Every time I jump on a call with The Fixx Collective founder, Daisy Hutton, I always find my way to a 3.1 Phillip Lim piece. In this case two. Even when I’m not aware of the name on the tag. I’m drawn to beautiful structured and tailored pieces which seems to be a 3.1 Phillip Lim signature. I love how the green smocked jumpsuit gathers at the waist and the giant pockets. Who doesn’t love giant pockets?!?! I wore this suit twice. Once for this shoot and the second time was when I mixed up the day of the Anna Sui show. I was feeling myself that day — I wore the jumpsuit with my white western Everlane boots. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a full body photo of that look. I was so bummed that I arrived at Anna Sui’s show TWO DAYS EARLY, wasting $30 on an Uber, that a photo op was not on my mind. Though, I did get a couple of selfies in my Uber because it was all red leather interior! Red and green — complementary colors! That’s why #colorfitpalette is my thing. I’m always thinking/seeing color schemes.

I punished myself by walking back to my hotel. It was very much one of those melancholy Charlie Brown moments. All 2 miles of it. I did stop at Everlane for retail therapy (and every store employee was like, omg love that jumpsuit!), snagged a box of Prince Pizza for food therapy and just as I arrived at Freeman Ally, a model getting her photos taken in the exact spot I had just done this shoot at, oooed and ahhhed at me, “You look good! I love that jumpsuit!” God was really tryna send me some cheer. I thanked her, went up to my hotel room, laughed at the crazy evening I just had, acknowledged that I did indeed look good for such a mishap of a day, and then enjoyed my Prince Pizza.

So there’s that story to go along with my day two look at NYFW.

Now for day three — I love this Phillip Lim skirt. I wore it several times during my week in New York. And yes, I did again experience an embarrassing moment while I was having a good fashion moment in this skirt. Let me preface this story with this too true statement: I’m too nice to be a New Yorker. When the B train at Grand St. Station pulled up and those doors opened, I made way for every single person to get off the train. Being too nice number 1. As soon as the last person’s heel lifted up off the edge of the train, the doors started to close! Not only am I too nice to people, I’m also too nice to animatronics. In Ronnie Chieng’s standup on Netflix, Asian Comedian Destroys America, he jokes about people who are willing to risk limbs to stop the train doors from closing — “Take my hand, train gods, for safe passage. Take it. It’s worth it.”

 As I saw the doors start to close, I knew this was that moment that Chieng spoke of. I had to decide if I was willing to give my hand to make this train so I could get to the Brooklyn Museum by 3:15 for the Dior exhibit. Was losing my hand worth it for an art museum? Was it worth it for Dior?! Okay, I wasn’t thinking any of that. What I was thinking was that I didn’t want to look like a lame ass tourist. I wanted to be a tough New Yorker. So I put a hand on each of the sliding doors. I guess I thought I would pry the doors open?!?! But I gave very little to no resistance so the doors continued to close and just as I saw my fingers were about to get squashed, I backed out. Being too nice number 2. I stood on that platform, with my hands crossed at my waist, my eyes looking side to side as if to acknowledge that that was an embarrassing fail (and to not make eye contact with the dude who was standing at by the door and didn’t help me out! Thanks a lot man!), and my lips squashed between my teeth as if to keep myself from saying sorry to the train for thinking I could disobey it! I’m one and a half generation Filipina — I still got issues with authority. I missed the train. I waited 15 minutes for the next train. . .3 minutes my ass Ronnie Chieng! I was late to my designated time for the Dior exhibit. I apologized profusely to the ticket guy. Being too nice number 3. They still let me in because it wasn’t a big deal. Oof, apologizing when there isn’t a problem. Being too nice number 4.

So let it be known, I am the kind of person who will not fight the train doors. I am not capable of being a tough New Yorker. I’m too nice. But it’s all cool. I’ll keep my limbs. I’ll continue to show up late to things. And I’ll be that person you’ll always say, “Stop apologizing!” to, and then I’ll immediately apologize for apologizing. At least I’ll look good while doing it.

Okay, storytime is over. Which look would you prefer to have a big epic fail moment in? And of course, I gotta ask — which color palette is your favorite?

Look one: 3.1 Phillip Lim smocked jumpsuit and Nike SB Shane T Skate in Pollen. Look two: Helmet Lang mesh embroidered top, Skims Fits Everybody Scoop Neck Bra, 3.1 Phillip Lim skirt, and Everlane western boots. Photos by Stacie Buhler.