Things I Have Learned from Fashion Week

Every February and September, the fashion flock from around the world makes their biannual pilgrimage to NYC and the "tents."

The "tents" are set up in Bryant Park and are where hundreds of established, upcoming and those designers in between come to show their collections. In this span of seven days, you see girls that are considered the world's most beautiful (models), men that are considered the world's most powerful, (titans of their industry) and people who are considered the world's most talented (actors, painters, you fill in the blank). But, the thing that really makes fashion week a feast for the eyes are the intrinsic, creative and wonderful ways that the fashion flock dress themselves for the occasion.

By observing the flock in their natural habitat, you can learn a few things that can really help you build a fabulous wardrobe.

1) Stick to what works for you. Fashion editors are the ones to watch to master this task. At every show, the editors are there, looking for the next idea for their "story". As you watch these cool creatures, you begin to notice that they dress in a uniform of sorts. One editor, whose style I tracked for four days, wore black or a very dark denim skinny jean or pant, with some sort of jacket or coat, a blue Hermes Evelyne handbag and some sort of masculine footwear, everyday! She topped it off with deep red lipstick and a haircut to die for! The easiest way to do this is to figure out what pieces work for your body type and then build a wardrobe filled with pieces in this flattering shape.

2) Build a brand. Fashion industry insiders know that if they are dressed in attention getting gear, a photographer may take a picture and it could be the picture that elevates their career. When you are dressed well, you attract people to you and make them WANT to give you a job, a promotion, a date, or whatever it is that you want in life.

3) When in doubt-wear a suit. No matter what trends filter down the runway, the Fashion Directors of major retail stores sit in the front row of the shows in a suit. Taking a cue from this sect, if you are unsure about a piece clothing that you think may be dated, instead of taking the chance put on a suit.

4) Be an independent thinker. The most refreshing aspect of fashion week is that you will see people dressed in all kinds of ensembles. From the pink haired fashion diva in metallic silver over the knee boots, to the fashion sophisticate in her charcoal grey shift dress and YSL bag of the season. Fashion people are unafraid. Unafraid to be themselves, unafraid to take fashion risks, unafraid of other people's judgement of them. Make your interviewer remember you. Wear a sleek suit. Put a ruffled pink blouse under a blazer. Wear that fun broach or pin you love. You never know, it just might be the conversation piece that tells the company "yes, I belong here. You should hire me." In other words, when in doubt, see tip number 1.

Nicole Sinclair is the owner and chief artist for The Style Sanctum, a clothing consultancy focusing on personal style development, personal shopping, and wardrobe editing. You can contact Nicole at nicole@stylesanctum.com or 704.907.1013.