The White House Correspondents’ Dinner (WHCD) is taking place THIS Saturday  and I anticipate, or at least hope, that it will bring out the best when it comes to fashion in DC. The WHCD is an annual fete known for convening Hollywood celebrities, Washington’s most prominent politicos and journalists, and even Silicon Valley techies from across the country. In addition to the black tie affair held at the Washington Hilton on Saturday night, there are many events to celebrate over the weekend. Even if you aren’t sitting at the head table between POTUS and Larry Wilmore like I am, you can at least dress like you are.

Disclaimer:  This weekend is, first and foremost, about groundbreaking journalism and scholarships. If you would like to learn more, you can watch Nerd Prom: Inside Washington’s Wildest Week by Patrick Gavin. That said, the next most important thing about this weekend is inarguably fashion.

Thursday

Tinder, Independent Journal Review & Rock the Vote will be hosting a “Swipe the Vote” event –  a party put on by an organization with a message so on fleek, (VOTE, duh) it requires going straight to the cool kids’ clothes: jeans with holes, leather jackets, blazers with pocket squares and sassy cocktail attire are all totes approps. However, the coolest thing you can wear to this party would be the TOMS election collection shoes, designed in partnership with Rock The Vote.  Ladies – I love the bipartisan wedges and those party affiliated brogues are everything for the men.

Friday

On Friday night the fashion starts to get serious. Your cocktail attire’s game has got to be strong and not just because almost EVERY invite specifically says so.  The line up of events on this night includes parties hosted by TIME & People; The Hill & Extra; Google, HBO & SAAM, and The New Yorker and Capitol File.  Here are some looks I suggest:

There is also the very exclusive, “No Sponsors, No Cameras, No Press, No hassles” event hosted by Funny or Die & United Talent Agency and produced by the esteemed Kimball Stroud and Associates since its inception in 2009. I have heard (and seen firsthand) that people like Bradley Cooper, Charlize Theron, and Billy Eichner have attended this event in years past – to name-drop a few.  If you were invited to this exclusive affair, you are either cool enough that you know what to wear or you desperately need my last minute help. I can be reached at 1-800-HOTLINEBLING.

Oops, that is Drake’s number.  You can reach me @politiquette.

Saturday

Saturday morning-ish is the Annual WHCA Garden Brunch, hosted by WHCInsider.com’s Tammy Haddad and others. Buzzfeed is brunching with a “House of Code” event and the New Media Party – think tech disrupters meets Hollywood meets WHCD weekend – will be engaging in some brunching along with other epicness as well.  If you aren’t going to be with your Veluxe glam squad, then you should think about brunching hard this morning.  Options for these events range from garden chic to Silicon Valley formal.  See pictures for definitions.

Get out of your mimosa haze because it’s time to walk the red carpet.  The dress code for the night is black tie.  If you are only hitting the after-parties hosted by Comcast & MSNBC, Vanity Fair, Fusion & Tumblr or The Onion’s Diamond Joe Biden’s badass balls-to-the-wall fiesta, then you can rinse and repeat my Friday night cocktail attire guidelines.

Here are a few of my favorite black tie looks from years past that you can use for inspiration – but if your name is Ilana Glazer or Abbi Jacobson, then “yas queens”, and you do what you want on Saturday night – I will be there to take fashion notes. If you are covering the event, like the Washington Post’s Emily Heil, then you should wear Supra sneakers like the pair she has on in this photo from last year’s WHCD.

Sunday

Because we brunch.

On Sunday, (that’s right there is more) the weekend will close out with a couple low-key brunch events to alleviate (and delay) those hangovers. The POLITICO brunch is one of the loveliest, classiest and most relaxing events of the weekend, set in a beautiful garden. CNN is also hosting a brunch that morning.

You may be pulling yourself out of bed, but take a cold shower and turn up. Pastels, day dresses, light colored suits are all perfect for Sunday festivities.