NYFW Day 3 – Plus Size at Fashion Week?

After my exciting evening at the tents and tour of the city via pedicab, I was exhausted. But I had to get my butt in gear for the next day. I had a trek out to Brooklyn in store!

I ended Day 2 with a delicious Indian dinner in the Village with my best friend Jenny. Day 3, we got out early and had breakfast at the Waverly Restaurant, as classic a New York diner as you could want. Bagel all the way? Yes please.

After that I strolled along Sixth Avenue and stumbled across a sneaker store on 6th and Washington — the sign looks like this and I got a sick pair of silver high top Adidas for $35! And I NEEDED them because my feet were absolutely killing me pounding the pavement all over NYC. And I was in flats! Even flats can hurt, especially if they’re trying to be cute flats. Those sneaks were just what the podiatrist would have ordered.

After that I took the subway to Brooklyn — for the first time, by myself. Dun dun dunnnn! But it was generally an uneventful journey, and a friendly Brooklyn native set me straight on my path once I got off the train. On my way to Redress NYC!

I think every full figured fashionista owes herself at least one visit out to this crazy, wonderful, only in NYC boutique. Redress makes for a welcoming, kitschy, edgy, unconventional, great shopping experience. Customers are encouraged to share dressing rooms (which are named after full figured celebs like Mama Cass and Nell Carter). Clothes are arranged by type and size, and I found some excellent items on the dress rack in my size, and much, much larger. There are pants and jackets and shoes and skirts and on this special trunk show day, original garments and inspired remixes by designers from around the country. The crowd was extremely diverse in terms of sizes, ethnicity, sexual orientation, hair color… it was funky and fun and I was loving it! I must’ve tried on twelve dresses and four jackets before I settled on three must-have items — a chic long sleeved black minidress from Silhouettes that will last and look cute into the winter months, a cute peasant style embroidered blouse by Abby Z that is SO up my bohemian alley and I know I’ll wear season after season, and this adorable hooded pinstriped denim dress by Size Queen Clothing. So funky, so cute, so comfortable! LOVE it!

Then there was a fashion show by the designers, which can only be described as very bold.

Yes, those are my oohs and aahs you hear. I loved the first dress and would totally wear it, but some of the more sheer and scandalous outfits made me cheer because of the models. It’s not every day you see a big girl strutting herself in lingerie, in public, to riotous applause. There was so much love in the room!

I loved all the designers — Diesel Femmewear, Cupcakes & Cuddlebunny, and Size Queen. But I was most attracted to Size Queen, and I am mad that leopard hoodie on their site wasn’t among the offerings for sale! Mad, I tell you!

The vibe at Redress was infectously fun, but having spent more than I intended to and stayed longer than I’d planned, it was time to head back to the Village. I felt a wave of tiredness crashing over me and I had THREE parties to attend that night!

There wasn’t even time for a disco nap – I went home, changed into a beautiful concord grape purple with moss green accented dress from Igigi that I’d bought at Chicago’s very own Vive La Femme — MUCH more to come on this fabulous Windy City plus size boutique soon, bellas! Slipped on my matching moss green kitten heels and it was off to the Glam Network party.

Making the decision to sign up with an advertising firm was one of the biggest decisions I made with Afrobella, and I am so glad I made the choice to be with Glam. The people there are truly warm, friendly, good, and I know they’re looking out for me and my site’s best interest — I can say this from years of working with them. So it was wonderful to see old friends and meet new ones, to hang out with the many myriad ad reps, execs, beauty and fashion bloggers who make up the Glam fam. I saw my friends Julieta and Miss Tia Williams (who is always so sweet and SO inspiring to be around), and made some new friends too! If you ever ever get a chance to go to Butter in NYC, GO!!! The risotto balls were little bites of heaven.

After the Glam Party, I went to a truly fabulous dinner, hosted by my friends at Weber Shandwick — some of your favorite beauty bloggers were there too! I got to hang with Julia from All About the Pretty, Daneen from Spoiled Pretty, Nadine Jolie, Erika from Makeup Bag, Paula of Older Girl Beauty, and Jeannine of Beauty Sweet Spot, and I know I’m forgetting a few gorgeous faces from around the table!

After dinner we had to go go go, because we were late late late for the very first beauty blogger bash hosted by the one and only Lianne Farbes, the Makeup Girl and Paul Baranda of Beyond Beauty Basics!

This party was OFF THE CHAIN! Even though I got there too late to meet Ted Gibson (sadness!) SO many beauty bloggers were there — I hung out with my twamigas Heather Park of Seouldiva and Andrea Arterbery of Essence Magazine and her own blog The Glamazons. It was a total blast. The drinks were flowing, the gift bags were heavy, and the party went late — especially for those of us who had early morning obligations to be at the tent. But who cares when you’re having that much fun!

Much thanks and big respect to Lianne and Paul for kicking off what I hope becomes an annual Fashion Week tradition. You better believe I’m gonna be there every year!

On to days 4 and 5, which I’ll combine into one big fab post for you next. What will the end of my Fashion Week adventure bring? A giveaway for you, that’s for starters!

Happy weekend, bellas!!