I nearly spit out my morning carrot juice when I read the news: Irvine is the most fashionable city in America. Not Manhattan, not LA, but Irvine, the place of beige stucco and nonexistent fun.
This is according to Bundle, which measured the percentage of “fashion-conscious households” in the country's 50 largest cities. The data company defines such a household as one that has had at least four transactions at top-end designer merchants in the past 30 months.
So folks know how to swipe a credit card. Does that translate into style? What's the fashion like in Irvine, anyway? Here's what shoppers at retail hub Irvine Spectrum had to say.
NINA RIETSCH
Age: 32
Describe your style: Classic and vintage.
Favorite places to shop: Anthropologie, J.Crew, Nordstrom.
Most coveted items in your closet: I really love my dresses with unique patterns.
How would you describe the fashion in Irvine? When I think of Irvine, I think of monotony. Everything looks the same.
NICHOLE HAYES
Age: 23
Describe your style: Indie, boho and rock with a bit of biker.
Favorite places to shop: Betsey Johnson, Lamb & Flag, BCBG, Free People.
Most coveted item in your closet: My combat boots.
How would you describe the fashion in Irvine? It's mixed. There's your standard nightclub wear, and then there's hippie-chic. It's definitely influenced by music and the weather.
MAGGIE RATTIGAN
Age: 19
Describe your style: Trendy. I change it up a lot; I adapt from indie to boho to high-fashion.
Favorite places to shop: J.Crew, Urban Outfitters, Steve Madden.
Most coveted item in your closet: My J.Crew toothpick jeans. I can dress them up, dress them down, make them sexy or preppy.
How would you describe the fashion in Irvine? It's cray.
This column appeared in print as “America's Most Fashionable City?”
