Clothing Clash

I walked into a meeting the other night after a long day after my internship and half the people in the room turned and stared me down as I entered. I assumed there was something in my teeth or hair but after glancing in my compact mirror I saw all was clear in that department; but the question still hung in the air, why the weird looks? About an hour later, when the meeting finally ended, one of my close friends approached me from across the room and said, "Did you just come from work? You look SO New York today!" A few other people had wandered over and they each agreed that I looked like I'd just stepped out of Central Park. This got me thinking, the clothing of the coasts really do clash, big time.

I grew up wearing a lot of Vineyard Vines and J-Crew, clothing that I have since learned is considered "Preppy" or East Coast. Every so often I'll wear a Vineyard Vines polo out and about in California and my friends will ask me if the Whale emblem is a cheap knock off of Polo. I usually just smile and say, "It's an East Coast brand." Since moving to California I've virtually ditched the name brands and switched to wispy fabrics and comfortable styles. I no longer torture myself with high heels, instead I wear flat shoes and boots; yet when I return home I break out the preppy and ditch the relaxed look. Maybe I should wear a full-fledged East Coast Preppy outfit to my next meeting. I'm sure the looks would be priceless.

East Coast:

West Coast: