Cautious optimism

Just like Kim Jong Il's seemingly sincere move toward nuclear disarmament, I approach the two style successes I witnessed on my way to work this morning with cautious optimism.

Success #1:

At the roundabout stoplight at M St. and Logan Circle , I saw a statuesque woman with a low ponytail in skinny black trousers not unlike the Reyes pair I linked you to this morning, black round-toed pumps with gray suede trim, a black kimono-style wool trench, Burberry print scarf, and this pair of Juicy Couture oversized sunglasses ($185 at neimanmarcus.com).

Even though she was teetering like a heel amateur in her stilettos, she looked extremely glamorous - suspiciously so - for 8:15am in DC. Once I realized her destination was the Berlitz International language center across the street, however, I had an a-ha moment. She wasn't a DC woman at all, just a Euro import here to learn English to earn a degree. Or snag a man. Or if she's smart, both.

Success #2:

At the stoplight on the corner of the corner of M St. and 17th, I stood next to a woman who was working what she had - which, objectively, wasn't all that great - better than most women blessed with Adriana-Lima-skintone and a threshold for 6-day-a-week gym workouts. About a size 12 and 5'6" in 3.5-inch heels, this woman shouted without speaking her high level of self-confidence by wearing a very cherry-red but very tasteful wool funnel-necked showpiece coat. Beneath, I could only make out a pair of black super-opaque tights and these Steven Pryme pumps ($99.95 at zappos.com) - a pair I've been pining for all season.

Her only downfall was a startlingly bad imitation of a this black quilted chain-and-leather-entwined strap Chanel purse (for rent at $235/month at bagborroworsteal.com).

A wise person once said to me that even if you don't have a discerning eye for the imitation-versus-genuine, you can tell from the kind of person carrying said bag (what they're wearing, how they carry themselves, etc.) whether you are indeed looking at the real thing. That concept didn't apply in this case, however, because the woman was very well-dressed and carried herself very much like a lady; what gave the bag away, in addition to its plastic-like sheen (snow wouldn't bead and drip off that quickly on Chanel-soft leather), was the lining -- when I don't catch sight of the interlocking backwards "C" logo, I know I'm in the company of an impostor.

If all it takes to get the Dear Leader to consider closing the Yongbyon nuclear complex and readmit nuclear inspectors is 50,000 tons of fuel, maybe all DC women need to start caring about their slovenly, square-toed, beige appearances is the fashion equivalent of a diplomatic carrot.

I'll let you know when my team of negotiators and I red-team an appropriate plan over cocktails and Cate Blanchett fawning (practice picture at left) on Oscar Night.