Recently, I sat down to write a little guide of sorts on how I personally get dressed for fashion week.
I began hunting through my mind for several tried-and-true tactics that I use – both consciously and unconsciously – when dreaming up my looks for fashion season. And in devising these navigational pillars, I realized just how big of a role the city itself plays in every decision I make.
Even though Copenhagen’s style has evolved over the last couple of years, the city is still the harbinger of Scandi-girl cool. Think: minimalist, pared-back garments with clean lines. Add in functionality and androgyny. Maybe a pop of color by way of a bag or comfortable boots. On the other hand, when I think of Paris, it’s hard to separate the city from its Parisian chic aesthetic. Instantly, I imagine a look that’s effortlessly elegant, with a touch of femininity and lightness.
But what about Los Angeles?
A little over two weeks ago, Los Angeles Fashion Week was resuscitated with a terrific roster of designers, a diversely curated schedule, and a new central playground in Hollywood. (You can read my coverage of the week’s highlights here). As I mentally sketched out my looks for the occasion, I tried to pinpoint the city’s evolving style ethos, and it’s then that I realized how diverse that identity really is.
The fashion landscape here is full of dichotomies (and many clichés). It’s athleisure but also red-carpet sparkle. It’s sometimes bohemian but bombshell. It’s skater-girl cool but also off-duty celebrity. It’s straight-from-the-waves surfer type but also Selling Sunset diva showered in logos. As brand consultant Victoria de la Fuente told Vogue, “L.A. style is homogenized yet polarized — either they are wearing Lululemons with Love bracelets, or they are wearing Amina Muaddi heels in a super tight Attico dress. There isn’t much in between.”
So, what is Los Angeles style? I found myself shrugging at the question while staring morosely into the depth of my closet. But somehow, over the course of a week or two, the pieces came together. I went with my gut and my interpretation of LA style, which is pretty much “a little this, a little that.” Filtered through the lens of my own style identity, I assembled garments that had something to say about the city’s multi-faceted fashion persona. Here’s a closer look at some of the outfits I donned to LA Fashion Week this season.
NO. 1: Denim With a DIY Edge
It always starts with a single item – the centerpiece around which I build the rest of the outfit. For this look, it was this cropped blazer from Australian-born, Los Angeles-based Alabama Blonde. Starting her career in music before transitioning into filmmaking, the designer developed an affinity for creating story-forward pieces with leather and latex. Working closely with artists, she dreams up one-of-a-kind garments with a DIY edge. Think: Criss-crossed elastic cleverly integrated into panels of leathers. Separates made of long strips of leather. Lots of silver hardware and buckles.