Melissa Coker Guide To L.A. Shopping

Surely, you've seen and fallen madly in love with one of our favorite L.A.-based labels, wren, but if you don't know the designer of this adorable line, then let us introduce you to Melissa Coker. Coker has been designing wren since 2007, and in three short years her pieces have become the go-to label for Alexa Chung, Katie Holmes, and Kristen Bell. Her lookbooks are always filled with fantastic styling tips, and her clothing is the perfect mix of effortless, sophisticated, and totally girly pieces we can wear everyday. So we were beyond thrilled that this designing woman was willing to share her five fave SoCal destinations. From a vintage treasure trove on Sunset Boulevard to the best independent bookstore filled with fashionable inspiration, we've got the skinny on Melissa Coker's sweet spots.

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Check out Melissa's fantastic top five:

1. Driftwood:
"This is my favorite new vintage store on Sunset. I'd describe their vibe as Fleetwood Mac meets Picnic at Hanging Rock. I ran into Alexa Chung and Tennessee Thomas there on my last visit. I mean, how can you go wrong with a stamp of approval from those two little ladies, and the prices are great, too."

3938 W Sunset Boulevard (at Sanborn Avenue); Los Angeles; 323-644-1272.

2. Satine:
"Talk about my dream closet: Shop Lanvin, pair it with a little Isabel Marant, Tsumori Chisato, and oh... how 'bout some wren? Not only does Satine have the best mix in town, but also the store itself is a charmer."

8117 West 3rd Street (at South Crescent Heights); Los Angeles; 323-655-2142.

3. Ivanhoe Books:
"Tucked into the back of the Lawson Fenning store in Silverlake, Ivanhoe has an amazingly well-edited selection of new, vintage, hard-to-find, and out-of-print fashion and art titles. The proprietress, Lucy Spriggs, is a dream to boot. Every design cycle for wren kicks off with a visit to Ivanhoe to peruse this heavenly library of inspiration."

1618 Silver Lake Boulevard (at Effie Street); Los Angeles; 323-660-1500.‎

4. Daikokuya:
"The restaurant authentically looks like a noodle shop from a 1960s Imamura film and the ramen is basically addictive. Here's a tip from my cheat-sheet: Avoid the usual hour-plus long wait at the Little Tokyo locale by heading over to their shop in Monterey Park where happy hour lasts from 5 p.m. until midnight, five days a week. Hmm...I like that math."

111 North Atlantic Boulevard (at West Garvey Avenue); Monterey Park; 626-570-1930.

5. The Prince:

"Around since the '50s, the interior of The Prince restaurant is exactly as it was back in the day: Darkly elegant, vaguely British, and totally pristine. But it's not a total time machine, as they now blast Korean pop songs and serve spicy rice cakes and fried chicken. Located on a not so busy street off of Wilshire, this restaurant sets off a major hidden treasure alert."

3198 West Seventh Street (at Catalina Street); Los Angeles; 213-389-2007.

R29 Giveaway and deal:

Want to wear your love of wren on your sleeve? Then just tell us in the comments of this story what your fall inspiration is, and the reader with the most amazing answer will get a fall-ready navy corduroy blazer from wren. Plus get 20% off of wren's e-commerce site when you enter the deal code, R29. Happy shopping!