In Isla Vista, Goleta, and the greater Santa Barbara area, residents, visitors, and, of course, students have access to a wide array of amazing secondhand alternatives to regular old consumerism. Ranging from a stocked Goodwill to a carefully curated vintage boutique, those of us lucky enough to find ourselves in the 805 are privileged to have many amazing options for sustainable shopping at our fingertips. As a chronic thrifter, I wanted to take a break from the tired narrative of gatekeeping and share with you my favorite places to shop secondhand in the Santa Barbara area, just in time to revamp your closet or buy furniture, decor, and things for your very first Isla Vista home!
The Wallet-Friendly Options
In terms of price point, the Goodwill on W Carrillo Street would seem like the obvious choice, but most of the time, I struggle to find things for a bargain at that location. It is jam-packed with clothing, housewares, and furniture, so if you have the energy to dig, it does have the advantage of being absolutely stuffed, so there is always a chance of finding something good. Personally, I prefer the Alpha Thrift in Goleta if affordability is the main concern. They offer decent prices, and there is more room in the store to walk around and search, making it feel a little less claustrophobic than Goodwill!
Alpha seems to be where all of the rich grandmothers of Santa Barbara and Montecito donate their clothes. The place is just stuffed with Lululemon, Vuori, cashmere sweaters, and all sorts of other amazing brands, including not one, but TWO vintage Coach bags that tumbled into my hands last year. Even though it demands a little more work than your average Buffalo Exchange, it is a really amazing place to find nice clothing that will actually last you a long time and comes at a decent price. There are two locations: one in Goleta, which I prefer because it is larger and I always have more luck there, and another in downtown Santa Barbara, just a few minutes off State Street.
For another really budget-friendly option, I have made the trip to the city of Oxnard and gone to the Goodwill bins there. As much as the bins are kind of as cheap as it gets, Ventura is not super easy to access without a car for those of us who rely heavily on public transport and have no wheels of our own. However, I either enlist a friend of mine who also wants to go and can drive, or sometimes take the train over, but that just gets a little bit more expensive.
A More Curated Version
If you don’t necessarily have the desire, energy, or time to go digging through heaps of clothes, Santa Barbara County also has an amazing selection of secondhand shops that are more curated or skewed towards the vintage realm. One of my favorites is called The Lazy Eye, and is right around the airport. Danaë Petsimeris for Santa Barbara Life and Style Magazine describes, “The store is well curated, with an intimacy that is far removed from the overwhelming feeling induced by larger thrift stores.” It is filled with really interesting and fun pieces of clothing, gems that would take some hunting to find elsewhere, and just a really fun place to visit. While not the same price-wise as the others on this list, I found that it is still really reasonable and a great place to find some new, special pieces as a treat!
Two of my other favorite, more curated vintage stores of Santa Barbara are actually both on State Street and just a few minutes away from each other. Coming in at a slightly higher price point and with an awesome array of jewelry, home decor, and clothing, is The Urban Flea. Although it is a pretty expensive shop, it is beautifully curated, and if you really look, there is always something that is more affordable and a total find. I found my favorite Warby Parker sunglasses there for $12, so don’t be discouraged! It is also a really great place to find gifts, as there are a million weird and fun knick-knacks around. Similarly, Antique Alley is also stuffed with amazing little gems among all sorts of interesting gadgets and gizmos. I love going to Antique Alley for jewelry, as they have a reasonable pricing system for sterling silver and some stunning older pieces.
One of the more popular thrift stores of SB would be the Crossroads on State Street, one that I wasn’t sure if I wanted to include or not. Apart from being mostly on trend, I never have too much luck there. I find that it always feels a little picked through, and it is difficult to find anything for under 20 bucks. However, they always have a TON of Free People, Zara, Lululemon, Anthropologie, and other name brands, so it is a great way to still shop those labels without supporting some that maybe aren’t the most sustainable!
Lastly, I wanted to shout out Isla Vista’s very own curated thrift/ vintage store, Escobar’s Little Things! This Y2K-focused shop is skewed towards the eccentric and sparkly, EXACTLY matching the vibe of IV! For festivals, frats, and even just to spice up your day-to-day style, Escobar’s has a really nice range of different options, and price-wise, it is all super reasonable! (P.S. it’s cheaper in cash though!) Why not support a fabulous super-local business?!
Some UCSB Appreciation!
And finally, I couldn’t finish off this article without paying homage to the amazing clubs at UCSB, like the Fashion Club and the Isla Vista Trading Post, who also make sustainable and secondhand fashion their goals, working to make it accessible to more and more people. From Thrift-topia to the stalls outside of the SRB during the week, the Santa Barbara area, and even specifically UCSB, is a great place to be if you’re passionate about sustainability and affordability in fashion!