We spotted 26-year-old Shanice after church in an unusual designer creation.

Shanice Wills, 26
Makeup artist, MAC

Who makes this dress? “It’s Issey Miyake. It’s two pieces. I got it a long time ago at a boutique in Friendship Heights. I can’t remember the name of [the boutique] and I don’t think it’s there anymore.”

Describe your style: “Eclectic, trendy, and chic. I love vintage and I love to buy from boutiques.”

Signature style: “I always wear heels. I hate flats. I feel unattractive in them.” 

Agnes Mannarelli, 46
Works for Warren Communications News

What she’s wearing: A printed cotton dress from Moo Joo Ken, a necklace from All About Jane, Frye shoes from the recently closed (so sad!) Wild Women Wear Red, and a Hobo International bag from Nana. The cool mother-of-pearl bracelet watch is Fossil.

We wish we could say that we loved this week’s Project Runway. It had its highlights—letting the models shop for the fabric? Now there’s a true challenge!—but to be honest, our reaction was: snooze. It’s never a good sign when the commercials are more entertaining than the show (we can’t imagine we were the only ones that immediately checked out Hollywood stylist Rachel Zoe’s webpage after her hilariously ridiculous “Die” montage. C’mon, fess up!)

Things start off on a fun note. The dramatic heartbeat-like music swells, Heidi rocks some trendy hair braids, models are chosen. Then comes the twist: Not only will the models serve as the clients—oh, we can only hope for a teary meltdown worthy of season one’s wedding dress disaster!—but they were also unleashed in all their willowy, bed-headed glory in Mood Fabrics to shop for the challenge’s eco-friendly fabrics.

After five seasons, we can definitively say this about models: A pretty face and good taste do not necessarily go hand-in-hand. At least three of the models return with coppery brown satin, which Jerrell immediately dubs "Team Ugly Brown Fabric."  For the most part though, everything seemed to be going rather swimmingly in the sewing category and the show shifts its focus to the designers' weird quirks. Suede, of course, talks about Suede. Stella is—as she puts it—still "he-ah", which personally irks us to no end. Blayne is still here too, but he's becoming increasingly endearing with his comic commentary. We nearly die when he tells Stella, "I love your leather face"—not to mention when he compares Heidi, somewhat nonsensically, to Darth Vader. Not to fret, Heidi: Blayne thinks you're "Darthlicious!" 

We've got bargains galore. Get everything from bargains on hair salons to the fall's best sales to free interior design in our summer bargain roundup below. Want even more deals and discounts? Make sure to check out August's issue of Washingtonian magazine, on stands now.

Every Tuesday, we bring you Sidewalk Style, where we chase down stylish folks on the street and get the scoop on their outfits, their fashion sense, and lots more. Today, we’re trying something new—we captured Christina Coleman and her eclectic outfit (and adorable personality!) on video for your viewing pleasure. Check it out, and let us know what you think of the video and her outfit in the comments.

It’s no secret that everyone’s favorite fashion-design competition has been shrouded in drama in the months leading up to last night’s season-five premiere. There was the surprising news that Project Runway will decamp from Bravo to Lifetime for season six. There was judge Nina Garcia’s very public unseating as Elle magazine’s fashion director. And then there was the fact that, even in the weeks before the show, it had only been quietly promoted and the designers had yet to be publicly revealed.

Turns out the wait was worth it. The season-five designers pranced past the screen in a flurry of serious credentials and catty remarks that would have made season-one winner (and super-trash talker) Jay McCarroll proud. In some ways, the roster of already-pretty-well-established designers seemed like a departure from Project Runway’s spirit—where were the well-intentioned moms who aspired to create beautiful clothes, the tech geeks with fashion dreams?—but at the same time, it was hard to fault the fact that we didn’t have to be subjected to any Wendy Pepper-style monstrosities.

Washingtonian > Packages > Best of Washington

Best Store for Jeans: Denim Bar

Yes, this boutique carries Seven and Citizens of Humanity. But with more than 45 lines of jeans on floor-to-ceiling shelves, it draws shoppers looking for such hard-to-find brands as Ksubi, Kicking Mule Workshop, Kasil, and Nudie. The stores also stock T-shirts, knits, and dresses, but denim is the focus. Prices for jeans range from $150 to $750.

Denim Bar, 1101 S. Joyce St., Arlington, 703-414-8202; 4939 Cordell Ave., Bethesda, 301-986-5260; denimbaronline.com.

Best Vintage Store: Annie Creamcheese

The gems in this basement shop are labeled with the brand and era of origin. You’ll find pieces by big names such as Gucci, Chanel, Missoni, and Pucci. When Hollywood A-lister Nicole Richie was in town last summer, she stopped in to buy a pair of vintage Ted Lapidus shades and a Courreges scarf from the ’60s.

3279 M St., Georgetown; 202-298-5555; anniecreamcheese.com.