I've lived in New York long enough to witness many friends make the West Coast to East Coast move, and trust me—it has an instant influence on their personal style. No city can fully prepare you for the reality of cobblestone streets, aggressively efficient walkers, a winter that actually lasts, and the constant necessity to get all dressed up. The city changes you. More specifically, it changes what you wear.
The transformation isn't just about survival—it's about style. New York has a way of influencing even the most loyal Californians. Suddenly, people trade a sweatsuit for a pencil skirt and tank top for brunch. You might still keep the tank tops and sunglasses in rotation, but you'll find yourself layering them under something leather, wool, or weatherproof. If an L.A. fashion person moved to New York tomorrow, these are the first things they'd be convinced to buy—not necessarily because they want to but because the city (and every stylish person in it) would talk them into it.
Pencil Skirt
New Yorkers are obsessed with cosplaying the working woman at the moment, whether they're in a creative field or actually spend most of their time in a corporate office. I predict that a pencil skirt would be instantly adopted into an Angeleno's new wardrobe.
Tailored Tops
Shortly following move-in day, an L.A. transplant would already have tons of inspiration for how to style a tailored top. It's a power piece that never disappoints.
In-Office Trousers
When I think of L.A., I think of denim, and while New Yorkers love a good pair of jeans too, they're found styling tailored pants for casual gatherings way more often than people in L.A. would. This is a pair of pants every person needs on their packing list when coming to NYC.
Sneakers Made for Walking
As a New Yorker, I'm very meticulous about my shoe collection. Every pair has to be made for walking, and I have more sneakers than I can count. If the L.A. cool girl spent most of her time in heels, she'll be quick to adopt a new collection of kicks to help her navigate the city streets.
Cool Flats
Before moving to New York, I pretty much insisted on wearing a pair of heels to dinner. Now that I have an obsession with getting 10 to 20k steps a day, that obsession has gone away. Flats couldn't be trending at a better time, so make your move on them now.
Barn Jacket
If last year didn't convince you to buy into the barn-jacket trend, I am not quite sure what would. L.A. fashion people are already wearing this style and packing it for their cross-country moves.
Warm Layers
Every New York fashion person's secret is layers. When a person from California faces their first winter, they're going to want to layer up.
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