This weekend was one of my New York favorites. Besides the major blizzard that hit the city (I love the snow!) it was New York Fashion Week. Apologies for the blurred photos – used my iPhone with the help of Instagram (@nycprgirls).
After trekking through the blizzard, I headed backstage for Charlotte Ronson thanks to Sexy Hair. The hairstyles for Charlotte’s collection were inspired by both Jane Birkin and 1960’s London. The styles were simple and low maintenance but still chic – the sort of effortless looking go-to hairstyles we need for work. The collection presentation was a rainbow of jewel tones and outerwear pieces I wanted to snag off the models.
With some time to spare, I requested standing room at Nicole Miller and luckily got it. She had a unique show that was a twist on menswear for women. The collection was filled with tomboy styles that were meant to look as if you raided your boyfriends closet. Not a bad idea…
On Saturday, I went to Christian Siriano’s show at Eye Beam Studios. His Fall 2013 Collection was inspired by a night at the Opera. The scene was set with dramatic red curtains and giant chandeliers. The collection was filled with pencil skirts, fur and black pieces accented with gold.
Did you attend or watch any of the Fall 2013 show? Share your favorite!
Many of you may be deciding what to do with yourselves after graduation (getting to be that time!), or maybe you graduated recently and are still living close to home, not quite sure where to go from here. You may be thinking that moving “to the big city,” whether that’s New York, Denver, San Fran or Miami, might be the answer to your confusion. But how do you know if going urban is right for you?
I knew I wanted to be in New York from a very, very young age. I grew up practicing ballet, so in my head the natural place for me to go was New York. When my dreams edited themselves and I decided I wanted to be in writing and business, New York still seemed the natural place for me to go to get my start. I always wondered how others find themselves in the city, since the path to Manhattan was always somewhat clear to me.
Many of us may define ourselves as “city girls” (or guys), but what does this really mean? If you’re debating whether or not you belong in the Big Apple or any large metropolis, here are a few hints that the concrete jungle might be for you:
You can appreciate the run-down, nitty-gritty areas of life as much as the grand, beautiful architecture from years past
You are spontaneous by nature, ready to go from Starbucks and a run in the park to a meeting in midtown to a middle eastern dive bar in a back alley
You love to walk, everywhere
You don’t mind talking to strangers – actually, you kind of love it
If you’re naturally shy, you’re looking to get out of your comfort zone and embrace a loud lifestyle
If you’re a germaphobe, you’re ready to overcome your fears and shake about 1,000 hands a day (and bathe in hand sanitizer)
You understand that city girl does NOT mean your life could be on the E! network (but you kind of still judge others’ fashion like you’re on Project Runway)
You have an appreciation for the arts – whether it’s the ballet or drums with a paint can
You like feeling anonymous one moment, but also love going where everyone knows your name (aka – the bodega down the street)
Early mornings, late nights and fast days are appealing
You would give up personal space to be a part of something bigger than yourself
Growing up in New Jersey, my mom used to take me into the city on occasion and it would seriously be the highlight of my life. We would go to Broadway shows, eat at fancy restaurants and shop in Soho. More specifically, there was one jewelry store in Soho my mom would always have to shop in.
Fragments is a small jewelry shop on Prince Street between Grand and Wooster. The store sells one-of-kind handmade pieces from over 60 designers. While prices are high, there are also some reasonably priced items any PR girl wouldn’t mind splurging on – especially us. I mean, how cute is that skull bracelet?!
#1. Coralia Leets Moonstone Mini Stud Earrings, $148
Working in an office filled with girls, you tend to hear endless stories about friends, family and the dating scene. Some first date stories are romantic and cute while others just make you want to cringe. While we’re sometimes just uninterested in the guy, since we’re independent, strong minded ladies, we tend to make mistakes on the first date without even noticing and then contemplate for hours on end why he didn’t call back. While men should be aware of the dos and don’ts of dating a PR girl, we should be aware of our biggest first date mistakes.
We check his social networks ahead of time. This can lead to wrong judgment. Don’t look until you’re exclusive.
We talk too much. Ask him questions and engage more. Hit all of your key messages but don’t do all the talking and don’t accidentally mention your ex!
We check our emails during dinner. Huge no-no. This makes it seem like you’re uninterested and comes off rude.
We ask about or mention a second date. This is one instance where the guy needs to make the plans ahead of time, not you.
We freak if we don’t hear back right away. If you don’t hear back, don’t text him, call him. Nothing. And don’t over analyze what happened – on to the next!
After a short Thanksgiving week and my vacation before that, this week has been extremely long. A lot of different projects for work, a few important meetings and my mind feels a tad scattered. I haven’t had time to really get into the holiday spirit, but my sister and I are going to get our tree tonight and decorate the apartment which should help. I have also been looking for a little holiday pinspiration this week – all the upcoming parties and festivities are a good excuse to try something new! Here are a few of the things on my radar this week:
As I mentioned Monday, it can be hard focusing at work around the holidays. There are so many gifts to purchase, outfits to find and best of all, seeing the cities Christmas sites. The month of December is the best month to act like a tourist so here is my bucket list of what to in the city starting in next month.
Visit Rockefeller Center (tree lighting tonight!)
Dress up for Santacon on December 15 (M and I love this)
Eat at Rolf’s in Gramercy known for its decorations
Tour Macy’s Santaland in Herald Square
Browse the windows at Saks Fifth Ave (and shop inside)
A couple weeks ago, A wrote about some of the stereotypes of a PR girl. It got me thinking about all the different personalities you can find in the PR industry. While everyone is different and unique, there are certain “personalities” that follow each sector of public relations. Below I’ve outlined some of what we’ve seen, but please feel free to edit and share your own thoughts on some of our infamous qualities as PR girls:
*DISCLAIMER* nyc PR girls are well aware that the below are amusing stereotypes of the “PR Girl” and would like to celebrate them rather than shame them. PR girls and boys get down and dirty, work their butts off, and deserve all the praise they receive in the industry. But each of us, no matter our concentration, is a little glamorous too.
The Celebrity/Event PR Girl
Always the busybody, this PR girl not only knows where all the good parties are, she’s probably hosting them. She is usually attached to her phone more than normal, but is keen on remembering names and making connections. If you have an issue, she knows someone who can be here in five minutes to fix it
PROS: Always meeting new people, experiences dining and nightlife through work, can quickly grow in her field
CONS: Needs to stay on top of celebrity news for her job (aka gossip is her news), late nights, too many events to count
The Finance or Healthcare PR Girl
The most “ER” of the “PR,” Finance and Healthcare PR are for the girls who would like to combine their passion with a company looking to change the world
PROS: A real purpose to the PR, helping people, learning more about the businesses that drive the economy
CONS: Late nights, needy clients, emergencies at the drop of a hat
The Beauty/Fashion PR Girl
The trends of the moment are this PR girl’s day to day. She is the one her friends come to for fashion or beauty advice, and she always has a new product she’s trying out or a bold look she’s testing at a party. All women’s books are her bible, and she makes best friends with anyone she can in the industry
PROS: Always has the latest and greatest, able to share products and tips with family and friends, get’s a sneak peek at how editorial really works
CONS: Addicted to Twitter, always running around for editors or clients, not saving the world
The Sports PR Girl
She may be a girly girl, but the Sports PR Girl knows her way around the field. She is able to rattle off athletic stats and research information on sports teams, sports brands and products like none other. She is potentially the most popular among men of all the PR Girls
PROS: Meeting athletes, learning more about health/fitness/sports, keeping up with exciting games
CONS: Sports media is a crowded space, working with the boys, everyone expects event tickets (ha!)
Since my move to Hoboken a year ago, I rarely go into the city during the day on the weekends. This is partially due to the fact that I enjoy relaxing in my apartment on the weekends instead of commuting into the city but this Saturday, I got an opportunity to go to the MoMA (a museum on my bucket list) early in the morning before the museum opened (aka no crowds or lines). My mom and I jumped on the opportunity to see Edvard Munch’s The Scream, on exhibit until April 29th, and other captivating famous works of art which you might have seen on Instagram.
After touring the museum for several hours, we stopped by Sarabeth’s at 40 Central Park South. Famous for its brunch, I tried the pumpkin waffle with pumpkin seeds, raisins and strawberries. Absolutely delicious, and well worth the wait which was out the door by the time we left.
Once we finished eating, we walked by Bergdorf’s and headed downtown and stopped by the Rebecca Minkoff sample sale at 260 Fifth Ave. I make sure to go to this every year since her sample sales are full of crossbody bags perfect for commuting at half-price. What could be better?
After that we stopped by The Garage Antique Flea Market, a hidden gem that pops up on 25th Street between 6th and 7th Ave. The 2 floor parking garage fills with antique jewelry and home furnishings every weekend. You never know what pieces of treasure you’ll find for a good deal. After working up another appetite, we topped of the day at Pinkberry – the only frozen yogurt place I really enjoy – and tasted its yummy new Gingerbread flavor. Sounds like a perfect Saturday to me.
What does your ideal New York City Saturday look like?
As you’ve seen from our past several posts, Hurricane Sandy hit the area hard resulting in long-lasting blackouts and an impossible commute. This whole experience is nothing anyone in the area could’ve imagined. Hoboken, New Jersey, the city where I live, was devastated with flooding, fallen trees and absolutely no power. There hasn’t been power in my Hoboken apartment or New York City office for 5 days and counting! Luckily a few towns nearby have power so I’m staying there instead.
Though living without power can be extremely frustrating, I did get some sort of pleasure in living the simple life for a few days and doing some things I hadn’t done in a while. This included…
Lighting every candle in the apartment
Making valid excuses for eating plenty of junk food
Unable to check email, not using my computer
Actually reading those long articles in magazines I never get through
Reading a book from the book shelf
Playing monopoly
Cleaning my closets
Bonding with neighbors I’d never talked to
Not using my phone to reserve power
Really appreciating everything I have and how lucky I am the apartment didn’t flood
