I've been doing the high-low fashion thing in LA for about three years now, and honestly? It's the only way I can afford to look put-together at my Pilates class without eating ramen for a month.
The secret isn't just about throwing a thrifted hoodie over expensive leggings. It's about understanding which pieces are worth the investment and which ones you can absolutely score secondhand. Let me break this down the way I wish someone had explained it to me.
The Foundation: What to Buy New vs. Thrifted
Here's what I've learned the hard way: buy your base layers new, hunt for your statement pieces secondhand.
Your leggings, sports bras, and anything that touches your skin during a workout? Yeah, invest in those. I'm talking Alo, Lululemon, or Outdoor Voices. The compression holds up, they don't get weird after washing, and you'll wear them 4-5 times a week anyway. The cost per wear actually makes sense.
But that oversized cashmere hoodie? The vintage Nike windbreaker? The perfectly worn-in denim jacket you throw over your workout set for coffee runs? Thrift those all day long.
The LA Uniform: Building Your Base
Most people in LA are wearing some version of the same outfit. High-waisted black leggings, a cropped tank or sports bra, and a third piece that makes it look intentional.
Start with one or two pairs of quality leggings in black and maybe a neutral like navy or olive. I've seen people try to build a wardrobe with five pairs of cheap leggings, and they all look pilled and sad within two months. Don't do that to yourself.
For sports bras, you need at least two that actually support you. This isn't the place to compromise. I rotate between three, and they've lasted me over a year with zero issues.
Where Thrifting Comes In
Now here's where it gets fun. Hit up your local thrift spots or browse resale apps for these specific items:
- Oversized button-downs in linen or cotton (wear open over your sports bra)
- Vintage athletic jackets from the 90s – think Nike, Adidas, Champion
- Lightweight cardigans in neutral colors
- High-quality basics like Everlane or COS tees that someone barely wore
- Patagonia fleeces (they're everywhere secondhand and last forever)
I found a cream-colored Patagonia half-zip for $18 last month. It retails for $99. Same exact condition. This is what I'm talking about.
The Styling Formula That Actually Works
Look, I'm not going to give you ten different outfit combinations. You need one solid formula you can repeat with variations.
Bottom: High-quality leggings or bike shorts
Top: Fitted sports bra or tank (new)
Third piece: Oversized thrifted layer
Shoes: Clean sneakers (can be thrifted if they're in good shape)
Bag: Structured tote or crossbody
That's it. Change the colors, swap the third piece, add a baseball cap. You've got two weeks of outfits right there.
Specific Pieces Worth Hunting For
After countless thrift runs, these are the items that consistently elevate an athleisure look:
The oversized men's button-down. Size up two or three sizes from what you'd normally wear. Wear it open over a sports bra and leggings. I have four of these in different fabrics – linen for summer, flannel for cooler months.
Vintage track jackets. The 90s ones with the stripe down the sleeve? Gold. They add structure without looking like you're trying too hard. Plus they photograph really well if you're into that.
High-end basics someone else bought. People donate barely-worn Vince tees, Theory tanks, and James Perse shirts all the time. These are worth grabbing because the fabric quality is noticeably better than fast fashion.
The Color Strategy
Stick with a neutral base for your expensive pieces. Black, white, grey, navy, olive. This isn't boring – it's strategic.
When everything in your activewear wardrobe is neutral, any thrifted piece you find will probably work with it. You're not trying to match a specific shade of purple or hoping to find the perfect coral to go with those leggings you impulse-bought.
I keep my investment pieces almost entirely black and grey. Then I add personality through thrifted layers in cream, tan, rust, forest green – whatever I find that's in good condition.
What to Skip at the Thrift Store
Not everything secondhand is worth it for athleisure. Here's what I avoid:
Leggings and tights with any pilling or thinning fabric. Just no. Sports bras – for obvious hygiene reasons, but also because the elastic degrades over time. Socks and underwear, obviously. Workout shoes that show significant wear on the sole or have lost their structure.
Also? Skip anything that smells weird even after washing. Life's too short.
The Accessories Game
This is where you can really play around without spending much. I've thrifted leather crossbody bags for $12 that I wear constantly. A good structured bag instantly makes leggings look more intentional and less "I just rolled out of bed."
Sunglasses, baseball caps, simple jewelry – all fair game for secondhand shopping. I found a pair of vintage Ray-Bans for $25 that I wear more than the new pair I paid full price for.
Making It Look Intentional
The difference between "I'm mixing high and low fashion" and "I got dressed in the dark" comes down to fit and condition.
Everything should be clean, no stains, no holes (unless they're intentional distressing). Your thrifted pieces should fit deliberately oversized or perfectly fitted – nothing in between that just looks wrong.
And here's something nobody talks about: steam or iron your thrifted finds. A wrinkled vintage tee looks sloppy. That same tee, freshly steamed and tucked slightly into high-waisted leggings? Looks curated.
Real Talk: The Investment Breakdown
I spent about $400 on my core activewear pieces over six months. Two pairs of Alo leggings, three Lululemon sports bras, one pair of APL sneakers, and a few quality tanks.
I've spent maybe $150 total on thrifted layers over the same period. That includes five button-downs, three vintage athletic jackets, two cardigans, and a Patagonia fleece.
So for around $550, I have a full athleisure wardrobe that looks way more expensive than it is. People regularly ask me where I got specific pieces, and half the time the answer is "a thrift store in Silver Lake for $14."
Where to Actually Shop
For new investment pieces, I wait for sales. Alo has decent ones a few times a year. Lululemon's "We Made Too Much" section is clutch. Outdoor Voices occasionally does 30% off.
For thrifting in LA, I rotate between Goodwill in nicer neighborhoods (seriously, the one in Brentwood is different from the one downtown), Buffalo Exchange, Crossroads, and Wasteland for higher-end secondhand. Online, I use Poshmark and Depop, filtering by brand and size.
The key is consistency. I check my favorite spots every two weeks or so. You're not going to find everything in one trip.
The Actual Daily Rotation
Most days, I'm wearing black Alo leggings, a white Lululemon tank, and a rotation of thrifted layers depending on the vibe. Oversized linen shirt for coffee meetings. Vintage Nike jacket for morning walks. Cream cardigan for evening plans.
Same base, different energy. That's the whole point of this approach – you're not reinventing the wheel every morning, but you're also not wearing the exact same outfit on repeat.
At the end of the day, mixing high and low in the athleisure space is about being smart with your money while still looking like you have your life together. Which, let's be real, is the entire LA aesthetic anyway.