NYC: Fashion Night Out 2012
Last year was my first Fashion Night Out. I tagged along with some friends who knew what they were doing and we galavanted through Soho with no real mission or itinerary. We floated in and out of stores scoring free champagne, tote bags, and mixed drinks. We stood on line to get free ice cream, dumplings and hot cocoa. I awkwardly walked into the Jack Spade store filled with exceptionally good looking dudes, sipped drinks at Ben Sherman and had a few PBRs at The Frye Company while filling out a few hundred raffle tickets to win a free pair of boots. I never did win when I checked their Facebook page every week. We checked in on FourSquare when our phones decided to have service to win free shoes. We rubbed elbows with former Top Models, watched famous people walk into the Dash store. We tried to avoid the Bieber tweens. I almost got eaten by a bear. In the crowds of downtown Manhattan we would run into friends, and friends of friends and our group grew bigger and smaller as we all had different intentions. I wanted to go to the Nicki Minaj show but I knew that would require dedication I didn't have for her. The two September 11th beams of light were shining up into the sky and I stood in stores that made me uncomfortable. There's something awkward about a dude standing next to lingerie.
This year our ringleader Lauren isn't here. She moved to Portland. She was the ultimate fashion chaperone and she abandoned us for the Pacific Northwest. So, I had to take the FNO reigns. My knowledge of fashion is very limited. A pair of high-tops from a thrift store and an expensive shirt from All Saints is the extent of my "fashion." I've been caught wearing my old pair of Chuck Taylors from high school with neon green laces. I love a lot of things at Opening Ceremony and I know Odin and Rag & Bone. But all of those stores are out of my price range. Though, Odin is launching a men's collection for Target (which is debuting tonight)!
So, I managed to compile a potential list of things to do this year at Fashion Night Out. 2012. This was originally going to be an email sent to a few friends who were planning to attend tonight's festivities but I thought I would share it and maybe get some more suggestions of what to do and what to avoid. Supposedly there is a "BEERs for BOYS" event at Lauren Moffat's store which I mistook for a gay event but it's supposedly catering to the straight men who are being dragged to FNO by their girlfriends. Maxwell is performing. Beyonce's little sister is DJing. We Were Promised Jetpacks is playing Rockefeller Center. St. Vincent will be at Rag & Bone. Icona Pop is at Helmut Lang and Urban Outfitters. Azealia Banks is at the M.A.C. store on Broadway. Uber is offering free rides. There's supposedly a double decker bus chauffeuring people around as well. Also, don't forget H&M pin-up girl Lana Del Rey will be performing a private show in the near future and you can get a chance to win tickets by stopping by any of H&M's New York City locations. I have no real agenda and I don't expect/want anything but a free cupcake and maybe some champagne to wash it down with.
Fashion Night Out Itinerary
M.A.C. (506 Broadway) Azealia Banks is performing. 7:45pm
Diane von Furstenberg (874 Washington) Free cocktails and desserts!
Bloomingdale's (1000 Third Ave) Kelly Rutherford of Gossip Girl fame. Kellan Lutz. Matchbox 20. Howie Day. Free froyo? 6-9pm
Target (441 West 14th) Odin (men's collection!) launch on Highline Stages.
Manolo Blahnik (31 West 54th) Cyndi Lauper. 8:30pm
Topshop (478 Broadway) Haim. Misshapes. 6-10pm
Uniqlo (546 Broadway) Free sake!
L'Occitane (170 Fifth Ave) Free Van Leeuwen ice cream!
Lord & Taylor (424 Fifth Ave) Kim Kardashian (3rd floor). Project Runway alums (4th floor).
Salvatore Ferragamo (655 Fifth Ave) Tesla Boy 6-9pm
Kate Spade (454 Broome) Brad Goreski. Grilled cheese and milkshakes from Milk Truck! 7-10pm
Opening Ceremony (1190 Broadway @ Ace Hotel) Karaoke.
Opening Ceremony (35 Howard) Block party!
Stella McCartney (429 West 14th) Free cocktails and a vegetarian food truck!
Kiki De Montparnasse (79 Greene) Erotic portrait booth and sex toy lessons.
Calypso au Marché (426 Broome) Free champagne!
Georgetown Cupcake (111 Mercer bw Spring & Prince) Free cupcakes. All day until 11pm
Alexander Berardi (174 Prince) Street carnival! Photobooth. Ice cream truck. 7pm
Prada (575 Broadway) Chairlift 6-10pm
Urban Outfitters (628 Broadway) Icona Pop. 6-11pm.
Rag & Bone (119 Mercer) A speakeasy theme with St. Vincent. 6-10pm
Rockefeller Center We Were Promised Jetpacks (9pm) and The Lonely Forest (7:30pm)
Bird (203 Grand bw Bedford & Driggs) Crif Dogs and vodka!