Why I should do blog entries as soon as I have the experience (i.e.: Week Three - Sunday)

I completely forgot to write about my experience in Adams-Morgan! The Sunday after The Planner's bachelorette party, I decided to go exploring boutiques. Specifically, I was interested in finding clothing that fit me (for more on this topic, see the entry on Lingerie Success).

Most people know Adams-Morgan as an area with a plethora of restaurants, bars and clubs (oh, and Amsterdam Falafel and the Big Slice). If you go during the day, however, you'll discover an entirely different Adams-Morgan-- one with vintage furniture and clothing shops and trendy boutiques (and Amsterdam Falafel and the Big Slice).

So--eureka--I went to Adams-Morgan during the day (there's actually PARKING!), and wandered up and down 18th St. NW, and then up and down Columbia St. NW. Found a few restaurants I'd heard about (but didn't know where they were), wandered in and out of antique shops, boutiques, and vintage clothing stores, was accosted by a saleswoman in a vintage clothing store who I suspect hadn't seen another human being in weeks, and discovered, much to my delight, Shake Your Booty.

Shake Your Booty is a trendy women's clothing and shoe store tucked into a small building between a hipster furniture store and an Ethiopian clothing boutique. The walls are painted PINK, and everything in the store has a price tag that puts it in the $30 - $60 range--perfect for someone who wants quality clothing, but doesn't want to sell their firstborn to get it. The sales staff is young, friendly, and extremely helpful - one girl took a dress off a mannequin for me to try on because she thought it would look good on me (it did, but it was one of those dresses you see on Nicole Ritchie - totally NSFW). It was here that I discovered shoes that I adored that I didn't see on everyone else. It was also at this store that I discovered a bias-cut black and white jersey dress that fit me like it was made for me (moreso than the usual bias cut jersey dress). It is gorgeous, and if I put a black camisole underneath it, I actually can wear it to work. Special bonus - unlike the ubiquitous Ann Taylor skirts, I have yet to see anyone else wearing this dress. And it was on sale - originally $60, now $40. $40 for work appropriate dress - that's well within my clothing budget for the month. I say "yes" to that.

And that was my victory in Adams-Morgan.

If you go:

Shake Your Booty
2439 18th St. NW
Washington, DC 20009

Week Three: Lingerie Success!

Let me be very honest here...my reason for finding an upscale lingerie shop was not just to get underwear for The Planner in honor of her upcoming wedding. No, it was more selfish than that--I desperately needed to be fitted for a bra.

Every since I began training for longer-distance races - 10Ks and longer--I've been putting in anywhere from 9 - 16 miles per week, on average. Consequently, I have shrunk - I've gone from a size 4 two years go to a size 0 now. And as far as bra size? Well, until last Monday I could only guess.

I don't mind being smaller so long as I remain healthy, but the change in size has made shopping for clothing...inconvenient at best and impossible at worst. There are now large segments of the women's clothing retail industry that have absolutely nothing for me, and with bras, the situation is dire. The ubiquitous Victoria's Secret has decided that I do not exist, and I now must either go to an independent shop or purchase my bras online (department stores supposedly have my size, but I've yet to see it). Because of the trial and error involved in finding bras, I decided to try find an independent shop. Of course, the one nearest me is no longer in business, and the one I sent Marathoner to is all the way out in Fairfax, so I decided to see if there was one closer to work -- and there was. This is how I discovered Coup de Foudre last Monday.

Coup de Foudre is a specialty lingerie store that has the same ambiance (pink carpeting, feminine wallpaper, classical music) that Victoria's Secret had before it decided to go all modern. Much, much more relaxing than Victoria's Secret - especially as there is a greater chance I'll find something that fits!

I got to the store shortly after work on Monday, and after adding my info to the guest book, I asked if I needed an appointment to be measured that day. The very French sales lady said she would be happy to measure me, led me to the dressing room, and got out her tape. I quickly learned that I was at least a band size and a cup size smaller than when I had been last measured, and that the bra I was wearing (one of my own) was most definitely the wrong size. And then the fun part began.

The door to my dressing room was soon covered in bras of every type and color: demi, full cup, balconet, silk, lace, brown, white, blue. There was even a swimsuit in the bunch that fit well, but gave me scary cleavage. I tried on everything--at least 15 bras, possibly more-- and every time I tried on a new bra, the French sales lady came in, adjusted it, inspected the fit, and told me what to look for. For all my bravado, I tend to be a very private person, so having that much scrutiny directed at my chest by a complete stranger was a little unnerving. The sales lady was very professional, however, so the discomfort was short. Through the trial and error in the dressing room, I discovered what kinds of bras worked well for me, and soon gained the ability to spot a dud the moment I put it on.

In the end, I spent an ungodly amount of money on two bras that fit like they were made for me. Oh yes, and I picked up a gift for The Planner, which was not nearly so ungodly expensive (but still very very cute!). With that, I left Coup de Foudre and headed over to Macy's to purchase The Planner's silverware from her wedding registry. A Macy's is a Macy's is a Macy's, so I'll save us all some time and say that my experience there was typical (not bad, not great).

If you go:
Coup de Foudre
1001 Pennsylvania Ave., NW (*actually at the corner of 11th and E St. NW)
Washington, DC 20004

Macy's (if you must)
1201 G. St., NW
Washington, DC 20005