Come Thrifting With Us: A Guide to Thrifting Around LA
Going thrifting is easily one of the most enjoyable and fun ways to spend your day. Influencers, like Emma Chamberlain, have been making thrifting and vintage shopping more mainstream and trendy. Emma posts hauls and videos showing her followers the one-of-a-kind and unique pieces she collects thrifting throughout Los Angeles. In a recent video titled, “I Have A Shopping Problem,” she shows her followers what she picked up from the Silver Lake Flea, a Los Angeles staple. Included were a vintage red mini shoulder bag, colorful puffer coats, and knit sweater vests. Combined with a generation overflowing with activists who are taking the well-being of the earth and environment seriously, thrift shopping has become increasingly popular.
With the abundance of thrift and vintage stores in LA, it can be difficult to know which are worth the time. The Roar is here to guide you through Los Angeles and show you the best-hidden thrift stores. We drove around Los Angeles for the day to narrow down the search for these hidden treasures and cool items and gathered all of the information to share our finds.
Iguana Vintage Clothing store was founded almost 30 years ago and ever since has become one of the largest vintage stores not only in California but in the whole country. The first one was founded in 1993 in Sherman Oaks before the other two stores in Hollywood and North Hollywood opened. Iguana sells clothing ranging from the 1920’s all the way to the 1990s for both men and women, including a wide variety of jeans, handbags, costumes, shoes, and honestly almost any vintage article of clothing that you can think of. There are three floors at this vintage store: one dedicated to clothes from the 80s and almost every decade before that, one with rows of cowboy boots and costumes, and one with everything vintage in between.
Society of St. Vincent de Paul Los Angeles Thrift Store
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Los Angeles Thrift Store is a nonprofit thrift store located in Silver Lake that sells unique and affordable items. The store is huge and has a really big selection of women’s, men’s, and children’s clothing. In addition to clothes, they also sell accessories, like a vintage gold watch we picked up the last time we were there. This thrift store also has a big selection of vintage home decorations and other home supplies for an affordable price.
Squaresville is a retro and vintage apparel store located in Los Feliz that has been around since 1995. The surrounding area itself has been getting increasingly popular, with trendy restaurants and other clothing stores opening up nearby. You are not only able to shop for amazing vintage clothing but you can also sell your clothes here, too. The two-story building is filled with funky-patterned dresses and blouses, vintage jeans, and fluffy outerwear. Squaresville is the perfect place to find new items to enhance your style if you’re looking for an extra-vintage vibe.
Wasteland is a clothing boutique with two different locations in Los Angeles: one on Ventura Boulevard in Studio City, and the other on the very popular Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood. Wasteland is on the pricier side, but offers a selective variety of high-end pieces and gently used designer pieces for both men and women. Wasteland is a great alternative for wanting to shop high-end, while also being sustainable and more environmentally-conscious. Wasteland also offers the opportunity to sell your clothes, and all items are checked for quality beforehand.
Jetrag is a vintage clothing store located on La Brea known for their notable $1 sale on Sundays which always creates a line out of the door. The store itself sells a wide variety of vintage clothing, accessories, and funky costumes too. The racks are organized by decade and color so it’s easy to navigate throughout the store so you know what you are looking for. It is also relatively cheap for vintage clothing compared to other stores in Los Angeles. If you are looking for a fun and inexpensive way to spend your Sunday morning, check out Jet Rag.
Elinor is a senior at Milken in her first year with The Roar. Her favorite topics to write about include fashion, personal stories, and culture. In her...
Rachael is a senior at Milken in her first year with The Roar. She decided to join The Roar for her love of writing articles about fashion, current events,...
Luli • Aug 17, 2021 at 1:21 am
Which thrift store was the first/cover photo taken at? Thanks