Mercedes Benz Fashion Week

Setting the Mood: Runway Runaround

By admin|September 8th, 2014|Setting the Mood|

Last Thursday officially marked the beginning of New York Fashion Week although I think brands and PR firms have sneakily stretched one grueling week into two seeing as my Fashion Week began last Tuesday with a party for Fohr Card on the rooftop of the James Hotel and an amazing panel discussion with Zac Posen. From that point forward, it’s been game on. Friends who are not involved in the industry and even those who are have vowed to reunite after the madness has died down next week. As much excitement, beauty, and straight up style Fashion Week brings with it, there’s an equal and opposite amount of stress, snarkiness, and showboating involved. I’ve come to a place in my life and career where I both love and loathe these two times a year (February and September) nearly as much as my annual trip to those shiny silver stirrups, which I think I adequately verbalized last season.

It can be downright infuriating, dealing with the crowds, the egos, and the newbies who haven’t been alive long enough to understand the underlying purpose of the week, but it is a necessary evil and actually being a part of it is truly humbling. Much like all things that are American these days, Fashion Week has become commercialized and almost a social media safari as to who can capture what picture from what show first and from the best angle. It’s a virtual pissing contest that can leave some victorious and others vexed. However, just when I’m about to roll my eyes and begin to grumble as I traipse through Lincoln Center cursing myself for wearing those shoes, I am reminded that at one point in time I was just a little girl from West Virginia playing dress up in her mom’s clothes. Loeffler Randall Work Tote with Haircalf, Italia Independent Velvet Flat Top Sunglasses, Smythson Inspirations and Ideas Notebook, Olloclip iPhone Camera Lens System

xx,

WhyDid

Setting the Mood: Hall Pass

By admin|September 1st, 2014|Setting the Mood|

Many of you have sung summer’s swan song with the commencement of Labor Day, but I would like to take an optimistic moment to point out that the official end of summer isn’t until September 23rd and if this Amazonian jungle like heat is any indication (don’t worry- the worst is coming), we have a few more weeks to revel in the sun. As the city refills with co-eds and those who spent all summer out east and jet setting around the globe, it starts to feel a little bit like a reunion. While I’m several years past returning to the classroom for another semester of mundane lectures and assignments I don’t understand, something about the beginning of September and the onset of Fashion Week festivities feels like the first day of school and trying to find a seat in the cafeteria without spilling your chocolate milk. Fall in New York elicits an excitement that is both magical and anxiety inducing. So, brace yourselves, ladies. Class is in session.

(clockwise): Thakoon Addition Karolina 2 Paneled Snake Effect Leather Brogues, Smythson Superstar Textured Leather Notebook, Illesteva Whitman D-Fram Matte Acetate Glasses, Valentino Embellished Textured Leather Headband

xx,

WhyDid

Why Did You Wear That: Runway Recap- For the Fashion Weak.

By Kirsten|February 17th, 2014|Why Did You Wear That?|

Last week, New York was transformed into a real life, live action perfume ad. Everywhere you looked long legged, bare faced beauties skid across ice covered cobblestone streets on the way to and from castings and shows like little human Bambis. Fashion Week in New York has changed quite a bit in the years since I first started attending shows, especially after changing venues from Bryant Park to Lincoln Center. It seems as if the week has become less and less about the fashion and more and more about snapping photos for social media and angling to have your photo snapped for various web publications (remember, I taught you how here?). Front rows are full of bloggers and people who are wearing bizarre getups, while many buyers are left straining to see the runway while taking notes on the collections’ line sheets. The only places harder to get into than the actual shows are the after parties which are chocked full of celebrities, celebrity hangers on, promoters, underage models, and certainly a rapper or two. I should probably get better at celebrity spotting because after viewing party pictures of an event I’d attended, turns out a newly single Ryan Gosling was a mere banquette and ice cube toss away. Oops.

Factor in the Polar Vortex blizzard like conditions, and not only was it difficult garnering enough motivation to leave my heated apartment, but the actual commute uptown and other various locations was at times painful. Every time I thought I was about to miss a show, I was reminded that by being twenty minutes late, I was actually ten minutes early. And since I have yet to be seated front row at all shows, I always found myself sitting behind people with giant headpieces and vision obstructing hairstyles. As if that didn’t make the task of capturing a clear image of the catwalk daunting enough, be sure that there was a knucklehead (or two) who felt the need to hold his/her iPhone midair for the entire fifteen minutes of fashion. But because I’ve mastered multitasking and warping my body into the most advantageous shape for scoping the show, I was able to capture bits and pieces of my week. Just remember, all my suffering is all for you.

xx,

WhyDid

WhyDid Wisdom: Picture This

By Kirsten|February 10th, 2014|WhyDid Wisdom|

So, you wanna get your picture snapped at Fashion Week.

Well, you’re in luck because it’s not all that difficult. You see, outside of the hypothetical “tents” at Lincoln Center lie photographers on a fashion safari and you’re the creature in the wild whose head is likely to be mounted next to that antelope in the den. It’s a mixed bag out there. Some people are actual photographers from credible media outlets. Others are bloggers capturing street style rather than shows. And then there are people who maybe just so happen to own cameras and decided to hang around as true fashion hangers on. It’s quite the spectacle and if you still think you’d like to find yourself on a .rus website one day a year from now, here are three hard and fast rules to having your mug captured for all of the internet to consume.

Be famous. I believe this is self explanatory, but maybe not because “famous” is relative these days.
Look like a crazy ass Olsen twin who may or may not have ingested bath salts pre-show. In my experience, people who look like total maniacs will always be photographed. This either says a lot about modern day “journalism” or these photographers somewhere along the way mistook freakshow for fashion. Basically layer on the weirdest shit you’ve got laying around your apartment. Add a turban and body glitter for good measure. For some reason, looking insane confuses these photographers and your pic will be snapped for better or worse.
Go fashion editor chic. The last and, in my opinion best, way to get noticed is to be clean, polished, and preferably wearing something designer. Definitely stick on a pair of dark shades so as to add to the mystery. Is she famous? Is she not? Doesn’t matter, they’ll shoot you just to be sure. A fur coat also seems to be the ticket to getting clicked this year. Look important by texting as you breeze by on the way up the stairs and into the shows.

And honestly, even if you don’t want your picture taken, too bad. It’s being taken. As I exited the shows and stuck around for a few to snap some photos of the outdoor ambience, I found that I was being photographed photographing everyone else. No one bothered to ask for my information, outfit details, or hand me a card, so heaven knows where my image may appear on the world wide web. Occupational hazard, I suppose. Welcome to Fashion Week. They don’t call New York the concrete jungle for nothing.

xx,

WhyDid

Why Did You Wear That: New York Fashion Week, The Hangover

By Kirsten|September 16th, 2013|Why Did You Wear That?|

So, you might’ve deduced from the incessant Instagram posts, Tweets, and humble brags that last week concluded the week long bender that is New York Fashion Week. I merely dipped my toes into the chaos of NYFW and feel like I need a visit to Passages Malibu and I can only imagine the way some of the real style obsessed overachievers are feeling today. Oh, right. Half of them have already landed in London. God bless, gals. So, if you aren’t familiar with the goings on of Fashion Week, it’s show after show after show interlaced with parties that you may or may not have to beg, lie, and break into to attend. The entire thing is fun, fabulous, and utterly infuriating. It’s much like the city where I live- a love hate relationship that leaves you feeling both fulfilled and rejected. So, after taking in shows from Deisgual to Daisy Fuentes and partying with A$AP Rocky at Soho House and attending Nas’s 40th birthday (I know!), I’m happy to be laying low and trading in heels for engineer boots for the next several days. You may feel as if you’ve missed out, but I can’t begin to tell you how tiring waiting around all day to watch shows can be. Not to mention, your seat at your desk watching the livestream of Proenza Schouler was probably better than my assigned seat.

On to the next one.

xx,

WhyDid

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