Photograph by Rachel Cothran.

We were walking around on a day trip to Annapolis (having dug up a Washingtonian guide to the quaint town) when we spotted Jessica Jordan on Maryland Avenue, wearing one of this summer’s most wearable trends: the maxi dress. Turns out she’s in retail; we dropped by her store to ogle the selection of well-priced dresses and bags—and one very cool fuchsia fainting couch with Lucite legs.

Jessica Jordan, 28
Manager, Paradigm

Where is your dress from? “It’s from Paradigm! The label is Oxford Circus, and it’s not too expensive—I’m pretty sure it was $89. We do a lot of searching around to find gorgeous things that are affordable. We carry some well-known lines like BCBG, Velvet, Sweetees, and Halé Bob, but we also do well with lines that are less known, like Tea and Nougat London. We carry some clothes for the guys, too, like Ben Sherman and Fillmore.”

What do you like about the maxi style? “It feels dressy, but it’s really not. They are so easy to wear!”

What are people wearing in Annapolis? “It’s pretty casual here—my friends and I call it Annapolis casual. For men, that means chinos and a polo shirt, usually in a bright color. Women wear a lot of sundresses, and they wear them day to evening. At the store, we’re carrying a lot of brights. I love purple and turquoise.”

Where are other good places to shop? “Something like 20 stores have opened relatively recently here, and there are some cool stores over on West Street, which I guess you could say is up-and-coming. Horse is a new boutique, and I also like Saucy shoes. They carry high-end lines like Hollywould. And there’s A La Mode, where you can find a bra to wear with anything. I’m wearing one with this dress! Annapolis has become a great place to shop.”

Tuesday, June 23: The DC Fashionista Meetup was rescheduled from earlier this month to today at Paul Mitchell the School in McLean. Things kick off at 7:30 PM; the panel discussion is at 8—this month’s topic is “Get Noticed Now!” Go here for more details.

Wednesday, June 24: Washington designers stage a runway show for a good cause for the Stop Traffick With Fashion fundraiser. A $65 ticket gets you open bar and a glitzy fashion show at Lima Restaurant; proceeds benefit local victims of child trafficking.

Saturday, June 28: It’s a crazy-busy day in the Washington fashion world. In Alexandria, the local jewelry line Queen Bee Designs is hosting a two-day trunk show starting today with up to 50 percent off its regular prices. Get the info here.

Nordstrom’s Designer Fall Preview at the National Building Museum Tuesday night was a benefit for Knock Out Abuse Against Women—a perfect excuse for Washington fashionistas to strut their stuff and stuff their shopping bags for a good cause.  The runway show featured a lot of black, thigh-high skirts, and exquisite tailoring.  Donna Karan returned to her roots with draped, figure-flattering jerseys. Jil Sander featured oversized jackets with skinny pants.  The brightest plummage showed up in the Versace and Roberto Cavalli collections—and in the front row of the audience. There wasn’t a boring black pantsuit in the room. See below for our photo slideshow of both the fashions and the fashionistas in attendance.

Tuesday, June 17: If there's one thing we love more than a glam party, it's a glam party for a good cause. Nordstrom showcases its upcoming fall styles in a runway show and boutique shopping party tonight at The National Building Museum. Tickets are $125 and $200 (for priority seating), and all proceeds benefit Knock Out Abuse Against Women. Call 202-725-5604 for more information.

Wednesday, June 18: Did someone say sale? Mazza Gallerie fash favorite Harriet Kassman starts slashing prices today for their big Giveaway Sale, taking another 50 percent off already reduced spring and summer items from labels like Lela Rose and Pink Tartan.

Photographs by Rachel Cothran.

Mikael Strommer, 23

What he’s wearing: Cheap Monday pants he had shortened into long shorts, shirt and sunglasses from Topshop, consignment-store tie, Esprit belt, Urban Outfitters bag, Converse shoes purchased in Beijing for $10, beaded bracelet from an antique market in Beijing.

What country has the best shopping? “Beijing is the best place for shopping in the world—hands down. You can find anything and everything you want, at any price.”

What style differences have you noticed in your travels? “New York was very diverse in terms of dress, and I think it’s more fun that way.Here it seems more homogeneous. People are more friendly here, though! And I like that the buildings aren’t so tall. In Sweden, fashion is very different. In Europe it’s different in general than here. We wear things that are tight. I like clothes that are tight—I would never wear anything from the Gap.”

These two pretty ladies know their fashion stuff, and will be taking any questions you may have on Friday.

Welcome back to Betsy and Rachel! Their last fashion chat was such a success that we’ve invited our two favoriite Washington fashion bloggers (and Washingtonian.com contributors) Rachel Cothran and Betsy Lowther in for a chat on all things fashion and shopping on Friday, June 13 at 1 PM. You might know Rachel from her popular fashion photography blog, Project Beltway, where she snaps pictures of fashionable people on the streets of Washington. Betsy comes to Washington via a stint in Asia, where she filled in readers on the best shops and fashion from Toyko to Singapore. When she’s not showing up at style events around town in one of her signature vintage dresses, she’s penning sartorial advice for her blog, FashionIsSpinach.com.

Ask them about everything from their favorite local tailors to what’s trendy for summer to their style inspirations. Submit a question in advance, and check back in on Friday at 1 PM for the live chat.

>>Submit chat questions in advance here. 

Local salon powerhouse PRatPartners put together a fashion show Sunday to highlight some of the next big looks in hair. Their top trends for tresses? Structured yet soft cuts, sideswept bangs, tousled shags, and naturally shiny color (plus, they also featured a selection of avant garde looks like outrageous, overly teased volume just for the runway show).

Models were made up and put in bright, flouncy cocktail dresses from Betsey Johnson, sleek shifts from Reiss Georgetown’s upcoming fall collection and glam evening looks from local design house Kimberly Kouture. The team invited us backstage before the show to get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at all the new styles, from hair to toe. See our photos below.