By Courtland Thomas
J Camp Live! Staff Writer

Are California girls the only ones to have it going on?

No, I found out.

The summer sun beats down on the streets of Santa Monica as residents and tourists mesh together to form the crowd of Sunday beach goers. While some non-natives stick out — the archetypal family dressed in identical neon green and fluorescent pink short sleeve, button-up shirts and matching shorts, complete with an oversized straw hat — it seems that even tourists know how to blend in. And, they tended to be friendlier than the natives.

LAURITZ PETERSON, visiting California from Denmark, walks across Ocean Avenue to the Santa Monica Pier in a pair of brown sandals, knee-length cut off jeans, and a v-neck dark blue New York King’s County. With Draco Malfoy platinum blonde hair framing the reflective sunglasses, Peterson admits his appearance is the common attire from teenagers to mid-twenties in his native country, but he confesses that he has to bundle up during the winter months. “[It was] not that much,” the “tourist” responds in broken English when asked the price of his outfit, which he purchased here, in the Golden State at “a nice store.” If it were not for the deep Scandinavian accent, I would never have pegged him as a tourist.

JOSE TOMAS JALENTE AND GERMAN REYES arrived in Los Angeles after a 13-hour flight from Chile, dressed casually in shorts and white shirts. After my few failed attempts of asking Jalente about his clothes in my broken Spanish, Reyes substitutes as my translator and Jalente chuckles. “Oh, Polo.” Reyes states that he is a fan of Nike, indicated by his shoes. However, both agree – Reyes deciphers to his friend in one fluid sentence and Jalente nods in agreement in my direction – that dressing is “more simpler in Chile.” When I asked them to explain – this time, with perfect Spanish! (se explicen) – they shake their heads in confoundedness. Obviously not big fans of fashion. I thank them for their time and they continue their stroll down Third Street and immediately blend in amongst the crowd of busy Californians.

Standing in line at Hog Dog On A Stick, fourteen year old JORDAN, who declined to give her last name, admits, too, that she is not a fan of fashion. Her mother, standing nearby, laughs, as if to disagree. Her recent purchase from H&M – a plaid button-down jumper tied loosely around the waist with a light metal-grey cardigan – also contradicts her statement. Based on her style, one would assume she lives with her parents in southern California. But, she lives one state over. “I’m from Arizona!” she chirps. How cute.

Not far along the sidewalk is ALLISON FULLENKAMP, taking a stroll alongside her friend. Twenty-three and not a fan of thrifting (thrift store shopping), Fullenkamp is an Indianapolis native. She considers her fashion style “expressed” but not Californian. And yet, she blends in with the casual dress wear effortlessly. “[I like to] keep it simple,” she explains, detailing her shirt of rainbow that drips into a blank white canvas and a classic pair of midnight black wayfarers. However, the disposable camera in her hand tends to give away her tourist title. Nevertheless, Fullenkamp cannot help but feel her five minutes of fame as she poses in front of my camera.