Bargain Finds
Jewelry & Accessories
Armani Wells
This Valley staple has been selling higher end men’s designer apparel for 60%-85% below retail for over 15 years. Catering to entertainment industry insiders, owner Claudia Wells selects only the best in higher end apparel. Using her discriminating taste and cutting edge fashion sense, she quickly pulls unique items for her clients and helps them develop their perfect look
Athena Designs
A true Designer and Manufacturer fashion jewelry showroom, Athena Designs is only open a few days every 4-6 weeks to the public. A planned visit is a must to get incredible buys on jewelry pieces at 50%-85% below retail.
Discovery Shops
These resale shops have a better selection of quality donated new and used merchandise in clothing, jewelry, home decor, handbags, housewares and furnishings at savings of 40%-80% below original retail.
Dressed Up!
Need a special occasion outfit? Heading to a Holiday Party? Then look no further than Dressed Up! in Tarzana.
At this full service boutique, you’ll find top designer names in cocktail, prom, Mother of the Bride and special occasion attire at 25%-70% off on current season designs everyday! Yippee!
Erica Koesler Wedding Accessories
Erica Koesler is a manufacturer of bridal veils and head jewelry that sells last seasons samples directly to the public at 30% off retail to 50% off of wholesale. That’s right… at below wholesale and this stuff is high quality, no bargain basement cheapies here. We’re talking fresh water pearls, Swarovski Crystal, mother of pearl, imported silk laces and more.
Lucky You Resale Boutique
All of us have a special source we haunt for deals. Lucky for us, there is Lucky You Resale Boutique.
This hip, real world resale boutique offers savings of 60%-90% on contemporary trendy apparel for fashion hipsters who wants rock bottom pricing on resale designer apparel.
Pillers
The Piller’s outlet in Torrance has hip, elegant and well-known designer labels at 50%-90% off everyday. You see first quality overruns in both in season, last season and last years designer apparel for women crammed onto every rack. Something for every age range, size and budget.
R-Chameleon
Love great designer fashion? Want to save 50% everyday?
Then R-Chameleon is your “go to” website for incredible buys on fashion forward designs by the most coveted trendy labels at 50%-70% savings everyday!
You can also visit their El Segundo store.
Shane’s Jewelry
Open since 1970, Shane’s specializes in wholesale diamonds, along with platinum, 18k and 14k engagement rings, eternity bands and is famous for the “made on the premises” custom design engagement rings that are 25%- 50% below retail.
Talk about no middleman. Here your dealing direct with the manufacturer.
Shopaholic Sample Sales
Yippee! The Shopaholic Sample Sale is now a terrific outlet boutique!
At one time you had to wait weeks to shop their touring sample sales, but now you can find their incredible deals on women’s designer clothes everyday.
The Outlet By ELS
This fun place is a great source for incredible savings on almost anything imaginable. You’ll find apparel, home furnishings, electronics, small and large appliances, home and garden, hardware, home theater, bedding and linens, housewares, sporting, toys and more! All at savings of 45%-70% below retail!
The Saturday Sale
The Saturday Sale at the California Market Center is the way many savvy shoppers buy designer apparel, sportswear and accessories at wholesale and below prices. Women, men and children’s apparel and gifts by known labels are here at 50%-90% off original retail.
Ampersand Resale Boutique
New resale boutique, Ampersand is a terrific little addition to the shopping scene in the Larchmont area. This neat little “indie” boutique has hipster style upscale designer dressing 40%-65% off the original retail.
Their well edited designer women’s shoes, handbags and clothing selection is in mint to near mint condition and will have you cheering at the divine pieces found here.
BCBG Outlet
Holy Hollywood!!! A BCBG / Max Azria outlet here in L.A.? Yep it’s true. No more standing in line at their warehouse sale to score a steal of a deal. Now you can shop in an upscale boutique setting and save 50%-90% on last season and several seasons past women’s apparel in overstock, overproduction and samples.
Burke’s Outlet
Save 20%-70% on brand name men’s, women’s and children’s clothing and accessories along with deals on housewares, home decor, linens and more.
Encore Nouveau Boutique
Valley bargainistas have a “new on the scene” women’s resale boutique, Encore Nouveau. Not quite your typical resale boutique, this cute, cutting edge, fun boutique is filled with a well edited of women’s designer resale, vintage and new designer samples at 40%-80% off the original retail.
Across the street from It’s a Wrap, you won’t find the upper crust of designers. Just stylin quality fashion designer duds at super affordable pricing.
Entre Nous
This small resale boutique packs a serious punch with real deals on real couture women’s apparel. Gucci, Versace, Marni, Fendi, Dolce & Gabbana, Diane Von Furstenburg, Richard Tyler, Missoni, Badgley Mischka, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Stella McCartney, Marc Jacobs and more grace the racks and shelving here at 40%-75% below market prices.
Fashion Therapy
You can’t imagine my delight when I found Ethel again in her new resale store Fashion Therapy in Santa Monica. I was just out doing my researching thing and decided to stop into this cute boutique with the catchy name. As I entered through the back door, that warm friendly face greeted me with a hug. What a surprise.
Half Off
Can you say, “I spy with my little eye - designer goods on sale, all the time ….oh my!
Half Off is one of those cool, hipster boutiques that get better with time. After closing both their West Hollywood and Larchmont branches, all that remains is the Los Feliz store on Vermont. The deals here are so, so sweet! Save 40%-80% off everyday on quality urban, bohemian designer clothes for gals and guys.
Hot Spots for Valentine Gift Giving
If you are one of the lucky ones who can afford to buy a present for that special person for Valentines Day, but still want more bang for your buck.
These are my top bargain shopping choices for savings of 20%-80%:
Kasper Outlet
Average prices run 20%-60% below retail on last season and this seasons women’s suits, career separates and wardrobe essentials. They also had 2 suits for $149.99 and last spring’s suits at $49 or less. Complete inventory turnover here is every six months. Sizes run 2-16.
La Belle Armoire
Mom taught me to buy the best quality I could afford… the problem was I rarely could afford the best quality in anything. So I started haunted resale clothing, furniture and appliances stores, occasionally buying the best quality and style for far less.
So when I walked into La Belle Armoire in Costa Mesa, I knew immediately I had fallen into a gem.
Magnolia Commons
This recession has changed some shopping destinations for the better. Cool, funky vintage stores along with antiques stores and consignment stores are popping up all over Burbank lately. New on the scene is The Magnolia Commons.
Technically it’s a women’s and gents resale store. But unlike other stiffer consignment stores it has a cool vintage / classy vibe to it that compels you to shop for one of a kind treasures.
Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse
Men’s and women’s current designer shoes at 20%-70% below retail. Big designer names, huge selection, no kids.
Accessories too.
Off Fifth
The Saks Fifth Ave outlet has discounts on high-end, designer items 25%-70% off original retail. Designer clothing for men and women, accessories in designer handbags, shoes, scarves, jewelry and leather goods. Cosmetics by Estee Lauder, Clinque and Bobbie Brown.
Rewind Recycled Fashion
A well organized vintage resale boutique with savings of 50%-70%. There are no over stuff racks with old clothes. Just a well edited selection of clothing pieces from the 1940’s to today at some really great pricing. Everything was mint or near mint at pricing that was at least 50% off original retail.
Steven Alan Outpost
Sometimes it is a curse to have good taste. Many of the things in life that are well designed and well crafted, tend to be more expensive.
Those of you with good taste are surely familiar with the clothing line of Steven Alan. Found at stores like Barney’s, Urban Outfitters and Steven Alan boutiques, I was surprised to find they had an outlet store…. The Steven Alan Outpost.
Super Home Mart
This family operated store in the heart of China Town, is a direct imported / wholesaler of goods from Asia. You’ll find a plethora of items including gift items, household product, dishware, home décor, small appliances, office supplies, Asian art and artifacts, perfume jewelry, cookware and some furniture at 20%-75% below retail everyday with the average savings in the 40%-50% off range.
The Store
Good things do come out of a recession. One of these good things is that now you don’t have to wait to the last Friday of every month to shop at designer showrooms. The Store has now opened.
The Cooper Building, the iconic showroom building on 9th and Los Angeles has opened a store for their tenants The goal of the store is to give tenants a place to sell overstock and samples direct to the public at 60%-90% off.


