What I Wore to L’Avant-Garde DC

I promise I go places other than restaurants, but when dining out, it's a chance to dress up and have someone take my photo! So when my husband and I had a date night at the recently reopened L'Avant-Garde DC restaurant in Georgetown, I used the opportunity to wear one of the pieces I ordered after writing my piece about the most stylish items at Target right now!

Visiting L'Avant-Garde in Georgetown

L'Avant-Garde is not a new French restaurant in DC; it originally opened in 2022. However, the owner parted ways with the chef over the holidays. On Valentine's Day 2024, L'Avant-Garde reopened with new partner chef Sébastien Giannini. Growing up on the French Riviera, the new L'Avant-Garde menu showcases Giannini's upbringing and his two decades leading kitchens at some of the most prestigious restaurants in France, Canada, and the States.

Residing in the DC area for the past decade, Chef Sébastien Giannini was previously executive chef at the St. Regis, the Watergate, and the Four Seasons. I've had the pleasure of meeting Chef Sébastien Giannini a couple of times (his wife is my friend and the voice behind the fabulous French recipe blog, Le Chef's Wife). I was honored to be invited to check out the updated L'Avant-Garde DC and make it a date night with my husband.

L'Avant-Garde is on M Street in Georgetown, right in the middle of great shopping and walking distance from the Four Seasons, The Graham, Rosewood, the Ritz-Carlton, as well as the Washington Harbor overlooking the Potomac River. Dining at L'Avant-Garde would be a lovely date night or a destination for a romantic DC weekend getaway in Georgetown. The space is cozy and romantic, with a large fireplace, dark walls, wood, rich textures, and a gorgeous large bar for a cocktail and conversation.

What I Wore to L'Avant-Garde DC

It was an unusually warm evening in late February, the kind where you only need a light jacket or pashmina after sunset. I took advantage of the weather to wear this top and this matching skirt from Target. I shared these pieces in my spring Target fashion picks and ordered them soon after writing to see if they were as good as I thought. They are.

I sized up to XL in the top to accommodate my bust and also in hopes it would be a bit longer. The skirt I went with L, as I find Target to be generously sized. Both were perfect sizing choices. I didn't find the elastic on the sleeves to dig into my arms, nor did the top rise up with wear.

The fabric is off-white with a black pattern but also subtle splashes of tan and lime. I think it makes the set look even more luxe. The fabric is heavy enough to have good body, but not be stiff or get crumpled when sitting. I wore a pair of beige Thigh Society slip shorts and a beige t-shirt bra underneath but I found the fabric surprisingly opaque for the color, composition, and weight.

I mentioned in my list of silver chrome shoes that I bought these flats from Anthropologie. I liked the idea of them with this set. I felt these quirky shoes were a nice contrast to the feminine outfit and I'd be comfortable if we ended up having to walk a distance from our parking spot. (We lucked out and found a space right across M Street on 29th and the meters stopped at 6:30 pm.)

I bought this silver clutch from Topshop over a decade ago and loved how it paired with the flats and again wasn't too feminine and gave a nice contrast. I may cull my closet regularly, but I keep accessories, bags, and shoes because I find they are more timeless and if they are a trend (this bag was from around 2012 there were many bags inspired by Jil Sander's literal paper bag), the trend either comes back or doesn't feel as specific after a few years.

I have owned the lavender pashmina for a very long time; I shared it as a Friday Favorite back in 2016. While I rocked the heck out of pashmina shawls in the 2000's they began to look dated beyond as a winter scarf. But for this look, I felt the heavyweight lambswool shawl was right, like I was walking through a garden at twilight.

There is no actual lavender in the outfit, but it felt like the right accent color for the outfit. I love this orchid/lilac color and am excited to see so much of it in stores this spring. The actual pashmina I own is no longer available, but this alpaca shawl looks similar in color and weight.

My earrings are the sterling silver custom hoops I designed with Denisa Piatti. I felt the seaweed vibe of Piatti's style of jewelry was mirrored in the print of the dress, without being too on the nose. Being thin yet large, they are a statement only from certain angles and the silver picked up the metal of the shoes and bag.

What I Ate at L'Avant-Garde DC

I don't drink often but I do enjoy a creative cocktail for a special dinner. I decided to try the Poitrine Verte, which was mango infused mezcal, Averna, Suze, mango, lime, and Demerara with crushed ice served in the coolest weeble-wobble glass and metal straw. My husband doesn't drink and got the mocktail Bees that don’t Buzz which was lemon, honey, vanilla, thyme, juniper, coriander, and cardamom in the same cocktail glass with the same kind of straw. Both were delicious.

We then had the tuna tartare, prepared raw and marinated in preserved orange with Medjool date purée, roasted almonds, and kumquat jelly. The server brought it tableside, mixing the different ingredients together in front of us. It was fresh, delicious, and tasted like spring.

For our entrees, I had the Chilean sea bass, my husband had the filet mignon. Both were utterly divine. I highly recommend the Chilean sea bass, an interesting mix of flavors and textures with perfect turned potatoes. We were too full for dessert but ended the evening each with an Americano.

I felt comfortable in my outfit, but do know that there is no need to be so glam. A nice pair of trousers and a sweater, or a look one would wear to a house of worship or the office would also be appropriate at L'Avant-Garde DC. But for such a lovely experience, it's a lovely time to have some fun with fashion!