(Garrett Leight from Mohawk General Store)
The people have spoken, and they have demanded a Where do the cool girls shop? series. (But you just launched a new series! I KNOW, IT'S CRAZY.)
To start, I figured I'd hit up some of ESB's best/coolest shoppers. Duh.
Here's Rachel A\\\\\, who just so happens to live in my neighborhood and also has AMAZING HAIR. Is that relevant? I think yes.
Anyhoo. Here she is, with a guide to shopping Los Angeles/online/the mall/your mom's closet....
Los Angeles is, bar none, the most versatile clothes-shopping city on the west coast. We're equal opportunity -- whether you want to look like a hipster farmhand, a platinum-card princess, or a derby doll, we've got you covered. Still, I’m such a magpie scrounging clothes from all over the damn place that when asked to share my favorite places to shop, I generally freeze up. A list of where I wished I shopped, or where I solely window-shop, would be far easier… but for the first time (only for you, ESB), I'll try. My top places where I’ve actually bought more than one thing ever include:
aerie - The "vintage lace bikini" from AE's aerie line is my biggest life-improvement secret. You're welcome.
(Vintage lace bikini from aerie)
American Rag - Their denim bar is the best. Stuff that isn't sold anywhere (Naked & Famous!) turns up there. I haven't bought anything else at AmRag in years but if your pockets are deep it's a great resource for everything else, too. P.S. My second-favorite jeans are from Forever 21.
ASOS - THE BEST ONLINE SHOPPING EVAR. Shipping is always free, there's a new vintage section that seems really rad, and their sales are great for stuff like a wool-and-leather cape that sounds insane but turns out to be indispensable.
Barneys - Since we don't have Bergdorfs, when you need big-girl clothes the next best is Barneys.
Designer sample sales - 100% A-#1 way to shop. Every LA-based designer has to get rid of backstock at some point, and R29 is really good at tracking all the upcoming sales.
Jet Rag - for vintage that isn't (necessarily) costumey, Jet Rag is a joy. Their racks of everything-under-the-sun are arranged by category and color (<3 <3); they have loads of great leather jackets and so-hot-right-now vintage Hawaiian shirts if you want to bring your guy along; I got my Enid Coleslaw outfit there; and my very favorite skinny teal belt is from their weekly $1 Sunday sale.
[Editor's Note: I've now been living in LA for 7+ years. How have I never heard of the $1 Sunday sale??]
J.Crew - wait for their sales, when all the best weird sweaters, ugly-patterned pencil skirts and sherbet-color ballet flats get marked way way down. I also want 9 million of their super-flattering "perfect-fit" tank tops to wear under EVERYTHING.
Jenette Bras - for those on the stacked side (or just weirdly sized like me), Jenette's skivvies selection and ferociously knowledgable ladies are lifesavers.
Mohawk General Store - I hate how much I like Mohawk General. Their independent clothing and shoe designer roster is flawless, but it's the gorgeous mid-century decor, jewelry by my lovely friend Kristen Elspeth (OBSESSED with the silver finger chain I just got from her), Garrett Leight glasses, CDG clutches, and Mast Bros. chocolate that make you want to move in.
My lady relatives - I've raided the closets of my mother, my stepmother, my aunts, my grandma, my other grandma, my best friend's grandma, my mother's boyfriend's mother… this isn't a store, it’s just a tip: befriend All The Moms.
Steven Alan - I used to work in Venice and stop into the neighboring SA store almost daily to try on shoes by Marais and Rachel Comey, floral button-downs, leather bags, and the wonderfullest little gold rings made by Steven's dad.
(Boyfriend shirt from Steven Alan)
Zara - fun for basics, incredible for shoes. SHOES SHOES SHOES. SHOES.
If you're interested in writing a guide to shopping your city/the mall/online/your mom's closet (or whatever your version of that is), hit me up!
seconded for the aerie underwear. been wearing it for years, perfect flattering fit.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree. Aerie's are the only cotton underwear I like anymore, and the fit is never grandma-like.
DeleteKinda disappointing. I was hoping that this list would include some off the radar stuff. Like when ESB originally introduced us to Pour Porter. Obviously we all know about JCrew and ASOS. Duh.
ReplyDelete'Tis exactz what I was thinking. At least if you're gonna go with "shit people know," leave out J. Crew, Zara and F21, in favor of like, Opening Ceremony and Need Supply.
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU for no Nasty Gal, though. That store is the worst, and everyone on the internet loves it.
wait. people actually like nasty gal? i thought that was a joke.
Deletethis blew my mind
DeleteFASTEST GROWING RETAILER IN THE COUNTRY
But I don't shop at those places...
Delete@Rachel I GUESS YOU'RE NOT COOL THEN
Deletemy bad.
@ESB toldja.
Deletei guess that's really great news for nasty gal, but simultaneously very tragic for the young women of america.
Deletewho knew.
It is kind of funny that your first cool girl shops at JCrew.
ReplyDeleteI have a request for this series: are there any cool girls who can help with fashionable, made in USA or otherwise ethically produced clothes (for people with normal salaries, of course)? After the Bangladesh disaster, I'm feeling a bit paralyzed about shopping. Not that I didn't know that factory conditions were terrible before that but it made it much harder to ignore.
I second the request for environmentally and socially conscious sources, if you guys have suggestions. I don't know many.
DeleteThirded. I was hoping for some ethical options. Though in her defense, Steven Alan and lots of Mohawk stuff are mostly USA.
DeleteEverlane is my go-to tee/button-down/basics place. They do a good job of having a transparent supply chain and have quite stringent workplace requirements for the factories they work with.
DeleteOh, I wasn't saying that to criticize this particular list (and I did think the JCrew thing was just kinda funny, given the ESB JCrew hatred). Just wondering if another cool girl might be able to address this particular shopping challenge because I'm stumped. Good to know Mohawk & Steven Alan have a lot of made in USA stuff - I didn't know that, and I'm going to LA next month so I'll put them on the list.
DeleteI would love to see this list and could maybe even be the one who makes it?? It would be from the perspective of someone who doesn't have major coin to drop on expensive clothes. One trick I've learned is on Madewell.com, I use the live chat feature to ask where specific items are made, because they often just list "import" and you don't know whether it's from India or Italy. I've been surprised that a lot of their stuff comes from places like Romania that generally has good labor standards, though of course they have plenty of stuff made in Bangladesh too. That's why it's good to ask.
DeleteRight now I'm in the market for white jeans. I need them to be at Gap prices, but I need them NOT to be made in Bangladesh! (And Gap is one of the worst offenders-- their jeans could well have been made at the factory that collapsed. Boo.) So far my solution is just to troll ebay for new white jeans from Madewell or even Gap or whatever. If I buy it on ebay I feel fine about it. (Right? I can feel fine about it?) If anyone has any better suggestions, I'd love to know!
Deleteso I am a bit of a nordstrom rack junkie sometimes, and I have been scoring big time with Bobeau clothing - every single piece I have found has been (a) affordable, (b) really cute, and (c) made in the US. I, too, have been shifting my priorities more towards ethically-produced items over the past few years and was pretty delighted to find this line.... hope that tiny bit of information helps!
DeleteYeah I mean how dare she call herself cool and shop at J Crew and Forever21. Doesn't she know we would all like to spend our disposable incomes on really expensive super-flattering tank tops?
ReplyDeleteso helpful and fun, thank you!
ReplyDeletexx
http://petalandplume.blogspot.ca/
Dang, I was hoping she was going to say FleetFarm and eBay because that would make me one of the cool girls, yay!! But no such luck.
ReplyDeleteNever heard of American Rag before now, but now I really need these. Crap.
I will whole heartedly second Jenette's bras. I went to shit tons of "boutique" bra stores and Nordstrom. All the "best places" each time, I got told you are a 32DD, no really a 32E or a 32F. Each time the bra fit better than the one before, but never PERFECTLY. Enter Jennette's. Oh actually you are a 30GG. I can bend over without my boob popping out of the cup for the first time in my life. AMAZING. Ya, they actually have a 30GG in stock. So you can try on and compare. Not Wizard of Bras "we have a seamstress" nonsense. Also for any bride to be out there. Panache Masquerade Bridal is the bomb and comes in all kinds of sizes. Pretty and smooth line. You DONT have have to wear sausage casing spanx.
ReplyDeleteTotally get that this is Part 1. So instead of complain, I'll just add.
ReplyDelete1) Thrift stores. In Los angeles that means you go out to Pasadena or Ventura, but thrift stores are absolutely the best place to get something no one else has.
2) Each other's closets and pinterests. Swap ideas and actual clothing.
3) Myrtle! http://www.myrtlela.com/ The absolute best!
4)Echo Park Independent Co-Op amazing young LA designers for pretty reasonable prices. They also host concerts ans so on. http://www.shopepicla.com/
5) Otherwild: http://otherwild.com/ Good for clothing, but really great for accents to outfits and home decor.
6) Opening Ceremony--okay, most of us can't afford it, but it doesn't mean we don't get inspiration.
7) The Rosebowl Flea market
8) ReForm School: http://www.reformschoolrules.com/ Great for household stuff and has a vintage store named YES! in the back now
Great suggestions. Someone needs to nab these puppies.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteOh c'mon, ladies. You're mad that Rachel mentions mainstream retailers? She openly addresses that a list like "where I wish I shopped" would be a lot easier, and she probably knows that you pay for the perfectly executed shop selection. So she's being honest instead of giving you the hip and easy answer.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I think people exercise a lot more creativity (read: coolness) when they pick and choose from everywhere (GAP, mama's closet, Goodwill) than when they assemble each gorgeous outfit by shopping at Oak.
i call oakland. there's GOOD shopping here.
ReplyDeletealso, since i used to live in la, i'd like to give a shout out to my friend camille's shop in eagle rock. lady was one of my favorite places to shop when i was down there.
ReplyDeleteEveryone is all "wahhh. She said J. Crew! She said f21!"
ReplyDeleteBut I give it a thumbs up. We don't all wear 9k wedding dresses every day. There's a difference between "what I'll splurge on once in my life." and "what I can afford to wear every day."
So even though ESB is anti-j.crew all the time. I like to hear every so often that the cool girls are just like the rest of us -- they shop at chain stores looking for a good deal and are perfectly happy in cheap clothes sometimes too.
Back-to-school shopping is something many girls look forward to all summer---but for some parents, school shopping can be a nightmare. When taking your girl shopping, it is important to keep in mind what is fashionable, what she likes and your budget.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.apparelnbags.com/womens-tanks-and-camis.htm
Plea for Nashville - someone please contact ESB and write one of these for Nashville, TN. I find myself suddenly moving there and don't know a thing.
ReplyDeleteAll the links in one place? There goes my afternoon... :)
ReplyDelete