Reformation Vintage
Being a longtime fan of the brand Reformation, I had to see what the excitement over Reformation Vintage was about. To my surprise, Ref Vintage does not live up to the hype, unless you are looking to spend 98 dollars on a tank top that could be worth $10. I eagerly grabbed about 10 pieces of clothing to try on the first time I went to the store, and was shockingly surprised when I saw the price tag is an understatement. When I looked at the price of the pair of jeans I was trying on, I physically let out a gasp. $178 for a pair of Levis. The over-pricing goes for every single item in the store. While I have to give props to Reformation Vintage for its aesthetic and carefully curated collection of clothing, you will not catch me casually shopping there anytime soon.
The Melrose Trading Post
A classic. While it’s not technically a “store”, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the Trading Post in this blog. Whenever my Sundays aren’t filled with homework as a result of procrastinating Friday and Saturday, you can most likely find me at Melrose Trading Post. There are many reasons why I prefer the Trading Post to other thrift stores on Melrose, but I’ll only name a few. First of all, for those of you who haven’t been yet and don’t know this, the Trading Post is gigantic, covering the entire Fairfax High Parking Lot and outside areas. With the large size comes an even larger range of clothing styles and the variety doesn’t just stop at the clothing. The Trading Post also features booths selling items from antique furniture to hanging plants to artwork. I, for one, currently have four hand-painted posters hanging up on the bedroom wall that I purchased from a booth at the Trading Post this past summer. Also, the affordability of the Melrose Trading Post is always a pro. You can often spot racks filled with clothes for $10 or baskets containing $5 clothes. I’d say the majority of booths are very affordable for the average teenager looking to spend money. Especially on more clothes that they don’t need (yes, I am calling out myself). All in all, I’d definitely recommend the Melrose Trading Post to anyone looking for a place to thrift in LA.
Wasteland
I’d say Wasteland is a middle ground between the first two. While Wasteland isn’t super “affordable”, there are definitely really good details on designer and more expensive items that they price for way less than retail. In terms of the actual clothing, while each piece isn’t as carefully curated as Reformation Vintage, meaning it’s harder to find a lot of things I love, I have definitely found a few pairs of jeans that I really like from Wasteland in the past. Additionally, there is definitely a mix of newer and more vintage items. While some of the newer items that they might sell are more fast “fashiony”, sometimes I appreciate the variety of styles that comes with selling clothes from trends/time periods.
