A Few of Our Favorite Boutiques on Melrose.

There was a time when I would spend an entire Saturday browsing through all the funky boutiques on Melrose. At the height of its popularity Melrose was a shopping destination, and it was also a great place to people watch. Once filled with trend-setting shops the locale is now saturated with stores that sell cheap accessories and poorly made apparel from Downtown L.A.’s Fashion District. Melrose still has some great finds. It just takes a little patience to weed through the cookie cutter shops in order to find the boutiques that offer high-caliber apparel and accessories from up-and-coming designers. If you prefer to be a trend-setter as opposed to a trend-follower you’ll want to check out our favorite stores listed below.

My Closet Italia – Grand Opening

Italy’s hottest boutique celebrated the grand opening of its first U.S. store on Melrose on October 22nd. Being that I am Italian I was thrilled because My Closet Italia is the go-to spot for fashionable Euro street style clothing. The store carries such lines as Cheap Monday and Dondup Jeans, as well as the famed “Happiness is a $10 Tee”. You’ll also find high end Italian vintage and alternative apparel in addition to handbags and accessories. I stopped shopping on Melrose because all the boutiques carry the exact same articles of clothing. Thankfully, you won’t have that problem here…and the prices are very reasonable. I bought the cutest ruffled coat for under $70. My Closet Italia – Melrose will soon feature the “New Designer Corner,” which will display works from aspiring designers; thus, providing them with an opportunity to sell on a consignment basis within the boutique. If you are looking to score something stylish and unique stop by My Closet Italia, which is located at 7716 Melrose Ave. L.A.

Narrative by Nikki Neil, Photos by J