6 must-have street style items inspired from the New York Fashion Week

New York Fashion Week’s spring/summer 2024 street style made the best of the worst forecast. A heat wave coated the city in sweat from the first day to the last, and the weather became the main character of the week.

When industry friends asked me how I was at Wiederhoeft and Tibi and Jonathan Cohen, the only word I could use to describe myself was warm. A crowd waiting to descend upon one runway show turned the Plaza Hotel’s ballroom antechamber into a gilded sauna. Biblically heavy rains fell on outdoor shows and brought sticky, humid air I could drink through a straw. But the shows went on, and street style persevered with them.

I spent most of the week observing street style from under my own umbrella with a breeze from my handheld fan. What I saw was a testament to dressing up when everything outside says to stay indoors in your underwear. A little more than the average season, Fashion Week outfits channeled the same scrappy ingenuity that makes New York New York, because to a degree, they needed to. Fashion Week could never be just about dressing to endure the elements. There’s pride in personal style—and a slew of unofficial dress codes to consider (cocktail attire for Ralph Lauren, nouveau minimalism for Khaite, and so on).

It’s a lot for any one fashion crowd to handle, but New York did it with finesse that’s inspiring me to shop. Ahead, I break down the must-have pieces I saw constantly in New York Fashion Week’s street style this season. These are looks insiders made their own in the heat, and that we all can wear when the weather’s perfect.

The Semi-Sheer Layer

There would be a lot of sheer clothing at fashion week with or without a heat wave. Designers from Tory Burch to Prada spent the past season reminding us that wispy, semi-see-through layers are more versatile than they seem. But there was a heat wave, and street style was informed in some ways by dressing to make it through the day cool and collected. That’s where lighter-than-air sheer cotton tops and semi-sheer lace skirts came in. They’re breathable garments that feel tailor-made to crowded front rows and lining up outside the runways, with a flash of skin that’s more directional through the filter of a semitransparent fabric. Trust that mixing sheer long-sleeved shirts or pencil skirts will still add the same dimension to fall outfits—even over tights.

The Undone Button-Up

Big, boxy button-downs haphazardly thrown over a trouser or unbuttoned over a skirt aren’t anything new. That’s exactly why I loved seeing so many in various stripes and patterns around the shows this season. Each one I saw reminded me that actually, the items we already own are worthy of wearing to fashion week; we don’t need to completely overhaul our closets every time an event lands on the calendar. And thankfully, billowing, breathable shirts feel lighter than air. The go-to styling trick was leaving several buttons undone to let in a little breeze.

The Mary Jane Flat

Runways and street style reflected each other with an emphasis on ballerinas. My preferred pair were Miu Miu’s leather Mary Janes; outside the shows, I spotted satin, square-toe pairs by Le Monde Beryl, Carrel’s signature patent leather, cap-toe block heels by Chanel, and sleek leather from the Row. They all balanced practicality, polish, and a little whimsy—which is a necessity for my footwear even outside of Fashion Week.

The Rich Neutrals Moment

New York Fashion Week street style can’t be distilled into a single Pantone paint swatch; there are too many colliding approaches to front-row style for one color to rule them all. (And thank goodness for that!) Still, I kept a close eye on the crowd’s minimalist sect and saw a preference for chocolate, camel, and espresso tones. I liked how guests juxtaposed the richer palette with light fabrics, like linen and silk—and had to hand it to the show-goers who dressed for the weather they wanted, in oversize, fall-appropriate brown suiting.

The Preppy Pleated Skirt

I always expect to see pleated mini skorts and knee-length greige skirts outside a Sandy Liang show: The designer’s downtown coquette look has always cleverly mixed ribbons and rosettes with uniforming basics. This week, I saw the Sandy look at shows spread out all over the city. Prep-school dress codes collided with high fashion sensibilities with pleated skirts of varying lengths pulled over bodysuits, toughed up with oversize jackets, and spotlighted with a satin bra top or cropped shirt.

The Plunge Neckline Dress

Dresses make up a casual 80 per cent of my closet, give or take a few hangers. At Fashion Week, I always have a special eye trained on the lengths, cuts, and patterns other editors are choosing to inform my own collection. This week was all about sleeveless dresses with deep V-necklines and lighter-than-air fabrics—a look that’s equal parts tailored to a heat wave and serving just enough drama for Fashion Week. With a tissue-thin turtleneck beneath or a belt and an oversize blazer on top, they’re easily one of the best fall dresses to wear when things finally cool off.

This piece originally appeared in Harper's Bazaar US