Sidewalk Style: High on the Hill

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.”

Where do you shop? “In addition to working for Nancy Pelosi, I have a toddler at home. For efficiency, I hit the troika at Mazza: Saks, Bloomie’s, and Neiman Marcus. They’re all right in a row. With my schedule, I’m loyal to several brands: Theory, Tory Burch, and Diane von Furstenberg. But I have to admit that my favorite place is T.J. Maxx. I can leave the Hill at 8 PM, and they’re open til 9:30.”

What are you shopping for now? “Things I can wear through fall. And Pelosi’s personal assistant is getting married so we’re all shopping for wedding outfits. It’s an August wedding in South Dakota.”

Rachel says: Stacy’s cardigan will serve her well once fall comes to Washington—it’d look great belted with a dress and tights—and I love the bright color. Conservative staples in not-so-tame colors are a great way to inject personality into a work look. And come fall, she might revisit her grandmother’s jewelry box for a handful of brooches to add to her outfit.