NYFW 2009: Some Lessons Learned

Fashion Week has now come and gone (at least until February!), and it has truly been a fun journey. From hanging out in the tents, checking out the shows, and meeting great people, I have been privileged to have had a chance to be part of the festivities. Of course, along the way I learned a few important lessons. I am now going to share some of them with you.

1. Don't bother with the heels...unless they're comfortable! You will be out of them in a half hour, or you'll have to suffer through the pain. No one cares if you are wearing heels or flats and surprisingly, many go the non-heeled route.

2. Keep your bag light. I definitely made the mistake of carrying a full purse, one that already weighed a lot empty. It's better to keep it simple, and just bring what you know you'll need: a card sleeve with a credit card/ID/cash, press pass, a small notebook and pen, a camera, cell, lip gloss, and an umbrella. It's best to avoid lugging your whole life around, especially when having to navigate through crowds.

3. Plan on being hungry for a week. Between running from show to show and event to event, there is not much time to grab a bite to eat. However, you will have many chances to be sufficiently liquored up with the myriad of open bars and hopped up on caffeine thanks to free lattes in the tents (I <3>

4. If you live outside of NYC and are planning to cover Fashion Week, find a place to stay in the city. Commuting is draining. Period.

5. Have business cards handy. There are lots of opportunities to network with fellow bloggers, industry professionals, and PR reps. I've learned for next year ;-)

6. Be careful not to lose your camera (like I did!) At least I only lost photos from one show....and I uploaded the rest of my Fashion Week pics...but please, don't lose your camera - especially when you can't afford a new one :-(

Those are just a few of the things that the experience of my first Fashion Week has taught me. I hope I'll be more prepared for the next one!