What to wear in LA?

How to Dress Like a Local in Los Angeles

Nancy Wagner, Demand Media

The mild weather in Los Angeles offers plenty of flexibility for casual fashionistas who want to dress like the locals. Almost anything goes in the city, although dressy clothing is required for more formal events. During the coldest times of the year, average daytime temperatures hover around 57 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s balmy weather for most people living outside the area, but it does get cool at night, making warmer clothing a must-have to stay comfortable while enjoying the sights in the City of Angels.

Casual

Step 1

Wear tank tops or loose shirts and shorts, skirts, jeans or pants if you are a woman. Men should bring tank tops and lightweight button-down shirts to wear over the tank tops. Jeans, shorts or lightweight pants for walking around the city during the day work well for men.

Step 2

Bring a sweatshirt, sweater or light jacket to create layers over your clothing. A hat or cap might be useful when temperatures dip in the evenings or early in the morning. If you plan to stay near the beach, warmer clothing will come in handy at almost any time of the year, even on summer evenings, when the marine layer keeps the temperature cool.

Step 3

Pack flat shoes, sandals or flip-flops to make walking around the vast city a bit easier on your feet.

Step 4

Include long scarves and leggings to create layers with your casual women’s look. Scarves are also popular as men’s wear.

Step 5

Put on your heels during the day when visiting Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. As you hobnob with the celebrities at the ultra-expensive boutique shops, wear dark jeans, high heels and a simple but elegant top with a jacket. Men should wear something similar, minus the heels.

Step 6

Get creative with your style in such neighborhoods as Los Feliz, Silverlake and Beachwood Canyon, where personal style means just about any type of clothing goes. Some people show up in ripped jeans and faded T-shirts, while others wear fancy suspenders and bow ties.

Outdoors

Step 1

Carry a pair of sandals or flip-flops in your luggage to wear at the beach.

Step 2

Pack lightweight hiking boots or comfortable tennis shoes if you plan to explore Griffith Park (laparks.org), the La Brea Tar Pits (tarpits.org) or other local attractions that require lots of walking.

Step 3

Go wild with your outfit when headed to Venice Beach. The more eclectic your clothing, the more you’ll fit it. The foundation for most ensembles along Venice Beach starts with T-shirts or tank tops and shorts.

Step 4

Bring a swimsuit for use on the beaches or alongside the pool. Almost any type of swimsuit works in Los Angeles, including one-piece tanks and bikinis. Women should consider bringing a sarong-style wrap to help cover up when necessary and to use as a skirt when stepping off the beach and wandering into shops or casual restaurants.

Night and Formal

Step 1

Pack high-heeled shoes to wear at formal restaurants and evening events.

Step 2

Dress in a lightweight or cocktail dress to go to dinner at a nicer restaurant. Men should wear a collared shirt and dark jeans or pants. A sports jacket works well with a button-up shirt for meetings and dinner at the most formal restaurants.

Step 3

Carry a full suit and tie if you plan to attend any of the celebrity-laden events occurring in the city, such as award ceremonies and fund-raisers. Long evening gowns and high heels are expected for women.

Step 4

Accessorize with a purse that looks simple and elegant. Bring a few pieces of jewelry, such as necklaces and bracelets, but you don’t need to wear many jewels to fit in with the crowd in Los Angeles.

Step 5

Change into miniskirts, colorful blouses or tops and skinny jeans for a night at the club if you’re a woman. Heels and sexy dresses are also the norm. Men will make the cut for admission when wearing nice, dark jeans, button-up shirts or sports coats. Stylish men’s hats -- not baseball caps -- are also popular in clubs.

TIP

Bring sunglasses and sunscreen, because the city gets plenty of sunshine during the day.

Carry a hat with you to wear during the day or at the beach, especially if you’re prone to sunburn.

Pack light, and enjoy shopping in Los Angeles, where you’ll find every fashion possible.

WARNING

Don’t bring expensive jewelry, because you might be a target for thieves.

People dress very casually in LA, except for employees of places that require professional work wear.

This is in summer. Determine which area or suburb of LA you will be visiting. Check the weather, including heat index with any humidity. Dress normally as you would for summer as if you were not in LA. The suggestions above are also valid for summer, except for all of the women's suggestions can be ignored for guys.

We were surprised at how so many of the people we saw there were dressed very casually, even in the evening at some of the very nice places. We saw a lot of jewelry on both men and women--daytime and evening, tho. We were there in July for over a week and saw very few "glamorous" people, even at Caesars, Bellagio, Wolfgang Pucks two places or Bobby Flay's place. We did see a lot of young people and they mostly wore T shirts, shorts, bermudas, sandals, athletic shoes, cute tops on the girls and a lot of them had backpacks or big totes. It takes a lot of walking to get from place to place on the strip so we only saw a few people in high heels out and about. Some of the hotels are huge so you have to do a lot of walking just to get around in them--good shoes seemed to be everyone's priority. Hope this helps.

honestly LA has a variety of style. I have seen a lot of people wearing flannels around their waists though. I just recommend wearing whatever you like and feel comfortable in.

No many people in LA dress how ever they want to . You dont want to go to a place where it is chill and dress all classy . Wear what ever you want to wear .

you need to know exactly where you will be........LA is an actual City, BUT there are many suburbs and other Cities in Los Angeles County that are NOT LA

everyone dresses differently i guess that you can wear shorts with a short sleeve short

Most people go casual, except for big events.

a crop top and some skinny jeans or shorts just let it be simple