Damn Girl?!?
A man’s perspective and survival during New York Fashion Week
By Will Rothwell-Torres @WillRothwell_

If you have read any fashion article ever, then you have surely stumbled across a female perspective on men’s style. “Look elegantly tailored in a three piece suit or keep it clean in Stan Smith’s,” a made-up lady blogger once said, but maybe didn’t. The point is – why doesn’t anyone pose the question to us guys? Don’t we deserve a voice!? I went to New York for Women’s Fashion Week to find out.

First stop: the Valentino show; a dream opportunity. Too bad a freak thunder storm delayed my connecting flight in Chicago, putting those dreams to bed. I arrive an hour after the show ends, devastated, and resort to sorrowful drinking at the after party. The setting: a midtown manhattan loft. It’s from my vantage point near the open bar that I get my first real glimpse of NYFW industry-style.

It’s night one of NYFW and everyone is dressed in dark hues. The men’s style range from full suited looks, to the Kanye West / A$AP Rocky urban goth, with big boots and over sized tees. Interestingly, there isn’t a definitive distinction between the men and ladies. The female fashionistas are dressed eerily similar to the men here. I take notice of slacks and blazers in dark colors, along with skirts and blouses in the same dark, moody tones. Could it be – the androgynous thing is really taking off!? It’s either that, the dim lighting of the loft, or the four Jack and Coke’s. Night one ends and so far my main conclusion: never fly through Chicago.

As the rest of the week progresses I link up with members of The Bloggers Project with Marcus and Nas Troy to attend more shows and photograph street style. It’s hard to narrow down what looks good on a woman or whats “in” for the season. I get menswear. Women’s designers, not so much. They seem to say “F*ck it” doing who knows what with fabrics, as millions stand in awe. The problem for a guy trying to understand women’s fashion: we love a lady in a tight skirt and we also love a chick rockin’ sweatpants and white socks. Show me a woman wearing anything, and I’ll show you a man who would love to get her out of it. Whether the garments make sense or not is inconsequential to guys.

In the end NYFW has opened my eyes to how much women’s style influences men. Sometimes men’s trends come from women (like floral patterns). Sometimes a man designs a custom garment based on his lady’s event attire. Sometimes the influence is as subtle as “Babe- black or navy tie?”

But usually, it’s as simple as, “Damn girl – that booty though!”

Without further ado, some of my favorite shots of the coolest (and weirdest) ladies from NYFW S/S 2016 Collections.

Enjoy,

Will Rothwell-Torres
@WillRothwell_