I Live in NYC But Want to Live in L.A.—These Are the 5 Trends I'll Ditch First

There comes a pivotal moment most transplant New Yorkers hit a decade into living in the city. They have to decide between one of two things: 1) They've become a New York–for-lifer, or 2) it's time to get the hell out of Dodge. I've recently found myself falling into the latter camp. I still love New York, but I love the idea of a backyard; boots that aren't marred by snow, slush, and salt; and a quiet commute from the comfort of my own car even more. Returning to L.A. has quickly risen to the top of my to-do list.

With dreams of year-round temperate weather, I've already let my mind wander toward a new, less frenzied me, both in spirit and in fashion. L.A. is its own unique style hub, and I've already started curating a list of trends I'll be waving goodbye to in my rearview mirror. But seeing as I'm far from a minimalist, moving is a prime excuse for a closet overhaul, not a clean-out. So where one trend goes out, another comes in to take its place. Read on for the five trends I'm ditching (read: donating) first and the five I'm adopting in their place.

Add: Cheeky Cardigans

In my dream world, L.A. me has quickly learned to adopt a more laid-back attitude. While the cool-girl oversize-blazer look hasn't died down any, I'm looking to keep things a little more casual with the rising cute-cardigan trend.

Add: Rainbow Attire 

Regardless of the fact that New Yorkers pride themselves on taking style risks and being inventive with new patterns and bold colors, we often find ourselves defaulting to a color-coordinated moment. Maybe it's L.A.'s sunnier disposition, but Angelenos seem to be more willing to mix up their color wheel.

Add: Bermuda Shorts

In truth, I never should have spent so long looking for the perfect pair of leather pants in the first place—not when my plans involve moving to the poster state for year-round warm weather. Time to pack them away for special occasions and build up an arsenal of climate-appropriate Bermuda shorts. 

Add: Flossy Sandals

Goodbye, grueling, on-foot commutes, and hello, car. In L.A., I'm hoping to finally lean into those flossy, skinny heels. I'm so ready to be unafraid of getting my heel stuck in a subway grate (something I’ve spent 10 years in paralyzing fear of) or the unavoidable long treks to the subway.

Add: Anklets

I was a huge fan of the inventive pearl-earring trend that started taking off last year. But the dressy look is best left to the streets of New York. In California, more time to show off my legs means I can invest in this comeback trend. 

Up next: nine L.A.-based brands stylish Angelenos know about (that NYC girls don't).

Contributing Editor

Ray Lowe is a contributing editor for Who What Wear. She's spent the last decade living in New York, but now that she professionally works from home, she's slowly been going back to her roots by splitting time between NYC and L.A. A year ago, she left a four-year stint as a fashion editor for Refinery29 to explore the freelance life. Nowadays, she does just about everything from penning online articles (for Who What Wear, Refinery29, Elle, Cosmo, and many more) to writing scripts, styling, and finding ways to fuse her love for both Disney and fashion. Her main beat is fashion (trends, emerging brands, affordable finds, you name it), but you may find her dropping in with a beauty story every now and then. As for her personal style, she'd best describe it as a balanced blend of basics and contemporary trends, often with a dash of Mickey Mouse thrown in for good measure. In her spare time, she can be found coddling my pets (a French bulldog and a rescue cat), curating travel itineraries for her friends, scrolling through Instagram for up-and-coming brands, and watching so-bad-they're-good films.