The MNY Spotlight
The Perfect Downtown NYC Weekend: What to Wear, Eat & Do in September
The Mestiza stylists’ guide to the perfect downtown NYC weekend: where to eat, drink, shop and go out and, most importantly, what to wear for every stop.
There is a certain kind of New York weekend that shouldn’t be planned too carefully.
It starts with a martini, accumulates a few shopping bags, requires at least one outfit change, and ends somewhere completely different from where you thought it would. In between: good coffee, somewhere to sit and people-watch, a little dancing, something sweet, and ideally a photo booth strip tucked into your bag by Sunday.
September makes downtown especially good for this. Fashion Week is in the air, the people-watching gets better, and you might just stumble into a pop-up or two along the way.
From the Stylist’s Desk is heading downtown. Consider this less of a strict itinerary and more of a well-dressed suggestion, with Mestiza stylists Alex and Laine leading the way. Take the whole weekend, steal a Saturday afternoon, save a spot for date night, or bring your sister, your mom, your best friend. The plans are yours to borrow.
The only real rule? Get dressed like you have somewhere to be.
FRIDAY NIGHT
Martinis, Mingling & One More Stop
Start at Schmuck, an adventurous East Village cocktail bar that feels a little more like a very good house party. Order the martini, served with its own olive oil dropper, and the white bean cacio e pepe for the table.
It’s Friday, it’s Fashion Week, and downtown is exactly where we want to be.
For the first look of the weekend, we’re revisiting a favorite from Fall: Gilded Marble.
ALEX WEARS: The Blake Pant in Gilded Marble with a cream silk cami, color-blocked clutch, heels and the Aura Convertible™ Cluster Earrings, worn as studs.
LAINE WEARS: The Rosanna Mini in Gilded Marble with a color-blocked bag, gold sandals and the Aura Convertible™ Cluster Earrings, worn with the drop.
Stylist’s note: Consider it our Mary-Kate and Ashley matching moment.
No downtown itinerary is complete without a photo booth. Old Friend on Allen Street has a restored 1970s black-and-white analog booth for the classic strip. For something a little less traditional, find the Missed Connections photo booth near Santo Taco and let it attempt to find you a match.
We said downtown weekend, not predictable weekend.
Then head to Le Dive and grab a table outside while New York is still giving us warm evenings. Stay for the people-watching, linger if the table next to you gets interesting, and if it’s packed, don’t overthink it. You’re on the Lower East Side.
From there, keep it loose. Stop by Ray’s, wander a little farther through the LES, or end up dancing at Outer Heaven.
The best downtown nights tend to end with fewer plans than they started with.
SATURDAY
Coffee, Shopping Bags & Aperol
Start late, with carbs and coffee.
At Caffe Paradiso on Elizabeth Street, order the salted brown butter oat latte on tap. Then walk over to Apollo Bagels, split the cream cheese and tomato bagel with olive oil, add an orange juice, and consider breakfast handled.
If we’re willingly waiting in a line before noon, this is about as convincing a case as we can make.
ALEX WEARS: The Morning Gingham Pant with a white tee, jacket, suede bag and loafers.
LAINE WEARS: The Tianna Mini Dress in Morning Gingham with the Finley Cardigan thrown over, Tecovas boots and a shoulder bag.
Stylist’s note: A polished mini and a Western boot are better friends than they have any business being.
Coffee in hand, wander through Nolita toward Elizabeth Street Garden. Find a bench, enjoy a few minutes of quiet and conduct the necessary debrief of the night before.
This portion of the itinerary may take longer depending on what happened after Le Dive.
Then work your way through Nolita and Soho, taking the smaller streets and popping into whatever catches your eye. It’s Fashion Week, so keep an eye out for the pop-up you didn’t know you were looking for.
When Soho starts feeling a little too Saturday, head west to Meatpacking and keep shopping.
Eventually, everyone needs a chair. The shopping bags included.
Settle into a booth or on the patio at Pastis, order an Aperol and make it a late lunch. Our move: split the onion soup gratinée and the Cheeseburger à l’Américaine.
People-watch, compare purchases and debate whether going back for the thing you left behind is completely unreasonable.
It probably isn’t.
Then head home. Saturday night deserves a change.
SATURDAY NIGHT
A Gown Walks Into a Jazz Bar
ALEX WEARS: The Luzon Gown in Eventide Gardens with an evening bag and gold heels.
LAINE WEARS: The Sadie Top in Navy with the Blake Pant in Navy, Torres Beaded Clutch Bag and Preston Convertible™ Drop Earrings.
Stylist’s note: A gown is only formal if you treat it that way.
And if a gown feels like too much for cocktails and jazz, we’ll refer you back to our September Issue:
Consider this our field study. Besides, it’s Fashion Week. If there were ever a time to wear the gown somewhere unexpected, this is it.
Start at Roxy Bar, then head downstairs to The Django for jazz. From there, change the tempo and head to Paul’s Casablanca or Cocktail Lounge for dancing.
Wear the formal gown informally. We meant it.
SUNDAY
Pancakes, a Blowout & the Long Way Home
Sunday’s stylist note comes straight from the fall trend report: texture and shape are having their moment. Think rich dupioni, defined waists and silhouettes with a little presence.
ALEX WEARS: The Taylor Pant in Lapis Blue Dupioni with an oversized button-down, silver flats and the Laurel Leaf Drop Earrings.
LAINE WEARS: The Quinn Midi Dress in Lapis Blue with the Carlotta Convertible™ Drop Earrings, worn as studs, the Thea Convertible™ Tassel Necklace, a woven tote and ballet flats.
Stylist’s note: Dupioni does not need a wedding invitation. Neither does a cinched waist. Wear both to get a smoothie.
Start at Hawa Smoothies, then head toward Chinatown for a little Sunday R&R. Lee Ren on Forsyth Street is our kind of reset: wash, scalp massage and blowout, followed by one of Chinatown’s no-frills massages nearby.
After a full weekend downtown, consider this maintenance.
Then head back to Tribeca for Bubby’s.
Get the pancakes. Better yet, get the pancake flight if no one at the table can agree.
This is not the moment to order something responsible because it’s Sunday afternoon.
Walk it off along the Tribeca waterfront, take the long way home and enjoy having nowhere particularly urgent to be.
SUNDAY NIGHT
Pajamas, Pictures & Pad Thai
By Sunday evening, we’ve earned a softer dress code.
ALEX + LAINE WEAR: The Bella Bow Pajama Set in Ivory/Pink Bows with sleep masks and slippers.
Yes, out of the house.
Stylist's note: A matching pajama set is still a set, and one of the great luxuries of New York is that nobody looks twice.
Catch an old movie or revival at IFC Center, or head to Village East by Angelika, the landmark former Yiddish Art Theatre that makes movie night feel a little more special.
Then Thai. Lovely Day if you’re around Nolita, or LoveMama if the evening takes you farther east.
After a weekend of dressing up, the pajamas are the reward.
No heels. No complicated reservation. No changing again.
(and they're cute!)
THE DOWNTOWN RULES
Order the martini. Take the photo booth pictures early. Dress up for breakfast. Sit in the garden. Stumble into a little Fashion Week something. Let the shopping bags have their own seat at Pastis. Wear the gown somewhere unexpected. Get the pancakes. Let pajamas count as dinner clothes.
Leave a little room for New York to fill in the blanks.
And wear the good dress. You already have somewhere to be.
Until next time,
Alex & Laine
From the Stylist’s Desk
