Hello!
I started typing out this post as I waited in the airport lobby, awaiting to board the plane to New York! This was my first time going to New York Fashion Week, and I was beyond OVER THE MOON excited!
I do owe a lot of it to my friend, Stephanie Abraham @bohemiancrown who kept urging me to go this year. I honestly didn't have intentions on going because of the costs and not knowing where to start when it comes to planning for this HUGE event! But THANK YOU GIRL, seriously you are the best <3
At the Yuna Yang fashion show and presentation
I won't be going through the process for this blog on HOW to get invited (I promise i'll share on a future blog post) but I did want to share how I prepped my outfits and some things you should take when you go for the 1st, 4th, or 7th time! It doesn't matter. These tips and advice are some basics that I think are important to know :) Here it goes!
1. Start with what you already have
The moment I realized that I was going to New York Fashion Week, I felt overwhelmed with "What the heck am I going to wear!!??" . So first, find those pieces in your closet that are basic, but that you are obsessed with! I pulled out all the pieces, whether it be a top, bottom, bag or shoes that I was currently into and layed them out on my bed. Start with one piece to begin mixing and matching!
Some of these items included (and these are some of my fav pieces at the moment btw):
wide leg black pants
distressed black denims
white wide leg pants
Faux black leather jacket
off-the-shoulder body suit
red heels
black strappy heels
black slip on mules
leopard clutch
This list is not saying what you should have, these are just items i'm obsessed with at the moment and I felt that I needed to take them with me! So I wanted to start here (with this list) and figure out what could pair best with these items :)
What I owned: shoes, jacket, clutch, sunglasses, bodysuit / What I bought: Metallic Gold Skirt, Fringe Earrings
2. Mix and Match
Once I grabbed everything that I absolutely love and HAD TO take with me, I began to mix and match. Concentrate on how many outfits you can wear with 1 pair of jean for example. That way your packing smart as well :) This is where you have your mini try on sesh at home!
What I owned: black jeans, strappy heels, red bag, sunglasses, earrings / What I bought: crop top
3. Write it Down!
I wrote down what I wanted to pair, with an item I already have. So for instance, my black wide leg pants, I could of paired with my all black body suit or a grey crop top with my faux black leather jacket over. But, I didn't have a grey crop top? So guess what? I wrote that down on my list of things to get: Grey crop top
If you aren't very good at mixing and matching... pintrest some outfit ideas! Example, If you have a black leather jacket... Google or Pintrest, "outfit ideas to wear with a black leather jacket". Write down what your inspiration is wearing and try to mimic that style. If you are missing a piece to the outfit... write it down!
What I owned: Clutch, Heels / What I bought: Frayed Jeans, white peplum top, necklace, sunglasses
4. Add some personality!
Remember, it's New York Fashion Week! So anything goes. Luckily, I had 2 pieces of faux fur that I usually wear when its a little chilly outside. I figured faux fur would work out very well for fashion week! Things that work for NYFW as per my observation:
- Faux Fur
- Sequence
- Bright and Bold Colors
- Oversized Jackets
- Unique purses/clutch
- Unique Sunglasses
- Trendy accessories
- Statement Shoes
What I owned: Wide leg pants, shoes, faux fur vest / What I bought: Pink Top, sunglasses, necklace (noticed how I reused the necklace and sunglasses for this outfit!)
5. Pack Smart
I purposely bought luggage that allows me to lay out my outfits with a hanger! This saved me A LOT of space. It was a life saver especially during my photoshoot with Luisas Secret Photography. I only checked in 2 bags total, and took my carry on. NOT BAD!!! I owe it a lot to this bag by Samsonite, which also has a lot of compartments where your toiletries fit as well. Also keep in mind I only went for the weekend, but I was able to pack 7-8 outfits in this 1 luggage! Even then, I re-used some pieces to create 2 more outfits for the weekend! So I really had about 10 outfits total....in 1 luggage! Plus my other bag consisted of extra "just in case" shoes and purses, and was the size of a gym bag.
In a nutshell.....start with what you have, research if you need help with outfit ideas, mix and match, write down pieces that could make your look more inspiring, find those pieces and be sure to include some items that add personality (usually items out of your comfort zone, juts a tad!!), and try to pack as compact as possible! The mixing and matching helped me be aware of what items I can use more than once which saved me some room. I did NOT want to take more than 2 bags. I ended up taking 2 bags + my carry on (which is like a purse).
I hope these tips help you get started for your New York Fashion Week experience! You can even use these tips to help you create and re-create new outfits for your special occasion or local fashion events!
Questions? Thoughts? Leave your comments below!
P.S. Like some of these looks! Go to SHOP MY INSTAGRAM or NEW YORK FASHION WEEK to see the details!