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NYFW A/W ’19 Recap Part Two

March 20, 2019

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Whoa, doggie, as my mom would say! It’s been a heck of a rollercoaster, planning this wedding. And with 10 days before I leave for California, it feels all the more rushed. Trying my best to enjoy the ride, though. I realized this morning that I hadn’t yet shared part two of my recap for NYFW. At the end of the day, I’m sad to say that sometimes my blog gets left behind to focus on other things. Thankfully, in my downtime, I’ve been making lists of posts to write, things and places to shoot, and topics I’m excited to cover. After the craziness settles, of course!

So without further ado, read on for my NYFW A/W ’19 Recap Part Two!

Let’s see, where did I leave off? Ahh yes, back to the shows!
ICYMI, Custo Barcelona was one of my absolute favorite shows last season. I had an even better seat this time (thanks, Custo!), and my jaw was basically dropped as design after gorgeous design came down the runway. The only bad thing was that the lights completely blew out the clothing, so I wasn’t able to get any good videos or pictures. Their PR rep never got back to me with pics of the collection like they did last season so I could share them here, but you can see the full Custo Barcelona spring collection through that link.

At Spring Studios
(Outfit details below)

After Custo, I headed by myself to Spring Studios for the Son Jung Wan show. I have to say it, this show is now battling for my favorite of the season. Extraordinary pieces that definitely make a statement but in an unfussy way. Understated, yet breathtaking. It may make me a terrible fashion blogger, but I was so in-the-moment at the show that I forgot to post a single story from it. I think I’ll go do that now.. You can check out the full Son Jung Wan collection here.

Following my only experience at Spring Studios this past season, I met up with Alyssa for our first ever front row seats at Mac Duggal. This was the brand’s first plus size runway, and I was honored to be front and center to watch all of the gorgeous ladies and stunning designs just a couple feet from me. Check out my Instagram stories for copious footage. I tried to only post my favorites, which ended up being about 20 looks, not even kidding. Their collection was called Fabulouss, and the models all walked at the end of the show holding up posters with inspiring words on them. Such a fun moment. Even though their line is marketed as prom, there are still some dresses I would be happy to rock as eveningwear to my next big event!

With the designer, himself! Such an honor!

With Maddie Baillio, from the film Dumplin’, who modeled in the show! She was so lovely!

Obsession doesn’t begin to describe my love for this sequined dress. It was one of the last things I bought for this trip, and it came just in time. I felt like a princess. And @lizzieinlace said she loved my outfit, which is a high compliment in my book!
Dress (under $75!!) / ASOS // Coat // ASOS // Belt (under $20) / ASOS // Heels / Calvin Klein // Bag and earrings / vintage // Necklace / Kyle Chan Design

After Mac Duggal, we were on our way to the Oxford Fashion Show. So, let me say that I know this accumulation of designers is regularly highly acclaimed and noteworthy. This season, for me at least, there were too many political statements, impractical pieces, and just nothing I would care to wear myself. I am probably in the minority on that, but I can’t lie! Neither of us enjoyed the collections. After that, we were beat, so we just grabbed a bite and headed home.

Sunday was supposed to be a crazy busy day for us, but it turned out to be one of the least. Partially, my fault. I had added the start time for my first show (Alyssa had one at Spring), as 12:30. Turns out, it actually started at noon, a fact I learned at 11:00 while still in Brooklyn and not done getting ready. So I missed it. The second one I was going to meet Alyssa at, but the address I’d added to the spreadsheet was off of the first email the PR company sent to me. Apparently, that was their offices, not where the show was being held. IDK if it was my bride brain, but I felt like I had royally screwed the pooch on shows that day by not triple checking the details.

We walked around for a bit to get some shots in, before heading to Blank Slate. If y’all remember my visit there last season, you’ll know it’s a must stop in while in NY. So girly, the best tea lattes, and just a nice place to sit and chill for a while. Lee from @legalleeblonde also stopped by to join us for a bit. Always lovely seeing her!

Coat / ASOS // Sweater / Forever 21 // Skirt / Miu Miu // Sneakers (currently under $20) / Old Navy // Pearl Pin (under $10) / Full Line Collection // Hair bow & Phone case / Forever 21

Next, we headed to the Nocturne Landeros show at Scandinavia House. We were crammed in a room full of hundreds of people, with no visible runway or platform. After about 45 minutes of waiting, a gentleman came out and started singing. And singing. When the third song started, I looked at Alyssa and told her “I need to leave.” I was getting claustrophobic, and the club-level volume and club-level amount of packed it was in there was not good for me.

I ended up heading to meet up with Laura from @lauraadney/Have Need Want. We went to dinner at Nomo Kitchen and OMG were their Brussels sprouts amazing. Everything else was OK, and priced on the higher side, but those sprouts I would definitely return for. Home to Brooklyn, this time a $28 uber because the train was still down.

Monday was our last day in town, and Alyssa and I had decided to book a photo shoot in the morning, since we hadn’t had too much luck photographing our outfits on our own. My camera kept dying, and the phones weren’t cutting it. I was about 20 minutes from being ready (actually a half hour ahead of schedule!), when I get a text message from Southwest, saying that my flight was cancelled. Since Mark booked it, it wouldn’t let me change the flight online or through the app. The estimated hold time was 22 minutes, and it ended up being 59 before someone picked up. She told me I was getting the last seat on the last available flight that day, now at 2:00 instead of 6:00 PM and that inclement weather in Chicago was delaying/cancelling flights from everywhere. What else is new?!

So I missed the shoot, and had to start packing. I made it to the airport 2.5 hours early, and my flight continued to get delayed until 5:45. I honestly thought I was going to have to get a hotel room, but thankfully, the last one pushed out. I landed at Midway and had to take another uber home, because Mark was out of town. That one was not cheap either, if you can imagine!

I like to keep it real on here, and even weeks after this trip, I felt defeated. This was my third time attending NYFW, and as much as I thought I’d properly organized everything, SO many things just didn’t work out. I guess after having two amazing visits back to back, it was time to shake things up! ?
Regardless, I’m always thankful that I even have the opportunity to attend each season, and look forward to the next more than you can imagine!

I’d love to hear.. Have you ever been on a trip that didn’t quite go according to plan? What did you learn from it?
I’d love to implement your tips! ?

NYFW A/W ’19 Recap Part One

March 7, 2019

This post (NYFW A/W ’19 Recap Part One), contains affiliate links. Clicking on them or making purchases through them may provide me with a small commission. This post is brought to you in part by VB Studio, Valley NYC, DreamDry, Pucker, SuperJeweler, and Atrium Dumbo. All thoughts and opinions are, as always, my own.

Well, hello, loves!
Let’s cut right to the sparkly pink elephant in the room. Yes, NYFW took place almost a month ago, and I’m JUST NOW getting my posts up. If I had known how much stress I would be putting on myself by planning a wedding almost entirely solo, I probably would have skipped it altogether. That’s real talk! All of the behind-the-scenes stuff that goes in to a successful NYFW trip is no easy task! But regardless, I went, I had lots of fun, attended some amazing shows, and I’m so thankful that I was able to be part of all of the magic that is NYFW.

I’ve decided to just do two posts to include my time in New York, partially because I’m sure y’all don’t want 4 lengthy posts documenting what most of you have already seen on stories. Also because half of the designers whose shows I attended didn’t get back to me with pictures of their collection. I digress..

My first day was a logistical nightmare. I landed at LaGuardia at 11 AM and after a half hour of password-resetting attempts, my phone wouldn’t let me log in to Juno (an NY-only based ride sharing service). It’s cheaper than Lyft and Uber, but I ended up having to book one of them. I plugged in the address of where I was planning to store my luggage temporarily, and we were on our way! A few minutes into the ride, I got an alert that the location was closed. Long story short, the driver told me he couldn’t change the destination and let me out of the car basically at the freeway offramp somewhere in Brooklyn. I had to call another car, and finally made it to Williamsburg to the new storage spot. Cute area, great bagels, moving on..

I took the train into the city, grabbed the house key from my roommate for the week, and took the train back to get my luggage. Another Uber, and I landed at my temporary home, in the Flatbush area of Brooklyn. Side note, I had NO idea how big Brooklyn actually is. More on that later. I steamed all my clothes, settled in, showered, and got ready for dinner. I wanted to treat my roomies to a nice dinner, so we headed to Peaches. So good, highly recommend them. But easy on the shrimp and grits, it’s half cheese and made my tummy hurt from trying to eat it all, so definitely split that with someone.

The next day, I took the “Q” into the city and met up with my girl Alyssa from @lifeandstylebyap. We’d planned on doing 90% of things together, and I was SO happy to see her lovely face! We grabbed coffee, and headed to our first appointment of the day at VB Studio. Super cute, no frills spot. We were treated to blowouts (and champagne!) and Alyssa made an appointment to come back later to get her extensions re-done. The weather unfortunately took a toll (it was drizzling) and my hair was flat about 30 minutes after we’d left. My hair HATES humidity, and never holds curl or volume when it’s around. Not the salon’s fault, just crappy timing.

Outfit details:
Coat (under $100 and one of my faves of the season) & Dress (doesn’t the dandelion print give you all the Gossip Girl vibes!? Just me? OK…)
Bag (linking similar) / Loeffler Randall // Booties (I sized up to a 7.5) / Target // Necklace / Kyle Chan Love Initials

A quick walk and train ride later, we were at Valley Nails. Their space is SO adorable, and I was finding something new and pretty to stare at in every corner. My tech did a great job at applying the gold holographic foil. Y’all know I love my gold everything! Over the next couple days though, I noticed staining, chipping and peeling. Alyssa had a similar issue, but was able to go back to have them fixed. Apparently, her second set didn’t stain and lasted a lot longer, not sure what happened with that first round! I’d try them out again, just maybe go for a darker color.

Ring (comes in a set of 3) / Gorjana

Yay, onto our first show! And I have to say, one of my favorites of the season. Jiri Kalfar opened with legendary supermodel Paulina Porizkova (said in my best Tyra Banks voice), and continued on with such energy, and truly beautiful designs.

We learned a sneaky little trick, since the next show was at the same venue… We hopped to the front of the newly formed line to go back in, instead of going outside and waiting for check-in to start again. Hogan McLaughlin was the next designer to have his pieces come down the runway, and while the clothes were stunning, they were a bit high concept for me. I still appreciated the art of his designs, and it was another great show.

Off to the final fashion event of the evening, a presentation by Celestino Couture. They gave the incorrect address on the invite, and Alyssa & I, along with 6 other guests, were wandering around for 20 minutes before we learned of the new location. Gorgeous, intricate designs, breathtaking embellishments and embroidery, and a show-stopping pink gown as the highlight (it’s saved to my, ahem, highlights). Worth the hassle of finding the spot ? Most of the designs I felt had a vintage, almost time period quality to them, but made current for wearing today.

Alyssa was off to dinner with friends, and I was supposed to head to a shopping event, but your girl’s feet were done. Like bleeding ankles, done. I hobbled to the train after chowing down some pizza, and got off a couple stops from home to walk around Target barefoot until I found my favorite new (lifesaver) pink sneakers on the clearance rack. Oh, the glamour….

Friday was probably my most stressful day of the trip.
Blowouts at DreamDry and makeup at Pucker were exquisite, as always, and I will continue to work with and support them. The artists are always so talented, and actually work with you to create the vision you dreamed of.

The details!
Lightweight Trench / Nordstrom // Midi skirt (also comes in plus) / Nordstrom // Bodysuit / Free People // Belt bag (under $30) / Steve Madden //
Necklace / Kyle Chan Design // Earrings / vintage // Sneakers / Target (yay!) // hand warmers / Alpaca farm in New Jersey

After that, we headed to the Fashion Hong Kong runway show, and even though we arrived 15 minutes before the show started, we were 6 people deep in the standing section and couldn’t see a thing. Like not even a sliver of the runway. Hey, it happens sometimes. We decided to leave so Alyssa could get to her extension appointment, and I went home to change and rest. I believe this is when I learned that the “Q” train would now be down for maintenance the rest of the weekend, causing me to take… alternate means of transportation.

We met up again around 4 to shoot near the Manhattan bridge, to mixed results. About 30 other bloggers and their photographers had the same idea, and the sun was already pretty far set. Earlier is definitely the way we’ll go next season! Oh, and it was trash day. And windy AF.

Those deets!
Bodysuit (super comfortable to wear and under $60) / Nordstrom // Skirt / TopShop // Bag (sold out, linking similar) / Zara // Bracelet c/o SuperJeweler // Booties / Forever 21 // Ring / Aurate NYC // Earrings / vintage

On to dinner at Atrium Dumbo. I didn’t know if I was going to mention this or not, but I think it’s important to share, for any bloggers out there reading this, how important being accountable is. When you commit to a business or brand, it’s your, and sometimes other’s reputations on the line. I hate to sound like I’m scolding people here, but I spend hours planning meet ups so bloggers and influencers can connect in person, and also to bring exposure to awesome restaurants, and when people don’t show, it’s like a slap in the face!

So Alyssa and I planned on meeting three other bloggers there at 5:00 for a dinner I’d coordinated. One of them even said she was currently getting in a cab after stopping by her apartment to change, and was on her way. Alyssa and I waited until 6:00, and no one else showed. I also learned that even though we’d finalized a lunch for the following day at another restaurant more than a week prior, those girls had no intention of showing to that meet up either. We were disappointed, embarrassed, and hungry, to be honest, because they were waiting for the rest of our party to arrive before serving us. We explained the situation to the manager, offering to pay for the cheese plate we’d picked at, and he was very understanding and invited Alyssa and myself back another time. I think for future meet ups, I will require a deposit to hold people’s spots, which hopefully will have them actually respecting everyone’s time by showing up!

I will say that the space is stunning, the service was attentive, and the vibe was unpretentious and utterly romantic. Alyssa and I both remarked that it would be the perfect spot to be proposed to!

We then headed to Ciccio for wine and for something to eat (they forgot to ring in my food, even after being reminded when Alyssa’s food arrived, so annoying!), before meeting up with a large group of fellow bloggers at Bar Hugo. Such a cool space, and they actually let us enjoy a complimentary drink and private space so we could all chat and FINALLY see each other in person! I talked to @girlmeetsbow, @miss_alk, @payt_reed, whom I’d never met before, along with @kristinacatherinemcinnis and fellow Chicagoan @caitpatton. So many fantastic ladies in one place! So I will say that the night did end on a high note.

Stay tuned for the rest of my NYFW experience in Part 2!

And don’t forget to check out my past NYFW coverage from last season, and last year!

NYFW Spring/Summer ’19 Final Days Recap

September 30, 2018

This post was created in partnership with Pink Blush, Kestan, The Haute Society & 50 Bowery, Bond 45, Aldo, Blank Slate Tea, Eliza J, Rent the Runway, and Gorjana. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. It also contains affiliate links. Purchasing items through them may provide me with a small commission. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Dressed for Time.

Throwing you right back in to the action! Check out my earlier coverage of NYFW Spring/Summer ’19 here and here.

The morning following our GNO, I had my appointment with Glamsquad for a blowout that I had tried to push back later but 8:30. I ended up getting roughly 4 hours of sleep so that morning was less than fun for me waking up, but the blowout was SO worth it, because even in the rain, my curls lasted until that night! Side note, (and full disclosure as always, I will get a $25 credit as well), if you use my code ktaylor6816 when booking, then you get $25 off your service! My blowout with tip was $40 and for not leaving the house, that ain’t bad. Will definitely be considering them next Fashion Week as well.

@gracefullyglamblog and I, waiting in line to shop! On me – Top c/o Pink Blush // Jeans / Black Orchid Denim // Boots / Jeffrey Campbell // Bag / Cambridge Satchel Co. // Necklace c/o Kestan // Earrings / Zara

After getting glam, most of my group headed to the She In pop-up sale. I didn’t have any experience with the brand, so I was pretty shocked to learn that they we’re offering 20% off the already pretty freaking low prices. I picked up a cape, bag, t-shirt, sunnies, and dress. We grabbed a quick cup of coffee (decaf mocha for me!), and headed down to the Haute Society influencer party, held at Hotel 50 Bowery. It was so lovely to meet some of my fave girls that I’ve been following for YEARS on Instagram, as well as be introduced to some amazing creatives that are definitely on my radar now.

Cheers-ing some Sauvignon Blanc with @innabose. Shot by Courtney Pecorino Photography.

OK, with the Brooklyn Bridge in the background?! Such a quaint little spot to dine or just sit and chat.
We actually had two shows confirmed to attend this day, but ended up un-comfirming because we just didn’t have it in us. I think I may have mentioned this in an earlier post, but DON’T overbook yourself! We certainly did and it took a toll mentally and physically. I never thought I’d be saying this, but there comes a time when you’re just like yeahhh.. I don’t really even want to deal with going to a fashion show right now. It’s just a LOT to attend, so make sure you’re pacing yourself throughout your trip.

After the event, we ubered back to the apartment and took a 30 minute cat nap before getting ready to dine at one of my fave NY spots, Bond 45. We visited them last season, and I’m always blown away by the level of service, not to mention the fantastic and authentic Italian food they delighted our tastebuds with.

So, now that everyone is in a visually-induced food coma… You can imagine we poured ourselves in to an uber and headed back home. But not before I tried to get a shot of myself in my lovely $14 H&M satin gown.. In the rain.. In the middle of traffic.

Dress / H&M // Bag c/o Aldo // Necklace / Rocksbox

What you don’t see are the Fast Flats I was forced to wear because my blister-ridden feet were having none of the heels I tried to force them in to. Little did I know, the flats had multiple holes in them from previous wearings and they flooded with water as soon as we stepped out of the uber. I was literally drying them off under the table and trying to get my feet warm throughout dinner. Super classy, I know. Oh, and side note, and this is important to mention because it happened multiple times. We had to walk about 2 blocks because the uber driver convinced us that the restaurant was just up the street… No. He was lazy and didn’t want to drive through Times Square traffic so he let us off prematurely so we would have to walk two blocks in the rain. What a jerk!!!

On Monday, while everyone else went out to shoot or attend events, I actually managed to sleep in until about 9 o’clock. It was blissful being in a quiet apartment, just resting. It didn’t last though, because we had a very full afternoon to look forward to! Our first stop, Blank Slate Tea. So, I had been following their social account for a while and always wanted to visit the super girly (not to mention Insta-worthy) space to see it for myself. I definitely was not let down. The owner treated us, and everyone else in the restaurant, like royalty, walking around to check in on the patrons throughout the various stages of their meal. We were craving some veggies after all the heaviness, so we opted for salads and sandwiches, along with their dreamy lattes.

Dress c/o Eliza J // Necklace / gift show find // bag / vintage

Next up, we all headed over to the Foley & Corinna open house collection preview. Can I just say that I wanted every single bag! Many of them were floral print or mustard, which are current obsessions, and a lot of them were in really interesting shapes.

Myself and @lauryncakes posing with a few of our favorites.

A couple of the girls wanted to try to get that infamous shot at the Flatiron building, and I was totally game, so off we went in the pouring rain to try our luck!

Dress / Forever 21 // Sneakers / Superga // Bag / vintage // Necklace / Gorjana

The shopping bug was creeping up again, so several of us headed to the Rent the Runway sample sale. I’d previously visited their warehouse in Seacacus, New Jersey when it was still open to the public, and this was very similar. Well, except for the public dressing room, and the bags and jewelry being in less-than-stellar condition. I did find this cute Kate Spade fan style, along with 4 gowns that I probably didn’t need but felt I had to have. Following the hour+ of shopping, we headed to a little Mexican restaurant around the corner called Habenero Blues. Their queso and chips were TDF, but my enchiladas were very underwhelming, borderline gross, and really expensive for what they were.

Back to the apartment to knock out. Some of the girls had already left or were getting ready to leave, so there was kind of a sad vibe in the air. I started packing to be proactive, and actually had to buy a new rolling bag when we were out to fit all of my New York finds and gifts. Some of us said our goodbyes that night, due to some particularly gnarly early morning flight times.

As promised, I wanted to share some shots of our gorgeous apartment that we booked through Domio. They’re a new way to book luxury apartments and have some gorgeous listings that I keep browsing in New Orleans, San Diego, Austin, Nashville, Boston, and Honolulu. We stayed at one of their first New York properties, and even though I got my workout walking up and down three flights of stairs throughout the day, I definitely would return.

Well, my dears, that is a wrap!
I’d love to hear about your experience at NYFW, or why you’d like to attend next season!
xoxo

NYFW Spring/Summer ’19 Day 3 Recap

September 24, 2018

This post is sponsored in part by Pink Blush, Kestan and Cleo Restaurant NY. It also contains affiliate links. Clicking on them or purchasing items through them may provide me with a small commission.

Whew! Days 1 & 2 were so jam-packed, I honestly could have called it there and been completely satisfied with the trip. That was so not the case, as we were just getting started with our New York adventures! Keep reading to see what I got up to on day 3…

Our first show of the day was at Pier 39 Studios for the Custo Barcelona runway. Legit, you guys, this was my favorite show of the season. So many mixed metallics, pastel rainbows, swingy dresses, bomber jackets.. Enough trying to explain in, check out these images of some of my favorite pieces from the collection!

Pictures courtesy of Custo Barcelona

After Custo, even though the next show was in the same building, we had to go back outside to check in for it. Kind of annoying, and I wish they could figure out a way to check you in for both at the same time, but I digress. Next up was the Oxford Fashion collection of designers, which admittedly included a whole bunch of designers I’d never heard of before, but I didn’t find too many pieces that I was like “oh, yes, I would totally wear that!” Nothing against the designers, some of the looks were just a bit high-concept for my taste. I was SO excited to run in to Rachel from @racheloffduty and Summer from @summerlebuchanan before the show started! We met through a blogging community back in Southern California and I was missing my girls so much! We had planned on all going to lunch together, but got pulled in different directions in the end. Thankfully, I believe they’re both attending next season!

A couple of the girls and I wanted to play proper tourists and check out The High Line, and let’s be honest, take some cool pictures. We tried to make it there last season but OMG was that the coldest, windiest day in existence and we just couldn’t handle our lives. So thankful that the sun came out, if only briefly, for us to grab all of these amazing shots!

Dress c/o Pink Blush // Booties / Target // Bag (on sale) / Shop Daily Belle // Bracelets / Rocksbox & Trending Above // Necklaces / Forever 21 (sold out but linking similar)

@racheloffduty; @blondeblissblog; @dear.kindred; muah!
Shot by @courtneypecorinophoto

The rain started coming back so we left the High Line in search of our first meal of the day. After mobbing through the cluster that is Chelsea Market, Rachel and I decided on bagel sandwiches, and then I met up with the rest of the ladies and we headed back to the apartment for a well-deserved rest. I say rest, but it was really about 30 minutes of laying in bed on our phones and then starting to get ready for dinner!

Dress c/o PinkBlush // Necklace c/o Kestan // Bag / Shop Daily Belle // Earrings (under $12!) / Amazon // Sandals / Who What Wear Collection for Target

Shot by Courtney Pecorino Photo

Our amazing photographer, Courtney, was so excited when she heard we were dining at Cleo because she’d dined previously at their Las Vegas location and LOVED it. I absolutely understood why because literally everything I ate or drank while dining with them was delicious. Standouts were the Passionfruit Margarita, Roasted Cauliflower, Lamb Shwarma, and the Brussels Sprouts. OMG the Brussels Sprouts… I’ve never tasted anything like them and am currently sitting here craving them. If you go to Cleo, GET THE BRUSSELS SPROUTS, OK?

After dinner, a few of us headed to a local rooftop bar for a bit of drinking and a whole lot of dancing. I’ll admit, I probably overdid it this night. A couple cocktails and glasses of wine at dinner, and a couple of cocktails at the bar/club had me feeling pretty toasty. We cabbed it back to the apartment and crashed hard.

Alright, so I was initially going to make this post include days 3&4 but they were both pretty full so the rest of my trip will be coming in the next post!
Hope you enjoyed following along, babes!