Is it worth the drive out to Pomona? Should you fucking care? I’ll answer those questions at the end.
I’d never been to Pomona or ThriftConLA before. Saw them at ComplexCon and later their ad on Insta. Thought, “why not, let’s check this out.”
Growing up, my mother dragged me to every antique store imaginable, so thrifting isn’t new. But it’s sad how mainstream..everyone’s a “vintage curator” now, and prices have exploded. Thrifting used to give me a high, finding something unique at a great price. People love marking that shit up these days. Let’s be real. Though sometimes you will still get pleasantly surprised, if you keep on searching.
Made the trek down the 10 to 60 to 605 back to 10 freeway (LA people, you know the drill! Avoiding traffic is basically an Olympic sport here). Pomona Fairplex charges $20 to park. If you park far out, there’s a tram.
Got there around noon because I refuse that early bird this time around. They stamp your hand so you can bounce in and out.
Place was divided into two sections. First half: vintage vendors selling everything—t-shirts from $5 to $400 (some ridiculously overpriced). These vendors came from all over, not just LA. Also some random cool retro vintage decor and music records.
I scored some reasonably priced belts—a bronze leopard one ($40) and a sleek silver chainmail belt ($30). On Melrose these would’ve been at least $80, probably closer to $150. Might need bronze polish for that leopard belt though.
Then found this brown leather jacket with perfect 80s silhouette—like those low-waisted bomber jackets from YSL’s fall 2025 collection. Crocodile textile giving Manhattan girl on a 25 dollar rack.
Second section was mostly upcycled designers. Which is the future of fashion considering our overconsumption problem.
loved her outfit!
Important things to note:
Price points were everywhere—$5 clothes on the floor to a $500 coat (most expensive item I saw).
Sizes from XS to plus! And kid clothes if you’re reading this and are a kid or have one lol.
Sell your own stuff: Area at the back where you could bring your clothes to sell. Saw people with huge suitcases setting up on the floor. Why not? Someone’s trash is someone’s treasure. (this is a really cool option)
These punk rockers were giving out free birth control and narcan! i didnt need either but its cool that they’re helping people out!
Honorable mentions of my favorite vintage vendors:
hirocohata has the best curated booth! love her style!
studioalbazi has great avant garde silver jewelry.
dirtyspace_vintage is where i got my belts!
My Top Vintage Shopping Tips From Someone Who Knows Better
After years of this thrifting, here’s how to not get completely ripped off:
- Never Buy Used Shoes — Unless they’re deadstock (never worn), just don’t. They’ve molded to someone else’s nasty-ass feet, and vintage shoes are usually disintegrating anyway. Do you really want 40-year-old foot sweat?
- Check Every Goddamn Inch — Hold that it up to the light. Look for stains, tears, missing buttons, broken zippers, faded patches. Vintage sellers are masters at hiding flaws with strategic folding and lighting.
- Question Everything — “What’s this made of exactly?” “What decade and how can you prove it?” “Has this been cleaned or is it still carrying someone’s 1970s BO?” “What flaws are you not telling me about?” “Has someone butchered this with alterations?” “Where’d you get it?” “What material is it?”
- Bargaining Isn’t Optional — I always go with: “Love this but it’s more than I want to spend… what’s your best price?” Always bundle items. Always bring cash. The card machine mysteriously “adds fees” when you’re trying to negotiate.
- Know Your Shit About Designer Pieces — Labels change by decade. Stitching patterns matter. Hardware quality matters. Font consistency matters. If they can’t tell you the provenance, they’re probably full of it.
- Don’t Ruin Your Finds:
- Leather: Condition it twice a year and hang it in breathable bags
- Silk/Delicates: Dry clean ONLY, store flat with acid-free paper
- Denim: Cold wash inside out, don’t wash it every time you wear it
- Jewelry: Get anti-tarnish bags and proper silver polish (not fucking toothpaste)
- Know Your Measurements — Vintage sizing is completely inconsistent! Always try it on if you can. Know your bust, waist, hip, shoulder, inseam. Bring a tape measure and don’t trust anything labeled “Medium” from 1965. Or try it on lol!
- Off-Season Shopping — Buy winter items in summer, summer pieces in winter. People are desperate to move inventory when it’s out of season.
- Quality Tells — Check the seams (French seams = quality), fabric weight (heavier usually = better), natural materials. Metal zippers and hand-stitching usually mean someone gave a damn when making it.
- Do Your Homework — Before ThriftCon, I should’ve stalked vendors on Instagram. Follow them to see their newest finds and maybe DM to reserve something before it’s snatched up by some hardcore early bird thrifting addict.
David Lynch’s Muholland drive movie poster is always iconic to hang on a wall.
This shirt is bad af. RIP Scar & the hyenas
I heard mcdonalds serve human meat? Is that true? Have you heard that before?
This shirt about the OJ murders is wild, wonder if it is true? I do believe in numerology, do you?
MY Very Narcissistic Opinion
Honestly? I had a surprisingly good time. The energy was solid, the finds were decent, and my favorite vendors were worth the trip alone.
So is it worth the drive to Pomona? Absolutely. Should you fucking care? If you’re into one-of-a-kind pieces that haven’t been marked up to absurd prices, then yeah, you should care.
Next time I might drag a rack of my own shit to sell. See you there, maybe.
Remember: the thrill of vintage shopping is finding those one-of-a-kind pieces that tell a story. Be patient, be picky, and your wardrobe will thank you!
WRITTEN BY KIMBERLY MORTENSEN