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August 24, 2013 8:30 PM Subscribe
A friend and I are planning to go thrift-shopping in LA in a fewweeks. Neither of us have been thrift-shopping out there, though we're both pretty hardcore about thrift-shopping in general. So, tell me your secrets, LA MeFites, for finding the good stuff. Here's what we're interested in...
Me: Dude, clothes in big dude sizes (I am both big and tall and I know finding that can be tricky), suits in big dude sizes, interesting books and electronics
Her: Chick, interesting clothes in short/small chick sizes especially sundresses, cool clothes you won't find in a mall, cool jewelry. Preferably with a dressing room as she's not a fan of changing in the aisles.
Locationwise, we'll be coming in from the north, so think Burbank/Glendale/North Hollywood/Hollywood/mayyyybe Santa Monica. Ideally, we'd like a spot with several cool stores close by to minimize our sitting in traffic time. I have a high tolerance for bad parts of town but she'd rather not get shot.
Neither of us have the budget for serious vintage stuff, but if there's a cheap vintage shop, we'd be up for it.
I have perused this thread but it's 2 years old so dunno if it still applies.
Me: Dude, clothes in big dude sizes (I am both big and tall and I know finding that can be tricky), suits in big dude sizes, interesting books and electronics
Her: Chick, interesting clothes in short/small chick sizes especially sundresses, cool clothes you won't find in a mall, cool jewelry. Preferably with a dressing room as she's not a fan of changing in the aisles.
Locationwise, we'll be coming in from the north, so think Burbank/Glendale/North Hollywood/Hollywood/mayyyybe Santa Monica. Ideally, we'd like a spot with several cool stores close by to minimize our sitting in traffic time. I have a high tolerance for bad parts of town but she'd rather not get shot.
Neither of us have the budget for serious vintage stuff, but if there's a cheap vintage shop, we'd be up for it.
I have perused this thread but it's 2 years old so dunno if it still applies.
vermont north of hollywood blvd and hollywood east of vermont just park and walk around...a ton of places...too many to list...food, an art supply store, wacko/the soap plant, goodwill, etc...
st vincents is rad, yes
posted by sexyrobot at 8:45 PM on August 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
st vincents is rad, yes
posted by sexyrobot at 8:45 PM on August 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
The geography is completely wrong, I know; still, I am going to mention Long Beach's Retro Row.
posted by purpleclover at 8:58 PM on August 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by purpleclover at 8:58 PM on August 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
Too bad you didn't ask this 30 years ago. Then Lankershim between Magnolia and Burbank and Fairfax between Olympic and Pico had tons of thrift stores. The council thrift shop still has a place on Fairfax.
posted by brujita at 9:07 PM on August 24, 2013
posted by brujita at 9:07 PM on August 24, 2013
Not fully a thrift shop but still useful to you--Jet Rag.
posted by dottiechang at 10:50 PM on August 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by dottiechang at 10:50 PM on August 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
For an unusual, very L.A. experience that's not precisely a thrift store but operates in the same general spirit, check out It's a Wrap which resells clothes that have been purchased for TV shows and movies. You might have trouble finding stuff there since actors are mostly pretty petite.
posted by town of cats at 11:23 PM on August 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by town of cats at 11:23 PM on August 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
Definitely hit up the thrift shops in Hollywood! Also I don't know if there's a Savers down there, but if there is, go there. My friend has found brands like Jimmy Choo and Versace for ridonkulous prices.
posted by Cybria at 12:06 AM on August 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Cybria at 12:06 AM on August 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
I have a techmique for finding the diamonds in the rough. I run my hand along the rail of clothes. Quality items feel different.
posted by BenPens at 1:07 AM on August 25, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by BenPens at 1:07 AM on August 25, 2013 [4 favorites]
Children's Hospital gift shop gets some great stuff. It's also in the Los Feliz area that sexyrobot is describing.
posted by SLC Mom at 6:46 AM on August 25, 2013
posted by SLC Mom at 6:46 AM on August 25, 2013
Not sure if it's your style, but definitely interesting is the Two Dollar Clothing Store in West Hollywood.
posted by xtine at 12:02 PM on August 25, 2013
posted by xtine at 12:02 PM on August 25, 2013
I got a bunch of stuff from Crossroads in West Hollywood am a small chick like your friend. I wear the stuff often (includes sundresses( and I'm not usually a fan of used/thrift clothing.
posted by sweetkid at 1:07 PM on August 25, 2013
posted by sweetkid at 1:07 PM on August 25, 2013
L.A. thrift stores are pretty picked over in my experience. As a big dude I have had some success at Out of the Closet but not lately. For real good stuff you have to venture outwards towards Long Beach or the San Gabriel Valley. Anywhere most LA folks would be too lazy to go.
posted by hamsterdam at 12:31 AM on August 26, 2013
posted by hamsterdam at 12:31 AM on August 26, 2013
Response by poster: Just for future browsers of this thread/LA thrift store scene:
Sadly, we didn't have time to check out all the great suggestions but we did manage to get to a few.
It's A Wrap: It's where they sell stuff worn in TV shows and movies and the stuff is really nice, but unfortunately they know what they have so the prices are "really nice." Fun to rummage around, though, and the people watching was pretty good. You could tell some of the guys were prowling around in there because they really really wanted to dress like Gibbs from NCIS or whatever.
Crossroads: They had really nice designer stuff that was juuuuust on the side of "If I wanted to pay that much for a shirt, it'd be a new shirt" for our particular tastes. Still, if you're small and into designer stuff, it was worth a look.
Goodwill on Beverly and Fairfax: This was a nice enough store but we didn't really find anything. Worth poking around though.
Goodwill on Vine: We could've spent an entire day in here. Or several. Still, in 45 minutes, she got about 7 cute girl things of various description and I got a handmade suit that fit me like a glove as well as an Italian-made suit in my size, which is pretty incredible because Italians don't usually make stuff in my size.
Good advice, all, we really wanted to hit them all but, alas, time.
posted by Ghostride The Whip at 12:01 AM on September 2, 2013 [2 favorites]
Sadly, we didn't have time to check out all the great suggestions but we did manage to get to a few.
It's A Wrap: It's where they sell stuff worn in TV shows and movies and the stuff is really nice, but unfortunately they know what they have so the prices are "really nice." Fun to rummage around, though, and the people watching was pretty good. You could tell some of the guys were prowling around in there because they really really wanted to dress like Gibbs from NCIS or whatever.
Crossroads: They had really nice designer stuff that was juuuuust on the side of "If I wanted to pay that much for a shirt, it'd be a new shirt" for our particular tastes. Still, if you're small and into designer stuff, it was worth a look.
Goodwill on Beverly and Fairfax: This was a nice enough store but we didn't really find anything. Worth poking around though.
Goodwill on Vine: We could've spent an entire day in here. Or several. Still, in 45 minutes, she got about 7 cute girl things of various description and I got a handmade suit that fit me like a glove as well as an Italian-made suit in my size, which is pretty incredible because Italians don't usually make stuff in my size.
Good advice, all, we really wanted to hit them all but, alas, time.
posted by Ghostride The Whip at 12:01 AM on September 2, 2013 [2 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by phaedon at 8:39 PM on August 24, 2013