Usually, my NYFW schedule is closed off for non-Fashion Week projects, but I can never pass up a chance to learn more about plus brands for my readers, so when I got a chance to shoot with a brand I haven’t worked with before, I decided to make an exception to my usual rule.

Sneak peek of my shoot with Ashley Stewart

The shoot was in New Jersey, so when it wrapped I immediately threw on my own clothes and caught a Lyft back to NYC, heading straight to my perennial favorite fashion show, Chromat.  The moment I stepped out of the car, I got snapped by photographer Lydia Hudgens, who was on site shooting street style for Simply Be.

Photo by Lydia Hudgens

Despite some small progress from previous years of virtually no diversity, street style as a whole is still very samey, with the vast majority of people shot being tall, thin, and white.  I loved to see photographers like Lydia and Rand Williams outside of the show – it shouldn’t be remarkable to know that style is not limited by size, but it is still all too rare amongst street style photographers.  Lydia actually wrote a great blog post on the subject – check it out here.

Photographer Lydia Hudgens (rocking the Elvi red teddy coat)

I was stopped by Rand Williams for a photo on my way in.  His streetstyle work is excellent, and he captures stylish people of all races and sizes.  A lot of outlets wrote post-NYFW pieces about the lack of diversity in street style round ups, but those same outlets posted those near-uniform best-of lists.  Photographers like Rand and Lydia are out there, taking diverse pics – it is up to the outlets to actually select them, and to let other photographers know that street style doesn’t only mean traditional model types.

Photo by Rand Williams

As soon as I headed into the show, I started running into some of my faves.  Aside from casting what is likely THE most diverse show in NYFW, Chromat cares about and invites an amazing set of people.

With Plus Model Magazine‘s Editor in Chief Madeline Jones

Liz of P.S. Its Fashion and I had some inadvertent outfit coordination going on

Love seeing writer and blogger babe Austen Tosone of Keep Calm and Chiffon

Founders of Bandelettes (which were featured on the Chromat runway), Julia and Rena

With model babe Jennie Runk post-show

As always, the Chromat runway was amazing and left me reinvigorated (full show post coming soon).  Unlike many shows where people rush off in a huff, there is always a happy electric energy zipping through the crowd after a Chromat runway.

With Suzanne L. Ujaque of Su Style on our way out

Though I was exhausted from a day that started at 4:50 am (more than 12 hours ago at this point!), I needed that Chromat boost because my day was not yet over.  New luxe plus label Sika Collection (which I love) was having its launch party that night, so I caught a cab with Liz and we headed downtown.

There were so many of my favorite blogger and model babes there to celebrate Sika’s launch that I was too busy catching up with them all to take many pics.  Thank goodness their photographer got this one!

We wrapped the night at the Chromat afterparty, where my friend Kirby realized one of her fellow model/actor friends walked in the show.  Seeing them have that moment together was one of the sweetest things I’ve seen at NYFW.

With Chromat designer and all around wonderful woman Becca McCharen-Tran

At the end of the night, I was absolutely exhausted, but also immensely happy about the gorgeous design and diversity I saw in fashion throughout my loooooong day.  It feels like we are approaching a real turning point, and I am so happy to be part of that.

Outfit details:

Beaded sheer dress: Elvi (also available in mustard on their site)

Puffer coat: H&M

Glitter boots: H&M (sold out, similar here in wide fit)

Eye handbag: Min & Mon