A wardrobe for all regions

The other day was uncharacteristically cold and rainy in Los Angeles. Piece of cake, I foolishly thought, given that for about a year, I lived in Portland, Maine within easy driving distance to the flagship store for L.L. Bean. In fact, mastering the interface between technology and fashion became something of a hobby. I had the perfect rain gear: lightweight, breathable, waterproof pants, rain jacket, hat and boots.

It didn’t hurt, either that L.L. Bean’s doors never close. If it were, say, 9 p.m. on a Sunday night in the summer, and I was tired of having my ankles nibbled by mosquitoes, I could swing on over and get bug-proof socks.

You’d think I’d be set for life. But then, a couple of moves later, here I was in Los Angeles, warm and toasty in my L.L. Bean’s on a rainy day in which I happened to have an appointment at the hair salon. For those of you who have followed my travails regarding styling my “baby fine” hair, you’ll know that finding the right salon was already an issue.

Thinking that I’d found the shop that got the balance between hipness and acceptance just right, I showed up on that rainy day in my L.L. Bean gear. When my new hairdresser sighed: “Did you just come from camping?” I knew it wasn’t meant as a compliment. I learned a lesson: in Los Angeles, you dress up to get your hair done.

I mentioned that between the relocation from Maine to Los Angeles, there were a “couple” of moves. The fact is, I’ve lived in Washington D.C., Napa and Nashville, and was born in Chicago and schooled in Berkeley, California, so I’m something of a regional fashion expert. Here are a few more tips I’ve picked up along the way, that help me not only dress for the occasion–but the region:

• Nashville. Every item of clothing has a theme: think Christmas trees, faux Cowboy and embroidered flowers. Fitting in, I ended up looking like a cross between Midnight Cowboy and the Easter bunny. When I moved from Nashville to Maine, last to go was a favorite pair of jeans, painted with angel wings down the outside seams of both thighs.
• Washington, D.C. I got my undergrad degree from UC Berkeley in 1971, so you can imagine that I’ve never been properly introduced to the eastern college prep school look. Nevertheless, I discovered that if I wore a simple St. John suit and threw on any accessory from Burberry, I fit right in. Only the fringiest of my Burberry scarves look right in L.A.
• New York. Anything black.
• Los Angeles. I kid you not, there I was shopping for a baseball cap on the 75% off sales table of a trendy neighborhood boutique (pair it with dark glasses and everybody thinks that you “were” somebody) when I noticed a gaggle of paparazzi hanging around the front door. I looked around, and next to me was Jennifer Love Hewitt. I donned the hat and glasses, exited through the gathered paparazzi with abundant attitude.

Memo to self: keep the attitude, but the hat stays in L.A.