D.C. Street Style Round-Up ⋆ BYT // Brightest Young Things

Words and photos: Britt Elyse Nelson

While the District’s never garnered the most fashionable reputation, we have to give credit where credit is due. D.C. hails a variety of people from the young to the beautiful, the intelligent and all that’s in between. These unique people bring a variety of style and fashion that ultimately fuel the culture of the District. This column simply documents the different styles of those unique individuals who walk the city streets. As the great Alexander McQueen said himself, “It’s a new era in fashion – there are no rules. It’s all about the individual and personal style, wearing high-end, low-end, classic labels, and up-and-coming designers all together.”

Mallory Hemerlein, Yoga Instructor

“I’m a soapbox preacher of knowing your shape, dressing to flatter it, and most importantly wearing whatever you feel most ethereal in. I live my life in contrasts of being quite the tomboy and leaving room for delicate and feminine fashion. I’m almost always wearing something of my grandmother’s since I’m most inspired by costumes of old starlets like Jean Harlow, Bettie Page, Marchesa Luisa Casati and of course the great Marilyn Monroe.”

Emily Chu

“I figure it can’t hurt to experiment and try new things; if not now, when? I don’t take myself too seriously. I wear what makes me comfortable. Inspiration can come from anywhere: street style and the people around me, great photography, or even a fantastic plate of food.”

Derek Liu

“I’m skinny and I tailor for myself, so I get to have fun with varying widths, lengths, sizes, and making proportions that look unusual or maybe interesting. So sometimes I look strange, and besides that I’ve been into high-wasted, pleated pants for the past few years now. Here’s hoping no one catches on.”

Eric Nguyen

“I tend to find my personal style has really stemmed from not only my friends but also my father. I’ve never really been into street brands such as Supreme or BAPE, but personally more into the timeless and classic side of style, for instance, a good pair of shoes or a well tailored blazer. I guess that’s the east coast prep sensibility that I came from being raised in the Washington, DC area as well as time spent in NYC.”

Marian McLaughlin

“Colors and patterns are essential, and the more the merrier! I’m often traveling on foot or by bike, so comfort is a must to me. Thrifting is always a thrilling pursuit, and with all tragedy in the garment industry, I want to make an effort to learn how to sew so that I can become more aware of the intention and effort from what I wear.”

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To contact Britt, email her at [email protected].