A thrifter’s guide to Old Towne Orange, from trending to vintage collectibles
Collage by Sienna Lewis, Staff Photographer
As a frequent Circle-goer and unfortunate soul stuck on campus carless, one of my favorite aspects of Old Towne Orange is the abundance of thrift and antique stores walking distance from Chapman University and the on-campus student dorms.
Lost in racks of musty clothes and grandma's clutter, some may get lost in these timeless collections if not acclimated to secondhand life, so here is a guide for the must-sees when it comes to college style — coming from a professional thrifter and for those who don't want to get down and dirty in clothes bins and racks.
Full Circle
Starting furthest from the school and on-campus dorms, located past the plaza, students can pick up a coffee from any local coffee spots to sip and shop on their way to Full Circle Marketplace on South Glassel Street. Provided by the HUB OC, a local nonprofit, it provides for families, individuals and the OC community. Their website explains their mission is to “foster a thriving community hub, while also funding essential programs at The Hub OC, like the Youth Centers of Orange and the Hub OC Resource Center.”
With donation items coming in daily, the pieces are curated and selected with the purpose of giving back to the community, while also catering to those shopping. One of my personal favorites, most clothes range from $5 to $10 with all sorts of racks including options for all, as well as a rack for Y2K, boho style and a luxury item rack for more expensive brands.
Aside from clothes, they also have a selection of home goods and decor, most of the featured mugs, plates and candles reflecting the season, right now decorated adorable for autumn.
Deelux
Although it can be a bit pricey for a thrift store, wander about two stores down from Full Circle to Deelux, one of the more popular secondhand stores in Old Towne. Only in Southern California, this family-owned buy-sell-trade store has a large selection of both trendy and vintage items, their items carefully selected.
Their website boasts a “unique selection of quality recycled clothing, curated by our staff and sourced from our local communities through trade.” This is one of my must-stops when doing my Circle strolls.
Cheaper than they would be first hand, prices usually range above $20 on all clothing items, finding both trendy products at least half-off original price and possibly unique and older pieces from your favorite stores.
They also have a large selection of vintage items, luxury purses and lots of shoes that are worth the money drop but require more consideration than typical thrift purchases.
Timeless Vintage
With prices up the wazoo, Timeless Vintage is definitely a vintage and resell store to browse and admire, unless you're willing to drop over $200 on a Carhartt jacket (which is not too bad of a price for a Carhartt, but still!) Containing tons of vintage jerseys, surfwear, carhartt, Disney merch and band T-shirts, it's a great spot for those willing to drop a fortune for a collectible.
Although they have a few racks outside the main entrance with T-shirts and jackets a little over $20, the majority of their selection is nicer vintage clothing at least $50 and up. However, they do have four small racks having a deal with three items for $20 or one for $10, which can be a good look for those on a budget.
It's worth stopping to window shop, at least for me, but it is a great place to get that Carhartt zip-up you've been wanting for awhile or that ‘90s band T-shirt. They truly do have a large selection of vintage items of all kinds for all clothes lovers.
Wild Horses Clothing Exchange
Now making our way back towards the fountain, across from Urth Caffé we come to the Wild Horses Clothing Exchange. Prices more aligned with Deelux, it has a large selection of vintage women's and menswear, as well as a buy-sell-trade store. Decorated western-style in alignment to its name, there are tons of vintage pants, shirts, plants and deer heads on the walls adding to the vibe.
With decent prices and a large selection of items, Wild Horses features several individual sellers with different styled clothes, selling vintage surf, Harley Davidson, band T-shirts, western styles, Y2K and more. With prices usually starting at about $20 and up, there are tons of different styles shoppers can explore, also offering a $25 rack.
Sweet Peach Vintage & Nonahme Vintage
Turning the corner and coming towards campus, we come to Sweet Peach Vintage. Having opened in June and the sister store of curated vintage shop Nonahme Vintage, it has started off strong featuring majority vintage Y2K womenswear.
Clothes ranging from silk dresses, denim skirts and lacey tops, Sweet Peach has a very flowy Y2K vibe, while shoppers can also head into Nonahme, which contains tons of Carhartt pants, bikers shirts and jackets, and leather racewear. Both stores connected, they have something for everyone's style cravings at a decent price for vintage wear.
The Collection at Casa Teresa
Crossing the street and going a little past Philz Coffee, we come to The Collection by Casa Teresa, a quaint blue 1905 Victorian Bungalow. One of my all-time favorites in Old Towne, run by staff, volunteers and residents, this little hidden gem contains fashions for both men and women at affordable prices and for a good cause.
Featuring trendy and secondhand items, The Collection sells all sorts of clothes, shoes and jewelry for a very affordable price and sells many trending brands.
Once we've completed our walk, you have probably now emptied your wallet on secondhand vintage items — congrats! This easy walk can help enhance not only you and your friends' style, but also can help the overconsumption of fast fashion while keeping old and unique styles alive and thriving, all while supporting Old Towne Orange businesses.