Author: Isabel Osgood-Roach
Twentieth century wardrobes, kitschy paintings and a myriad of well-loved sneakers are just a small sampling of the many items the Pasadena’s Rose Bowl Flea Market offers. This outdoor marketplace, a bona fide vintage clothing and antique mecca, boasts an impressive seven mile stretch of 2,500 retail booths. My opportunity to experience what has attracted such celebrities as the Olsen twins, Madonna and Clint Eastwood presented itself on the second Sunday of September. Three friends and I awoke at a painful 9 a.m. with the intent of perusing the Pasadena flea market’s offerings.
My visit to the Rose Bowl proved that it caters to almost every type of person’s material needs. I observed Latino families shopping for baby clothing, young couples furnishing first homes and enough boot-buying hipsters to fill a Passion Pit concert. Personally, I paid the steep eight dollar entry fee in pursuit of unique, reasonably priced vintage clothing and accessories.
My friend and I wandered slightly aimlessly for the first 20 or so minutes, struggling to find our bearings amongst a maze of booths and an onslaught of fellow shoppers. She bargained for what the vendor proclaimed to be a “one hundred year old” bowl (perfect for storing jewelry), negotiating his initial $35 asking price down to $20. Another seller, recently returned from a buying trip to Guatemala, displayed brightly patterned traditional pouches and generously gave us each a free bracelet. There were entire booths devoted to such quirky collections as preserved insects, vintage World War II uniforms and one dollar Beanie Babies.
The only apparent attempt at organizing vendors was that the newer, craftier items were located around the Bowl, enticing shoppers near the market’s entrance. Here, vintage clothes were blatantly overpriced, catering to the Cobrasnake crowd too hungover to bother with any further venturing. A walk across a small bridge on the left side, however, introduced a world of bargains. My faith in good deals, wavering after browsing through rack after rack of expensive and moth hole-ridden concert tees, was re-invigorated. This corner was a treasure trove, with booths containing five and ten dollar clothing, deeply discounted American and Alternative Apparel, and beaten-in Converse high tops.
I found the Rose Bowl to be at once overwhelming and thrilling. For me, the entry fee was justified by a unique mix of people watching and almost limitless array of merchandise. It’s a visual and tactile experience, one I can only compare to exploring the open air marketplaces of Morocco and Turkey. In a sense, Pasadena’s flea market is Los Angeles’ answer to Istanbul’s famed Grand Bazaar. It is a place where vendors and consumers convene, where hard bargaining ensues and where a prodigious square footage alone ensures unparalleled memories.
With a little determination, sustenance and cash, any shopper who appreciates the offbeat will leave the Rose Bowl flea market with heavier hands and lighter wallets.
The Pasadena Rose Bowl Flea Market is open to the general public from 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. on the second Sunday of each month. Parking is free.
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