72 hours in LA

and a new tattoo!

Last weekend I flew to LA for a friend’s bachelorette party. She and I first met while working at a pizza restaurant. Ten years later, I got my first tattoo with her—a little stick-and-poke pizza slice on my twenty-seventh birthday!

This is what I ended up packing for the weekend—everything I didn’t end up wearing is crossed out.

I brought a lot of things I didn’t end up wearing, though nothing that took up too much space. Planning outfits for each day/occasion continues to be very helpful—I didn’t end up deviating from any of the planned outfits, which I will remind myself next time I pack. I only brought two pairs of shoes, too, which I consider a minor triumph!

DAY ONE: Evening flight into Burbank (I feel like the only person who didn’t know that flying into Burbank is vastly superior to the LAX experience.) Wore my rented Agolde jeans (similar Agolde pair secondhand here), red Alex Mill button-down via the RealReal (similar here), Melissa sandals (secondhand here in glittery black), and my cropped trench from COS (similar COS trench here). I like the idea of this jacket, but it never looks quite how I envision it when I wear it. Yes, I am wearing socks with sandals—as I only brought two pairs of shoes, I needed to figure out how to wear sandals on the plane without making the experience unpleasant for both me and my fellow travelers.

DAY TWO: Spent the night in a pool house in Pasadena! Wore the Madewell eyelet camp shirt (exact one secondhand here), Needles pants (secondhand here), Holzweiler sandals (similar here), purple J.Crew tote (exact one in navy here, similar here), and tie-dye baseball cap (similar here). Headed into the city to check into our hotel and went out for tacos and coffee. Living in a city for a long time imparts an implicit knowledge of the reputations of certain bars and restaurants—there are so many places in New York that I’ve never stepped foot in but know exactly what I’m supposed to think about them. I like being unaware of those reputations in LA. I have no idea if people think Guisado’s is “legit” or overhyped or too chain-restauranty but I have never had a bad taco there! This was a perfect outfit for the day, vibes-wise, but I might have reconsidered the pants or shoes had I been able to change. The drawstrings on the ankles don’t stay tied, so if you’re wearing very flat shoes they tend to dangle. They did a lot of dangling and dragging on the ground in downtown LA this trip—not ideal!

DAY TWO (CONT.): Changed into vintage velvet vest (similar here), rented Apiece Apart pants (exact same pair here for $70, snap these up if you are an 8!), Melissa sandals again, pearl pendant necklace (similar here), thrifted straw bag (similar here), and Madewell silk scarf (similar here) tied on. Felt like the straw bag made this outfit more LA. Wore this to dinner at All Time, a restaurant I would eat every meal at if I could. I did not take a single picture of food on this trip so you will just have to imagine it! (If you’re curious, we ordered the Good Ass Salad, burrata, gnocchi, Japanese sweet potatoes, and a strawberry shortcake.) Eagle-eyed readers may have noted that this gel manicure from mid-April is hanging on for dear life. Two nails have peeled off but the other eight are still standing strong. I think it’s healthier to let them grow out than to peel off or get another one right away?

DAY THREE: Went to brunch and then rented a pool in Beverly Hills for a couple hours via Swimply (shout out Greg for being chill and lending us a knife to cut our watermelon!) Wore my thrifted overall shorts (very similar pair secondhand here), Melissa sandals and tie-dye hat again, and Sandy Liang eyelet top (secondhand here but expensive! very similar vibe here for $15). I guess this is my beach/pool outfit now? Overalls just feel so practical that it’s hard for me to opt into wearing anything else with a swimsuit.

DAY THREE (CONT.): (Sorry to this lovely Gen Z cousin who made it into the background of the fit pic while we were all getting ready!) Wore this to dinner at Mirate—10 out of 10! 5 stars! All the accolades. Wearing my green Mr. Larkin dress sans matching belt (similar vibe here and here), the Holzweiler shoes again, and the purple J. Crew tote again. Probably should have steamed this dress before wearing it out. It is currently in limbo at a dry cleaner in LA after red wine was spilled on me—send thoughts and prayers for its safe and unstained return!!!

DAY FOUR: Last day! Brunch in Pasadena planned by my friend’s future aunt-in-law who has a very chic silver pixie cut and loves wearing navy. I’m wearing a rented navy dress in cotton poplin from a label I’d never heard of, Labo.Art—looks plain on the hanger but drapes really well (when you see a shapeless dress on Rent the Runway, read the reviews before dismissing it! all five stars for this one). Wearing the Melissa sandals and straw bag again, as well as a silk scarf my husband brought back from a work trip (that last part feels so old-timey… a husband on a work trip buying his wife a silk scarf). Similar scarf here and here.

After brunch, I got a ride to Atwater Village for a little last-minute tattoo! (This is my third, for those counting. Sorry mom and dad!) I was seized with a sudden desire for one on Friday night, and DMed the guy who did my little hatching bird tattoo in December—turns out he had a last minute cancellation on Sunday. The new one is a heart with my dog’s name (Junior) inside, because I am absolutely head over heels in love with him. Had spaghetti dinner with my friend and her fiancé’s family and then headed to the airport for a redeye home!

<3 E