Every September, I look forward to Climate Week NYC. To me, it’s a little like Miami Art Week, but make it climate.
If you’ve ever experienced Miami Art Week, you’ll understand the comparison. There are more events than any one person could possibly attend, happening across the city and making it nearly impossible to get from one neighborhood to another in time. There are celebrities, amazing conversations, and plenty of what I like to call the Triple CCC: coffee, charcuterie, and champagne!
But there’s one thing that’s everywhere during Miami Art Week that feels noticeably absent from Climate Week: fashion.
I find this particularly interesting considering that New York Fashion Week takes place just before Climate Week. Two major events, in the same city, practically back-to-back, yet they seem to exist in entirely different worlds.
And that’s a little ironic, isn’t it? Fashion, particularly fast fashion, has a massive environmental footprint. From textile waste and pollution to resource consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, the industry is deeply connected to many of the issues being discussed during Climate Week. Yet fashion rarely seems to be front and center in those conversations.
Of course, I’ve encountered some incredibly stylish people at Climate Week, including women leading organizations and initiatives who bring as much personality to their wardrobes as they do to their work. But for the most part, the rooms I find myself in are filled with scientists, academics, policymakers, advocates, and business leaders whose attention is understandably focused elsewhere.
Mine is too. But I also really love fashion as a form of expression and not just fashion for fashion’s sake.
I grew up surrounded by impeccably dressed women, and as I’ve gotten older I have increasingly come to appreciate the creativity and fun of putting together a great outfit. As Carla Rockmore says, I love to “dress to express.” For me, clothing is a form of self-expression, and there’s wonderfully satisfying about showing up to an event and feeling that you’ve dressed perfectly for the occasion.
I also grew up learning how to do a lot with a little. I’ve been thrifting long before it became fashionable, and over the years I’ve developed an appreciation for beautiful, well-made pieces that can be worn, reinvented, and cherished for a lifetime. I still have a wool blazer that my aunt wore over 50 years ago and it still looks new.
Frankly, I’ve been dissappointed lately by the quality of clothing available at mainstream retailers. So much of what I see there looks great until I touch the fabric and it feels like plastic, and much of it quite literally is, thanks to the prevalence of synthetic fabrics.
That’s one reason I’ve found inspiration in the philosophy of Elliott Duprey, who says, “If you can’t dress well cheaply, then you can’t dress well at all.”
I couldn’t agree more.
For me, sustainable fashion isn’t about giving up the joy of dressing well. It’s about being more intentional with what I buy, appreciating what I already own, and finding creative ways to express myself without constantly consuming something new.
And that’s what makes Climate Week so much fun for me. It’s an opportunity to bring together two things I care about: fashion and the environment.
I love planning outfits around thrifted finds, reinventing pieces I’ve owned for years, and incorporating thoughtfully made clothing from brands I admire. I don’t always get it perfect, but I try to make choices that reflect both my style as it evolves and my environmental values.
So while fashion and climate may sometimes feel like two different worlds, they’re very much connected in mine.
And with that, here’s everything I wore to Climate Week NYC 2026.
Thursday, September 17th- Climate Film Festival Special Screening at the Explorers Club
Friday, September 18th- The United Nations and The Climate Film Festival Opening Night
Saturday and Sunday- The Climate Film Festival Main Days
The Climate Film Festival’s main days were Saturday and Sunday. As part of the core team, I spent both of those days working in the content corner, so comfort was key. On Saturday, I wore a green maxi dress with one of my favorite 100% cotton green sweaters. I was pretty busy and never even took a picture of my outfit that day.
On the left is a closer look at the sweater. In the bottom-right photo, it’s Max and me at FAOSchwarz after I finished my day at the content corner. This is a bit more of the outfit, which I also wore last year, plus my Sam Edelman shoes, my favorite for the fall season, and they are so comfy!
On Sunday, I wore my favorite jeans, the ribcage Levis, my white Brooks Brothers shirt, and a brown cardigan. I paired that with my tried-and-true white Cole Haan sneakers. I wear these sneakers constantly, so when I was shopping for a new pair, quality was a must. I have walked miles in them, and they are still holding up great.
Sunday Night- The Climate Film Festival Closing Reception
Monday, September 21- The Narrative Change Summit and The Ocean Awakens Event
Tuesday, September 22- Multiple Events
Wednesday, September 23- NYT Climate Forward and Speaking on a Panel
Thursday, September 24- Yorksee and PVBLIC Foundation Soiree
By Thursday, I was exhausted but also excited for the day. It was my last full day in New York City, and I was going to make the most of it. In the morning, Yorkseed invited me to a wonderful event, and that evening, I was invited to the PVBLIC Foundation Family Offices Soiree. For Yorkseed, I wore my Sumissara pants, a blue Ralph Lauren Polo button-down, and a Ralph Lauren purple-label blazer, both thrifted over the years. For my shoes, I wore my Sam Edelmens. By this point in time, my feet were battered and blistered. I wanted to wear my brown suede block heel, but after averaging over 12,000 steps each day in all the different shoes, my feet said absolutely not! Especially because I was considering wearing them later.
Plus, I loved how the entire look came together, and I plan to repeat it later this fall. That evening, I wore a beautiful knitted top I bought at a Massachusetts store that sources most of its items from slow-fashion, American designers. I paired that top with a lovely 100% cotton brown skirt and somehow managed to wear my block heels (my feet paid the price) because no other shoe felt right. It was a blast, and the only picture I have is this one with the foundation’s Executive Chairman.
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