The
Buzz:
If you ever watched Mad Men or Lost on television, or saw the movies Catch Me If You
Can, The Aviator, or L.A. Confidential, then you have seen clothing from Playclothes.
But they are not just a source for Hollywood’s
top costume folks; they are a perfect place to shop for every vintage-loving
and wearing man, woman, and child in Southern California. Seriously, how can
you go wrong when a store looks like the biggest, coolest boudoir ever?!
Walking
into Playclothes can be a dangerous thing. Well, at least it is for me (Lara). There
is such a huge and gorgeous selection of everything from dresses to antique
mirrors at such reasonable prices that it seems it would be a mistake not to walk
out with something. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything that costs
more than $200.
Recently,
I popped in thinking I would maybe just take some pics for a blog I was
considering writing about the store; instead, I walked out fifteen minutes
later with this flowy 1970s creation that looks a little 1930s-inspired
(matching jacket not shown).
There is still a
clingy 1970s Bill Blass number in the back that is calling to me across the
miles, and I would love to wear this 1950s dress and hat to an Easter Parade.
The
Atmosphere:
Playclothes
is located on Magnolia Boulevard in Burbank, which is in the San Fernando
Valley. Traditionally, you can find vintage at lower prices if you just go
“over the hill” from Hollywood into the Valley, but sometimes the quality is
not great or it smells funny or it’s just kind of “off.”
Not so
here.
I’ve
been shopping Playclothes for years, and everything has always been clean and
extremely well-organized, which is not easy to pull off when your selection is
huge and turning over quickly. I actually even love the smell of the clothing I buy from Playclothes,
which might be attributed to Studio City Cleaners, which was their
recommendation when I asked about dry cleaning and caring for my pieces.
Plus,
the staff has a great attitude and seems to strike the perfect balance between
being helpful and not hovering; all the girls appear so happy to be working
there and have awesome personal style. You can even spot a friendly little cat
wandering around. How they keep him from batting at anything with fringe, I
will never know.
The
Scoop:
 |
| "Hats off to you!" |
Keep an
eye out for jackets from the 1950s, 1970s sunglasses, gorgeous pastel slips
from all eras that you must lounge around your house in, and small beaded
purses that are perfect to punch up an evening look, plus all manner of
baubles, bangles, and beads.
(SIDE NOTE: I wore one of the peach-colored Playclothes dresses I bought from the thirties on the red carpet at the Pantages Theatre with my friend Cori. See pic below!)
(SIDE NOTE: I wore one of the peach-colored Playclothes dresses I bought from the thirties on the red carpet at the Pantages Theatre with my friend Cori. See pic below!)
Most of
the home furnishings and accessories inside Playclothes are near the entrance, and if books are
your bag there are piles of them scattered around the store. Make sure to check
the hallway by the dressing rooms, as I once found an All Color Book of Art Deco by Dan Klein there.
 |
| Me striking a pose like Nicole Richie! |
And
speaking of the dressing rooms… They are wonderfully, whimsically decorated
with clothing and pictures and accessories, and are the size of a bathroom or small bedroom, so you can really get a sense
of how a garment moves. Plus, the lighting is good and there is enough space
that there are no close-ups on any body parts you don’t want to get close up
with. (Cue the Hallelujah Chorus.)
By the
way, around Halloween, you must come here for your costume, as they have
everything from Elvis (the Vegas days, with the low-cut jumpsuit, sunglasses,
wig) to a vintage flight attendant. Some of the costumes (like the 1920s
fringed flapper dress I spotted) are so cute you will want to wear them all
year.
Playclothes
is one of the few vintage stores I know that carries items for the little ones!
There are some antique toys in the very back corner of the shop, and lots of
clothing for girls and boys. I found a sweet little vintage linen shirt and
jacket (complete with bowtie!) from the 1950s for my three-year-old there. Although
I have yet to keep the bowtie on long enough to get a pic. But a Diva can
dream, can’t she?
And
don’t forget your man! Call him in (he’s probably been out front sitting in a
chair and holding your purse), and show him the vintage cowboy boots and suits.
Playclothes is the place to deck your honey out like he is Fred Astaire in Top
Hat.
Who
knows? He might even Waltz you out the front door and right home…
The 411:
- Allow plenty of time for your visit, because this is a large store that will take a few hours to sort through. Unless you know specifically what you want, like a beaded purse or vintage cowboy boots, it is best not to rush in and out because you might miss a treasure. Trust: When you see the place, you will not want to go until you have explored every corner.
- Check out the mannequins! There are tons scattered around, and you can pretty much pull off what they are wearing for yourself (ask for assistance with this). We have found some wonderful items this way, such as beads from the 1970s and my dress pictured above. They will also give you some great ideas for putting together your own looks. A lot of people are doing this; one of the sweet gals that works at Playclothes said that by the end of the day they are usually surrounded by naked mannequin torsos.
- Porto’s Bakery, just up the street on Magnolia at Hollywood Way, is a perfect pre- or post-shopping stop. Fuel up or recover with a Chai Latte and their famous potato balls. The whole neighborhood is wonderful, and full of antique stores, vintage clothing stores, and thrift stores. Plus, NBC is a few moments away on Olive, and Downtown Burbank is close with more shopping at the mall, Ikea, tons of restaurants, and a ginormous movie theatre.
Playclothes
3100 W.
Magnolia Blvd.
Burbank,
CA 91505
818-557-8447
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