Desert Thrift
Rifling through grandma’s closet is one of life’s greatest pleasures. But what if granny’s goods took up an entire strip mall? Welcome to the world of Palm Springs thrift stores, where the killer wardrobe of a stylish, retired lady is just waiting to find a home.
We jumped in our car and drove up and down Highway 111 in the desert in search of the best thrifting we could find. Some were pretty nasty. Think stains, smells and scary fellow shoppers. But others had the kind of gear that would do our grandma, and our own closet, proud.
But there are a few rules. In general, skip the shoes. You know all those “sensible” heels and orthopedic shoes granny likes to wear? Somehow, they all end up in Palm Springs thrift stores. Secondly, don’t be a snob. Some of these places are a little rough around the edges. But is a bucket of used socks and the faint smell of mothballs worth enduring to snag a salmon-colored, silk oversize blazer circa 1980 for $20? As Sarah says, you betcha. And lastly, we discovered these shops by being adventurous. Do the same and there's no telling what other hidden gems are just waiting to be found.
Used socks and all.
Resale Therapy: After brunching at the Parker, head across Palm Canyon Drive to check out Resale Therapy’s robust offering of newish and vintage goods plus accessories—they even have a hat expert on hand. Expect to find gear for the whole family, with the majority of stock belonging to the ladies. Like all the other stores we stumbled upon, the shoe selection—while vast—kind of blows (Unfortunately, so do the fake LV bags). Head to the clothing racks instead, where colored tags let you know if that bright yellow Costume National shirt dress marked $92.99 is an additional twenty percent off (it was). We found a never been worn, orange Tibi shift dress that still had its original $396 price tag, marked $153.99 less twenty percent. A small but mighty rack of designer goods unearthed a lightly worn Pucci suede jacket ($535.99), a Pucci silk suit set from the ‘60s ($500) and various pieces by Missoni, Valentino and Michael Kors. In the evening gown section in the back, a beaded turquoise deep V long gown by none other than Bob Mackie made us thank the academy right then and there. And further back, a clearance area boasted random, label-less 80s pieces for as little as $10.
4109 E. Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs. 760-321-6556. shopresaletherapy.com
FEATURELESS FACADE: It doesn't look like much from the outside, but the Angel View Prestige Boutique is a venerable treasure chest of recycled old lady wares that deserve a second chance.
Angel View Prestige Boutique: The clear winner in our desert thrift store quest, the downtown location of the Angel View chain of thrift stores is a visionary fashion lovers dream. As you walk in, you’ll be greeted by a small selection of 60s vintage including a green and white lattice-patterned polyester tank that looks strikingly like Tory Burch for $14.99, multiple swing coats from Saks and the old Bullocks Wilshire and a salmon colored sleeveless shirt dress for $29.99. Further back, the evening selection was a bit Joan Collins-y (depending on your style, that is either awesome or meh) but most of the gear here has good bones and is cheap enough to merit a visit to the tailor. We found a red, fringed gown for $19.99 that, with a simple scissor snip, could happily be worn to our next better-than-jeans affair. A major rack of coats is organized by color and includes every style imaginable—blue leather biker jackets ($22), silk boyfriend blazers ($24.99) and classic beige trenches ($20 and up) are just a few of the offerings. The shoes in the back are overwhelming and unremarkable. But a small glass case near the register contained two pairs of impeccable, vintage Ferragamo flats, each size 8.5, for $49.99.
454 North Indian Canyon Dr. Palm Springs. 760-327-0644