your everyday dinners, fancy enough for special occasions. KateSpade, $80 a set.

5. Vera Wang for Wedgewood “Love Knot” napkin rings for elegant table settings. Bloomingdales, $50 for 4.

6. Coral napkin rings put a fun twist to your classic dinnerware for fun summer parties. Amano, $125 for 4.

7. Voluspa Maison Blanc “Pink Citron” candle provides an intoxicating scent that really fills up a room. Bloomingdales, $22.50

8. Michael Aram candle fills a room with a delicious scent. Bloomingdales, $60

9. iPad 2 for reading the newspaper in bed on those lazy mornings. Apple, $499

10. Hartland bowls will make the plainest green salad look exciting. Amano, $155-$295 each.

11. Nespresso CitiZ and milk espresso machine lets you indulge in gourmet coffee every morning. Surlatable.com, $349

12. Occa nesting tables are elegant, yet cool, for the bedroom or living room. BoConcept, $529

13. Kitchenaid holds every function you could dream of, including looking super stylish on the kitchen bench. SaksFifthAvenue, $349

14. The Bose speaker system can fill your home with your favorite tunes. SaksFifthAvenue, $99

15. This citrus squeezer is a little piece of art for the kitchen that also makes juice. Alessi, $100 [gallery ids="100484,117197,117191,117185,117179,117173,117167,117161,117210,117153,117216,117221,117146,117226,117204" nav="thumbs"]

Nuptial Bliss
•

The latest wedding fashion shot at The Goodstone Inn & Estate located at 36205 Snake Hill Road, Middleburg Virginia 20117

Photographer: Yvonne Taylor
Stylist: Liana Vassila
Hair: Kenny West from Hela Salon
Makeup: Carl Ray from The Four Seasons
Flowers: Barbara Von Elm from Growing Wild Floral Co.
Model: Allyn Rose, Miss Maryland 2011

YvonneTaylorPhoto.com
CarlRayMakeupArtist.com

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Cherry Fever
•

Bloom with these cherry-picked items inspired by the colors of spring. On location at Oak Hill Cemetery, Georgetown.

Photographer: Jodi King
Stylist: Adra Williams
Stylist Assistant and Make Up- Samantha Boyce
Hair: Devin Rice
Production Assistant: Emma Watters
Location: Oak Hill Cemetery, Georgetown

Models: Casandra Tressler of T.H.E. Artist Agency
Sherita DeHonney of Stomp Model Management

Spring Orange Fever
Left:
Earrings: Dalton Pratt, Kara Ross
Necklace: Dalton Pratt, Kara Ross
Dress: Everard’s Clothing
Bracelets: Dalton Pratt, Kara Ross
Shoes: Model’s own
Right:
Earrings: Dalton Pratt, Kara Ross
Blazer: Everard’s Clothing, Insight
Blouse: Everard’s Clothing
Necklace: Belonging to crew
Bracelets: Dalton Pratt, Kara Ross
Pants: Helia’s
Shoes: Steve Madden

Spring Black & White Fever
LEFT:
HAT: Everard’s Clothing, by Anthony
from The Hattery in Washington, DC
EARRINGS: Dalton Pratt
BLAZER: Everard’s Clothing, Insight

RIGHT:
BLOUSE: Everard’s Clothing, Byron
Lars Beauty Mark
SHORTS: Urban Chic, Alice + Olivia
EARRINGS: Dalton Pratt, Kara Ross

Spring White Fever
16 March 21, 2012 GMG, INC.
RIGHT:
DRESS: Urban Chic, Shoshanna
NECKLACE: Helia’s
EARRINGS: Dalton Pratt

LEFT:
DRESS: Urban Chic, Beyond Vintage
EARRINGS: Helia’s
NECKLACE: Everard’s Clothing
SHOES: Steve Madden

Spring Green & Red Fever
LEFT:
DRESS: Helia’s
NECKLACE: Dalton Pratt

RIGHT:
DRESS: Everard’s Clothing, Insight
NECKLACE: Helia’s
EARRINGS: Dalton Pratt, Lisa Cotten
BRACELETS: Dalton Pratt, Kara Ross
IPHONE CASE WITH SWAROVSKI CRYSTAL: Dalton Pratt [gallery ids="100604,100605,100606,100607" nav="thumbs"]

Graphic, Totemic Fashion
• March 22, 2012

From Aztec to Navajo, spring fashion is witnessing the return of tribal
patterns. Look for these bold, graphic prints and the loud colors that compliment.
As cold weather gives way to warmth, these exotic looks remind
us that it’s time to enjoy the outdoors. Here’s how to wear them this season. [gallery ids="100597,100598,100599,100600" nav="thumbs"]

Wedding Celebration Album
• March 7, 2012

When it comes to your wedding day, there is more to consider than you can shake a bouquet at. That’s why it can be helpful to talk to friends and family who have already been through the conjugal ringer. So, to get some firsthand words of wisdom, The Georgetowner spoke with a few friends who have recently tied the knot, and asked them about special wedding day tips, how to keep from getting overwhelmed, standout memories and more. Here’s what they said:

Chandra Anderson
——

Take time to absorb the moments of the day—it flies by so quickly. You’ve already done everything you can do to prepare by that point, so try not to worry about the little things you’ve been fretting about, like the caterers or the floral arrangements. If you don’t step back and focus on enjoying the moment you’re in, you wedding day will fly by you before you realize it had even arrived.

Alexandra and Kristopher Powell
——

On a logistical level, limit yourself to researching only three to five vendors for each element of your wedding (bands, caterers, etc…). Any more than that and the choices start to become overwhelming. On an emotional level, take a moment with your new spouse to step back and take it all in on your wedding day. It will fly by so fast, it’s worth taking a mental picture so you both can always remember how the day felt.

Rina and Keith Lippert
——

We each wrote down five things we love about the other. On the day of the wedding, we put it in a “love note” and read them to one another. It put the focus on what the day is truly about. It’s easy to get lost in focusing on things that don’t matter, but the bigger picture is what’s important here.

David and Ashley Murray
——

If you don’t have a plan for your wedding cake already, consider doing something creative. We ordered a customized cake from Creative Cakes in Silver Spring, and it was one wedding expense that we had no regrets about. Our guests were raving!

Ours was also the last wedding to be held at Halcyon House. My father, Chris Murray, having opened Govinda Gallery around 1975, held his first Govinda party there. So we are deeply connected to Halcyon House and were really honored to close it out with our wedding. John Dreyfuss is a pillar of Georgetown for us, he’s invested more than three decades of energy into taking care of that house—and his sculpture studio in the basement is just amazing. We wouldn’t have been able to have such a wonderful wedding if it wasn’t for John. He’s been such a good friend. I can’t think of a more elegant house in Georgetown, or a better wedding venue in the city, than Halcyon House.

Yvonne Taylor, photographer
——

We only had three months to plan my daughter Noelle’s wedding from the time she told me she was getting married. I’m in the business, which makes things a little easier, but it was still daunting. We went to a wedding planner, but realized that we could do a lot of this ourselves. So we made it a community effort among friends and family. I’ve been a part of some pretty expensive weddings, but my daughter’s ended up being very organic and real, and it was actually one of the most enjoyable weddings I’ve ever been to. I catered it myself, we held the party in my home. It became less about the event and the spectacle, and we were able to focus more on what the day is really about: love, family, friends and the moment. Bottom line is don’t let the money scare you, because there are ways around spending $80,000 on your big day. I know people who have waited for years to get married just because of how much it costs. Remember, a wedding is ultimately about love and family, not a flashy reception.

Aaro Keipi, Wedding Photographer
——

As a photographer, take advantage of unique situations. An overcast day like the one in my photo actually added a nice atmosphere and light to the photo ops for this outdoor wedding.

Liji George
——

It’s great to incorporate traditions from both sides of the family. We had a cross-cultural wedding, and it really brought everyone together in a unique but familiar atmosphere. [gallery ids="100490,117506,117498,117465,117490,117473,117484" nav="thumbs"]

Remembering Alexander McQueen
• November 3, 2011

The world has been hit by one tragedy after another in recent times, some so immeasurable they leave you reeling: Haiti, Michael Jackson, Lee McQueen. These disasters ask us to pause and evaluate the beautiful, fragile gifts of life. Certainly, they focus attention on the gift that cultural icons give to the world. Lee McQueen, founder and designer of Alexander McQueen Brand, was fashion royalty, but more important, a cultural maverick. His artistic expression was free-spirited yet articulate. Not many artists can tread the waters of the avant-garde movement and achieve critical success. We might not know about his design process. Some say his corsets and shoes are un-wearable and for all we know he could have white-knuckled his way through pre-season. But the result on the runway was beautiful and pure genius. I believe he was successful because he had the trappings and skills of the exquisite tailor coupled with the very elusive uncensored imaginative eye. He could push the envelope, think
outside the box.

McQueen is a metaphor for life. He was fearless in his approach and forward thinking. I see him as a rebel and a magician, uncompromising in his exploration and delivery of transformational work even when industry watchers were sometimes displeased with what he did. Fashionistas and socialites welcome his courage and have been photographed in his garments. His A-list of admirers is long and includes Naomi Campbell, Drew Barrymore, Zoe Saldana, Beyonce, Liv Tyler, Nicole Kidman, Rihanna, Kate Moss, Victoria Beckham and, of course, Lady Gaga and heiress Daphne Guinness, both of whom have defied the odds and gone out in his 10-inch heels despite nay-sayings of it being insane or at the very least, bone breaking. Since his death there has been a rush to get even the smallest memento of his collection, such as his skull-tattooed scarves. The skull is truly representative of the special energy flowing through McQueen’s work — graphic, defiant, natural, repulsive, yet appealing.
As an artist myself, I love the silhouette of his clothes. There is always something in his collection for me to applaud.

A woman could wear one of his pieces and feel like a lady yet a biker chick could keep her identity and be just as comfortable in the same ensemble. He was adopted by the youth but equally loved by the more mature, who would be appropriately dressed yet still feel youthful, even fanciful in his designs.

When I look back over his many collections, I see he truly understands the complexity and depth of the woman’s psyche and how that defines her desire to dress. McQueen’s designs were accessible and relevant but still on the edge. Take his jackets in his most recent collection, “Plato’s Atlantis,” tailored for business though clearly exposing the soft curves on the women’s body, constructed out of suit fabric that holds it shape and goes effortlessly from business to evening. But McQueen put his stamp on the shoulders, making the shoulder pads a little extreme, powerful, but not enough to take away from the feminine contour of the jacket. Yet there is just enough padding to allow the woman to secretly live the rebelliousness of his runway collection.

“Plato’s Atlantis,” his spring 2010 collection, is an undersea carnival, stirring the innate love of story within us all. He made it a priority to create the fairytale experience, to bring out the inner rebel without sacrificing the charm of his designs. He created the means for people to depart from their everyday reality and into fantasy and make believe. McQueen’s death is a sad loss. I can’t imagine the catwalk without him.

Lauretta McCoy is the Georgetown Media Group’s creative director for fashion.
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In Memoriam:
•

Late last year, a rising fashion model and her sister died in a horrific car accident after leaving Georgetown. This month, we remember Lizzie and Victoria Stefan.

I met Elizabeth Stefan when she was just 14 years old in the summer of 2004. I knew when I saw her she had an instinct for creating characters on the printed page. With her tall slender frame, angelic heart face and a perfect full mouth that relaxed into a pout, I was immediately inspired to shoot editorial pictures of her. She had a sharp wit and I thoroughly enjoyed her company. My photography team went to work and transformed this girl from Centreville, VA into a creature full of mystique and allure. The tall boots, bustier, couture shirt and long leather jacket made her look like she was born in the clothes. It was the beginning of a connected relationship that would last the rest of her life. As she developed her skills and traveled to all the model haunts, she became very comfortable with the world community of young women who are always en route to wherever the market and season dictated. She would return to Washington and drop in to show me the work she was doing.

?It was not an easy journey for Lizzie. She was truly her own person, even a little off rhythm at times, and struggled to fit in. Somehow she always found her way. We continued to work together and she gained the confidence I knew she would need to negotiate the tumultuous landscape of a business in constant flux. Lizzie’s career was just truly beginning to take shape and her client list was growing in New York when I called her to do a job for me. We had not worked together for a year or so and I was looking forward to it. I always got what I wanted whenever I worked with her, and knew the client would be happy. She stopped by to see me and we talked about it. That was in November 2009, she was coming home for Christmas and we were both excited. I was on location in South Carolina when I received a message on Facebook from the mother of another model, Amber, who had risen in the ranks alongside Lizzie. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. She asked me if I’d heard a rumor about Lizzie being killed in a car accident the night before. I was stunned. I was certain it wasn’t true. Lizzie would never miss a shoot!

?She had worked with my son Matthew Taylor doing short films. They were some of his favorite pieces. He had sold her the black Jaguar he bought when he graduated from college a while back and I felt a wave of sickness as I thought about her in my son’s car. My phone started buzzing and finally it was confirmed that she and her sister were returning from Washington late in the evening and hit a jersey wall head on. Her sister Victoria was driving. They were both killed instantly. I packed my gear and immediately left Hilton Head for home.

?We had gotten to know the family and immediately understood where all that personality and beauty came from. Lizzy’s mother was striking and we were not surprised to learn she had been a former Miss Sweden. Her other two sisters were just as lovely and each was distinctly different. Her father was the rock and spent time in Iraq while Eva, her mother, held everything together. I could see by all the family photos and having spent time with the girls they were a family of passion, and thoroughly enjoyed each other. If you knew Lizzie you would never forget her. She left an indelible mark on everyone she encountered.

?We have lost a truly complex and vivacious woman whose humor and love for beauty will prevail. Lizzie’s mother was highly surprised when she received a portrait of Lizzie painted by Peter Max the artist. It was no surprise to me that the artist recognized her as a person worthy of being immortalized in the capture of the painter’s hand. Knowing Lizzie, or Lisi as she was known in the business, I can laugh even now at the casualness and ease of her ability to form lasting relationships with all kinds of people with little or no effort. She was truly the genuine article.
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Georgetown Gathers Fashionistas
•

Georgetown fashionistas packed into Wink boutique yesterday for an afternoon filled with girls’ best necessities- cocktails, shopping and a Troubadour trunk show.

The designer, Lindsay Carter, was on site and I was pleasantly (very very pleasantly actually) surprised she took time out of her busy schedule to show me her favorite pieces, (The Minetta dress and Poe skirt are obvious best sellers!). After viewing her collections, it is a no brainer that Women’s Wear Daily named her Designer to Watch in 2009.

“I like to push the edge, yet stay within the boundaries,” said Carter.

Sticking to her southern roots, Carter looks to the South, the City and the Sea when creating her vision of Troubadour.

“For me, each collection is a mood rather than an inspiration.”

She must have been in love when deciding on clean lines and romantic ruffles for her fall collection, and sipping daiquiris on the beach when choosing bright (and fantastic!) colors for her summer pieces.

When stopping in for some retail therapy myself, I was not shocked to find many shoppers trying on the Sophia Romper in deep pool from her summer collection.

Next season, Carter will be expanding her line to add knit tops and other knockouts but will continue to produce great dresses fans love.

“Their easy. Throw it on, style it and walk out the door.”

In these tough economic times, Carter recommends one thing- Vintage!

“Cut and manipulate pieces to make them your own. Or go into your husbands or boyfriends closet.”

Or we can just go to Wink. Located on M Street below Steve Madden, Wink offers a variety of chic and eclectic clothes for all price ranges.

For more information or for your shopping pleasure, check out what Carter calls “southern goth sheik, yet reckless preppy,” at troubadourclothing.com

Checkmate
• October 19, 2011

Every fall, we are shown the trends of what will be come spring. During Fashion Week, designers and “houses” display their latest collections in runway shows. These events let the industry know what’s “in” and what’s “out” for the season. Enjoy our pick of “ins” for 2012 and be a winner in the game of fashion.

Photographer: Yvonne Taylor
Make-Up Artist: Carl Ray, The Four Seasons
Hair: Consuella Lopez, assisted by Jason Paul,
Hela Salon & Spa, the Collection
Manicurist: Titilayo Bankole, www.titilayobankole.com
Stylist: Stara Pezeshkian, T.H.E. Artist Agency
Model: Leslie Caroline Wilcox
Producer: John Paul Hamilton [gallery ids="100296,107512,107520,107517" nav="thumbs"]