Packing Tips From a Neat Freak

          It's easy to get overwhelmed when you're faced with an empty suitcase to pack for a long trip. For me, it's an exciting time to invent new outfits and play dress up! I'm all about organization, so I used a simple way keep everything neat and minimal when I packed for NYFW last month. I'll be packing for another trip to Albany and Boston this weekend, so I figured it was an opportune time to share my packing tips!

1. Plan your clothes in outfits and actually try them on. I can't begin to remember all the times I've packed a top and bottoms I thought would look great together, just to find out during my trip that they didn't work at all! This also minimizes the amount of clothes you'll need to bring. If you've already tried on your outfits you'll know which ones need an an extra layer and which ones don't. There's no use in throwing a bunch of random tees or shoes in as back-ups if you already know what you need. Lastly, this method is super helpful when you're in a rush during your trip. Simply pick whichever ensemble fits your mood or the weather, and you're ready to go!

2. If you want to get super organized, you can plan each outfit for a specific day. I used my Page-a-Day calendar to lay out my clothes, then looked up the weather report to sort my outfits accordingly. (In most cases this ended up being a general guideline due to changes in weather/temperature/mood, but it's a great idea if you have big events to plan for).

3. Pack a rotation of jewelry and accessories, with a few key pieces. While it may be more exciting to pack different accessories for each day, it becomes a lot to keep track of. Only bring a few simple necklaces, rings, earrings, belts, etc. that you can rotate through during your trip. If you have room, add a couple statement pieces that you're only going to wear once. Not only will this keep the amount of small, easy-to-lose pieces to a minimum, but it also creates a collection unique to your trip. Well after your trip is over, these pieces will be more special because they'll remind you of your travels.

4. Bring one pair of shoes for every three days you'll be gone. Shoes are my weakness when I pack, yet they take up the most amount of space. I always think of all the scenarios I might need a bright pump or a chunky platform, then I end up wearing only half of the shoes I bring. A girl only needs a few basic shoes. My theory is that the longer your stay, the more shoes you'll need. (I'm also willing to make an exception if you have a wide range of events to attend, from super fancy dinners to walking through slush and snow for a meeting).

5. Even if you aren't flying, bring all of your toiletries in travel size. There is no reason you will need a full sized bottle of shampoo. And if for some reason your stay evolves into three months, it isn't hard to find more shampoo. You'll be amazed by how much more space you'll have in your suitcase once all your creams, washes, and hair products are in 3oz. bottles.

New York Fashion Week - Autumn/Winter 2014 Overview

          I'm finally writing about my second New York Fashion Week experience! Needless to say, a week full of fashion shows and events was followed by a week full of deadlines and catching up on sleep.

            I had so much fun in the city and have really begun to feel more at home there. Surprisingly, my affinity for NYC has taken a little time to unfold. Of course, it wouldn't be as enjoyable without the hospitality of my cousin and best friend, Maddie. She's shown me some great places and we've already made a lot of unforgettable memories, such as the time we tried meeting at a ferryboat party and ended up on opposite shores of Manhattan! But more on that later. Here's a little overview of the fashion week events I attended, people I met, clothes I wore and food I ate. I'll be posting about specific shows and designers soon.

Monday

What I wore: A gold, vintage blazer and green sweater layered over a blue button down, dark blue tuxedo pants, authentic Greek fisherman's hat, Badgley Mischka Julia Nappa satchel, and Superga sneakers (later had to change into winter boots due to the high snow banks and heaps of slush).

By Misha

Where I went: I attended the By Misha presentation at the Lali Lali Gallery in SoHo and met some very wonderful people. I interviewed the three designers featured and I met some fabulous fashionistas and bloggers. More details to come! 
That night: I was in pure euphoria. It was my first night in the city, I'd already met inspiring people, and seen beautiful clothes.
Beverage of the evening: Owl's Brew Tea with rum

Read my article about the By Misha presentation here!

Tuesday

William Okpo

What I wore: A new satin, floral dress I just ordered from Victoria's Secret. I was so eager to wear it that I didn't consider how light it would be on the coldest night of the week! It was insufficient even with leather accented leggings, Cole Hann ankle boots, a Cynthia Rowley cowl scarf, a beanie and a leather jacket.

Leather Japan

Where I went: I got lost in SoHo and missed my first show by ten minutes. Who knew exiting from the subway in the wrong direction could veer you so far off course? That evening I went to the William Okpo show. Just as I was gaining more confidence in my sense of direction, I forgot half of the address to the Leather Japan gallery opening and took two cabs to get to there.

Read my article about the William Okpo show here!

Read my article about the Leather Japan gallery opening here!

Maddie and Daniel

 That night: Complimentary shuttles took everyone from the gallery to the after party that was to be on a ferryboat. I invited Maddie to meet me there and gave her the address we both thought was at the Chelsea Piers. Half an hour later, my shuttle stopped on Wall Street. Maddie was almost "there" but I wasn't leaving on the boat without her. I called her and we soon realized she was on the coast facing New Jersey and I was on the opposite facing Brooklyn. It was time to scratch plans and figure out new ones. I ran into the nearest Duane Reade to keep warm and charge my phone, got a cab, and finally met up with Maddie. At that point, all we wanted was warm pizza and a relaxing drink. So we ended the night at a cozy bar with her boyfriend and some delicious BBQ chicken pizza.
Beverage of the evening: Blue Moon

Wednesday

What I wore: A vintage, angora sweater dress on top of a printed skirt with fur winter boots, leather jacket, and a floppy, felt hat. Of course, I also carried my Badgley Mischka bag. 

Mega Mega Projects' AW14 Preview

Where I went: I stopped by the AW14 Preview by Mega Mega Projects and interviewed a couple budding jewelry designers. It was a very intimate event that focused on small collections of high quality craftsmanship. 

 Read my article about the AW14 Preview here! 

Zink Magazine fashion event

That night: I met Maddie at B & Co. in midtown for Zink Magazine's fashion event party. We had fun taking pictures of our outfits and catching up on our day.

Beverage of the evening: Cranberry and vodka.

Thursday

What I wore: A red cable-knit sweater on top of a white button down with leather pants, fur boots, ruffled scarf, beanie and a wool, vintage coat. 

Doughnut Plant

Where I went: Late that morning, Maddie brought me to the Doughnut Plant to try what she told me were the best doughnuts ever. She was right! We had hazelnut, chocolate, chocolate chip and their Valentine's special, rose. Since we were fairly close to the next fashion week event I had on my agenda, she accompanied me to KOTUR's AW14 preview at the Standard hotel. It was quite the journey! There were puddles and slush at every intersection and it was impossible to get to the next block without stepping into eight inches of water. On our very wet way back to her apartment, we grabbed Mexican at a nearby food cart. My tacos were so delicious they made me forget all about those treacherous puddles. 

Read my article about KOTUR's AW14 preview here! 

Maddie was invincible in her solid rain boots!

That night: While I'd been wearing my "waterproof" winter boots, they were no match for NYC puddles. I learned that a good pair of rain boots is an absolute necessity in this city. Maddie lent me hers for my last event of the week, Samantha Pleet's AW14 collection film premiere at the Wolverine store. I was really excited for this one because I'd covered her last collection in the fall. There was no way the weather would stop me from covering my first NYFW followup! More details to come!

Beverage of the evening: Red wine. 

Read my article about Samantha Pleet's collection film premiere here! 

Samantha Pleet

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               My boyfriend came into the city for the weekend and I stayed until the following Tuesday. We had a really nice time together and between my internship work, we visited the dinosaurs at the American Museum of Natural History, had giant slices of pizza with Maddie and Daniel, took a slippery walk through Central Park, and ate lots of yummy bagels!

Welcome Back!

          Happy New Year and welcome back to my blog! I've been on quite a hiatus lately. After the holidays, I visited my boyfriend in Albany for New Years and only a couple days later we were off to New Jersey for a film shoot. Andy directed and I was there to do hair and makeup. Those eight days were a combination of fun, boredom, frustration, meeting great new people, and above all, a huge learning experience. Once we got back to NY, we spent a day exploring in the city. Our last stop was NH, where he brought me home and spent a few days relaxing with me.

 

On New Years Eve, Andy drove me to see the Lights in the Park in Albany, NY.

Celebrating at midnight!

A wedding hairstyle I did for Andrea on the first day of shooting. 

In my little makeup corner where I chilled for a lot of the shoot.

The special effects makeup I did on Jake for one of many boxing scenes.

Working on Andrea's gunshot wound!

That's my boyfriend directing!

Spraying blood on Liam for a gruesome scene.

I helped with the set design in this scene!

At the Met with Andy!

The Egyptian exhibit was one of my favorites!

I can cross "Go to mood" off my bucket list!

I fell in love with a lion at FAO Schwartz.

Just being kids in a toy store!

He took me to see the windows at Bergdorf & Goodman.

We got dinner at an awesome sandwich shop called Num Pang.

I loved the underground, graffiti theme.

We both got really yummy fish sandwiches, mine with catfish, his with mahi-mahi. 

NYFW: Reem Acra SS14

          Reem Acra was the first show I went to during New York Fashion Week. I got off my bus, lugged my giant suitcase to my cousin's apartment (with the help of her generous friends, of course), and headed to Lincoln Center. I was so excited to be there and to be seeing my first show in NYC, that I could've watched trash bags and potato sacks go down the runway and I would've been happy!

           That being said, this show was my least favorite I attended. I'm also probably right in saying that it was one of the least profound of NYFW, but I didn't see them all so that's up for debate. The clothes were nice to look at, the fabrics moved nicely down the runway, and the models had bigger hair than Grace Coddington, but everything else was lackluster. How many times have we seen a designer do disco party style? And this wasn't a unique spin off of that inspiration either. It was a collection of shiny fabrics, sexy draping, and volume in places most people would rather leave in the 70s. I really don't see hounds tooth and polka dots becoming popular in chiffon or charmeuse.

             Fabrics and prints aside, design wise, the pieces lacked dimension. The structure of each dress and pantsuit was either unoriginal, unflattering, or impractical. There were hardly any accessories or layers used to add interest and the color palette was mundane, with the exception of the occasional orange and poppy. However, the collection did end on a more positive note with detailed embroidery, reminiscent of fireworks, exploded onto black evening gowns.

Below are the top looks from the collection. (These aren't my own pictures because I quickly realized how impossible it is to take runway pictures with my iPod.)

Photo credit: Style.com

My Reem Acra SS14 Top Five:

1. Favorite fabric - silver silk crepe 
2. Best backstage element - Pat McGrath's makeup magic
3. Memory brought to life - watching "The Last Days of Disco" with my mom
4. Best look for spring - sheer silk with trapunto stitched detail
5. Coolest moment - meeting Robert Verdi after the show

Highlights From My First New York Fashion Week

         I had such an awesome time at New York Fashion Week and I'm so grateful to my internship at Papercut Magazine for sending me. I got to interview emerging designers, meet cool people, see celebrities, get to know the city, and look at beautiful clothes! I conquered my fear of what I thought would be a complicated subway system and discovered that getting around wasn't nearly as overwhelming as I thought. I only got lost once!

          While I'll be writing individual posts about the shows later, here's an overall look at everything I did and the people I met last week!

The street style was exactly how I imagined it would be.

I learned that it's impossible to take good runway pictures if you don't have a professional camera. The models walk way too fast and the lighting completely washes them out!

I met Robert Verdi at my first show and he taught me how to take a selfie the celeb way!

I met designer Samantha Pleet and was mesmerized by her mountain stripe print.

Mary J. Blige brightened the models' days at Catherine Malandrino.

I snapped a photo of these three Teen Vogue elites looking fabulous in Chelsea.

I met super cool jewelry designer Heidi Gardner and fell in love with her and her amazing designs. Girl crush!

I hung out with my cousin Maddie and her boyfriend and they introduced me to the delicious artichoke pizza of a pizzeria called Artichoke. Who would've known!?

I also met their friends Jose and Sarah (not pictured).

I had a backstage pass at Mordekai by Ken Borochov and watched the models get hair and makeup done like a true fashion week reporter!

I sat front row at Daisy Fuentes and got a swag bag of free clothes and accessories.

I introduced myself to Teen Vogue writer, Andrew Bevan, who I'd taken that street style photo of the day before. He's such an inspiration and was incredibly nice to talk to! I don't think I stopped smiling for an hour after that!

Went to perhaps the coolest fashion party of the year. It was in a pier warehouse, everyone was dressed super fly, and it looked out on an awesome view of the city. 

And ended my fashion week experience with artfully abstract designs at a Parsons grad student show in Made's Milk Studios.

          Last week was definitely one of the coolest times of my life! I had the opportunity to go to NYFW much sooner than I ever dreamed and I experienced it with a fresh, optimistic outlook...something I realize goes away after you've seen hundreds of shows because it's your job!   Everyone I met was really friendly and I'm happy I got to see more sides of the city than I have in previous trips. A huge thank you to Maddie Allen for letting me stay with her and to her friends for making me feel welcomed in a sometimes overwhelming city!