DC ladies Fashion is TERRIBLE

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There I said it.

But why is it so?! The men look great. DC is literally the last place in the US where men were jackets and ties normally.

But the women??? Talbots + Flats, old lady sandales, or worse.. just sneakers. Dresses that not only DON’T flatter their form but also go down to the ankles and athleisure athleisure athleisure.

What gives?

Is there something about conservative DC culture that also means you can’t be sexy AT ALL?
The worst dressed women are in San Francisco. They are the absolute worst. But DC??

This is bad.

Lol the men look good? I thought it was a truism that men in DC tend to wear ill fitting suits and basic collared shirts.

+1. I agree some women in DC take frump to another level. But the men aren’t so good from a fashion lens either. Even the basic collared shirts can be ill fitting and often the suit pieces don’t match well.

[Anonymous]

So where should women shop to be DC fashionable?

[Anonymous]

It’s not so much where DC women shop, it’s the fit of what they wear. But personally I like Scanlan Theodore and Club Monaco. Reformation for summer chic

[Anonymous]

Haven't you heard the saying "DC is Hollywood for ugly people"? This isn't a city where fashion is a status symbol. To some extent, money (beyond a certain point) isn't really even a status symbol. It's your position and connections that matter here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Different priorities and different budgets. Not everyone spends large chunk of time and money on superficial stuff.

This is true, and caring too much about fashion and appearance is vain and shallow. People in DC have more important things to care about - like the future of the nation.

And this one, knew it was coming, too. You can't be a good thoughtful person and care about your appearance. Only people with ugly clothes and not care for their appearance have depth of character.

You can be, but it’s an outlier. The reality is if you spend most of your time studying science, you aren’t spending a bunch of time studying hair, make up in fashion.

Also, there isn’t as much positive feedback to looking good when your career is curing cancer.

That is ridiculous. Newsflash: women can be scientists (or engineers, journalists, doctors, etc.) and still enjoy fashion. You are exactly the kind of person who pushes this trope that "serious" women can't also look fashionable.
DP

I wonder if PP actually knows very many people who are scientists/ curing cancer? I am a Ph.D. scientist (no longer doing cancer research, but did for years) and I do in fact enjoy fashion, make up and fitness as do many (not all) of my friends who have similar degrees and work in the same field. We trade tips on skin care and hair products and try to look nice. When I do STEM events I always wear makeup and bright colors as my own little protest against the idea that women can’t be serious scientists AND look however they want to look!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was actually thinking the opposite.

I'm in a wealthier area, and the women here tend to be very fit with good hair and no-makeup makeup. They wear summery dresses with metallic sandals, matching workout gear, and sleek corporate wear.

In my opinion, DC has become more stylish over the past ten years.

There is nothing fashion forward about summer dresses with metallic sandals or anything else you describe. JFC this is what OP is talking about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fashion here isn’t GLAMOROUS. This isn’t Miami or New York.

DC is “preppy”

Preppy clothing is mainly part of
the body language among women who
are married or who do not need to
establish themselves with an appearance
that has instant impact.

Preppy clothing says "I am not a
threat. I am sexless and safe. I am a
woman's woman."

Glamorous clothing says "I am a threat. I like men, sex, and me. I am serious about
relationships and if you do not take care of yourself to keep your man interested, I
may get him.”

We prefer to be preppy here.

I'm an immigrant from one of the looks-focused countries, but I've lived here for 25+ years. Here's my observation, not a judgment, take it for what it's worse. I think DC professional women dress mostly to be inoffensive. They are fearful of attracting attention based on their appearance. And to my eye, this has nothing to do with excess makeup, logos or tight/revealing clothing. I find that professional women here are afraid of bolder lines and properly cut silhouettes. You can wear the same two-piece suit but a suit made of good fabrics cut to fit your figure (not encase it like a sausage but, like, really FIT - the right skim, the right length, the right shoulder and waistline, etc.) will look completely different from a suit whose main purpose is merely to cover parts of your body with fabric. That's the best I can describe it.

NP here and French. ITA with the PP and I think because tailoring is still very expensive and uncommon for a lot of Americans. I also agree that the professional AA women dress fabulously in DC, they understand proportions, color, and fit, at all sizes. Mellody Hobson is a perfect example of how to do corporate with a lot of personal taste and I see similar styles in DC.
Also, a lot of Americans are overweight and they deal with it by hiding under a potato sack.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Different priorities and different budgets. Not everyone spends large chunk of time and money on superficial stuff.

This is true, and caring too much about fashion and appearance is vain and shallow. People in DC have more important things to care about - like the future of the nation.

And this one, knew it was coming, too. You can't be a good thoughtful person and care about your appearance. Only people with ugly clothes and not care for their appearance have depth of character.

You can be, but it’s an outlier. The reality is if you spend most of your time studying science, you aren’t spending a bunch of time studying hair, make up in fashion.

Also, there isn’t as much positive feedback to looking good when your career is curing cancer.

Hm.
Bozoma Saint John
Whitney Wolfe Herd
Melody Hobson
Sheryl Sandberg
Thasunda Brown Duckett
Shonda Rhimes
Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett
Dr. Lisa Dyson
Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson
Rosalind Brewer
Dambisa Moyo
Ginni Rometty
Dr. France Córdova

Alllll of these women are stylish. You can be smart, ambitious, successful and look good all at the same time.

Not a lot of wasps on this list lol. I'm the French one and imo, it's about vast cultural differences. I grew up with the notion of being put together as a sign of respect for yourself and others around you. This is not something that Americans are used to. For the majority, dressing up is for attracting a mate. Think of the puritans.
The younger generation is changing and the gateway drug is fragrance. While the gen xers and boomers are absolutely terrified of wearing fragrance in public, the kids are all into it, including loud ones like Angel. I think they will mature into more expressive individuals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Different priorities and different budgets. Not everyone spends large chunk of time and money on superficial stuff.

This is true, and caring too much about fashion and appearance is vain and shallow. People in DC have more important things to care about - like the future of the nation.

And this one, knew it was coming, too. You can't be a good thoughtful person and care about your appearance. Only people with ugly clothes and not care for their appearance have depth of character.

You can be, but it’s an outlier. The reality is if you spend most of your time studying science, you aren’t spending a bunch of time studying hair, make up in fashion.

Also, there isn’t as much positive feedback to looking good when your career is curing cancer.

That is ridiculous. Newsflash: women can be scientists (or engineers, journalists, doctors, etc.) and still enjoy fashion. You are exactly the kind of person who pushes this trope that "serious" women can't also look fashionable.
DP

I wonder if PP actually knows very many people who are scientists/ curing cancer? I am a Ph.D. scientist (no longer doing cancer research, but did for years) and I do in fact enjoy fashion, make up and fitness as do many (not all) of my friends who have similar degrees and work in the same field. We trade tips on skin care and hair products and try to look nice. When I do STEM events I always wear makeup and bright colors as my own little protest against the idea that women can’t be serious scientists AND look however they want to look!

Amen to that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Different priorities and different budgets. Not everyone spends large chunk of time and money on superficial stuff.

This is true, and caring too much about fashion and appearance is vain and shallow. People in DC have more important things to care about - like the future of the nation.

And this one, knew it was coming, too. You can't be a good thoughtful person and care about your appearance. Only people with ugly clothes and not care for their appearance have depth of character.

You can be, but it’s an outlier. The reality is if you spend most of your time studying science, you aren’t spending a bunch of time studying hair, make up in fashion.

Also, there isn’t as much positive feedback to looking good when your career is curing cancer.

Hm.
Bozoma Saint John
Whitney Wolfe Herd
Melody Hobson
Sheryl Sandberg
Thasunda Brown Duckett
Shonda Rhimes
Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett
Dr. Lisa Dyson
Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson
Rosalind Brewer
Dambisa Moyo
Ginni Rometty
Dr. France Córdova

Alllll of these women are stylish. You can be smart, ambitious, successful and look good all at the same time.

Not a lot of wasps on this list lol. I'm the French one and imo, it's about vast cultural differences. I grew up with the notion of being put together as a sign of respect for yourself and others around you. This is not something that Americans are used to. For the majority, dressing up is for attracting a mate. Think of the puritans.
The younger generation is changing and the gateway drug is fragrance. While the gen xers and boomers are absolutely terrified of wearing fragrance in public, the kids are all into it, including loud ones like Angel. I think they will mature into more expressive individuals.

Bizarre post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fashion here isn’t GLAMOROUS. This isn’t Miami or New York.

DC is “preppy”

Preppy clothing is mainly part of
the body language among women who
are married or who do not need to
establish themselves with an appearance
that has instant impact.

Preppy clothing says "I am not a
threat. I am sexless and safe. I am a
woman's woman."

Glamorous clothing says "I am a threat. I like men, sex, and me. I am serious about
relationships and if you do not take care of yourself to keep your man interested, I
may get him.”

We prefer to be preppy here.

I'm an immigrant from one of the looks-focused countries, but I've lived here for 25+ years. Here's my observation, not a judgment, take it for what it's worse. I think DC professional women dress mostly to be inoffensive. They are fearful of attracting attention based on their appearance. And to my eye, this has nothing to do with excess makeup, logos or tight/revealing clothing. I find that professional women here are afraid of bolder lines and properly cut silhouettes. You can wear the same two-piece suit but a suit made of good fabrics cut to fit your figure (not encase it like a sausage but, like, really FIT - the right skim, the right length, the right shoulder and waistline, etc.) will look completely different from a suit whose main purpose is merely to cover parts of your body with fabric. That's the best I can describe it.

NP here and French. ITA with the PP and I think because tailoring is still very expensive and uncommon for a lot of Americans. I also agree that the professional AA women dress fabulously in DC, they understand proportions, color, and fit, at all sizes. Mellody Hobson is a perfect example of how to do corporate with a lot of personal taste and I see similar styles in DC.
Also, a lot of Americans are overweight and they deal with it by hiding under a potato sack.

I'm wondering if perhaps you should return to France.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Different priorities and different budgets. Not everyone spends large chunk of time and money on superficial stuff.

This is true, and caring too much about fashion and appearance is vain and shallow. People in DC have more important things to care about - like the future of the nation.

And this one, knew it was coming, too. You can't be a good thoughtful person and care about your appearance. Only people with ugly clothes and not care for their appearance have depth of character.

You can be, but it’s an outlier. The reality is if you spend most of your time studying science, you aren’t spending a bunch of time studying hair, make up in fashion.

Also, there isn’t as much positive feedback to looking good when your career is curing cancer.

That is ridiculous. Newsflash: women can be scientists (or engineers, journalists, doctors, etc.) and still enjoy fashion. You are exactly the kind of person who pushes this trope that "serious" women can't also look fashionable.
DP

I wonder if PP actually knows very many people who are scientists/ curing cancer? I am a Ph.D. scientist (no longer doing cancer research, but did for years) and I do in fact enjoy fashion, make up and fitness as do many (not all) of my friends who have similar degrees and work in the same field. We trade tips on skin care and hair products and try to look nice. When I do STEM events I always wear makeup and bright colors as my own little protest against the idea that women can’t be serious scientists AND look however they want to look!

DP. I have known many bench scientists. They did not dress up for the lab.

[Anonymous]

I was waiting for DH at the lobby of his law firm and I noticed all the women had such short skirts and dresses. The ages ranged from I'm guessing 25-55, some I recognized as attorneys. Are we not doing midi skirts this summer?

[Anonymous]

I have been wearing Talbots since my 20s and always received many compliments from my colleagues for my style. It is possible to look nice and not fashion victim, chasing every trend in an ill fated attempt to look fashionable.

[Anonymous]

Is it still that way? I worked for DOJ in NYC in the 90s and early 2000s, and my friends and I had a running joke about how you could pick out the DC-based women when they were in town by their colorful and dresses and suit ensembles.