

New York Fashion Week is like no other fashion event in the world. The semi-inaugural event that takes place in February and September sets the stage for a myriad of fashion trends you are sure to see everywhere come fall and spring, as the February collections show off F/W fashion and the September collections highlight S/S fashion.
This season, we are excited to see some of the 110 confirmed designers, including a few of our favorite Black designers like returning brands LaQuan Smith, Sergio Hudson, Theophilio, Victor Glemaud, and newcomers like Tia Adeola. Not to mention, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and Vogue Fashion Fund finalists are Fe Noel and No Sesso, two fashion brands led by Black women.
While it’s a well-known event that has been taking place since 1943, it exudes a mysterious ambiance. Questions like, “How do I get into the shows?” and “Do I have to pay to attend fashion week?” take over the minds of those who love fashion but don’t quite understand the perplexing game of NYFW. Thanks to a number of style influencers, we have been able to get a sneak peek of what it means to attend fashion week through their riveting content.
That’s why we tapped a few of our favorite fashion girlies to spill the tea on how they get ready for NYFW, a common misconception about the shows, and what advice they have for folks that want to learn more about the process. Ahead, find some fashion week gems from some fashion week pros.
Host/Beauty & Fashion Expert
Courtesy of Blake Newby
How long she has been attending NYFW:
"Five years."
Her favorite part about fashion week:
"I love that I get to see so many people who I wouldn't normally see. In some ways, it really feels like an industry family reunion."
How she gets ready for NYFW:
"Boy, how long do you have? Well, as a huge beauty girl, it's a must that my glam is in place — that means hair is done, facials are had, nails are done, and of course, the fashions. So I go about many avenues to get my outfits together. That includes fashion pulls from designers, running around the city doing buys, and ordering from online.
"The thing about NYFW is you can change three to four times in a day, so you have to be prepared. In addition, I also ensure that my schedule is as organized as possible — there's so much going on and often overlapping, so pre-planning your days is an absolute must."
A common misconception about attending fashion week:
"That there is any ounce of leisure. Fashion week is nonstop and can certainly be exhausting. While it's such a great time, make no mistake, it's a job."
Her advice for fashion lovers who want to join in on the fun:
"Look into open-to-the-public brand activations happening! There are actually so many. Additionally, it's such a fantastic opportunity to get some great content. Visit some of the areas where shows are happening, and there are always great street-style photographers looking to capture great outfits."
Founder/CEO
Courtesy of Ah-Niyah Gold
How long she has been attending NYFW:
"Eight years."
Her favorite part about fashion week:
"Fashion week always feels like a creative reunion. I love seeing my friends who travel in for the shows."
How she gets ready for NYFW:
" Working in PR, I'm required to begin planning for fashion week months out with clients, especially if we are doing a runway show. It requires intense prep and strategy sessions with the teams to get things in place. It's always a beat-the-clock for me."
A common misconception about attending fashion week:
"That it's just fun. While I do enjoy myself when time allows, it's an extremely intense period."
Her advice for fashion lovers looking to join in on the fun:
"Fashion week is a lot more inclusive than it has been. Designers are even hitting the streets of the city to do public shows which is always fun."
Style Expert & Founder of HighLowLuxxe
Courtesy of Jenee Naylor
How long she has been attending NYFW:
"I’ve been attending NYFW for a couple of years at this point; however, the experience still feels new every time! This will be my fifth NYFW, and it’s always an exciting, inspiring, and event-filled experience."
Her favorite part about fashion week:
"There are so many reasons why I absolutely love fashion month in general! As someone who considers themselves an expert, I really appreciate the opportunity to celebrate the creativity and art form of fashion itself. The entire experience is full of personal expression and is the best opportunity to learn about new designers and upcoming trends. In my opinion, NYFW is the most exciting US-based fashion week and features some of my favorite designers."
How she gets ready for NYFW:
"When it comes to preparing and curating my wardrobe for fashion month, I usually create a mood board to help pinpoint the looks, theme, and overall aesthetic for each city. Then I’ll really take my time finding specific pieces and unique items until I have entire looks put together. It's really important to try on your outfits beforehand and get an indication of how it feels on your body and to imagine how the outfit may look photographed. Oftentimes I’ll take a mirror pic of me in the outfit to have a quick reference in helping plan my outfits and itinerary."
A common misconception about attending fashion week:
"I think a big misconception about attending fashion week is that you need to have an action-packed, 100% confirmed itinerary to show up. Although there should be intentionality in attending fashion week and thoughtfulness in terms of the financial commitment, it's such a wonderful thing to experience. I’d definitely recommend that fashion enthusiasts and creators attend even if there’s uncertainty around whether you’ll get into certain shows or go to the hottest events. Just being in the mix offers so much inspiration and opportunity to network and grow."
Her advice for fashion lovers looking to join in on the fun:
"For those looking to attend fashion week, it’s really important to understand your 'why.' What is it that you’re looking to gain from the experience? Do you want to network; is it a goal to attend certain fashion shows; are you aiming to get your picture taken by a particular outlet? Attending fashion week can be a costly investment, so having concrete goals is really important. Check out my Fashion Month Recap Newsletter from last October, where I talk about my top 3 tips for attending fashion month."
Content Creator & Writer
Courtesy of Simi
How long she has been attending NYFW:
"This will be my second full year!"
Her favorite part about fashion week:
"Seeing all the beautiful fashion!"
How she gets ready for NYFW:
"It starts off with really hydrating and relaxing skincare and body care. I get my nails done. I get waxed, the whole nine. Then I organize my outfits either via show or per day and REST a lot the weeks prior!"
A common misconception about attending fashion week:
"That the purpose is to be seen. It's not. It's to take in the art of the designers and connect with like-minded people. If you're not intending to drool over exquisite looks and sing your praises to some of your idols, it's not really worth it!"
Her advice for fashion lovers looking to join in on the fun:
"Come! And let the city take you. Dress your best, in a way that is uniquely and totally you. You never know who you might bump into! Don't feel pressured by others' expectations. Have FUN! Be you. Let your style speak for you. And always, always, always, be kind to those around you!”
Blogger/Content Creator & Founder of A Styled Mind
Courtesy of Ashley Weddington
How long she has been attending NYFW:
"Since 2016."
Her favorite part about fashion week:
" Reconnecting with other creators I only get to see during this time of year."
How she gets ready for NYFW:
"As far as styling goes, I usually scroll through my IG and see what pieces were some of my standout favorites and that I wouldn't mind recreating a look around. From there I'll review my fashion wishlists and see if there are any pieces I have yet to purchase that would be fitting for the occasion. After I place my orders, I create a list in my Notes of full outfits, including accessories and shoes, to make sure I have everything I need. And sometimes, even with all of that 'preparation,' I'll still pull last-minute outfits together during the week in the midst of the chaos.
"Regarding shows/events, I've been going for so many years that I have a basic email template that I use to send to all of the brands whose presentations I'm interested in attending for that season. Once the official schedule drops (3-4 weeks prior), I'll go through and send out all of my emails which usually end up being anywhere from 30-40. From there, I'll follow up one more time the week before if I still have not received a response and create a final schedule in my notes of all of the events I've been confirmed for broken out by day and time."
A common misconception about attending fashion week:
"It's all fun and no work. As glamorous as it looks, it is extremely tiring and there is an immense pressure to attend every show/event, capture content, and post in the moment... all while remembering to eat."
Her advice to give fashion lovers looking to join in on the fun:
"Networking is key, so be sure to work on building authentic relationships with PR agencies and always follow up with any brand contacts you've worked with in the past or would love to partner with in the future! Don't feel pressured to buy an entire new wardrobe for every season or feel pressured to keep up with every single trend. Wear what makes you feel the most confident and is authentic to you!”
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Featured image courtesy of Ashley Weddington
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Joce Blake is a womanist who loves fashion, Beyonce and Hot Cheetos. The sophistiratchet enthusiast is based in Brooklyn, NY but has southern belle roots as she was born and raised in Memphis, TN. Keep up with her on Instagram @joce_blake and on Twitter @SaraJessicaBee.
Claudia Jordan, Demetria McKinney & Jill Marie Jones On 'Games Women Play' & Dating Over 40
What do you get when you mix unfiltered truths, high-stakes romance, and a few well-timed one-liners? You get Games Women Play—the sizzling new stage play by Je’Caryous Johnson that’s part relationship rollercoaster, part grown-woman group chat.
With a powerhouse cast that includes Claudia Jordan, Demetria McKinney, Jill Marie Jones, Carl Payne, Chico Bean, and Brian J. White, the play dives headfirst into the messy, hilarious, and heart-wrenching games people play for love, power, and peace of mind. And the women leading this story? They’re bringing their whole selves to the stage—and leaving nothing behind.
From Script to Spotlight
The road to Games Women Play started over 20 years ago—literally.
“This script was written 20 years ago,” Jill Marie Jones said with a smile. “It was originally called Men, Money & Gold Diggers, and I was in the film version. So when Je’Caryous called me to bring it to the stage, I was like, ‘Let’s go.’” Now reimagined for 2025, the play is updated with sharp dialogue and modern relationship dynamics that feel all too real.
Demetria McKinney, no stranger to Je’Caryous Johnson’s productions, jumped at the opportunity to join the cast once again. “This is my third time working with him,” she shared. “It was an opportunity to stretch. I’d never been directed by Carl Payne before, and the chance to work with talent I admire—Jill, Claudia, Chico—it was a no-brainer.”
Claudia Jordan joked that she originally saw the role as just another check. “I didn’t take it that seriously at first,” she admitted. “But this is my first full-on tour—and now I’ve got a whole new respect for how hard people work in theater. This ain’t easy.”
Modern Love, Stage Left
The play doesn’t hold back when it comes to the messier parts of love. One jaw-dropping moment comes when a live podcast proposal flips into a prenup bombshell—leaving the audience (and the characters) gasping.
Demetria broke it down with honesty. “People don’t ask the real questions when they date. Like, ‘Do you want kids? How do you feel about money?’ These convos aren’t happening, and then everyone’s confused. That moment in the play—it’s real. That happens all the time.”
Jill chimed in, noting how the play speaks to emotional disconnect. “We’re giving each other different tokens of love. Men might offer security and money. Women, we’re giving our hearts. But there’s a disconnect—and that’s where things fall apart.”
And then Claudia, of course, took it all the way there. “These men don’t even want to sign our prenups now!” she laughed. “They want to live the soft life, too. Wearing units, gloss, getting their brows done. We can’t have nothing! Y’all want to be like us? Then get a damn period and go through menopause.”
Dating Over 40: “You Better Come Correct”
When the conversation turned to real-life relationships, all three women lit up. Their experiences dating in their 40s and 50s have given them both clarity—and zero tolerance for games.
“I feel sexier than I’ve ever felt,” said Jill, who proudly turned 50 in January. “I say what I want. I mean what I say. I’m inside my woman, and I’m not apologizing for it.”
Demetria added that dating now comes with deeper self-awareness. “Anybody in my life is there because I want them there. I’ve worked hard to need nobody. But I’m open to love—as long as you keep doing what got me there in the first place.”
For Claudia, the bar is high—and the peace is priceless. “I’ve worked hard for my peace,” she said. “I’m not dating for food. I’m dating because I want to spend time with you. And honestly, if being with you isn’t better than being alone with my candles and fountains and cats? Then no thanks.”
Channeling Strength & Icon Status
Each actress brings something different to the play—but all of them deliver.
“I actually wish I could be messier on stage,” Claudia joked. “But I think about my grandmother—she was born in 1929, couldn’t even vote or buy a house without a man, and didn’t give a damn. She was fearless. That’s where my strength comes from.”
For Jill, the comparisons to her iconic Girlfriends character Toni Childs aren’t far off—but this role gave her a chance to dig deeper. “If you really understood Toni, you’d see how layered she was. And Paisley is the same—misunderstood, but strong. There’s more to her than people see at first glance.”
Demetria, who juggles singing and acting seamlessly, shared that live theater pushes her in a new way. “Every moment on stage counts. You can’t redo anything. It’s a different kind of love and discipline. You have to give the performance away—live, in the moment—and trust that it lands.”
Laughter, Lessons & Black Girl Gems
The show has plenty of laugh-out-loud moments—and the cast isn’t shy about who steals scenes.
“Chico Bean gets a lot of gasps and laughs,” Claudia said. “And Naomi Booker? Every scene she’s in—she’s hilarious.”
But the play isn’t just about humor. It leaves space for reflection—especially for Black women.
“I hope we get back to the foundation of love and communication,” said Demetria. “A lot of us are in protector mode. But that’s turned into survival mode. We’ve lost softness. We’ve lost connection.”
Claudia agreed. “We’re doing it all—but it’s not because we want to be strong all the time. It’s because we have to be. And I just want women to know: You can have peace, you can be soft. But stop bringing your old pain into new love. Don’t let past heartbreak build walls so high that the right person can’t climb over.”
Final Act: Pack the House
If there’s one thing this cast agrees on, it’s that this play isn’t just entertainment—it’s necessary.
“Atlanta is the Black entertainment hub,” Claudia said. “We need y’all to show up for this play. Support the arts. Support each other. Because when we pack the house, we make space for more stories like this.”
Games Women Play is more than a play—it’s a mirror. You’ll see yourself, your friends, your exes, and maybe even your next chapter. So get ready to laugh, reflect, and maybe even heal—because the games are on.
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Feature image courtesy
Sterling K. Brown & Ryan Michelle Bathe Relationship Timeline
Sterling K. Brown and Ryan Michelle Bathe are one of our favorite Hollywood couples. We can't get over their adorable moments together on the red carpet and on social media. While they're both from St. Louis, they didn't meet until college, which they both attended Stanford. And the rest is as they say, history. Read below as we dive into their decades-long relationship.
Mid to Late1990s: Sterling K. Brown & Ryan Michelle Bathe Meet
Sterling and Ryan met as freshmen at Stanford University. "We were in the same dorm freshman year...that's kind of how we met," Ryan said in an interview with ET. "I was mesmerized," she said after watching him audition for the school play, Joe Turner's Come and Gone. Sterling revealed that The First Wives Club star was dating someone else, so they started off as friends.
"She got cast in the play as well, and we would ride bikes to rehearsal, and we would just talk. We found out that we were both from St. Louis. We didn't know that we were both from St. Louis, like, our parents went to rival high schools. We were born in the same hospital. Like, we were friends," he said.
The first few years of their relationship involved many breakups and makeups. However, they ended up graduating and attended NYU's Tisch Grad Acting Program together.
Early 2000s: Sterling K. Brown Tells Ryan Michelle Bathe She's 'The Love Of My Life'
The Paradise star opened up about telling Ryan that she was the one. "We broke up for three and a half years before we came back into each other's lives," he said. "She was on the treadmill working out, and I had this epiphany, 'I have to go tell this woman she's the love of my life.'"
"I go to her apartment, I tell her, and she's like, 'Well, I'm working out right now,' and I was like, 'No, I can see that—I'll just talk to you while you're on the treadmill,' and she's like, 'Well, I feel like going outside. So I'm gonna go on a run,'" he continued. "So I'm like dressed [in a suit], and she starts running through Koreatown, and I start running along with her. Brother had to work, but it was well worthwhile."
2006: Sterling K. Brown & Ryan Michelle Bathe Tie The Knot
The St. Louis natives eloped in 2006 and a year later held a larger ceremony. According to the bride, the best part of their wedding was the food. "The best thing about it was the food," she told ET.
"Can I just say, sometimes you go to weddings, and you get the winner-winner chicken dinner and you're like, 'I pay. OK, it's fine.' But I wanted people to remember their experience -- their culinary experience. So I was happy about that. The food was good."
2011: Sterling K. Brown & Ryan Michelle Bathe Welcome Their First Child
In 2011, Sterling and The Endgame actress welcomed their first son, Andrew. In a 2017 tweet, Sterling revealed they had a home birth. "An unexpected home delivery is something my wife and I went through ourselves with our first born, so this was round 2 for me!" he wrote while referring to a scene involving his character Randall, in This Is Us.
2012: Sterling K. Brown & Ryan Michelle Bathe Appear On-screen Together
A year later, the couple acted together on the Lifetime series Army Wives.
2015: Sterling K. Brown & Ryan Michelle Bathe Welcome Their Second Child
In 2015, Sterling and Ryan welcomed another son, Amaré. Sterling shared an Instagram post about their latest addition to the family. "1st post. 2nd child. All good! #imoninstagram," the Atlas star wrote.
2016: Ryan Michelle Bathe Joins Sterling K. Brown On 'This Is Us'
Ryan guest appears on her hubby's show, This Is Us.
Sterling K. Brown Reveals Ryan Michelle Bathe's Mother Didn't Like Him At First
During their sit-down interview for the Black Love series, Sterling revealed that Ryan's mother wasn't a fan of him, which caused friction in their relationship.
2024: Sterling K. Brown & Ryan Michelle Bathe Explain How Jennifer Lopez Once Broke Them Up
While visiting The Jennifer Hudson Show, Sterling and Ryan share their hilarious Jennifer Lopez break-up story. "We had just gone out, we were living in New York City, we were in grad school, and we had gone to see a Broadway play and we came back to my place and my roommate was playing the ["Love Don't Cost A Thing"] video on MTV," Sterling said.
"Now I'm a fan of Jennifer Lopez's dancing, and I was watching the video and I knew my young...21, 22-year-old girlfriend was looking at me watch the video. And I know I'm not supposed to have a reaction. In trying NOT to have a reaction, what had happened was, my eyes began to water."
Ryan jumped in, "Otherwise known as, TEARS! I turn around and my boyfriend is weeping, tears like big fat [tears]. And I'm looking and she's just a shakin' and a shimming, and he's just crying. I said 'Oh no, I got to go.' "
2024: Sterling K. Brown & Ryan Michelle Bathe Launch Their Podcast, We Don't Always Agree
The couple launched their podcast, We Don't Always Agree, where they disclose more intimate details about their love story.
Feature image by Chelsea Lauren/Shutterstock