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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 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 Day 2 Recap

February 21, 2018

This post contains affiliate links and was created in partnership with Essex LA, Pucker & DreamDry, and Mamo restaurant.

Kisses from New York!
Welcome to my NYFW Day 2 recap, where I’m sharing all of the places we went, things we did, and tasty food we ate.
Our first stop, after Jamba Juice, of course, was to Pucker Makeup inside DreamDry in the Flatiron district. I wish I had more shots of the inside of the salon, because it is jaw-droppingly gorgeous, with luxe touches and glam finishes everywhere. Our dear friend Sydney, Danielle’s personal photographer, was able to grab a couple of shots of us, mid-makeup application, and right after before we left for our formal shoot.

Seriously, what a transformation! My makeup artist, Daisy (find her at @the_daisy_love), was the sweetest, and gave me a subtly smokey bronze eye, flawless skin, and a bright lip to match my booties, which she created on the spot! She even gave me a little sample of it to take with me for touch-ups. I realized that my hair was looking a little flat due to the dismal weather outside, and one of their hairstylists was able to touch up my curls in the less than 10 minutes I had before running off to our shoot. If you’re in the area, be sure to use code “SOCAL10” when booking to take $10 off your first makeup application.

We shot with Chris Gray Studios at Union Square Park (after a 6 block jog) and the weather was only moderately on our side. It started to sprinkle during the first 20 minutes, and was actually pouring when we were wrapping up. We made it work though, which I’m so happy about because we got some great shots. We had a little downtime before our next location, so Sydney offered to take some shots of us acting like real New Yorkers, to hysterical effect.
Jacket / Leggings / Clutch / Sweater $23!!! / Boots / Necklace (vintage) / Glasses

Ok, so in the first shot, we were not acting and were legitimately confused as to how to get to where we were going next. This was one of about 37 times when this happened. Navigation in New York succckkked and it seemed like no matter how fast-paced the city was, the GPS was never able to catch up to where we currently were, and directions like 41st St. between 9th and 10th Ave didn’t mean shit when you didn’t know which way 10th was.
The last shot was probably one of my faves from our trip, and caused multiple cabs to pull over in earnest, and I felt a little guilty then waving them off.

We made it to Mamo a few minutes early in the POURING rain, and they were happy to accommodate us. I loved how attentive and knowledgeable our server was, without being overbearing. We ordered the calamari and veggie stack to start, and let me say that the calamari was some of the best that I’d ever had. At first, I was thinking, “where is the sauce?,” but then I realized that it didn’t even need it. For my entree, I went with the gnocchi, also delicious, and I loved that I could actually tell the difference in the tomatoes being ripe. I was considering dessert when Alison asked for us to try all 4 of the options, which I was happy to oblige in tasting each and every one of them, with the strawberry affogato being the winner in my book. I will definitely be back to visit next time I’m in the city!

Alison, Alyssa, and I Ubered over to our first show of the day, Colour by Nandi Madida. To be completely honest, we only caught the last 3 or 4 minutes of the show, due to having some issues at check-in, which would find to be a common occurrence at shows, so I don’t have pics to share. We wear able to watch the last look and the finale come down the runway, which you can catch on my NYFW highlights on Insta. From what I saw from the recaps, the line looked exquisitely tailored, with flattering cuts, and neutrals as well as bold looks.

Off to our next show, MacDuggal, which, again, we had issues at the door. I showed my confirmation email to different people and they still said I, nor the girls, were on their list. They finally let us up, 20 minutes before showtime, to stand in a crowded, cramped, overheated balcony area, where I literally got shoved out of my spot by a couple of former beauty queens wearing tiaras, not even kidding. I was able to get one shot before the show started, and one as I was leaving from a different angle, because I just couldn’t take the heat, or bitchiness, any longer.

We were just spent after this show, so we decided to skip out on the art show we had planned, and went back to the hotel to nap before dinner.
After a nice little siesta, we all (minus Alyssa, who was attending a friend’s 30th bday in the city), headed to The Liberty NYC, a lively happy hour spot, for dinner and to meet up with some fellow Style Collective and RewardStyle members. I was more than a little disappointed when only 3 out of the 11 additional guests showed up. I’ve learned that unless money is involved, people will flake for events like this. Next time, I’m requiring a deposit haha! I did have the chance to catch up with a couple of girls from across the US, so that was lovely, as was the Liberty’s spinach artichoke dip!

I hope you enjoyed my NYFW Day 2 recap… Day 3/4 is coming soon!

NYFW Day 1 Recap

February 18, 2018

This post contains affiliate links and was created in partnership with Rachel Roy, Shop Pink Blush, Bala di Gala and Delsey Luggage.

Hey, Babes! I hope you’ve been following along on my Insta stories over the past week or so, where I shared a lot of behind-the-scenes looks at New York Fashion Week Fall Winter 2018. If not, no worries, because I’m doing a full recap here, broken down by days.
Above is my airport style look, and as you can see, I went SUPER comfy, while still looking a bit chic, if I do say so myself. I was sent this oversized chenille sweater from Pink Blush, and it was seriously the softest thing I’ve ever worn. I kept hugging myself on the flight, like I as snuggled up with my softest blanket at home. It also kept me warm, which is super important to me, as I always get cold on flights. I wanted to do a classic navy and black pairing, so I wore my new velvet-trimmed peacoat, black fleece-lined leggings, and navy glitter ankle booties.
I was shocked that even with all of my outfits, accessories, toiletries and FIVE pairs of shoes, I still had room to spare in my Delsey luggage. I won’t use luggage that doesn’t have the multi-way rollers, and this one just glided along, saving my wrists in the airport and on the quite bumpy New York streets. I was thinking of putting together a post on packing tips, is that something you all would be interested in? Let me know in the comments!
Coat / Leggings / Booties / Sweater / Luggage / Glasses

One of our first stops, after what would become our daily visit to Jamba Juice inside Port Authority, was blowouts at Vidov Salon. My stylist was so quick, and I was intrigued by her technique.. These curls were created without using any additional tools beyond a round brush and blow dryer! I loved the soft, beachy waves, and they sent each of us off with a goodie bag, always appreciated, especially because I forgot my hairspray! I forgot a few other things too.. More on that later!

Next up on our tour of Manhattan haha, was the Eliza J showroom to check out their Spring/Summer 2018 collection. We all had our favorites, and I was definitely crushing on this yellow floral number. It had the sweetest bow detail at the bust, and I will be looking for it online soon. We chatted with the Eliza J sales and design team, and they are some of the sweetest souls! I love working with brands and people in general who are passionate about what they’re doing, and who make everyone feel welcome. It’s so important in this industry!
If you saw my Insta post on this look, you’ll know that the Madewell sweater I wore was not my favorite because it kept puffing up and was quite scratchy. I adored these faux leather leggings though, and my boots from Bala di Gala. The floral studs are stunning and you will definitely be seeing more of these babies in the near future.
Sweater / Leggings / Boots / Necklace / Glasses

Our next stop was to a photo shoot for Maggy London/London Times at GO Studios. We weren’t able to take many pictures because it was pretty fast-paced, but I managed to grab a shot of my model sheet (how cool is that!!), and a sneak of the stunning Danielle modeling on their rooftop with the gorgeous NY skyline as her backdrop. I will definitely be sharing more from the shoot when I get the selects back!

After the long day of beauty services, showroom visits, photo shoots and countless subways and Ubers, I decided I wanted to change my look up a bit for our evening shoot at Chelsea Market. I love that in the last shot you can see my gloves precariously hanging there, foreshadowing what would be inevitable. I lost them while shopping at Anthropologie. This top from Rachel Rachel Roy was one of my favorite things I wore during my trip, and I loved how subtly sexy it was, showing a peak at my bra underneath, paired with faux leather leggings and a croc-embossed box handbag, along with my peacoat of course, because this night was freezing, like 26 degrees freezing. And to cap off the list of things I forgot, my pajamas did not make it in my suitcase. It ended up working out though, because my roommates kept the heater at 78 every night so I slept in a tank top!
Blouse / Leggings / Coat / Ankle Boots / Gloves / Bag / Glasses

Outfit shots by Sydney Bliss Photography.

Hope you enjoyed my NYFW Day 1 Recap!
Stay tuned for Day 2 coverage!