Ulla Johnson is known for: feminine dresses topped with the perfect amount of puff, ruffle and details that make them feminine but not overly fussy. As the brand has grown she has evolved into other offerings and pieces that might not be what you typically think of when someone says “Ulla.” These changes of pace are the pieces that most excite me about this fall.

Boots in summer? Why not? White after labor day? Yes - all year round!  I’ve never been one to play by fashion rules. Why should seasons be any different?  Instead of storing away your favorite items, consider extending their wearability. 

To me when you think of the brand you think of beautiful dresses that are feminine but not too frilly. They have ruffles and puff sleeves but don’t seem too precious or bohemian. Oftentimes dresses can seem too young. I am not trying to say I am not fun, but I do need some tailoring and thick fabric. I think this is why Ulla works well for me and so many other people.

We usually don’t do events in August since most folks are out of town, but we decided to give it a try with Ulla Johnson. Starting Thursday, August 22 we are kicking off the Ulla Johnson event with some summertime cocktails from 4pm to 7pm. We are going to be serving everyone’s favorite summertime cocktail, an Aperol Spritz. It seemed like a fitting drink for the end of summer and for Ulla.

This year we have more graduating seniors than ever before. We also have a group that has worked with us longer than any prior cohort. Sydney, Megan, Tess, Avery and Phoebe all started with us back when they were sophomores. This group really is the dream team.

Holly steps out of Maria’s car and is rocking a kick-ass ensemble. Minutes later, she is literally stopping traffic. Renée has posed her across the double yellow lines on Royal Street, a few hundred feet from King Street. None of the cars I’m halting seem to mind; they’re taking in the scene of four women scrambling around the pavement in 90 degree heat.

Since this is the last weekend on South Fairfax, and it’s the big summer sale in Alexandria, you can imagine that we have some major markdowns at both stores. We are also starting the markdowns before the actual sidewalk sale – starting Thursday, August 8, both stores will be marked at their lowest prices of the season.

It’s hard to believe it has been 15 years since I started the Sidewalk Sale. Like most things, it started very, very small. I can remember calling Angela, who owned Bellacara at the time, and telling her about the idea. She was like, “All my makeup will melt outside – you are crazy!” I convinced her to do it anyway. We got our usual collaborators to take part and it grew, becoming bigger and bigger every year. Now Visit Alexandria has taken over the sale so we can include all of Alexandria!

Emily always circles back to wanting to make people feel safe. Safe talking about taboo topics, safe finding products they need, and safe in sharing uncomfortable symptoms they may be too embarrassed to share with their partner or friends. That’s what’s so amazing about her – a woman passionate about making taboo topics not taboo. 

August is always a time of such transition when it comes to summer and style. Don’t get us wrong, we love fall, but can we slow it down a bit? We still have one more month left—of beaches, pools, and travel. Of light layers, breezy fabrics, swimsuits and cover ups and, if you’re like us, an assortment of sunglasses to choose from.

Let’s face it: nobody likes paying taxes. When I was growing up people would head to the beach in Delaware in the summer and hit up the outlets for back-to-school shopping. There were great deals and they didn’t have to pay sales tax. Well, I feel Alexandria is the Delaware shore this weekend.

The first two weekends in August are a great time to shop in Alexandria. They are two of my favorite events of the year! We kick off August with Tax Free Weekend, then the following weekend the entire city is basically on sale for Sidewalk Sale weekend.

“We’re surrounded by history, American history – not political history. In England, the local pub is part of your community, you walk in and you know people. I want that here. I love the walkability of Old Town, the character in the architecture. Sometimes I close my eyes and can almost hear the hooves clanking from horse-drawn carriages.”

The Courtyard Clearance continues and the deals keep getting better and better. This week all three stores will have new markdowns to $125 and $150. The tables will be out and the racks at The Hive will be full of huge savings on some of our biggest brands.

It's the end of an era. In a few weeks we’ll be packing up The Shoe Hive and moving it into our clothing space at 315 Cameron Street. We’ve been at 127 South Fairfax since 2009 and it’s been a wonderful home for our little fashion community. I hope you’ll come to the courtyard one more time!

Natalie says, “You can keep an eye on your clients and work out. There’s an energy transfer when we’re doing it together…we know when we’ve fatigued…that’s harder to tell when you’re not actually doing it. I also give my team the freedom to bring their own flair to their class, it’s not plug and play.”

Well it’s week two of our Courtyard Clearance Sale at The Shoe Hive. Things are moving quickly, that’s for sure! This week we have only two price points: $75 and $100. There’s something about the arrival of fall merchandise that makes us grab the red pens and reduce prices on summer merchandise.

I find that shoes are an area where it can feel safe to play around with color a bit. I cannot explain this but whenever I see a very classic outfit in neutral colors with a bright shoe it always looks great. Always.

“Coming from Old Town Alexandria, I wanted to open my first restaurant here. Restaurant Eve was born, named for my daughter. I didn’t want it to fail so I named it after her. We were very fortunate, we received four out of four stars from The Washington Post…served two sitting presidents. After Eve, I opened 14 restaurants…”

This year is going to be a big one because, well, it’s our last one. After the Sidewalk Sale in August, we’ll be merging the Shoe Hive (on Fairfax Street) into the Hive’s location at 315 Cameron Street - and won’t have the awesome courtyard. This sale is a little bittersweet for me, and the deals are going to be major!