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February and September of every year pass and tons of people flock to New York to participate in the Fall and Spring/Summer Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Even if you don’t have an invite to the shows, you might want to be in the middle of it all: the flashing lights, fancy clothes and celebrity sightings. One of the best and more recent attractions for NYFW is Fashion’s Night Out. The City of New York, VOGUE and the CFDA have created an amazing evening dedicated to shopping throughout the city. There will be different shopping events, deals and even performances. Retailers stay open late “for the single largest shopping event of the year” reads the Fashion’s Night Out Twitter account. From what I hear, it’s a great event to be a part of. The streets of the city come alive and fashion lovers and New Yorkers alike meet up to take it all in.

No matter how many times I drool at the sight of pictures from the events and the coverage by both my friends and idols, I haven’t managed to make it to NYFW yet. Why? Poor planning. I’ll talk about it and talk about it, but never write down a concrete plan, which I’m sure some of my fellow fashionista(o)s have encountered. The flights can be expensive and if you don’t have family or friends in the city, finding somewhere to lodge for a couple days can be a daunting task. It’s not easy, but if you’re serious, there are ways to plan ahead and actually make it to NYFW without digging too deep into your pockets!

Tips for making it to NYFW for the young and the restless:

1. Check flights everyday! You’ll be surprised by what deals you can find last minute or early in advance. I just checked Southwest Airlines (because I love that I can travel heavy without any fees) and found a round-trip for barely $200. In two weeks, that fare might be a little more, or a lot more. If you’re 22 or younger, you should try to take advantage of AirTran U! It’s cheap standby flights for anyone 18-22. Here’s the thing, it’s very convenient for last minute trips, but you must be patient and willing to sit in an airport for hours at a time. Oh yeah, you can only have your carryon items. No checking-in baggage, so some of those clothes and extra pairs of shoes will have to stay behind. Another catch is that there aren’t many direct flights. You’ll have to fly to a connecting city like Atlanta. So for me, from Chicago I would fly to Atlanta, then from Atlanta to New York and you’d have to check-in and go through the same standby process again. If you really want to go, you’ll find a way! It’s always good to check the flights ahead of time to see if they’re still being sold, that way you know that there are seats still available.

2. Hostels? I’m pretty lucky. I have family in New York, so if I decide to randomly go for a weekend I don’t have to find somewhere to stay. I know most people don’t have this luxury. We all want to be luxurious and stay at the Gansevoort for a few days, but that is not always practical or feasible. Try hostels or homestays. Sounds scary, right? A little. Student Universe has special flight, hostel and hotel deals. There are hostels for as low as $20 a night, granted, you may be in a room of 4 or 8. There are also single rooms, which may cost a little more. The upside of lodging at a hostel is the location. There are many hostels located in the heart of Manhattan. Hostels are iffy. I have friends who’ve tried them and their rooms weren’t ready, or the pictures online didn’t match what they saw upon arrival. Do your research! If you really want to go to NYFW and you need a place to sleep AND are willing to make a little sacrifice, look into all of your options and be open-minded.

3. Volunteer or Intern! Chances are you won’t make it into your favorite designer’s show by luck. Contact those designers and even editors at your most read magazines to inquire about Fashion Week internship opportunities. You’ll have to be persistent and not afraid of rejection. Make sure you have your dates solidified so that there isn’t any confusion. Also, look into volunteering with Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week directly by emailing them at [email protected]. You’re practically telling them you’re willing to work for free and at a time like this, who doesn’t like free labor?

4. Google is your friend! Check out blogs to see what events will be happening and RSVP in advance! Nothing’s worse than being dressed up and standing in line, only to find out your name isn’t on the list. A lot of fashion and beauty bloggers have meetups during this time, and it’s a great time to network with others in the field you’re interested in!

Now, have fun! I’m currently planning a trip, so we’ll see how it goes. Be sure to plan your trip on gtrot and let us know how it goes! Comment your questions and more tips!

Kamaria Gboro is the newest member to the gtrot community team. She loves fashion, cupcakes and technology. Connect with her on gtrot’s Facebook or Twitter. Follow her @kamariagboro.