Dear Fashion Kitty, Shopping Rut

The past couple of weeks I tried to shop at my regular places (small boutique shops that carry slightly higher-quality items similar to F21, H&M, even those places themselves) and I found nothing. Nothing at all. I think my fashion sense is evolving and now I can’t find ONE piece of clothing that I actually WANT to buy.

Any advice/stores in L.A. for the girl growing out of teenage/20s fashion into a more sophisticated look? I’m small (5’1, 115), I love heels, my price range is moderate (I like quality), and I’m partial styles like Elizabeth & James, Chloe, and Twenty8Twelve.

I get into those fashion ruts all the time. In fact, I got myself into those ruts so many times I basically only shop at Betsey Johnson and online now. Going out and dealing with people at the boutiques wears a kitty out. But I do have some suggestions for you …

Shop online (hehe)!!! The 24hr sale sites like Haute Look, RueLaLa, Gilt, etc .. are freaking amazing. You can get all of the brands that you love like Elizabeth & James, Chloe, and Twenty8Twelve for less … much less!! Sign up for these sites, they will change your life and turn your inbox into a very tempting boutique that gets new merchandise daily.

Alright, now onto your real question, actual places to shop that are unique to Los Angeles:

– For deals and good brands, head to the outlets in Camarillo. I always hit up the Betsey Johnson outlet (of course), The Saks outlet, and The Barney’s outlet. Its a bit of a drive but its worth it.

– Dame in Santa Monica has a nice mix of high and low. You can find dresses for $60 and dresses for $300. But you will mostly find things far less than $300. They always have good sales and a $20 or less rack in the back.

– The Vanity Room in Culver City is similar to Dame, except you won’t really find anything for $300. The most expensive pieces I spotted were a few pairs of jeans for like $150. The sales girls are a little to chipper for my taste, but there are some good pieces in there.

– Last Chance, also in Culver City, is pretty sweet too! They have a wide selection of fashionable, mid-range clothing but they also have MAJOR designer lables for less … much less. I found a D&G blazer in there that was like 90% off. The girls in this shop are really nice too.

– Loehmann’s near the Beverly Center. This particular location has a lot of designer pieces for less. Make sure you go early and on a weekday because deal hungry LA chicks snatch up the deals fast.

My final pieces of advice is to look out for sample sales. Sign up for Daily Candy to get the inside scoop on sample sales in LA. Its a great way to add a little adventure to your shopping missions.