SHOPPING!!!

   The Shopping opportunities in Los Angeles are endless. From our hotel we were a few steps or a short bike ride away from mall and boutique shopping.

     I have shopped all over Los Angeles. Because of the price zone I have been able to afford all of my life, I mostly stuck to Melrose, 3rd st. Promenade in Santa Monica, The Grove (when it was first developing) and the ocean front boutiques of my hometown. West 3rd Street in LA was a much different experience. There was a very diverse assortment of retailers there. We visited ALLSAINTS SPITALFIELDS, a store totally my style, but upscale and my post graduation price point. They have easy silhouettes with some unexpected edge. I have always been attracted to their creative fixtures- they use repurposed garment industry pieces. You can see here where their windows are, top to bottom, vintage sewing machines. I love love love this brand.
     The shopping experience on West 3rd is very eclectic. Across the street from Allsaints is a store that sells couture gowns with a steampunk influence. In the same area you can shop Trina Turk (a local designer), Ralph Lauren, and Kitson.
     Trina Turk was a particular designer we made a point to see. Her aesthetic is funky and brilliant and quirky- a contrast to Allsaints.
     West third is a well developed area. Boutique shopping is a very intimate shopping experience. A boutique customer shops with a purpose. From a retailer's perspective, it is important to be located near similar stores, but not too similar that there is product competition. I could shop Kitson, Trina Turk and Allsaints for different things. That is the point of a well rounded boutique shopping location. West 3rd has an eclectic assortment that compliments, not competes.