We love that changing our vibe is as simple as slipping on a new garment. A leather jacket offers toughness, while a cocktail dress imparts glamour. The clothing we buy at Phoenix General, located in Roosevelt Row's monOrchid building, imbues us with an understated, desert-tinged chic. Think classic, well-constructed tanks and T-shirts by Kowtow; bright, airy sundresses by local label Punkwasp; and eye-catching tops by Paloma. We also love the store's house-label items, like a belt bag with the word Howdy on it and luxe sweatpants emblazoned with a cactus. Phoenix General also sells men's clothing and items for the home, which means that everyone can get a style boost by shopping there.

Psychedelic rompers and ultraviolet bell-bottoms, prairie dresses and flowy plaid jumpsuits — a trip to Luxie Vintage, a small vintage shop located on the Scottsdale/Tempe border, will convince you that you need them all, immediately, even if you know secretly you might not ever get the guts to wear them out. There are plenty of vintage shops around metro Phoenix, but Luxie Vintage's selection stands out. Its pieces are all true vintage, some carefully restored by the shop, and with an ever-rotating array of fabrics and colors and old Levis, its offerings are always something more than frumpy costume pieces. While certainly not a spot for true penny-pinchers, Luxie Vintage's prices are good, at least in the vintage clothing world. Plus, the shop occasionally hosts fill-a-bag events and markdowns that prompt gaggles of uber-chic youths to line up outside its storefront. If you, too, want a glorious retro outfit, look no further.

Some band merch is really easy to find — Beatles shirts are sold at Target now, for crying out loud. But for shirts of a more obscure nature, we head to Shirts 'n' Things. Not only is Shirts 'n' Things a locally owned business that's been open for almost 35 years, it's the best place in town to find music-themed shirts representing an enormous number of artists from yes, The Beatles, to obscure metal bands. The store doesn't just sell music merch; it's got a great selection of punk/goth/rock clothing and accessories for men and women, too. Not everything is listed on the website, so we suggest you make a trip to the store to see what's available and experience the great customer service.

We love the simple cool of a vintage T-shirt. Whether it's a '90s Phoenix Suns top or an old band shirt, it has a way of being the conversation piece around which the rest of our outfit revolves. We often find ourselves checking out the goods at Wang's Vintage because the shop is constantly replenishing its stock. Prices are fair, which doesn't necessarily mean cheap — vintage shirts are a hot commodity these days. But if you're looking for bargains, you can dig through the $10 bins for something that catches your eye. You can keep up with what's new at Wang's by following them on Instagram, where they announce when a bunch of new (old) shirts are about to hit the market.

Our Hot Topic days are blessedly long behind us, but every once in a while we still feel like dressing like a goth kid. When that feeling hits, we head to Rocket A Go~Go, a Tempe boutique that sells new and gently used rockabilly, retro, emo, punk, goth, pin-up and rave clothing and accessories for men and women. Owner Stormy Dodge stocks her shop with band T-shirts, tiki dresses, horror-themed earrings and the like. Rocket A Go~Go stocks clothing in sizes 0 to 3X, so cool chicks of all body types will find something they love. The store moved to bigger, slicker digs last year, which made the already delightful Rocket A Go~Go shopping experience that much better.

After this year's debacle, you may not want to go to Burning Man next year. But there are plenty of regional burns, festivals, concerts and parties to attend closer to home, and to look your best, hit up Rave Circus on Mill Avenue. Sexy, shiny clothing for men and women, wild sunglasses, fun hats, eye-catching jewelry — it's all here, plus hoops, poi sticks and other tools of the rave trade. Not really into that scene? Rave Circus also carries things like wall tapestries and incense. Well over half of the merchandise is made by Arizona creators, so you're not just getting ready to slay at the festival — you're supporting local business.

An awesome pair of sneakers is the pièce de résistance of many an outfit. If your kicks wardrobe needs some updating, we suggest a trip to Many Worlds. The sleek, minimalist space holds a dizzying assortment of mid- to high-end sneakers from brands such as Nike and Adidas. But Many Worlds isn't just the place you go to buy your kicks; it's also the place to keep them looking their best. Inside the space is Reshoevn8r, a business that offers shoe-cleaning services and sells products for you to take care of your sneakers at home. Many Worlds also sells a few T-shirts and other clothing items, keeping you looking fresh from head to toe.

The love of the desert shines through in everything Keep Nature Wild, a Phoenix-based clothing label, sells and does. "I'd Hike That" shirts, caps embroidered with desert plants and "Keep Arizona Wild" stickers are all well-made and stylish. But the folks at Keep Nature Wild do more than just sell cool nature-themed stuff. They've made a commitment to pick up a pound of trash for every product sold, an undertaking that has removed more than 1 million pounds of garbage from the environment so far. If you want to get in on the good work, you can join them for one of their cleanup events, or you can purchase a Keep Nature Wild cleanup kit; they include gloves and trash bags so that you can make a difference on your next hike.

When Macklemore was singing about thrift shops, we think White Dove Thrift Shoppe must have been his inspiration. The four Valley locations are full of treasures and finds from someone's wealthy grandpa and grandma, and you're guaranteed to find some hidden gems here, sometimes even designer or brand-new. Unlike other greedy corporate stores (we're looking at you, Goodwill), prices are affordable and proceeds go to Hospice of the Valley, Arizona's largest nonprofit organization, rather than some CEO's salary. Whether you're looking to furnish your home with real artwork or adorn your neck and earlobes with fancy jewelry, you'll probably find what you want at White Dove Thrift Shoppe's clean, organized stores. Keep an eye out for their clearance days, too — up to 75% off certainly might make you say, "It was 99 cents."

There are many wonderful things about the long temperate season in Phoenix, one of which is our abundance of local outdoor markets. Farmers markets and flea markets are popular, but once a month in the Melrose District, vendors get together to host a fun and funky vintage market. Many of the vendors sell colorful midcentury finds that match the neighborhood vibe. There are booths selling clothes, jewelry, house decor, vinyl records and some snacks. The market is also dog-friendly, so even if you don't find anything to buy, you can still hang out with the friendly neighborhood pups. This Sunday morning market pops up fall through spring.