LA Story: Focus!

LA has a particular brand of style. It’s a cool casual mix inspired by our mostly great weather and influenced by Hollywood rock and roll and the beach. We are more sportswear and item driven rather than outfits or suits. I’m using a grey palette with a bump of sparkle along with a focus piece to uniform my casual separates. A focus piece draws the eye in then releases it to see everything else, collectively. This is key when styling separates. My 3/4 length faux fur vest, Hawke & Co., not only catches the eye it adds texture and proportion. The grey colour keeps it from looking over-the-top because it ties in with the rest of my greys.

For bottoms, I went with a darker grey skinny jean, Rich and Skinny, tucked into a grey/green lug bottom ankle boot, Sorel. The bulky boot over the skinny jean under the bulky vest make my short legs seem long and lean. The Holiday sparkle comes in a drapey nude blouse sprinkled with tiny silver sequins, H&M and a vintage silver chainmail bag, Whiting & Davis. Both the blouse and bag sparkle and have a lot of movement and next to my bigger and heavier pieces, create balance. This kind casual has an effortlessly pulled together feel that takes me from day to evening in LA style.

style-tip: don’t be afraid to mix it up. your colour story and your focus piece will pull it all together.

LA Story: Classic Casual

I don’t know about you but there are certain colour and fabric combinations that evoke the same feeling every time I see them like this classic casual look that I’m wearing today. The perfectly clear mid-tones on simple straight forward garments feel preppy traditional sophisticated and very east-coast Americana. I’ve got on a pair of baggy Levi 501s, and a Spring-weight fisherman’s sweater, Zara. The sweater gives me the look of a heavy cable-knit, but the lighter weight allows me to add a wool coat, J Crew, without overheating. The coat’s hybrid style is a cross between a pea and trench and the shorter length makes it more wearable in LA’s winter weather. I went with an off-white lug bottom boot, Gisele Tune. 

The boots bring some much-needed weight down to my feet to balance out the heaviness above them. As for accessories…many of us think of them as secondary items like throwing on our jewelry and grabbing a bag but they are as primary as our garments. My whiskey colour leather handbag, vintage, has a classic shape and gorgeous gold hardware that looks rich refined and polished. The simple yet sophisticate print on my long scarf, Gucci, reinforces my neutral colour palette that pulls this classic casual look, together.

style-tip: enjoy the process of taking an extra few minutes to style your look from head to toe. You’ll look better, feel better and carry yourself with a lot more confidence.

*please treat your wardrobe well. many people worked very hard to get it to you