When In New York... (Sep 18, 2011)
As a Los Angeles “transplant” in New York, there are a million things I can think of in the city that undoubtedly remind me of how far from home I truly am. There are the apartment units stacked dozens of floors high; the no nonsense, “get-out-of-my-way-I’m-trying-to-walk, here” vibe you get from pedestrians during rush hour; the variance in weather from one day to the next. Then, there’s New York fashion. Growing up just 20 minutes from the California coast, beach blonde babes wearing denim mini-skirts, zip-up hoodies, and the hottest new bathing suits were considered “in style.” I’m used to simply throwing on a cute tank top and a pair of torn jeans before heading out to school, or—dare I say it—work. New York, on the other hand, isn’t so laid back. High fashion and style are noticeable parts of the city’s culture, and though not every New Yorker abides by its rules, it’s almost impossible to forget they exist.I decided to head over to 5th Avenue on September 10th to check out what its department stores and boutiques had to offer during that night’s highly publicized Fashion’s Night Out. The brain-child of Vogue’s infamous editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, stores advertised longer hours, complimentary services, and surprise celebrity appearances (Justin Timberlake at Saks! Charlize Theron at Dior!) to both celebrate fashion and encourage consumer spending. Expectations for Fashion’s Night Out were high, and though I was only able to be there for a couple of hours, the event was an enormous success.First of all, even in the height of tourist season, I don’t think New York has ever seen the amount of foot traffic on 5th as it did that night. Lines to get enter Gucci, Bergdorf Goodman, Nine West, and Henri Bendel were ridiculously long, causing bottleneck crowds that slowed both pedestrians and drivers to a crawl. There were models doing live photo shoots in store windows, red carpets rolled out on the sidewalk, and paparazzi at every turn. I managed to make my way through the crowds and into Henri Bendel, which had events scheduled on all three of its floors following specific themes associated with the Bendel brand: gorgeous accessory collections, beauty essentials, and fabulous works of art (patrons could get their portraits made by Izak, famed Bendel illustrator!). Beautifully crafted handbags surrounded me: Angel Jackson, Michael Kors, Beirn, and the Henri Bendel collections were only a few of those displayed. Many designers featured at Bendel’s donated a one of a kind piece for silent auction from which 95% of the proceeds were given to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum. There was so much to see and do in this one boutique that I thought the evening should be re-named “Fashion’s Week Out” for shoppers to take full advantage of what these designers have to offer. My love affair with handbags later led me to Juicy Couture and Chanel (where shoppers were given the opportunity to personalize their own 2.55 Flap Bag!), but alas, I’m a bagista without a job and a steadily decreasing savings account. I can only hope to have enough money to buy something at next year’s Fashion’s Night Out.Though I didn’t shop, I did enough people watching that night to notice that I was lost in a sea of stylish New York women dressed in chic, designer outfits, who wore sky-high stilettos, and who carried the who’s who of designer handbags. It looked as if they were dressed to attend a trendy cocktail party rather than to shop. I felt awkward in my modest green tunic, jeans, and flip-flops. My laid-back Southern California style just didn’t seem to make the cut this time, and I wondered what would possess any woman to wear a pair of 7-inch heels just to shop up and down one of New York’s most famous avenues. Then I remembered that this was Fashion’s Night Out. It was a party—for the FASHION Industry and for New York City.That’s when I decided that when in New York, and especially in Manhattan, every once in a while I should do what New Yorker fashionistas do and try to “style it up” before heading out the door. Yet while I’m willing to trade my $30 Target-brand tote for a genuine Chanel, rest assured that I will never get rid of my flip-flops. You can take a girl out of Cali, but you can’t take Cali out of the girl!
