We caught DC This Week blogger Jade Floyd just in time to shoot her Silver Spring-based closet; She would soon be packing up all her things for her move back to the district. The Best Dressed List:DC finalist was very inviting and happy to share her thoughts on FASHION.

all photos: Shauna Alexander

BYT: What is your favorite item in your closet?

Jade Floyd: My favorite piece would definitely be the jacket from my mom from Bloomingdale’s that she had when she was younger, when she was my age. I feel like that is her signature style that I’ve, kind of, blended into mine. It’s really just, kind of, glamorous. You feel like you could just walk down the red carpet, but you could also just throw on black tights and make it really simple with some ballet flats. It’s definitely my favorite thing…

BYT: Yet you’ve never worn it. What’s keeping you?

JF: Um, I’m really, first off, afraid that I’m going to mess it up.  And then just having the right event. Like, it’s sequins. How many women do you see in D.C. rocking sequins when they go out?

BYT: You should start that trend…

JF: Yeah! So, I think it’s just waiting for the right event to wear it to.

BYT: What trend do you hope-

JF: -continues on forever?

BYT: Yes.

JF: Jackets with jeans. I feel like you can take any ordinary jacket or the most glamorous jacket and throw it with a pair of dark jeans and boots and…I mean, I can wear that to work; I can wear it to an event. You can really, like, get away with wearing that anywhere as long as you’re wearing the right jacket and combination. And jackets are one thing that I spend the most money on. I’m always going to have them. They’re pretty much never going to go out of style…I think a jacket is the staple of your wardrobe.

BYT: What trend do you wish would die?

JF: That’s so hard…I think more when it comes to handbags…I understand that, like, a handbag is very important, but I also think that you shouldn’t blow $1,000 or $5,000 on a handbag. Like, you can get a good handbag for $100, $300. And to see women pull out this super trendy, patent leather, lots of metals all over it and half the size of them…Just to know that they spent over $1,000 on a bag that they can barely afford…that drives me nuts. Be reasonable…

BYT: What is the best thing a guy can wear?

JF: A guy? Um….

BYT: What would you love to see on your boyfriend?

JF: I love men in a button down cardigan with, like, a white shirt underneath and jeans with some really cool shoes or sneakers. I think that is super sexy on a guy. And fitted jackets….a fitted suit and a fitted shirt. Don’t just got to a store and buy a shirt in a large or extra large, medium, small. You need to know your measurements from your neck, your arms and go and find that shirt fits you perfectly….

BYT: What about the worse thing?

JF: Khaki pants! I think they’re disgusting and they’re big and they’re baggy…I can’t stand those. What else do I hate….wifebeaters! A wifebeater on a guy is pretty trashy. I don’t mind wearing wifebeaters. I’ll wear them with sweatpants around the house and be fine. But I don’t want to see my guy wearing a wifebeater.

BYT: What’s the most fashionable city?

JF: I think probably the most fashionable I’ve ever seen for a woman is in Italy. Like, Venice or Rome….I saw women there that put together, like, a jacket and jeans and ballet flats, and I was like, that’s amazing. I came back and had a lot of inspiration. Women then can put a scarf and tie it around their necks with sunglasses and you’re just like, “damn, she looks amazing.” I think in Italy, pretty much anywhere, is the staple of what I think of fashion. And for men, such I like my guys to be a bit more trendy and hipster, like Philadelphia is really cool for guys. I feel like there are a lot of stores that cater to men in Philadelphia….so I’m going to go with those cities.

BYT: You have a date, dinner and a movie. What do you wear?

JF: Jeans and the shirt I’m wearing with heels….and I would love that. But if it was a date date, where I was actually trying to look really hot, I’d wear what I have on and heels.

BYT: Where did you get that skirt?

JF: My friend’s closet in Texas. She gave it to me last year. I got this necklace in Italy…in Naples. Naples. You think of it and you’re like, “it’s kind of raw, the city is kind of dirty, but I love Naples. I think they have amazing jewelry there…

BYT: Do you have a favorite place to shop in the city?

JF: No.

BYT: Where do you do your shopping?

JF: For jackets, Everard’s [Clothing]…definitely.

BYT: Where is that?

JF: There is one in Georgetown and one at 20th and M. My girlfriend works there, and she’s always giving me advice on what I should wear. You know what? I don’t like going into malls and big stores. It drives me bananas. I’ll go into a huge vintage store. I think that’s, like, a treasure. But I don’t want to go to like…Well, don’t get me wrong, I have Gap and American Eagle…I love jeans and jackets from there, but I just can’t do the mall. So, I like tiny boutiques. I love Sherman Pickey in Georgetown. They have more of the Tory Burch, which is the more preppy stuff I like to wear.

BYT: Some people have a favorite fashion era. What’s yours?

JF: When I was 10…I wore big pants that were a really crazy wash. I picture myself when I was younger and think I was so unattractive…really curly hair…didn’t know anything about style. I just wore whatever.

BYT: But kids wear the best things.

JF: I was into the Z. Cavaricci…kind of crazy. You know, the shirt that when you hold it up is really tiny, but when you put it on it stretches. I really loved those.

BYT: Those things! I think every 90s girl had a tube top version at some point…

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