I'm seriously anti gel manicure. I don't have the patience to remove the polish properly, and I end up wrecking my nails. But all bets are off during Fashion Week -- walking around with chipped polish isn't an option, particularly when I'm interviewing the top nail artists in the biz.

So I got my gel on. I opted for an opaque nude -- similar to the nails that went down the runway at the DKNY fall show. They'll match everything, they're on trend, and at the end of the week I'll go to a pro to have it removed.

My bag is ridiculously heavy during Fashion Week. Start with the regular stuff -- wallet, keys, and phone -- and then pile in the camera, iPad, array of chargers, notebook, snacks, roll-up ballet flats, and makeup bag, and you end up with a handbag that weighs more than a tween. It's imperative to have a light makeup kit.

For starters, I'm using this Nordstrom Transparent Cosmetics Bag, $12. It weighs only slightly more than a Ziploc (except it looks so much cooler), and I'll be able to find what I need. I'm filling it with just the essentials: Boscia Blotting Linens, $10, Korres Lip Balm, $12, Jane Iredale Pressed Powder, $40, whatever lipstick shade I choose to wear on a given day, and a couple packets of hand sanitizing wipes. Between makeup spills and germy, crowded tents, the wipes are like gold.