California Outfit Guide February 2022 18 Outfits To Wear In California This Spring
I’ve had so much fun traveling to new cities, creating outfit guides wherever I go. For this month’s content trip I ventured back to California to spend a week in Venice and Beverly Hills with my blogger besties. We shot all kinds of photos featuring some funky pieces I’ve been stockpiling + a few old faithful.
Of course, I wanted to round everything up so that you could get some outfit inspo for your next trip to the sunshine state. For reference, I visited in February and the weather was about seventy-five throughout the day and dipped into the fifties in the evenings.
If I’m being honest, I definitely could have packed better and I break down throughout each specific look which items I would have left home/brought with me if I were to do the trip again. Keep in mind my job is to wear fun things so I took full advantage of that this trip! Enjoy.
(click pink text for links)
POP OF PINK
My gosh, there is just nothing better than getting to wear a dress and open-toed shoes after weeks of puffers jackets and snow boots. This was the first outfit I wore in LA for lunch in Beverly Hills. I just grabbed this linen dress from Lulus and it’s truly the perfect spring break piece. This is full-length and has the cutest little cutouts along the sides.
I’m all for the pale green and figured since spring has already sprung here, I could get away with pops of pink. These lace-up heels are among the most comfortable in my collection. I have these in the nude as well and wear them all the time.
I know, I know, I’ve been promising you for weeks now that I’d pick up a pink crossbody purse and I finally scored one from Lulus. This can be worn on the crook of your arm or as a crossbody making it the perfect bag for every occasion. Although a little dressy for the restaurant we went to, this was the cutest outfit to kick off the trip.
GOING GREEN
This color green has been spotted all over this season’s WGSN reports. I can’t say I’m mad about it, as I sure do love this pop of color. I grabbed this oversized button-up from SheIn in a size up, thinking I’d be able to wear it as a dress. Unfortunately, with that dolphin hem, it was still a little too short so I went ahead and paired it with a white mini skirt.
I’m all for a monochrome look so I slipped into my new green lace-up heels from SheIn. I have a feeling I’ll be wearing these left and right this season. They elongate the legs big time + dress up every outfit in no time.
top // skirt // heels // purse
PAJAMA PARTY
If you’re looking for the perfect PJs for a bachelorette party or girls’ weekend, these are them! Of course, my girl gang and I had to grab some photos in our adorable hotel room. I picked up these feather-lined pajamas from SheIn a while back and have been hanging onto them for the sake of this photoshoot. They couldn’t have looked cuter.
BRUNCHIN
The second I saw this pink satin maxi dress I knew it was gonna be coming home with me. While you could totally dress this up for a date night out, I thought it looked perfect with sandals for morning brunch. We went to the cutest spot in Venice so these puff sleeves were right on-trend.
I will say, it’s a little chilly in this area, especially in the morning so you’re definitely going to want to bring a cardigan or denim jacket to layer over top of some of these short sleeve looks.
SPRING HAS SPRUNG
How cute are these green pants?! They are the coolest texture with a lettuce hem that’s so popular this season. I originally grabbed these thinking I could wear them for a day of travel, and while they definitely would be cute on the plane, I decided to dress them up with pink heels for a night on the rooftop.
Of course, I added the pink purse to match. Up top, I’m wearing a fun tie-front top from Lulus. I absolutely love this—it’s the perfect mix of dressy + casual, being super versatile with the cotton fabric and deep neckline. I have a feeling I’ll be wearing this piece a ton over the next few weeks. Not to mention, you can’t go wrong with this color combo this spring.
top // pants // heels // purse
ORANGE YOU GLAD
Just about every trip I go on I pick out a pair of statement boots to rock throughout the week. These typically become everyone’s favorite outfits despite them being incredibly impractical, lol. This time around I went for an orange suede knee-high boot. These have a super chunky platform sole + heel that gives off all the Polly Pocket vibes—especially with the mini purse to match. How cute is this?! I’m obsessed.
Of course, I kept things simple with my fit, reaching for nothing but a mini white babydoll dress. This one has the perfect cut and is a piece I foresee me keeping in my closet for many years to come. It’s got small puff sleeves, an open back, and is just the right length. Not to mention it can easily be dressed up or down and moved from season to season. Definitely a must-buy from this trip!
BIKER BABE
The girls and I grabbed some bikes from our hotel to take around Venice Beach. It’s definitely breezy by the water in February so a cardigan and pants are a must. I packed these linen paper bag pants and they were absolutely perfect. Casual + breathable is the ideal combo for this time of year in California. Up top, I’m wearing one of my favorite Express tank tops. I have this Body Contour style in dozens of colors and this cream remains one of my most worn by far.
I’ve layered on a cardigan from Princess Polly. This chunky knit was the only layer I brought this trip (rookie mistake!) so I wore it over and over. It was just the right weight + can be worn buttoned up as a sweater or undone as a cardigan. As for shoes, my Zina sneakers from Dolce Vita never fail. I’ve brought these on practically every trip since June—they are so incredibly comfortable.
cardigan // tank // pants // sneakers
KNOCKIN BOOTS
That little white dress from the orange boots outfit? Yea, this is the same one! As I said, it’s crazy versatile and looks adorable with literally everything. My bestie Jules had these new pink cowgirl boots from Steve Madden and I just had to style them for a morning stroll around Beverly Hills.
They couldn’t be cuter; I know I need to get my hands on these for our line dancing Wednesdays at schools. Here’s that pink purse coming in handy yet again. As cute as it is, I have to admit it fits very few things—purse, keys, and a few cards at max.
70S QUEEN
I’ve been hanging onto these floral go-go boots for months now and felt like California was the perfect trip to finally break them out for. These are knee-highs with a fun mix of floral patterns throughout. Although they look intense, they actually have a rather short heel with a chunky platform that’s super manageable to walk around in. I actually prefer a shoe like this over my usual heels.
A few weeks back I picked up this olive green dress and I’ve been dying to style it. I knew that it was the perfect statement piece and although I originally envisioned it with lace-up heels for a formal, I decided to try and style it with the boots. Between the bell sleeves and the chunky shoes, this gave me all the seventies princess vibes.
RAVING IN RUFFLES
Every girl needs a pair of pink ruffle pants and to be honest if there’s anywhere that they’ll fly, it’s California. People wear the most interesting combinations here. Strutting down the side of the road in this outfit at 11 am raised little to no questions amongst the people around me, lol. I grabbed these from SheIn and to be honest they have to be one of my best finds from them.
They speak for themselves, making a bold statement, so a white long sleeve bodysuit was all I needed up top. For shoes, I’m slipping into white heels. I’m only 5 foot 2 so these pants did run a little long. However, with a pair of simple white heels, they were off the ground in no time. This would be the perfect outfit for a concert or sorority event too! Agh, I’m obsessed.
LACED IN GREEN
I’ve been seeing oversized collared dresses literally everywhere recently and decided to put one to the test this trip. Ironically, this ended up being one of my favorite outfits I styled. I’m absolutely obsessed with this asymmetrical print button-up.
It’s got all kinds of fun colors in it but I decided to bring out the green with a pair of lace-up heels and a mini purse to match. Everything about this made me feel like a badass + there’s something about the big tee, heels duo that makes you look like a million bucks.
THE CUTEST TIGHTS
One of my cutie blog friends Maggie made herself a pair of embellished tights several years ago and while I wish I was creative enough to make a pair for myself. Buying the $10 SheIn version seemed a hell of a lot easier, lol. I know, I know, these are quite literally the weirdest pieces of clothing I’ve ever styled.
These are essentially nude fishnet tights with all kinds of sequin + floral embellishments glued on. They don’t keep you warm by any means, but they add all kinds of texture + an unexpected element to your typical spring dress. We shot photos downtown for the day and with a pretty pink dress and heels, these were the perfect statement piece.
SUNDAY BEST
I actually didn’t pack this outfit, it’s a mix of pieces from both Sam and Jules’s closet but it was too cute not to share. I love this mini pink and white gingham dress. I’m a sucker for this print in the spring time and thought it was the perfect little Sunday best dress.
Of course, I had to pop on a felt hat. These become my go-to this time of year. Jules actually had this one custom-made from her in Tulum, Mexico so unfortunately I cannot link it. However, it sure is cute. Giving me all the retro, grandma vibes (in the best way possible). Simple white sandals + a purse to match are all you need to complete this casual yet cute look.
RUFFLES IN RODEO
Off to Rodeo Drive for the afternoon which means putting your best foot forward. This light pink dress is the perfect Selkie dupe. It’s got a few layers of tulle underneath, giving it a super full skirt. Not to mention, it’s a babydoll style so it’s the kind of dress you can twirl around in all day long.
The huge puff sleeves give it a 60s feel that I just couldn’t resist. Keeping things simple with white heels and a little bag to match. By now, you guys should be so used to this combination— I’m a creature of habit, what can I say.
BEACHSIDE BABE
Sam and I ventured off to Hermosa Beach for the day and I was running low on fits. Luckily, I had this adorable black maxi dress and decided to dress it down for our adventure. It’s definitely brisker by the water, so something to cover the legs was much appreciated. Of course, I’m wearing that same chunky knit cardigan over top.
This one’s super oversized so it tends to fall off the shoulders a bit throughout the day. There’s a very chill vibe in this neck of the woods so my white slip-on sneakers were ideal. While this dress was perfect for our day, it also is the easiest dress to throw on with heels + a slick bun for a fancy night out. It’s a bodycon and is incredibly flattering so I know I’ll be reaching for this again.
KEEPING IT CASUAL
As much as I love all of the fancy dresses + heels I was able to style throughout this trip, believe me when I say I definitely reached for a tee shirt and jeans too. I have this cropped Shein tee in a couple of colors and it’s the easiest basic to just slip on and go.
I’m wearing a pair of straight leg, ankle-length jeans with. These are just the right length to wear with sneakers too. Of course, it’s still a little brisk so I’m popping a cropped hoodie on over top. A California baseball cap was the perfect accessory to tie the outfit together.
tee // jeans // hoodie // hat // sneakers
MODERN DAY SHARPAY
How awesome is this pink ruffle romper?! I actually grabbed this for fashion week and never had the chance to wear it but you bet your bottom dollar, I wasn’t letting this bad boy go to waste. It has the most amazing ruffles along the sleeves and a plunging neckline that’s super flattering.
Of course, I had a pair of pink satin heels that matched to a tee. These laced up the legs, giving me a little bit of height while elongating the legs big time. I love this combo for a girl’s day.
EVENING STROLL
The one thing I really screwed up on when packing for this trip was casual nighttime looks. I was expecting it to be a little warmer than it was and it turns out a chunky sweater is just the right weight for the evening time. I borrowed this pink turtleneck from Jules one night and styled it with jeans and boots to match.
It ended up being the perfect outfit for some chips and queso. Definitely throw in a few heavier pieces for the evening as many of these restaurants are still offering outdoor seating.
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By no means did I pack everything I could/should have for this trip. While yes, I did use this trip to California as the perfect excuse to break out some statement pieces I had been collecting months prior if I were a *normal* person I could have used a few more basics and a whole lot more spring layers.
Pack some long sleeves, cardigans, and flannels that you can throw over top + tie around your waist when you get hot. Oh, and check the weather—it was fifteen degrees hotter the week before I came so in that case I would have been just fine with my dresses and sandals.
Anywho, any chance to escape the snow boots and puffers for a week is fine by me! I’ll be back again in March to finalize some internship stuff + explore Laguna Beach with my girls. I’ll definitely have a part two to share with you then. In the meantime, keep your eye out for my LA travel guide coming soon to the blog.
With love, McKenz
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Related Post: LA, California Travel Guide Fall 2021
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