thelittlegoldmix

Red sweater | cropped straight leg jeans | white pumps (Zara, sold out- similar here!)

Striped cardigan | black jeans| white booties 

Just when you’re totally out of winter things to wear and are about to just throw in the towel style wise until spring, February NYFW rolls around… and as Carrie Bradshaw famously said:

I’ve been lucky to attend NYFW for a few years now, and while I’m def NOT a fashion industry veteran by any means, I’ve noticed a few changes and made some observations that I wanted to share with you…

1)When I attended my first show back in 2015 things were very different. Even though three years ago doesn’t seem like long at all, in the realms of fashion, media and technology, three years is an eternity. My very first show was Tibi (check out my review and one of my very first blog posts! Lolol)  . Believe it or not, I got to attend, and had a pretty good spot, WITHOUT A TICKET!!! I literally just walked into the venue (I don’t even remember where…not Skylight yet where many of the shows are now, and not quite as far back as the Lincoln Center or Bryant Park days!) and went up to the media table and told them I was a fashion blogger who would love to see the show. They put me in a line and when the time came to start, I was let in with a few other people who didn’t have assigned seats (now called “standing room”, which you now need a scannable ticket for!) and got an incredible view of one of my fave designer’s shows!

2)Fast forward a few years, and things have changed so much.  Luckily, I get invites now and have actual tickets to shows, because my “walk-in” welcome to a show as big as Tibi would NEVER HAPPEN NOW! Every person is scanned, double scanned, and corralled into very specific spots.  In order to get tickets to shows, PR either has to reach out to you, or you have to start emailing press offices for designers months in advance— and even then you’re not guaranteed a spot by any means.  I’m often asked to email past seasons’ coverage or blog posts and reviews I’ve done for shows I’ve attended already— so they can get an idea if you’re serious business and worth a seat.

3) Another note worth making (actually, it’s alteady been made many times before… here’s a link to a controversial article from Vogue editors on it) — how bloggers have “changed” fashion week.  In some ways I see how fashion week has become over-democratized (maybe?) — as it does, the internet, particularly the blogosphere, has allowed the average girl next door to have a peek behind the wizard’s curtain, so to speak.  During fashion week, I’m sure you notice how your feed and stories are full of show recaps, models on the runway, designer finale walks, streetstyle outside of shows— it starts to feel oversaturated and… too accessible (ironic because I just got done telling you how I feel like shows have gotten way more strict in terms of who they let in, right?) Instagram has forever changed fashion— how could we expect fashion week to escape unscathed? And to some extent, the fashion world thrives on exclusivity, wanting to keep the number of cool kids at the lunch table very small and elite— fighting a constant battle against fast-fashion retailers and dime a dozen bloggers (! Raising hand 🙋🏻‍♀️!) “watering down” the industry.  Here’s where I disagree (to a degree).  Why shouldn’t more people have access to fashion? Do we really want people to continue to walk around completely clueless about style or feeling like “looking good” is unattainable for an average person? I think it’s in all of our best interests to share good work, good ideas, and access to them. Which leads me to my next observation…

4) Fashion is always changing— and one of the latest changes is that many top American designers are leaving NYFW— some to show in LA, like Rebecca Minkoff did last season, others to show in Paris… and some to show at totally different times.  Some say that the decisions are financially based, like this article, but I feel like part of it is that “too cool for school” sentiment — as in “been there, done that— time for something new and different. I’ve also read a few articles by fellow blogger, magazine editors and others in the industry about how they’re “over” the NYFW “circus”— how it’s gotten too crazy, too much about capturing perfect streetstyle instead of focusing on the shows; too much about who’s in the front row instead of what’s actually coming down the runway.

5) So, What are my thoughts on Fashion week?

I’ll always love it. And as long as they’ll have me, I’ll be at as many shows as I can.

I’ve always  been a person who loves a tradition, a ritual, something planned that entails a period of excited anticipation, culminating in a memorable adventure. This is fashion week to me.  It’s a time to focus on the fun, the frivolous and the creative.  To celebrate other creative people’s hard work and dedication to their craft.  A time and atmosphere where it’s totally socially acceptable to wear outfits you normally wouldn’t.  For a few days, I get to be a different version of myself- not mom, not teacher, not wife or daughter or sister (don’t get me wrong, I love all of those versions as well!)

So those are my thoughts on fashion week— I’d love to hear what you guys think— or if anyone is going, let me know if you’d want to meet up!

xo, ❤

Christine