Anyone who’s lived in both NYC and LA knows how different styles are on the opposite coasts — and if you’re making a big move, you’ll need your wardrobe to transition along with you.
I’m a personal stylist for men Los Angeles, and I recently made the move from NYC to LA myself.
With the move, I had the opportunity to apply the same personal styling systems I use as a men’s personal stylist Los Angeles to my husband’s closet.
Here I’ll walk you through 3 tips to transition your closet to Los Angeles style.
Tip 1: Clean Out Your Closet
Start with a thorough pre-move closet cleanout. This is important to do before you pay to ship all your items to the other side of the country (hey you may as well try to save on shipping costs!)
Get rid of anything that doesn’t suit your new lifestyle in Los Angeles.
Be sure to donate any items you haven’t worn, don’t like, are damaged, or aren’t appropriate for the new climate. Items we offloaded included heavy winter coats, snow boots, and bulky sweaters we’d never have a use for in LA.
You should also consider your professional brand image and lifestyle when cleaning out your closet.
For example, maybe you wore a suit at your job on the East Coast but your new job is more casual.
(If you’re not sure how to create your professional brand image, consider hiring a personal stylist for men Los Angeles)
Another common issue I see when transferring from the East Coast to Los Angeles?
Too many dark colors!
You’ll want to integrate some lighter colors into your new closet. It also means you probably don’t need 3 black sweaters anymore.
Once the closet cleanout is complete, be sure to pack your clothing by category — t-shirts with t-shirts, jackets with jackets, etc.
This not only will save you on shipping costs but make the unpacking process less painful!
Tip 2: Organize Your Wardrobe
Once you’re moved into your new home, it’s time to unpack and organize in a way that will be most efficient for your day-to-day life.
While it can be easy to put off unpacking all your boxes for weeks or even months, I recommend making your closet a priority.
Dressing appropriately for your new city will help you acclimate to your new West Coast life.
As a men’s personal stylist Los Angeles, I organized first by category (button-downs, pants, t-shirts, etc.), then light to dark colors, only stocking the closet with items we’d wear every day.
Special occasion or rarely-worn items can go in an extra closet or into storage. This will ensure it’s quick and easy for you to get dressed daily.
Tip 3: Create a Shopping List
Finally, it’s time to create your shopping list for any new items you need.
Because our closet was beautifully organized, it was easy to see what the ‘gaps’ were in our wardrobes.
(Check our blog for men’s closet must-haves, as personal stylist for men Los Angeles we’re experts at this!)
For Ramit, I saw he needed some long sleeve t-shirts and sweaters. He had a lot of heavyweight ones suitable for NY weather but needed lighter layers more suitable for the LA climate.
Other essential pieces for men’s West Coast wardrobes include light jackets, casual pants like chinos, and a variety of short sleeve shirts in lighter tones.
If your NYC roots mean you’re having trouble envisioning how men can dress for the West Coast, try a quick Google or Pinterest search for “men west coast style” or “LA men’s style” — or consider hiring a men’s virtual personal stylist to strategize your new look.
If you want it done right the first time around, apply here to work with NLW.
Cassandra Sethi is a NYC Personal Stylist and Image Consultant. After working over 15 years in the Fashion Industry, most recently as a Senior Buyer for Equinox, she created her business, Next Level Wardrobe – a luxury personal shopping service for successful professionals.
Next Level Wardrobe has been featured in Wall Street Journal, Today and CNN. See here.
