How to dress like a San Diegan

San Diego has no dress code. As one giant beach town, it's lassiez faire when it comes to fashion, and I've seen a lot of crazy stuff. But just as the jeans-and-T-shirt combo has become the de facto dress code of the masses, SD has its own twist on the default outfit. First of all, you must have flip-flops. Must. Have. If you're a true San Diegan, they'll be Rainbows - those tan leather jobbies that V refers to as "quintessential California flip flops." Indeed they are, as they're made in San Clemente and every surfer owns a pair. Reefs are also extremely popular, but the brand doesn't matter, as long as you've got the flops. If you want to dress it up a bit, you could go for the Chacos or Tevas, but I should warn you: settle down. This is no black tie affair.

Dudes: Some sort of generous cut shorts will do, topped off with a surf shirt. This looks like a polo style or possibly a button up dealie, but there's a certain cut to it and everyone knows it's a surf shirt.

Chicks: You have more leeway. Some sort of sundress would be classy, but more often you see low-rise capri pants or those too-short denim skirts, and a tank top.

Everyone: Tattoos. I think it's mandatory. On the one hand, there's so much skin on display, it's easy to show off your ink. On the other hand, exposure to sun is the surest way to kill your tattoo...

Maybe it doesn't sound so different from any college town in summer, maybe it's just in how people here carry it off. Maybe it's just the flops. But there is a certain San Diego-ness to people's wardrobes out here.