This NYFW post is long overdue. So much so, that I contemplated even writing this or not. This was my very first fashion week and there were tons of things I loved about it and some things I know for next time. At first I started writing a play by play of each day but then realized that all you probably care about are my outfit details. So I’m going to skip the entire minutia and just show you my looks from the week, plus one really big lesson I learned.
I tried to link the exact same pieces from each day into one big slideshow at the bottom, but otherwise I found really similar items to help complete your looks!
DAY 1
Rent the Runway lent me amazing clothes during NYFW and this was my first look of the week. If you haven’t heard about or used their service, you can read all about my experience in this post.
I’m wearing a floral Saloni dress with a pink suede Loeffler Randall satchel – both from Rent the Runway! (If you want buy them, click here for the dress and here for the bag.) Then, I finished the look with old booties from Zara and tights I picked up last minute at the CVS next to my hotel.
I wore another outfit to a second show because it got colder at night, but was a bad blogger and didn’t take a photo. #fail
DAY 2
I started my day with this all-black outfit that I wore to the Shopbop open house. Sidenote: If you haven’t seen their new website you need to take a look. I’ts filled with beautifully styled looks to give you major fall inspiration. The pajama shirt is from Target’s Who What Wear collection (OBSESSED) and my jeans are from Mother denim. I knew I’d be walking a little bit around Soho so wore easy flats in the form of my trusty Gucci slides. These slides are expensive but honestly they’re one of my best designer purchases because I wear them all the time. I also found a dupe of them here!
After the open house I changed into this emerald green dress. I saw it at Zara about a month and a half before NYFW and knew I needed it. It looks like it sold out which is such a bummer, because honestly it looks like it costs $500 and it absolutely didn’t.
The highlight of my week was getting photographed in this dress then featured on Man Repeller in their NYFW round-up. If you haven’t seen the article you can read it here. Leandra, the founder of the site, was one of the first bloggers I ever followed and so this was a major moment for me. I’m on slide 402/470 so it may take you a while to get to my slide, but please go look! I low-key freaked out internally when the photographer told me which outlet he was shooting for.
DAY 3
I had an early morning presentation for Club Monaco on the 71st floor of one of the World Trade buildings. I’m terrified of heights (or rather the elevator ride) but managed to conquer my fear and go all the way up in the name of fashion. A lot of fast-fashion retailers like Club Monaco now show for the same season. Although it’s fun to see upcoming trends, it’s also nice to buy pieces shown at presentations immediately.
The lovely team at CM dressed me with these fall pieces and it was my most comfortable look of the week. These culottes are the first that actually don’t look terrible on my 5’4” frame. I’m usually too short to wear culottes, but these were perfect so I highly recommend them. I’m wearing Zara kitten heels here but I switched into sneakers later. Style Tip: these look just as cute with sneakers as they do with heels. #versatile
DAY 4
This was the first day I could sleep in so I did. Then I went to a blogger party later in evening, followed by the Philipp Plein show. I bought these gold pants maybe a year or so ago at Topshop but I just found these that are almost identical! I mean, if you can’t wear gold pants to NYFW, then when can you?
DAY 5
My last show! I saved this Sandro star jacket for the end. I love anything that’s star print. You’ll also notice that my new Club Monaco culottes made another appearance. Truth be told, I kind of ate my way through the city and these were a lot more comfortable than my jeans.
That’s a wrap on all of my outfits! So, what’s the big lesson I learned? Let me explain.
First of all, I had an amazing time. I’m so grateful that after less than 2 years of blogging I was able to get into as many shows as I did. I always dreamed of coming to NYFW ever since I was younger and it was crazy to be a part of it and think that after all of these years, there I was.
I loved dressing up and getting ready, and I’m already thinking about when I need to start prepping for February. But the big thing I learned is that it’s really easy to get caught up in things.
I felt fabulous all week until I attended a party and felt a little less than great about myself. When you get a bunch of girls into a small space, it’s really easy to compare yourself to everyone else. Who was taller, skinnier, or prettier? The best designer accessory? Who had the most followers? About 10 minutes into the event I went from feeling 100% about my whole outfit to second-guessing it. Honestly, I felt like a lot of the girls attended only to size-up other attendees.
Maybe it’s my own insecurity, but after that party I took second to think about why I started blogging in the first place. I’m not saying every girl there was like that. I finally met up with girls IRL that I knew via Instagram and new ladies that I’m now happily following. But it really made me think – was this the actual reality of blogging and I was just on the sidelines doing my own thing, kind of oblivious to all of it?
I didn’t start blogging because I wanted to compete with the next girl. General competition between women has never been my thing. (This is probably why I can only count the number of good female friends on one hand.) I started blogging because I love fashion. I’ve always loved clothes and shoes and makeup. I’ve always been the girl that my friends consult before getting a new handbag or when picking out a new lipstick.
I’m not sure why I let other women get the best of me that night. After a little bit of thinking I realized this: there really is truth in the statement, “You do you”. There will always be someone skinner or taller than you. There will always be people, women and men, who give side-eye. High school may be over but a lot of people still hold on to that immaturity. You can’t get caught up in it. I went to NYFW! A long-time dream finally realized! Why be so bummed?
Maybe the blogging world is full of a ton of girls sizing each other up. That’s great for them, but not my cup of tea. So you know what? I’m going to go to the next NYFW with a refreshed perspective. If whatever I’m doing makes me feel good, even if I am oblivious to the reality of blogging, who the hell cares?
SHOP MY NYFW PIECES
What a fabulous experience! Thanks for sharing with us! I often find myself staring at a woman because I love her outfit, then realize that she has no idea why I was staring (and there was no time to pay the compliment, or I was too shy). So just remember that women love to check out other women, and they are looking at you because you have a unique style that works!
XO!