While the rest of the fashion world and glitterati hit the Big Apple for Fashion Week this year, I chose to pass on the event because, well, I'm over it. And while I'll probably go to fashion writer hell for this heinous admission, it's the honest truth.
Yes, I traded the glitz and glam-packed Spring shows in The City that Never Sleeps for Target runs with the progeny and Real Housewives and Breaking Bad atop my fluffy white couch with the hubby. Why? As I grow older, I'm getting extremely choosy with my time and pinpointing exactly how I want to spend it. And to be clear, I'm not dogging Fashion Weeks -- they remain the zenith of fashion's forecasts and the blood, sweat and tears of so many brilliant talents, but my disinterest in attending piqued this piece. To break it down: I follow my heart. I'd much rather be with my family than traipsing from show to show like a caffeine-riddled maniac for the latest trend (which, let me guess... it's leather. And Pantone emerald green. And black. Always tried-and-true New York onyx).
Right now, the mere idea of tromping through New York in 5-inch heels to schmooze and ooh and ahh over the latest collections is a veritable hell-to-the-no. Perhaps this sentiment will change in the future, but with the media beast churning out every show online -- personally, the allure of going to Fashion Week has waned to a staggering standstill. With my Instagram and Facebook feeds inundated with play-by-play runway shots, it feels as though the proverbial cat is out of the bag long before it was even in it.
The days of poring over the next glossy issue of Vogue, WWD and Elle for the editor's top picks are long gone. Also amiss is my once wanton longing to physically attend the shows. And there's clearly a deeper meaning to this indifference where I'm sure, you too, can relate. When it comes to celebrity-laced events, mind-numbing social obligations, snooze-inducing meetings, or questionable potential work opportunities, I no longer deem it necessary to say, "yes" to every invitation or person. Like a magnetic force, something within me keeps drawing me back home. I want to meticulously curate my life, if you will. And spend it with the ones I love.
I'm learning to say, "no" more and am slowly understanding this pressing truth: Stand apart from the masses! When you choose to do things with meaning and purpose, rather than "what everybody else is doing," you will feel far more rewarded and enriched. FOMO (fear of missing out) is a thing of the past and an outright waste of time.
Plus, there's always Social Media to stay on the up-and-up.