Best shops in LA: The insider's guide to Melrose Avenue

First-time visitors to LA are often surprised at the lack of so-called Hollywood glamour on our streets: So much messy beach hair! Denim galore! Not the case at Decades, a vintage and designer consignment shop that’s orchestrated countless red carpet moments over the last 15 years. Expect a mix of show-stopping vintage gowns fit for awards season; late-20th century day dresses and skirt suits plucked from socialites’ overflowing closets; and a host of pristine pieces from more recent runway seasons, including names like Chanel, Prada and Christian Louboutin—all for under $300.

A pilgrimage to Resurrection is practically a religious experience for vintage fashion fans, especially those with a penchant for pieces that are a little bit gypsy, a little bit avant-garde. The shop’s sweet spot is its collection of pieces from the swinging ’60s and ’70s—think: mini shift dresses from Pierre Cardin and Courrèges, hanging alongside floaty boho frocks by Ossie Clark and Thea Porter. Be sure to check out owner Katy Rodriguez’s own fashion and jewelry lines, which have the same whimsical flair as her vintage pieces at a slightly more manageable price tag.

Fred Segal is perhaps the most recognizable name in LA retail, thanks to a series of high-profile shout-outs in cinematic favorites such as Clueless and Legally Blonde. With that in mind, your out-of-town houseguests will most likely want to check it out—either while shopping on Melrose Avenue or during a beach break in Santa Monica. If it’s a souvenir tote they’re after, we recommend the Melrose outpost, but if they’re just visiting to kill time before lunch, all signs point to SaMo—lauded LA burger chain Umami has a restaurant space in the store.

She got her start as one of LA’s most buzzed-about interior designers, then forayed into fashion with a womenswear line as saturated with color, print and texture as the homes and hotels she decorates. Now, Kelly Wearstler has added retailer to her resume, opening a Melrose flagship store that brings all of her creative pursuits together in one place. Get the designer’s swoon-worthy look with painterly print blouses, pants and biker jackets; sculptural brass jewelry; and objects for the home, from vintage club chairs to tableware to quirky objets d’art.

You can take away our green juice, you can keep us from our thrice-weekly yoga classes, but no self-respecting Angeleno can possibly do without a pair of statement sunglasses. The Guise Archives is one of our favorite places to stock up, carrying an array of hard-to-find frames both vintage (Carrera, Ray-Ban) and modern (Benjamin Eyewear, Wildfox). They’ve also got regular eyeglasses by brands like Salt Optics and Tavat, allowing you to check another LA must-have off the list: slick specs to wear while working on your screenplay at the coffee shop.

This shop attracted so much love from LA ladies after opening in 2005 that owner Jade Lai decided to launch a second outpost in New York. But we’re still partial to the original location, a rare refuge of peace off Melrose Avenue. Inside, you’ll find unobtrusively cool brands from both near (Clare Vivier handbags, All For the Mountain jewelry) and far (loads of Isabel Marant and Rachel Comey). Our favorite pieces in the store, however, have to be from CoC’s in-house clothing line, filled with the kind of perfect basics you’ll wear over and over—slouchy tees, cropped trousers and pretty patterned blouses, to name just a few.

This pastel-painted boutique is hard to miss and often referred to as one of the city’s best spots for gift shopping, but we prefer to stop by when we’re looking to buy a gift for ourselves. Accessories are the name of the game, with a roster of so-hot-right-now names—Clare Vivier bags, Pamela Love jewelry—and lesser-known designers, many hailing from our own fair city. We usually head straight for the women’s shoe section, which bears a neatly edited collection of Dieppa Restrepo’s cheerfully-colored loafers, Rachel Comey booties and TenOverSix’s own brand of subtly sculptural dress pumps. The airy shop, which resembles an art gallery more than a traditional retail space, is also a great place to come for gifts. Look for kids’ gear, indie albums, small leather goods and fragrances that are hard to find anywhere else.