By 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, hundreds of people were crowded outside the Hollywood Roosevelt hotel, waiting to get inside one of Los Angeles’ most anticipated events of the year: Born X Raised‘s annual Sadie Hawkins Winter Formal.

Since 2014, the beloved L.A. streetwear brand has hosted a holiday season affair where attendees come fitted in their freshest formal looks — some of which they plan months in advance — along with a date (or a group of friends) who matches their fly. Born X Raised co-founders Chris “Spanto” Printup and Alex “2Tone” Erdmann held the first Sadie Hawkins dance at a small wood-paneled hall in Highland Park with simple balloons and streamers. It’s since evolved into a F.O.M.O-inducing, invite-only function where both supporters and A-list celebrities cross their fingers to slip inside before the venue reaches capacity.

“It’s like L.A.’s unofficial New Year’s Eve,” says Erdmann, who wore a champagne-colored suit to this year’s event. “This is the party that you drive around trying to find. Everyone comes here.”

With a surprise performance from rapper YG and another from a mariachi artist, last year’s event was dedicated to Printup, who died in a car accident in June 2023. Erdmann says he considered canceling the event following his business partner’s death — the party was Printup’s “baby” — but he decided to push forward because it’s become a festive tradition for so many Angelenos every November.

This year’s gathering marked the 10-year anniversary . To celebrate the milestone, Erdmann and organizers constructed a wedding chapel where guests could tie the knot under the tagline “Born X Raised Marriages Last Forever, This Is Legally Binding.” There was also a photo booth decorated with a nostalgic balloon arch and dozens of red roses, which guests filtered through as DJs including Kitty Cash and Giselle Peppers played sets in the background. The soundtrack for the evening was Kendrick Lamar’s latest album, “GNX,” West Coast classics and other party bangers.

We caught up with attendees at the high-energy party, which one person called “the Met Gala of L.A.,” to ask them about their outfit inspiration. These interviews have been edited for length and clarity.

Nyles Washington

Age: 28

Neighborhood: Mid-City

Have you been to this party before?
This is my first time, but I’m familiar with Born X Raised.

Tell us about your outfit. I went to Goodwill. I knew that whatever I found I was going to look good in it. I got everything but the hat and the shoes from there.

I’m from Houston. My girlfriend got me these Harley-Davidson cowboy boots. My hat is from Texas and it says my name inside of it.

Why do you think this event is so special?
My good friend is helping out with everything. I’ve heard that it’s really insane, but once you get in, it’s super worth it.

Queenie Sateen and Anatole Heger

Queenie Sateen, left, and Anatole Heger.

(Michael Blackshire/Los Angeles Times)

Age:
Sateen: [Declined to answer]

Neighborhood:
Sateen: Hollywood

Have you been to this party before?
Sateen: No, but my friend comes every year and said it’s fun.

Tell me about your outfit.
Sateen: I was just trying to match my boyfriend. It’s giving funeral. I wanted to be [rudest] at the funeral.

Lorenz Christopher

Lorenz Christopher.

(Michael Blackshire / Los Angeles Times)

Age: 26

Neighborhood: Downtown L.A.

Have you been to this party before? I’ve been here like four times.

Tell us about your outfit. I just came back from Japan, so I had to cop Kapital out there. I have Ed Hardy on, a one-of-one with a rhinestone embellishment on the back, and I have a gold chain with Jesus on it. Shout out to God.

Why do you think this event is so special? The people. The vibes. The brand itself. Shout out to Spanto and shout out to all of the homies who work for them as well.

Kacey Littleton

Kacey Littleton.

(Michael Blackshire / Los Angeles Times)

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Age: 25

Neighborhood: Echo Park

Have you been to this party before? I had a couple of friends say I should come, so I came.

Tell us about your outfit. This was kind of loosely inspired by English horse riding. I got the chaps on and the riding boots. I was just feeling like royalty. The mask brings a little twist like I’m at some secret party. It’s like the movie “Eyes Wide Shut.” I already owned this. I like to keep it pretty crazy and have a bit of spice every day. It keeps me going.

Why do you think this event is so special? It just brings a great group of people together. I recognize a lot of people here and I ran into a lot of friends, so it was really cool seeing that crossover from my own life, but also this event.

Blair Quinones

Blair Quinones.

(Michael Blackshire / Los Angeles Times)

Age: 27

Neighborhood: Altadena

Have you been to this party before? I’ve been once like three years ago. I wore Moschino last year.

Tell us about your outfit. I wanted to wear gold jewelry, so I planned to wear an all lace dress, but I found this gold one in my closest and thought it was a little more classy. My sister gave it to me years ago.

Why do you think this event is so special? I feel like the people who are from L.A. are embracing it more than ever because there is a lot to be prideful about. And then of course, the people who knew Spanto are celebrating him. I didn’t know him personally, but my friends did and so there’s just so much appreciation for him.

Zackariah Arceyut

Zackariah Arceyut.

(Michael Blackshire/Los Angeles Times)

Age: 25

Neighborhood: Boyle Heights

Have you been to this party before? I’ve been at least five times.

Tell us about your outfit. It’s basically a mariachi-inspired outfit. My jacket is from a Mexican-owned L.A. brand called Vertical Authority. The studs on it remind me of my best friend’s [heritage]. He’s from Southeast Asia. So my outfit is like intertwining my culture — I’m half Mexican, half Nicaraguan — with my best friend’s culture.

Why do you think this event is so special? I love that it brings multiple cultures together and everybody’s having a good time. There’s never any issues. And I love how they are honoring Spanto. I think it’s beautiful that we can continue this in his name. It’s one of the ways we can continue to honor him and have so much love under one roof.

Dime Jones

Dime Jones.

(Michael Blackshire / Los Angeles Times)

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Age: 32

Neighborhood: Leimert Park

Have you been to this party before? I’ve been three times.

Tell us about your outfit. My outfit inspo was Fran Lebowitz. Strong woman making moves.

Why do you think this event is so special? I think it gives L.A. a form of culture. L.A. is so spread out, so you don’t get to see people, their style and how they’re dressing, so this is a great way to bring people together at the end of the year.

Copelan Cash and Kennady Schneider

Copelan Cash, left, and Kennady Schneider.

(Michael Blackshire / Los Angeles Times)

Age:
Cash: 30
Schneider: 27

Neighborhood:
Cash: Fillipinotown
Schneider: Crenshaw

Have you been to this party before?
Cash: I’ve been here six times.
Schneider: This is my first one.

Tell us about your outfit.
Cash: I have on pinstripe with the white loafers.
Schneider: I wanted to wear something elegant and timeless.

Why do you think this event is so special?
Cash: Born X Raised is family. Spanto and all the homies. It’s my community. It’s my culture.

Jermaine Mitchell

Jermaine Mitchell.

(Michael Blackshire / Los Angeles Times)

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Age: 32

Neighborhood: Downtown L.A.

Have you been to this party before? This is my third year in a row.

Tell us about your outfit. I’m wearing Theo Official. They dress me a lot. I wanted something festive to wear.

Why do you think this event is so special? I love the community. I love coming together as a group and looking fabulous.

Brisedia Leon

Brisedia Leon.

(Michael Blackshire / Los Angeles Times)

Age: 27

Neighborhood: Long Beach

Have you been to this party before? This is my first time. I learned about the Born X Raised brand a year ago from my friends.

Tell us about your outfit. I got my look from small L.A. businesses. I want to stand out. I got this necklace … from a brand called Jiggly Junk.

Dame

Dame.

(Michael Blackshire / Los Angeles Times)

Age: 47

Neighborhood: Los Angeles

Have you been to this party before? I’ve been before. I’m friends with the owners.

Tell us about your outfit. You’ve got to get dressed up, so I wore a suit.

Why do you think this event is so special? I just think people need to be cultured and come together.

Freddie Gibbs, Grammy-nominated rapper

Freddie Gibbs

(Michael Blackshire / Los Angeles Times)

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Have you been to this party before? I’ve been at least 5 or 6 times. Spanto was one of my best friends.

Tell us about your outfit. I knew everybody was going to dress in dark colors, so I wanted to stand out.

Why do you think this event is so special? Because of Spanto. He was the nuts and bolts of all of this [stuff]. He brought all these people together. He [was] a real star. I was at his memorial last year. We’re doing it for him every year.

Zolee Griggs, actor

Zolee Griggs.

(Michael Blackshire / Los Angeles Times)

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Have you been to this party before? I’ve been four or five times.

Tell us about your outfit. I wanted to go old-school Hollywood, dramatic sequins.

Why do you think this event is so special? I think what makes it special are all the L.A. natives who are still able to make it out, and I love that it’s the one time of the year for L.A. people to actually dress up.

Guapdad 4000, rapper

Guapdad 4000.

(Michael Blackshire / Los Angeles Times)

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Have you been to this party before? I’ve been going since I moved to L.A. eight years ago.

Tell us about your outfit. I didn’t even want to go outside because something weird happened to me after this event last year, so my energy was [messed] up. I put this [stuff] together last minute because the universe is always going to find a way to remind me that I’m a great [person].

Why do you think this event is so special? I was introduced to it as something my musician, creative and fashion friends just went to. It was already established. The culture was already there, so I had to catch up.

A note from Wild Card host Rachel Martin: It probably goes without saying, but Ira Glass is legendary in my audio world. He hosts This American Life, one of the most famous and successful radio shows and podcasts of all time. And so when I got an invitation to interview him live at a convention called Podcast Movement, I was super nervous and a smidge intimidated.

When we met backstage, I was surprised to find out he seemed a little intimidated too. Not by me, to be clear, but by the format of Wild Card. He was about to be asked all these potentially personal questions — in front of a really big audience. And he told me that revealing things about himself didn’t come naturally when he was younger — it was something he had to learn to do. But to his credit, he bravely faced the deck and answered every question that came his way.

This Wild Card interview has been edited for length and clarity. Host Rachel Martin asks guests randomly-selected questions from a deck of cards. Tap play above to listen to the full podcast, or read an excerpt below.

Question 1: What is something you think people misunderstand about you?

Ira Glass: I play a much nicer, more empathetic person on the radio than I am in real life.

Rachel Martin: I don’t believe it. You’re not a nice, empathetic person?

Glass: To a point — to the point where I could play it on the radio.

Martin: So there’s like public Ira Glass and then like normal Ira Glass. How far apart are the two?

Glass: Um, I contain that sort of empathetic, people-pleasing person who I’m playing on the radio. That’s most of who I am, but I’m a person under weekly deadlines. And I get freaked out and tired and irritable and don’t want to talk to people. And I get annoyed. And I curse a lot. I really love cursing. So, like, I am that person, but I’m more than that person.

I hesitate telling this story because it’s a little self-something, congratulatory, or something. But one of the very first live shows was a town hall in New York City. And The New York Observer wrote an article about coming to the show, and the article was just about how there were a lot of women who had crushes on me over the radio.

And for the article, they interviewed my senior producer at the time, Julie Snyder. At the time, our staff was me and three women. And she said, “Look, I love my husband. But I’d love him a lot more if every word he said was edited by three women.” That’s the difference between the public and private version of me.

Question 2: Do you think about the legacy that you will leave behind?

Glass: No, I do not. I think that’s bull****. I don’t care at all about that. F*** legacy. F*** people of the future. F*** people who will be after all of us are dead. F*** the people who will be alive, having lunch and seeing movies. F*** them. I hate them. I’m not making a radio show for them. I’m making a show for people who hear it now. And when it’s done and we don’t make it anymore, it’s perfectly fine for it to vanish into the mists of time. Like everything will, and it’s fine if that happens very quickly. It doesn’t matter.

Martin: I asked the poet Nikki Giovanni and she basically said the same thing. And she told me that she is often engaged with people who think a lot about their legacy — even thinking about the stamps that America will make with their visage.

Glass: That’s sad. That’s just a sad person. That’s pathetic. Unless you’re President Obama, unless you’re an actual historical figure. Like, that’s appropriate for him to think about his legacy. But he’s the first Black president of the United States. He should think about that.

Question 3: What truth guides your life more than any other?

Glass: I mean, the actual truth is a little embarrassing to say, and I’ve never put it to myself this way, but I think it’s true: I feel like I’m trying to be a good boy. I’m trying to show that I really am trying my hardest all the time to those around me.

I’m given a simple thing to do. And then I make it way more complicated and spend a lot more time on it than I probably should. Or there’s some like thing in a mix that four other people have heard, and it’s Friday, and then I just hear it and say we have to put three-fourths of a second pause here and four-tenths of a second pause there to make this last moment work, which I would like to believe makes it better.

And I feel like I’m always being a good soldier in appropriate and inappropriate situations. In personal situations where it’s intrusive and not called for, and in work situations where I work with super competent, the very best-at-their-jobs-in-the-world people who very much don’t need my help sometimes. And so it’s a quality that is both good and bad.