What Was the Best Retail Experience You’ve Ever Had?

0:00Okay, here's a theory for you. Retail is totally broken. And as women, I think we peaked a little bit too soon. Think about it. Growing up, we had these really customizable, magical experiences, right? Like American Girl doll or FAO Schwartz. And a lot of our experiences now don't feel anywhere near as magical as that. I feel like retail is really broken. Nothing's really working. Anytime I go somewhere, it's either sold out online or the retail experience just isn't really up to par. So I went down the rabbit hole. I went all over LA. and today's episode is all about telling you what's working, what's not, and where the magic still exists.

0:41Welcome back to Let's Get Dressed. Before we dive into today's episode, make sure that you're following the show both on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that you don't miss a new episode. In case you want to watch today's episode, you can head over to YouTube. The full episode is available there too. And when you're done, leave us a review. I always love to hear what you guys think about the episodes, and it really helps the show go. Now, let's go get dressed. Hi, guys. Welcome back to another episode of Let's Get Dressed. It's your host, Lib Perez. I hope you're all having a great summer so far.

1:14Summer's gone by so fast. I don't know how I'm already midway through July, but I feel like it's been a very easy, slow summer, which I really needed. So today's episode is one I've been wanting to do for a really long time and one that I also feel like we've been talking a little bit here and there about on the podcast. I have such a big bone to pick with retail. And what's interesting is that every time I bring this up, whether it's here on the podcast, on my socials, I get so many replies. A lot of you are equally as passionate about this as I am. And so I want to have a conversation about it.

1:45But the thing is, I didn't want to have a podcast episode where I just kind of complain about it for 30 minutes. I wanted to kind of address what I feel is going on in this space, but then also offer a solution. because I really feel like LA is in the midst of an incredible shopping renaissance right now. We have so many great stores. I feel like LA is the denim capital of the world. Not only do we have the best new denim, but vintage denim here is incredible. And the experiences that we have to get it are also amazing. I find that a lot of our vintage in LA is very focused on like amazing everyday staples where everywhere else you go in the world, it's like these like specialty collector's items.

2:22But then also we have these like really cool concept stores and destinations around LA, like open air malls that are coming up that are super exciting. So there's a lot of fun to be had here. I feel like I often get asked from people, you know, who are coming to visit LA where to shop. And so the first half of this episode, we'll be talking about the issue, but then the back half will be my dream shopping tour in LA. I have spent the last few weeks going everywhere. I've taken notes. I've experienced everything. So consider this the definitive Let's Get Dress Guide to incredible LA shopping. So a few weeks ago, I put up on my Instagram a video of me talking about my qualms with the retail space.

3:06It got so many views, so many comments across social, and it made me realize that we really have to talk about it here and bring it center stage. So let me tell you why. Because a lot of you related to most of the issues that I have with retail right now. All goes to say, really quickly, I'm not a retail expert. I've never owned a store. I've never had a brand and sold it. So I'm sure that there are a lot of dynamics in the background there that I don't know. But all of this is going to be through the POV of a consumer, of someone who I think actually shops for a living for myself and for you guys and is really itching for amazing experiences.

3:42So let's start at the top, right? you've got the luxury space, which I feel like post-COVID has dramatically shifted. I feel like I used to be able to walk into any store, no appointment, peruse, and potentially impulse buy something amazing. In today's world, that landscape has shifted entirely. I feel like the shopping experience of luxury has become a little bit more gatekept than it usually is. you have to make an appointment most of the time, or you're standing outside the store and waiting in line. And let's just be clear, like luxury shop, waiting in line is not a luxurious experience. It should not be in the luxury space.

4:25While I do understand that they can't have so many people in the store, they kind of need to manage the flow of the store. I feel like there's just a better solve for that than making potentially luxury consumers wait in line for the experience. also just as a fashion lover the idea that like I can't have like the impulse buy of like you know I'm walking past Chanel and maybe I want to stop in and magically buy something like there is a little bit of magic in that and that is completely gone from the entire situation and while I also am a very big believer in like if you are going to be buying luxury and you are going to invest in something like plan the buy obviously make sure it's something that you've thought about and you know you're going to wear forever.

5:09However, like waiting in line just takes away the fun of it. Like I feel like that fun experience of shopping and buying something major completely goes out the door. So you are alienating a huge amount of consumers by having them wait in line. I will never wait in line. Like if I walk past a store and there's a line, I'm not walking in it. I'm not waiting in the line. So that's kind of my qualm with the higher end of things. Now let's look at mid-range. I was shopping the other day for a trip I have coming up, and I will say that 90 % of the things I wanted were on sale or on pre-order. And this is something I don't understand.

5:45If the rationale is that brands are creating less so that they're not overproducing and then left with a ton of dead stock pieces or dead stock fabrics, that I understand. And I support that. but it feels like everything now is constantly sold out. I never can like go on and find something and like I can never like go on, you know, some of the big websites we all shop on. And a lot of the times I find something I love and it's gone. So I don't know what the fix is there, but that experience stops me so frequently from buying things or finding things that I love. And if it's not on pre-order or it's sold out, this is an epidemic we need to talk about.

6:23It's on final sale. What is with everything being on final sale? I understand sale items, right? Like if something has been on like a 60 % off sale for a really long time and the brand like kind of needs to move it and it's something, you know, maybe in the 200, 300 dollar range and it's final sale. I maybe understand that a little bit more, but I was on the RealReal the other day and all of their bags are now final sale. We're talking about 5 ,000, 6 ,000 Birkins are final sale, which I think is absolutely ridiculous because you need to be able to like touch and feel and inspect something, hold it against your body to see if you like it and want to keep it.

7:03And having consumers pay thousands of dollars with little to no kind of cushion as to whether it's going to work, I think is setting a precedent for shopping that I am not here for. And then also if you do want to return it, they charge you like a$400 to$500 fee just to return it, which I don't think I'm not going to endorse that either. That's crazy. Like just that fee alone. Like I would understand like a 50, a hundred dollar restocking fee, but a$500 return fee, we've reached peak insanity. So that's in the, I can't call the bag purchases midsection, but I think final sale is really rampant among kind of those mid tier brands.

7:43It's something that confuses me and is for me like very challenging as a shopper. There were so many things I was recently looking on a website that I wanted to buy and I hadn't bought from the brand before, but the pieces were on sale and final sale. And I was like, you know, I haven't tried this brand before, so I'm not even going to give it a chance because I can't return it if I don't like it. So again, I think that that's another thing, another threshold to a really good shopping experience. And then let's talk about the lower end of things. I brought up in the video the Brandy Melville of it all, which let me put out there, I'm not a Brandy Melville shopper.

8:18I think the fact that they only have one size is really crazy, especially in 2026. But one step further, they recently had a very kind of viral scandal where they have dressing rooms in all of their stores across the country. And their dressing rooms are curtains, which we all have experienced numerous times. And I guess that people were going in there and putting gum on the walls because the curtains wouldn't fully close and people didn't want people to be able to see in. And instead of Brandy Melville, and this is happening in like numerous stores, you can find this on TikTok right now, it's everywhere.

8:51Instead of Brandy saying, oh, let's put like a clasp or something that will close the curtains on the sides, they decided to eradicate dressing rooms entirely from all of their stores across the US. Now, I don't know if this was, you know, again, I'm not a Brandy Melville shopper. So I don't know if there's like a deeper level to the vandalism happening in their stores. But in my mind, taking away this experience that is needed to put your money behind a purchase to make sure it fits right and feels good, especially from a brand that's selling one size only, is insane to me. Absolutely insane.

9:29And again, I think it's setting a precedent for shopping that is, we shouldn't be going there. Absolutely not. So I think, and you know, they actually like had to like put out like people who work in the people who work for Brandy were actually going on TikTok and being like, hey, guys, this is like not our decision. This is a company wide decision. Please don't come for us. And also, like, please don't change in the store. We have minors walking through like we can't have people trying things on in the store. So again, just another horrendous retail experience that is coming from a really popular store that a lot of young people shop at and is setting a really bad example for what a shopping experience could be at that point in their life, but also as adults.

10:11So across the board, I'm not really finding great shopping experiences. I will say I am someone who likes to shop online. I like being able to vet my buy, if that makes sense. Like when I'm shopping in person, I always have a little bit of buyer's hesitation because if I'm going to multiple places, I'm like, do I want to spend my money here? Or what if I find something I like at another place? And I just like being able to vet my buy. Like I like being able to say like, okay, I want these pants that works with this top. Like I like having a holistic view of what I'm buying. However, I do think that that in-person experience is part of the fun and magic of fashion.

10:50And so we got to mix things up. We got to find something that works. So again, I've got a bone to pick with retail. Nothing's really working and nothing is making me feel excited as a 30 something woman who lives in LA to call up a girlfriend and be like, hey, let's go do this on Saturday. And whereas when I was younger, I feel like that was such a quintessential part of being a woman growing up. So as you guys know, I put this out to you and I got so many replies, not just on the content that I was posting, but the day that my last solo episode dropped, I woke up to hundreds of DMs from you guys telling me about your horror stories, dream stories, places I should check out.

11:31And so I want to read some of the replies. I think what was really interesting about this is most of you named stores and moments, not products. You weren't like, oh, I got this fabulous dress there. You talked about the emotional experience of it. So one of you said, and I quote, first time I walked into Forever 21 in 2009 when I first moved to the state. Retail went really downhill from there for me. Okay, another one. Someone said, wait, Forever 21 for sure. I mean, Forever 21 was really like that era of like Forever 21 and wet seal. But I think that like comes back to like the mall experience, right?

12:08Like we didn't have all of these other touch points that we do now. The mall experience growing up and we've talked about mall brands. If you guys want to hear a little bit more about my take on that, my episode with Sarah Shapiro at the top of the year, I think in March, April was amazing. We talked all about why mall brands work. It's funny because I think one of the takes coming out of that episode was a lot of people were like, what even is a mall brand anymore? Like anything is, everything is a mall brand at this point. But I think it's less about like the categorization of the store and more about the experience of going to a mall and having multiple incredible touch points.

12:44And then being able to like go eat food after and like have that as a young person, I think is really formative. Okay, next one. Am I crazy for saying I missed shopping at Bloomingdale's when I was 16? That's my core best shopping memory. I miss the salespeople remembering me. What a time. Juicy tracksuits. Okay, next. Buying my prom dress at Intermix Upper West Side in 2012. That was from Serena Kerrigan. SFK, we love you. Club Monaco, Fifth Avenue, 2012. Something about that era. I totally agree. I graduated high school in 2012, moved to New York that same year, and there was something about shopping at that time.

13:19It was the era of Gossip Girl, and I just feel like there was something in the air. Okay, another era moment. Henry Bendel, early 2000s, ABC Home circa 2010, FAO Schwartz, an iconic era. It's so crazy because all of these are from at least 10 years ago. It's been 10 years since somebody could really tell me a good shopping experience that they had. And part of me wants to rationalize this and say, okay, we were all young. These were some of our first experiences, right? Those are extremely formative no matter what. But at the same time, the fact that we're not creating anything now that matches that magic to me is so interesting.

13:58Is it retail or are we just jaded? I remember my version of that experience was shopping at Juicy, at the Juicy Couture, at the Malibu Country Mart as a kid. I grew up in Malibu and I remember some of my first like bits of independence were when my parents would let me go to the country mart and like walk around on my own. And I was so obsessed with Juicy. It was like the tracksuit era. But also they had these charm bracelets where you could collect different charms. And I think it was something that like friends and family got me for years. Like I had a charm bracelet that I think weighed 10 pounds and I wore it every single day.

14:35I was obsessed with collecting charms that would like tell the story of like different moments in life from birthdays and holidays and all these things. It's interesting because reflecting back on it, like it was less about the product and more about the experience of freedom as a young person, right? Like being able to go and walk around the mall and feel my independence and then also go into a place and make choices about what I wanted to put on my body and who I wanted to be via those things, I think was a really exhilarating experience. I think the other thing that's interesting about this collection besides Juicy is that most of the stores mentioned were multi-brand-ish stores where you could go in and have an assortment of things to pick from.

15:20And it's like interesting now. I think some of my favorite stores are still those like multi-brand concepts where there's a big offering. But it was reading these that like made me realize that I feel like we peaked too soon. The other thing I really noticed in going through these was that besides that like nostalgia feeling, a lot of what you guys value is on specialness and experience. No one mentioned that they got a crazy discount. No one was like, I got these insane boots. No one said any of those things or like the sale. There was a sale or any of that. Most of it was about an incredible salesperson or like a feeling you got from the store.

15:57Okay, here's one of them. A stylist at Nordstrom circa 2018 I could make an appointment with. she'd pull all of my sizes and be dedicated to me for one or two hours. Now I can't even find someone to check out with. That actually just happened to me at Bloomingdale's on the Upper East Side. It took me like 15 minutes to find someone to help me check out for one pair of jeans. It's like a lot of the times when I'm in these giant stores, like I can't tell who's working there or not. Or like, you know, they're usually roaming the floor. They're not behind like the sales desk. I agree. I think that that's something that's like a that's a weird experience.

16:27I still have shopping days at Nordstrom with my mom because it's so nostalgic. And it's one of the few places still delivering a quality in-person experience. I totally agree with that. I think of all the big department stores, I'm going to Nordstrom. Okay. Obviously the crown jewel, Hermes. I schedule with my essay. She's ready for me. Great customer service every time. It's the best experience. I would hope so. I would literally hope so for the amount you're about to drop with an essay. Essay thing is so interesting. I don't have an essay and I think that's because I am one of those people who like, I will buy something because I feel bad if someone has like helped me for so long.

17:01So if an essay was like, I have this bag you've been wanting, it's not in the color you want, I would buy it, which is terrible. And I know I'm that way. So I don't think I'm an Hermes essay girl. Okay. A Rouge store in Bordeaux. The sales assistant wrote me a handwritten note with all of her favorite local spots. I still have the note. I mean, that's service and so thoughtful. Anytime a local like helps a tourist out, like there's a new star is made in the universe. Cause I feel like, especially in Paris, or France, like not always that way. It was interesting when I first posted that video, I pinned a comment to it and said like all of my favorite experiences have been in Paris.

17:40And again, because I think there's that specialness to walking around Paris, the tax back is also pretty epic. But a lot of you also said travel experiences that you have loved. Like Paris came up a lot. Loewe and Lisbon came up multiple times. I have not been to this store. No idea why that store there is incredible, but multiple people told me they had incredible experiences. And then in Japan, which if you are a longtime listener of the podcast, you know that I've talked about my shopping experience in Japan as one of the best in the world. It was so precise, but thoughtful, really curated.

18:14Everything was of the utmost quality and caliber. Every store I went to felt like an incredible experience. I think to this day, it was the best shopping experience I've ever had. Someone also said in Japan, shopping is treated like an experience. They really take their time. The quality is amazing. One of you also said a luxury mall had three sales assistants, one styling, one steaming, the clothes, one translating, and they altered your pants in 30 minutes. Intense, but in the best way possible. Yeah, see that I love. An onsite tailor, I'm sold. If you have an onsite tailor that is like fixing something for me, you forever have my heart because at the end of the day, that is like the ultimate custom experience.

18:55I think what I really loved about most of this feedback is, again, how personal we all are craving retail experiences to be. I mean, all of you are talking about these customizable salespeople, incredible experiences where you felt seen and you felt like the person knew you. I know that having a personal shopper is not available to everybody, but I actually think that's why stores like Elise Walker do as well as they do because everybody that works there, they have like an army of personal shoppers that you can connect with when you're there. And it's not like you're paying them extra, but they are there to help build a relationship with you to always kind of be sending you things if something comes in that they think is your style.

19:35Obviously, Elise Walker is a little bit on the pricier end, but I think if you are someone who's making like, you know, investments every couple months, it's so great to have that relationship with someone that is keeping an eye out for you. Elise Walker is not yet open again in LA. I know they're opening up at the Palisades Village again soon. So I'm really excited about that. But I've been to her New York store, her Napa store. I'm such an Elise Walker girl. I love everything that she has in the store. And she's been on this podcast before too. We love her. And honestly, that's why I think her model works so well because people want that personal connection.

20:06I think one of the solves to this retail problem is bringing on more personal touch points that you can build a one-on-one relationship in stores everywhere, right? Like I feel like the word essay is really, which is a sales associate, is really thrown around for all these luxury brands. But imagine if you had an essay like or someone that you just connected with and got their number at your favorite store in your local town and you were able to say like, hey, if anything ever comes in that feels like me, shoot me a text. I actually think that's a really good tip if you are someone who is looking for a better retail experience.

20:40Try to build that one-on-one connection with the person that works in the store because that's how you're going to get it. Now, I know that not everybody is sold on IRL shopping. I mean, I even said a couple of minutes ago that I love online shopping. I love being able to vet and source and feel like a computer tech person finding the best deal on things. We all love a deal. But I will say that in my journey of going to a ton of stores in LA, I want to make the case again for shopping IRL because it was a really satisfying experience. and I do think that if you find a store that resonates with you, it's a place that you should make an effort to go into as frequently as possible or anytime you're thinking about shopping.

21:19And again, I also understand the other points of IRL shopping that are hard, right? Like the mirrors, the lighting is sometimes really weird or anything along those lines. So I get it. But let today's episode be the case for why you should shop IRL in LA specifically because there are some places here that should not be missed. Actually, one of the other most popular responses that you guys gave, which is shopping vintage. I got a lot of comments about how people love to shop vintage because usually the owners of the store are so knowledgeable in what they're curating and what they're buying that as a fashion lover, you really get that validation of a deeper experience and knowing what you're buying and where it's from.

22:00And LA is pretty incredible when it comes to vintage. So let's dive into my guide and we're going to start with the best secondhand destinations in Los Angeles. Okay, I will scream it from the rooftops forever. I think LA has the best vintage in the US for sure. Because I feel like when I'm traveling and finding vintage, a lot of the times it's like really nice vintage, right? Gowns, collectors items, things for special events. I think New York is really good at that. Paris, obviously incredible with that. I've had some unbelievable experiences in Paris. But I think LA is epic at the everyday go-to wardrobe vintage essentials.

22:40Think vintage denim, vintage tees, graphic tees, vintage crew neck sweaters. We really have it all. My favorite vintage store that I had an incredible experience with just yesterday is Scout. Scout probably has to be one of the most popular well-known vintage stores in LA. It actually was amazing. I was there mid-summer and there were so many tourists who you can tell were fashion lovers and looking to have an incredible experience in there. Not to dissuade you from going there. It wasn't like crazy busy, but I heard a lot of different languages being spoken among a lot of the shoppers and you could kind of tell that they were in town like doing a Melrose jaunt.

23:16And so again, it's really well known and for good reason. Not only will you walk in and find like stacks of vintage Levi's and white tees and like Gildan hoodies and crewnecks, but then hanging on the walls, you will find some of the most like beautiful, special vintage pieces, both for every day, but also for special events. So I was there and found this like incredible kind of floral Dries Van Noten dress that I almost got, but I didn't end up splurging on it. But actually, I think when I was there, they must have had like a recent Dries Van Noten collector consign their entire archive because I have never seen so much Dries in the store.

24:01I probably had eight or nine Dries pieces in my fitting room. And that has to tell you a lot based on like how many other pieces there were on the floor that I didn't end up picking up. There were so many like beautiful slips and tops and jackets, It's just really special pieces that I feel like you can layer with like great pants and jeans. That's always what I'm going to scout for. I didn't end up getting anything yesterday, but it's one of those places where like if I'm looking for something new and special for the wardrobe, that is my first stop. It's that like perfect mix of the basic everyday to your holy grail favorite vintage piece you've ever bought in your wardrobe.

24:38Okay, next up, RLT. You guys know we love RLT in this house. We say it. I think she gets a shout out on almost every episode. I grew up with Rachel, who's the curator and owner of the store. And she actually got her start during COVID. She was selling like home goods that she was finding on like her vintage tracks. And it ended up evolving into like great graphic tees and jeans. And now she's got a standalone store on Beverly. And she also has one in Montecito. I really love her vintage selection because again, it's just like classic great pieces. You're never going to find like a gown in there or like something for a special event.

25:09but you'll find like the perfect black everyday jacket or the perfect black like Ralph Lauren pants. It's very, very, I like to say like very CBK in there. And then she also in the last two years launched her own namesake label, RLT. And if you again have listened and watched the podcast a lot, a lot of our guests have come on wearing her tees because they are unbeatable. I live in her cotton cashmere tee. It's the best tee I own. And then she also just launched jeans, which Gab's GoFist, who was just on the show last week, she was wearing them in the episode. So you can go see them there. But I'm just such a big fan.

25:43There was a missing gap before she came along for curated everyday vintage that didn't feel like you were sifting through dozens of racks at like a giant vintage consignment store. So I think she does an amazing job. If you are someone who is really passionate about only wearing vintage, that's where you'll be able to curate an entire wardrobe of secondhand pieces. And then you can like go stop at Air One afterwards and like really have a great LA experience because it's right across the street. Okay. And then actually a place that I had a little bit of a home run at yesterday, which I was really surprised by was Reformation Vintage.

26:14Obviously everybody loves Reff, but they have a Reff vintage store here in LA that is a curation of both vintage Reff pieces, but also other pieces that their curators are curating from around the world. I walked in and it felt like great everyday pieces. And I was a little like, eh, I don't think this is going to be for me. Like a couple of the first pieces were like from Express. And I was like, okay, this might be like lower tier vintage. But then I started to sift through. And one, if you have a special event coming up and you don't want to spend an arm and a leg, I highly recommend going there.

26:44They have a full wall of gowns and kind of more dressed up pieces that there were many that I was like, oh, this would be perfect if I had something coming up and I would have got it. So that department is really, really great. It's right on Melrose, really centrally located. But as I was going through the everyday clothing racks, I found this unbelievable skirt. It is like a teal blue underneath, silver lace on top. And then the bottom layer had these dangling beads around the bottom, kind of like a lamp. I don't know what I'm saying, but it looked like it could have been like vintage Prada or Miu Miu.

27:18It was$218. I thought this was going to be$1 ,000. If you found this in one of like the higher end vintage stores, it would have literally been$1 ,000. So all to say, go in there and do a little bit of the sift. I will say it's not as intense of a sift as it would feel like going to a flea market. It is quite curated, but go in there because you really don't know what you're going to find. Totally worth it. The prices in there are so good. They also had amazing eyewear, vintage Burberry, vintage Chanel. So I think there's a little something for everybody. And it's just a great stop if you are shopping through Melrose.

27:49And then I like, I have to throw in the RealReal because I feel like anytime you're in a city where there is one, you guys know I'm a big RealReal shopper. I love shopping on the website, but being able to go in person and try some things on is always really great. They have one in Brentwood and they have one on Melrose. And I just think it's always like a necessary stop, right? We love the online version. Might as well try the IRL one. I always walk out of there with something too. I like can't resist. While we're talking about vintage, I think we also, of course, have to do an entire section on vintage denim because again, denim capital of the world.

28:17And my gosh, we have some incredible experiences here. First, you guys know we had the founder of With Love Lenny on the podcast a few weeks ago, Lindsay Davidson Paley. And I really love the Lenny experience. It's in the Valley. So it's definitely, if you are a tourist coming in town, it's definitely an out of the way experience because I'm sure you're going to be shopping maybe on the West side, but it's worth it because you go in and she personally fits you to your favorite pair of jeans. I will disclaim, this is a bit of an investment, but I think of it as something that you are looking for your forever pair of jeans.

28:49it's 100 % worth it. She has every color, every shape, every style. You will 100 % walk out with your dream pair. Also, we mentioned RLT before, but they do have an incredible selection of denim. So not to be missed. And then if you are in Venice shopping for the day, you have to go to the dig. The owner of the dig has a six cents for jeans. I'm not even kidding. You can walk in there and he's just like, here, please throw them at you and they're the perfect fit. And it's definitely a sift. He's got like piles of jeans everywhere, but it's a really fun, authentic experience that feels really true to Venice, like a little bit surfer, a little bit laid back, not frilly.

29:25People are like trying on jeans everywhere. Also has amazing hoodies and vintage tees. And it's one of my favorite places to get vintage denim. That is like, if you are a true lover of vintage denim and you're like looking for like a perfect 501 or like you have a certain number that you love, he will definitely have it. And then of course, one store that's in my local neighborhood and I love is called Denim Revival. This again, another store that is like OG to LA. People like are tried and true to Denim Revival. I've taken a lot of my jeans there and gotten them personally fitted. And I'm so happy with it every time.

29:59Then they also have an assortment of jeans that they sell there. But I really think if you have a pair of jeans that you want expertly fitted, Denim Revival is the place to go. Actually, someone commented that in my retail rant on Instagram. And a lot of people were like, yes, yes, couldn't agree. So it has like a really cult following. Vintage shopping is tricky. I know a lot of people will come and ask me questions about how to do it correctly. I am a really big believer in anytime you go out shopping or you're shopping online, you should have a list of things that you need in your closet. Maybe it's a perfect black flat.

30:30Maybe it's a perfect black jacket. And look through vintage with that mindset. I have to be honest, though, during this entire journey of shopping around LA, a lot of the times the things that I got were not things I needed in my closet. But that is the magic of vintage is you find this one piece that you'll never find anywhere else. And you kind of feel compelled to get it because you know it's going to become a special heirloom in your closet. So while I say go in with a list in mind of things that you need, the magic of shopping vintage is really finding those one of a kind special pieces that you won't find anywhere else.

31:04So be prepared. That's all I've got to say. Be open-minded to maybe getting things that are, you know, those special one-of-a-kind pieces. Okay, let's get into the multi-brand stores because one place that I have stopped shopping at are really large department stores that have like little to no curation. I just don't have the patience for it. I get so overwhelmed. And I did have a really good experience at Bergdorf in New York. Recently, there was a lot to try on. And I feel like they had a great curation of brands that I wanted to try on in person, like Diatima, Proenza. I was really happy trying them all on.

31:41I didn't walk away with anything, but I still think that experience is good. That and maybe Nordstrom are the only two that I really am feeling great about. But I think LA does an incredible job at like the multi-brand concept store. My favorite one has to be Mohawk general store. The store has been around since I was young. And it was funny when I went recently to vet it, I hadn't been since I was in high school. And I actually called my sister who used to live in the area. And she was like, oh my gosh, I haven't been in like a decade either. And I have to say, I think they have the best buy in Los Angeles.

32:13If you are a fashion lover who loves like the cool emerging brands, right? Like the Paloma Bowls of the world, the Dear Francis, the Totem. They had some Jean-Paul Gaultier. They had an entire rack of Floor Floor and Cuckoo Intimates. And so if you're someone who loves online shopping, but you're itching to try on a lot of those e-commerce brands, Mohawk General Store is for you. I also feel like the vibe is really cool. The saleswomen are amazing and really kind of let you have your own experience. They also had a great sales section. It is in Silver Lake. And for me, it's a destination. It's not like a place that you're casually walking into unless you live over there.

32:53But I do think it's totally worth the trek. There was a Paloma wool set in there that I hadn't seen anywhere else. I almost bought it, but I feel like it was one of those sets that like I would have worn once, taken a picture on it and not again. But again, I think their buy is incredible. Next is a store that's actually relatively new to the LA landscape and that's Earl IRL. It is, oh my gosh, guys, as I'm recording this podcast, I actually just got a text from the Reformation Vintage sales associate who helped me yesterday because I put my phone number in when I checked out. And she was like, hi, it's Gina from Ref Melrose Vintage.

33:27I just wanted to say thank you for stopping by. It was so nice chatting with you and helping you find your new skirt. It's such a unique piece. If you're ever looking for other vintage finds, feel free to reply to this message and I will always keep an eye out for you. Love that. And I feel like now I know her name. If I walk in there, hey, you texted me. We had this relationship. I feel like this is a good customer experience. Okay, back to concept stores. A new one that is a new opening in LA is Earl IRL, and it is owned and run by Laurel Panton. I remember when I was getting my start in New York, I loved following her and all that she was doing in the editorial fashion space.

34:01And now she's in LA post-COVID, and she has an incredible sub stack that I'm sure a lot of you follow and love reading, and has since opened up a store under the same title Earl IRL. It is tucked away in this amazing building in Beverly Hills. I grew up in the area and I'd never been into this building and walked in there and was like, why is this the cutest place I've ever been to? Rumor has it, there are a couple other really beloved stores opening up in the space, but it really felt like this like boutique experience. She's on the second floor and in the back. So she's like a little bit tucked away.

34:33And this to me felt like going over to your best friend's house who is like a fashion queen and raiding her closet. It's a relatively small space, but again, it feels like a jewel box. And I feel like I was in someone's closet. She has amazing brands in there. Kalmeier, Comsi, a really great buy. But I also, as you're going through the racks, you'll see some of her own vintage pieces sprinkled in. Like there were a few Lanvin dresses, a Prada dress. And so again, this really feels like going to your bestie store. She is so amazing at like West Coast dressing that if you're someone who is looking for like bright, colorful, bold pieces, Earl IRL is for you.

35:14Like she had so many great things in there that just felt so summery and so fun and great shoes and bags. So I highly recommend that. It was such a great experience. And I can't wait to see what she continues to curate over time because it's relatively new. I also love that it's super intimate. I feel like if you will go there, like she will help you shop, which is, again, one of those experiences that I really love. Like feeling like I could text her today and be like, thank you so much. Like that was such a fun experience. Okay. And then we have the big three, which I feel like are three of the original landmark stores in Los Angeles that are concept stores that are not to be missed.

35:53Maxfields and Just One Eye, those two are like museum caliber concept stores. You are going in there and having a very, very highly curated, luxurious experience with high-end brands. Just One Eye also has a lot of art, which I always love. I feel like it's such a culmination of amazing California aesthetics and artists. That is just such a cool experience. And then my third one is American Rag on La Brea. I've been shopping there since high school, a little bit of everything. It was where I first started buying Double RL when I was younger and is definitely a landmark for La Brea shopping, which there's a lot of great places on there.

36:32But going to American Rag, shopping around and having lunch, I feel like is like what Fred Siegel used to feel like and is still forever going to be a classic for me. I also was asking a lot of friends some of their favorite places and Whitney Port was somebody who I asked and she said she loves American Rag. It will always be a classic for her. So you know that if the queen of fashion in LA tells you to go there, you have to go. Okay, now let's talk about some standalone brand stores that I think are doing incredible things in LA. I went to a ton of stores and I would have to say my favorite one, which was really shocking because I was not formally a fan of the brand or a shopper of the brand, but Rachel Comey on Melrose.

37:11And this was actually recommended to me by Gab's Gofus, who was just on the podcast last week. She told me she had an unbelievable shopping experience there. I've never bought anything from the brand. I had never been in the store. And I just popped into the Melrose Place location. For starters, insanely beautiful store. I was blown away. Like it feels, it felt like being at like a cool friend's house in Spain. Like the colors, it was so rich and comforting and warm. And there were like clothes kind of scattered around the couch, like the couches in the space. It was very curated, but also this like kind of relaxed, effortless feel.

37:46The accessories in there were incredible. I ended up getting a bag and a pair of sunglasses and the sales associates were so nice, but not like in your face, like very helpful. I walked in and the first thing she said was like, hey, like that side of the store is 60 % off. So maybe you want to start there, which I loved. Like instead of her guiding me to like the expensive thing, she was like, go hit the amazing sale. And I ended up pulling 10 pieces to try on, which is so rare for a new brand that you're going to and having like a first experience with. And the dressing room was one of the most gorgeous dressing rooms I've ever been in.

38:22So stunning. And all of my pieces were like perfectly laid out on the rack. It was so aesthetically beautiful and calm. And I loved that. That's like kind of everything I want in that experience. I don't want it to feel like hectic or rushed or stressful or that I need to like make a decision because someone needs like the changing room. It was really like angelic and ethereal. And I had the best time there. So if you are on Melrose Place, I highly recommend hitting Rachel Comey. A lot of great pieces for special events. Seven out of the 10 pieces I tried on were gowns or like beautiful dresses.

38:54And there was this one dress that was on sale for$300 that I probably should have got, but it would probably be the dress that I wore to like every wedding for the rest of my life. I loved Rachel Comey. While you're on Melrose Place, of course, you have to hit the row. Maybe you'll be told to wait, which I feel like for the row, I'm willing to wait, right? It's also like, not like you're standing on Rodeo, like in line, in a line behind like a rope and like a giant security guard, like the row making you wait. They're a little bit more discreet about it. Like the security guard will come to the door and be like, do you mind waiting five minutes?

39:26And then you're like, okay, because you're in this like cute courtyard and you can kind of just hang out there and wait until you're allowed in. It's not like waiting in line for a club. So like I will chicly wait for the row. Of course they do making you wait in a chic way. But again, another beautiful store. It's a landmark on Melrose Place and a must-see. Even if you're not going to be shopping there, I think it's just a beautiful experience. A very similar experience to that is Jacques-Marie Mage in Venice. These are the most luxurious sunglasses I've ever seen. Again, if you listen to the episode with Gab's GoFist, we had a debate about whether you should invest in sunglasses or not.

40:00And I feel like if you are going to invest, these ones are an incredible investment. Definitely high resale value if you ever end up selling them. But these are for sure the most beautiful sunglasses I've ever tried on. And the store experience feels like a museum. It is appointment only, but I ended up walking in with Alex recently and I was able to like kind of look around. They didn't let me try anything on because I didn't have an appointment, but the store is so beautifully decorated and everything is laid out kind of like you're in a museum. Like everything's in a glass box with the description.

40:33And I just thought it was so beautiful. You can customize a lot of them. So again, if you're looking for an investment pair of sunglasses, I highly recommend making an appointment and checking out that store versus buying them from like a third party because it's an unbelievable experience. A few other stores that I think are so beautiful and worth stopping in in LA. Totem on Melrose, also absolutely incredible. Guest in residence in Beverly Hills is a beautiful experience, super cozy. And they often have like great activations happening in store, like custom embroidery or like a coffee cart. Bodhi in West Hollywood, also amazing.

41:08I love Bodhi. And usually when you go in store, you find like one-off pieces that they don't sell online, like kids gifts for my friends because they have such cute little baby clothes. I think all of the double RLs in Los Angeles are amazing. The one in West Hollywood and the one in Malibu, they've both been there since I was little. And I feel like they have such a great assortment that is very California inspired. required. And then lastly, the Cherry Store in the Malibu Country Mart that just opened up is one of the most beautiful stores I've been in in a really long time. There is a vintage car in the store.

41:39The craftsmanship and woodwork in the store is so beautiful. And it's just a really wonderful experience if you're looking for like great tees and very like West Coast Americana style clothing. Okay, to close out, I feel like one of the biggest questions that I get when people are coming in town and wanting to shop is where am I going? Because LA is so sprawling. So I want to close out today's episode giving you guys my favorite areas to spend a day shopping in LA. A lot of the places that I just brought up for you guys are in West Hollywood. So I would, if you're renting a car or Ubering, I would go and park my car somewhere on Melrose by La Cienega and start at the RealReal and make my way up.

42:21So you'll be able to hit the Cherry Store that's in West Hollywood. You'll be able to hit Scout, Ref Vintage, all of the Melrose Place stores like The Row and Rachel Comey. If you go a little bit below La Cienega, you'll also be able to hit like Totem and the new Jacques Mousse store that is on Robertson and Melrose. All of this is walkable. Yes, LA is walkable. And that's how I would shape a West Hollywood day. And then you could take an Uber like to RLT, which is maybe like five minutes up Beverly, not super far, but you're all in that little pocket. A lot of people, I feel like when they come in town, also want to hit community goods, which is in that area.

42:56So you can hit the original that's right there. Maybe do like Earth Cafe for lunch. If you do that, you will have a very big day ahead of you. I also love to recommend people go to Abbot Kinney. I love Venice. A lot of the times when I have a free day, I will go spend time down there. I think the food options on Abbot Kinney are way better than West Hollywood. You'll have River, which is incredible Japanese food. You can go to Giusta, which is an amazing bakery, Jelena. They have a little sweet treat down there, which is a candy store that I love. Or you can pop into Santa Monica and eat. But Abbot Kinney has so many great stores.

43:30You've got obviously The Dig, which I mentioned, Jacques-Marie Maj. But just walking Abbot Kinney is a really fun quintessential LA beach experience. And I think the other really great part of it is if you end up staying there all day, the bars at night, like starting around six, seven o 'clock, are really fun and lively and young. So you can kind of stay there through the evening and get dinner as well. And then also like take some ice cream to the beach or something like that. And then of course, you also should spend a day in Malibu at the Malibu Country Mart. That place is like my old stomping ground as a teenager.

44:04They have so many cute stores in there. Like I mentioned, the Cherry Store. Then they also just opened up the Ranch, which is right behind it. The new Kip Store is in there, which is really beautiful. I've gotten a few great pieces from there recently. Frankie's Bikinis, Mad Happy, Guest in Residence is opening there soon. There's an Oliver Peoples. All in all, it's a really great experience. And then you could do lunch or dinner at Tavernatoni's or Lucky's, which are two of my favorite restaurants in that area. So those are my three. West Hollywood, Abikini, Malibu. I think Malibu is a bit more of a trek.

44:35It's definitely a day. So I would probably prioritize West Hollywood and then either choose Venice or Malibu if you have a second day. So that's my case. Even though I feel like retail is a little bit upside down right now, there are still some incredible experiences here in Los Angeles that I feel are worth going to and closing your laptop for. It's, you know, the vintage seller who's loved vintage since she was young and has now made her own brand because of, you know, knowing the right fits. Or maybe it's the amazing concept store that you find both inspiration in fashion, but also in art, or maybe it's the vintage denim dealer who's been doing it for decades.

45:11But I think LA has so much to offer. I want to know where you guys love to shop, especially if you're an LA local. A little PSA, we did just launch the Let's Get Dressed broadcast channel on our Instagram. So if you go to our Instagram page right now, you will see like a little bubble in our bio that says LGD chat. Every week, I will be posting new episodes in there and questions for you guys because I want to hear your thoughts on things and things that are working for you in the fashion space. We'll also be posting news and the replies are on. So everybody who's listening right now, you can reply and take part in the conversation with me.

45:42So I want to know what places are you living? What works for you, especially if you're in LA? Again, I want to hear and really grow this list. And everything I mentioned and more is currently available on my sub stack. So if you miss something or you want a longer list, you can find it all there. I hope this episode was helpful and I hope it sparked some interesting ideas for you guys about where to shop and how you shop and what's meaningful for you in the retail experience. We only have a couple episodes left before we go off for summer break. We are going to be off for all of August, but don't worry.

46:15We've curated an incredible assortment of archive episodes that I know you guys are going to love listening to. We'll be back the first week of September for the new fall season. See you next week, guys.

46:30Thank you.