Moving to Southern Cali was actually refreshing for me in terms of finding new styles. Absolutely everything is accepted out here and I’ve noticed that you are more than encouraged to dress how you want. No, people in LA may not dress like the fashionistas of NYC, but who is to say that means they’re in a fashion black hole or in a fashion funk? The way they dress IS their fashion, it IS their style. In my opinion, when you can categorize an entire city by the way they dress, it means that city has a sense of fashion and style that they have managed to make their own. Seriously, you can look at someone and just know that they are from LA completely by the way they are dressed. That’s not a bad thing. Yes, NYC is filled with high end designers, luxurious fabrics and more than enough neutrals to go around, but LA (and Southern California while we’re at it) is filled with neons, bright colors, edgy style, trends, lots of skin, poofy hair, tons of fun accessories, studs, leather, ripped denim, hipsters, scene kids, bathing suits, beach wear, bleach blondes, tan skin, celebrities, bright nail polish, short skirts, comfy slub wear and UGGS…yes UGGS. They aren’t the only city that rocks them and they’re freakin’ comfortable as hell so get over it.

Bottom line, it’s all about the lifestyle down here in Southern Cali and the fashion has just been a natural progression of that lifestyle…kind of like our own little culture. We like to have fun and we don’t take ourselves too seriously. Most days, we just throw on whatever works and go about our business. Throw a trend or two into the mix and we’re good to go.

But, just like LA and Southern California have their own sense of style, NYC has its own sense of style, too – which is always spot on. You can also look at a New Yorker and tell they’re a New Yorker – which is not a bad thing. But please, don’t knock us out here in Southern California…we’re doing the best we can with what we’ve got.

Try some places downtown. Embrace local fusion food in the “real” neighborhoods. Take the bus. And there is alot of history and art here involving areas non related to Hollywood.

At least here, when you dress you get noticed because you stand apart from the crowd. However, individuality doesnt get you far here since unique is just misinterpreted that you dont “get it”.

Oh and yes for the most part, most of it is an illusion–that’s why so many people are wearing sunglasses. You didnt think it was the sun did you?