My OC Boutique Guide — Where I Actually Shop
I get asked this question more than almost anything else: "Where do you shop?" People expect me to rattle off a list of designer flagships on Rodeo Drive. And sure, I've been there. But the truth is, most of my wardrobe comes from stores within twenty minutes of my house in Orange County. Stores where the staff knows my name, my size, and the fact that I'm physically incapable of leaving without buying at least one thing.
This isn't a sponsored post. Nobody paid me to write about their store. These are the actual places where I spend my actual money. Some are fancy. Some are not. All of them are worth the drive.
South Coast Plaza — My Home Base
I know South Coast Plaza the way some people know their childhood neighborhood. I could navigate it blindfolded. I've spent more hours in this mall than I've spent in most relationships. And I'm not ashamed of that.
The Nordstrom here is my anchor store in every sense of the word. Second floor, contemporary designers. There's a personal shopper named Rebecca who I've been working with for six years. She pulls pieces before I even ask because she knows my body, my aesthetic, and my budget. When I launched Alexis Couture, she was one of the first people I showed the samples to. Her feedback was brutal and incredibly useful.
Anthropologie at South Coast has a different selection than most locations. I don't know why. Maybe it's the buyer, maybe it's the demographic, but they carry pieces here that I haven't seen at the Fashion Island or Irvine Spectrum locations. Last month I found a hand-embroidered linen jacket for $148 that I've already worn four times. Nobody else I know has it.
Cos is the store most people walk past without entering. Big mistake. It's H&M's upscale sister brand — clean lines, excellent fabrics, and prices that feel reasonable for the quality. Their $95 wool-blend coat is better constructed than coats I've bought for three times that price. I own it in two colors and I'm considering a third.
Fashion Island — Newport Beach
Fashion Island is where I go when I want to feel like I'm on vacation without leaving the county. The outdoor layout, the ocean breeze, the absurd number of good restaurants within walking distance. I'm supposed to be shopping but I usually end up at Fig & Olive eating truffle fries.
Free People here consistently has pieces that aren't on the website yet. I found my favorite Ruby jacket here two weeks before it showed up online. The staff are younger than me and cooler than me and I'm at peace with both of those facts.
Ron Robinson is the boutique I wish I'd discovered earlier. It's a curated mix of fashion, beauty, home, and random things you didn't know you needed. I bought a $42 candle there that smells like fig trees and expensive decisions. My house has smelled amazing for three weeks.
The Lab Anti-Mall — Costa Mesa
If South Coast Plaza is a polished cocktail party, the Lab is a backyard barbecue where everyone's interesting. It's on Bristol Street in Costa Mesa and it doesn't look like a shopping destination from the outside. That's part of the charm. You have to know it's there.
Seed People's Market is a boutique that carries indie designers, most of them local to Southern California. The pieces are one-of-a-kind or small-batch. Prices range from $30 for a hand-dyed tank top to $300 for a handmade jacket. I've never walked out of there wearing the same thing as anyone else at pickup, which is worth more to me than any brand name.
Urban Outfitters at the Lab has a more curated vibe than the mall locations. More vintage-inspired pieces, more local collaborations. Their BDG jeans ($59) are genuinely good for the price and I keep a pair in my closet for days when I don't feel like being careful with nice denim.
Laguna Beach — The Secret Shops
Most tourists in Laguna head to the galleries or the beach. They're missing the shopping. The stretch of PCH between Main Beach and the Montage has a handful of boutiques that are worth the parking nightmare.
Twig has been in Laguna for over twenty years. They carry a mix of boho and elevated casual that is peak Orange County. Flowing dresses, statement jewelry, the kind of linen tops that make you look like you just stepped off a sailboat even though you were just at Ralphs. Prices are mid-range — $60-200 for most pieces.
Sugarcane is tiny. Maybe 400 square feet. But the buyer has an incredible eye. Everything in there works together. I've walked in planning to browse and walked out with two tops and a pair of earrings in under ten minutes because the curation makes it easy. Nothing in that store is wrong.
Online Stores I Actually Use
Revolve is my go-to for discovering brands I haven't heard of. Their algorithm knows me disturbingly well at this point. The returns process is painless, which matters because I order online knowing I'll return at least 40% of it. That's not a moral failing. That's how online shopping works.
The RealReal for consignment luxury. I bought a Celine belt bag for $380 that retails for $1,100. Authentication is solid. I've sold pieces there too — a Valentino dress I wore once to a RHOC event and will never wear again. Got $600 back. Circle of fashion life.
Amazon for basics. I know, I know. But their Essentials line makes a $15 tank top that's better than most $40 versions. Their Drop collections are collaborative designs with influencers and they actually put out good pieces. My favorite black leggings ($22) are from Amazon and they've survived a year of school drop-offs, Pilates, and one very unfortunate encounter with a fence.
Shopping Rules I Live By
Never buy it if you're not sure. "Maybe" is a no. If you have to convince yourself in the fitting room, the answer is no. The right piece doesn't need a sales pitch. It speaks for itself.
Befriend a salesperson. Not in a transactional way — in a genuine way. The woman at Nordstrom who knows your style will save you hours every season. She'll text you when something arrives that she knows you'll love. She'll be honest when something doesn't work. That relationship is worth cultivating.
Quality over quantity. Always. I'd rather own five perfect pieces than thirty okay ones. My style guide breaks down the five essentials every woman needs. Everything else is extra. Fun extra, but extra.
For more on how I approach getting dressed every day, check out the full fashion section. And if you want to see the line I designed around these exact principles, the Alexis Couture spring collection is live now.
