Two Weeks In New York, And A Side Rant

Wow, what fun! Stacy has to go to New York City for a long trip and she wants some help knowing what to pack!
Here’s what she writes,

Please keep writing! I would definitely appreciate tips for travel. I’ll be in NYC for two weeks in March for the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women meeting. I’m starting to panic a bit about what to pack, how to keep things looking (and smelling) fresh, and keeping my feet happy. (I’m a runner, so major concern as my feet are often tired.) Plus, I’m guessing NYC is way swankier than northern Illinois. Hope my predicament helps inspire you!

Dear Stacy,
Congratulations! What FUN to be in the greatest city in America for two weeks in March. I am jealous! New York City is so alive, so exciting — and so wet, windy and cold in March! Also expensive! So first of all, make sure to take large bags of money with you, okay? You’ll need them for things like coffee and taxi rides.
Just kidding! Kind of not!

Anyway, sweetie, yes, NYC is definitely more sophisticated than northern Illinois. And that may work in your favor, because it’s perfectly fine to dress all in black in New York, and no one will think you’re being depressing or looking for work as a mime.

Two weeks is a pretty long time, so I would personally plan on sending out some laundry if you can rather than packing so much luggage that you’ll wind up paying $50 airline fees for all of it. This is definitely a time to bring the best that you can possibly afford and wear the hell out of it for 14 days.

Now, dear, having no idea of your age or personal style or body type or anything, I’m going to make a suggestion that may or may not work at all for you. I would suggest that you keep your outfits simple and classic, sticking with a few shapes.

Some packing guidelines:

1. Bring two skirts and a pair of pants and plan to wear each twice. Or two pairs of pants and one skirt, same deal.

2. Bring classic garments with a bit of interest in pattern or texture but all of which match with each other.

3. Stay with one dark neutral and one light neutral (ivory and black or navy and white, or brown and grey — whatever. Just keep it super simple).

4. Get the best, greatest knee-high, classic, classy, comfortable, all-weather leather or leather-look boots you can afford. You are going to wear the hell out of those things.

5. Outerwear. It will be cold and windy. Wear a lined trench coat or wool overcoat. Trench is better for rain. Bring a couple of warm stretch fleece or wool hats that you can roll up in your bag. Make sure they cover your whole head and ears. Lined is better for avoiding static hair. Leather or suede gloves.

6. Bring sophisticated accessories: great sunglasses in a mod shape, lush square scarves (nothing flimsy cotton or poly). A fabulous cross-body bag with handles as you will be doing a lot of walking. Once you’re inside, carry your bag by the handles to avoid looking like a college student.
Great scarf and sunglasses are instantly chic!

The following images give you a sense of what I’m talking about in terms of the garments I’m suggesting for you. The skirts are a bit short, but you get the idea. One thing that drives Auntie PeaceBang batshit CRAZY is when readers look at photos and say, “OH, PeaceBang, that is all wrong! The hem on that skirt is too short, or the pantyhose are all wrong!”
FOR THE LOVE OF ST. MARGARET OF CORTONA, PATRON SAINT OF CLERGY IMAGE BLOGGERS*, DON’T DO THAT!!! Until I have an on-staff sketcher to draw up styling ideas based on the full-length photos of my readers who ask these questions (who almost never provide photos when they inquire), it’s just me with my little old MacBook Pro, cutting and pasting. USE YOUR IMAGINATION. TRANSLATE TO REAL LIFE! Okay? And be like the people in the fashion world who watch garments come down the runway and identify which gown should go with certain clients, understanding that a garment is almost NEVER put on a real woman exactly as it appears on the runway. Necklines are changed, hems are drastically altered, the garment is made up in a different hue, waistlines go way up or down, embroidered details appear or disappear.

TRANSLATE! DON’T EVER TAKE AN IMAGE LITERALLY! DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH! If you hate the belt on a coat I show, use your own little Googling fingers to find “trench coat with back belt” or whatever your heart desires. This isn’t rocket science.

/RANT ENDED

Let’s start with a classic black crewneck. This is something you could dress up with a silk scarf for an evening event, wearing it with heels and pants or heels and a skirt. You’re going to be in New York City, you most absolutely, definitely cannot attend an evening event in Danskos:

Now, the trench coat:

A classic trench coat will last you your whole life and can travel anywhere.

All of these skirts are classic pencil skirts. These will last forever, too, and these are all by Anne Taylor, who won’t break your bank. Note that I included one in the Pantone Color of the Year, Marsala, which is also a neutral. I chose all dark neutrals so if you sit on a dirty subway seat and get a stain, it won’t show. Several of these are classic patterns that add visual interest and richness but don’t look dowdy or busy, and go with everything:

Texture is almost always so much more sophisticated than bright prints when we’re talking about retail garments. You can dress all in neutrals with no print at all. Looky. See what I mean?

So, Stacy, the main concept here is simple, classic and sophisticated. It’s all about detail and elegance: a good bra and posture, great boots, garments that have been tailored to fit you, neutrals in rich fabrics, and nothing floppy, sloppy or flimsy. Tourists always stand out in NYC for being sloppy-sporty, with big ugly running shoes, cow-like pacing on the sidewalk (NEVER stop to get your bearings at the top of a subway platform or on a street corner!) and sports team attire. Don’t be one of them, Stacy. Do northern Illinois proud, girl. You’ll be in an international gathering in one of the most powerful cities in the world. Bring your A-game and let us know how it goes.

Kiss of peace from the tundra of eastern Massachusetts,
PB xoox

* I totally made that up.