How Celebs in NYC vs. L.A. Dress for Date Nights

There's no denying that, in general, celebrities get more dressed up for nights out than the rest of us, but with paparazzi regularly in tow, can you blame them? Taking this into account, we were curious about how celebrity style differs based on which city they're in, so we did a little investigating into their date-night outfit choices.
We know that NY and L.A. style is of interest to most fashion girls, and since we've already covered British- and French-girl versus American-girl night-out looks, we decided to look at the difference within our domestic borders. While there were some obvious common themes among outfits from NY and L.A. (i.e. heels are the go-to footwear), the differences were also clear. Intrigued?
Keep scrolling to see how celebrity date-night style differs in NY vs. L.A., and shop our night-out picks for each city.
NYC
Our number one observation of celebrity NYC date nights is that they love to wear black. Leather pants, black outerwear, and LBDs are the norm. They prefer fancy accessories like heels and metallic clutches whether headed to an event or just a dinner date. They also favor sleek, slim silhouettes when in the Big Apple.
On Olivia Palermo: J Brand Edita Mid-Rise Leather Leggings ($948); Stella McCartney shoes.
On Chrissy Teigen: Balmain Embellished Skinny Pants ($1904); Tom Ford T-Bar Snakeskin Ankle-Strap d'Orsay Sandals ($1190).
On Taylor Hill: Jimmy Choo shoes.
Victoria's Secret Angel Lais Ribeiro's sleek coat and strappy metallic heels are perfect for date night in NYC.
Shop NYC Date-Night Essentials
A flattering LBD is essential.
NYC date nights call for a cool metallic clutch.
Related: Chrissy Teigen's Top 5 Date-Night Outfit Ideas
L.A.
While celebrities in L.A. also choose a good pair of heels for date nights, they mix things up a bit more, especially given that weather isn't typically a factor. They wear a little more color (although black is still popular) and frequently opt for more casual looks. But when it's a special occasion, they tend to go big with sequin party dresses and the like.
On Amal Clooney: Cosabella Never Say Never Cropped Cami ($79); Citizens of Humanity Sculpt Rocket High-Rise Crop Skinny Jeans ($228); Balenciaga Textured-Leather Wedge Sandals ($945).
On Rosie Huntington-Whiteley: Christian Dior dress; Jimmy Choo shoes.
On Jessica Alba: Laveer coat; The Great Denim Jumpsuit ($119).
Kate Mara shows us how to achieve casual chic for a night out in Hollywood.
Shop L.A. Date-Night Essentials
Here's how to update your bomber jacket collection for spring.
Related: Celebrities Agree: This Is the Best Date-Night Outfit
Black skinny jeans and L.A. date nights go hand in hand.
Pair this feminine top with your high-waisted jeans.
Next up, see how fashion girls in L.A. versus NYC versus Paris do basics.
Opening Image: AKM-GSI
Allyson is a senior editor for Who What Wear. She joined the company in 2014 as co-founder Katherine Power's executive assistant and over the years has written hundreds of stories for Who What Wear. Prior to her career in fashion, Allyson worked in the entertainment industry at companies such as Sony Pictures Television. Allyson is now based in Raleigh, North Carolina, and is originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She holds a BFA in theater arts. Her path to fashion may not have been linear, but based on the number of fashion magazines she collected as a child and young adult, it was meant to be.
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