Amid shutdown drama, Rep. Brown invites lawmakers on a boutique shopping trip

With a government shutdown looming, Capitol Hill was a pretty serious place on Wednesday afternoon.

But for Rep. Corrine Brown (D-Fla.), what better way to ease the tension than with a congressional ladies personal shopping trip in Arlington, Va.?

According to an email from Brown’s scheduler titled, “Outing with Congresswoman Corrine Brown,” staff member Cathy Gass invited Brown’s fellow female Congressional Black Caucus members to join the lawmaker at a boutique in Crystal City, Va. on Wednesday afternoon.

According to the email, which was addressed to “CBC Schedulers,” Brown “would like to invite the woman [sic] CBC Members to go shopping with her at Daniel’s Boutique this afternoon after votes.

Please let me know if your Member is interested and I will inform the Congresswoman.”

Gass also suggests that for members who “would like to share [their] dress size, the boutique can pull some items for them to have available once they arrive.”

For those unfamiliar with the ultra high-end service, pulling clothes that a client might like before they arrive is better known as personal shopping.

According to the shop’s website, Daniel’s Boutique was founded in 1988 and “specializes in wardrobe consulting and custom tailoring.”

A visit to the boutique’s website revealed plenty of the skirt and jacket combinations popular with lawmakers.

A spokesman for Brown declined to comment on the shopping trip.

More on the shutdown showdown:
Schumer: 'glimmer of hope' | Hurt recovery? | Obama vs. Boehner
Union ready to sue for pay | Staffers' pay, BlackBerrys at risk
Cherry Blossom parade nixed?