Cali transplants Colby and Sandy on Bushwick Avenue. Click for more. — Photos by Nicole Wasilewicz.

When I stopped these San Francisco transplants on their walk through their new neighborhood, the couple told me they thought New Yorkers just try a little too hard. I snapped a shot of them in front of the closest thing to California I could find: the sunniest patch on Bushwick Avenue, a yellow painted cardboard fence.

Colby (left), Musician & Sandy (right), Photographer

Both these kids perfectly exemplify the laid-back cool of the West Coast, apparently, without even trying. Spend some time in Golden Gate Park and you’ll see that, although hip, they’re definitely a different breed — similar to when the Beat poets moved from NYC to NorCal. I was especially charmed by the dichotomy of their t-shirts — Colby’s Goofy embroidery and Sandy’s gold-foiled marijuana leaf, which solidified their whole we-don’t-take-ourselves-too-seriously attitude. Also, isn’t Sandy’s hair the bees knees!?

Do you guys live in the neighborhood?
Sandy: Yeah, we just moved here from San Francisco. We were living in the Mission — do you know where that is?

Yeah, of course! I lived in San Fran for a little while too. What do you guys think the difference is between the East and West Coasts when it comes to style?
Sandy: I feel like people try harder here, right? Colby: Um, yeah. There’s a lot more black out here. People dress in lighter colors in California. Sandy: Yeah, more color, I guess. I really don’t know, man. I’m not kinda not interested in it… Colby: It’s all the same really.

I feel like a lot of people who move to New York unwittingly start to wear more black and pay more attention. Do you think that’ll happen to you?
C: I’m always changing. I’m not sure if it has anything to do with New York, but I’m sure I’ll change. 

What are you guys usually inspired by when it comes to what you wear?
S: Just anything that I find in a thrift store that’s cool. C: We make stuff ourselves, too. S: Yeah, and like, he bought me this shirt and we just cut it up because it was all long-sleeved and ugly at first. And then my mom gave me these pants, so I dunno… I don’t really go out and buy shit. I wear mostly what’s been handed down to me or is given to me.

What is something that you would actually go out and buy?
S: Um, interview clothes? If I need to go on a job interview, I need nice clothes for that. I’m not really a fashion person. C: I’m always trying to get pants that fit right, you know, it’s hard being tall. S: I’m still trying to think what influences us… our friends, I guess. 

What do you guys do for a living?
C: I’m in a band called Smith Westerns S: He’s been in the band for about 5 months or something now. I’m a photographer, I take photos freelance. I just had something in Vice. I also just shot Ariel Pink at Mercury Lounge for V Mag. We’re just trying to figure it out — we literally just got here a few days ago.

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