It’s Springtime in L.A., which means it’s finally cool, (as cool as it can get, here), with daily highs of around 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Right as Southern California is in the throes of winter, being the SoCal girl I am, I’m already excited for spring.
I’ve always been a tomboy since I was a kid, probably because I grew up with and frequently went shopping with my older brother. Honestly, sometimes the men’s section is so much cooler than the women’s section. As a child, I wanted to be pretty and cute like the other girls, but that didn’t necessarily mean I liked the clothes they wore. I struggled to dress myself in a way that reflected my own personal style, often stealing my brother’s hand-me-downs, buying darker hues and shopping in stores way out of my age range.
By high school, my tomboy tendencies had somewhat faded away, and I was wearing skirts, blazers, blouses and such on a daily basis. After my first break-up, I stopped caring about what other people thought of me and just adopted a “I don’t give a shit” kind of attitude. I doubled back to my tomboy style, and tried really hard to figure out what I liked to wear while looking good at the same time.
Fast forward four years, and I have really stabilized my personal style. After discovering some different brands and shopping in the men’s section a bit more, I’m much better at dressing myself. I, also, no longer feel the need to dress like other girls, since in college, literally ~no one~ cares about how you look, and times have changed: the boundaries between gender standards are no longer as strictly enforced as they used to be.
1. Ripped Jeans and Light Jacket
Spring in L.A. can be a bit windy at times, so a light jacket and jeans are usually the way to go. I almost always wear a t-shirt underneath since it can get warm in the middle of the day. The jacket, a cropped, boxy jacket in military green and the rainbow t-shirt are from Madewell. I discovered this store around my senior year of high school, and it changed my life. The style is all about the tomboy look, comfort, and lifestyle clothes which is pretty much me. Their clothes are a bit too expensive for a college student’s salary, so I usually wait for things to go on sale before I buy them. The store is really popular nowadays though, so I will occasionally buy certain pieces at regular price in case they sell out completely before they even go on sale.
The jeans are from Uniqlo. The Japanese store has recently taken the United States by storm few years ago, and I really hope it never leaves. Their clothes are relatively affordable, basic and essential. Ripped jeans are of course a staple of the tomboy look. Adidas’ Stan Smiths also came back into style a few years, and I love that they match with almost anything. The classic Stan Smiths have green on the back, but I got black since the green is a little too bright for me.
2. Graphic Tee and Boyfriend Jeans
Uniqlo has recently collaborated with the pop artist KAWS, and what resulted were products like this adorable Snoopy graphic tee. Half my wardrobe is consisted of graphic tees, and I’m absolutely in love with Snoopy. Buying this one wasn’t too hard of a decision. The boyfriend jeans are also from Uniqlo. I bought them while I was in Japan, and I’ve been obsessed. The cotton is so soft, and there’s a little bit of a stretch. The ripped holes have gotten a little bigger over time, but that just adds to the distressed look.
These are Vans slip-ons, my second pair in the past year, and they’re ridiculously comfortable. It’s convenient to just slip them on to go wherever, and I snagged the special denim color from a collaboration Madewell did with Vans. It’s like they knew how much I love both of their brands.
3. Classic Stussy Long-sleeve and Jean Jacket
Since a few years ago, I decided to break my own rules and started shopping the men’s section. Men’s graphic tees and jackets are sometimes better quality and fit my body better than women’s, and I’ve never looked back. I had been eyeing Stussy for a while, so I was thankfully gifted this classic long-sleeve. My friends probably got tired of listening to me talk about it. I just think the logo, especially the way it is on the back, is so creative and cool.
The jean jacket took me a long while to find. I have this irrational habit of searching for pieces that are not sold in the current season. I was lucky enough to find this jean jacket in the men’s section at Forever 21 at the end of summer even though they’re usually more spring pieces. Most women’s jean jackets I saw were ripped and cropped, but this men’s one has that slightly oversized look I was going for. Good thing my friend spotted it for me!
4. Short Overalls
I had wanted overalls for a while, but every time I tried one on I looked like a farmer. I found this one in Seattle of all places, and the white color and short style make me seem less like a farmer. Both the overalls and the sunglasses are from H&M. I don’t usually go there often, but I have found some gems there such as these. The t-shirt is from Muji, another Japanese store, known for its emphasis on minimalist lifestyle selling things from clothes, notebooks, pens, soap, and dishes. Japanese cotton is honestly the best, so soft!
5. Khaki Shorts and Birkenstocks
Of course, I can’t leave out colored shorts. These are from Gap, and they consistently have colored, khaki shorts every spring and summer. The long-sleeve is a bit cropped and boxy, two of my favorite things a top can be, and also from Madewell. Baseball caps are great accessories because you can wear them two ways, front facing or back facing, and hide the fact that you haven’t washed your hair in a while.
Birkenstocks are also basics for the tomboy look. They are insanely comfortable, especially for my wide feet, and I nabbed my dark blue color in Hong Kong. Nowadays they’re sold all over, most notably at Nordstrom. I recommend the suede material and the soft foot-bed just because they’re easier to break in.
6. Courier Shirt and Rainbows
Ever since Madewell came out with the courier shirt I’ve been in love. They’re boxy and oversized, but the patterns and designs are always so interesting and diverse. If you look closely, this one has pelicans embroidered onto it. The shorts I got on sale by chance at J. Crew, the store that owns Madewell. I have taken to tucking in the front part of my shirt, especially long collared shirts like this one, to change up the look.
A pair of Rainbows is practically a necessity for any SoCal girl. The leather material is durable and, after breaking them in, really comfortable. After my first pair, the classic beige color, were destroyed, I got these black ones. Less a black and more a dark grey, I wear these Rainbows all the time during the warmer seasons.