Take a tip from LA's A-list - old is the new new

While David Beck-ham has been training for his first game with LA Galaxy, Posh has had time to rethink their wardrobes. What cuts it on top of a wedding cake in Cheshire or in the suburbs of Madrid doesn't work in LA. Here, power dressing is a sure-fire sign that you haven't arrived yet.

With more and more stars opting to wear retro couture on the red carpet - remember Reese Witherspoon at last year's Academy Awards in a glittering Christian Dior gown circa 1955 - the trend for vintage has taken off. But it's not just the preserve of the A-list; vintage has gone mainstream. I met up with Hollywood stylist Tom Broecker to get his top vintage tips. Tom has dressed every A-lister in town, from Ashton Kutcher and Justin Timber-lake to Halle Berry and Paris Hilton. We hooked up in the ober-cool surroundings of Urth Caffe at Melrose; 8565 Melrose Avenue (00 1 310 659 0628; urth-caffe.com).

"Old is definitely the new new," he confirms. "It's way cooler to say 'it's vintage' rather than 'it's Prada'. It's no longer enough just to throw money at an outfit.

What you need now is imagination to create a look that makes a statement. Today we are seeing a mix of straight and custom-ised vintage. Lindsay Lohan and Sienna Miller have both recently been seen in 1970s shift dresses with white boots, a look that is pure Jane Fonda in Klute."

Doesn't vintage cost a fortune? "Not necessarily. Sure, there are a handful of high-end boutiques selling vintage couture but there's also a really good mix of idiosyncratic stores, thrift outlets and flea markets where you can pick up some terrific pieces for just a couple of dollars."

Tom's booked to do a photo-shoot with Scarlett Johansson, but he finds time to tell me where to find his favourite places. I begin along the road at Decades, 8214 Melrose Avenue (00 1 323 655 1960; decades.com), where stylists come for inspiration. One wall is a glittering array of handbags by Chanel and Hermes. There is also a wall of Oscar-quality dresses arranged in colours and another wall lined with black gowns. Set up 10 years ago by former cabaret singer Cameron Silver, the collection reflects his taste for vintage that looks modern, sexy and glamorous. I spy the price tags. An Yves Saint Laurent haute couture dress at $1,900 ([pound]934) seems pricey but then you'd be hard pressed to buy a new one off-the-peg for that amount.

Also at the top end is Lily et Cie, 9044 Burton Way (00 1 310 724 5757; lilyetcie.com).

Here Rita Watnick houses an eye-popping collection of more than 500,000 p r i s t i n e pieces that range from N o r m a n H a r t n e l l gowns worn by ladies-in-waiting at the coronation of Elizabeth II to metallic swinging 1960s dresses by Paco Rabanne and signature Zandra Rhodes. Prices rise from $2,000.

Jet Rag, 825 N La Brea Avenue (00 1 323 939 0528) houses one of the largest collections of affordable vintage. Most pieces are from the 1940s onwards with a large selection of 1960s to 1980s. Giselle, 1306 Montana Avenue (00 1 310 451 2140; gisellesanta-monica.com) is where Lori Innes has put together a very feminine collection of Victoriana-inspired items. Lori tells me her clients include Demi Moore and Renee Zellweger. "What I love most about vintage is that it's so creative," says Innes, "but it's more than just that - it's fun, right?"

COMPACT FACTS

HOW TO GET THERE

British Airways (0870 850 9850; ba.com) flies to Los Angeles from [pound]325 return. The Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows (00 1 310 276 2251; thebeverlyhill-shotel.com) offers doubles from [pound]236 per room per night. Carrentals.co.uk offers a week's car rental from [pound]96.

FURTHER DETAILS

Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau (seemyla.com).

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