I am on vacation but posts will appear magically every day, by me or another cool blogger.
If you love fashion,  you watch Project Runway. And probably covet a seat at New York City’s Fashion Week.  I know I do.  So when my friend, blogger Rosie Battista told me she was going, I HAD to know more. She agreed to write about her experience at CZAR by Cesar Galindo for your reading pleasure. And she provided photos! Here’s a hint: the men at Fashion Week were FAR more interesting than the women. Who knew?

Now, Rosie’s a rockin’ cool person.  Her website, Sleeping Naked After 50 showcases her business, which is to help people be the best they can be, physically and every other way. Because it’s all connected, right? Rosie, herself, entered her first bodybuilding competition at 50. So after you read about the weird–oops I mean fascinating–people she encountered at the show, check her website out.  But first, here’s what Fashion Week is really like:

8 Life Principles Learned from NYC Fashion Week
by Rosie “Fashionista” Battista

Writing about it will not do justice to my reaction of being handed a ticket to fashion week from my “Fashionista Friend”. If you are not a fashionista and don’t know about it, New York’s Fashion week is a designated period where designers present their new lines to an audience of lovers, critics, buyers and press. It’s a big deal, a global event. It affects what you’ll be buying in the stores in a few months.

Can you say, HOLY CRAP? I was floored and thrilled at her offer. I had been wanting to be a part of this for years, in any way I could and these tickets are not easy to come by.

Prepping myself took time as I wanted to dress “appropriately”. Sunday afternoon in NYC, at a fashion show, all things are possible. I decided on very chic, classic, black hi- lo skirt and an off the shoulder top. Just enough skin to look sexy and just enough chic to be funky. I wore my black and white tie-up-the-calf Chanel shoes, because who ever gets to wear such pretty things? They don’t work for the gym. Apparently, they don’t really work for walking either, evidenced by the fact that the heel broke off and I wound up walking on a metal nail that was left poking out. Okay my $950 shoes, thank you very much for your support.

There were many life lessons learned from my participation in this event and since the odds of you attending a fashion week show in NYC are probably slim to none, I feel compelled and obligated (in a good way) to share them with you.

Before I begin, there is one lesson that tops the top of the list. This one is mandatory for you before you even leave your house for any event in NYC (1) HAVE BACK UP… like an extra pair of comfy shoes. This would be just in case you have to stand when you thought you would be sitting and/or your heel breaks off, and/or you develop a scathing ripped open pounding blister on the top of your toes, like I did.

Okay so we are clear on that one. My broken heel, my painful blister and I also learned 8 more principles that can be used in daily living that I will share.

1-  LOSE THE GREAT EXPECTATIONS: Expect the best but have no attachment to the outcome. I was expecting a seat, lights, camera, action, tall thin legs and flowing fabric prancing by me as I sat comfortably absorbed. Nope! Apparently, that is not the way it always is. So let me explain what this was. It was a LOOK. Picture a big conference room, with 20 dressed models standing in a huge circle, facing outward. They stare out at you and you stare at them. It’s as simple as that. You stop at each creation and ogle, and then move on to the next as the spirit moves you. The photographers and illustrators sitting around the outside of the circle were the only moving parts. If you want to, you can wrestle in and hug the designer who’s standing around admiring his creations. I should also mention that not every model was tall and lanky. Yay!

2- BE PRESENT TO THE GIFTS: The gift was in all the people going on around me.  The people watching the people was the best part. I let myself be an observer of all of it, admiring the fashions on the observers even more than the fashionable models. I let my mind wander and wonder on who they are in their daily lives and what they wear to the gym and supermarket.

3- BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE DESIGNER: Perception is 9/10 of fashion.  “What was he thinking” was what I was thinking when I looked at some of the clothing being modeled. “Who is wearing this stuff and where the heck are they wearing it to?” Don’t get me wrong, there were pieces to die for and pieces I wouldn’t be caught dead in. And then, “Fashionista Friend says, “I would die for that dress” and I reply, “Really?, I wouldn’t be caught dead in that”.

4- SHOW UP FULLY… Fit right in and stand right out but be right there. I’m feeling proud that I may have got this concept down this time as I got stopped twice by people asking if I was a designer. Because I showed up as a person that loves to wear fashion and watch fashion, my energy was obviously up to something. I call this fitting right in and standing right out because wanting to be where you are and showing up fully changes the dynamics of the moment.

5- ASSUME NOTHING. The best dressed fashionistas were not the women modeling the clothes. Actually the best dressed weren’t women at all.  Behind me on line was a man in his early 30’s with long blond and blue curls. Yup.  You read it right. Teal blue curls. Can you say jealous? That was me. I was also the person staring. How the heck does he get that gorgeous color? I’ve been trying to get my hair gorgeously purple for years. And here is a guy that looks amazing in teal blue. Had I more time or balls, I would have manned my way up to ask for his hair tips.

6- JUDGE NOT. Even if and especially when “different” is going on, don’t pretend to know how it feels in someone else’s shoes. I admit I got right to“JUDGING” this very tall, dark, handsome, bald, ripped man walking by in high high heels. Once again, can you say jealous? This man was put together. Bald head to toe. I wanted to man up with him too and ask a question. My question was not about his choice of dress. My question was why would he want to walk around in those high high heels when he was already tall and more importantly, where did he keep his back up shoes.

7- OWN YOUR AWESOMENESS. Dress your gorgeous best and make that your style.  This fashion extravaganza was a great way for me to dress up, show up, do something fun-tastic. At this side of 50, I’m over it caring what others thing about how I dress and I am pleased that it only took me 49 years to get here. What is gorgeous to you and what makes you shine brilliantly is your best selection. It is what you share and who you are. The Fashionista’s that came out to enjoy the show, came owning “it” and fearlessly sharing themselves with the world. I love that all in one room. That makes for a fabulous show of uniqueness and a wowsa experience.

8- ACT AS IF. What you believe is your absolute truth. “Fashionista Friend” and I were sitting in the hotel lounge bar area relaxing after our show and the staff was requesting that everyone leave as there was to be a private party for Ralph Lauren. (one of my favorite designers BTW). “Fashionista Friend” responds back, without a flinch or hiccup, “ Yes thank you so much, but we’re part of that party”. To which they responded, “I am so sorry mam, of course you are”. (we didn’t stay for the event but it sure was fun to know that all things are possible if you just believe they are)

And here’s a little video of an artist, painting the fashions as they came down the runway: