A DIVE INTO RUNWAY MANIA
Black Cap | Sequin Handbag | Belt | Black Dress
A SMALL CAVEAT…I really hope you read my initial New York fashion week blog I put out last month. It will essentially answer the question, “What is New York Fashion Week? “How does it work?” “How do you get invited?” If you haven’t read it yet, do yourself a favor and take a peek at it before reading this one. If you have already read it, or just want to join me in the ring for round two, LET’S GO FOR IT!
Embracing the Beautiful Madness of New York City
The question I’ve been asked the most this week…”What was your favorite part?” I put this answer at the end of my blog. You’ll completely understand why once you see the video at the end, and 1000% agree with me! But for now, let’s dive straight into all the fun details!
By some God-given miracle, my super busy daughter Kelley, who is in the middle of her three-year NICU fellowship program, was able to come for the first four nights of fashion week. The first good news was that upgrading her to first class only costs $80, which is where the mimosas started flowing and the party got started!
I had made up my mind before leaving that I had to prepare myself mentally and physically for the seven crazy hectic days. It’s like a vacation to Vegas and by day three you are so worn out but you simply have to push through! But this situation was on steroids since I was there six nights and seven days! I made up my mind to always dress up, go to every event possible, stay positive, and always “put my face on” flawlessly (my grandmother’s term for ladies putting make-up on).
After checking into our suite at The Westhouse Hotel, we quickly unpacked, picked out our gorgeous outfits, and went to dinner at one of my favorite speakeasy’s called Beauty and Essex. I wore a LaPointe red ostrich cape over a fitted dress from Popilush. Kelley dove straight into my closet peruse, also choosing a LaPointe skirt and top and pairing it with my reversible fur travel coat. We have so much fun dressing up together!
Black Dress | Red Ostrich Cape | Heels | Necklace | Sequin Handbag
On a side note regarding Popilush. You MUST check out their stuff. Their shapewear dresses are less than $100 with a built-in bra and bodysuit. But the best part is…(how do I say this politically correct)…the overlapping crotch makes it easier to use the toilet. Essentially ladies, you pop a squat and pee without having to undress. 😱 HECK YES!
AND AWAY WE GO…….
I knew from the beginning that our first full day in New York would be the busiest, most hectic day of the week and I was up for the challenge! Our schedule included professional hair and make-up, afternoon tea at The Plaza, the highly anticipated Siriano show, a group dinner with ten friends, and the Siriano after-party. 💃🏼
The words that I would describe 90% of the runway shows and parties afterward are “fun” and “lovely”. The words that I would use to describe Christian Siriano’s runway show and after-party are “exuberant” and “untamed”! His show was once again at the lovely Pierre Hotel. It’s the perfect setting with the most gorgeous tree right in the center. When attending any runway show, you are given an assigned seat.
I felt so sorry for the very large man sitting in front of us. He was not feeling the standard folding chair and a tight squeeze of all the guests packed in like sardines, as he had an understandably sweaty nervousness about him, fearing the chair would completely collapse once he took his seat. Don’t worry though, he made it through
I wore my couture Siriano metallic pants suit with the most striking coat tail. This look is so fun and eye-catching. I fell in love with the material at last year’s runway show, then met with Siriano and his team in Dallas for a fitting, and wallah, the perfect look! My daughter looked stunning as always in my Dolce & Gabbana red flower suit.
Funny note…she wore this look to my Christmas party last year and decided to horizontally wobble in it. So if it survived that, I knew it would survive New York
His show was spectacular and of course my fav! I have been asked how to describe it. The proper answer is it was a lovely evening-wear focused collection embodying glamour and elegance. But since I’m not always known for being proper, I would say this… I felt like I was in the middle of a fantastic fantasy-action movie. For example; the number one look I loved and plan on “couturing”, if that’s a word, reminds me of Peter Pan’s Tinker Bell blowing fashion fairy dust all over us gullible ladies wanting to buy more-more-more! Then my other favorite look was a black laser-cut vegan leather pants suit, which made me think of badass superheroes like Cat Women or Jean Grey and Storm from X-Men, all ready to glamorously kung-fu your ass!
Pant Suit | Black Tube Top | | Green Dress | Sequin Handbag | Tall Boots
The main reason why I am drawn to his fashion is that it is not only unexpected, but it has a real world appeal. He had over 60 looks! Think about that for a second. That is so much work for one spring look. As we watched all the models elegantly sashay past us, there was a profound sense of appreciation and respect for what the designers and their teams do. The time and effort that must go in to each look, starting from the initial drawing of the look on paper, to the model wearing it down the runway! The fashion industry employees over 300 million people worldwide and this show was just was just a little glimpse into their beautiful cause and effect. (When I typed out the word “sashay”, I had a fun memory pop up of my daughter and I trying to imitate the models walking down our hotel hallway at the end of the night! If walls could talk😂). Later in the week, I went into Siriano’s studio brainstorming ideas of how to make the perfect, one of a kind look from my favorite of the 60 looks from the runway show, but more on that later.
After we left the runway, Kelley and I celebrated her first show by having cocktails at The Baccarat Hotel, being driven back to our hotel in their fancy Mercedes Maybach house car, quickly changing out of my pants into a dress, meeting up with friends for a wonderful dinner, then swooping off to the after party.
If there is one thing Kelley and I have in common…it’s we LOVE to dance! The after party is so cool, as not only do the runway attendees go but all the models are there. One quick story…I was chatting with one of the young over-sized models. It was so neat to hear her story as she was living in the mid-west just four months ago, never realizing she could be a model at her size. She started modeling classes, then moved to New York to pursue her dreams! We of course started following each other on Instagram and I can’t wait to see her career unfold. We had an absolute blast dancing and eventually made our way back to the hotel room at 1:00 am.
An Unexpected Love
The next morning we attended the Jonathen Cohen presentation. I was in heaven as his line is literally a symphony of colors. The way he layers his pieces are so unexpected; for example, he layers a dress over a skirt or big pants. So unusual! I loved looking back at all my photos and videos of his collection and would love to be in the mind of a designer like him just for 30 minutes. Who thinks of pairing a Swarovski crystal belt with tie-dye fabric? And here is the BEST part about this new introduction to Jonathen Cohen…is that I was invited to meet him and view his new collection this week in Dallas for a little cocktail soiree at The Conservatory. Woo hoo!
A little side note: When looking at the looks all put together, I think it’s important to realize that you don’t have to wear the exact look. You may just like the skirt or just like the blouse. You can create your own looks with each piece and make it your own, which is what is so fun for me.
Whispers Behind Closed Doors
This next part is soooo darn cool! Sally LaPointe decided to not do a runway show this year. I was initially disappointed of course, but now I totally understand why. She decided to do something completely different and keep her spring collection a secret in order to unveil it later in the week, surprising her followers with a muse collection featuring Oprah Winfrey. Designers don’t keep their collection a secret, so this was a bold move on her part. Here’s the cool part…her team invited only 20 people into her studio to view the collection, and I was one of the 20! I felt very privileged!
There was a strict no-pictures allowed policy, which you know I don’t do well with, but I made it through. Kelley and I got to chat with Sally and try on a few of the pieces. I did some measuring and absolutely can’t wait to pick out some futures. (I went into detail about what futures are and the process of fashion week in my August blog). I am leaning towards the denim looks as her options are once again stand-out pieces and not your everyday denim.
After this wonderful experience, we walked around the west side of town, hob-knobbing with the university students completley over dressed, eating at a local sandwich shop and popping into boutiques. I had a few little kids just staring at my yellow ostrich dress wondering, “what in the heck is this lady wearing?” I would just lean over and tell them I was related to Big Bird on Sesame Street 😄. They seemed to be ok with that :). Dinner rolled around and we ended up at the Buddha Bar, followed by another night of dancing at a speak easy called Bathtub Gin. (Watch the video and you’ll understand the name.)
What’s so fun about being close to your daughter is nights like these! Let’s just say, speak easy’s don’t typically turn into dance floors!
Sunshine and Smiles: A Sunday Funday Adventure
What an absolute gorgeous day this was! After slowly waking up out of bed and grabbing a quick croissant and espresso, we attended another runway show. I will now say two things regarding this show…there was literally not ONE piece of clothing either of us liked, but the people watching was fabulous! I guess you can’t win them all with these lines but we had the best time.
We then met up with @jetgirlstephanie, aka Stephanie, who I met last year at the LaPointe runway show and we became IG friends. That’s one part of this fashion journey that I truly love. I meet so many amazing women and men along the way and begin all kinds of new friendships. Stephanie; for example, not only does she adore fashion, she got her pilot license just five years ago and now flies private planes for NetJets for goodness sake! We dove straight into conversation as my dad was a fighter pilot and a commercial airline pilot, finishing up his career flying private. (Her story is incredible and it actually inspired me to start doing a podcast one day interviewing influential, successful women. What do you think of that idea?)
After lunch, the magic moment arrived as Kelley and I had an appointment at Christian Siriano’s studio. Siriano has two executive assistants, @cdimedonenyc and @themollydarcy, aka, Carl and Mallory. I ended up going by there two times during the week and having a wonderful time.
Some of you might ask, “Why choose couture as it seems so expensive?” Let me give you my thoughts on this. No, I wouldn’t normally spend this much on an outfit, obvi. But I view these purchases as your paying for the EXPERIENCE. It’s kind of like spending your whole day at a five star resort and spending twice as much on a 60 minute massage. You don’t spend that money on the massage, you spend it on the experience. Sitting by the pool having lunch and cocktails with a friend or family member, shopping in their boutiques, stepping into their sauna, their steam room, and plunge pool while drinking champagne with loved ones is an experience. I am willing to pay $350 for a 60 minute massage that down the street would be $100, if it brings everyone joy. That’s EXACTLY how I view the world of couture.
I don’t do it often, but when I do it’s full of new friendships, memories, smiles, and laughter. Every time I put on that couture outfit, I will be reminded of all of these blessings! What did I pick? This go around I am zoning in on an outfit for my yearly Christmas party. It’s also a look that can easily be worn to a gala or formal event, but a little flirty, flair to it. I am currently waiting on the pricing of the fabric I like. If we agree, they will create the look we come up with and I will do my first fitting when they come to Dallas next, sometime this fall. If I feel like it is too expensive, I will simply pick a different look. Easy-cheesy!
Cartful of Delights: Embracing the Joys of Shopping 🛒🛍️
What’s funny about NYFW is you really don’t have that much time to shop. It’s full of presentations, runway shows, two hour lunches, champagne stops, and dinners. I knew I was not going to buy a lot as I set my big blue eyes on the couture look and the futures of LaPointe! But I did buy two timeless accessories. A Dolce & Gabbana belt and a velvet hat that also has a pull down veil inside. That was sooo much fun in the D&G store. I also bought a cute hat from a local hat shop. But the number one shopping experience was with Kelley! Although I’ve given her some of my designer handbags, she has never had her own luxury, retail shopping experience. Some of you ladies know exactly what I’m talking about.
You walk into these over-the-top, two-story storefronts full of one-of-a-kind window displays, extreme mood lighting, the perfect mix of warm and bright colors, shiny objects everywhere calling your name, and of course THE DISPLAYS OF HANDBAGS, JEWELRY, AND FASHION! Just typing that makes me sigh with a smile.
Sunglasses | Earrings | Bucket Bag
I had decided earlier in the week not to buy her five different outfits, which is what I would normally do, but to have an amazing in-person shopping experience in the Louis Vuitton store off 5th Avenue. The personalized sales associate treated her like a queen! She tried on jewelry, scarves, and other accessories, and of course, browsed all the bags. It was such a joy watching my daughter enjoy herself. She works so hard and deserved her moment! We walked out of there, or should I say, we danced out of there with her signature LV large yellow bag in hand with ear-to-ear smiles!
Exploring the Other Highlights of Our Journey
After my daughter flew back home on a 6:00 am flight to get back to work overnight that same day from 4:00 pm to 8:00 am (God bless her), my dear friend Jeanette flew in from Dallas to meet me. Jeanette is not only one of the most kind-hearted women I know, her closet is actually bigger than mine with even more designer handbags, shoes, and outfits! One thing I’ve learned from JJ (this is what we like to call her), is that she pulls out a designer piece she bought 15 years ago and still rocks it!
The quality of high-end fashion and accessories is so incredible that they really do pass the test of time. After she arrived, we walked the streets of New York like pros, went shopping in local boutiques, bought matching hats in Dolce & Gabbana, and had an amazing time in Bergdorf’s. We had some fabulous champagne and wine together (she is an avid lover of both), incredible dinners, and attended my friend, Cynthia Rowley’s runway show. Her show was so stunning with the bay and city lights behind the runway. They set up 50 cars to light up the models and the weather was perfect!
(This is for another blog, but I hosted Cynthia twice, doing trunk shows at my Texas and Laguna house).
My Daily Looks
I’m not gonna lie. Getting prepared for the week was not an easy feat. I shipped most of it from California, flew back to Texas, the following day had a photo shoot in my closet with a local magazine, then packed and flew out the following day. I had two large suitcases, one small one, and a huge never-full Louise Vuitton purse so I wouldn’t squash my handbags and hats. Would I do it all again…1000%? Will it be this hectic again next year? Most likely, yes! I completely overpacked and had so many fun options. The hardest part hands down is THE SHOES! It’s New York for goodness sake. What I have done for the last two years is I buy brand new white tennis shoes, wear them while walking around, and carry my heels with me in my handbag. That is key to any successful fashion week journey. What was my favorite look? Probably the Alice and Olivia dress with my tennis shoes. So cute, feminine, and fun!
Floral Pants | Floral Top | White Purse | Green Blazer
Similar Floral Outfit | Floral Dress | Heels | White Purse
Graphic Dress | Pink Dress | Heels | White Purse
The Sweetest Moment
Now for the best part……”Amy, what was your favorite part?” Well, it wasn’t the caviar at The Plaza and it wasn’t the couture. It was my CENTRAL PARK experience!
Eleven years ago, Kelley and I were walking through the park and decided to create a “jump pose” off a bench. If you know anything about these poses just remember, looks can be deceiving! It’s like looking through a side mirror and it says, “objects in the mirror are larger than they appear”. That’s the definition of a jump pose as you look like you jumped off a trampoline, but in reality, it’s just a few feet. We got the shot in 2013 and returned for another New York trip in 2014 and got the same pose again from the same location. Eleven years later in 2024, we obviously had no idea where this bench was and went on the hunt. We found the bench, asked a nice homeless man to politely move, as well as giving him $10, and on the second or third try, we got the shot…AGAIN! We left so happy.
I told Kelley how cool these pics will be once I’m long gone and how we should make this a tradition for all the grandkids to come. Out of all the fabulous things we did, why was it my favorite? It doesn’t matter how much money you have or how many designer items you own. What matters most is your relationships with your family and friends and the memories you create together! I recently turned 51 years old. It’s a strange thing to ponder being half a century old. It makes you realize just how precious each moment is and how quickly it all goes by. Gratitude is the ability to experience life as a gift, and my time with my family and friends is just that…A GIFT FROM GOD!
“You don’t know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are like a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” James 4:14 . SO CARPE DIEM MY FRIENDS AND SEIZE THE DAY!
I love you, NY❤️
I’d like to give a special thanks to @shopwithbonnie, my dear friend, Bonnie Smith. If it wasn’t for her, none of this would be possible without her introductions, support, and friendship. 🫂
Restaurants & Bars
Bars:
- PHD rooftop bar
- Bathtub Gin speakeasy
- Polo Bar (make a resy)
Restaurants
- Roscioli’s (authentic Italian originated in Rome)
- Cathedral (great music)
- Serendipity – iconic desserts
- Blanca – fine dining
- Nougatine – the best dover sole
- Elio’s
- Afternoon tea at The Plaze of course!
To God be the Glory for all the things He has done!
Love you all,
Amy
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.
