NYFW Recap and Insights

{Ballet inspired designs at Sachin and Babi}

It’s been a crazy few weeks between traveling down to Hilton Head, getting the kids settled into their new schools, and running back and forth into the city for NYFW!  I’m exhausted (our new schedule has us getting up at 6 am everyday #eek) but I’m also grateful that I got a chance to experience fashion week yet again and invite some of my favorite people along for the ride!  Fashion week ran from Wednesday the 7th through yesterday so there were a lot of shows and presentations going on!  Luckily, I was invited to a few so I’ll share the highlights and some insight about each of them.

Wednesday September 7th: That morning, I stuck my kids on the bus, showered quickly, and drove into the city for the Sachin and Babi presentation.  I was a little nervous because it was my kids’ first day at their new school and I wasn’t going to be there when they got home.  Thank God for my mom who graciously offered to come over and babysit for me that afternoon!  I decided to keep my look classic and simple so I wore a similar look (I’ll share it next week on the blog).  I’m so glad I opted for a low heel because the presentation was down in the Meatpacking district and the streets down there are cobblestone!  Fyi: I walked right past Jenny of Margo and Me who was shooting a look with her photographer.  She’s even prettier in person!  The presentation was held inside Fort Gansevoort, which is a Greek revival row house in the heart of the Meatpacking district.  I also attended the Sachin and Babi presentation back in February and both times, their collection and the overall experience has been my favorite.  Their PR team are incredibly polite, professional and organized.  Trust me, not every experience is like that!  Once inside, there were models standing around on two different floors as well as ballet dancers dressed in several of their designs dancing off to the side.  The romantic collection, which was heavily influenced by Sara Mearns, a NYC Ballet principal dancer, is all about fluidity of movement and striking a balance between grace and strength.  My favorite pieces were the two gowns featured below….so feminine and flattering!  Afterwards, I grabbed coffee and a pastry around the corner and enjoyed it on a bench in the Highline.  I love the Highline because it’s a welcome oasis in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the city.

{I especially loved these two looks}

{Love these ballet flats}

Friday September 9th: It was really hot on Friday so I was experiencing a fashion conundrum for the Katie Gallagher presentation. I had initially intended on wearing my go-to black Topshop pants and a black sleeveless blouse but the temps were pushing 90 degrees so at the last minute I decided to wear this dress instead.  I also had a shoe dilemma because although heels would look best, I knew I was going to do a bit of walking so I opted for sandals.  I trained it in and then cabbed it downtown to the East Village to meet my good friend from college.  I learned once we got there it would be a runway show, then a presentation afterwards.  Back in February, I attended a similar show by Jasmine Chong which was held in an airy space in the West Village.  I think the issue with this venue was the combination of too many people, no air conditioning or cold beverages, and the tiny space.  We were all squeezed together standing up so once the show started, it was difficult to get a full glimpse of the clothes.  I did love the bodysuits and the sheer blouse, both of which I could see myself wearing.  We quickly made our way out of there after the show because it felt claustrophobic and we were starving!  We headed over to The Fat Radish and then did a little bar hopping after that which is why there was no way I was getting up for a 10 am show Saturday morning down at Moynihan Station #oops!  Instead, we went for brunch and then I headed back to Long Island for my son’s baseball game.

{Minimal, monochromatic designs at Katie Gallagher}

Sunday September 11th: I received an invite to the CAAFD fashion show down at Art Beam Studio.  They were featuring three up and coming designers so I wasn’t sure what to expect but I decided to make a day of it with my fourteen year old daughter who had never experienced fashion week before.  While we were waiting to go into the show, we ended up meeting two shoe designers who had traveled all the way from Malaysia.  They were so sweet (they even told us we looked like sisters…I think they need glasses but I’ll take it)!  Be sure to check them out here.  Once inside, it was a total sea of confusion.  There was a “VIP” line and then the rest of us but it wasn’t entirely clear who was who.  I was abruptly told I was not which was fine by me (fyi: you can snag a seat right before the show starts because there’s always no-shows).  And that’s exactly what we did.  We stood patiently as the “important” people in crazy outfits took their seats and took countless selfies.  And then some PR guy yelled at us to sit down once the show was about to start.  This is the part of fashion week I can do without.  Everyone thinks they’re the sh%# and it kind of looks like Halloween but hey, if you keep a sense of humor about it and realize that this social hierarchy really means nothing, then you’ll be fine!  The three designers featured were all equally talented and unique but I especially liked the last designer whose collection was the epitome of casual chic.  After the show, we shot pics, went for brunch and cupcakes and then headed home. I wore this easy and effortless look.  These wedges are soooo comfortable and were perfect since we did our fair share of walking that afternoon.

{Ethereal gowns at Jessica Van}

{ Romantic braids at Ponyo Porco}

{ Casual cool designs at Laison}

Monday September 12th: Monday, I met Vanessa at Penn Station and we headed over to the Verdad presentation in mid-town.  It was held in a bright and airy space where mannequins displayed the Spring/Summer collection.  I loved this crisp, clean line that featured denim jumpsuits, skirts, and suits as well as a gorgeous bohemian style butterfly print dress and my favorite piece, a timeless white trench.  Afterwards, we walked over to Seven Bistro for lunch and caught up on all things blogging.  It’s so nice to meet up with fellow bloggers who understand the challenges we face and the goals we aspire to.  I even took some outfit photos for Vanessa’s blog so be sure to check them out out next week!  I wore this Vince top, Paige jeans, and these gray d’orsay heels.

{Love the pleated skirt and the belted denim coat}

{Simple and timeless white trench}

{Can you spot me?}

And that’s a wrap!  Fashion week was quite the whirlwind experience and while I’m glad it’s over, I feel pretty lucky to be live a mere 40 minutes from the city where I get to partake in this twice a year.  This past time, there were a few hiccups but I choose to look at them as part of the process and as a teachable moment.  This is not an easy industry so this week has reminded me that I need a thick skin and a set of blinders to keep going and do what I love.  If any of you have questions about how to attend shows or presentations or anything else you’d like to know, feel free to shoot me an email: kate@taffetaandtulips.com and I’ll be more than happy to offer insight and advice.  I hope you have a great weekend!