How Five Stylish Influencers Wear LA Labels' Fall Looks
According to the calendar, fall is officially here. Our 90 degree weather, on the other hand, is sending us major mixed signals. Especially when it comes to our wardrobes. For avid followers of local brands, it can be totally frustrating to see stunning fall collections drop, and know that it might be a while before we get a chance to dress up in all the cozy knits, faux furs, and chic outerwear that's starting to hit shelves.
Who better to turn to for help envisioning how to wear LA designers' best fall/winter pieces — even in the current, confused climate — than the city's most stylish influencers. Since we can't all relate to editorial lookbook styling (or dressing in head-to-toe designer labels), we opted to enlist a few boss ladies to show us how they'll be styling such pieces with their current closet staples.
Read on to learn a bit more about these fashion forward babes and the majorly cool local brands they're wearing, as well as how they put it all together.
Pari Desai 'Lia' metallic wrap sweater in Lilac
Sofia Hultquist, musician and fashion/film composer (under the moniker Drum & Lace), is not only muse-worthy with her blunt, banged bob and unabashed penchant for pattern mixing, but she's also an avid patron of LA labels, Georgette Crimson, Intentionally Blank, and Staud being some of the local lines you'll see her sporting on a regular basis. For knitwear, Hultquist turns to Pari Desai's impeccably cut, modern dresses, skirts, and tops and the designer's Lia wrap sweater from the forthcoming fall collection, is no exception. She explains, "I love this piece for fall as its color is so classic, yet the sheerness (metallic-ness) and shape are so unexpectedly edgy. It makes for the perfect LA layer for when the weather finally gets cooler, and will be perfect paired with anything from a pleated black skirt to fun patterned dresses and bottoms."
Objects Without Meaning 'Knife Pleat' dress in Cream
As a stylist specializing in contemporary and conceptual editorial styles, Jillian Cainghug often gets to check out local designer's latest collections long before they're shoppable, so she was the perfect person to put her spin on Objects Without Meaning's pleated midi dress, part of the brand's fall crop of cool, minimalist pieces. Always thinking outside the box, Cainghug layered the lightweight garment, elevating some of her wardrobe basics. Jillian tells us, "For fall, I'd wear it over or under something instead of by itself. I'm constantly on the go zipping around town on my scooter and this dress can be casual as well as stunning. It's comfortable too making it completely functional for me."
The Palatines 'Pactor' in Bronze
Fun is the first word that comes to mind when I think of media guru and entrepreneur Sonja Rasula (are you keeping up with her Instagram stories?). It also seems to be the LA native's fashion philosophy, which is why she was an ideal candidate to style The Palatines' soon-to-be-released, shearling-tipped, metallic gold shoe. True to form, Rasula selected a playful, party-ready ensemble to highlight the footwear's inherent cheekiness. "Most of the time I would wear these shoes with jeans and an oversized blazer, but they are so irreverent that I think one should have some fun with them," she says, "I kept it casual and California-cool with a vintage Bruce Springsteen concert tee and then threw on this fabulous skirt by A.L.C. For me, fashion trends have to be functional but you have to have fun sometimes and explore your personal sense of style."
LACAUSA 'Santi' jumpsuit
Jennifer Puno is a woman who wears many hats — and not just the ones you often literally see on her head. As a vlogger, founder of I Heart Creatives, and a digital media course instructor (among other projects), the self-proclaimed tomboy opts for clothes that are as comfortable and practical as they are fashionable. You'll more than likely find her in sneakers or flatforms (with socks, thank you very much) and a backpack (albeit a cool leather one) rather than sky-high stilettos and a dainty, of-the-moment handbag, and that's why her styling of LACAUSA's best-selling Santi jumpsuit is actually so brilliant. "Jumpers are my jam," Puno exclaims, "Especially oversized ones. I'm a bit of a tomboy so I added some sneaks and the nude turtleneck for those slightly chilly fall LA days."
Knorts 'Line After Line' bomber
Fashion editor and founder of members only network Fashion Mamas Natalie Alcala jokes that she is allergic to pants. And considering the hard work this mama of 2-year-old cutie Diego regularly puts in at the gym, she's got every right to put those gams on display every chance she gets. And cooling fall temps won't be slowing down her game either. This knit denim Knorts jacket not only reps her native city on the back (she's an LA girl through and through), but offers some warmth while she still shows a bit of skin. On why she loves the cool, slouchy bomber Natalie expanded, "I love that it looks like denim but feels like knit. I'd wear this with my signature short shorts or with a black onesie if it's cold out."
