The Girly Girl's Guide to DC
Issue 9: Hat Girl Summer
Welcome back! If you missed last week’s issue, find it here.
I want this newsletter to be about you, the ladies of DC, so send me your healthy lunch recipes, bad date rants, and favorite day trips by replying to this email.
What They Don’t Tell You
If 2019 was Hot Girl Summer, and 2020 was — well, let’s not talk about it — then I declare 2021 to be Hat Girl Summer.
Hats can be adventurous, glamorous, and even hide a bad hair day.
Since we were told to stay inside and wear sweatpants as a matter of public safety for most of last year, women everywhere are excited to try out new looks this summer. Wearing any kind of hat other than a baseball cap used to make you eccentric — but 2021 is all about wearing WHAT. YOU. WANT.
Hats are a great way to experiment with your style, and they can be practical too. Everyone knows that the pandemic prompted a new focus on skincare for many of us, and why would you cancel out all that SPF and wrinkle cream with a sunburn as soon as summer 2021 rolls around? A floppy straw hat will protect your face, look super cute with a sundress, and let everyone know you’re the main character.
Apparently, I’m not the only one feeling Hat Girl Summer. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, The Bachelorette’s Tayshia Adams, and “High School Musical” star Vanessa Hudgens have made hat fashion statements lately. And who can forget that last weekend was the Kentucky Derby, which is essentially a holiday about hats?
I want to be very clear: I am not a hat expert. I’m just a girl, who sunburns easily, standing in front of a lot of hat options. So I talked to some friends about where they get their hats.
Mary Margaret Olohan (read my interview with her here) recommends trying on hats, rather than ordering online, for ladies like her who have thick tresses that may not fit under every hat. Her favorite hat is an “impulse vacation buy” from a specialty hat store in Phoenix, but she doesn’t regret it.
Abby Osborne isn’t afraid to wear a hat with a pattern and make a statement! She multiplied the hat effect by three for this adorable family portrait with husband Daniel and son Charlie. Her secret? All three hats came from Target.
Mary Rose Corkery’s go-to hat is from Lulu’s, and even though it’s not available anymore, she recommends checking out their online store for hats. They have a wide variety of boater hats, straw hats, fedoras, and more. If anyone is brave enough to go for this oversized sun hat, please let me know.
I guess you could say I’m a little salty that I was born long after hats went out of style. If you want to do a little research, I recommend this video about how World War II rationing was the death knell of hats as a fashion staple.
Does any of this make you want to find your perfect hat? Let me know by sending me an email at girlygirlsguidetodc@gmail.com.
Interview with Jasmine Marani
Every week, I plan to introduce you to a woman who knows the ins and outs of DC.
I’m excited to introduce you to reader Jasmine Marani, who is a finalist for Miss Washington DC USA! She loves her Foggy Bottom neighborhood a stone’s throw from The Kennedy Center (where you can find the perfect benches to do Bulgarian split squats, she says).
What does your life look like during quarantine?
The bigger part of my work these days is my 5 to 9 — I was selected as a finalist for Miss Washington DC USA! I must curate pageant-centered branding on Instagram as well as prepare everything from interview to swimsuit. The competition is in July, and I couldn’t be more excited!
What’s your favorite restaurant in DC?
I absolutely adore Floriana, a darling little Italian place out of an old Georgetown row house. The ambiance and food are just perfect. There’s no better place for a romantic summer evening, a breezy dress, and a bottle of rosé!
What’s your favorite underrated DC landmark?
My now-fiancé introduced me to the beautiful Hillwood Estate and Gardens just outside DC proper in July of last year with an old-fashioned picnic on a Sunday afternoon. The estate was built by the Post family, heirs to the cereal fortune of the same name and former ambassadorial family to Russia. The grounds are beautiful photo backdrops and the estate holds unique Russian jewels and artifacts from the 1910s and 1920s. Bring some friends, bring a picnic, and a parasol — perhaps you’ll fall in love just like I did!
What’s your quarantine beauty routine like?
How many words do I get? In all seriousness, I’ve ramped it up to 11 now that I am in preparation for the competition. This includes at least three workouts with my trainer per week plus at least two of my own on the side, apple cider vinegar in the mornings and evenings, avoiding sugar, and finessing skincare. I would highly recommend Shiseido White Lucent sheet masks for hyperpigmentation and dark spots. Really, the best thing you can do for your skin is to eliminate unhealthy food groups from your diet, drink as much water as possible, and become a sunscreen evangelist. I’ve gotten into doing my own lash lifts — they do take time and are quite finicky but worth it — and I try to alternate days I whiten my teeth or use a face mask. Quarantine has let me step back from day-to-day makeup to address longer-term progress, like growing my eyebrows fuller using castor oil or regular doctor visits for help with my skin. Long story short, I like wellness and the progress-based approach! Your outside appearance ultimately will reflect how well you care for your internal wellness.
How would you describe your style?
Anyone who knows me knows that I adore Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe, and all of Old Hollywood. I dressed very Marilyn thanks to Rent the Runway the night my fiancé proposed to me at the White House Christmas party and I'd highly recommend it for any DC event! In fact, my engagement photos with my fiancé were all shot in Hollywood to emulate that style!
I think regardless of occupation, every woman needs a daily "uniform" that she can assemble half-asleep and on the run to the metro. My daily “uniform” is and always has been a dress. Some of my favorite brands are Stop Staring! (made in the USA by a Christian designer) and Eliza J (available at Nordstrom). I find that the more I avoid trends and focus on quality and timeless pieces, the better. I love pairing classic dresses with some ballet flats from Margaux or classic almond-toe pumps in a neutral. I think pearls always bring a look together, and I will always choose a structured handbag over a bulky work tote even if it means carrying my laptop in its case separately!
For pageant life these days, sticking to solid colors so my preliminary “Miss Independence USA 2021” sash pops has proven useful. Knowing your color season and most flattering fits are so important!
How did you and your fiancé meet?
I met my fiancé on the South Lawn of the White House at the 4th of July party last year — through his parents! I introduced myself to his parents because it was so refreshing to see a well-dressed couple where many in attendance had forgotten institutional respect when invited to the White House. Of course, I didn't know they were his parents! His father had it figured out right away. He introduced my fiancé to me as someone with a possible job opportunity in the Trump administration. I have a Master's in Public Policy. My fiancé headed up Veteran policy for the Domestic Policy Council as a Marine.
Little did I know what was to follow was certainly not a job interview! Less than five months later at the White House Christmas party, my fiancé led me into the foyer where the Marine Corps band was playing "Here Comes the Bride." Before he could ask me anything, I fell to my knees in my sequin gown and (faux!) fur stole and accepted his proposal. It still feels like a Washington DC fairytale!
Reader’s Corner
I was able to inspire some DC girls (and guys!) to check out estate sales thanks to last week’s issue. Reader Ellen Dunlavey found THE most perfect hydrangea vase for $7 at an estate sale in Clarendon last week! Make sure to follow her Instagram account about living well in DC, @welcometoellens, and watch for an interview with her in the coming weeks!
Got feedback, or just need to vent about a bad date? Email me at girlygirlsguidetodc@gmail.com!
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