Tia Thompson, 26
“I work for the government . . . blah!”

What she’s wearing:
Jacket and shoes from Treasury, shirt from Urban Outfitters, jeans from Guess, bracelet from a friend’s mother, who’s a European jeweler.

Where do you like to shop?
“I’m not into the mall at all—I’m into shops. I just moved here from being in the Peace Corps, I found this shop like three weeks ago, and I was like, ‘ahh!’ ”

Katerina Slominskaya, 31,
Social relations for DoubleView Media

What she’s wearing:
Maria Vazquez dress (“She’s my favorite designer from Buenos Aires. I promise to bring her here to DC. She’s very contemporary, with a different vision. Every piece she makes stands out.”), Dior Extreme heels (“a favorite from Sex and the City: The Movie”), and a Jill Stuart clutch.

What other designers do you admire?
“I’m a big fan of Rachel Roy. I own couple of her dresses, and they’re in my top list.”

What excites you about fall clothing?
“Fall is the best season to dress up and be creative about your style. You can wear many layers, scarves, gloves, hats . . . pretty much any kind of accessory to be unique and show your personality. And of course it’s the best time for high heels. It’s not that hot anymore, so it’s easier to wear them.”

What’s on your dream style wish list?
“Donna Karan dresses. They’re incredibly feminine—and expensive! Classic YSL and Valentino handbags. And of course I really wish that Maria Vazquez was easily accessible to US customers. I believe she can win a lot of girls’ hearts!”

“To really make people remember you, fashion is important,” says Human Rights Campaign employee Joseph Gaskins, whom we spotted near Logan Circle. The first thing that caught our attention: Gaskins’s purple polka-dot bow tie and loud lime green boat shoes.

“What I really enjoy most are classic pieces with interesting details,” he says. Check out our video below to see Gaskins’s casual yet sharp summer look. Does he pull it off? Leave your thoughts in the comments section.

Ellery Ciesemier, 47
The mother of two had just dropped off her eldest son at Georgetown for his first year of college.

What she’s wearing:
Linen dress from Comptoir des Cotonniers in Paris (“In Paris in July, everything is 50 percent off”), Tory Burch tote, Sam Edelman sandals, Allison Stern silver bangle.

Tell me about your style and where you shop.
“I’m tall, so it can be challenging to find things that are long enough. I think I like to dress current but not too young. You just have to shop a lot of places and pick and choose. For basics, I like J. Crew. I like their belts, and their shoes are inexpensive. I’ll go to Anthropologie for a one-off belt or jacket. In Chicago, there’s a cool store called Sugar Magnolia on Oak Street.”

Where have you been shopping here?
“We’re here [walking into J. Crew] because my husband forgot a belt and shoes.”

Arniece Lawrence, 40
Currently unemployed

What she’s wearing: H&M dress, bag from a thrift store, and YSL sandals that were only $4.99!

You obviously aren’t afraid of color. “I wanted to be spotted. Yellow makes me happy.”

Do you always buy from thrift stores? “I’ll spend money on shoes—you don’t want your feet to hurt—and a watch. I’d say I haven’t bought anything new all summer. I’d say my key piece would always be shoes, and then I work from there. If I’m thinking of buying something, I want to try to wear it four ways: work, church, a party, and the weekend.”

Those shoes are great. Which thrift store did you find them at? “Village Thrift in Bladensburg, which is next door to the Rolling Pin Bakery. While everyone is in there buying cakes, I’m next door buying all the good stuff!”

Brandon Dunn, 22
Paralegal, Department of Justice

What he’s wearing:
J. Crew shorts and shoes, Gap T-shirt, and H&M blazer. The glasses are Ray-Ban. The necklace is from a friend’s trip to Kenya; the silver bracelet is from a trip Brandon took to Agadir, Morocco.

Tell us about your style.
“I like to go for relaxed looks, but I also like to turn heads. I like to have people think, ‘Oh, I never would have thought to do that.’ ”

So your first day at the Justice Department is Monday. It’s going to be a bit conservative, right?
“I just bought a few new suits from Jones New York. I think I’ll wear a patterned shirt and a solid tie. I recently bought a red Longchamp case. I’m trying to decide if I can use it.”