Hello, Gorgeous!

Let’s talk NYFW Fall/Winter 2018. Yes, it’s time.

Previously, I wrote about how many shows to attend and how early to arrive in the NYFW SS18 experience and street style post. Here are some tidbits about the longer-term NYFW planning, including a tip on how to get invited to NYFW shows!

When to Start Planning for NYFW Fall/Winter

Early October is a good time to start. We may be four months away, but those four months will fly by at the blink of an eye because of the winter holidays. Before you know it, February 8-16 will be upon us. So let’s get planning! And let’s not forget that fashion week will wrap around Valentine’s Day! So combine your fashion week trip with a little planned romance ❤️ and you’ll be happy as a clam.

Where to Stay During NYFW

Once you commit to going, understand that the city’s hotels will be booked early during fashion week. If you are not totally sure that you’ll get invited to shows, reserve a room that can be canceled with a one- or two-day notice. There are many hotels and travel sites that offer that option. Book a month or two in advance, as prices will go up with time. I would recommend staying in lower Manhattan: SoHo, NoHo, Chelsea. If you aren’t sure about the location of fashion week, go to Google Maps and research where things are located in Manhattan. For example, search for “Skylight at Clarkson Square,” one of the main venues.

If you have friends you can stay with, take them up on their kind offer and save the money! In that case, staying pretty much anywhere in New York City will work. The subway and Uber will get you everywhere easily.

Which NYFW Shows to Attend

After the hotel/friends’ place is booked, you need to decide on attendance dates. NYFW lasts for seven days, but I would suggest picking three or four days out of those seven. The easiest is to pick either the first or the second half of the fashion week and to attend a few shows a day for a few days in a row.

It’s pretty much impossible to attend all seven days. There’s very little I love more than fashion, but believe me when I say seven days of fashion can be too much. At NYFW SS18, I attended the first half: Thursday through Sunday.

How to Get an Invitation to NYFW

Research the designers who are showing during your preferred dates (the actual schedule will finalize two to three weeks before the start of fashion week) and pick the ones you like the most. Then, send emails to the designers’ PR companies or fill out contact forms on their websites. Craft your emails to be short and sweet, with simple facts. Make sure you mention why the designer would want to invite you. Share the amount of blog followers you have and your website visitor stats. Do not embellish. 

Closer to the events, you will start getting responses. As a warning, you may get a lot of rejections or no replies at all. Stay fierce, don’t get discouraged, and follow your fashion destiny! Be sure to follow up if you didn’t get a reply.

How I Got an Assigned Seat at the Nina Tiari SS18 Show

I wore the military-inspired outfit at the end of this post to the Nina Tiari show. When I was researching designers for my NYFW schedule, I really loved Nina’s bright colors and prints (and feathers!). Her style is 100% me! But there was no PR company contact listed for the show, so I went to her website and filled out the contact form, frankly, with very little hope.

I got invited to her September 9th show while I was driving to New York on September 7th. You see, gorgeous, everything is last minute in fashion. And yes, my invitation had an assigned seat — a rare occurrence at NYFW for the first timers! 

NYFW: Solo or With a Friend?

Well, that one is totally up to you. It’s practical and convenient to share the hotel expenses, schedule shows together, take each others’ pictures, exchange ideas, etc. But if you are pretty independent or just don’t have a friend who was invited to the shows, you can totally do it on your own. I made new friends at New York Fashion Week and ran into a few old friends from the fashion BlogHer conference I attended in Orlando. 

I hope my post will help you attend the next NYFW! Make sure to say, “hi” when you see me there! Don’t hesitate to ask questions in the comments below! And stay tuned for more NYFW wisdom. 

NYFW SS18 Street Style Take #2

Wearing:

Zara Pleated Skirt (similar)

Zara T-shirt With Print

Theory Military Jacket

Tommy Hilfiger Hat

J.Crew Socks

Zara Shoes

Zara Red Suede Bag