It's finally fall here in Los Angeles! That means busting out the army jackets and the flannel. My mom was up for the afternoon which meant I was treated to a delicious dinner at Bottega Louie, one of my absolute favorite downtown LA haunts. Seriously, they have the best macarons outside of Paris and the atmosphere is amazing. Sunday brunch is fun if you like people watching and don't mind waiting to get your seat, but a Wednesday afternoon works just as well!

But it all honesty, I'm so happy that it's finally getting a little chilly here. I don't need snow on Christmas or anything like that, but it is nice to feel a cool breeze as I sip on my Starbucks peppermint mocha instead of being forced to get my latte on ice thanks to the hot weather.

And ever since I bought this Madewell dress in August. I've been dying to wear it! Thank the lord, the time has finally arrived when I can dawn a flannel dress and not melt like the Wicked Witch of the West. 

What's your favorite part of fall? And more importantly, what's your favorite thing to wear in fall?

Shop the Outfit:

I live for the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, not gonna lie. It's a sale where new items are introduced at a lower price before being raised to their regular retail price, aka the best kind of sale. Sure, you have to be a bit of a planner to be purchasing boots and coats in the hot July heat, but $100 off an Equipment sweater is totally worth having to wait a while to actually wear it.

Here are my favorite pieces from the sale:

The Anniversary Sale doesn't officially start until the 17th of July, but if you're a Nordstrom cardholder early access is available now! So go ahead, treat yourself to something stylish as we gear up for a fall full of fashion successes.

Rebecca Minkoff Resort 2014 looks

I've always been a California girl, born and raised in San Diego and now studying in Los Angeles, but recently I've been truly understanding how varied California can be (it is the 3rd largest state and the most populous) in terms of geography, cultural activity, and of course fashion. 

A decade ago most people would define Los Angeles style as glamorous and excessive. Brand names, revealing cuts, lots of gold and jewels. Ten years ago, Paris Hilton reigned supreme. The weekend wear of every Pretty Young Thing was a hot pink terry tracksuit from Juicy Couture. You were no one if you didn't have a Louis Vuitton or Gucci monogram-print leather bag. 

Paris Hilton and Jennifer Lopez in the early 2000s

Fashion in the celebrity center of the world was about visibility, about letting everyone know that the bag you were sporting was expensive and made by a designer that mattered. Status was everything. And status had to be visible.

But the Hollywood style has changed drastically since 2003. Sure, there are still women who cling to their sexualized bodycon dresses and high slits and designer logos, but the new guard of Hollywood style icons are more laid-back. They wear vintage, no-label items. They don oversized knit sweaters and flowing maxi dresses as freely as they slink into mini dresses. They still show off skin, yes, but that's because it's constantly 75 degrees and we like having our legs bronzed and our faces freckled.

The new Los Angelina (no, not of the Jolie-Pitt variety) wears understated (but still incredibly fashion-forward) clothes from up-and-coming designers that could be from almost anywhere (but anyone who knows anything about clothes knows these outfits still cost a lot of money).

For me, the Rebecca Minkoff presentation represented the new wave of California Style

She is concerned with her appearances and applies her makeup like a pro but doesn't always wear foundation or leaves her hair in messy waves after a trip to Manhattan Beach.

She is concerned with practicality and sustainability. When it's hot she takes off her ombre flannel and ties it around her waist in an organic but incredibly awesome style statement. Sometimes she wears flats, or T shirts - things that look good but also feel good.

She is laid-back without sacrificing her looks, and she knows that you can look amazing without putting painstaking effort into her outfits each morning.

She is not afraid of color. She wears blues as bright as a sunny day and pinks rich as a California sunset. She's not afraid of mixing prints and she never worries that she isn't "matching" because she decides what works for her. She is in control.

There's still a bit of the 2003 version of the Hollywood lady in this girl. She still loves those silly oversized sunglasses and she still appreciates the classic allure of a bodycon dress or a sneak of cleavage. But she'll wear T shirts just as often as mini dresses, and she'll look good either way.

1. Estee Lauder "Sagittarius" Zodiac Powder Compact

2. Spring Street "Libra" Zodiac iPhone Case available at Nordstrom

3. Charlotte Olympia "Gemini" suede Slippers available at net-a-porter

4. Lilly Pulitzer "Taurus" Murfee scarf available online

5. Rebecca Minkoff "Cancer" Zodiac necklace available at piperlime

6. Charlotte Olympia "Virgo" Pandora perspex clutch available at net-a-porter

 More New York favorites debuted their FALL 2013 collections yesterday.

 Jenni Kayne produced a lovely array of glamorous minimalist designs in opulent hues and fabrics -bright reds, glittering silvers, and oceanic blues- perfect for the hip, career-minded New Yorker twenty-something who needs to transition from day to night.

Jason Wu has managed to keep us begging for more season after season, and FALL 2013 was no exception. The "Wu Girl" has an eye for the extravagant and glamorous, but there are pieces that appeal to every sort of style. My favorite pieces were the lace-printed trousers and the white feather dress.

Rebecca Minkoff gave us many options for fall coats, which I'm sure appealed to those watching the show, as New York experienced some freezing temperatures on Friday. Minkoff has literally given us a coat for every occasion -going out, rain coats, Saturday shopping- you name the event, and Minkoff has given you a coat to go with it!

images from style.com