LA outfit diary (part 1)

+ a pair of pale green silk ballet flats i bought on the spot.

Apr 18, 2026

∙ Paid

As I was packing for a hectic week in LA, I thought “what would make me feel most like myself?”

Between my itinerary of interviews, events, seeing old friends, and traveling with an 8 lb dog attached to me at all times, I needed clothes that felt tried and true. I was already stressing over logistics like…how to procure boiled chicken breast for Maggi’s meals (if you have a picky poodle you KNOW the struggle)…and how to time car rides from Silverlake to Beverley Hills to Pacific Palisades during rush hour. It was not the time nor place for outfit experimentation!!!

So I threw almost every green dress I owned into my suitcase.

It was my uniform for dressier looks (events, going out to a nice dinner, etc.) but I also wore a lot of casual lounge clothes which I will cover in another newsletter. Suffice it to say, if you saw a frazzled lady on Sunset Junction getting coffee in sunglasses, an I <3 NY souvenir t-shirt, glorified pajama pants (they’re pointelle so that makes it acceptable to wear in public), Keen flip flops and what looked like a black duffel of dirty gym clothes (actually a covert dog carrier), that was me.

Here are the four green dresses I wore in LA, plus a pair of green silk ballet flats I bought on the spot my first day there—and wore for the rest of the trip!

Green Dress #1

Let’s start with this vintage one.

I found it on Poshmark a few weeks ago—it was unbranded, which actually made me more confident that I liked it for what it was and not because it was from a “cool” y2k designer. The chiffon overlay panel down the middle of the dress was interesting to me, something that set it apart from a monochrome silk dress. The flecks of purple also reminded me of the wisteria blooms in Berkeley.

This is how I styled it to interview a subject for the LA Times. As a freelance fashion writer, there isn’t really a dress code for meetings like this, so you’re sort of left to your own judgement. And it depends on who you’re interviewing and where it’s taking place.

I was going for stylish but a bit nerdy, so I layered a cashmere cardigan with flower buttons over the dress (which had thin straps) and bright red thong heels (old Sies Marjan). All my notes, chargers, and a change of clothes were packed in my Alex Mill tote.

Green Dress #2

Wrote about this one in my newsletter on heat wave outfits last month, it’s the 90s slip from Silk Laundry. They’re also running an archive sale right now (kinda picked through but I love this pink skirt). I did that thing where you lose track of time at the pool because the air is sooooo hot and nice on your skin, so then you have 15 minutes to shower and make your dinner reservation. This dress was just super easy.

I layered my favorite vintage trench coat over it, which my little sister described as “very Nicole Kidman.” Re-wore this about 3 times on my trip.

Green Dress #3

I wish I could bottle up the feeling of sunshine, martinis, and overall glowiness in the photo above and huff it to get me through winter. This is the silk slip from Comme Si. When it was released last month, I couldn’t stop thinking about the chartreuse and olive trim color combo, and how the neckline had a sporty feel. It was a splurge for sure, but I am very happy with the quality and wearability.

Green Dress #4

Remember when I said I packed an outfit change for after my interview? This is what I changed into for an event that night—an off-the-shoulder dress and my vintage Celine fish clutch. It’s an old style from Rachel Comey called the Lyas dress. The fabric is linen which I actually do not usually like…but what can I say, Rachel did some kind of magic with the draping.

I felt like a glossy peanut inside a delicate wasabi coating.

I recommend checking out her dresses if you’re stuck on options for a wedding guest outfit that isn’t Reformation. I skimmed the website and this is my favorite—simple tank top shape, but kind of artsy and weird.