How to Be Best Dressed in the West

We are completely in love with the way people dress in L.A. Think Rachel Bilson (left) who can accessorize an oversized sweater and jeans with a mustard gold Christian Dior bag and look perfectly chic. While we have the utmost respect for the West Coast style—it doesn’t exactly come naturally to us native born East Coasters. So with a trip to LA on deck this week for the early part of LA fashion week (we’re flying Virgin Atlantic! Can’t wait!), we turned to our friends and LA-based fashionistas over at The Daily Obsession for some lalaland fashion advice!

Here’s what the girls had to say:
What’s the number one rule for dressing stylishly in LA?
Casual is the keyword for LA style. You can go from walking on the beach to dinner at Koi in the jeans of the moment (JSG note: We hope we do this on our stay!). It should look effortless and easy, a mix of high and low (ex. A vintage tee paired with Chanel flats). In general, you can’t go wrong with denim. Skinny jeans are still in - and you’ll see it on girls of all body types. They can be tucked into boots, worn with four-inch heels or with adorable flats. Wide-legged denim looks great with high, high heels (which can actually be done since we drive almost everywhere). But the traditional boot cut still shows up everywhere.

How do you get that casual cool look without looking like you're trying too hard?
Be comfortable and a little eclectic. Layering is key – so you may see a cropped leather jacket thrown casually over a little dress, or jeans and a cute little top under a light jacket.

What's your typical outerwear?
Scarves are everywhere! You’ll see them from fall to spring – and sometimes, even in the summer! Also, light jackets are a must in L.A. during the winter since the temperature can swing wildly when you travel from the beach to the valley. (JSG note: We love the floral Prada one uber-LA girl Jennifer Aniston was seen sporting last month.)

Are cowboy boots with a dress still popular? Does anyone still wear Uggs?
Oh no! The Uggs trend has officially died out – thank God! You won’t catch many girls in Uggs since it never gets that cold. (And it’s a general fashion no-no unless it’s freezing cold!) Sadly, after seeing one paparazzi photo after another of Britney (Spears) in cowboy boots, you won’t see many of those either. Instead, you’ll see other styles like ankle boots. Also, lots of girls are wearing Grecian style lace up sandals with little spring dresses lately. It’s a timeless look that fits in everywhere.

It's now nighttime—can we wear sequins? Metallics?

Definitely! Metallics can be worn anytime – more subtly during the day and a little flashy at night. During the day, you may see metallic threading in a cropped jacket, or maybe in a sundress with a boyfriend cardigan, grounded with a metallic belt. At night, it’s taken up a notch – with anything from a sequined mini-dress to a gold lame tank. But you’ll find more casual options as well. For instance, a white tank with a sequined shrug and cute jeans is a staple at the Hollywood clubs.

What designers do you think capture the LA essence?
Mike & Chris, J Brand, Ella Moss, Rachel Pally, Trina Turk, Jenni Kayne.

Sounds like JSG needs to go shopping! We haven’t even tried on a pair of gladiator sandals. Are we tall enough to wear them? We'll let you know.