Jaryam

The boutique at 1531 Wisconsin Avenue NW has been Georgetown’s specialist address for European lingerie and intimate apparel for more than two decades, which makes Jaryam one of the neighborhood’s longer-established boutiques and one of the few specialist lingerie boutiques remaining in the Washington market. Maryam Amirmajdi founded and operates the shop, which carries a specifically European selection in a retail format where knowledgeable staff assistance is part of the service rather than an optional add-on.

The European lingerie tradition that Jaryam represents is different from the mass-market intimate apparel at department stores in both the construction philosophy and the fit approach. French, Italian, and other European lingerie brands that produce bras, corsets, bodysuits, and briefs with the emphasis on support structure that the garment achieves rather than the visual impact it presents from the outside. This is the difference between a bra that fits correctly and one that looks good but does not do the functional work properly. For women who have spent years buying intimate apparel in department stores and who have not had a proper bra fitting, the Jaryam experience of being fitted by staff trained in the European sizing system and the construction principles of the brands they carry produces a materially different result.

Corsetry is a specific Jaryam category that goes beyond the bra and underwear range that most boutiques carry. A properly constructed corset serves different purposes depending on the customer: the bridal market, where corsets are used under wedding gowns for structure and shaping; the special occasion market; and the customers who simply prefer the support and silhouette that a properly fitted corset provides as daily wear. The fitting requirement for corsetry is more specific than for bras, and the staff’s knowledge of the brands and constructions in the Jaryam selection makes the appointment worthwhile.

Swimwear completes a range that extends Jaryam’s European aesthetic beyond intimate apparel into the beach and resort category. The swimwear selection follows the same sourcing logic as the lingerie: European brands that emphasize fit, construction quality, and the fabric behavior in water and sun that more expensive swimwear produces. The selection is curated rather than comprehensive, which means the customer finds a smaller but more specifically assembled selection than the department store swimwear floor provides.

The shop is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11am to 6pm. The phone is (202) 333-6886. The website at jaryam.com provides an overview of the service range. For a first appointment, calling ahead allows the staff to understand the customer’s specific needs before the visit, which makes the appointment more efficient. The swimwear selection extends the European sourcing philosophy into the beach and resort category, carrying brands that produce swimwear with the fabric quality and structural fit that more expensive swimwear provides in sun and water over multiple seasons. For Georgetown customers planning resort travel who want swimwear that holds its shape and fit through a week of daily use, the Jaryam selection is the appropriate alternative to the mass-market swimwear at department store swimwear floors. The shop is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11am to 6pm. The phone is (202) 333-6886.