New York City has been the defining point of my fashion journey, but Los Angeles is always where my roots are.

Style is not a mathematical formula, and it is not an exact science. There isn’t one piece of clothing that will inherently be a “California trend” or one that is “New York street style”. Everyone’s style is different, but nevertheless, here’s my take on what is New York City fashion and Los Angeles fashion.

nyc street style staples

The first thing you have to have is leather. Personally, I have tried leather leggings, and I’m not a fan. Something about it doesn’t flatter me, so my leather comes in the form of my bag and my jacket. A leather jacket paired with a classic black handbag can automatically give you the ultimate New York look to any outfit.

What goes perfectly with leather is black boots or booties. New Yorkers are nothing without their boots, and I’m pretty sure that the only time I’ve seen a New Yorker not wear boots is during the summer. Even then, I see some New Yorkers come up with ways to work booties into their fashion.

I do find it ironic that New York is the city of walking, but most shoes you see New York women wear are heeled. My ideal heel height for boots and booties are 3″. Sure, I can wear 5″ heels, but I’m just going to complain about them at the end of the day. It is common to see women wear sneakers and then change into heels, but if you’re like me and you don’t want to be carrying multiple bags with shoes in them, 3″ heels are going to be your best friend.

I also recommend light washed or dark washed jeans that look almost black in some lighting. New Yorkers are not that into skinny jeans. I see tons of New Yorkers rock the straight cut (sometimes with a frayed hem) and pair it with some mules or flats. The light wash jeans will typically be in a style that reminds you of vintage clothing or (dare I say it?) mom jeans. They are look more androgynous because they’re not cut like skinny jeans, but they’re still super flattering!

Lastly, black pants are another key staple in a New Yorker’s wardrobe (do you see a trend going on with the black?). These can be opaque black leggings, form fitting black trousers, or black jeans. The material can range from denim to velvet to leather, but when in doubt, go with black pants. It is easy to see why New Yorkers love black pants; they are so versatile, and they provide such a chic and timeless look that makes anyone look pulled together.

los angeles street style staples

I need to caveat this section with the disclaimer that I am from L.A. and have only lived in Southern California. One of the biggest differences between NorCal and SoCal is weather. NorCal weather is not typical California beach weather; don’t move into San Francisco and expect it to be sunny days everyday. Most of what you’ll think of and see with the stereotypes of California resembles only SoCal. Therefore when I say California style, I really just mean Southern California style. 

Los Angeles is the home of casual, the oasis for yoga pants, leggings, and sweats. Even when I’m back in Los Angeles, I prefer to go with comfy pants that are stylish but significantly more casual than what you’ll see a New Yorker wearing. I would recommend finding yourself some comfy yoga pants or leggings that you can live in, and I would also recommend buying yourself a few solid colors and a few printed ones as well to change it up!

On the other hand, when Los Angeles natives do dress up, we always go with something that is chic but comfortable. I rarely see any true Californian rock something that is uncomfortable to wear. Maxi dresses and long shirt dresses are worn all the time simply because the weather is nice enough for us to wear dresses all year long. I especially love the trend of wearing a chambray shirt dress; paired with some cute brown booties and a crossbody bag is super cute! If you ever want to feel a little bit more dressed up but want to put in minimal effort, go with a maxi dress.

You will also see a ton of us rock skinny jeans with plain tees or plain striped shirts. Skinny jeans has never gone out of style for Los Angeles, and you will never look out of place choosing a pair of skinny jeans. These pair perfectly with a cute plain tee or a loose flowy blouse. My favorite pair of skinny jeans (or just any jeans in general) are hands down from Good American. The amazing thing is that their jeans are manufactured right there in Los Angeles!

I need to give a shout out to the plain t-shirts of the world. These are so underestimated when thinking of a closet and what sort of fashion staples are required. I always find that I never pa truly only going to wear my plain tshirts.

That is all for my take on this East Coast vs. West Coast (West Coast Best Coast *wink*)!
I hope you all enjoyed this and hopefully have gained some insight into what fashion staples you need!