The Chic Team is so excited to announce a new weekly series called “Chic Catalog” where we will be sharing outfit inspiration for different holidays, events and other occasions. With the holidays in full swing, we are kicking off the new series with Holiday outfits. I’m talking everything from happy hour to holiday parties to Christmas Eve service, we have outfit ideas that you can recreate or draw inspiration from. Simply click on the outfit you want to shop and it will take you to the retailer’s website to purchase. Leave a comment if you have a request for next week’s Chic Catalog column.
Are you gearing up for any Springtime events but stumped on what to wear? I got you girl! A lot of dresses are currently on sale so now is the perfect time to stock up for any upcoming weddings, showers, parties or other events that you might have!
There are so many events come Spring and Summertime that require all white. From bridal events to Mother’s Day and Graduation, white outfits seem to be in full force. But do you feel like you see white all year until you actually go looking for it and then all of the cute items just seem to disappear? Or even worse everything that you try on is so cheaply made that you can even see your nude underwear through it not to mention every.thing.else.?! I got you girl.
Speaking from personal experience I usually tend to spend a little bit more on white clothing because white is a not so forgiving color to wear. You get something a little to thin and you are showing off absolutely everything and if you get something a little too tight, well say hello to imperfections you never knew you had. So even if it’s just for peace of mind, spending a little bit more for higher quality is something not to skimp on when it comes to all things white.
Everything that I am wearing in the pictures above is from White House Black Market, aka the “queen” of both black and white attire, not to mention amazing work wear as well. They are currently having a 40% off site wide sale with code 58586. As far as sizing goes, I love that WHBM carries petite, regular and tall sizing options in most of their styles! I am typically a size 00P in their pants and skirts and size 0 regular or XS in their tops, dresses, and blazers. (I am 5’4″)
Spring has officially sprung and with that seems to come ALL of the events. And with all of the events comes all of the must have Spring event wear. Whether you have upcoming weddings, showers, parties or vacations, Nordstrom is your one stop shop for event wear and I’m sharing why they are always my go to destination.
No matter the occasion, Nordstrom is always the first place that I hit up. Their selection is by far the largest and nothing beats free shipping and returns. I feel a little less guilty purchasing multiple options for my event (whether it be multiple sizes or multiple styles), because I know whichever ones don’t work out can easily be returned. I also recently discovered their buy online and pick up in store option which is actually how I purchased all of the above items. It is a game changer.
Picture this: it’s noon and you realize you have nothing to wear for your event at 8 pm. Panic sets in. Then you remember you can hop on over to nordstrom.com, pick out a dress, and then pick it up in a couple of hours. Instantly relief. I can’t tell you how many times this has saved me. All you have to do is filter your online selection by your local Nordstrom address and it will only show you what is available in store.
Something that I also want to point out about Nordstrom during event season is that they have free alterations. All of my fellow petite girls can rejoice! I almost always have to have my dresses hemmed so this little perk is amazing. Want to hear something even better? It doesn’t even have to be from Nordstrom for them to alter it for free. That means bridesmaids dresses! I personally feel like Katherine Heigl from 27 dresses with the amount of weddings that I have been in. I’ve gone to Nordstrom every time I’ve needed one altered and I’ve even had a formal gown altered into a cocktail dress so that I could wear it again. To make an appointment, just go to their website, alterations are quick & easy!
Since I know Nordstrom’s site is a little overwhelming to new users, I wanted to highlight a few of my favorite brands that I always check out for more affordable event wear. You can click on any of the below brands to shop their current event wear and then see below for my personal picks for spring dresses, jumpsuits and accessories!
My third year of New York Fashion Week is officially in the books! This year was fast and furious to say the least since it was smack dab in between two other trips. I had two full days in the city and I tried to make the most of every minute! There were lot’s of meetings, new friends, and rooftops and very little sleep but I wouldn’t change it for the world because I feel so blessed to have these opportunities do be doing what I love! Life motto lately: “You can sleep when you’re dead”.
I only RSVP’d for one fashion show as my focus was more so on brand meetings and connections this year. Sadly, due to rain I didn’t even make the one show I was really looking forward to going to, Nicole Miller. Thankfully I still was able to make it to almost all of my other events and meetings. Some of my favorites this year included the Liketoknow.it party, Lulu’s party, Shopbop party, and OK Magazine party. No, I did not just party my little heart away during fashion week but due to privacy reasons I am not able to disclose several of the brand meetings that I had so that’s why you get a long list of parties instead 😉
DO YOU HAVE TO BE INVITED?
Heck no! My first year that I went, I booked a plane ticket and hotel room and told myself that even if I didn’t get invited, it would be the trip of a lifetime to go to NYC during fashion week. No matter how small you are, if you do the work to pitch brands for fashion events, you will have at least a few events to go to. Even if you just go to meet with other fashion influencers and brands, it is 100% worth it! Getting invited to shows, showrooms, brand meetings, parties, etc are all the same. Most are not going to reach out to you unless you’ve already gone in years past. YOU have to do the work. This means sending out hundreds of emails. Read more about how to get invited to events here. And for the record, my first year that I attended NYFW, I had less than 5k followers and guess what? I still got invited to fashion shows:)
HOW DO YOU GET TO MEET WITH BRANDS?
Fashion week (or honestly any trip to New York) is a great time to reach out to brands and PR companies that you have already worked with in the past. If you’ve never looked at the signature line of brands you’ve been emailing, you should start 🙂 Most are headquartered in NYC! There is nothing like putting a face to a name, especially when these brands work with hundreds if not thousands of other influencers. Anything you an do to make youreself stand out is going to put you ahead in this industry! Before fashion week each year, I will make a point to look through my collaborations over the past year and reach out to some of the brands that I have yet to meet with. I will just shoot them an email letting them know I am in town for fashion week and that I’d love to meet face to face. Some brands I’ve simply gone to their office, others I’ve met for coffee and then some already have scheduled events or showrooms during fashion week and will invite you to those!
HOW DO YOU DRESS THAT FAB ON A BUDGET?
Not going to lie, it’s hard. If you want to go to fashion week and not spend a ton of money on outfits the best ways to look baller on a budget are to rent, borrow or be gifted clothes. This definitely takes some time and effort but can be done several different ways. 1) Reach out to local shops before your trip and ask if they will let you pull some clothes to showcase during fashion week. Most places do this regularly for photoshoots or other events so they should be used to it. Mention you will tag them in all social posts giving them credit and they should be more than happy for the trade of services. 2) Reach out to PR companies or brands in NYC that have showrooms or might want to dress you for the week. Again, many brands do this so asking is not weird at all especially if you’ve worked with them in the past! They will appreciate the exposure opportunity. 3) Many PR brands have gifting suites during fashion week which means FREE CLOTHES. This is where it’s at ladies.
WANTING TO ATTEND NYFW?
Have you thought about going to fashion week but not sure where to start, how to get invited, who to reach out to, etc? The posts below from years past should be helpful when thinking and planning to attend next season! If you have any other questions, I’m more than happy to answer them in the comments below!
Jumpsuit: 
