California offers a designer's buffet
Summer has many favourable characteristics: warm weather, an increase of ice cream consumption, festivals and an overall sunnier outlook and fabulous tan to go with it. My personal favourite feature of summer is the freedom of (major) responsibilities and the opportunities that arise to travel due to having a lack of a serious schedule. (Isn't having one all year at school quite enough?)
As a recent graduate from the fine institution of Fanshawe, I decided to take my slacker schedule to a whole new level this summer; I truly believe you get extra freedom after graduation as a completion bonus. Despite enjoying my lazy summer of travelling and backpacking, I fully incorporated my valuable and useful degree of Fashion Merchandising by evaluating every city I visited by their clothing stores and the typical local style (categorized by day and night attire). Here are my findings of my top cities visited:
Los Angeles, California:
LA is THE city of trends. There are an endless amount of boutiques teeming with the latest designs last seen on the cover of Instyle. Hot-for-the-season boyfriend jeans (and blazers and button downs), acid wash and destroyed denim, oversized bags and all shades of neon were literally spilling onto the streets of L.A. Appreciably, Beverly Hills will offer a certain standard of collections that will invariably differ from South Central, yet all the garments are somewhat comparable in style. This translates into the typical L.A. girl style: small, destroyed denim shorts, strappy gladiator-like sandals (preferably in brown leather), a loose, burnout or graphic tank top and unquestionably a pair of oversize sunglasses. (iPhone or Blackberry optional). The perfect balance between quality brands and a decent price tag for L.A. shopping can be found in any shop along Melrose Ave. or Robertson Blvd. It's important to wear the right brands, but don't spend too much on any single piece in L.A. because soon enough, it'll be like, so last season.
San Diego, California:
Did you know that San Diego is a mere 20 km from the Mexican border? Neither did I, until I got there and experienced hot July (literally). Much more laid back with a distinct beachy vibe, San Diego is decidedly cooler than L.A. Being a far smaller city, San Diego has a much more definitive style which to me, is the epitome of California surfer cool. Long, wavy hair is a must, as are flip flops (preferably Havianas or a leather pair from Abercrombie & Fitch). Cut-off denim shorts, a bikini top with a band tee-shirt or tank top make the outfit and lots of bracelets and a big happy grin are the eminent accessories. The best area in San Diego to shop (and eat and enjoy the nightlife) is in the downtown core dubbed the Gaslamp quarter. Wander anywhere from Market St. to 5th Ave. and you're bound to stumble upon something gnarly, dude.
San Francisco, California:
When people think of California, they think of one happy state. When people from California think of California, they think of either NorCal or SoCal [Northern California and Southern California] (don't ever say to someone from California that they're both the same; as far as they're concerned, they're different countries). San Francisco is the defining city of NorCal. Being 12 hours north of L.A., their style is influenced by the much chillier temperatures thanks to the bay. Less careless and more refined, San Francisco felt more like a city than L.A. Perhaps because its downtown centre is much more compact, San Francisco had the hustle and bustle LA lacks. Their major shopping district is Union Square, a hectic yet exciting mishmash of shops, lounges, art galleries, hotels and everything in between. Fashion forward designer shops such as Betsey Johnson, Oilily and Wolford mixed with inexpensive yet essential heavy hitters like Urban Outfitters, Forever 21 and TopShop create a fashion utopia where there is something for everyone.
Phoenix, Arizona:
Typically, when temperatures reach over 45 degrees Celsius, people stop caring what they wear. I take my hat off to the fashionable people I met in Phoenix for choosing style over comfort. In all fairness, the citizens of Phoenix do not spend much time outside in the summer other than walking from door to door. (Don't judge, it's unbearable!). Scottsdale, a region within Phoenix, is the chi-chi part of town and therefore where the preeminent shopping can be found. Typical contemporary American mall retailers such as Anthropologie, bebe, Armani Exchange and Express can be found amongst finer stores such as Bottega Venetta, Cartier, Gucci and Jimmy Choo, to name a few. Fuel up in the most American way at Starbucks when the mall begins to tire you out; just be sure to get your coffee iced if you plan to sip it on the patio.
As a recent graduate from the fine institution of Fanshawe, I decided to take my slacker schedule to a whole new level this summer; I truly believe you get extra freedom after graduation as a completion bonus. Despite enjoying my lazy summer of travelling and backpacking, I fully incorporated my valuable and useful degree of Fashion Merchandising by evaluating every city I visited by their clothing stores and the typical local style (categorized by day and night attire). Here are my findings of my top cities visited:
Los Angeles, California:
LA is THE city of trends. There are an endless amount of boutiques teeming with the latest designs last seen on the cover of Instyle. Hot-for-the-season boyfriend jeans (and blazers and button downs), acid wash and destroyed denim, oversized bags and all shades of neon were literally spilling onto the streets of L.A. Appreciably, Beverly Hills will offer a certain standard of collections that will invariably differ from South Central, yet all the garments are somewhat comparable in style. This translates into the typical L.A. girl style: small, destroyed denim shorts, strappy gladiator-like sandals (preferably in brown leather), a loose, burnout or graphic tank top and unquestionably a pair of oversize sunglasses. (iPhone or Blackberry optional). The perfect balance between quality brands and a decent price tag for L.A. shopping can be found in any shop along Melrose Ave. or Robertson Blvd. It's important to wear the right brands, but don't spend too much on any single piece in L.A. because soon enough, it'll be like, so last season.
San Diego, California:
Did you know that San Diego is a mere 20 km from the Mexican border? Neither did I, until I got there and experienced hot July (literally). Much more laid back with a distinct beachy vibe, San Diego is decidedly cooler than L.A. Being a far smaller city, San Diego has a much more definitive style which to me, is the epitome of California surfer cool. Long, wavy hair is a must, as are flip flops (preferably Havianas or a leather pair from Abercrombie & Fitch). Cut-off denim shorts, a bikini top with a band tee-shirt or tank top make the outfit and lots of bracelets and a big happy grin are the eminent accessories. The best area in San Diego to shop (and eat and enjoy the nightlife) is in the downtown core dubbed the Gaslamp quarter. Wander anywhere from Market St. to 5th Ave. and you're bound to stumble upon something gnarly, dude.
San Francisco, California:
When people think of California, they think of one happy state. When people from California think of California, they think of either NorCal or SoCal [Northern California and Southern California] (don't ever say to someone from California that they're both the same; as far as they're concerned, they're different countries). San Francisco is the defining city of NorCal. Being 12 hours north of L.A., their style is influenced by the much chillier temperatures thanks to the bay. Less careless and more refined, San Francisco felt more like a city than L.A. Perhaps because its downtown centre is much more compact, San Francisco had the hustle and bustle LA lacks. Their major shopping district is Union Square, a hectic yet exciting mishmash of shops, lounges, art galleries, hotels and everything in between. Fashion forward designer shops such as Betsey Johnson, Oilily and Wolford mixed with inexpensive yet essential heavy hitters like Urban Outfitters, Forever 21 and TopShop create a fashion utopia where there is something for everyone.
Phoenix, Arizona:
Typically, when temperatures reach over 45 degrees Celsius, people stop caring what they wear. I take my hat off to the fashionable people I met in Phoenix for choosing style over comfort. In all fairness, the citizens of Phoenix do not spend much time outside in the summer other than walking from door to door. (Don't judge, it's unbearable!). Scottsdale, a region within Phoenix, is the chi-chi part of town and therefore where the preeminent shopping can be found. Typical contemporary American mall retailers such as Anthropologie, bebe, Armani Exchange and Express can be found amongst finer stores such as Bottega Venetta, Cartier, Gucci and Jimmy Choo, to name a few. Fuel up in the most American way at Starbucks when the mall begins to tire you out; just be sure to get your coffee iced if you plan to sip it on the patio.
