Versace
Photography by Shay McGinnis
King of Thrift
Photos by Shay McGinnis
Top 5 Favorite Vintage/Thrift Shops in LA
Los Angeles is by far one of the best places for Vintage and second hand clothing, hence why I live here! I started thrifting when I was a kid growing up in the Northwest. Hunting for grandpa shirts and retro prints was a hobby then and continues to shape my styling portfolio today. I am always looking for original and unique pieces to add to my collection...Whether I am wearing it or I am putting it on someone else! I found the shirt pictured here at Raggedy Threads in downtown Los Angeles. Something about this shirt made me think of Charlie Brown. Story book or cartoon related characters often inspire my wardrobe decisions so I had to add this shirt to my archives. Thank you Raggedy Threads! To see some of my favorite spots to shop in town, click below. Lets just hope we don't cross paths and fight for the same shirt...Remember I am the King of thrift, bow down! :)
1. Slow, Melrose Ave
A wide range of outerwear, shirts, pants and boots from several decades - I particularly LOVE their rack of seventies dress shirts for men.
2. Raggedy Threads, Downtown
A beautifully curated collection of American vintage with a Western flair. Every rack is a found treasure. They even have kids stuff!
3. American Rag, Labrea Ave
One of the best spots for Americana and Tiki in town! As one would imagine I love browsing their tropical shirts :)
4. St. Vincents, Lincoln Heights
Far and wide, the best spot for thrifting. I liken it to the Costco of thrift shops in Los Angeles because it's huge. If you have the patience to dig you will find some awesome stuff!
5. Salvation Army Boutique, Santa Monica
This little boutique is curated just a little bit and sits right next the the Salvation Army main shop. They do a great job of selecting the cleaner more restored pieces, so less digging involved.
Gem of a Jacket
Gem of a Jacket | photography by Shay McGinnis
Finally an update on some of my latest New York vintage finds! This post is really about the joy of digging through thrift shops and discovering that special gem. In this case - this gem of a jacket pictured here. It takes patience - but if you're truly a vintage shopper than you know it's worth the wait.
I had so much fun shooting this jacket and all of it's color right here in Downtown LA. I've worn this blazer only a couple times, kinda tough to find the right occasion to wear such a vibrant, hippy looking piece. But the second we started photographing this blazer I fell in love even more. The colors and the texture came to life in a whole new way.
While visiting my cousins in Park Slope I came across this lovely vintage/thrift shop called Vice Versa on 5th Avenue (South Slope for all you Brooklynites!). This shop has EVERYTHING and more. Vintage blankets, coats, furs, shoes you name it they have it. The second I laid eyes on this jacket I knew it had to be mine. It kinda has a Portland-hippie-aztec kinda vibe going on which is pretty weird but hey - I like weird! It's especially fun to throw this jacket on underneath something more muted like a denim or leather jacket for a little pattern/color layer. I'm excited to find new ways to wear it. Now it's your turn - go spend some time digging!
Cactus Cool
Cactus Cool | photography by Shay McGinnis
I found this long sleeve shirt/sweater situation last week and I felt that it was mandatory to photograph such a patterned piece among cactus and desert terrain. Something about this piece felt very New Mexico to me. It was also necessary to wear these beige trousers from Urban Outfitters and these fun vintage boots I found in Brooklyn on Bedford Ave. With the help of my lovely friend Shay we adventured into a mountainside in the Inland Empire and discovered lots of natural rock and cacti for days - a perfect back drop for this ensemble! Oh how I love Southern Cali... :)
The Color Red
The Color Red | photography by Amber Sterling
This week I spent a lot of time thinking about vintage blazers. I often buy suit jackets and blazers with the best intentions of wearing them out and about but sadly many of them just sit in my closet collecting dust. I found this killer double breasted red suit jacket months ago here in LA and decided this week it was time I cement it into the archives here on my fashion diary.
The color red is often challenging to pull off. It can make your skin look orange and depending on the garment can come across like you're competing with a fire engine or Heinz tomato ketchup. You've got to style the color red selectively. I found that wearing black underneath a red jacket really offsets the brightness. In this instance I threw on a vintage shirt with an abstract pattern found in the OC and paired it with a bolo tie I discovered in Shelton, Wa at a tiny little thrift shop. The culmination of all these pieces may just make me look like a circus conductor from the 1950's set somewhere in Texas or Arizona - but I am okay with that! I embrace the eccentricity of mixing and matching these colors and styles. I hope it inspires you to try something new with your wardrobe!
Always Aloha
Always Aloha | photography by Shay McGinnis
It's no secret that I love prints...especially TROPICAL! Having Hawaiian heritage certainly attributes to my passion (obsession) for these retro Aloha shirts. I remember as a kid having to wear Aloha shirts for family portraits and they never seemed to fit me right, always too boxy. After years of thrifting I've finally found a rhythm in finding the ones that fit me just right - not to mention better, brighter, funkier colors.
For this shirt I thought it would be fun to pair with a beat up pair of denim trousers to really bring out the blue hues all around. The shoes were recently discovered while seeing my parents over the holidays in Washington. I used to frequent a thrift shop called "Treasures" when I was in high school and it is STILL going strong. Hence these lovely brown leather vintage Clarks. A bit worn, but they felt oh-so right. Throw in some blue shoe laces from Aldo and voila - you've got an undeniable Tiki-Urban-Streetwear look.