Top 10 Clues You Don’t Fit in at Fashion Week

by Jyl Johnson Pattee on February 12th, 2011 | 17 Comments »

I hear that New York City's Fashion Week tops many people's bucket lists. I'll admit to loving and appreciating style. It moves me in the way all great design does. But, being fashionable isn't a talent I claim, so I leave the fashion fun to my friends and watch in amazement at their creations.

Given my not-so-stylish ways, you can imagine my surprise when I got invited to Fashion Week. Not to any show, but to see designer Jason Wu and lead stylist Odile Gilbert for Aveda. I found myself at once nervous and giddy to be inspired. And this is where my fashionista friends, and probably all my readers, will shrink in their chairs as they read, because I am now going to share with you, by example no less, the top 10 ways to NOT fit in at Fashion Week.

Top 10 Signs You Don't Fit in at New York City's Fashion Week

TEN—You walk in the door and no one asks for your credentials. In fact, they don't even look at you as you make your way back stage.
X
NINE—Once back stage, you notice all the food's gone and immediately think, "Wow! The rumors aren't true. Models really do eat. I wish they would have saved me some."
X
EIGHT—You notice that no one's getting hair and make up done. In fact, there are no models to be found. Does a red flag go up? No. Instead, you think, " Score! Less waiting time." Your shoes are killing you anyway, so you're happy to get this show on the road... or the cat walk!
X
SEVEN—You realize that no one sent you the message about skirts only being 2 inches long this season as you cinch up your knee-length number.
X
SIX—In the same missing message, they didn't tell you pink coats, that are all the rage in UT, aren't hip in New York. Apparently, black is the new black!
X
FIVE—You wonder where the brand is that invited you, but figured they must be sooooo busy downstairs that you make yourself useful by looking for the best photo opps for the blog post you're going to write up all about Jason Wu's inspirations.
X
FOUR—You thought you had skinny legs until you notice the tooth picks that everyone is walking around on out here and you almost gather a group together to ask if you can snap a pic, which you will immediately entitle, "Bird legs." It could go viral, right?
X
THREE—You block out a 1 to 2-hour window on your fashion calendar for the show and soon learn they are only as short as 7 minutes and as long as 20.
X
TWO—When you see a chandelier in a box in the room where the fashion show is supposed to be, you should get a clue that something isn't quite right. But instead, you say: "They'd better hurry and put that up. They've only got 20 minutes until the show starts."
X

And the number ONE sign that you do not fit in at Fashion Week...

You forgot you were on eastern time and showed up after the show was over, when everyone was cleaning up. The thing is, never once did it occur to you the show was already over. You thought they were setting up and were so concerned they weren't going to have it ready in time for the "3 p.m. show" that you about volunteered to unstack the chairs and help hang the chandelier, not realizing it was an art piece not meant to be hung at all.

After the Show With Jason Wu

Here's a short slideshow. When you view it, please keep in mind that all the pictures were taken, thinking that everyone was just setting up. Good thing we get a second chance to see a show this Tuesday. Stay tuned for more fashion fun from your favorite no-so-fashionista and rest assured, my stylish friends, I'll be wearing my skinny jeans this time around. No knee-length skirts for me!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

To see what we both missed, check out Jason Wu's brilliance here: New York Magazine, Huffington Post, New York Times, LA Times, and Wall Street Journal and pictures from the fashion show on Aveda's Facebook page.

Are you a fashionista? Do you dream of going to Fashion Week? What would your ideal experience include?

Note: Fortunately for Aveda, they DID NOT compensate me in any way for this event. This post is dedicated to all of my fashionista friends who are no doubt cringing while reading this (love you, girls!): Allison, Audrey, Carina, Katja, Melinda, Melissapher, and Nicole.

X
Pictures used with permission by Jen Tilley.

Bio
Latest Posts

Jyl Johnson Pattee

An active part of the Mom It Forward team, Jyl primarily writes about parenting, social good, and all things travel related. In a past life, Jyl was an award-winning copywriter and designer of corporate training programs for Fortune 100 companies. Offline, Jyl is married to @TroyPattee; a mom to two teen boys and a beagle named #Hashtag; loves large amounts of cheese, dancing, and traveling; and lives in the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Topping her bucket list is the goal to visit 50 countries by the time she's 50.