Currently Loving & NZ Fashion Weekend

As I said in a recent post, I didn’t attend New Zealand Fashion Week itself (I hopefully plan to next year). Despite this, I was still lucky enough to attend a few shows and a seminar during New Zealand Fashion Weekend. After having debated homework and reading up about NZFW (choosing this almost every time – oops), by the end of the week, I was more than ready to get a taste for the trends, and the collections myself.

Wearing: dress (Range Gal), shoes (Forever New), clutch (Glassons), bracelet (Karen Walker)

Mallory wears: dress (Hunt No More), shoes (Siren) denim and sheer sleeved jacket (Glassons), clutch (Colette)

Fashion Week(end) attracts a lot of different people. There are adults who didn’t realize they’d be coming, rethinking their Saturday’s outfit choice and rushing off to the designer sale. There are kids who are unsure why they’re there, standing in jeans and a jumper. There are others who heard about it, decided to drop-by for a drink or to take a look at the deals.. possibly attend a show, because why not? And finally, there are those who were aware of the event weeks before, and knew what they were wearing by Thursday. The overly-excited people. I come under this category. Because frankly, there isn’t immense opportunity to dress up these days. I hate to admit it, but I’m not invited to parties of Gatsby’s caliber. And after shameful years of three-quarter-length jeans, leggings with shorts or skirts – in fact leggings with anything – I haven’t quite managed an invite to the Met Gala yet (another thing for next year.. no, I’m only kidding). So, this was my chance. I happily planned, along with my friend Mallory, to dress up.

It’s best to start honest, because we don’t know how it will end. We are more afraid of overdressing than we are underdressing. When in doubt, we underdress. Why? Because this means we can play it cool – pull off the whole “this isn’t really a big event for me, though it clearly is for you” look. Overdressed for an occasion, and we feel as if we don’t get out much and everyone at the event knows it. We are left embarrassed, or pretending that we live an elite lifestyle that calls for nothing less than a dress and heels always. 

Lately though, I’ve found dressing to your own code is much more refreshing (of course, keeping in mind most events like this require shoes – shout-out to the lady who tried to get in anyway). Even if it was for a couple of evenings, dressing up for the occasion provided a perfect glimpse into the lifestyle I could lead more often, and the sort of dress I could lead it in. 

The only difference, the weather was just a little bit colder than expected. For this, I feel my future experienced self may have been a little more prepared. My hair, which left my house noticeably curled, became a wave. At this point, my photo-ready smile also gave in, settling for a silly face, and an attempt at cross-eyed. It deemed shareable, and mostly, sums up my attendance at NZFW. As much as I love to pretend I know what I’m doing, I’m 15, I’m always learning. The industry can be intimidating, but I just take it as it comes, and enjoy myself doing it. I love to add my own flare. It’s all part of the fun!

I’ll tell you more about the shows I saw in an upcoming post, as well as what I wore on Sunday! 

Have a great weekend!

McKenzie xx

Photos: Mallory Christie