Our Girl’s Trip to NYC for New York Fashion Week – What to Pack, Where to Go & What to Wear

It’s been about two weeks since we’ve been back from NYFW and I’ve thought about it every day since! Heads up, this is going to be a long post, because we covered major ground in six days. For any other bloggers, I’m going to be writing a separate post about how NYFW works, if you’ve never been, and some of my tips and tricks to land invites to shows and more. This post is going to cover everything that we did, what I packed (and wish I would’ve packed), what I wore, where we ate & drink, how we got around, how we planned our days, and things that we didn’t get to that I wish we had! 

TRAVEL PLANS, HOTEL & GETTING AROUND
For any trip that you’ll be booking a flight, I plan on booking as far in advance as you can. There is an app called Hopper that shows you the best time and day to book a flight for the best price. I didn’t use it to book this flight because I was just so excited and felt a time crunch, that I just booked on Delta. We flew into LGA because it was closer and a little cheaper. Luckily, it’s not too big of an airport, so the security and baggage claim was easy. From the airport, we took an Uber to our hotel, which I would recommend.
We stayed at the Crowne Plaza HY36 Midtown Manhattan and absolutely loved it. This hotel is in the Hell’s Kitchen area and we found that it was right in the middle of everything. When booking a trip to any major city, especially NYC, I suggest making sure there isn’t any major events happening. This causes the prices of pretty much everything to increase, so if your dates are flexible and you’re wanting to save some money, do some research first. We felt very safe as far as security and location goes. We were able to walk to a lot of stuff close by without any issues.
The hotel itself was so chic and nice. I loved the lobby and how different it was from other hotel’s that I’ve stayed at. We had two queen beds, and even though our room was a tight fit (all hotels in the city are), we managed to make it work and fit all of our crap for six days. The bathroom had the best lighting for getting ready in, too. Aside from the hotel itself, the staff was amazing. The people who work there are so incredibly nice. They provided us with recommendations on where to eat, handed our Champagne as we walked in at night, helped us transport our luggage and held our important items in the office when we had to check our early before we left for the airport. They truly were amazing! I can’t say enough about the staff there and the service that they provided — 10/10 recommend staying there if you can.
When it came to getting around, I hate to say it, but we took Uber everywhere. Because we were there for NYFW and we had a crazy packed schedule, there wasn’t enough time to walk to many places or risk getting caught in the subway. However, if we weren’t there for NYFW and had more time to do things, I would have walked more and taken the subway because it saves money and give you a chance to explore more. Once you take the subway a few times, you’ll get the hang of it. I’ve been to NYC two times before, and that’s how we got around and it was perfect! I also recommend taxis if you’re in a rush to get somewhere because if you aren’t on a main street, it could take the Uber a little bit to get to you. 

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WHAT I PACKED & WISHED I HAD
I overpacked like crazy and I’m so glad that I did because the weather came out of left field. Obviously, if I was going for a long weekend, I would pack lighter and plan out my outfits better, but because we were there for New York Fashion Week, I wanted to have as many options as possible. When I wasn’t dressing up for shows, I mainly stuck to jeans, sneakers, a cute tee and my leather jacket. 
The best items that I packed and ended up using the most were my Vans, my leather jacket, distressed girlfriend jeans, a backpack, sock booties, hats and graphic tees. I kept my Vans in my bag to change out of heels between shows. You can also pair them with a dress or jeans, so they’re versatile which is another reason why they’re staple at all times. I’m so glad that I purchased a new leather jacket before I left. Before this one, I had been wearing the same one high school. It still looks good, but it was getting tighter and didn’t do a good job of keeping me warm. Since it ended up being rainy and cold in NYC, this kept me warm and dry, but also still on trend. I’m so obsessed with this jacket and it went with all of my looks that I had planned!
My distressed girlfriend jeans were my go-to item. I dressed them up for shows and nights out, but I also dressed them down for our days of exploring. They’re comfortable, versatile and kept me warm, so I was covered everyday. They are perfect to throw on when you can’t come up with anything else. I ended up buying a faux leather backpack the day before we left and I’m so glad that I did because it was a lifesaver in the city. I carried it every single day. From shows to exploring around the city, I took it everywhere. The one I purchased from H&M held more than I thought it would. I kept an extra pair of shoes, my two cameras, my wallet, other necessities and I still had room to shove anything else I needed to in it.
When in doubt, throw on a tee! This tee from Ban.do is my favorite lately. I’ve dressed it up and dressed it down, and I still can’t get enough. I get so many compliments on it! Obviously, this one is a little expensive, but whatever your go-to tees are, pack them. When I wanted to dress up my jeans, I put on my sock booties with a top and I was good to go. The best part about sock booties is how versatile they are. You can pair them with dresses and skirts, jeans, or even shorts, and they look great. I alternate between a few pairs but they’re some of my favorite shoes. 
Last, but certainly not least, hats. Y’all know I wear them every change I get, and a trip to NYC was no different. I alternated between my go-to felt Panama hat and my baker’s boy caps. They were perfect because they amp up any outfit! I’m also glad that I had them because on the days that it was raining, I didn’t have to worry about my hair at all. I kept my bakers boy cap in my backpack with me too, just in case it started to rain!
Other items that I enjoyed having with me were my ribbed maxi dresses, a kimono, a light-knit sweater, Adidas sneakers, a blazer for layering, basics for last-minute outfits, a ball cap for travel, a small clutch for night’s out, and an assortment of sunglasses and jewelry for accessorizing. I always recommend planning out outfits in advance to save room and make the days there less stressful, but always bring extra items and outfits just in case you change your mind! I wish I had looked pack more of a variety. While I had a ton of clothes to dress up in, I didn’t have many casual outfits – hence why I wore the same jeans like every day! This is why you should always look at the weather, think about what you’re going to be doing while you’re there, and plan your looks. Another great idea, that I love to do before traveling is look up outfit ideas on Pinterest. For this trip, I searched ‘NYFW style’ and ‘NYC street style’ to get outfit inspo. I obviously went out and bought a lot of things before going on this trip because I was prepping for NYFW, but you don’t need to buy all new clothes for your trips. That’s why I love searching Pinterest for inspiration so I can recreate looks from my closet!

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HOW WE PLANNED OUR DAYS 
The best way to plan our your days is to first do some research, ask your family and friends, and the write down everything you want to do – from where you want to eat, get drinks, shop, attractions you want to see and everything in between. Then, get a map and mark where they’re all located so you can see what is close to each other. This is extremely helpful when you’re visiting a big city and you’re trying to cover a lot of ground. New York is a lot bigger than it looks and traffic is terrible, so planning out your days according to neighborhoods, areas of the city and times of things you want to do is key. 
Start with the things that you must get tickets for and list those out for each day, then plan around it. For example, when we got tickets to 29 Rooms, The Color Factory and Rosé Mansion, we then planned where we wanted to eat, shop and take photos according to that time and location. This was to make sure we weren’t taking Ubers back and forth all over the place. Another tip for planning your days, in NYC specifically, is to look at the map and work your way up or down. For instance, if you want to take the ferry to Ellis Island and/or see the Statue of Liberty (which I absolutely recommend), then I suggest taking the subway or a cab all the way down to Battery Park, take the ferry over and then once you’re done work your way back up! Also, if you want to go to The Met, take the subway or a cab up there and then explore around there and make your way back down. This way ensures that you aren’t wasting money and back tracking, as long as you plan each stop strategically. 

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WHAT WE DID – PLACES TO GO, THINGS TO SEE, WHERE TO EAT & DRINK
The first few days of our trip were pretty much consumed by NYFW events, but we still managed to cram in an insane amount in six days.
Thursday night: Lucy’s Cantina by MSG
Friday: Style Collective Conference, NYFW show in Tribeca, FWO Opening Night Gala, Tick Tock Diner for late night food
Saturday: full day of NYFW shows, cocktail party at Chelsea Piers/Pier 59 Studios, Idea Coffee, SheIn Pop-Up, dinner at Tavola in Hell’s Kitchen 
Sunday: NYFW shows in the morning, Dumbo for photos under the bridge & lunch, 29 Rooms in Brooklyn, one last show for the weekend, dinner at Park Avenue Tavern, explored around Grand Central Station and ended the night with drinks at Campbell Apartment 
Monday: started the day with The Color Factory, met one of my college friends for lunch at Barn Joo 35, met up with some of my blogger girls at Rosé Mansion, did some shoe shopping at Lord & Taylor, and then ended our night with dinner with one of my good friends who I interned with at a rooftop Mexican restaurant (tip: restaurants in NYC don’t have quest, bye)
Tuesday: we got our hair done by TRESemmé, had coffee at the Papryus booth, walked around Tribeca, explored Canal Street, had lunch at Pietro Nolita, went to The Empire State Building, ate hotdogs on the steps of the August Wilson Theater, saw Mean Girls on Broadway and then ended our night at Haswell Green’s 
Wednesday: after packing up, we took an uber to the Upper East Side and visited The MET before heading to the airport 

Things you must see while in New York: Statue of Liberty, World Trade Center & 9/11 Memorial, Flat Iron Building, Empire State Building, walk around Time’s Square, Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, The MET, Grand Central Station, the Piers, Canal Street 

Places to go: The Campbell Apartment Bar (where Serena lost her V card to Nate in Gossip Girl), Pietro Nolita (the pink as f*ck place), Idea Coffee (drinks in lightbulbs), the Flat Iron Building restaurant, Haswell Green’s (it’s so fun and a lot of Broadway show cast members go after shows), Serendipity, Ladurée, Tick Tock Diner (great late night food and reasonably priced), Cha Cha Matcha, Refinery Rooftop, Press Lounge, Bite Beauty (you can formulate your own Bite lipstick shade & take it home), The Nomad, Flaming Saddles (gay bar), Marie’s Crisis, Fig & Olive, While We’re Young, any Sabrett’s hotdog stand

We didn’t get to see and do everything that we wanted to do, but it was still an amazing trip. I highly recommend prioritizing what is an absolute must for you so you can make sure that those things are not missed! I also recommend looking into the ticket lottery for the live show tapings of The Tonight ShowGood Morning AmericaToday ShowSaturday Night LifeLive with Kelly and Ryan, etc. because I’ve heard they are so fun, but they fill up quick! We were lucky enough to get two tickets for GMA very last minute, but it was the morning of the day we were leaving and just couldn’t make it work. 

WHAT I WORE

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I know this post was super long, but I tried to cover all the grounds that you guys asked for! If I missed anything, please leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you. I hope you all found this post helpful and insightful! If you’re planning a trip to NYC anytime soon or have questions on where to start, please shoot me and DM, I’d love to help! And if you’re a fashion blogger yourself and you’ve never been to NYFW, but you’d like know how I went and the behind the scenes work, stay tuned because I will be writing a separate post all about it! I’ll be including all the details of how I planned my trip, who I reached out to, where I got my contacts from, the shows I went to and what I did when I was there. Thanks for reading, babes!