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It’s time to talk shop. Whether you have a dozen trendy gal pals, hipster cousins, or tradition-loving in-laws, these city-specific guides to the Best Holiday Shopping will solve all your gift-giving dilemmas.
Best Holiday Shopping in....
Best Holiday Shopping
Los Angeles
Hot & Cool
Alpha (alpha-man.com) is a modern men’s warehouse, supplying the man who thinks he has everything with the latest gadgets, custom-fit garb, and must-have grooming aids. American Rag (amrag.com) is an Urban Outfitters for hipsters who’ve moved up to the next tax bracket, offering an eclectic selection of modern and vintage designs (G-Star jackets, grunge-era flannel shirts, compilation CDs) and a store-within-a-store Denim Bar. At the 5,000-square-foot Paul Smith store—the only one on the West Coast—you’ll discover unmistakable Englishness in apparel, jewelry, books, art, and antiques from British designers, and in the iconic namesake’s own personal collections. Kalologie Skincare (kalologie.com) is a multifaceted beauty hub, offering the latest and greatest skincare products as well as certificates for quickie Botox injections, facials, waxings, chemical peels, and laser hair removal. High-profile Orangebone (orangebone.com) is a sleek, glossy Melrose pet boutique with celebrity clientele, selling canine couture from the likes of Coach and Juicy, and rescue animals rather than puppy-mill pooches.
Hip
If you’re looking for styles that skew hip rather than trendy, Danny Masterson’s Confederacy offers high-end indie fashion that favors vintage looks from designers such as Band of Outsiders and Albert Hammond Jr. of The Strokes. Speaking of old school, And Still (andstillclothing.com) will take you back with vintage, hard-to-find gear from your childhood—think Magic Johnson warm-ups and neon Andre Agassi tennis jackets. Denim-aholics can pony up to the Blue Jeans Bar (thebluesjeanbar.com) and order their favorite washes, styles, cuts, and makes from beloved brands (William Rast, Paige, Union). The jean-tenders pull double duty on Fridays, serving happy hour drinks from 4–6pm. Celebrating all things cute and cuddly, the Japan LA Pop Culture Shop (japanla.com) is a novelty store with Japanese-influenced art, fashion, candy, and toys ranging from Hello Kitty to Super Mario Bros. Indie intellectuals who avoid big chain bookstores as much as they do Starbucks will love Skylight Books (skylightbooks.com), which specializes in niche and genre books, with a stellar collection of out-of-print titles, rare magazines, and collectible graphic novels. Plus, the well-read staff gives out great recommendations on any subject.
Classic
Tiffany & Co (tiffany.com) still sets the standard for designer diamonds, sterling silver jewelry, and upscale household accessories. Like all Tiffany stores, this three-level Rodeo Drive outpost has an accommodating sales staff that respectfully serves customers whether they're buying a $40 glass vase or a $40,000 diamond bracelet. The sporty, boldly colored creations of our favorite Beatles offspring (sorry, Sean Lennon) can be found at Stella McCartney’s cozy boutique (stellamccartney.com), where aspiring fashionistas rub elbows with Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna while fighting over that sought-after signature pantsuit. Catherine Malandrino's Sunset Plaza boutique (catherinemalandrino.com) boasts eye-turning window displays of her cutting-edge designs in all their fresh, colorful, and modern glory. Her whimsical "rock chic" style beckons the likes of Cate Blanchett, Angelina Jolie, and Halle Berry. “Minimalism is a bummer" is the recurrent theme at Jonathan Adler (jonathanadler.com), an anti-Pottery Barn that showcases the funky, art-themed home furnishings (lamps, picture frames, furniture, pillows) of the lead judge on Bravo’s Top Design. If you still can’t find what you’re looking for, brave the third-world atmosphere of Santee Alley: The anything-goes open-air market is a one-stop shop for almost anything you can imagine.
