5 Lessons Learned from Attending the #rSNYFW Party + 5 Bonus Fashion Week Trends!

Yesterday, I spent the day in NYC to attend the RewardStyle New York Fashion Week Party! It was a fabulous event hosted by RewardStyle, an affiliate network I’m a member of that focuses on fashion, beauty & lifestyle brands, and held on the roof of the Hotel Americano in Chelsea. I had never been to a RewardStyle event before, but when I got the invite, I thought it would be a great opportunity to meet some other bloggers within my network, experience some part of fashion week, and do something unexpected! Of course, I am far from being a fashion blogger, so this whole experience was a new one for me. However, I did my homework, had fun and learned a lot of valuable lessons from the whole experience that I’d love to share with you if you are interested in learning some strategies for breaking out of your comfort zone and fitting in anywhere! And I mean anywhere! A NYFW party was the last place I expected to fit in, but you know what? I did and it wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be!

1. Do your research: As I had never been to this or any similar events in the past, I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect so I did some research. I wanted to find out what the event would be like so I knew generally what to expect, I wanted to know who came to events like this as a reference point for who I might meet, and I desperately needed to figure out what to wear since I am not a fashion blogger. I searched through the #rSNYFW hashtag for images of previous years events, Googled blog posts relating to the event, and spoke to some stylish friends of mine for advice on what to wear. Thankfully, this research helped me to understand what to expect, made me feel comfortable attending the event, and helped me understand what to wear,* which was probably the hardest part of the whole thing for me. A lot of times, things in life are scary or make us nervous because we have never experienced them before. When you know what to expect, it really eases your mind!

2. Connect with new people as soon as possible: Since I was going to an event where I didn’t know anyone, I really wanted to make sure I had a few connections made before I arrived. Thankfully, I had found some tweets and IG pictures of people discussing the event, and made some friends before I arrived. I even met a blogger from my area who ended up taking the same train into the event as I did, which was pretty cool! Although I had no set in stone plans with people, again, it was an ease just knowing that there were some faces in the crowd that were expecting to meet me, which was exciting and comforting. Having a few names and faces worked out before an event like this can make you feel like you have friends waiting for you, which can help you break through any resistance you may be facing.

3. Kindness and a smile (and a glass of Rosé) go a long way: Whenever you do something new or go someplace new, it’s a given that some people there are going to be more experienced and some people are going to be new just like you. I met some girls who had been to the event many times before, and others who were first timers like me, and honestly, you really can’t tell the difference most of the time. Which means, most people won’t be able to spot that you are the newbie in the situation either! So, I found that just moving around, smiling, and being polite was an easy way to spark up conversation. Even just saying excuse me can be an opening line to a whole conversation as I experienced myself more than once at the event! I find that the key is to just start talking, once you have a conversation or two under your belt, its easier to transition to talking to new people who have wandered into your sight line.

4. Everyone is at least a little self-conscious: I would like to say I fluttered around the party like a little social butterfly, but I mostly shuffled around the room bit by bit as the party got pretty packed at one point and navigating was more akin to moving pieces around a chess board! So I ended up meeting people unintentionally based on where I just happened to be standing and where I was able to move to as the crowd shuffled around. While I was making my way, I was honestly surprised at the number of beautiful, well dressed ladies at the party who mentioned being a little self-conscious about their style decisions. It was very reassuring for me that real fashion bloggers had a hard time getting dressed for the event, which made me feel much better about my fashion struggles earlier in the week! The truth is, everyone, even the pro’s, get self-conscious. In some instances, I think the pro’s really have it harder because they are expected to be performing at a certain level, which means the pressure is really on for them. Being a little self-conscious is alright I think, but the key is to own the fact and then find the strength to move past it!

5. You belong: When I first received the invitation to the event, I honestly wasn’t sure I should go. It sounded like it might be fun, it was really not that far for me to travel, and it was a chance for me to network with people I’d never normally network with, no admission fee required! But, I’m not a fashion blogger and I wasn’t sure I belonged at the event! You know what though? I was invited. If I didn’t belong, I wouldn’t have been invited. The truth of the matter was, someone wanted me at the party, even if it was just a computer algorithm, so I did belong there! I met a bunch of new girls and as we sat around exchanging Instagram handles I saw that some girls had bigger followings than me and some had smaller. It was a complete mix without which the party would have been a complete bore! So the next time you are faced with an invitation to an exciting opportunity and you aren’t sure whether or not you belong, YOU BELONG! I promise you if the offer is in front of you and you want to take it, you totally belong and you should totally own that!

BONUS 5 Fashion Week Trends I Learned at the #rSNYFW Party

Here are a bonus 5 things I learned that are fashion and beauty related. I did, after all, attend a fashion party, so I thought you might be interested in some latest and greatest news from fashion week!

1. Rosé is the new “it” drink according to Style It blogger Sarah Conley.

2. Overalls are in this season. I spotted a handful of girls rocking them at the event, most notably Alicia from Cheetah is the New Black.

3. Statement iPhone cases are the best fashion accessory, and RewardStyle Found Amber Venz had the mother of them all with an Absolute Vodka shaped case.

4. Colour Pop lipsticks are fashion week approved! They last all day according to fashion photographer Lydia Hudgens who rocked a bold red lip for the party.

5. Convertible earrings are all the rage, according to style blogger Emily Sklar who wore this pair from Stella & Dot to the event!

What I Wore*

So you are probably wondering what I ended up wearing to the event? Well, after consulting with some stylish friends, I ended up wearing an outfit that was very me and also pretty darn comfortable, which I needed it to be since I was going to be spending the day in the city and traveling by Amtrak. Here is a pic my husband snapped on my way out of the house! I wish I could have gotten some better pics at the party but it’s really hard to take selfies in a crowded room when you are short like me! I wore head to toe Target, which I found to be ironic since I was attending a fashion week event, but my outfit definitely worked. Here’s what I wore:

• Black Merona Jacket
• Black Massimo V Neck T Shirt
• Xhiliation Faux Leather Leggings
• Nude Pumps
• Phillip Lim 3.1 Pashli Bag 
• Dive Bar Ringly Tech Ring
• A Pearl and Crystal Necklace from Charming Charlie

I hope these tips help you to break out of your shell and take advantage of some fun opportunities that may come your way! There is nothing worse than regretting that you didn’t put yourself out there so I hope you take these tips to heart and let me know any success stories you have with these tips!

xoxo,