Despite what some may believe, life is in fact much more “chill” on the West Coast. I learned this first hand on my recent travels to southern California. I knew far before the plane touched down on the tarmac that I would love L.A. and its subsequent neighborhoods. You may ask, “how did you know this?” Well, because much like the rest of the world, I’ve been obsessed with the Californian lifestyle since forever. I figured if I enjoyed dressing like a California girl then it wasn’t too much of a stretch that I would enjoy being a California girl as well. California-inspired looks take the runway by storm, particularly in the spring when the colder regions of the world begin to crave the sun and sand that California is often most noted for. Even if you’re on the East Coast, like me, it’s time to embrace the west.
Since California style is traditionally untraditional and laid-back, it only makes sense to turn your Gold Coast-inspired look into a groovy ’70s throwback. The BCBGMAXAZRIA spring 2016 ready-to-wear collection is the perfect culmination of the classic take on ’70s-inspired California surf style. The layering in this collection is nonsensical, yet it gives off the coolest vibe. With patchwork bucket hats hiding the models’ eyes, they all look ready to catch the perfect wave.
I was inspired by this collection in particular to layer pieces that I loved wearing alone, but was intimidated of wearing together. I started with a pair of geometric printed linen shorts in a faded clay color and a longline button-up denim tunic. In order to make the look more preppy, and for extra warmth during the cooler California nights, I added a surfboard sweater. This sweater is one of my absolute favorite pieces at the moment due to its effortless ability to make any outfit look RAD.
The accessories are the most important part to any outfit. I tied a black bandana around my neck in an ascot style as the ultimate homage to the ’70s. I further accessorized with a pair of silver drop earrings, Ray-Ban rounded frame sunglasses and my Birkenstock Arizona sandals (I love them too much to ditch them). And of course, no boho look would be complete without a fringe bag. Grab your sunglasses and add some ’70s flair to any outfit and feel instantly transported to the West Coast.
Get My Look: 1. A neck scarf bandana. 2. Denim shirt. 3. Graphic sweater.
