Oh, Bawlmer. Here in the downtown DC land of $11 lunch salads and never-ending schmoozefests, we love your straight-talking, no nonsense way of life (not to mention your super-cheap Natty Bohs). Another thing we love: HonFest. What began as a small Hampden beauty pageant of sorts (“hon,” short for honey, is a term of endearment popularized in the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s) has since bloomed into a full-fledged street fair. Ladies (and men!) don leopard print, retro glasses, pounds of blue eye shadow, and more hairspray than Sephora has on its shelves as they parade through the streets. Sadly, Tracy Turnblad was nowhere to be found, but we did uncover some majorly Hairspray-worthy ’dos as we wandered around. Click through the slideshow for more Charm City style than you’ll know what to do with.
Sarah is the Editor-in-Chief of Washingtonian Bride & Groom, and writes about weddings, fashion, and shopping. Her work has also appeared in Refinery29, Bethesda Magazine, and Washington City Paper, among others. She is a Georgetown University graduate, lives in Columbia Heights, and you can find her on Instagram at @washbridegroom and @sarahzlot.
