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.”

Chelsea Turner, 21
Hairstylist, Corte Salon

What she’s wearing:
Urban Outfitters cardigan and sandals, Zara pants, shirt from Rainbow, and her brother’s tie.

The owner of the salon is Michelle Obama’s hairstylist, right? Does she come to the salon?
“No way. That would never happen. I can’t really speak about it, I know that much.”

How do you dress for work?
“I like to dress up, try new things. I think, if anything, my job allows me to express my creativity through my style instead of having to wear a skirt and shirt every day. As long as I keep it in the color code of black, I can basically wear whatever I want.”

Why the tie?
“I reached for the tie because it’s pretty vibrant. I was sleeping over at my brother’s place one day, tried it on, and just kept it.”

Photograph by Ken Wyner; www.kenwyner.com.

Alice Ng, 46
Photographer, Anfoto

What she’s wearing: Vintage dress from a shop in Charlottesville, Kenneth Cole shoes.

What do you like to wear? “Anything that looks good. I’m not afraid of color. I’m a very colorful person.”

Where do you like to shop? “Rerun in Takoma Park. And I go to Hong Kong every two years and shop there.”

You moved here from New York recently. What are the differences in style? “People are a little more playful in New York.”

Anything on your wardrobe wish list? “No, I already have too much. People just don’t need that much stuff.”

Rachel says: Maxi dresses were big last summer and this season, but the silhouettes have gotten somewhat predictable. This accordion style is a bit unexpected.

Stacy Kerr, 31
Special assistant to the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi

What she’s wearing: An Old Navy cardigan ($7.99!), Theory skirt, her grandmother’s jet beads, and Hale Bob flats from the Palisades consignment store Inga’s Once is Not Enough.

Tell me about style on the Hill: “Well, I obviously work for a very stylish woman. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t say that I’m as influenced as the rest of America by Mrs. Obama. In recent months, I’ve tried to wear less suits and more dresses. Partly because it’s summer, but partly because it’s more accepted now. Capitol Hill is still a man’s world in terms of dressing—it’s freezing inside so men wear three layers! So it’s hard to wear a sheath dress, and it’s hard to make a coffee run in a long-sleeved sweater. The air conditioning is my fashion pet peeve on the Hill.”

And what about pantyhose? “I’m anti-pantyhose. If Michelle Obama can go sleeveless to the State of the Union address, I think that career women on Capitol Hill can go without pantyhose to the Capitol.”