What I Wore to New York Fashion Week as a Plus-Size Influencer

I’m a New York Fashion Week veteran at this point. This was my 25th season (!!!) attending, and I’ve been through it all at this point, from the early days of cattle call-esque standing room shows where I was fighting for my life to be able to get a photo worth a damn with my iPhone 5 to sitting front row with pop stars. It has been a journey, but I still love it, chaos and all. The only thing that can be a bit daunting is deciding what to wear.

When it comes to Fashion Month style, it’s all about striking a balance between serving a LOOK and practicality. (Unless you’re a celeb with dedicated car service and a team of stylists to swap out clothes between shows, your outfit has to go the distance for long days that have you running all over Manhattan and Brooklyn.) Being plus size is an added challenge, as there are few showroom samples I can borrow or stores I can pop into. I usually end up shopping my closet for the majority of my looks. Read on for a little behind the scenes of how I navigated styling a week’s worth of outfits when the fashion always speaks first as a size 20.

Pre-NYFW Marie Claire Party

My unofficial New York Fashion Week kick-off was the Marie Claire x Who What Wear party at a chic spot downtown. I knew I was going to see a lot of fashion friends and faves, so I went with something cute and easy, ensuring I could chat the night away in comfort. (If you’ve been reading my articles for any amount of time, it probably comes as no surprise that I’m a talker!)

I based this look around a textured midi dress in the people’s Color of the Year, phthalo green. I love this rich bluish-green hue, and combining it with a pale lilac has been a favorite of mine recently. (It doesn’t hurt that I have a cool fuzzy plaid coat that ties it all together.) I loved how it all came together with shiny gold cowboy boots, purple frames, and an iridescent hardshell clutch.

Ulla Popken

Longline Plaid Oversized Coat

Eloquii

Off Shoulder Textured Dress

Tecovas

The Annie Western Boot

Gsyps

Acrylic Evening Clutch Purse

Day 1

For my first long day of shows (which started at 10:30 for New York Men’s Day and ended almost 12 hours later with Jane Wade), I wanted to wear something vibrant, impactful, fun, and, most importantly, something that wouldn’t leave me looking rumpled by the end. I based my look around this perfect “Suffering” tee dress from Beautiful Genius by Jordan Piantedosi, one of my favorite brands. The motif was just spot-on—the contrast of cheerful, expressive colors and the all-too-apt wording made it feel too perfect to eschew as someone fighting to find bright spots in the midst of all the cruelty and injustice happening in the world right now. I also wanted to consciously push back against all the bland lack of color that’s so prevalent lately, both in fashion and in culture. The art itself is great, too, and it’s hand-drawn by Piantedosi herself. I also really appreciate Beautiful Genius’ great size range (XS-6X), so it felt like the ideal starting point for an outfit.

I added my beloved Marina Rinaldi quilted maxi coat, with voluminous drop waist insets that are right on trend. It gave me a little “Jubilee from X-Men, but make it fashion” vibe that I absolutely love. It also takes up space, both literally and figuratively, in a way that I appreciate as a plus-size woman who’s often treated like an interloper in fashion spaces. It’s a statement piece in more ways than one.

I’ve been really into the long tee and sheer skirt combination lately, so New York Fashion Week felt like the perfect time to take it for a spin. I toyed with some lace options, but this sequin and faux pearl studded number from Cuup ended up taking it for me. It’s even more stunning in person (it catches the light beautifully), and the contrast of its delicate sparkle with the neon colors and sporty vibes of my tube socks and Collina Strada x Reebok sneakers really sparked joy.

I finished the look with a bright green By Far bag and pink glasses. Together, it all felt very me, which is the best thing possible for an outfit, in my opinion. I wasn’t the only one who loved it, either: I got a ton of compliments throughout the day.

Universal Standard

Matterhorn Mid Hooded Puffer

Beautiful Genius

Pink Genius Pullover

By Far

Mini Rachel Shoulder Bag

Day 2

One of the earliest trends I spotted at the Fall 2026 shows was added hip volume—padded hips, structured skirts, drop waists. So, when getting dressed for day two, I gravitated to this tulle-lined taffeta dress in my closet from ASOS’s elevated ARRANGE line. (My exact dress is sold out, but there are similar options here and here). The basque waist and added hip volume feel current, and this soft teal-tinged blue is just so pretty.

The city was still covered in snow, so I needed something warm to wear with this sleeveless dress. Naturally, I reached for my go-to faux fur. I wasn’t kidding when when I first reviewed the relaunch of June + Vie last year: This coat is IT. In an outfit full of statement pieces, I still got lots of compliments on this soft, fluffy, and overall fabulous jacket. It’s also wonderfully warm, which was great for running all over NYC for shows and presentations.

The piece de resistance, in my opinion, was absolutely this stunning pair of Alexis Bittar earrings. Crystal-encrusted, sculptural, and with the molten metal effect that I find the designer to do best, they were a true statement. The shape is so cool, too, so I was beyond excited to find an XXL version on display at the brand’s presentation this season, laid out and tagged like evidence of the violent, poignant vignette that played out on stage. The contrast between the maximalist glamour of the designs and the pointed social commentary I’ve come to expect from Alexis Bittar’s shows just makes me love the brand even more. I will definitely be eagle-eyed watching for the drop of those beautifully over-the-top earrings, too.

June+Vie

Faux Fur Coat (Was $289)

Alexis Bittar

Solanales Crystal Cascade Post Earrings

Journee

Womens Mariana Extra Wide Calf Block Heel Over the Knee Boots

Old Navy

Large Belted Tote Bag

Day 3

This look was relatively simple, compared to some of my others this season, but the structure of and details on this dark-wash denim dress were enough for me. The oversized grommets at the neckline and asymmetrical shoulder draping drew me right in. I was really impressed with the fit, too: It’s completely true to size, and worked on my full bust (something I wasn’t 100% sure would happen before I tried it on!). The dress ended up being a great fit for the elevated tailoring at Robert Rodriguez’s excellent debut as creative director of Derek Lam.

This dress is cocktail-ready, but I decided to style it a little more casually for my day, pairing it with dark brown suede boots (that come in a true wide-calf option!) and a nipped-waist jacket in a pretty oxblood hue for warmth. I added tortoiseshell sunnies and a tan Luar Ana bag with a circular handle that echoes the shape of the grommets. I felt both polished and cool. Most crucially, I still looked fresh after a full day of events—even more important, since I ended up sitting front row directly across from pop stars Slayyyter and Bebe Rexha at the sexy Christian Cowan show.

Eloquii

Grommet Detail Denim Dress

Finesse

Zui Maroon Vegan Leather Oversized Cropped Jacket

Dolce Vita

Virona H2O Extra Wide Calf Boots

Day 4

When it comes to romance, working in fashion is not easy. I personally have it particularly bad: My wedding anniversary is smack-dab in the middle of New York Fashion Week in September, and Valentine’s Day often falls right during the February shows. That was the case again this season, but my lovely husband came out to meet me for brunch during my one break of the day. That meant my outfit had to go from front row to date-ready.

I chose a statement set that looks just as good without the jacket, and paired it with some sweet red accents in the form of red boots and a cutie 2000’s-era rose petal print Fendi bag from Designer Revival (one of my go-to places for finding cool designer consignment). This coat and dress combo is actually straight from Eloquii’s NYFW debut last September, and I fell in love with it the moment I saw it on the runway. I wasn’t the only one either: The day before, I ran into THE Danielle Pinnock at the Alexis Bittar presentation wearing the same set. Great minds!

Both pieces are sadly almost sold out by now, but I cannot recommend them strongly enough. They look like they cost 10x what they do, and the quality is fantastic. I got literally more compliments than I could keep track of, both at NYFW and on the street between shows.

Eloquii

Faux Pony Hair Tank Dress

Journee

Daria Extra Wide Calf Boot

Day 5

After a week of long, 14,000+ step days, I had a blessedly chill schedule, with only two shows. Since they both started after dark, I decided to go for more of a night-out vibe.

Seeing as the Kim Shui show was on a moving boat (!!!), I also needed to make sure I was warm enough, so I styled my outfit around a faux fur coat with substance: this fringe trim, zebra-print number from Ulla Popken. It’s a statement in and of itself, and doesn’t really need much. But I am who I am, and I always consider Fashion Week the perfect time to lean into my more-is-more maximalist-leaning sensibilities. So, instead of keeping it simple, I did just the opposite, amping up the texture (more fringe!) and adding another print into the mix. I layered a metallic paneled black bodysuit under the fringe button-down, which also gave some bottom coverage under the semi-sheer polka-dot sequin midi skirt.

To keep all of these elements harmonious—and the outfit from tipping over the edge into outright chaos—I kept the palette limited to black, white, and silver. With a metallic orb-studded bag and my trusty patent over-the-knee boots, it came together just as I hoped.

Ulla Popken

Striped Plush Fringe Collar Jacket

Curvy Kate

Rebelle Plunge Body Black

Ulla Popken

Long Fringe Straight Blouse

Collusion

Plus Sheer Awkward Length Skirt in Spot Sequin

Urban Outfitters

Silence + Noise Mona Studded Shoulder Bag

Day 6

For the last day of shows (and another one that stretched from morning to night), I resolved to keep comfort at the forefront. And after a week of dresses, that absolutely meant jeans for me. I went with a dark indigo version of one of my go-to styles: the wide-leg “Rylan” flare from Anthropologie’s Pilcro denim line. I generally find the jeans to be true to size and great quality, and this style is no exception (hence why they stay in regular rotation in my closet). To zhuzh them up for Fashion Week, I added a scalloped-sleeve ribbed cardigan with cool molten gold buttons. I love the unique shape of the sleeves, and I got a lot of compliments about the Schiaparelli-esque vibes of the hardware.

I took inspiration from that gold for the rest of my accessories, from eyeglasses to boots to a vintage patent bag with a substantial gold clasp. I brought the gorgeous molten metal Alexis Bittar earrings back out for this one, too—they were just too pretty not to!

I added my beloved Baacal python-print tench coat to keep me warm and stylish while running around the city, and ended the day with an excellent independent designer (Taottao) showing at the most unexpected location: a secret theater inside Port Authority. In all my seasons of attending Fashion Week, it’s good to know that I can still be surprised.