The New York Chronicles, Pt. 1: The Style

I was only in NYC for a month, but I've learned so much. I learned the subway, which was so hard. The goal is to know the difference between uptown and downtown. It sounds borderline retarded simple, but it's confusing when you're in the subway trying to figure out which way is Times Square. I learned that the native New Yorkers are super nice contrary to popular belief. All the people that I met that were from NYC I instantly clicked with. They taught me how to ride the train (thank God). They showed me the best places to shop. They took me to bars where I had my first beer (I'm a cocktails kind of girl.), and loved it! Most of all, they were just as interested in Southern culture as I was in NYC culture. New Yorkers are super nice. It's the transplants that feel that they have to be hardcore to live here. That's what a native told me, and it's true.

These things were all great, but what I really wanted to learn was the style, and what I discovered was that there wasn't a major trend everyone followed or a distinct New York City look. People dressed how they wanted, and it blew my mind. Every single person down to the little kids had their own style, their own look. Every style is equal. No one cares if you don't have style either. There's way too many people walking around to focus. Everyone does their own thing there. That's not how it is here. Everyone dresses pretty much the same, and if you step out and do your own thing, you're an outcast.

Now, even though NYC is all about individualism, I did notice a couple things that a lot of people do.

Some girls actually look like these models. Seriously.

1. Layering. It's fall. The weather was nippy sometimes. Instead of just picking an outfit and putting a coat over it. People make a whole ensemble out of it. Simply, I saw a girl once who had on a Peter Pan collared shirt underneath a pink sweater top with a denim vest and a bomber jacket, jeans, and boots with socks. I've seen people layer more. Wearing a huge coat isn't cute, unless you have no choice. Plus, all that walking around makes you warm, and you'll end up taking the coat off anyway.

I love the laces. Polka dots are my thing.

That girl was wearing these exact ones!

2. Dr. Martens. Every other person has a pair on! I have always been intrigued by the boots, but didn't think I was punk rock enough to pull them off. Fast forward to NYC Fall 2011, even the preppy kids dabble in Air Wair. I loved it! You can literally wear them with everything. Everything! I saw this girl on the J train from Queens with a pair of platinum ones with black laces (see above). I almost died. They were so gorgeous. So, I vowed to get myself a pair, despite my just barely big feet.

Floral 1460.

Pearl Pink 1460. I die over this one.

The point about New York City style is that there is no NYC style. People wear and do what they want. They realize that people will talk no matter what you do, so why not just be yourself and do your own thing. 

That's what I love most about New York City.

Oh...and the boys.

Click on the captions to shop the shoes.

xoxo