A Guide to NYC or (A Lesson in Layers)

Does anyone realize that I titled this based off of how Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (also my favorite movie) is titled? Anyways, I'm riding in the backseat of the car that is directing towards my house in the location that's the opposite of the place I've been for nearly six days, and I wonder, did I do NYC right? Like when I went down to ATL and thought that exact same thought, but the two cities are so different. Then I realized shortly after that NYC is the place I want to live in six months (hopefully), so if I genuinely acted the way I have always wanted to act, I should be doing NYC right. Right? Let's rewind a bit to see if I am correct (even though, at the end of the day, there is no right or wrong way to do a city, which is also my closing statement in the ATL post).

Put on as many layers as possible, but in an innovative French way, which you saw in my last post... check.

Walk around Nolita and NoHo right near Washington Square Park in said outfit to authentic coffee shops before your scheduled food tour (those exist?), and also take photos of your deliciously cute (and small) cappuccino and inspirational quotes on poles. Check.

Wake up the next morning to find the low is literally three degrees, no joke there, so put on even more layers than yesterday's outfit. Like, a hot pink turtleneck to warm up that frozen hell outside, a sheer shirt/dress-type-piece to add a flowy-sillouhette and a collar because why not, a thick black sweater because cold, then some boyfriend jeans because skinnies won't fit over the hidden knit tights worn under the jeans.

Turtleneck by J. Crew. Collared shirt by Urban Outfitters. Sweater by Madewell. Jeans by Gap. Shoes by Adidas.

Continue to showcase layer-centric outfit inside Guggenheim Museum because I looked like a black life-size marshmallow outside. Also, add some socks that only feature Ryan Gosling's face because knowing his face is on my feet immediately adds instant warmth. 

Then take, like, a billion photos at the Guggenheim but only post a few of the best ones that also happen to be the most unknown pieces, is that why they're the favorites? 

In the middle of everything, constantly refresh Twitter/Instagram/Snapchat for NYFW updates, and also cry because so close, yet so far.

And then eat at the best Thai restaurant in the Upper East Side (called The Nuaa) no earlier than 9 p.m. and walk back to the hotel looking like the same life-size marshmallow as before, but even larger because the weather officially dropped to three. Check.

Wake up thinking that the frozen hell is over, but find out that it's actually colder than the day before, and cry while layering on even more layers -- a corduroy Topshop dress over a white Asos turtleneck, another wider (and thicker) turtleneck over all of that, and then like two pairs of tights and three pairs of socks. And that's just the indoors part. Continue to not take any photos of this outfit because I was too cold and grumpy to take off my coat/hat/scarf.

Eliminate that cold/grumpy mood by seeing Hamilton later that day, get trampled by crazy Hamilton fans in Times Square prior to the show, but get emotional with those same fans during the show. A nice bonding moment. Check.

Wake up to happily see snow and a high of above freezing, and through happy tears, put my last outfit for NY together, which happened to be my worst, but it also included two turtlenecks (including my hot pink one from Saturday) like the outfit the day before so it can't be too bad.

Turtleneck by J. Crew. Dress by Asos. Jacket by Juicy Couture.

While walking to the Met, accidentally run into NYFW (the two locations just make things confusing for me) and not really realize it until everyone around me is either impeccably dressed or has a huge zoom lens on their camera. Then have a two-minute long freakout session because it's NYFW!! The dream!! then force my sister to take photos of me because street style then sigh because I would exchange this denim jacket for a fur one and these chelsea boots for Dior-esque heeled-booties and maybe, just maybe that would get me recognized by street style photographers.

Then take some photos of the scene (more up-close and detailed ones will be featured on the blog in a few days), and also cram your way through pushy photographers just to get the perfect shot of the best street style, because I can be a fashion writer and a fashion photographer at the same time, right?

Finally leave the scene to go to the Met because it got colder and everyone left for the Tommy Hilfiger show, then continue to get lost in the Met because it's a literal maze of art.

Walk outside after 2-3ish hours of art to see a winter wonderland and get this giddy feeling because it's my first snow in the city!! And also wonder how those two girls at NYFW who were wearing pumps and no socks are doing. Check. 

And that's it! Well, all the important/maybe-not-so-important-but-cool parts. That's NYC for you, at least four days of it, and I think I did it right, layers and activities included. My ideal version would be to spend all four (preferably seven) days running around to see all the fashion week shows, but ideal is rarely the reality. See me at the shows in five years, I promise. 

All photos shot by me, except the ones featuring me, which were taken by Kendall.

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