Shop Cheap LA: Best kept secret spots from a quality obsessed stylist

In these difficult times of closet deprivation and style defamation, I am taking it upon myself to find the best kept secrets of the LA fashion scene, and keep your cute little booties in cute little leather booties, and other current trends. Here are some of the best places to find quality pieces for a fraction of the cost.


1. Sample sales at the downtown showrooms. For those of you who don't know, you can find up-and-coming and established designer pieces at the showrooms in Cooper Building, New Mart, and the California Market Center. Each one usually has its own day for sample sales, but Cooper Building has positively the best designers and usually has their sales on the last Friday of the month. Just remember to leave the plastic at home, the sales are cash only!

2. LF super sales- never mind that I pretty much love everything at LF- I can understand how you may not want to spend $150 on a half of a shirt when you are living off Top Ramen. However, at the end of the season, this trendy boutique has amazing sales when practically everything in the store is marked down, sometimes to as low as $20!!! Since the store doesn't advertise for their sales ahead of time, the trick is to stalk the store right around the end of the season, so you can nab the best stuff as soon as it goes on sale!


3. Fairfax and Rosebowl flea markets- perfect for finding the broken in 90s leather boots that you have been eyeing at Urban Outfitters, but don't want to pay the $100 price tag. You can also find cool jewelry pieces (both one=of=a=kind vintage, and new jewelry) and vintage fur coats that you could style with new wardrobe pieces to have the glamorous, Rachel Zoe heroin chic look.

4. Wasteland and Jet Rag- these two vintage boutiques are frequented by the artsy chic in LA. The buyers at Wasteland are very picky about what is brought in to the stores, so you can count on finding interesting pieces that aren't dirty and disgusting like a lot of other vintage shops. I especially love Jet Rag's dollar sales on Sundays, however you really have to put on your patience cap to go through the piles of clothing spread across the parking lot in order to find something that you can work with.


5. thecobrashop.com- Cobra snake is a Hollywood photographer who is often hired to photograph celebrities and interesting characters at high profile parties. This boho chic artist also has an online store that sells NYLON mag style clothing for men and women, sometimes you can find really unique pieces for super cheap!