Glamdom Shopping: Magnolia Blvd
One of our favorite things to do is shop. And our very favorite place to go shopping is on Magnolia Blvd. in Burbank, CA. We are very lucky to get to live close by, especially with all of the Disneybounding and Dapper Day planning that we like to do. You could spend an entire day, walking from store to store. There are also a lot of great restaurants and cafes to wet your whistle as you make your way down the boulevard. The area in particular that we love is just east of Hollywood Way to just east of Buena Vista Blvd. Here are some of our very favorite places to go.
PINUP GIRL BOUTIQUE
If you are looking for excellent quality, vintage inspired attire, Pinup Girl Boutique is your place. They have a nice selection of dresses, skirts, cardigans and accessories. If you do not live in Southern California, you can get all of their stuff on their website. The store is custom made for Rockabillies and glam dames, alike. Their clothes are fun and comfortable.
Classic lines and stylish silhouettes
Some of our favorite collections are Comic Couture, Dots & Stripes, Every Day is Halloween and Tiki Capsule. We are completely smitten with their Fortune Teller print, in particular.
Pinup Girl is a sure bet if you are looking for a cardigan in a particular color or if you are looking for a statement outfit. We love that their motto is Couture for Every Body. Because it doesn't matter what size you are, you will feel beautiful wearing their clothes.
Don't forget to grab one of their ultra-soft petticoats. They add a wow factor to any swing dress.
AMERICAN WAY THRIFT STORE
I have been shopping at American Way in Burbank for my work as a Set Decorator, for over 20 years. They are a really accessible (lots of parking!) and heavily stocked thrift store. They carry everything from TVs to jewelry. One of the things that I like best about this store is their daily specials and coupons. If you are well organized (unlike me) print out a coupon and take it with you to the store.
Organized racks make it easy when shopping for Disneybounds
They have a HUGE selection of clothing for everyone; women, men and children. I am always impressed by their jacket section, in particular. And great pricing if you are trying to keep on a budget.
And you can also pick up other fun stuff, like decor items or books and DVDs.
Unofficial Mickey Mouse bank. Score!
JUNK FOR JOY
Junk for Joy is an excellent place to go if you are looking for a costume or need to finish off an outfit with accessories. The sales staff is very helpful. If you are looking for something particular, like buttons from the 80's or sunglasses from a particular era, they can steer you in the right direction.
They have an entire room filled with a huge selection of shoes!
A hat for every purpose
One of our must-stop stops, Playclothes Vintage
PLAYCLOTHES VINTAGE
We are HUGE fans of Playclothes Vintage. It is one of those stores that we cannot live without. It is a frequent stop for Hollywood Costume Designers. Their vast selection of clothing, accessories and shoes are expertly selected. Just walking around the store and looking at the racks is inspiring.
Museum quality displays of gorgeous vintage items
They have an extensive collection of clothing from the 1930-1980's. They specialize in attire from the 1940-1960's, in particular. Everything is well labeled. When were were going to the 1970's themed debut party for the Main Street Electrical Parade, Playclothes was my first stop. Ella wanted to Disneybound as Elliot from the original Pete's Dragon. They had the perfect green polyester pantsuit and it was labeled with a 1970's tag. It was such a satisfying find.
Everything you need when period shopping
Playclothes has a wonderful selection of men's clothing as well. It is the perfect place to get a western shirt, belt, bow tie or fedora.
Lots of options for the dapper gent in your life
Somehow, Playclothes always seems to have exactly what we are looking for. It is a magical place for us. Their accessories have no comparison. Their selection of hats, statement jewelry and handbags is exceptional. WARNING: It is hard to leave this store without making a purchase.
It's kismet! Finding that perfect item to complete a look
UNIQUE VINTAGE
We have developed a bit of a habit at Unique Vintage. In truth, we visit their flagship store in Burbank at least once a week. Their vintage inspired clothes are fun and comfortable. One problem that I have always had with older clothes is the fabrics, which are often stiff and itchy. Unique vintage is a revelation... stretchy, breathable clothes that look fabulous and do not need starch or excessive amounts of ironing! Like Pinup Girl, Unique Vintage has a fabulous website so if you aren't lucky enough to be local, you can still buy their stuff online and have it shipped to you.
We are obsessed with their Disney Collection
They also have fun themed collections like Halloween, Nautical, Americana, Tiki and Circus. But nothing has gotten us more jazzed than their Disneybounding Collection. This showcase of clothing, shoes and accessories seems to be custom made for gals like us. If you don't want to come up with a Disneybound on your own, UV has done all the work for you.
Purses, t-shirts and jewelry that Mickey Mouse would approve of
The only problem we have with the Disney Collection is that they are constantly adding new items. What are we going to do when we run out of closet space? The Danielle Nicole handbags are to die for. The hardest part is choosing which one to get. Ultimately, we found the Poisoned Apple Purse too irresistable to pass up.
Who wouldn't want to click these heels together?
UV also has formal wear and and a line of glamorous swimsuits. They also have a wide range of sizes and clothing inspired by the 1920's to the 1980's. Their staff is really helpful and if they do not have a particular size or style in store, they will order it from their website and ship it to you free of cost. They are also really good with returns/exchanges.
Why, thank you!
THE PERKY NERD
The Perky Nerd is our favorite place to get fun stuff. Walking into this shop makes our nerdy hearts sing. Star Wars, Marvel, Game of Thrones and more are represented. My son could spend hours looking at their Pops and comics. Ella and I are into the fan art and Star Wars inspired purses.
The R2D2 scarf is just one of the many things we have our eyes on
They have lots of in store events and it is worth following them on Instagram just to see what is coming up. In fact, we learned about The Perky Nerd after we attended a meet and greet with a couple of YouTubers that we like.
SO many fabulous Elhoffer sweaters to choose from
If you visit, don't forget to take a look at all of the Elhoffer Designs in the back of the store. They have a decent selection of items from this insanely fabulous, geek-bound apparel line.
And if you are running out of steam from all of the shopping that you have been doing, you can get a cup of Groundwork coffee or a frozen treat.
The shopping on Magnolia cannot be beat. Burbank is a wonderful city that is refreshingly unique. We love giving our business to these brick and mortar, mom and pops. And we are thankful for all of the treasures they have brought into our lives!