Vintage Boy Scout California Backpack

Update:Greetings from the future! While the Vintage 38 list below is still useful and expansive, we've made many updates. Find the 2014 version right here.

Besides pretty people, perfect weather and palm trees, Los Angeles is known for its superior selection of vintage. We've never met a pair of Levi's denim cut-off shorts that we didn't like and randomly scoring a coveted Chanel backpack or Moschino logo belt on one of our many juice breaks is a common occurrence. Given that our city is brimming with retro shopping havens on just about every corner, our latest edition of Racked 38 is a handy guide to LA's top 38 vintage shops.

From outdoor bazaars like the Rose Bowl Flea and Melrose Trading Post to high-end emporiums like Resurrection and The Way We Wore to cult-favorite stops like Virgo and Scout, we've attempted to cover all bases. Of course, it would be remiss to assume that this hit list is definitive, so let us know in the comments if there's a shop that you'd like to see included in our next update and we'll do our best to deliver.—Natalie Alcala

Are you shopping elsewhere? Here are the 38 best vintage stores in New York, and online.

· [Racked]
· Introducing The Indie 38, AKA LA's Top Mom and Pops [Racked]
· The 38 Essential LA Beauty Stops, Mapped [Racked]

1 The Way We Wore

If you can't be bothered with scouring picked-over piles at thrift stores to uncover key designer pieces, let The Way We Wore do the dirty work for you. Frequented by Hollywood stars and their stylists, this expertly-curated haven is the perfect place to nab that chic Chanel brooch, Valentino gown or Yves Saint Laurent blazer that you never won on eBay.

334 S La Brea
Los Angeles, CA

(323) 937-0878

2 Sielian's Vintage Apparel

Sielian and her husband are insanely knowledgeable about fashion and have pulled together a to-die-for collection of designer frocks in perfect condition at very fair prices. Don't let the fact that Rachel Zoe shops here turn you away!

9013 Melrose Ave.
West Hollywood, CA 90069

(310) 246-9595

3 Hidden Treasures

Hidden in an elbow of winding Topanga Canyon Boulevard, Hidden Treasures is an apt name for this shack filled with retro clothes and accessories. Style hounds as famed as Kate Moss shop here.

154 S Topanga Canyon Blvd
Topanga, CA 90290

(310) 455-2998

4 Resurrection

A top shopping destination for vintage-obsessed out-of-towners, this boutique carries a tightly-edited selection of collectible and historic clothing from a host of stories fashion houses. Be prepared to pay top dollar for jaw-dropping pieces by Halston, Alaïa and Hermès.

8006 Melrose
Los Angeles, CA

(323) 651-5516

5 Squaresville

A fashion connoisseur of no less a magnitude than Christian Louboutin has admitted that this is one of his favorite shops. Who are we to argue? The store boasts a wide array of vintage, most of it not particularly high end, but in good condition. As an added bonus, they regularly feature hilarious window displays.

1800 N. Vermont Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90027

(323) 669-8464

6 Shareen Vintage

Whether you're looking for something casual or a dress to wear to a wedding, you'll find it in this massive vintage warehouse. No boys are allowed (seriously, leave them at home) so patrons can drop trou to try on the wares anywhere throughout the store.

1721 N Spring Street
Los Angeles, CA

(323) 276-6226

7 Tavin Boutique

After vending her wares at the Rose Bowl Flea, buyer and stylist Erin Julie Tavin opened her own Echo Park shop in 2009. It's filled with a curated mix of glamourous and bohemian garb; vintage pieces hang alongside items from local designers.

1543 Echo Park Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90026

(213) 482-5832

8 Wasteland

Whether you're looking for last-season Marc Jacobs, vintage dresses or just seriously cleaned out your closet, Wasteland is the perfect spot for LA recycling at it's chicest. The kids at the counter perusing your used goods are picky and we wouldn't have it any other way: they ensure that a walk through the racks yields steals and surprises.

7428 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90046

(323) 653-3028

9 Decades

Decades is one of the finest pre-2000 designer resale boutiques in the world; its sister store, also named Decades, is of the same caliber, specializing in post-millennial goodness. With access to celebrity closets, it's no wonder they consistently have amazing wares.

8214 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, California

(323) 655-0223

10 Rose Bowl Flea Market

On the second Sunday of every month, more than 2, 500 vintage and antiques vendors set up outside the Rose Bowl stadium for thousands of shoppers, some of whom get there as early as 5am. On offer: art, furniture, housewares, clothes, accessories and odds and ends of all sorts.

1001 Rose Bowl Drive
Pasadena, CA 91103

(323) 560-7469

11 Virgo

We're huge fans of Virgo's vintage and reworked offerings, much of which skews '80s and '90s. The clothing is priced right: almost all of it is $10-$85, except for the leather motorcycle jackets. For those bad boys, you will have to fork over a Benjamin and some change.

216 E 9th St
Los Angeles, CA 90015

(213) 988-8899

12 Gentlemen's Breakfast

When your dude needs frames and LensCrafters won’t cut it, send him to the Echo Park spot that specializes in vintage eyeglasses, sunglasses, repairs and“various gentlemanly accessories.” He’ll see (get it?) what we mean.

1101 Mohawk St
Los Angeles, CA 90026

(323) 306-6766

13 Scout

From a '70s Missoni dress to an '80s Jimmy Z skirt to a '90s Ann Demeulemeester gown, Scout is the spot for anyone looking to inject their style with too-cool retro flavor. Curated by designer/owner Joey Grana, the boutique also carries Scout's namesake line as well as a wide selection of hard-to-find baubles.

1646 N Cherokee Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90028

(323) 461-1530

14 Jet Rag

There's a reason why this is one of Gwen Stefani's favorite vintage stops in LA. Known for its unique array of secondhand apparel, accessories and footwear, Jet Rag is every retro-inspired style star's secret weapon. Serious bargain hunters (and those with serious scavenging skills) should hit up the megastore's famous $1 yard sale that goes down every Sunday.

825 N La Brea Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90038

(323) 939-0528

15 Chuck's Vintage

Chuck's specializes in old-school denim from Levi's and Wrangler as well as really-hard-to-source labels like Can't Bust'em and Boss of the Road. You'll also find vintage tees, cowboy boots, leather jackets and accessories.

8012 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90048

(323) 653-5386

16 entre nous

A must for serious label lovers, this designer resale boutique is brimming with covetable gems from the likes of Louis Vuitton, Pucci, Prada and Balenciaga. Charmed with a superior selection of shoes, footwear fiends can expect Manolos, Louboutins and more.

8430 W 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA 91403

(323) 655-9096

17 Iguana Vintage Clothing

Come to Iguana with lots of time to shop: There are three floors filled with racks and racks of clothes, all very neatly organized by decade, color and type of garment.