Street Style: Meet Kelly Jeffers
The morning I first met Kelly Jeffers, the sky over Windmill Hill Park was heavy with clouds, threatening rain. For a late-summer morning, the park was surprisingly busy. Then I spotted her in a bold orange pantsuit. Few people can pull off that color, but Kelly certainly can.
She chose Windmill Hill Park (formerly Lee Street Park) for our shoot for sentimental reasons. Growing up on Lee Street, she spent countless hours running across the grass and soaring on the swings with a view of the Potomac. An Alexandria native, Kelly attended St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School from first through twelfth grade, and now her daughter is a Saint as well. “I never really left, at least not for long,” she said. “I went to James Madison, then spent a few years in San Francisco working in PR, but I made my way back. I lived in D.C. for a couple of years, then returned to Old Town. When we got married, we eventually settled in Hollin Hills. Our daughter is now nine.”
Kelly spent more than 14 years with a global PR agency before moving in-house at a healthcare tech company, focusing on corporate communications and content marketing. When I asked how she met Adrien Cotton, who nominated her for Street Style, she laughed. “Partly through swim team and our daughters. And I’ve also been a client of her concierge wellness program for almost three years. She’s basically my life coach. It’s holistic—sleep, planning, stress, physical health. It’s about building stronger habits for everyday life.”
When I asked what it was like growing up in Alexandria, Kelly reflected, “It felt like a small town. Everyone knew everyone. But one thing hasn’t changed—many people here aren’t originally from Alexandria, and that makes it easier to make friends. People are open to new connections. Ironically, a good friend of mine bought the house I grew up in. Not from us, but from later owners. It’s so fun to go back inside and see it again.”
Kelly Jeffers
Wearing: Hunter Bell by The Hive
Hair and makeup: Chris Wilson Hair
Photography: Renée C. Gage Photography
Shoot location: Windmill Hill Park (aka Lee Street Park) and Wilkes Street Tunnel
Kelly also appreciates Alexandria’s different neighborhoods. “Each one has its own vibe. In Hollin Hills, I feel proud of our community. It’s quiet, surrounded by trees and wildlife, and feels incredibly safe. I do miss being able to walk to shops and restaurants, but I love the trails where we take Saint, our Golden Retriever, on long walks. We often visit Dyke Marsh by Belle Haven Marina—it’s a favorite spot.”
Life on the water is another highlight. “We have a pontoon boat docked right in Old Town behind the Torpedo Factory. It’s great to head out after work, go tubing, take it to baseball games, or cruise to The Wharf for shows at The Anthem. We even visit the Three Sisters Islands in Georgetown.”
Weekends are often spent close to home. “During Covid, we maxed out our backyard—it’s our favorite place to hang out and host friends. I’m also a dance mom...begrudgingly,” she says with a laugh. “My daughter is at Just Dance in Belle Haven. It’s the sweetest studio, nothing over the top, and everyone is so kind.”
Kelly’s husband, Mike, is “kind of a local” from Montgomery County, Maryland. The two met at Dewey Beach over Memorial Day Weekend, later married in Bethany Beach, and eventually settled in Alexandria. “I already owned a house in Old Town, and he fell in love with Gibbon Street,” she explained.
As for her favorite season? September. “It still has those warm, Indian summer days. We’re big Halloween people and do the family costume thing in our neighborhood. And every year, we host our ‘Day of Meat Party’—lots of meat, sides, and oysters. This will be our 12th year. My husband smokes enough meat for 100 people, setting his alarm every two hours to check it. He started the tradition before we had our daughter, and I joked he was in training for fatherhood.”
Community service is also close to Kelly’s heart. She recently wrapped up her board role at the Lee-Fendall House and now devotes time to the La BECA Women’s Scholarship Foundation. “My mom co-founded it with two friends. It’s Alexandria-based and raises scholarship funds for women from Latin America. We’re celebrating our 20th year and have raised over a million dollars. I’ve been visiting Honduras annually with this group for 25 years. It’s come full circle, because now the daughters of the three founders, including me, are on the board.”
Check out Kelly’s Street (and tunnel) Style:
ABOUT KELLY
Neighborhood: Hollin Hills
What is your hometown? Old Town, Alexandria (I grew up on Lee St. before it was “the SEQ”)
What would surprise people about you? I’m a social introvert
Favorite book: Gift from the Sea, I’ve read it so many times at different stages of life and always learn something new
Guilty Pleasure: Raw oysters and a dirty martini
Latest binge-watch: The Better Sister
Bucket list travel destination: We checked off the Galápagos Islands last year when my nephew got married in Ecuador, so now I’d like to check off some US national parks. Bryce Canyon, Zion and Glacier National Parks are at the top of my list .
STYLE
Define your style in three words or less: Casual, comfortable and bright.
The go-to piece in your wardrobe: I work from home and live on Teams, so I don’t really have a formal wardrobe anymore. I have a few classic DVF wrap dresses that are go-to’s for work. And I’m a sucker for a concert tee - the last one I picked up is from the Metallica show at Virginia Tech. It was incredible!
Favorite trend: Wide leg jeans
Beauty product you can’t live without: Laneige lip mask and magnesium salt for the bath – my bedtime routine is sacred. ☺
Boots, dress shoes or sneakers? Sneakers
WELLNESS
Go-to way to de-stress: Meditation or cold plunge.
Most fun way to stay active: In the winter, we do a ton of skiing/snowboarding and in the summer, we hit the trail with our Golden Retriever, Saint. We have tons in our neighborhood, but Dyke Marsh and Huntley Meadows are local favorites.
Wellness goal: Good, consistent sleep.
Want to try: Pull-ups
Proudest wellness achievement: Last year I mastered my handstand.
HOME
Favorite room in your home: Our backyard. We live in a mid-century modern home with lots of big windows, so we can enjoy it from inside, but we maxed it out during COVID when we couldn’t go out (trampoline, zip line, tree house, hot tub, fire pit and a BBQ area for all of my husband’s smokers).
Antiques, modern, or a mix? Mix
Last item bought for your home: My husband’s Traeger.
Favorite way to entertain: Any night around our firepit with friends, but especially our annual “Day of Meat” party.
Clutter-free or well-lived in? Mix
Next planned purchase: My husband just built me a greenhouse, so probably more seeds for fall planting.
ALEXANDRIA
What do you love about Alexandria Stylebook? The community of local businesses: Adrien Cotton, The Hive, and Hooray Art are just a few of my favorites.
Favorite spot in Alexandria: Rooftop at the Old Dominion Boat Club and the Garden at the Lee-Fendall House.
Your go-to shop: The Variety Store at Hollin Hall
Best food spot: Hank’s Oyster Bar
Favorite local organization La BECA Women’s Scholarship Foundation (founded by my mom and two friends from Alexandria, now I’m on the board - we’ve provided more than $1 million in educational scholarships for women and girls in Latin America over the past 20 years).
Annual Alexandria event you most look forward to: ArtspireVA’s Alexandria Community Nutcracker - this is my daughter’s 3rd year performing. Yes, I’m a dance mom!
