It’s finally here! The Alexandria Sidewalk Sale starts this weekend, and at The Shoe Hive, we’re kicking it off a little early. The sale officially starts citywide on Friday, but we got our red pens out and marked everything down early. Start shopping online or in-store on Thursday, August 13, and get in early for the best selection.

August is the perfect month to have a little fun with jewelry. As summer winds down, vibrant gemstones, luminous colors and effortless layering offer plenty of ways to refresh your collection — whether you're marking a milestone or simply looking for something beautiful to wear every day.

Jacquelyn Posey is the founder of Pisces Moon Permanent Jewelry, a bright studio tucked upstairs at 106 North Saint Asaph Street. While her customers leave with a beautiful piece they'll wear every day, what she has really created is a place where life's biggest moments—and even the ordinary ones—are worth celebrating.

We also kick off August with two great citywide events in Old Town. The first is Virginia’s Tax-Free Weekend. It always starts on the first Friday in August, which this year is August 9, and runs all weekend. During this weekend, stores do not have to charge sales tax on clothing, shoes, and school supplies priced under $100.

As a shopkeeper, I can say with confidence that store owners are ready for these two weekends in August: Virginia Tax-Free Weekend, August 7–9, followed by the Alexandria Sidewalk Sale the next weekend, August 14–16. These two citywide events are a sign that summer is winding down and fall is just around the corner.

When I tell people I own a store one of the first comments usually is: I would love to go to market with you. As a store owner, it is the most fun part of the job and also the most stressful. Despite the fact that I have been doing this for 24 years now, I still question myself. Also, as the store grows so do the orders. Which is what you want, but sometimes when I place an order my nerves can take over a bit.

Our items on the shelves are starting to dwindle and the Alexandria Sidewalk Sale is around the corner. Despite it being the end, we have more items than we would like to have at this point: over 600 to be exact. So in an effort to move a little more before we start the sidewalk sale in a few weeks, we are doing an extra 20 percent off sale for the weekend.

In case you have not heard yet, I have big news: this is the year we are really changing up our shoe selection. I have been trying to figure out how to bring life back to the shoe section and hoping these new additions do the trick. I tend to pick up new brands based on the theory that if I am paying retail for them at another store for my personal collection, they must be good.

Summer style has a way of making us rethink everything in our closets. Heavy layers disappear, linen takes over, and suddenly the simplest outfits become our favorites. A white button-down, a breezy sundress, denim shorts, or a classic black tank are often all you need. The secret? It's the jewelry.

We just marked all sale shoes, clothing, and accessories to 60 percent off, and there are so many items that I have in my own closet. So I thought I would share my top 10 picks. They're my top picks because I own and wear them—in fact, I've worn all of them this spring and summer.

It started with a simple question: What is that game? At the Waynewood pool, Aaricka Oliver and Jenn Morthole kept getting stopped by curious neighbors peering over their table. That curiosity turned into lessons, the lessons turned into a business, and Mount Vernon Mahjong was born.

I know everyone is sick of hearing about sets, but there isn’t a season that goes by when we don’t have a ton of different options. This summer is no different. There are sets for all occasions, and we keep getting more in every week. The set trend also isn’t going anywhere. I just got back from Resort Market, and it was, once again, all about sets. Read more about that later in Alexandria Stylebook.

Dressing in the summer can be a real pain, especially if you are not a sundress girl—which I am not. I really wish it wasn’t the case, but it is. Of course, I wear a ton of Tibi, but sometimes I just need really casual options. I think a lot of our clients do as well.

Even though we just unpacked our final shipment of Tibi Summer, we also just unpacked our first delivery of Tibi fall. This is the first of three fall deliveries and it always starts with what Tibi calls the fundamentals–pieces that you know work, help you feel like yourself, but also help you wear more creative pieces because they make the rest of your outfit feel grounded. Tibi would call these the WOFs or the Without Fails, and as a Tibi loyalist, I couldn’t agree more.

It’s hard to believe the Fourth of July holiday is past and we are headed for yet another summer sale markdown. I always feel like July 4th is really the true start of summer. We still have tons of great warm-weather items on sale, and the prices keep getting better. All sale clothing is now marked at 50 percent off, both in-store and online. Shoes and handbags are 60 percent off as well.

 If you’ve ever noticed your blonde becoming brassy, your brunette looking dull, or your vibrant color fading faster than expected, you’re not imagining it. Summer creates the perfect storm of UV rays, chlorine, saltwater, heat, humidity, hard water minerals, and frequent washing, all of which can strip away the richness and shine you left the salon with. The good news? With a few simple habits and the right products, you can keep your color looking vibrant all season long.

Jeff Erickson isn't entirely sure what a painting will become when he starts it. He spreads color across the canvas, builds up layers, then scrapes them away to expose vibrant reds and yellows that once disappeared beneath muted blues. The process isn't about control; it's about discovery.

What is that line? “Necessity is the mother of invention.” Okay, so this post isn’t about an invention; this item existed, but not in the way I had wanted it to. I had actually been thinking about this or trying to find the right version for a decade. Well, over a decade - ever since I started wearing reading glasses when I turned 40.

I mentioned in last week's earlier post that all people want to wear in the DC summer heat is a bathing suit or a dress. It really is a horrible time of the year to have to confront your closet. Sometimes you don’t want to put on an expensive dress because you know it will take on sweat, sunscreen or maybe even sand and salt if you are at the beach.

Sale time means we have to try and keep up with what other brands are doing for markdowns. Just so you know, we will always price match our competitors during our sale time. So if you see something marked down lower than what we have it priced at, let us know and we will match it.