California's Best Shopping Spots for Summer

Having grown up in California practically my whole life, I’ve learned a thing or two about some great shopping spots to visit during the summers. With social distancing rules and so many retail stores in malls shutting down now, however, it may seem that shopping online is slowly becoming the only option, but I have hope for the future of retail. After all, there is a huge population out there that wants to see and feel items before spending hard earned money on it. Too, if you step out and practice caution—wear a mask and distance yourself from others--it isn’t a sin to go shopping. Sound like something you’d like to do? Well, whether you’re just visiting California or else are a resident looking for new things to do, I think it’s really important to know which so called “hot spots” are actually worth the hype. Here are a few shopping locations I suggest for those spending their summers in California, along with some outfit-inspo to go with each!

1. South Coast Plaza Mall (Costa Mesa)

2. The Real Real (West Hollywood)

3. Fashion Valley (San Diego)

South Coast Plaza Mall

Shoes: Salvatore Ferragamo

Jeans: Free People

Bag: Stella McCartney

Top: Vintage

This is a luxury goods lover’s haven. Located in Costa Mesa, California, South Coast Plaza finds itself in a fairly posh, yet laid back city. The indoor shopping mall houses all of the main luxury brands, has wonderful restaurants, and I have to say, is a place where I’ve consistently seen great customer service across the board. Often, individual stores have their own events, so it’s great to keep an eye out for those as well! Whenever I go to South Coast Plaza, I make it a point to stop at Quattro Caffe, a place that has great cappuccino’s and authentic Italian food, all in a wonderfully buzzing atmosphere that has a romantic charm. My favorite stores to visit in South Coast Plaza are: Nordstrom, M Missoni, Roger Vivier, Christian Louboutin, and more!

The Real Real

Boots: YOOX

Pants: ASOS

Top: Emporio Armani

Bag: Vintage

Hungry for some luxury goods but can’t afford the price tag of the newest collections? Fear not, The Real Real has your back. A vintage shopper’s utopia, this massive space on Melrose in West Hollywood sees the coolest collection of vintage luxury goods–from your Louis Vuitton’s down to even smaller brands like For Love and Lemons. Their website has an even bigger collection, but I recommend checking out the store anyways; it’s stunning, and even has a cafe for shoppers who want to spend some extra time browsing.

Fashion Valley

Sunglasses: Dior So Real

Outside the more saturated areas of California, such as Los Angeles and Orange County, there lies San Diego, a place that outdoes most other cities in terms of the level of happiness. The relaxed, easygoing vibe paired with the unmatched food scene seems like a slice of heaven on Earth–the only thing to complete this picture of heaven is a great shopping mall, and thankfully, it does indeed exist. Fashion Valley, like South Coast Plaza, houses the major luxury brands, but is a total outdoor mall. Because it is San Diego (and by the beach), the outdoor breeze is beautiful, and gives a bit of relief when you’re #cardioshopping. Not to mention, there’s a movie theater in the mall, so when you do find yourself pooped after a long day of shopping, you can plop yourself down on a red seat and enjoy some popcorn! Of course, to each is own. At the current moment, theaters are slowly opening, but since they are such an enclosed environments, it wouldn't necessarily be the safest. Also, for those looking to buy a summer home somewhere in the world, I’d highly recommend considering this city. Here are some summer homes in San Diego.

XOXO,

-MS