Inside Details On My First New York Fashion Week (NYFW)

(Jumpsuit: Asos, Shoes: similar here & here, Bag: Angela Roi, Belt: Asos, Sunnies: Madewell)

 Hi again, Loves!

So, many of you know I attended my first New Your Fashion Week (NYFW) that is if you follow me on Instagram. I remember when I first started this blog and I would see my favorite bloggers attend NYFW and I would say "oh how I'd love to go". Fast Forward to 2017 and I got the chance to attend my very first. NYFW is creme de la creme. I've been to LA Fashion Week but it's nothing COMPARED to how glorious and fabulous NYFW is. It was such a humbling experience. I had zero expectations because I wanted to soak it all in, ride the waves of what it is, and experience everything in its entirety.
There's so much to tell but I will round this post up for you with the intention of speaking to any aspiring Fashion bloggers/enthusiasts and those who just want to know what it is like to attend. I'll cover it under five sub-areas. 1.Where To Stay/Where I Stayed, 2. What To Wear/What I Wore, 3. Where to Eat/Where I Ate, 4. Events & Shows, and  5. Scheduling Your Time/ How I Scheduled My Time.

So, Let's get to it.
1. Where To Stay/Where I Stayed: Most of the shows took place at the Skylight Clarkson Gallery and it would have been wise if we stayed in the local area. We, as in myself and 4 other blogger gals. It was all our first time. We stayed at The Lexington Hotel which was about 15-30 minute drive depending on time of day and traffic. 

Pants: Asos in white here, Top: similar here, Bag: Sam Edelman, Shoes: Jessica Simpson, Sunnies: similar here. 

(Jumpsuit: Asos, Shoes: similar here & here, Bag: Angela Roi, Belt: Asos, Sunnies: Madewell)

2. What To Wear/What I Wore: Since the Fall fashion show is showcasing the upcoming season (Spring) trends and designs some people feel the need to dress according to the upcoming season. It really doesn't matter in my opinion. Personally, I just pulled together what i was feeling like. I had no theme for Fashion Week. All I knew I wanted a variety of looks. I also considered that the weather would be mild warm to easy chill considering it was ending summertime. One major key though is to pack and wear your most comfortable shoes. If you look through each of my photos you will notice that my shoes are all comfortable. I either had flats, block heels or mid-high heels. Getting around NYC often requires lots of walking and especially for fashion week. 

(Skirt: Moschino, Shoes: Sole Society- loafers version, Top: similar here & here, Scarf: J.Crew, Sunnies, Bag: Chanel)

Skirt: J.Crew, Shoes: Ferragamo, Bag: YSL-similar here, Jacket: H&M, Cape Crop Top, Sunnies.

3.Where to Eat/Where I Ate: I had to include this because it's easy to get caught up in the motions of getting dressed and juggling from show to show and not eating. Also, NYC has some of the most amazing and picturesque spots worth taking the time out to stop for coffee, food, dinner or snacks. One major tip. Keep a few snacks of your preference in your hotel room or AirBnB. They will come in handy where there's not enough time to eat a real meal in between shows. In this world, changing outfits is so much more important than eating a strong meal. Believe me, I didn't eat a good meal for a full almost 48 hours because I was go go go. My body literally yelled at me, to feed it. I learned my lesson quickly and tried to keep fruits and snacks around to munch on. 

Try these places:
La Sirena
2IBeans
The Sosta
Atlantic Grill

Top: T.J Maxx- similar here, Pants: Zara- love these, Shoes: Who What Wear, Bag: Milly, Sunnies: Madewell

(Skirt: Moschino, Shoes: Sole Society- loafers version, Top: similar here & here, Scarf: J.Crew, Sunnies, Bag: Chanel)

4.Events & Shows: Oh NYFW will have you swooning over all the fabulous events and shows. As bloggers/influencers we get invited to shows. I got invited to quite a few and some I didn't get to make since I didn't do the full fashion week, I did three days instead. Events are more like PR companies or brands putting on elaborate parties filled with drinks, food, music, cool art, fancy displays and a room filled with like minded creatives. My favorite shows were Alice & Olivia and Hakan Akkaya. Alice and Olivia is most definitely my style and the Spring collection is to die for. Hakkan Akkaya surprised me as it was a brand I didn't know about before and I absolutely loved all their pieces, both male and female. I also got to sit front row so that was exceptional. 

(Lulu's Party-wearing Nasty Gal bodysuit(old)- love this one, Helmut Lang shorts, Ralph Lauren jacket from my guy's closet, and Chanel bag). I met Michael Costelo and he liked my bodysuit (made my night!!!). 

(Front Row- Hakan Akkaya) 

(Backstage Tome Show preparation with Aveda)

Getting my hair done backstage by Aveda for the Public School show.

Dress: (Aqua) Bloomingdales, Shoes: Asos, Bag, Angela Roi, Sunnies: Madewell, Jacket: Ralph Lauren- borrowed from my guy- similar here

(I wore this look to Alice and Olivia Presentation) A presentation is different form a show. At a presentation  models are already out, standing beautifully in the clothing and we get to walk around and look at every single piece in detail on the model's body. It was so refreshing at the Alice and Oliva presentation. 

Top: T.J Maxx- similar here, Pants: Zara- love these, Shoes: Who What Wear, Bag: Milly, Sunnies: Madewell

4. Scheduling Your Time/ How I Scheduled My Time: Oh this was the hardest thing to do and it was hard for many reasons. One, you can never have full control over traffic. Two, while we're there to enjoy these amazing shows and festivities sometimes we have commitments to either stream social media content in live form or capture details to share later. There's at times give and take that we all agree to in exchange for services. Three, running into other bloggers, lunch meetings, coffee dates, PR visits. It's not all fun, as a business person I personally try to balance it all and for trips like this, business come first. I have friends and family in NYC that I couldn't even get 5 or 10 minutes to see due to commitments. To make getting around easy I scheduled all of my daily activities on my calendar app. This included address, person to contact, and special notes etc. The train system of course is immaculate in NYC so getting around is easy especially if you have a knack for directions. I am totally not your directions type of gal. I get lost so so easily so I used Lyft the entire time. I got on the train once because all my roommates were travelling together- I couldn't get lost with 4 other girls now could I?! hehe!

Finally, #Girlgang #Squad is so important. NYFW is not a solo go place or event. It's just no fun to be solo-ing all by yourself with all the amazing things happening not to share it with anyone. I met these beautiful babes on Instagram. Some I have been friends with for a while and some are new. Nonetheless, I felt like I've known each of them forever. These babes, Candace from The Beauty Beau, Jessica from Miss Moore Style, Lee from Legal Lee Blonde and Lily from Hello Darling Blog, these girls were my posse. We all stayed in the same hotel and 4 of us shared a room. It was like were sisters. We shared make-up, clothes, food, laughs, plans, and joys around being an Influencer/Blogger. My squad totally sans my blogger bestie Ravayna from loveRavayna. You can go to each of their blogs by clicking the links I embedded under their blog names to read their NYFW stories. You'll really get to see it form all our angles. For example, Lily has lots of street shots you will enjoy. 

I do hope you enjoyed reading this post.

Till next time, Loves. 

xoxo

Keyma

The Toothpaste You Should Be Using

This post was sponsored by Tom's Of Maine®. All opinions are 100% my own. 

Hi, Loves!

So, I have been meaning to write this post for a few weeks now and I am finally getting around to it. Today I am talking oral hygiene. Yes, we are going there, shall we? This blog grew into a Lifestyle because of you all and I will always share what's new or what I am currently loving with you. The thing is, I get to try and use many many products and I filter out the best ones and share them with you all. 

So, I'm in love with this Tom's Of Maine ® Toothpaste and here's why. It's made with no artificial colors, flavors, fragrances or preservatives and they do not test on animals. It's also gluten free. Their packages are even recyclable through TerraCycle®. Visit here to learn more about that. I'm obsessed with their Luminous White™ line, it is Tom's Of Maine® most advance whitening toothpaste ever. After using Luminous White™ for 2 weeks* I could see my teeth got whiter (Legal Disclaimer: by removing surface stains vs regular fluoride toothpaste)

I never thought I could have left my old toothpaste, ever. I even asked my dentist about this brand and she is fully aware of them. Tom's of Maine® have been around for over 47 years so she definitely would have known about them. This might sound weird but I love the taste of this toothpaste. You can tell it's natural, especially if you've been stuck on some of the other kinds for years. It's that taste that just make you want to brush your teeth for long periods of time and over and over again. I literally get excited, even more so, to brush my teeth. Hehe!

I'm feeling confident about what I am using to take care of my teeth and my overall oral hygiene. It seems so easy to just pick up a 'toothpaste' at the store but, the same way we take precaution in choosing items of your skin, hair, and even clothing we wear, we should for oral hygiene. Right?!

Have any of you tried this toothpaste before?

Next time you're in your local whole or natural food store, grab a box and try them out. You an also order Tom's Of Maine® Luminous White™ online. They also carry a full line of other natural personal care products and I am going to try out a few more of their stuff and keep you posted. 

Have a great smiling day, Loves.

xoxo

Keyma

Where to Stay In Tulum, Mexico

Hi there, Loves. It's been a while since I wrote a post. I must apologize. So much has been happening in Style Weekender world ya'll. So much but in a good way. This blog has literally changed my life and I cannot begin to tell you how grateful I am for you my readers and for all the amazing blessings in my life.

Now, If you follow me on Instagram- I'm more active there by the way, then you I visited Tulum, Mexico over the summer. While I am still composing a full post regarding everything Tulum, I really felt this post about my stay at Nest, deserved its own post. I travelled with my guy and we spent 4 nights at Nest Tulum. To date, this has been my favorite stay at any hotel while traveling. My goal for Tulum was to get there and get out and see as much of it as I can. Upon checking in at Nest Tulum, all that changed. I suddenly just wanted to stay on the property an not go anywhere or do anything. I'm not that type of traveler. I'm usually the kind that wants to immerse into the culture and engage in every single activity there is to do.

Nest Tulum is a boutique hotel and boasts nine gorgeous rooms. This makes it very intimate. It adopts a true simplistic lifestyle through its decor, service, food, and sustainable efforts. I'll go through each and tell you what I thought. 

1. Service: The service was absolutely amazing. I literally have zero complaints. Upon arriving we were greeted with lemon infused water and warm smiles. We were escorted to our rooms, given a brief overview about the property such was breakfast time, bathrooms, cabanas, towels, reading materials, bikes etc. Upon entering our room we were so in awe. For the first two nights we stayed in the Tower and second two nights we stayed in the Garden Suite. I enjoyed the Tower room so much. It's definitely one of the best if not the best room on the property. It has a partial ocean view and a beautiful roof with hammocks and full ocean view atop it.

2. Food: The food was absolutely fresh and delicious. All this was prepared and served out of a tiny kitchen. It's always made fresh and filled with flavor. My guy and I compared everywhere else we ate in Tulum and nothing compared to Nest, seriously. Even if you do not stay there, on your visit, I recommend going for lunch or dinner. 

3. Decor: Nest has a simple, clean, yet very modern style. It's absolutely an escape for those looking for a romantic trip or merely solitude or simply the best vacay ever in Tulum. The decor embodied simplicity with hammocks all over the property. The ground is well kept, they even sift the sand to remove debris for their guest to walk comfortably. The rooms had fresh peppermint body washes which I was obsessed with and extra heavy duty (more than likely locally sourced and made) blankets. Water is a short commodity on the Island and we were given a jar of water each day. They ask that you do not waste water or electricity. I thought that was pretty cool considering our environmental issues. I happily obliged.

4. Beach: Nest is located on the beach and they have the most beautiful and comfortable cabanas for their guest. The service of the staff is impeccable as you lay out in the sun or on the cabanas. The beach is beautiful and pretty much private. I went in the height of summer and there was not one day that the beach was crowded. 

5. The Rooms: The rooms had fresh peppermint body washes which I was obsessed with and extra blankets. Every room is unique and no two rooms are alike. We stayed in the Tower and Garden Suite and both were absolutely amazing. The garden suite is definitely great for a group. It even had an extra area, an attic like space with a ladder to access up there. There's also balcony access in both rooms we stayed. It was just so peaceful and relaxing. 

I hope you guys enjoyed this post and that I have convinced you to stay at Nest Tulum. Nest Tulum is now at the top of my list of any hotel to stay. I had an great time in Tulum and I can honestly credit Nest as a big factor of my pleasant experience. 

Have you been to Tulum? Any dream for goals of attending? Stay tuned for my Tulum Travel Guide. 

xoxox

Keyma 

3 Things I do For Myself Monthly & You Should Too

Hi Loves,

I'm finding that sharing more about balanced life rather than just what i'm wearing is actually more fun for me and has some sort of meaning. Of course I love telling you about my sales and clothing but I've found more passion in sharing with you what adds to my quality of life in hope that it will inspire you. Also, I'm open to hear what you are into that's adding value and quality to your life. Comment below at anytime or email me. 

So, three things I do monthly for myself, and you should too. 

1. I get a Facial- yes, I know it is very vain but hear me out. Your skin is what you live in. You show up and so does your skin. Of course I am obsessed with skin care (go to beauty tab to check out some of my faves and recommendations). I get a facial once per month because it really helps me to feel better about my skin. My face feels great and looks great for the most part. I've been doing electrolysis for over a year now so I do have a few spots on my chin but that's expected until  I am done with the treatment. Other than that, I can attest to my skin being healthy, through continued home regimen and a monthly facial. I'd say research a good local place or ask a friend for recommendation. They tend to be costly but try this-I will bring lunch to work for two weeks straight or cut back on eating out to balance out my facial money. Try that!

2. I rearrange something in my home. Sometimes, I move a chair, add a new vase or change cushion covers. Something, anything! You'd be surprise how your mood changes when you change up your home. Remember you live there and it's the same old vibe over and over. Change up your vibe monthly even just a small change and see how it affects your mood, positively. 

3. Take a long drive (car, bus or train), unplug and relax. You can do this with a friend, family member, significant other or just yourself. Unplug from work, social media, life's stressors an just live for a few hours in the moment. This really helps to balance your mind and rejuvenate your spirt. 

Deets on my look:

I wore this look for a quick dinner with my guy. No make up, just some lip gloss and I felt refreshed. Pants is from Who What Wear at Target, hat is Forever21, tank is from Duluth Clothing, Sandals are Fenty Puma, Jacket is William Rast, bag vintage Louis Vuitton, and sunnies Kate Spade. 

Hope this post was helpful

xoxo

Keyma