Glamazons,
I love my #NYFWCrawl crew! New York Fashion Week is exhilarating but draining so it’s great to have your friends there for support and just plain fun. And boy, did we have a blast! In fact, so many amazing things happened, it feels like a month whisked by and not just a week!
Let’s walk through all the festivities, ok?
My #NYFW started out two days early at the Target fashion show front row next to Christina of LoveBrownSugar and Ty of Gorgeous in Grey.
I checked out all the cool Target style trends (black and white, tailored and embellished looks), gagged over the incredible dancers dressed in red and white, drooled over the male models and caught up with my blogger friends…in a tutu no less. Fun times! Check out the entire recap here.
The next day, I headed over to the Renaissance Hotel for a swanky editor luncheon held by Harlem Fashion Row.
I sat next to my love Julee Wilson of Huffington Post Black Voices to preview the designs before the Fashion Week show.
One of my favorite designers, Kimberly Goldson, showed off to-die-for wideleg trousers with a ‘Brooklyn bridge’ print (above) and I checked out bright printed dresses by Modahnik (below). Loved it all!
The next day I hurried to the first show of New York Fashion Week, BCBGMaxAzria. It was brilliant!
You guys know I went crazy for the whimsical floral prints and white separates (told you white’s a huge #NYFW trend!). There were so many wearable pieces to fall in love with. Full review here.
Next, I met up with Christina and we went backstage at Tadashi Shoji with MAC Cosmetics. Get the tea on the ethereal makeup look, inspired by pastels and watercolor, here.
Christina went to the show and met up with her bestie, Amber Riley of “Glee.” How cute are they?
While she rubbed shoulders with Amber, I ran home for a quick meal and found my Rent The Runway package waiting for me at the door. It was like Fashion Christmas!
I rented the Rachel Roy dress (outfit post here) and Clover Canyon dress (check it out here). How I wish I didn’t have to send them back!
Aren’t they glorious?
Danielle of Style and Beauty Doctor fell in love with Rent The Runway accessories, nabbing pieces from Dannijo, House of Harlow 1960, Erickson Beamon, Gemma Redux and Kenneth Jay Lane:
Since Christina‘s expecting, she rocked some of their bump-friendly dresses like this adorable frock from Issa London:
Lexi went crazy for the dresses, especially this one from Trina Turk:
Needless to say, we loved all our deliveries that day!
Since I knew I’d have a long night out, I used Eden BodyWorks Peppermint Tea Tree Hair Milk on my hair to blend my leaveout with my extensions and ensure my natural curls stayed defined.
Thank God the hair milk holds up in humidity because I was about to embark on the craziest shopping party of the week.
That’s right: the Phillip Lim for Target pre-launch event was a complete circus that night! Danielle arrived before Christina and I, and she picked up the sweater dress in boom print for me (what a great friend she is!).
By chasing down the Target staff, I was able to score the leopard print dress and blazer, navy leather panel dress and my new favorite black bag as well.
Christina got the brown carryall bag:
And Danielle got this adorable camo sweatshirt – love the way she styled it:
I also spotted Jessica Alba and Solange in the chaos, dressed head-to-toe in Phillip Lim for Target.
And yes, my hair stayed in place (that Eden Bodyworks hair milk is magical I tell you!). Get the full recap here.
No rest for the weary – the next morning I was up at 9:15am, throwing on my Rachel Roy dress from Rent The Runway and rushing to the “Project Runway” finale taping:
And it was SO worth the lack of sleep: I saw Her Royal Highness Kerry Washington, who served as the guest judge for the final show.
She didn’t share any “Scandal” Season 3 secrets with reporters, but boy, did she look perfect!
It was a star-studded day for me because at the next show, Rebecca Minkoff, Christina and I caught a performance by Janelle Monae. We went backstage first and it was hilarious that Christina recognized Janelle‘s “Q.U.E.E.N.” song from the first few notes.
When a publicist confirmed Janelle was indeed performing, we screamed (and the models, hairstylists and nail artists backstage looked over like there was an accident. No, just two Janelle Monae stans).
Her performance was as cool as the clothes: printed separates, acid bright pencil skirts and masterful lace-up sandals.
And I swear Janelle‘s going to rock the models’ hairstyle one day: an unstudied, rock-and-roll braided updo by Tresemme. Loved it!
Get the scoop on the hair here.
That night was a tribute to Harlem. I went to the Harlem’s Fashion Row presentation at Jazz at Lincoln Center, where I sat front row beside journalism greats like Robin Givhan and Michaela Angela Davis, and celebs like Elise Neal.
The red carpet at Harlem’s Fashion Row
Kimberly Goldson stole the show with this stunning sequin gown.
That night, I partied in Harlem at Red Rooster with Geneva of Uptown Magazine, Elaine from Teen Vogue, Julee and Christina because what else do you do when you’re dead tired but go dancing?!
I was happy I went because halfway through the night, Stevie Wonder randomly walked past us and I swear to you, I stopped breathing.
I’m the biggest Stevie Wonder stan. He’s created a song for every stage in my life from birth (“Isn’t She Lovely?”) to wedding (“Overjoyed” for the ceremony, “As” for the reception). I could go on. Christina said my face froze for like ten minutes…hilarious!
The next morning, I had to be up early for backstage at Jill Stuart, and the lack of sleep was already starting to take its toll on my skin. I’m talking fashion pimples. Le Sigh.
Time to dig in Shea Moisture‘s #NYFW Survival kit! I used Shea Moisture African Black Soap to help get rid of blemishes and followed up with the hydrating Shea Moisture Raw Shea Facial Mask to get my glow back. It worked because I didn’t look as tired as I felt.
I threw on my Phillip Lim for Target blazer and headed to the tents, where I found my new holiday party makeup look via Jill Stuart.
Get into this strong smoky eye (smudged Givenchy liner) with a pop of metallic silver eyeshadow in the corner of the eye plus glowing skin (I already had that down thanks to my Shea Moisture intervention that morning):
After Jill, I went backstage at Tibi where I ran into model Ataui Deng whose skin looked perfect (remarkable because she had to be just as busy and sleep-deprived, right?!).
She told me her skincare regimen is all about washing her face twice a day and paying attention to her diet: lots of water, vegetables and no red meat.
Taking Ataui‘s advice, I grabbed a bottle of Evian water from inside Lincoln Center before heading to Charlotte Ronson.
I snapped this picture of the designer and her models in printed blouses, motorcycle jackets, belted dresses, chunky heel sandals and funky green shades:
As I’m walking out of Lincoln Center, I haphazardly stumble into a crowd of people surrounding Paris Hilton. GAG!
I look up and I’m right next to her so I took the opportunity to take a #selfie while people ran and screamed around us (hence the terrified look on my face).
I pulled myself together long enough to swoon over this coral cape and pants look at Monique Lhuillier…
…before heading uptown for dinner with the #NYFWCrawl crew to celebrate Lexi of LexiWithTheCurls getting into town from Atlanta. Let the party begin!
The #NYFWCrawl crew reunited!
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Good eats.
I think the next day was more fun because Lexi was in town.
After throwing on my Clover Canyon dress from Rent The Runway, I went to “Books and Brunch” hosted by Christina, Lianne Farbes of The Makeup Girl and best selling author Tamika Newhouse. Danielle and I attended and thoroughly enjoyed the waffles, mimosas and conversation about being entrepreneurs.
Afterwards, we met up with Gabi of Gabi Fresh at Tracy Reese, before heading over to the RewardStyle party on the rooftop of The Empire Hotel.
The #NYFWCrawl crew in full effect!
Me twirling in my Clover Canyon dress via Rent The Runway
Every blogger I know was there (and as Makeda of Glamazon Diaries pointed out, most of them were wearing Valentino Rock Studs, the official shoe of fashion blogging, lol!).
I met Aimee of Song of Style:
…laughed it up with Chescaleigh:
…had quality time with my love, Gabi:
…chatted with my boo Kristin of FashionStyleBeauty:
…kiki’d with my darling Jihan of Fashionista:
…and gave good face with Claire of The Fashion Bomb Daily:
And then, we took this blogger yearbook photo with everyone in attendance. THIS is a classic!
So much fun!
And the good times kept rolling.
That night, we headed over to The Glam Network dinner, always one of my Fashion Week highlights.
Lexi, Danielle and I dressed up for the occasion (Lexi and I in Rent The Runway, Danielle in a dress from Century 21).
And we got photobombed by Marie Denee of Curvy Fashionista and Ty of Gorgeous in Grey. Funniest picture ever.
The best part of the night? I won a gift certificate to Christian Louboutin for $750! Look at God. I swear Danielle is my lucky charm (I also found my phone one time after losing it at a party thanks to her…long story).
I texted Christina to tell her I won and the first thing she says is: “Girl, you already own fifty-eleven Louboutins.”
This is true. The last thing I need is a gift certificate to feed my addiction (but I’ll take it! Thanks GLAM!).
The next day, I woke up early, rushed to the tents and found the suit of my Olivia Pope-wannabe dreams: this blue pastel number at Pamella Roland.
The lace top and messy updo are perfect, don’t you think?
Loved the hair so much I almost wanted to change mine….almost. I rocked messy waves that day with the help of Eden BodyWorks curl defining creme (on my extensions) and control edge gel (on my leaveout). I then teased it out because, well, the bigger, the better.
Leaving the tents, I ran into a rush of people chasing after Ciara (am I a chaos magnet?!):
Crazy!
I then managed to check out the futuristic printed cut-out dresses at Falguni & Shane Peacock…
and the dreamy ode to the ’70s with shimmery gowns and big hair at Reem Acra…
…before I had a breakdown.
All the running around and lack of sleep finally got to me so I went home and ate.
Deeply in need of some TLC, I took a relaxing bath using Shea Moisture‘s Olive & Green Tea Body scrub (the scent soothes me like no other) from their #NYFW survival kit. Then, I went to bed.
Finally!
Sadly, I missed my #NYFWCrawl girls at the Cosmo for Latinas party:
Danielle met Adrienne Bailon – love their lippies in this picture!
Bummed I missed the night’s activities but alas, exhaustion is not chic so I had to go home and sleep.
More refreshed the next day, I put on a tutu for Badgley Mischka:
Check out outfit details here. The tutu was super appropriate as what came down the runway was a whimsical wonderland of tulle and sequins:
Hey Arlenis!
Next on my #NYFW agenda? Naeem Khan.
I was floored by the gorgeous embroidery adorning the front of caftans and the train of stunning floor-length gowns:
The most awe-inspiring piece was an embellished capsleeve wedding gown that closed the show:
Breathtaking!
After the show, I managed to photobomb the front row i.e. June Ambrose and Iggy Azalea:
SMH at myself. This may be my first photobomb ever, though the time when I randomly ended up in the second row behind Eve and Ashlee Simpson at Nicole Miller comes close.
That night, I went to one of my favorite parties of Fashion Week, Cocktails & Couture, where I chatted with the host of the event, the amazing Lianne Farbes.
And the next day, for my last show of the season, I went backstage at The Blonds with Danielle where we fell in love with the oversized blonde buns, yellow eyeshadow and quirky nail art, all a tribute to the show’s muse: Tweety Bird!
Get the scoop on the look here.
We heard Kanye West was randomly walking through Milk Studios, where the show was held, but sadly we didn’t run into him or North West. Boo!
That night, we sent back our Rent The Runway finds (so hard to say goodbye!) and enjoyed a couple of days of R&R before recapping all the fun on Bag Ladies Live radio.
Listen below for our talk about how we started the #NYFWCrawl, how we deal with competition in the world of blogging and the best place to be at Fashion Week shows (hint: it’s NOT front row)!
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We had a blast! Hope you enjoyed following our crazy adventures.
And don’t forget to check my #NYFWCrawl crew’s recaps over at Style and Beauty Doctor, LoveBrownSugar and Lexi With The Curls!
Until the next crawl,
Glamazon Jessica
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