When I moved to D.C. seven years ago, the District was a fashion wasteland.  It took me months before I found a decent salon.  The only stores that sold trendy, stylish clothing were in Tyson’s, Chevy Chase or Georgetown.  And the people walking down the street were as likely to be rocking multiple popped-collar polos as they were white sneakers with business attire.

It was scary.

But over the past few years, the city has really blossomed.  Some people attribute this to the First Lady.  But really, the metamorphosis began long before her arrival, and giving her most or all of the credit discounts the importance of other local trendsetters.

This week, the District claimed its rightful place in the American style pantheon when Refinery 29 launched its D.C.-centric site.  The operation, helmed by Holly Thomas, will feature fashion forward style content, shopping recommendations and much more.

Make sure to add Refinery to your bookmark list and Google Reader, because things can only get more stylish from here.  And thank the fashion gods for that.