My Fashion's Night Out Fail

 Tavi, Anna Wintour and Barneys CEO Mark Lee at the store's Fashion's Night Out celebration [image via B-Sides]

Fashion's Night Out at Barneys looks like it was amazing. My Fashion's Night Out? Not so much.

I took a Bolt Bus to New York this past weekend to see a friend's band play on Saturday night. And what do you know? Fashion's Night Out just happens to fall the night before. Ok, so the prospect of mingling with the Olsens and Alexander Wang may have had just a tiny bit more to do with my visit than I let on to my guitarist pal. But it turns out that my FNO was kind of a bust anyway.

I start out with high expectations at the Ace Hotel, where Opening Ceremony overflows from their usual space into the hotel lobby. The French flea market theme is awfully clever, with vendors hawking felt berets and designer booths decorated to the nines (photo after the jump). Unfortunately, the crowd is oppressive and the cheeky Rodarte Prom tees are going for $150. (I love Rodarte, but I don't do triple-digit t-shirts.) The bag of Chorizo kettle corn that I split with my friend, however, is worth every penny!

The Alexander Wang booth at Opening Ceremony/Ace Hotel (yes, there were fortune cookies) 
[uncredited images by me]

Unable to get anywhere near the bar (or really move around at all, actually), we head downtown to visit Chanel. There's a line around the block, but it's moving quickly, and it will be totally worth it when we get our free manicures with Les Khakis de Chanel. Wait, the manicurists are all booked for the night, you say? Of course they are. I would like to buy my Inimitable Mascara and maybe even a bottle of nail polish in Khaki Rose, but the line to the makeup counter is impenetrable. I leave makeupless, with the same chipped red nails I had when I walked in.

 A girl much luckier than me getting a khaki manicure at Chanel

On to Kirna Zabete, where Alexander Wang, the Proenza boys, Jason Wu, etc., etc. are said to be meeting their adoring fans. We're too late! The designers have come and gone. The store's FNO merchandise is lovely, nonetheless - cocktail napkins from Peter Som, owl-print scarves from Jason Wu and PS1 wallets from Proenza Schouler. Without the excitement of having the designer sign my purchase, though, I decide to save my money and walk away empty-handed yet again.

The time it takes to navigate the crowds means I never make it to the Elizabeth & James pop-up store or Vena Cava or 3.1 Philip Lim. But bravo to the FNO PR people (and I say that in all sincerity). They did their jobs all too well and turned SoHo into Times Square for the evening - great for the retailers and VIPs, not so great for me.

 The scene at Kirna Zabete, sans designers

It's my own fault for trying to squeeze too much into one night, I suppose. But what else is a Boston girl to do? Just the street style outside the Ace Hotel gave me chills. I can't be blamed for wanting to do it all. But I've learned my lesson: For FNO 2011, I will either get downtown by 5:00 or stick with the mega-events at uptown department stores like Barneys.

And, really, I shouldn't let you think my weekend was anything less than wonderful. I got to spend time with some of my nearest and dearest friends who I rarely see, eat some delicious Thai food and bagels, and see my friend and his band mates play some kickass gypsy jazz. Boston will forever be home, but those souvenir shop t-shirts are pretty spot on: I really do ♥ NY.

A lingerie model poses for the crowd outside Agent Provacateur