Tomorrow's My Last Day

In NYC.

Although I've been here many, many times, I've never experienced the city for such an extended period of time. Usually when I go and visit my sister, it's for a long weekend or for four days maximum. Tomorrow is my tenth day in a row.

When I come to NYC for just a short amount of time, I already have an agenda planned: shopping in SoHo and along 5th Avenue, a stop at Bergdorf's, lunch at a trendy sushi restaurant, Jamba Juice for dessert, and finally, a dinner at a nice restaurant and a Broadway show. Too busy to be aware.

But being here without a plan and an agenda, you see the city differently. You start noticing other things that you can't feel in a long weekend: people's attitude, the noise level throughout the night, the ethnic diversity everywhere around you, and most importantly, the fashion. The stereotypical New Yorker does not always wear black. The men and women of NYC are hip and urban-bohemian, who make strong individual fashion choices that reflect their true personality. Their hairstyles look unkempt, yet moussed and blown out that way purposefully. Their shoes range from high-gloss patent leather heels to dirty-looking Vans that were purchased today. They attack color with passion, and wear blacks and whites at full volume. They mean business.

It's so impressive. It makes DC fashion look like the preppy handbook. It makes my wardrobe look gray and overcast. New Yorkers' sense of style says, "Look at me and learn." DC's sense of style says, "I want to blend in and not make a statement."

I've learned a lot. And I'm going to try and bring a small hint of it back to DC.