You start the day off looking polished and confident, with nothing but a jazzy laptop bag and a smile....and by days end your leaning sideways, with a bag filled with random swag from events and the pair of heels you thought you were looking fine in now stuffed at the top of your bag and poking you in the arm. DO invest in a tablet.
3. A Partner- I'm on the fence about this one...but having been alone for most of this trip I have to share the pros and cons. The pros to traveling solo are that you're forced to network and make new friends. You tend to move a little quicker, are much more decisive...and sometimes you just need a chance to brush up on your social skills without the confidence of a charming guy from New Jersey (aka Ryan Small...I'm green with envy of him and his ability to work the room).
On the other hand, an aggressive partner like both of my colleagues- will help you build two or three times as many relationships. You'll work as a team to network.
A partner is great to have when you need an extra push to stay out and have some fun, or when you could use the energy of another person to keep you going. Lastly, it's cool to have a partner because...(this might sound shallow), it's a total bummer asking a stranger to take a pic of you and a celeb. I said it, you know it's true. It goes both ways. If you have a partner, you can take turns taking pics.
This is actually my second time attending fashion week alone, though good for my personal brand development...it will likely be my last.
4. Brain Candy- I'm reading a book called Somebody Else's Daughter...have been reading it for almost two weeks and am starting to fear that it has no climax. Do you know how difficult it is to ride the subway with no phone signal, no Wi-Fi and a dull fiction novel? What's more depressing is that I can't seem to put it down...yet, it's not a page turner. In other words...I'm curious though not engaged. Bottom line...always have a good book on hand.
5. Day to night wardrobe- This has been a challenge for me. I can be traditional, in a sense that I like wearing bright, fun colors during the day and darker, more serious tones at night. That said, I've done my best (sometimes succeeding and sometimes...well...not) to wear outfits that allow me to cover shows at Lincoln Center during the day, and hop over to swanky, cocktail events at night. As always, I recommend to just do you....but be prepared for what the night may bring.
This is all I have for now lovelies, but with three more days ahead- I'm sure there's much more to be learned. Stay tuned...@ashleyrsmall;)!
Special thanks to Kevin Jeffries of Status Management Group who invited me to fashion week to cover the shows on behalf of his company. Here's a link to learn more about his work: http://statusmanagementgroup.blogspot.com/.