I Just Got Back From Living in L.A. for a Month—These Are the 5 Trends I Saw Everywhere

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Christie Tyler wearing Los Angeles trends summer 2026.
(Image credit: @christietyler)
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Los Angeles is known for its relaxed, sunshiny approach to style. It's often made up of simple wardrobe staples, and there's an ease to it. As I spent the month of May visiting, I found myself keeping an eye out for the trends people were actually wearing.

The first thing I noticed felt less like a trend and more in the realm of anti-trends: lots and lots of jeans. But I quickly realized the ones I kept clocking each had a bit of a je ne sais quoi to them, if you will. The perfect reference point for what I mean by that is Still Here's Cool Wide-Leg Jeans that are relaxed and lived-in.

While we were at the Silver Lake Farmers Market one Saturday, my partner pointed out how many people were wearing basketball shorts. Further proving his observation, one of my best friends who lives in L.A. met up with us wearing a black pair with mid-calf boots.

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I also went to a Charlie Beads pop-up at the DLR store, where silver ballet flats caught my attention. After that, I started noticing more and more non-black ballet flats, from baby pink to butter yellow.

I saw a fair share of oversize button-down shirts, and of course, the knee-length-skirt trend I've been seeing nonstop in New York City is just as popular in L.A. too. Ahead, shop the summer 2026 trends.

Knee-Length Skirts

Relaxed Jeans

Non-Black Ballet Flats

Oversize Button-Down Shirts

Loose Shorts

Audry Hiaoui
Associate Shopping Editor

Audry Hiaoui is a writer based in New York. For Who What Wear, she specializes in emerging designers, independent labels, and brand discovery, as well as interviews both on and off camera. Her writing has appeared in AnOther, Wonderland, Office, Interview, Love, and i-D, among others, with multiple cover stories and features in print, and she has worked as an editorial producer for Vogue during fashion months. She holds a master's degree in journalism and documentary filmmaking from City, University of London, and has an extensive background in film, having worked for Sundance Film Festival, SXSW, and Vice UK as well as on various projects including documentaries and music videos and most recently as a writer's assistant on an upcoming HBO/A24 series.