NYFW Part 2 — 11 Hacks for A Great New York Fashion Week

11 Tips for New York Fashion Week - Chafor Silk Top, Zara Pearl Embellished Raw Hem Denim, Lagos Pear Jewelry, Camelia Roma Bag, Zara Pearl Embellished Shoes

Happy Monday guys! Hope you had an amazing weekend! If you've been following along on Instagram, you know Ross and I did! We never did end up going on the date we had planned, but we decided to go for a walk Friday night that ended up with us falling in love with a kitten.

We weren't planning on getting a cat anytime soon (although I was really hoping we would... ;) ) You can never replace a pet, they each are so unique and have their own personality, but our apartment was feeling so empty after we lost Misty, even after giving it a few weeks. Myko has been such a blessing to have already. He fills our apartment with love and playfulness, and it's been really sweet to see how fatherly Ross has been! It was honestly such a great weekend, even sans fun date! I took half of a day off on Saturday to spend time with Ross and Myko as well as clean our apartment a bit, and it was so therapeutic and relaxing after an insanely busy week!

To start the week but wrap up talking about NYFW, I wanted to share some things that are really helpful to think about if you're planning on attending a New York fashion week in the future. I was really thankful I did a few of these, and the others I wish I had known to do! I'd love for you to let me know in the comments if you found these tips helpful, and if you liked reading this type of content! I want to create content you guys enjoy!

Bisous,

Laurelle

Room on the Lower West Side - I was more than grateful to have a wonderful friend host me for some of Fashion Week! It was so sweet of her and her roommates, and it was really great to spend time with her. However, she lived way up on the Upper East Side, which was sadly far from where everything was. I nearly missed my first show and spent much more time and money than I would have liked getting back and forth to the shows and events I attended. Next time I will definitely try to stay around the Chelsea/Greenwich Village/Soho area! (provided the shows are held in the same location next time!)
Learn to Ride the Subway - I actually had fun figuring out and using the subway system, when it worked out that I could use it to get where I needed to be! It's super inexpensive... you can get a week pass for $30, which means that even if you only use it 10 times that week, you're only paying $3 a ride, the normal fare...I used it more which meant I saved money! Plus, it can be much faster than a taxi or uber, especially when there is traffic and there is a stop a few blocks or less from where you need to go.
Don't Just Hop into a Taxi, Do This First - If you end up taking a taxi, before getting in, ask them how fast they can get you somewhere. I found that taxis generally tended to be much faster/more efficient (than Uber/Via) at getting me where I needed to be, but especially so if I asked them that or told them I was running late. I think taxis actually tend to be cheaper that a regular Uber as well, but saying one of those things gave me peace of mind that it would likely prevent them from taking a longer route to drive up the meter. If you do have plenty of time and want to save money, Uber Pool and Via are great for a cheap ride, just be prepared to be riding for a long time, sometimes even double what the trip normally would have taken.
Be Nice and Talk to Everyone! - I actually got pretty hurt my second day up due to people being snobby/unfriendly. If someone is trying to be kind and invest in you, do the same back! I got the impression that some of the snobbery was related to numbers of followers on social media, which is just stupid. It's just number, and being a good person is so much more important than having millions of followers! Honestly, if those followers knew that the person they follow is a actually a snob in real life, they probably wouldn't be following! Be genuine, be kind, and don't only talk to people you think are bigger or better than you. You never know who you will find a good friend and/or contact in!
Pack Snacks!! - I was very grateful that I packed my weight in dried mango strips and nuts (ok so maybe the fact that my suitcase was INSANELY heavy and likely weighed more than me was more due to me packing like it was New York Fashion Month, but more on that in the next point...) because I learned that actually sitting down and eating a full meal during fashion week is a very rare and special occurrence. Most days, I didn't even get to eat until the evening, unless I remembered to pack my snacks or a daytime event happened to have food (bless those event planners). Things are SO expensive in the city, so I wasvery thankful I made a Trader Joes trip beforehand and stocked up!
Don't Overpack! - Why? One, because lugging a huge, heavy suitcase around, even on just the first and last day of your trip is NOT FUN. But more importantly, two, because you will likely be going home with much more than what you came with, due to generous PR firms (and possibly shopping)! I was so lucky Ross came up for two nights and brought a half empty suitcase, because he took a bunch of stuff home for me! The rest I barely managed to squeeze in and wish I hadn't had to squish!
Plan Your Outfits Before NYFW and Stick to Them - This is partly how you avoid over packing! I actually did try to plan my outfits the night before I left, but I needed up only wearing half of them and doing my own thing other days. I wish I had spent more time planning and even shooting my outfits prior to NYFW.
Don't Freak Out if You're a Few Minutes Late to a Show! - I totally freaked before my first show, as I was running about 5 minutes late. Turns out, the doors open at the time the show is listed for, but then 30 minutes is allowed for seating! I was SO relieved! While that was the case for all the shows I attended, it is better to arrive on time just in case. Or, if you have a standing ticket instead of a seat, you will want to come early to be close to the front of the line. If you do have a seat though, arriving on time or a few minutes after is just fine!
Take lots of Photos and Instastories - I got so much engagement and impressions from being active on IG for the week, and wish I had been even more so! Plus, even being there, I had so much fun watching my friend's stories and seeing what they were up to! Your friends and followers will enjoy it just as much! Also, it's nice to have those memories saved so you can always look back!
Don't Try to do Everything - Don't overstress yourself by committing to everything, as going to everything just isn't possible! I missed a show on the last day, and while I was sad to, it was at almost the same time as an event hosted by a PR firm I'm working with. I was going to try to go to the event then the show, but I ended up just staying at the event and was really glad I did. It would have been too stressful to try to squeeze in both, and I made some great friends and contacts at the event!
Enjoy NYFW!! - As much as Fashion Week is actually work for us and gets exhausting and hectic, it is also a ton of fun and not your everyday occurrence. Enjoy it! Plan to spend at least a few hours 2 or 3 of the days there to do fun things like going shopping or out to eat. I went out to eat 2-3 times over the week and they were some of the best meals I've had in months. NYC has some AMAZING food, but I really cherish those meals because I made some amazing memories with Ross and friends! I also think some 5th avenue is a must for any blogger! You just can't beat the shopping! SAKS Fifth Avenue's window displays are a must-see and whether you're looking for a few special designer pieces to invest in or just some amazing Zara finds, you won't be disappointed... For example, I snagged these amazing pearl-embellished jeans and shoes at the 5th Ave NYC Zara and love them!