Have you ever wondered where I get inspirations for all of my fabulous designs? Come along with me to Palm Springs, where I recently took a 6-day trip with Steve to soak up the sun, have some fruity cocktails, recharge, and, oh!!! – find some new design inspiration for my Resort 2022 Collection, of course!
Beautiful Palm Springs
With all of its mid-century modern architecture, vibrant colors, warm weather, and laid back yet quirky 60s vibe, I knew Palm Springs would be the ideal place to stimulate my brain and spark some creativity for my upcoming 2021 Holiday/Resort wear collection of tunics, caftans, and all things travel fabulous.
If you don't know much about this city, let me give you some quick background information. Palm Springs has been a playground destination for the Hollywood elite since the 1920s. Because it's only a 2½ hour drive from LA, it's perfect for a weekend getaway. It has hot springs, spas, nightclubs, fantastic shopping, and some of the world's most famous and luxurious resorts with tennis, golf, and a super relaxed atmosphere. Everyone loves the hot, dry, and sunny weather, but the “stars” especially enjoy the privacy and seclusion that Palm Springs offers.
The Parker Hotel
Steve and I stayed at The Parker – my all-time favorite hotel! Everything is impeccable: the grounds are stunning, and the food and service are top-notch five-stars. All the furnishings are designed by Jonathan Adler – a master of the Happy Chic Modern Glamour Décor. This is the perfect place for me to feel renewed and begin my design inspiration.
Lobby vibes at the Parker
We took the first three days just to lounge by the pool and jacuzzi, drink fruity cocktails, and soak in the desert sunshine. This was key to recharging my creative juices (pun intended!).
Pro-tip: The Parker has an "adult lemonade stand" with insane lemonade cocktails. Steve and I drank "The Chuckie" all day!
Three Days for Finding Design Inspiration
I think it's because the population in Palm Springs skews senior citizen/older and vintage turnover is at its highest??? ..... maybe??? Well, Palm Springs is totally FABULOUS and I've listed all the highlights of my getaway below.
(And gift-with-purchase just for you, I attached a list of all 30 stores I visited below with links to check them out!!!)
Day 1: I focused on the northwest end of downtown Palm Springs
The Frippery is amazing. The store is so bright and airy, and I especially loved the curated collection of tunics in fun, vibrant prints! I hate to say it, but I rarely ever buy anything anymore... I have everything I could ever want in vintage – I hate to admit that!!! But I actually bought something for myself at The Frippery! It was a total splurge, but I knew that if I didn't purchase it, I'd regret it and think about it every day. I told myself if it fits and passed the "sit down test," it was meant to be. It's a stunning piece of wearable art in sumptuous purple velvet, heavily beaded, and embroidered maxi caftan. I have nothing like it in my personal vintage clothing collection, and this needed to come home with me.
As you can see, I even wore it to dinner the next night!
I checked out Melody Note Vintage and I really enjoyed meeting Meg, the owner. She was so friendly and gave me great advice on other vintage clothing stores to visit that I didn't have on my list! Her store was super cute, and she was such a delight to get to know. I bought a pair of vintage Faux-Nel earrings from her that I will covet forever!
Day 2: I hit the south side of Palm Springs and Palm Desert
My favorite store of the day was M Designer Vintage. This store is insanely beautiful and “the best of the best” in designer vintage clothing. I could’ve spent hours in this store looking at every piece. 90's Dior mixed with vintage Zandra Rhodes and 70s Giorgio Sant’Angelo maxis. Monica, the owner, has a taste level on the same page as mine – designer, funky, and FABULOUS!!
There was an amazing silver brocade coat (unicorn) from the 1960s that I still can’t stop thinking about. If only I were uber-rich! The store also had an incredible collection of sunglasses that “eye” couldn’t stop drooling over. Rare, one-of-a-kind 60s Silhouettes were drool-worthy. Her designer handbag collection was like a highlight reel. This store is small, but every single piece is the ultimate in collectible vintage clothing fabulousness. If you ever get out this way, I highly recommend stopping in!
(((UPDATE!!!!! The unicorn jacket I spoke about earlier…. STEVE SURPRISED ME WITH IT FOR MY BIRTHDAY!! IT’S AMAZING AND EVEN MORE EXTRA THAN I REMEMBERED!! When I wasn’t looking, Steve had arranged to have Monica hand deliver the coat to his house a few days before my birthday. It was so special and I will cherish this coat forever.)))
At this point, Steve was cashed out by the VintageFest, so I dropped him off at the hotel for some more pool time and I headed to a vintage store named Fine Art of Design in Palm Desert. This boutique came highly recommended from Meg of Melody Note Vintage, and it was totally worth the 30-minute drive!
The hatbox collection piled above the racks was remarkable! These hatboxes were so “artfully” displayed, like a rainbow of millinery fabulousness!! They had a great selection of house made caftans in vintage fabrics and a solid selection of men's wear. I bought Steve a vintage Moschino printed button-down shirt for his upcoming birthday! (Shhhh! Don't tell!)
Day 3: 29 Palms & Yucca Valley
This area is about a 45-minute drive from Palm Springs but totally worth it! The scenery on the drive to 29 Palms is Instagram-worthy and quite the adventure. I feel like this area is becoming super hipster with little shops and cafes popping up in the middle of nowhere!
My Trip Inspiration
Actually, this whole trip was inspired by a store called The End, which I randomly stumbled across months ago on Instagram. It was the most colorful, happiest store I've ever seen, and I started following them immediately. Since then, I've been aching to visit. Planning a stop there seemed like perfect timing with my resort collection coming up.
Outside The End
The End was all I expected and then some! It was such a pleasure meeting Kime, the owner, who is the nicest, warmest, and friendliest person with a wealth of knowledge on the cool local scene in the desert. There was not a single blank space in her shop!! It was wall-to-wall psychedelic artwork and happy colors. Her selection of vintage clothing was insane and all across the map. I feel like she has something in her shop for everyone!
Inside The End
Her rack of reconstructed Suzani coats was to die for, and the feather trims so fabulous! All the colors and textures of The End were super inspirational. Kime had fun accessories and jewelry, and her prices are really reasonable! I picked up some funky greeting cards and stickers that will be a nice surprise in the mail. I love that her store looks like a party - outside and in! It's so happy and inviting; it's everything you want when shopping for the vintage clothing experience.
Outside Funky and Darn Near New
Another noteworthy store in Yucca Valley was Funky and Darn Near New. This shop is awesome! It has an extensive collection of kimonos, Mexican embroidery, and sequined pieces. The mix of jewelry ranges from costume to local artisan finds.
Heading Home
Good night, Parker!!
It was hard to pull myself away from Palm Springs, with its relaxed ambiance and all the amazing vintage clothing pieces I found. But now that I'm back, I'm full of design inspiration and ready to go. I hope you also find inspiration in my travels.
Peace, Love & Fabulous Fashion,
Meghan
By the way, to download the list of vintage stores I visited, click here!
