First things first, let me just get the cheesy stuff out of the way because I really couldn’t have made this dream of attending NYFW a reality without my tribe at home. Thanks to my sweet husband for being a single parent for the week without any complaints, my mama and mother-in-law for taking Kai while Roman worked, and my solid group of girlfriends for being my cheerleaders the entire time I was out there! I would be lost without every single one of you. Love you to the moon and back!

Okay now diving into everything. Thinking about everything I want to say about this whole experience, I’ve decided to split this into two posts to avoid overwhelming you all! So to break it down, I want to first talk about the logistics of it all because A LOT goes into NYFW behind the scenes weeks before it actually happens. So this is how the order went for me:

#1- Figure out rooming situation.

Since I live pretty much on the opposite side of the country, it was hard trying to find roommates to go out their with me, and going by myself just would not have worked financially! So I got pretty lucky here. I put a post up on my stories asking if anyone was looking for another roommate for NYFW and my sweet friend Lauryn, of Lauryncakes, messaged me saying they were looking for just ONE more. To me, this seemed like fate, and even more of a reason for me to take the plunge! So After our first Airbnb cancelled on us, (queue eye roll) we found another to house all ELEVEN of us! It was a loooot of girls under one roof, but ultimately it worked out great. Our apartment was right across the street from Spring Studios, the official NYFW location, so it was amazing to be able to walk to most shows. I was for sure spoiled my first season!

#2- Booking flights.

I think I got pretty lucky in this department too because I got a screaming deal on airfare. I had been watching the dates for a few weeks and bought them at $233 round trip! Unheard of right?! Just one more reason I felt like this adventure was truly meant to be.

#3- Putting together an itinerary.

It’s a common misconception that you have to be “sponsored” to go to NYFW, but that’s just simply not true. Some bloggers and influencers can get flights, hotel rooms, and other things comped in exchange for media coverage, but I’ve never heard of a brand or designer flying someone out just for Fashion week. That’ll be my new life goal!

What you do have an invitation to is shows, presentations, and gifting suites. The way to get into those for the first time is reaching out! I emailed PR companies I worked with in the past, and a few new ones as well. Most of the time, invites aren’t sent out until about a week before all the magic happens so its a little nerve racking flying across the country not really knowing if you’re going to have anything to do but trust me, I REALLY overbooked myself and as a result couldn’t make it to a few shows and events I was planning on. Next time I’ll definitely leave more space open for travel, meals, and relaxing. Pro tip: NYFW is the perfect opportunity to build connections. Take your business cards and NETWORK honey!

#4 Finding & Putting together outfits

This was probably the most exciting and stressful part for me for a few reasons! First off, fashion is 100% the way I express myself so I felt a lot of pressure to perfectly represent myself and personality to show the brands and PR companies I was meeting with who I am. Another reason clothing was stressful was because I was collaborating with a very big and trusted brand and they totally ghosted me without sending the outfits THE DAY I left. I ended up running around the Mall HOURS before my flight just trying to scrounge up some looks that inspired me to want to create content in NYC. It was kind of a nightmare. Next season I go, I won’t plan on companies sending me clothes specifically for Fashion Week because that was a total let down and just way too stressful. Lesson learned!

Bodysuit & skirt gifted from Marste

#5 GO and EXPERIENCE it all!

My main goal going into NYFW was to soak it all in. Hours of hard work led me to this trip, so I wanted to make sure I let myself enjoy every second. I will never forget the feeling that came over me at that first show when the models started walking out. Full body chills, and a few tears! It was surreal and so very special. I get butterflies just thinking about it!