Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photos: Hanna Flanagan, Retailers
New York Fashion Week is the schlepping Olympics. It requires us editors to be out and about all day long, commuting from one show, preview, or party to the next, all while having to look our best. That often means toting around gift bags, beauty products for touch-ups, an extra pair of shoes, or even a second outfit if your nighttime events are more formal than your daytime ones. Packing strategically is the key to success. As someone who carries around way too much stuff daily, I like to clean out my favorite purses and totes before the NYFW chaos starts and keep only the essentials — the reliable, multiuse products that will keep me looking and feeling my best all week long. Here, the ten items that made the cut this season.
People often ask me how I do my slicked-back bun, and these Crown Affair hair ties are the key to achieving it. They hold my hair in place so well without feeling too tight or creating a crease.
One thing about me is I have an intense fear of smelling bad. You’ll never catch me out and about without deodorant in my purse. This lilac-and-white-tea-scented one from Native is my current favorite because it’s an aluminum-free deodorant that actually works. That’s rare.
I love carrying a travel-size perfume around during NYFW just in case the gross smell of the city wears off on me while I’m bopping around from show to show. The one in my bag right now is Byredo Mojave Ghost, which is part of a six-piece discovery set. Whether you want to put nice fragrances into your most-used bags or you just want to test different scents before committing to a full-size bottle, the Boisé set is a great investment.
Never underestimate the power of Vaseline. It’s one of my desert-island beauty products and something I carry in all of my purses and tote bags. I have tried almost every lip oil and gloss on the market at this point and can confidently say none are as deeply hydrating as good ol’ Vaseline. It also doubles as a cheekbone or inner-corner highlight in a pinch.
Hand cream is the third and final item in the trifecta of beauty products that lives in all of my purses and tote bags. This one from Flamingo Estate is so luxurious, from the sleek aluminum tube to the nourishing, creamy consistency to the manuka-honey fragrance.
I’ve gone through so many different headphones over the years, from Beats to Apple to Sony, and these are my current favorites. Since they have a clip-on design, I don’t have to worry about them falling off throughout the day or getting caught on a hat or pair of earrings. (There is nothing worse than losing one of your AirPods on your commute!)
I mentioned this last season, but I want to give it another shout-out because I still carry it everywhere. The supersoft velour puff is the best for touch-ups and mattifying shiny spots throughout the day. The teardrop shape makes it easy to blot hard-to-reach areas like the sides of the nose, plus it’s perfect for sharpening and cleaning up smudged liner (on the lips or the eyes). I use it with the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder.
The smooth and creamy formula of M.A.C lip liners makes on-the-go application so damn easy. I can touch up or reapply in the back of an Uber — no problem. The shade I’ve been using lately is Cool Spice.
This Ilia Shadow Stick is another makeup product I can tap on in between shows or events because it can be applied straight from the tube — no eye-shadow brush necessary. It’s creamy, blendable, fairly crease resistant, and ideal for an all-over wash of color on the lids. I love the shade Gilded for daytime and Regal for a more intense nighttime look.
These are my grab-and-go sunglasses at the moment — the pair I carry in my purse just in case because they’re chic and match almost every outfit. They come in a flexible pouch that protects my eyewear without taking up too much room in my purse, which I love. I’ll be carrying both the sunglasses and their case in my bag this NYFW.
When you’re in a rush and changing outfits sometimes multiple times a day, it’s easy to forget accessories (for me, at least). These gold hoops go with everything, and the convenient hinged design means I don’t have to worry about losing an earring in the crevasses of my tote bag.
I’ll carry around four or five lip products if my bag allows, but if not, my M.A.C lip liner and a tube of YSL Loveshine are the ones coming with me. It’s a lipstick–lip-oil hybrid that’s pigmented, glossy, and hydrating. I love it for when I’m on the go because the formula is more forgiving than a matte lipstick.
