Photo: August Everrett for Two Fold
I get it, shopping for clothes can be insanely overwhelming with the amount of stores, websites, and TikTok accounts trying to sell you stuff. Even when opting to shop second hand for vintage there’s a million options to choose from – should you shop in store or online, and where should I go? Over the years, I’ve accumulated my favorite stores to shop for vintage both in person in LA and online, as well as a mixture of curated, semi-curated, and non-curated spots, just in case you’re someone who loves the hunt.
In Person
Los Angeles is one of the fashion capitals of America and with that title comes an overwhelming amount of clothing stores, many of which specialize in second hand/vintage clothing. With hundreds of options to choose from, these are some of my favorites when shopping in person, from curated spots to non-curated spots.
Curated
Unsound Rags
Photo: bldthnr
Unsound rags is one of the OG’s when discussing the influence of vintage clothing on social media. Over the years, they have curated their own aesthetic – black bootcut denim, a faded black tee, and black boots. In recent years, they have been focusing more on their own brand of clothing (Unsound Rags and more recently, Bldthnr), but the OG showroom still boasts a meticulous (if now small) curation of vintage clothing, mainly faded tees and vintage Levi’s. If you don’t live in LA, they offer their curation along with their own products online.
Springy Jeans
Photo: Hal Lueking
If LA’s vintage fashion scene was encompassed in one store, it would be Springy Jeans. If you’re just getting into vintage fashion or a casual consumer, you can build your whole wardrobe at this store. Curated by Elijah Baig and Sam Fuson, their downtown showroom showcases all the Carhartt pants you can imagine, as well as other vintage staples, such as old sports sweatshirts, a vast collection of denim, and motorcycle jackets. It’s no surprise that Springy Jeans has amassed such a mass popularity in such a short time, as their curation has something for any of their 650k Instagram followers.
No Maintenance
Photo: Complex
Although No Maintenance launched their store just a few ago, they have gained a good deal of popularity and recognition, amassing a following of 117k on Instagram and having pieces pictured on A-listers such as Kendall Jenner and Joe Jonas. The Silverlake showroom boasts a variety of pieces, from racks of faded Levi’s of all colors to leather and work jackets from the 40’s and 50’s. Started by Sebastian Moraga and Roe Hodgson, the brand has ventured off into creating their own clothes along with still curating their vintage selection, some notable pieces being a leather Type 2 trucker jacket and fuzzy mohair cardigans. No Maintenance is a great option for shopping for vintage, as the showroom is laid out well and they have an abundance of good vintage items – just be prepared to spend a pretty penny. This experience is available to all, as all of their products are for sale on their website.
Kalo Soil
Kalo Soil is a small and very new showroom located east of DTLA. Although it may be a drive to some, the showroom is and curation is worth it. I was pleasantly surprised when I visited the quaint spot a couple months ago. The showroom doubles as a workshop and the mixture of clothing racks and fabric/sewing supplies reminded me of a young designer’s workshop. Their curation, although small, is meticulously crafted, with them deciding to focus on maintaining a stock of select items, such as faded paper thin tees, true vintage sweatshirts, and French chore jackets to name a few. They have recently branched out into making their own garments, releasing a limited amount of one of one denim, a pair of twill pants, and a gunner smock. Given that their storefront has only been open for a few months, the future seems bright for Kalo Soil.
Semi Curated
I understand that hyper curated spots might not be everyone’s cup of tea. If you don’t know exactly what you’re looking for, you could be pigeonholed into a certain aesthetic, not to mention that curated stores usually come with higher price tags. Luckily, there’s plenty of places where they strike the balance between shopping for one aesthetic and diving headfirst into a pile of clothes at the bins.
SIlverlake Flea Market
Photo: TimeOut
The Silverlake Flea is my favorite flea market in LA. Unlike Rose Bowl, which is only good before 8am and way too hectic and far for my liking. Plus, the Silverlake Flea is free to enter. The Silverlake flea offers a more mellow shopping experience, while still having a great selection of vintage and secondhand pieces. It’s a fantastic way to spend your Saturday or Sunday, even if you’re not planning on buying anything. Overall, it’s a solid place for good vibes and good prices for vintage, just work on those negotiating skills.
Wasteland
Photo: TimeOut
Wasteland on Melrose is one of those spots I love to go to when I’m in the area and just in the mood to look at some clothes. It’s not my first option when I’m looking for a specific item, but it’s a fun way to spend some time with friends as the selection is pretty large and they tend to have a good mix of vintage and designer pieces. Sometimes, you’ll find some really good steals and that just fuels the desire to check it out, even for a little whenever you’re in the area.
2nd Street
Photo: 2nd Street
2nd Street is similar to Wasteland in the way that it’s a semi-curated selection of clothing that has been sold by people to the store. However, 2nd street has way more locations, which I think advantages them hugely. Melrose is such a hot spot for fashion that it’s unlikely you’ll find something good before someone else buys it before you. That’s why I think the 2nd Street locations in Torrance, Sherman Oaks, and Pasadena are the best options when looking to shop at a consignment store. They’re less busy than the Melrose location and you are way more likely to find good stuff at these locations. I head to these when I’m more in the mood to shop rather than browse and see if I can come up with any good steals.
American Vintage
Photo: Vogue Arabia
American Vintage on Melrose is located just a couple minute walk from Wasteland, so I tend to hit them both whenever I’m hanging out in the area. It offers a decent selection of vintage and true vintage garments, where the latter is where I think this place really shines. They tend to carry a rotation of a few 50’s varsity jackets that always pique my interest and they also have a plethora of vintage military pieces that stand out to me. Although popular and arguably overpriced, American Vintage is always a fun spot worth checking out.
Non-Curated
If you’re one of those people who almost enjoy the musty and kind of gross journey of digging through piles of clothes as much as finally finding something you like, I can’t say I relate but there’s a special place in my heart for you. It takes a certain kind of person to be able to dig for hours through bins and racks and my respect goes out to you brave soldiers. Here are some of my favorite spots where you can get some really good pieces, even in a pile of mid.
Jet Rag Vintage
Photo: Green Hive
Jet Rag usually offers a curation of true vintage and cowboy boots that line the walls, but that’s not what this is about. I’m talking about their $1 Sundays, where endless clothes are piled up outside the store every Sunday. Each article of clothing is only $1 and there’s truly nothing like the adrenaline rush of digging through a whole pile to find something you like. It’s definitely not a chill shopping experience, but the place to be when you kind of just want to go wild on a Sunday morning.
Online
Sometimes you don’t feel like getting in your car, driving and parking in LA, and looking through racks for hours just for the possibility that you’ll find something that you like and fits you. Also, you might live in a place where there’s no good vintage stores around you. This is where the convenience of online shopping comes in. You can scroll through dozens of pieces in a minute without having to leave the comfort of your home. Here are my all time favorite online sites to shop for vintage – just make sure you know your measurements because you won’t be able to try anything on before you buy it.
Two Fold Vintage
Photo: August Everrett for Two Fold
I think if I had to choose one place to buy clothes from for the rest of my life, it would be Two Fold. Jae Seung Lee, founder and curator of Two Fold Vintage, has curated a variety of true vintage garments, including band and sex tees from the 80’s and 90’s, 40’s-70’s moleskin work jackets, 40’s-70’s chainstitch bowling shirts, and an abundance of patchwork denim, some of which are done in house. However, where I think Two Fold shines is their selection of truly one of a kind pieces, such as 70’s U-Boat submarine jackets, 70’s green leather Polizei jackets, and one of the craziest selections of mohair cardigans I have ever seen. I had the pleasure of going to their popup in LA a few months ago and to say I was impressed was an understatement. For LA, Jae brought out some archived pieces that weren’t available online, such as a 70’s pair of original patchwork bell bottoms and a 40’s Levi’s Type I jacket. Two Fold has also started to branch from just vintage into making their own products. They first started this transition by screen printing their logo and other designs on vintage blanks and vintage HBT shirts. Earlier this month, they released their first production product, the HBT cadet hat, which I wear constantly. Two Fold has consistently been growing in popularity, amassing 90k Instagram followers and having pieces pictured on Kourtney Kardashian and Joe Jonas, and this is for good reason. The curation and attention to detail with everything they do is second to none.
Kissing Booth
Photo: Kissing Booth
Kissing Booth is a Portland based vintage store specializing in true vintage garments. Founded by Cole McBride, Gabriel Noller, Jacob Keller, Michael Turner, and Payton Smyer as a merger of Hellmart and Suite Zero, Kissing Booth meticulously curates old and timeless garments, from flannels to sailor pants to quirky tees. I’ve been following them for a while and am currently planning a trip to go to the PNW and a big part of it is to visit the store.
Etsy
Okay, I’m done gatekeeping. Everyone knows about lowballing on Grailed, Depop, and eBay, but Etsy has served as a criminally underrated place to find vintage steals. If you are looking for a particular piece, there’s a chance Etsy could have it, and for cheap.
Well, that wraps it up for my top spots to shop for vintage. Shopping second hand and vintage has become much more popular in the last 5 years or so and with this popularity comes new stores. Navigating through all the different stores can be overwhelming to the point where you don’t even feel like shopping anymore, so use this list as a guide for all your future vintage endeavors.
