I was invited to attend the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic this weekend. Knowing next to nothing about polo and having never attended a polo match before, I was both excited and a tad bit nervous to go. Sporting events in general are not my thing (too many people, too much alcohol), but I’m so glad I went.
Garrett came with me and we (miraculously) met up with our friends before hopping on the ferry to Liberty State Park. We definitely made some beginner mistakes and yet we still had an amazing time.
If you find yourself with the chance to go…. go! But here are some tips that I think will help you out if you’ve never been before. (Read: these are the mistakes we made!)
1) Arrive to the ferry early. Garrett and I were running about 20 minutes behind schedule, but we thankfully were still near the front of the ferry line. It gets long, so you’ll want to get there early to be on one of the first ferries to get the best spot on the ground.
2) Speaking of ferries… I wasn’t too keen on it. Almost instantly I felt sick, so if you get motion sickness, plan ahead! (We sat on the exposed top on the way there. Best views? Absolutely. The windiest conditions? Yep. Hold onto your hats! Literally.)
3) For girls, keep an eye on the weather. If it’s going to be windy, don’t wear super short dresses. I actually lucked out with this as the dress I intended on wearing ended up not working out. (Note to self: don’t shop online only to have the dress delivered the night before.) I opted for a classic white dress– the one I wore to my college graduation actually– and the length was perfect. I could sit on the ground without a problem and it wasn’t blowing up with the wind.
4) OVERDO IT ON THE SUNSCREEN. I used SPF 40 and still got burned. They were handing out sunscreen at the event, but I thought that since I applied a lot that morning I was safe and protected. Nope. The sun wasn’t messing around.
5) Things to bring… We were totally unprepared on what to bring, but based on what we saw other people bringing, we have a better idea if we were to go back.
– Extra sunscreen
– Blankets to sit on; shower curtains apparently make for great picnicking blankets, who knew?
– Snacks/food; there are food trucks, but you can pack your own cute picnic! (We saw people who brought raspberries for their champagne!)
– Bandaids; for blisters and injuries
6) Don’t take the “comfortable shoes” warning lightly. There is a significant amount of standing and walking involved. Sandals or flats are really a must.
7) If you want to leave early to beat the crowds… (We admittedly didn’t watch too much of the match!) I personally found the people watching and the experience to be most fun before the match! Teddy had a playdate with my neighbor in the city, but she was heading out of town mid-afternoon so I didn’t want him to be alone for too long. We watched one chukker (a round in polo) and then walked back to the ferry. We randomly completely missed the rain (#lucky), but noticed that a TON of people left after the second chukker. We were only 15 minutes ahead of them, but it made our walk back relaxing and not stressful.
One glass of champagne because when in rome, but really… with the sun, I can’t imagine having anymore than the one glass.
Wearing: Kate Spade dress (old, but this one and this one are similar) // Kate Spade Bag (c/o) // J. Crew Espadrilles (best decision. Garrett picked them out the night before and they were the perfect amount of height and incredibly comfortable for all the walking!)
Photos before the match taken by Hallie!
And then some iPhone snaps:
Bill Cunningham was out and about in Battery Park where everyone was in line for the ferry. He was just as you’d imagine him to be. If you haven’t watched the documentary about him… you absolutely MUST.
As amazing as the people watching is, the views of the city are even better! The perfect venue and mini-getaway!
I really did have so much fun. I surprised myself by enjoying it so much despite the event being as far outside of my comfort zone as you can get!
Have you ever reluctantly gone to an event you thought you wouldn’t like… and then loved it?
xoxo
These pictures are absolutely gorgeous, Carly! Attending this polo match is officially on my bucket list!
Sydney
Toodlebelle's Blog
You and Garrett are simply too much for me to handle. So adorable.
What color is the nail polish?
Polo matches are so fun! I played polo for a year or so and always loved seeing a big crowd. (The horses love it, too!) These days, I still go watch local matches; your advice is perfect for a big charity match or a small practice!
I love your dress, it looks like you both had so much fun!
Lauren,
http://www.atouchofsoutherngrace.com/
Your dress is absolutely gorgeous! I've always wanted to go to a polo match but I've never heard of any going on around where I live. Sounds like you had a good time. Having a picnic at a polo match sounds romantic!
This article was amazing once. alat bantu dewasa
I went to a polo match last summer and it was so much fun dressing up and watching the match!
-Alex
http://www.monstermisa.blogspot.com/
So "sandals or flats are really a must" but your wedges were the "best decision"? Makes noooo sense.
They're barely wedges (because the toe has a little platform) and totally comfortable!
I love your white dress! Here is a blog you might like http://www.wearona.com. Let me know what do you think!
Such a fun experience! You look adorable 🙂
Okay, this is getting embarrassing. The shoes that you wore to the polo match are in deed wedge shoes. They get their name from the fact that the heel sits on a wedge. Additionally, a shift dress by nature is shapeless. That's the whole point, it's supposed to be loose and carefree. If you're going to speak with such authority, you may want to get the points you speak of correct.
Perhaps you'd like to correct Lilly Pulitzer then? So unnecessary.
these photos could not be cuter!!
Such a picture perfect couple! xo
basma gaber
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