A Farewell to Fashion Week – My NYFW 2021 Snake Skin Street Style Look

I truly can’t believe it, but this Spring marks 5 years of living in NYC. I’ve attended 9 New York Fashion Week seasons and have always loved the chic chaos that fills the streets during runway week. This year I was lucky to be invited to both the Jason Wu & Rebecca Minkoff shows and as you can imagine, they looked a little different. Masks a plenty, we were social distancing as we sat 6 feet apart with 14 guests in the room at a time. These precautions gave the couture clothing some space to breathe, but I will say, I missed the shoulder-to-shoulder front row of feathers, faux fur, and high-fashion.

SHOP THE LOOK

So… I’m going to be really transparent with you. Nick and I have been keeping a secret that this might be my last NYFW. I’m going to let you in on our news, but you have to promise not to tell. 🤞🏼 We are leaving New York City. Yes, we’re moving in the next month and it made this last Fashion Week a meaningful farewell to our city. I won’t announce where just yet, but I wanted to share our exciting news a little early with you as a thank you for reading this blog post and being a loyal follower.

What NYFW Has Taught Me

In my 5 years as a New Yorker, I’ve evolved a lot – in my personal life, in my professional life, and in my style. I came here with my preppy collars and conservative heels that college Caila was so fond of and never really strayed outside of this comfort zone. It wasn’t until I was introduced to New York Street Style chic that I learned how fashion and clothing can both spark joy and bring out an inner fierceness when you feel “put together.”

NYFW has taught me that you can pull anything off if you wear it with confidence. I’ve seen capes that are 15 feet long, feathered collars that cover your face, and sheer gowns with nothing underneath. Sometimes the runway looks seem a little out there, but I’ve learned there are ways to make a trend more accessible to our everyday lifestyle. For example, yes I’ll wear knee-high snake skin boots, but the practical Midwesterner in me needs a comfortable heel height when running from meeting-to-meeting. Oh and don’t get me started on those purses that are so teeny-tiny that they can’t even fit your phone in them! That’s a trend I’ll probably be skipping out on for sure.

But at the end of the day – living in New York has given me the confidence to wear what I love and truly express myself through my style without caring what other people think. This is the greatest lesson of all.

OUTFIT DETAILS

Farm Rio Snake Print Dress | Brahmin Green Bag | Sam Edelman Knee-High Snake Skin Boots | Maje Belt

My Style Evolution

With my newfound style confidence, I love to be bold with prints – like this week’s last NYFW look. I was drawn to this colorful snake print by the Brazilian designer Farm Rio and paired it with these adorable knee-high Sam Edelman snakeskin boots and Brahmin snakeskin bag. Colored snakeskin is really in right now and so fun to mix & match over denim or with a short dress. I feel like this outfit embodies my evolved style from the Maje belted feminine waist, romantic oversized sleeves, to the edgy international print. This look is my final farewell to all NYFW has taught me.

Photographer: Madison Lane

It truly is bittersweet and I’m kind of choked up writing this, but this blog post is my farewell to New York City and all of the glamor that comes with it. I appreciate you all being with me all of these years and seeing me evolve in the city that never sleeps. I’m going to miss this chapter of my life but I’m closing it for an even greater one.

Do you ever feel conflicted about exciting news, too? I know leaving New York will be good for me and the future has so much good in store. But, I’m still a little sad to leave the fun of my 20s behind me. I know moving to this next city means accepting adulthood and growing up for good. So for now goodbye New York and Fashion Week, I’ll be missing you!