New York Fashion Week Recap

I just got back from my first-ever New York City Fashion Week and my god was it everything I hoped it would be and more. If you followed along via my Instagram stories you’d know that the trip didn’t exactly start off on the best foot (screw you Ohio weather) but it certainly managed to turn itself around. The last five days were chock-full of learning experiences, fashion, and a whole lot of fun.

I’ll admit, seeing the runway fashion is half the fun and the other half is seeing what the spectators are wearing. I saw some crazy ridiculous outfits this week; I’m here to assure you that when they say “anything goes” at NYFW, they mean it.

There is so much information that goes into New York Fashion Week so I’m going to be breaking it up into a three-part series, starting off with what I wore throughout my stay, then the shows I attended and trends to look out for this coming fall/winter, and lastly how I went to fashion week/how it works/how much it costs and all those nitty-gritty details. Oh, and I’ll, of course, be sharing my vlog as soon as it’s edited and ready to go. I’m working on it!

Red Hot

This first outfit I wore on Thursday as I traveled into the city. I intended on grabbing cute pictures in it the day of but with my first flight canceled less than 12 hours before I was supposed to take off, two delays, and a gazillion flight changes, it didn’t happen. It was a mess and it ended up taking me 13 hours to get from Cleveland to NYC— awful, I know.

So, with time to kill before my first show on Friday, I popped on the same outfit and grabbed some pictures in it. I truly couldn’t have picked a better travel outfit. This look was trendy yet polished and was surprisingly really comfortable for me throughout the day. This suit makes you look put together but it’s a polyester/spandex blend making it super stretchy and easy to move around in. I wanted to play off the dressiness of the suit by reaching for a few edgier pieces—  thought this would be such a fun contrast.

I’ll admit, I looked up a few Rolling Stones songs after putting this graphic tee on just in case someone asked me about it, lol. The leopard in the tongue was the subtle touch of pattern this outfit needed. I was torn between which shoes to wear and ended up wearing chunky white sneakers to dress the look down a bit. I was so glad I ended up wearing sneakers as I was running around the airport all day and the following Friday when shooting this outfit. To complete this look I reached for thick gold hoops and my Apple watch to keep me in the loop.

blazer // pants // tee // sneakers // hoops 

Jazzed in Japan 

After shooting outfits in the red outfit, I came back to the hotel and changed before my first show of the trip. Not all shows and events have themes but some do and the one I was headed to said it was “Japanese Futuristic”. I didn’t know I would be attending this event until the day before I was leaving so I quickly threw this outfit together.

Luckily when placing my last SheIn order, Olivia had me pick up this gorgeous royal blue dress. She wanted it just for fun and it ended up fitting this theme perfectly. It was in the forties on Friday but obviously still too cold for a cami dress so I layered a simple black bodysuit underneath. I popped on a pair of sock booties to complete the look. I love these boots as they elongate the legs big time and pair so perfectly with bare-legged outfits.

At this point, I also switched up my hair. I went for tight spiral curls and then brushed them out + gave them a little tease for some major volume. This ended up being the cherry on top of this outfit and gave me major Carrie Bradshaw vibes. This was one of my favorite looks by far and it was a hit amongst you guys as well!

bodysuit // dress // boots // bag // necklace 

Seeing Sequins

Because none of the items I packed were overly bulky, I was able to fit so much into my suitcase. I packed tons of extra outfits in case I had time to shoot them and I ended up lucking out, wearing every single piece of clothing at least once, with the exception of my black jeans. I basically changed outfits every time I had the chance or was headed somewhere new.

We stopped back at the hotel before leaving for dinner and my second show so I changed into this sequin number. I am obsessed with this blazer and the pants had just the right amount of flare to them. I had packed a sequin top to go underneath for some monochrome sequins vibes but decided it was just overkill much when getting dressed.

Luckily I had thrown this strapless bustier top into my suitcase at the last minute and it was just what this outfit needed. The feathered detailing up top mixed with the sequins was the perfect texture mix. I opted for some star hair clips to tame the mane a bit and wore those same black booties from earlier. These booties run super narrow, even on me and while I was able to make it over 8 miles in them, they definitely wouldn’t be my first footwear recommendation for NYC. Truthfully, none of the shoes I brought would be.

blazer // top // pants // boots // necklace

Popping Pink

Saturday morning I started my day off in this cute pink number. I grabbed this set as part of my monthly Express collaboration and am beyond obsessed with it. One of my goals for this trip was to incorporate some more color, after all, spring is right around the corner. This bright fuschia was just the bit of sass I needed this weekend.

The sleeves on this top are big and balloon which is one of my favorite accents. They are trending big time and have been seen in so many retailer’s spring collections. The top ties in the front and has got a pretty low cut to it flattering your chest big time.

The bottoms do run pretty big around the waist and long; I had them pinned in the back. However, you know me and my obsession with matching sets; I wouldn’t dare split these two up. For earrings, I wore some of my favorite glittery stars to match my glitter sock boots. These booties were much easier to walk in than yesterday’s pair.

top // bottoms // boots // earrings // necklace

Pretty and Polished 

When I received this pastel purple blazer dress in the mail, I instantly knew it would be coming with me. With a lot of my events being more of a business professional vibe, I figured I couldn’t go wrong with blazers. They are a huge spring trend right now so I was able to look classy and cute.

This dress fit me like a glove when belted at the waist. I reached for this silver glitter belt to coordinate with my tights. It was definitely on the chillier side today so I doubled up on tights. I’m wearing a nude pair underneath this silver glittery star pair that you all flipped out over. They are under $5 with my code Q4mckenz15 and were the perfect touch to this outfit. I really think they helped pull the look together.

I’m wearing my silver star earrings to match and the same booties from the last look. This outfit was a blast to style and ended up being one of my favorites from the trip. I love how every part of the outfit tied itself back in somewhere else. Plus, the lilac that I wouldn’t usually reach for, scored me tons of compliments and complimented my complexion beautifully.

dress // tights // boots // necklace // earrings // belt

Country Girl Shake It For Me

Truthfully, as fun as New York City is for a week, I’m a country girl at heart. I decided that it would be cool to do a little play on “words” while I was in the city. The second I laid eyes on this fringe jumpsuit I knew it would be the perfect addition to my closet for the week. It was just a tad too big on me so I figured belting it would do just the trick. That’s when I got the idea to take this look a bit more western rather than roaring 20’s.

This giant western buckle belt came in the mail last week and sinched the waist beautifully. I threw on these snakeskin cowgirl booties and a matching jacket and called it a day. I literally begged my mom to go to a Party City so I could buy a cowgirl hat but there was just no way we were walking two extra avenues to get there. So, no cowgirl hat….

And there it is, my perfect western-inspired outfit for NYC. I got quite the stares taking these photos and frolicking around in my fringe so please take a second to appreciate these.

jumpsuit // jacket // belt // boots // hoops

China Chic

Easily my favorite outfit of the trip was this look right here. I saw these boots while scrolling through SheIn (of all places) one evening and instantly knew I had to have them. In all honesty, I literally have no place or reason to ever wear them again but they were a HIT. I seriously have never received so many compliments ever on an article of clothing but these were a fan favorite at my two shows of the day and amongst the strangers of the streets.

These knee-high, China inspired boots are by no means comfortable thanks to their geometric shaped heel but they sure as heck make for a killer outfit. Especially when paired with the matching dress. The dress by itself was a bit overwhelming and had a lot going on so I took it upon myself to throw another blazer on.

I belted this baby at the waist with a white belt to give the look some shape and to allow the sleeves and peplum hem of the dress to peek out. I would strut my stuff in this look for the rest of my life if I could; styling this outfit truly made me realize how much I love putting together outfits and creating combinations that although are out of my comfort zone, make me feel as confident as ever. Oh, and I couldn’t have picked a more flattering color to wear for my last full day in the city.

blazer // dress // boots // belt

Mama Mia!

Monday morning my mom left the city which means so did my photographer, so, unfortunately, just these couple of photos will have to do. Because I had to start my venture back to Cleveland at 1 pm, only one outfit today but it was a good one.

I obviously still wanted something cute and trendy but wanted to wear something that would be comfortable for traveling in. For me, that means comfy pants. This pair from SheIn is amazing. They have tiered ruffles along the bottom that give off major Mama Mia vibes. I kept wondering why people were looking at me funny in the airport, only to look down and realize my pants choice did that for me.

This tiger print bodysuit was the perfect option to pair with these pants. The belle sleeves made for even more movement throughout my outfit and a little animal print was just the note this trip needed to finish on. I’m wearing those same black sock booties which at this point were not a good decision but they truly were the only thing that looked fabulous with this outfit and you know how it is… #priorities

bodysuit // pants // boots // hoops 

All in all, my first New York Fashion Week was incredible. Seeing designs up close in person, getting to network, and seeing my mom were all highlights of the trip but there was truly nothing more fabulous than getting to experiment with my own personal style.

This week made me fall in love, all over again, with styling outfits. I wore some crazy things and yet at the end of the day, they all felt so “me”. I was itching each day to grab pictures in each look so I could share my outfits and I was overwhelmed with love and support as I shared my creations with you. What an awesome feeling that is!

Being back at school has made me realize that I can dress this way every single day if my heart desires; after all, isn’t the saying “dress like it’s the best day of your life?!” Anywho, that’s a wrap for Part 1 of my NYFW series. I will catch you all soon for a recap on this week’s itinerary!

With love, McKenz

Latest Post: Weekly Wrap Up #6 2020
Related Post: New York Fashion Week in Review Spring 2018
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