Shop Around Blog

Deals, fashion, style, shopping, spas and more in Washington, DC and beyond.

Sidewalk Style: Back to Basics

By Rachel Cothran

This week, we stopped Janis Penman, who approaches her work and wardrobe with the same no-nonsense manner.

Janis Penman, 36
Partner, Baker Hostetler LLP

What she’s wearing:
Tory Burch dress from Bloomingdale’s in Chevy Chase, Gucci shoes from Bluefly.com, Kate Spade bag from the eponymous store in Georgetown.

Where do you like to shop?
“I really don’t like to shop—it’s just very time-intensive. I do a lot of it online at Zappos, Bluefly, and both Neiman Marcus and Saks online. I like the Bloomingdale’s in Chevy Chase a lot.”

Those shoes actually look pretty comfortable.
“They are. They have tread on the sole, and the heel is fairly substantial. I used to wear a high stiletto heel until I had twins three years ago, and they just really stopped being comfortable. It seems that a bit more of a platform is popular these days, so I’m happy that the trends followed suit.”

How has motherhood affected what you wear?
“I have less time now than I did before, and that wasn’t much! You learn to streamline and to eliminate what doesn’t work. On the weekends I look like a refuge from the J. Crew catalog: cords and jeans with simple, clean-cut sweaters. I have to be able to get dirty and not feel bad about it.”

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Where & When: Fashion Edition

By Claudia Bahar

Check out these shopaholic events for the week. Some of them are even for a good cause.

Thursday, October 16: Shop for a good cause! From 5 to 8 PM, Urban Chic will be holding its third annual Pink Is the New Black breast-cancer-awareness benefit. Enjoy 20 percent off new merchandise as well as complimentary drinks and snacks at both the Georgetown and Bethesda locations. Ten Five percent of sales go to Komen Race for the Cure; www.urbanchiconline.com

Friday, October 17: For one day only, take 20 percent off all clothing from designers such as Eva Franco, Cynthia Steffe, and Shoshanna at the chic Green and Blue boutique at Dupont Circle.

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DC Designers: Tsyndyma Kroujiloz

By Sonia Harmon

Check out our style feature, DC Designers, where we highlight a local designer who has caught our eye.

What: Contemporary women’s wear, including coats, dresses, pants, and blouses.

Who: Tsyndyma Kroujiloz. She was born in Siberia and lived in Russia and Houston before moving to Washington 12 years ago. “In some kind of way, I’m getting closer to New York,” she says with a laugh. She lives in Potomac with her husband and two sons.

Where to buy it: View the clothing line on her Web site, tsyndyma.com, and call 240-888-5175 to make an appointment to visit her showroom at 9317 Bentridge Avenue in Potomac.

Engineer-turned-designer: Tsyndyma started sewing when she was six years old, but in high school she was a top math student, so she decided to attend Moscow Polygraphic Institute for mechanical engineering. At school, friends would ask her to help them with their wardrobes: “I would say, ‘First tell me why you want to change.’ Beauty is confidence.”

After spending six years as an engineer, she decided to begin working as a couture dressmaker in Moscow, where her passion for the fashion industry really began to grow. She also found that her math skills helped her with the dress designs and proportions.

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Project Runway Recap: The Flowerpot Headpiece in the Room

By Betsy Lowther

This week, we whittle it down to the last three designers—finally.

Korto's wedding dress was just too hideous to be pictured. Don't believe us? Look it up. All photographs courtesy of Bravo.

And we’re back! In case you forgot where we were, the show is quick to remind us: Everyone hates Kenley! No one did very well in the last challenge. All four remaining designers get to go home and make full collections for the Bryant Park finale, although one will get eliminated just before the big show. How terribly cruel.

Everyone goes home to start working! Four weeks later, Tim Gunn heads to Arkansas to see Korto, who has a really lovely studio in the middle of the woods. Tim is mostly concerned about some overly suggestive cutouts in the cocktail dress, but otherwise he’s excited and we’re excited about her bright, pretty collection. The two head over to Korto’s house, where a spread has been laid out in Tim’s honor. Awkward communication in front of the camera follows. Tim says goodbye with his signature double-cheek kiss to Korto’s adorable little daughter, Elise.

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Splurge vs. Steal: Rangefinders: The Hand-Held Caddie

By Carlos Lu

From improved technology to cheaper golf academies, it’s much easier for the average golfer to look, feel, and play like a tour pro while out on the course. Even the tour caddie can be simulated . . . sort of.

Okay, so rangefinders can’t read the breaks and contours of greens, but they’ll give you accurate distances to any target, whether it’s a tree or the flag. Because golf is a game of precision, it’s no wonder these new gadgets are the hottest golf accessory in any golfer’s bag. With a few golfing days left in the season and the holidays sneaking up on us, here are a couple of rangefinders you may want to get for yourself, your husband, your father, or whoever the golf nut is among your friends or family.

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Sidewalk Style: Fur Real

By Rachel Cothran

An LA transplant mixes ’40s glamour with modern-day rock-and-roll style.

We spotted Danielle at the closing party for the “Space Invaders” exhibit at Dissident Display Gallery on DC’s H Street, Northeast.

Danielle Vu, 24
Just moved from LA and currently job seeking a job in foreign policy.

What she’s wearing: “A fox-fur jacket from my aunt’s closet, a dress from H&M, and my shoes and purse are both from thrift shops.”

Describe your look tonight. “The look I was going for was kind of 1940s glamour with a touch of rock and roll.”

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Cute Shop, Hon: Great Stores in Baltimore

By McLean Robbins

Baltimore has become a hip shopping spot—with interesting fashions and housewares you won’t find anywhere else.

In the past two years, Baltimore has seen an explosion of new boutiques and stores. No longer is “Bawlmer,” as locals call it, known just for the Orioles and the aquarium—it’s become a shopping destination.

The four main shopping areas are Hampden, Federal Hill, Fells Point, and Harbor East. You can easily visit two or more in a day, and friendly store owners are happy to recommend other shopping and dining. It’s called Charm City for a reason.

I’d recommend starting a day trip in Hampden, where you’ll find more than 100 merchants along West 36th Street, or “the Avenue.”

Make your first stop Form (1115 W. 36th St.; 410-889-3116; formtheboutique.com), where owner Aimee Bracken stocks such fashionista-friendly lines as Vera Wang, Lavender Label, Graham and Spencer, and Alvin Valley. Next, pop a few doors down to Shine Collective (1007 W. 36th St.; 410-366-6100; shopshinecollective.com). You’ll find vintage furniture plus contemporary fashions including Joe’s Jeans and great local jewelry by Valentina Black.

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