<p>Another lifetime NYC resident enjoying this thread! Totally agree with the comfy shoe advice, and not hanging your handbag on the back of your chair in a restaurant. Check the 10 day forecast before traveling. It’s usually in the 50’s in April but can be cooler or warmer. </p>
<p>Thanks to the understanding folks and glad I have provided a few moments of amusement to a few of you. Believe it of not, I have fielded “what to wear in Dallas” and “what to wear in the South” questions from folks on this board. My advice usually centers around hair products if the person isn’t used to humidity, and natural fibers if it’s going to be hot.</p>
<p>No matter to which city I travel, I always envy the shoes of the residents. All the tourists are packing for comfort and are wearing essentially the same shoes with everything…no pulling out the great pair of heels that look best with that outfit. </p>
<p>I hope that you and your group enjoy the visit and I hope that you get a chance to do a bit of sightseeing out of Manhattan. I enjoy helping tourists find their way to the sights that they are looking for in my neighborhood and appreciate that they are visiting NYC.</p>
<p>Don’t stress about the shoes. Many women who live here wear comfy shoes to walk around in and change shoes when they get to the office. You’ll see lots of people wearing sneakers and flats.</p>
<p>I worked in Manhattan in the post-transit-strike era when most women walked to their offices in sneakers and kept some shoes in a desk drawer for most of the year. I always had black, brown, and taupe: black Ralph Lauren spectator pumps, taupe Joan & David, and brown Ferragamo. :)</p>
<p>Hen, no possible sightseeing out of Manhattan (except we are flying into Newark, LOL.) We are doing the most touristy things possible.</p>
<p>I went to Marshall’s after work and found the perfect Baggallini at a great price…but the zipper was broken. I’ll have to hit the other Marshalls and TJMs later.</p>
<p>Our TJ almost always has some Baggalini. Hope you find another one, zipper intact! </p>
<p>Even the dressed up women often wear sneakers and put on their stilettos in the office. I honestly think put something on your feet that is comfortable and don’t worry about what other people might think. I have wide feet and like Merrels, black sneakers are very useful too. I wear black pants a lot just because I think they work both as casual and slightly more dressed up. If you want to get an idea of what people are wearing on the street just look up Bill Cunningham. <a href=“Times Topics - The New York Times”>Times Topics - The New York Times; He’s a street photographer whose photos appear every week in the NYT.</p>
<p>I didn’t mean to be judgmental about wearing sneakers. I prefer to wear comfortable boots or flats because they can easily go from out walking around to dinner and the theatre or whatever the evening plans might be. Gone are the days of “dressing up” at night unless heading to the Metropolitan Opera or Avery Fisher Hall or Carnegie Hall but I’ve been at all of those places and even on a Saturday night, people will still arrive in jeans. </p>
<p>Actually not to do with NYC, but this past year in late Sept I was in Niagara on the Lake, someplace I had always wanted to go visit and finally got to go to the Shaw Festival.DH and I had matinee tickets at the main theatre and were dressed appropriately I thought however there were many people wearing dresses and jacket/tie. This was clearly an older crowd but I did actually feel underdressed in my cropped black pants and casual top with lightweight cardigan. </p>
<p>Actually, the hottest shoe among the fashion set these days in NYC, Paris and other fashionable places seems to be the white clodhopper Adias Stan Smith sneaker worn with everything, including tailored clothes. See <a href=“http://www.thesartorialist.com/photos/if-youre-thinking-white-stan-smiths-are-everywhere/”>http://www.thesartorialist.com/photos/if-youre-thinking-white-stan-smiths-are-everywhere/</a> Just Google “Stan Smith street style” if you don’t believe me! (Link is to The Sartorialist).</p>
<p>I was in Manhattan Sunday to have brunch and see a play and spent time in the theater district and in and around Grand Central. With this thread in mind, I made it a point to really look at what people were wearing. I’d say the only consistent look I spotted was the one found on a lot of female teens and twenty-somethings: skinny jeans or black yoga-style pants tucked into boots (of varying heights), large colorful scarves tied loosely over shirts or sweaters, and some kind of jacket–it was one of those in-between days weatherwise, so the jackets ranged from parkas to leather to denim. Beyond that, it was a free-for-all. But my moment of vindication for my “wear whatever you like in NYC” stance came when I realized the man standing in line in front of me to buy a Metrocard was wearing a kilt–not a costume-y bright plaid kilt you’d expect to see on a refugee from a parade, but one made of the kind of subtle plaid wool fabric used for a nice man’s suit, with perfect knife pleats. His sports jacket was in the same fabric. I was too dazzled to check out the hosiery/shoe situation, but he was terribly dapper. We actually chatted for a few seconds because the machine was being stubborn, and I’m proud to say I pretended to be totally nonchalant. I don’t think anyone gave him a second glance.</p>
<p>I can also report that after 7 months in Manhattan, D has officially become a (cranky) New Yorker. When she met me at the restaurant, she was outraged at how “all the tourists” were walking so slowly and stopping completely in the middle of the sidewalk. Keep up the pace, OP!</p>
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<p>Here’s the true test: <a href=“70 things you’ll never hear a New Yorker say”>http://www.timeout.com/newyork/things-to-do/70-things-youll-never-hear-a-new-yorker-say</a></p>
<p>I fear we will be part of the clogging up the sidewalks problem. I’ve been studying the itinerary. There are about 4 two hour blocks of time where it says something like “Explore Times Square in chaperone groups.” So I have been studying and planning, but it’s so difficult…they just turn us out and say “come back in 2 hours.” That type of thing is what leads to a group of 9 people standing on the side walk, trying to figure out what to do next.</p>
<p>I also found the almost perfect Baggallini at another Marshall’s. Almost perfect because it’s Army Green. I bought it and a small black leather tote that looks a lot classier but isn’t as practical. </p>
<p>missy…glad you found a bag. I was going to suggest our favorite totes from Longchamps. A little pricey but have held up for several years. Just brought back two from Paris in the fall. Saw the totes EVERYWHERE in Europe. They are also very big on D2’s campus.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www1.bloomingdales.com/shop/product/longchamp-le-pliage-medium-shoulder-tote?ID=641312&pla_country=US&cm_mmc=Google-PLA-ADC-_-Handbags+-+Totes+-+PLA+-+PLA-_-49792129471-_-adc_pg_301_11001_5176d454e4b064445f1826b3_38369863111”>http://www1.bloomingdales.com/shop/product/longchamp-le-pliage-medium-shoulder-tote?ID=641312&pla_country=US&cm_mmc=Google-PLA-ADC-_-Handbags+-+Totes+-+PLA+-+PLA-_-49792129471-_-adc_pg_301_11001_5176d454e4b064445f1826b3_38369863111</a></p>
<p>Ooh, love the Longchamps totes…great colors. (Love the colors of Baggalinis, too, if I was willing to pay full price and not have to buy Army green.) Maybe I’ll stick with the Army green for this trip since it wasn’t very expensive, and return the more expensive leather one, and put that money toward a later “perfect” purchase. It’s a plan!</p>
<p>Let us know where those four two-hour blocks are. We might be able to come up with suggestions for things to see and do. In Times Square, I’d walk down to Duffy Square (47th), where the discount TKTS booth is – there is often stuff happening there, and usually an art display. There’s an M&M store. Go to Shubert Alley; there’s a theater memorabilia store there. </p>
<p>Great! (I think I have figured out Times Square but feel free to make suggestions on all).Here are the blocks of free time from the itinerary, with my parenthetical comments:
- Free time to explore Times Square (must have lunch, too - I’m thinking Shake Shack)
- Free time for shopping in Chinatown (I am definitely taking them to Chinatown Ice Cream Factory)
- Free time for shopping in Herald Square (at 8:30 on Friday night)(These kids are from shopping paradise Dallas - I don’t think anyone is going to be awed by Macy’s.)
- Tour of Central Park in chaperone groups (It’s so huge - planning certainly would be easier if they told us in what part of the park we were going to be depositied)
- Free time for shopping on Fabulous 5th Avenue (on Sunday morning!) (I would love it if some were willing to go to Palm Sunday service at St. Patricks)
- After a Radio City Music Hall Tour, there is 3 hour block of time before we get on the bus to go to the airport. (I had thought of MOMA - all but one are under 16, so would be free.) (Of course, there is also the Nintendo store.)</p>
<p>I have the Longchamps Le Pliage bag in two colors and can’t believe how well it has held up through lots of toting of things around and traveling through airports, gyms, etc. At first I thought I wouldn’t like the whole, ‘no compartments’ features, but when I carry other bags with compartments, I get incredibly frustrated trying to dig through various zippers/velcro/snap closures because I can’t ever remember what I put where. So the Longchamp allows me to look into the bag for all contents at once. I was turned onto them when D1 was doing a study abroad in London back in 2007. They literally still look like they’re brand new despite all the use.</p>
<p>Take them for a walk on the High Line. It’s not that far from Herald Square. We did that a couple of weeks ago and thought it was great. </p>
<p>My sister got exactly the color and style Baggalini she wanted from Amazon. </p>
<p>I would like to suggest for you to take them down to Chinatown on Sun for Dim Sum. Golden Unicorn and Royal Seafood Restaurant are pretty good. If you get there before 12, you should be able to get few tables. You could also call ahead.
Not that many stores will be open on Sun morning, so go another day if you can.</p>
<p>Terrific suggestions, but folks, the agenda is set in stone…have you forgetten what school trips are like? I think it is ridiculous that “shopping on 5th Avenue” is on a Sunday morning because right, not that many stores will be open. No Dim Sum because we will have just had our “lunch in Little Italy.” BTW, it looks like that is on our own…can anyone suggest a decent restaurant there? The kids basically have $15 each to spend. (And please don’t tell me that Little Italy is too touristy and not where the best restaurants are…that is where the itinerary says we are eating, period.) </p>
<p>Thumper1, question: the High Line after dark? It will be after 8:30 pm.</p>
<p>Forgive me if I sound snippy…it is not directed to you. It’s just frustrating to have paid for a trip to NYC and to be so limited on what, when, where, etc. [I was not among the original chaperones…the teacher requested that I chaperone.]</p>
<p>Here’s something funny: the banner ad for me is a $19,000 Hermes bag. And I don’t even want to pay full price for a Baggallini.</p>