Since this is the last weekend on South Fairfax, and it’s the big summer sale in Alexandria, you can imagine that we have some major markdowns at both stores. We are also starting the markdowns before the actual sidewalk sale – starting Thursday, August 8, both stores will be marked at their lowest prices of the season.

It’s hard to believe it has been 15 years since I started the Sidewalk Sale. Like most things, it started very, very small. I can remember calling Angela, who owned Bellacara at the time, and telling her about the idea. She was like, “All my makeup will melt outside – you are crazy!” I convinced her to do it anyway. We got our usual collaborators to take part and it grew, becoming bigger and bigger every year. Now Visit Alexandria has taken over the sale so we can include all of Alexandria!

Emily always circles back to wanting to make people feel safe. Safe talking about taboo topics, safe finding products they need, and safe in sharing uncomfortable symptoms they may be too embarrassed to share with their partner or friends. That’s what’s so amazing about her – a woman passionate about making taboo topics not taboo. 

August is always a time of such transition when it comes to summer and style. Don’t get us wrong, we love fall, but can we slow it down a bit? We still have one more month left—of beaches, pools, and travel. Of light layers, breezy fabrics, swimsuits and cover ups and, if you’re like us, an assortment of sunglasses to choose from.

Let’s face it: nobody likes paying taxes. When I was growing up people would head to the beach in Delaware in the summer and hit up the outlets for back-to-school shopping. There were great deals and they didn’t have to pay sales tax. Well, I feel Alexandria is the Delaware shore this weekend.

The first two weekends in August are a great time to shop in Alexandria. They are two of my favorite events of the year! We kick off August with Tax Free Weekend, then the following weekend the entire city is basically on sale for Sidewalk Sale weekend.

“We’re surrounded by history, American history – not political history. In England, the local pub is part of your community, you walk in and you know people. I want that here. I love the walkability of Old Town, the character in the architecture. Sometimes I close my eyes and can almost hear the hooves clanking from horse-drawn carriages.”

The Courtyard Clearance continues and the deals keep getting better and better. This week all three stores will have new markdowns to $125 and $150. The tables will be out and the racks at The Hive will be full of huge savings on some of our biggest brands.

It's the end of an era. In a few weeks we’ll be packing up The Shoe Hive and moving it into our clothing space at 315 Cameron Street. We’ve been at 127 South Fairfax since 2009 and it’s been a wonderful home for our little fashion community. I hope you’ll come to the courtyard one more time!

Natalie says, “You can keep an eye on your clients and work out. There’s an energy transfer when we’re doing it together…we know when we’ve fatigued…that’s harder to tell when you’re not actually doing it. I also give my team the freedom to bring their own flair to their class, it’s not plug and play.”

Well it’s week two of our Courtyard Clearance Sale at The Shoe Hive. Things are moving quickly, that’s for sure! This week we have only two price points: $75 and $100. There’s something about the arrival of fall merchandise that makes us grab the red pens and reduce prices on summer merchandise.

I find that shoes are an area where it can feel safe to play around with color a bit. I cannot explain this but whenever I see a very classic outfit in neutral colors with a bright shoe it always looks great. Always.

“Coming from Old Town Alexandria, I wanted to open my first restaurant here. Restaurant Eve was born, named for my daughter. I didn’t want it to fail so I named it after her. We were very fortunate, we received four out of four stars from The Washington Post…served two sitting presidents. After Eve, I opened 14 restaurants…”

This year is going to be a big one because, well, it’s our last one. After the Sidewalk Sale in August, we’ll be merging the Shoe Hive (on Fairfax Street) into the Hive’s location at 315 Cameron Street - and won’t have the awesome courtyard. This sale is a little bittersweet for me, and the deals are going to be major!

Let’s celebrate July with a bang — and I’m not talking about fireworks! Mystique Jewelers is happy to share the best diamond sale on diamond engagement rings.

There’s no better place to share how to shop like a pro than in our beloved town of Alexandria, so I thought I’d kick off a little series in which I give you very specific ways to shop at each of our local boutiques. Let’s begin with The Hive…

The entire collection with its bright colors and ease makes me smile. My favorite is the Best Friend Necklace. If you are looking to add some happiness into your summer wardrobe this is the easiest way to do it.

I like the clean lines, the simple shape and fabrics that look better as they age. Parker Thatch checks all these boxes. I also like their sizes. The larger bags fit my laptop and lots of papers, and the slings and smaller bags are perfect for travel.

In 2013, Deirdre Roffani was in Spain and saw all the women riding around on their Vespas in bikinis with shirts over them and was inspired to start her own brand. She wanted to bring that casual summer vibe to the States.

“I was having dinner at Landini’s and I walked right past Courtney and her husband. And she stopped me and said, ‘Oh my God, what have you been doing?’ I shared that I was getting my masters in interior design and she said, ‘You’re going to work for me when you graduate.’ Once I moved back here, I reached out to her immediately.”