If you’ve been following along with me on Instagram and Facebook, you know that NYFW was complete craziness. Shows, presentations, networking, events… it feels like I just left a beautiful whirlwind. The strangest feeling is that after months of planning – clothing, shoot locations, restaurants, and events – it’s all over. I’m feeling nostalgic already.

Even though I’ve been blogging for over a year, NYFW really made me feel connected to the industry that I’ve been talking about for so long. It’s inspiring and I would 100% go back again.

That being said, going to my first show and the prep for it was a nerve-wracking experience. I wasn’t sure what to expect or what to wear. For those of you thinking of attending for the first time, or for those of you returning – here are 10 tips I’ve learned over the course of the week.

1. plan your accommodation location around the shows.

My friend and I selected our Airbnb in the adorable neighborhood of Williamsburg in Brooklyn. It was bright, light, airy, and even had a huge fig tree in the living room. We loved our host and that whole experience. But if I had to do it all over again, I would have picked something in Manhattan or really anything in the city.

You might most likely will have multiple shows to visit in one day and not having a home base to go back to is exhausting. You want to look fabulous, but staying faraway means that you really have to consider what you’re wearing. In a lot of cases I had to go for a more utilitarian look just because getting home meant a 25-minute walk and the subway. It also means that touching up your makeup and fixing your hair is nearly impossible.

I’d also note, that if you want to do outfit changes in between shows, it’s basically impossible to stay in a place that is 25+ minutes away. My new rule of thumb is a 15 minute Uber or less.

A couple of other accommodation notes:

• If you plan to go with a group of 3-4 people, this will dramatically reduce cost
• Plan in advance! Nice and inexpensive spots go fast. So as soon as you know you’re going, book that accommodation ASAP.
• If you’re traveling by yourself or with one more person, consider a “private room” option. This will greatly reduce the cost of your stay.

2. print business cards.

Even though everyone told me to do this, I honestly just ran out of time and didn’t have a chance before leaving. These are really important for networking. I had quite a few people ask for cards. Especially if you get photographed by a street photographer, you’re going to want to give them your card for sending you the pictures later.

Your cards should be simple and on brand. I would include: Name, Email, Social Media Handles, Location, & Website.

3. get “avant garde” but be true to your style.

I’m not sure where I read this tip, but while I was prepping for NYFW, I originally was gravitating towards crazy things that weren’t my style. At. All. What I ended up picking was attire that was true to my style with a slight edge that gave it a “fashion week” feel.

What is super interesting is that when you people watch, it’s so easy to spot who is dressed authentically, and who clearly is wearing something they’d never wear in real life. I’m not sure what it is, but it’s something to do with confidence. You tend to be more confident when you’re wearing something that really portrays who ‘you’ are.

4. get to the shows 45 minutes early for a good spot, or 15-20 minutes early for more photography opportunities.

I would say every attendee’s (blogger) dream is to be captured by a street photographer. This can totally shoot you to stardom if the right person catches your look and it goes viral. When you’re a bigger account that is well known, I think that either way you’ll get photographed. But if you’re like me and still working on your presence in the blogosphere, there’s a decision you have to make for this.

For most shows, if you’re under 10k followers, you’ll likely get standing room tickets for a show. That means it’s very first come first serve. If you’re late to a busy show, you might not even get let in the door. (I will note that I was able to sit down in almost all shows despite having standing tickets). But when you’re standing, that means you want to arrive 45 minutes early to a show. The problem however, is that if you arrive 45-1hour early, many photographers won’t be around. They tend to catch attendees walking into shows.

That’s where you have to make a decision – what matters more to you?  Arriving early and grabbing a good seat/spot, or arriving closer to start time to potentially catch the eye of photographers?

5. come with a squad and color coordinate.

Some people go to NYFW alone and power to you. I would say this tip is really only an added bonus. When you go in a group, what tends to happen is the cheerleader effect. The group looks really good as a whole…. Especially if you’re color coordinated. I realized that the people you’re with are really your accessories (just like you’re theirs!) If you’re going with a group to a show, try to plan a full group look. I loved what the Vic Styles and her friends did here.

6. plan around the weather.

I started planning my looks about a month and a half. But the week before my trip I was watching the weather like a hawk. I was in denial of it raining over the week, and ignored it while planning. Looking back, I could have had some really cool rainproof looks. Moral of the story, keep an eye on the weather and adapt accordingly.

7. Bring a charger.

Your phone will run out of battery. Especially if you’re out and about all day. Snapchat, videos, photos… they will all eat your battery. Having a portable charger is absolutely necessary. Unless you want a dead phone and can’t document your experience.

8. Be the extrovert.

I can be pretty shy, especially in new situations. FW has this odd phenomenon where people just don’t talk to each other. My theory is that they do that to appear “cool” and “aloof.” But the people around you will likely be next to you for at least an hour, so you might as well network and talk!

I made FW friends with some bloggers from all over the US, Ecuador, and even Guatemala! It all started with simple things like

• “I love your coat” or
• “Is this your first time at FW?” or
• “what do you do in the industry?”

I found that these little questions really started the conversation rolling. It also made me realize that most people want to talk to each other but they don’t know how. Be the extrovert!

9. your IG follower count will feel like everything, but try not to let it get to you.

I’m going to be 100% honest – there were times during fashion week where I felt inferior, where I wondered what I was doing there, or if I was fashionable enough. The discussion of “what’s your Instagram handle?” doesn’t help. Follow count will feel like everything, but try not to let it get to you.

While I’ve heard a couple horror stories of “exclusivity” – one of my friends was chatting with another blogger. When it came to discussing Instagram, the other blogger saw my friend was under 10K and quickly lost interest. This didn’t actually happen to me, but if it does, just shrug it off. All I can say is be prepared to handle it if it does happen.

10. Don’t forget to eat.

I completely forgot to eat on multiple occasions. Especially for the morning shows where I was busy running around getting ready. Put a granola bar in your bag just in case your starving (which I was on multiple occasions).

Interested in other NYFW Post? Check them out below: 

• NYFW Spring 2018 Show Roundup
• Prepping for NYFW