Closet de Jules

I attended a friend’s wedding in San Francisco a few weeks ago. Typically, the thick pacific fog always creeps in when I stop by SF. Surprisingly, during a somewhat chilly September afternoon, I saw the clearest and bluest skies I have ever seen in the city!

Despite the fact that color blocks and solid pastels are trending today, I have always been a big fan of patterns. I wrote about this dress two years ago with a woodsy backdrop. This time, I felt it was appropriate to bring it out again since coral does better with a seaside view.

Both the dress and the scarf are from Lilly Pulitzer, a name you rarely see on on the West Coast. It may come as a shock to some but YES - I recently moved from DC to the Pacific Northwest, where the scale favors the hipster rather than the preppy. This outfit is a perfect representation of me styling in between the two - preppy East Coast floral prints plus hipster Northwestern retro ankle boots. I don’t think I will abandon my East Coast roots, but I’d like to refine my traditional preppy style with some new PNW elements.

Ever since I moved to the Washington DC Metro area (we call it DMV which stands for DC, Maryland and Virginia), I visited the Washington Monument many many times. But every time I go, I never had the chance to go to the top as it requires reserved tickets in advance. The monument was also closed for almost three years since the 2011 earthquake in DC. This year it reopened in May and I finally had a chance to ride to the top and enjoy the only sweeping view of our nation's capital.

When it was officially opened in 1888, the Washington Monument was the tallest building in the world until the Eiffel Tower in Paris was completed. However, the monument remains as the tallest stone structure in the world. And if you have visited DC before, you would notice that this is the tallest building in DC as well. The Height of Buildings Act of 1910 has restricted the height of the buildings in DC ever since, but was not retroactively applied to the Washington Monument. Standing atop the tallest building in DC makes this view a unique and beautiful experience that no one should miss.

The Concert for Valor Veterans Day concert was also held in the National Mall yesterday, featuring Rhianna, Eminem, Jennifer Hudson, Bruce Springsteen, Carrie Underwood and many more. As you can see in the picture below, there was quite a crowd already 7 hours before the concert started.

If you ever visit DC again or are fortunate enough to live in this beautiful city, I strongly encourage you to obtain an advanced ticket to visit the Washington Monument. It is one of the most breathtaking views you will ever see.



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Sweater: Fair Isle Ski Sweater - J.Crew (old but also reviewed here)
Jeans: Skinny 7 For All Mankind (similar)
Boots: Tory Burch (similar and similar - BOTH ON SALE!)