If you might be addicted to shopping, turn your materialistic habit into something good. Given LA's rabid affinity for wearing TOMS shoes -- the infamous footwear line that provides hipster shoes to children all over the world -- your shopping habit is obviously equal parts personal style and altruism. From children's charities to Japan relief aid, with your thoughtful consumerism, these LA boutiques are all giving back. (Story continues after slideshow)
MADE by DWC: The Downtown Women's Center is fiercely committed to ending homelessness for women. Beyond providing warm meals, supportive housing and health services, DWC has just unveiled a retail boutique and cafe called MADE. From jewelry to greeting cards to impressive pottery work, every product is handmade by the women of DWC. MADE is also equipping these women with job training and employment -- for example, Groundwork Coffee has trained the cafe's baristas and Bloomingdale's has trained the boutique's budding saleswomen.
MADE by DWC, 438 South San Pedro Street, at Fifth Street (213-680-0600 or madebydwc.org)
Pumpkinheads: Pumpkinheads is much more than an attractive children's boutique serving the little ones of Brentwood. Six years ago, owner Jamara Ghalayina opened Pumpkinheads for one sole purpose: To give back to local children's charities. Fifteen percent of profits -- and sometimes $10,000 worth of wardrobes! -- go toward charities like Children's Action Network (helping children find adoptive parents -- Ghalayina is adopted herself) and Silver Lining (a resale boutique that doubles as a vocational training center for students). Pumpkinheads is also the LA drop-off for Baby2Baby, which supplies baby essentials to LA families in need. And make sure to pick up cotton essentials from Ghalayina's children's clothing line, Daily Threads.
Pumpkinheads, 11640 San Vicente Boulevard #109, at Darlington Avenue (310-207-6760 or pumpkinheadkids.com)
826LA's Time Travel Mart: In Echo Park, there is a time-travel themed shop that your former (or future) life might already know about. Among "decorative" store items like a Time-Freezy Hyper Slush machine -- with a taped "Out of Order -- Come Back Yesterday" sign on it -- there are things you can buy now: Bathing products from Professor Clutterbuck's and/or Dark Ages (time-traveling can be a dirty task). The mart supports 826LA, Dave Eggers' nationally-established non-profit helping children enhance their reading and writing skills. A lot of after-school tutoring is happening directly in the back of the store.
826LA East, 1714 West Sunset Boulevard, at Lemoyne Street (213-413-3388 or 826la.org)
Ariane Millinery: It's funny that a hat boutique would be hiding -- but that's the case with Ariane, arguably LA's best shop for hats, "hiding" on Melrose Avenue across from the much-trafficked Fred Segal. Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton already know about Ariane's unparalleled headwear (as worn at the Kentucky Derby). Every hat is handmade in the back the shop (you can choose your own materials!), and we guarantee you'll find your summer hat here. And beyond fedoras, Ariane and her hat-designing son, Amin, established h.a.t. -- "Helping All Transients" -- a charity dedicated to helping the homeless (extra hat materials might become a blanket, for example).
Ariane Millinery, 8121 Melrose Avenue, at Crescent Heights Boulevard (323-951-9929 or ariane-millinery.com)
James Perse: Everyone's favorite T-shirt brand out of Malibu is giving back to Japan. Infamous for its soft-to-the-touch comfort cotton, a James Perse T-shirt also comes with a hefty price (you know, for a T-shirt). But alas, every Angeleno's wardrobe needs one, and why not buy the Japan Relief T-shirt for $60 to which 100 percent of its sales support American Red Cross Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami Fund.
James Perse, 3939 Cross Creak Road, at Pacific Coast Highway (310-469-6030 or visit jamesperse.com for more locations)
Clever: Main Street's sweet little boutique rife with perfect beachwear and T-shirts full of LA pride also produces handmade jewelry by owner Radka Opalka. Twenty-five percent of sales go toward Women For Women, the organization committed to helping women survivors of war rebuild their lives. A must-have is one of Radka's initial charm necklaces -- she hammers each "A" and "B" herself! Each necklace is an affordable $42; every important woman in your life will want one, too.
Clever, 2823 Main Street, at Ashland Avenue (310-396-8108 or cleveronmain.com)
Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/20/los-angeles-shopping-with-a-cause_n_864909.html
Esther Cañadas Cinthia Moura Ashley Tisdale Giuliana DePandi Fergie
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