Hi friends! I’ve been a little MIA around here since I dropped my big news. Did you see it?! If not, you can find out all about my 4 big life changes going on here. I’m going to keep today’s post short and sweet because there is a lot to come in the next few weeks and I don’t want to burn you out. That being said, I wanted to give a little update on my travel plans. I guess I should say OUR travel plans because mama decided to crash the party and so it has now turned into a mother-daughter trip!
Our first stop of the trip is a short one to Boston for less than 24 hours and then we are headed to Nantucket for two days. From there we are flying to Copenhagen! After a crazy few days at New York Fashion Week, I can’t wait to relax and sight see in Massachusetts as it is my first time here. If you have any recommendations for us, please send them my way!
On to this dress because it’s a great one for Nantucket and the beach. If I wasn’t already sold on the stripes, it has pockets and the most flattering one shoulder.Sam Edelman got me on a yellow kick after sending me this bag. It might be the high school hero in me but I always seem to pair yellow and blue together, especially when it comes to nautical blue stripes.
I will be keeping to my usual Monday, Wednesday, Friday posting schedule on the blog and if you want to see more of my travels, don’t forget to follow along on Instagram. Make sure to check back here on Friday for a sneak peak of all of my outfits that I took to New York Fashion Week!
If you follow me on Instagram, I’ve dropped hints about some big news for a few weeks now. If you know me from my personal life, then you might have already heard, but for the rest of you I wanted to let you in on some BIG life changes happening around here. Without further adieu….
I’m quitting my full-time job!
Ok now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, I’ll explain a bit more. While I’ve never thought that I would find myself blogging full time (at least not until way down the road), it is opening doors to travel opportunities and experience a different pace of life that I can’t pass up. I don’t foresee blogging to be my end all be all and I don’t expect to solely be doing it for long, but for now it is the right decision for me. I expect to start looking for work again after the new year.
I’m having a second hip surgery!
As you might know, I had the first of my two hip surgeries in March of this year. I was out of commission for a good two months and then in physical therapy for another two. I will have the same thing done on my right hip October 9th and expect the same type of recovery. You can read more about my first surgery here.
I’m traveling the world!
Now onto the most exciting news and the most up in the air news. First up, I am heading to New York Fashion Week today for the second time. It will actually just be the first stop on my little adventure. I plan to be traveling for about a month. If you had asked me a month ago, heck even a week ago, my travel plans would have been different than what they are now. Due to recent events with Hurricane Harvey, my aunt is no longer able to travel with me which changes things a bit. I won’t go into detail but let’s just say that as of now, the only thing nailed down is my plane ticket across the pond. So it will literally be a fly by the seat of your pants type of adventure. I don’t want to give everything away (and honestly I don’t even know what everything is), but I will say that I am headed to Boston, Nantucket and then parts of Europe! I plan on blogging about my entire experience and will be sharing all of the pictures on my Instagram if you would like to follow along.
I’m moving!
And last but not least, I have moved back home with my parents temporarily with all of these life changes going on. This piece of the puzzle actually worked out perfectly because Lindsey (my sister/roomie) is also moving to Chicago! So we said see ya later to our little townhouse in the city this week and I am saying hello to the suburbs. I’m definitely a little sad not to be in the city with all of my friends but I am so fortunate for some quality time with my parents and to save a bit of money while I pursue my dreams.
Thank you to everyone who has encouraged me to take this leap of faith. I can’t wait to share all of my experiences with you all.
I’ve said it so many times but I want to start this post off saying it once more, anyone can go to fashion week! Whether you are a blogger, work in the fashion industry, or it has just been on your bucket list for years, anyone can go to New York fashion week. That being said, you definitely will have to put in some grunt work to get into fashion shows and parties. Since I’ve been around the block, hopefully these tips will get you ready for fashion week too!
BEFORE NYFW
Be proactive with fashion show invites– No matter your size, there is a show for you. Some fashion shows will be invite only, but some are open to the public. The key is that you have got to put in the work and reach out to as many fashion shows and event contacts as possible because they are not going to come to you.
When should I start reaching out? Start reaching out about 3-4 weeks in advance. Brands and PR firms will not confirm attendance to shows until the week of so this gives you plenty of grace time. I suggest reaching out in order of importance. For bigger brands or parties, I would reach out first as these will fill up faster. For smaller brands, reaching out 1-2 weeks in advance is plenty of time as they will be looking for people to fill their seats.
How do I know who to reach out to? When in doubt, email everyone you can find a contact for. Utilize your good friend Google as well as LinkedIn. Each brand’s website should have a PR or marketing email. Contact them. There is an official NYFW show list that is published. I highly suggest going to down the show list, hitting up Google for each brand’s contact and emailing them your pitch. If you can find more than one potential email per brand, even better! If the brand is represented by a PR firm, even better. Contact the PR firm and let them know that you are interested in going to that brand’s fashion show/party.
What do I say in my pitch email? I suggest having one generic email for brands and one for PR companies. That being said you should personalize these for shows that you really want to go to or have a connection with. Tell them why you want to go to their show. Have you featured them in a blog post? Link to that exact blog post in your pitch email. For both instances, state the dates that you will be in New York and ask for an invitation to any shows or events that they might be coordinating. My typical email goes something along the lines of this; “Hi my name is Shelbi and I am the fashion blogger behind the blog, It’s All Chic To Me. I will be attending New York Fashion Week September 7-12th and would love the opportunity to attend any shows or events that you are coordinating for ____”
Follow up– Make sure to follow up with brands that might not have gotten back to you. They are receiving hundreds if not thousands of emails a day concerning fashion week so if you get to be a week out and you still have not heard from them, send a follow up email. Also, if they come back and say that there is not room, ask to be put on the waiting list. It can’t hurt and chances are people will back out and you will get a spot!
Share, share, share! – Odds are you probably know several other people going whether they are local or far away. Connect over social media and share those contacts! My biggest piece of advice is to divide and conquer. Once you start getting responses back from shows, share the yes’s with your friends and vice versa so that you will know somebody else going! Nobody wants to go to shows alone and this way you gaining hopefully just as many contacts as you shared with others. Win-win!
Start a community google doc – My friends and I did this last year and it was GOLD. If you know people going, get a community contact list started early so that you can have all of your contacts in one place. We made sure to add the brand’s name, contact name, RSVP and who all was going to the show.
Facebook groups – If you are not already in several blogger or fashion Facebook groups, now is the time to join! If you search “New York Fashion Week” or “NYFW” on Facebook, several should come up and this is where people will be sharing their plans and contacts. If you are already in groups that have bloggers, strike up a conversation to see who is going and if people want to start sharing contacts. This should be a huge tool for you!
Make sure you have these tools– If you are not already signed up for Fohr Card and Fashion GPS (download on the app store), go ahead and do that NOW. Fohr Card is a website that brands use to see what your rank is as an influencer. Fashion GPS is an app that brand’s use to send out invites. This makes it super easy once you are there because all of your show invites will be in one place. Each show will also have a ticket barcode that is listed in the app and you will have to pull up in order to gain access.
PR firms are the way to go– I cannot stress this enough. While everyone is all hyped up about all of the fashion shows during fashion week, do not forget about PR firms. I’m talking about ones that you have worked with as well as ones that you might have just connected with for fashion week. If you get the chance to set up a meeting with a PR firm that you are currently working with, take it! There is nothing better than putting a face to a name and making a real life connection. This can only help you grow your connection with that firm and hopefully establish a long term partnership.
Packing tips–
This is your time to dress a little crazy– There are street style photographers EVERYWHERE and the more “out there” you dress the better. Still stay true to your brand but don’t be afraid to wear something you might not normally get the chance to. Now is your time to get creative! You might just find yourself on sone major fashion website 🙂
Wear comfortable shoes and bring flats – My #1 piece of advice is to wear comfortable shoes. You will be walking a TON and WILL get blisters so just prepare yourself. Bring bandaids on bandaids because you will need them. If you plan on wearing heels, bring a pair of flats to change into between shows. Something that can fit into your purse is best so that you don’t have to carry your shoes around in your hand (#fashionfauxpaux)
There is no need to bring more than 2 outfits per day- From experience, it is best to pack one “day” outfit and one “night” outfit. Chances are the day will be filled with shows and/or meetings all over the city so wearing something that is both cute, functional AND (most importantly) comfortable is a necessity during the day. Do NOT wear heels during the day. You will have enough blisters as it is. As for what to wear for your “day” look, you will see everything! Jeans are certainly not too casual but don’t be afraid to rock a dress or skirt with sneakers. For reference, I will be wearing sneakers with every single “day” look. For night, this is when you can dress up and throw a pair of heels on! Make sure they are comfortable though.
Partner with showrooms or local brands– Almost every brand during fashion week will have a showroom that will let you borrow clothes, wear them during fashion week and then return them. This is HUGE y’all for multiple reasons. This way you don’t have to by or pack as much stuff. Less money spent and less crap to lug around! Also, if you have worked closely with any brands back home, ask them if they will let you borrow clothes for fashion week. Odds are they will say yes if you agree to tag in your social media while you are there. This is great exposure for them!
DURING NYFW
Getting around town– Most people will use Uber which is why the surge pricing and traffic is INSANE. It might seem like a hassle at the beginning but I promise the subway is the way to go. My first year I spent close to $400 on Ubers alone if that tells you anything. Unfortunately fashion week events are ALL over the city. You will save SO much time, money and stress by using the subway. We asked a local every time we used it which way to go. They are more than happy to help you out. And if you absolutely must use an Uber, grab a few friends to ride with and then use the “Split Fare” function directly in the app.
Bring an extra battery– Even if you think you have the longest lasting phone battery there is, bring an extra. Make that two.
Arrive to fashion shows early– Even though every fashion show starts at least 15 minutes late, plan to arrive at least 15 minutes before show time to ensure that you get a seat. Chances are if you have a priority standing ticket and are early enough, you will get a seat! If you do have a seat and notice 5 minutes (or less) before the show starts that there is open seating in closer rows, go ahead and snag the seat!
Uploading to Snapchat/Instagram– Since you will obviously be sharing your NYFW experience on social media, a quick tip to the wise so that you actually enjoy your experience and don’t piss anyone off. Instead of uploading directly to Instagram/Snapchat during a show/party, take pictures and videos sparingly during the event and then upload everything at once after the event is over. This will ensure you make the most of your time and don’t miss anything! Pro tip: I used my time in Ubers or the subway to catch up on posting to social media.
If I missed anything or if you are just wanting more information on NFYW, including what I’ve worn in the past or how to get invited to shows or brand meetings, the easiest way to find NYFW postsI’ve done in the past, is to type “NYFW” into the search bar on the side bar of my blog or click on any of the below links. If I didn’t answer one of your questions or you would like to ask anything else, leave me a comment or shoot me a DM on Instagram and I would love to help you attend NYFW too!
Our 4th and final day of the trip was possibly the busiest of them all. Gotta go out with a bang right? We woke up early to take pictures because lord knows you take as many pictures as possible when you’ve got that pretty New York skyline backdrop. Several outfit photos later and it was time to pack up all of our luggage. Considering it looked like a bomb went off (and that is putting it lightly) in our room, the fact that all 4 of us were able to get everything packed up and cleaned up in under 20 minutes was a NYFW miracle.
11 am: Bauble Bar showroom appointment– Bauble Bar is a jewelry company that I have always loved. Their jewelry is always so on trend and full of personality. After visiting their showroom, I’m convinced it is what pink dreams are made of. The cutest set up I have ever seen and I even got to bring a couple goodies home with me! I picked out these tassel earrings and blush choker.
12 pm: Irina Vitjaz fashion show– This show was so much fun to experience. The collection had such a whimsical appeal and I loved how each piece brought movement into the garment. From puffy sleeves and skirts to deep V necklines, the collection had a broad scope of beautiful pieces.
1 pm: Verdad presentation– This was our only presentation of the trip. The good thing about presentations is that they are usually for a lengthy period of time and you are free to come and go as you please. We were able to see the Verdad collection up close and personal which was really cool considering we had only been to fashion shows before this and those you don’t get to get as close and personal with the clothing. The Verdad collection consisted of a modern spin on denim so almost all of the pieces included some cool way to incorporate denim into a high fashion garment. I think it’s safe to say that denim will never go out of style!
3 pm: Leanne Marshall fashion show– We definitely saved the best for last. The Leanne Marshall show was hands down my favorite show to attend. Leanne Marshall was the season 5 Project Runway winner. Her collection consisted of bright colors, crop tops, flowy materials and sheer dresses. I loved how feminine and truly gorgeous each piece was. There were many other shows that we saw that I liked a handful of the collection, but I can honestly say I loved every single piece from the Leanne Marshall show! Especially the finale dress. O. MY. GOODNESS. Carrie Bradshaw would own that dress for sure.
4 pm: Charming Charlie appointment– I have been working with Charming Charlie for months now and wanted to finally be able to put a face to a name so this was one of my most important meetings. We had to reschedule multiple times throughout the weekend but I am so glad we got to meet the PR ladies and check out the huge New York shop. It was AMAZING! 2 stories full of clothes, purses and jewelry! I was in heaven 🙂
I can’t forget that we also had to make a pit stop for lunch at Shake Shack (yes, that’s 2 days in a row). I made sure to get a burger WITH meat and fries to make up for the day before. If you are in New York, you have to add this one to the list!
After our last meeting of the day, Britt and I made our way back to the hotel to grab our things and race to the airport. Racing around seemed to be a reoccurring theme for New York but we somehow made it out alive. We barely made it onto the plane before both of us passed out from exhaustion. Mouths wide open and sweet dreams of the past 4 days filled our minds as we dove into a deep slumber.
NYFW was hands down a dream come true for my fashion-loving heart. I grew up watching Project Runway, sewing my heart out (pajamas being the only successful thing I ever made), playing “dress up”, and wearing high heels for as long as I remember. I’ve always had a love for fashion and putting clothes together. It’s an art and I am so fortunate to have been able to witness first hand where all of the magic begins. From runway shows to brand meetings and let’s not forget meeting some of my favorite fashion icons, NYFW went well above any expectations I had going into the week. I’ve said it once before and I’ll say it again, if you are a fashion lover and you don’t have NYFW on your bucket list, your dreams aren’t big enough!
Thank you SO much for reading my NYFW recap series. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to relive each day through these posts. I will be taking a short break and then will be back for my tips and tricks to attend NYFW so that you can be with me there next year 🙂
*Thank you Johnston & Murphy for making this post possible. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*
Andddd I’m back! I decided to give y’all a little break from the New York Fashion Week madness before sharing the rest of our amazing trip. Day 3 was definitely different from the rest, mostly in part to the date – September 11th. We had to wake up early this day to be in the city. The streets were completely quiet and now that I think about it, we didn’t run into a single person until probably 10 o’clock. Nobody was on the streets and the sun was not shining yet. It was almost an eerie feeling compared to the normal hustle and bustle that we were used to over the past couple of days. We stopped by a flower shop and all I could think about was where I was at 15 years ago on this day. The feeling of not completely understanding what was going on, but knowing that something was terribly wrong. Well 15 years later and this city and our nation stand strong. We will never forget.
Being that it was the 15th anniversary of September 11th and a Sunday, you could say that day 3 was much more calm than the rest. That being said, we still managed to squeeze in a photoshoot, hair appointment, fashion show and getting lost in Times Square. I may have said calm, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t still a fun and busy day!
9 am: Photoshoot with Laurel Creative– Margret, Britt and I met up with sweet Lauren to take a few photos because lord knows we didn’t already have enough! I am so happy that we got to connect with Lauren because these pictures are some of my favorite from the trip! I’ve always wanted a picture on the streets of NY with a taxi in the background and Lauren made my big apple dreams come true 🙂
12 pm: Lunch at Shake Shack– Yes, I am putting lunch on today’s itinerary because it was THAT good. So good we ate it twice. Literally. You will see that it will appear on day 4’s itinerary as well. If you get a chance to stop by while you are in New York, make sure you do! PSA- just know that the mushroom burger does not in fact contain meat. Total letdown.
2 pm: Explore Times Square– Britt and I had a few hours to spare so we took off in search of Times Square. We stopped by Hershey’s long enough to take a picture with a life sized Hershey bar and then made our way to Radio City Music Hall.
4 pm: Caravan Stylist Studio– Britt and I headed here to get our hair and make-up done. To say it was an experience would be the best way to put our appointment (long story!). My hair turned out great with a super cool, braided updo. You can see more of it here. One takeaway from NYFW this week was to definitely put more effort into booking hair/make up appointments next year because they are so much fun! What girl doesn’t like getting pampered… fo free!!
7 pm: Rosenthal Tee show– This show was located at the pier and was the only show we had at this location. We had hoped to arrive a little early to take pictures but of course we were running late so that was a fail! I had a great time and loved the entire collection! Rosenthal Tee’s line was the perfect mix of feminine, floral and modern.
Britt, Dede, Riane and I ended the night by going to The Smith for dinner and indulging in a few cocktails and truffle gnocchi. This was by far the best meal of the trip and I was so sad because I didn’t even put a dint in my gnocchi.
We had every intention of going out on the town after dinner but after a few cocktails and blistered feet, our LAKE pajamas sounded far more appealing than a bar. I was VERY easily persuaded to call the night early.
If you missed my day 1 and day 2 recap, be sure to check those out, especially if you are interested in attending NYFW in the future! I will have one more post up for my 4th and final day of the trip on Monday and then all of my tips for you fashionistas that are wanting to go one day, so be sure to check back!
