News & Politics

Best of 2005: Boutique Plus

If Ann Taylor had a funkier sister, her name would be Periwinkle.

Open since September, the boutique of that name (1557 Potomac Greens Dr., Alexandria; 703-519-5242; periwinkleshop.com) is one of the first shops to move into the new Potomac Greens development. It already has attracted a devoted following that scoops up Robin Naylor velvet pants, Rachel Roy brocade coats, and Powwow fitted jackets.

Periwinkle is the only place in the area that sells high-end–and higher-rise-than-most–jeans by Denim for Immortality. Owners Gretchen Hitchner and Elizabeth Mason also win Best Bipartisan Venture: Hitchner was press secretary for Democratic senator Bill Nelson, Mason a scheduler for Second Lady Lynne Cheney.

Washingtonian staffers contributing to this section were Cristina Abello, Susan Baer, Susan Davidson, Ken DeCell, Rebecca Dreilinger, Kim Isaac Eisler, Mary Clare Fleury, Kimberly Forrest, Brooke Lea Foster, Garrett M. Graff, Cynthia Hacinli, Thomas Head, Todd Kliman, Ann Limpert, Chad Lorenz, Leslie Milk, Aparna Nancherla, William O'Sullivan, Cindy Rich, and Chris Wilson. Also contributing were Cathy Alter, Ann Cochran, and Matthew Graham.