With limited shopping options in Malibu for students, huge crowds and too-little parking in Santa Monica and notoriously high prices in Los Angeles, sometimes shopping can feel more like a chore than a fun day out. So why not try branching out of the area and hitting the outlet malls?
The Camarillo Premium Outlets are only a 45-minute drive from Pepperdine and are sure to provide a relaxing shopping experience. The spacious outdoor mall is located on Ventura Boulevard right in the middle of scenic Camarillo. The outlet mall, which features more than 160 stores, is a great place to go if you’re looking to get that sophisticated LA look for an interview or that casual, beach-chic look for class without paying the high Malibu prices.
The Camarillo Outlets offer everything from trendy stores to high-end designer brands with luxury purses and shoes. For those seeking to stock up on some casual school or beach clothes, there’s the Charlotte Russe outlet, the American Apparel outlet and, of course, the Forever 21 outlet.
These stores are already pretty inexpensive, and for the diligent shopper who really knows how to hit the sales racks, the outlets can be a gold mine for classic pieces at really low prices — think endless racks of $5.99 skirts and tops.
Jeans are also essential for comfort in class and downtime with friends. Finding a good, durable pair of jeans can be a pretty frustrating challenge, however. Fortunately, the mall has both Affliction and True Religion Jeans outlets. Although these stores are still relatively expensive, they do have some pretty good sales — especially if you go around Labor Day or after Christmas.
For those looking to get high-end designer pieces for relatively low prices, Camarillo Outlets has everything from small boutiques to big department store outlets. Smaller designer stores include the popular Tory Burch outlet, Talbots, Armani and BCBG.
Another great feature of the Camarillo mall that really sets it apart from other outlets is its variety of department store outlets. For those willing to spend some serious time bargain hunting, the Neiman Marcus Last Call, Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th and Barneys New York outlets alone could constitute a whole day trip themselves.
No outfit is complete without accessories and shoes, and Camarillo has no shortage of these. One of the best features of an outlet mall is its sales on designer handbags, no matter what time of year. Some popular brands at Camarillo include Michael Kors and Coach. The outlets also have a wide variety of shoe stores. Shoppers can get all their athletic footwear at the Adidas, Asics, Nike or Puma outlets, then get those perfect interview or night-on-the-town shoes at Steve Madden or Cole Haan.
Avid shoppers will enjoy the fact that there always seems to be a big sale or event going on, allowing shoppers to find great deals on any weekend without worrying about massive crowds on popular sale weekends.
The city of Camarillo is also a great place to visit. Who knows a shopping trip at the outlets could easily turn into a full day’s trip exploring the downtown area. The Camarillo Ranch House is a popular destination with tours that offer an inside-look at the art and history of Camarillo. There is also a Farmers’ Market held every Saturday morning in the heart of Old Town Camarillo.
For more information on Camarillo Outlets’ sales and events check out their website.
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Follow Danielle Accovelli on Twitter: @DanielleAccovel
As published in the Sept. 12 issue of the Pepperdine Graphic.
