I visited our nation's capitol for the first time a few weeks ago and was delighted to be taken by a friend to a classy consignment shop in Dupont Circle, Secondi.

The D.C. metro system is easy to use, and the Dupont Circle station is only a few minutes from most major stops (on the red line). Secondi is just a few short blocks away from the station. Dupont Circle is renowned for its great shopping and dining and well worth a stop during your sightseeing and business travel.

Secondi sells everything from gently-used handbags and dresses to blue jeans and coats--all from major designers (you can see which designers they include at their website). The store is lightly decorated in a feminine, shabby-chic fashion, which adds a cozy, friendly feeling to the shopping experience.

Every item has a price tag on it that explains when the item was received and its pricing system: after one month, the price goes down 20 percent; after two, the price goes down another 20 percent. If you are willing to risk waiting for something to go down in price, you may end up saving quite a bit of money, although when buying on consignment, you are already receiving a substantial discount. Some of the price tags had the original pricing on them, and you can see just how much you are saving by shopping second-hand.

The store's staff is fun and helpful, but not pushy. My friend and I had an interesting discussion about blogging with the owner.

The clothes are always in-season (no bikinis and shorts in the winter), and all sales are final so be sure you buy what you love! My friend bought a $60 pair of Prada flats, and I purchased a taupe Anne Klein three-quarter length jacket for $41--what a steal! I'm looking forward to wearing it with floral skirts and tees in the spring and over jeans and cute tops to late movies with the hubby this summer.

Next time you're in D.C., check out Secondi!