American Vintage Westwood

The other day I browsed the racks and shelves at this American Vintage location. I saw a lot of jean clothes, some leather belts, hats, boots, shirts, and babydoll-​ish dresses. A lot of the clothes looked like it’d best be worn on a photo shoot or music video (some of the clothing had outlandish designs!).

I’ve had better service — the guy with the frizzy big hair definitely wasn’t comfortable with using his own voice. When he said hello, I didn’t even know it came from him — it was a quiet disembodied greeting.
The selection was very sparse and it was quite… well, most of the stuff was hideous. I did find a used kimchi & blue (urban outfitter brand) dress that snugly fit me at a nice bargain price… I wish they were better about quality for some of their other stuff but I could tell a lot of the merchandise just wasn’t my style so it could work for others, especially the American Apparel crowd and hipsters.
Cons: mediocre service, the fact that all sales are final (yikes, talk about making me limit my purchase), sparse selection.
Pros: You can find the occasional gem at a very decent price. It just takes a little bit of digging around.

I came here looking for a last min outfit to go out in. I did not succeed however I left with two fantastic 1960’s dresses. The female working there at the time was helpful, kind, and accommodating. They have a great selection that is very organized and well priced!

I can not speak to other selection of clothes. But they have the largest selection of mens bib overalls that I have ever seen in any store. ever.

Fellow best friend and Unilocaler Emily A. and I were walking around Westlake Village and decided to stop into this store. I found some amazing finds and almost purchased this Asos black and white striped coat that looked adorable but yeah, i’m poor and did the responsible thing and did not purchase that awesome one piece that looked like an early 90’s french cut bathing suit or the white leather dress I wanted badly, the ring with the skeletal fingers on it, the high cut velvety suede magenta, brown and purple boots… this amazing pink 50’s prom dress, a truly 80’s red swirly asymmetrical dress, a 90’s stonewashed dress… and more finds. It was really hard but I want to come back here and buy all these fabulous things. I like the inside of the store because it’s not that big but they make the most of the space they have and they carry a really wide selection. Pricing is a little high but honestly, these pieces are gems. I want to come back.

I love this store. The guy working helped me find my new favorite pair of boots! I couldn’t be happier!

I don’t usually shop vintage at all, but I wandered in «for halloween reasons» with my friend… fell in love with a fur coat. I didn’t exactly have the spending money on me for a fur right then and there, so I asked the dark haired guy how late they were open and he said till 10, «but come in a few minutes before.» Okay, got it. Thanks. Fast forward to 9:50 pm, after I drove all the way downtown AND BACK to get my money, and the doors are locked. I make eye contact with the guy. He tells me they’re closed. I say «I have a fur on hold and it’s still 10-​till.» He gives me the shoulder shrug. I say «What about credit?» Nope. Hey pal, I’ve worked retail, too. It sucks. I get it. But exactly what plans did you have that couldn’t have been put off 2 more minutes? He was pretty snobby for someone whose job description is to SELL… Needless to say, I did not go back for the fur, as they OBVIOUSLY did not need my sale. And yes, I already told others not give this store their business. It’s true what they say: a person might tell one friend about a good experience at a store, but they’ll tell ten more about a bad experience. There are a million other vintage shops in L. A…I’ll opt for the ones with the friendly employees, thanks. This single experience was actually my sole reason for joining Unilocal as a reviewer instead of a reader after all these years. (The 2 stars were for the fur, by the way…)

Stopped by with a friend just to «have a look» and ended up browsing the racks for nearly an hour.
American Vintage isn’t your regular thrift store — it’s a boutique of organized, vintage and refashioned goods, with something to cater to practically everyone.
AV prices are somewhat high, but for the most part, you’re never getting more of a deal than you would on Ebay or a Goodwill, but hey… to be able to have this selection (think vintage Dooney and Burke totes and crossbodies to Levi’s denim jackets and Mickey Mouse raglans), paying $ 20 to $ 40 for a lightly worn 60s Izod-​Lacoste cardigan is nothing.
The store opened pretty recently, so their selections are probably the best things you’ll see for the next couple of weeks — until this place is hyped up enough. That local Buffalo Exchange won’t stand much of a chance next to this branded gem.
Stop by and have a look! There’s good music, good finds, and a really cool range of retro and vintage goods. I’d say the guys’ selection is pretty rad compared to the girls’ selection here, as I ended up buying guy cardis and tanks because well, they were cool!
Let your inner hipster run amuck.