Fresh fashion shopping at So Cal’s farmers markets

Harpal Soni’s Indian silk print dresses, $45, can be morphed into 40 different styles.

650 W. 5th St. between Grand Avenue and Flower Street, downtown Los Angeles. 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays.  (Glenn Koenig / The Los Angeles Times)

Rows of Yoshi Hashimoto’s Moroccan sandals mimic the colorful produce sold Thursdays on the lawn outside Los Angeles City Hall.

1st Street between Main and Spring streets, downtown Los Angeles. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursdays.  (Karen Tapia-Andersen / The Los Angeles Times)

Multi-hued raffia lace-up sandals, $30, sold at Yoshi Hashimoto’s farmers market table in downtown L.A. Hashimoto, a photographer, found the shoes while taking pictures in Morocco.

1st Street between Main and Spring streets, downtown Los Angeles. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursdays.  (Glenn Koenig / The Los Angeles Times)

A market-found fedora, $25, resembles a style by fashion designer Thakoon Panichgul, but is sold amid tomatos at the Brentwood Farmers Market.

741 Gretna Green Way between San Vicente Boulevard and Montana Avenue, Los Angeles. 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sundays.  (Mark Boster / The Los Angeles Times)

Style and sustenance go hand in hand at the farmers market held Thursdays at Los Angeles City Hall.  (Karen Tapia-Anderson / The Los Angeles Times)

Beaded earrings, $10, from Benzair Melchor’s market stall. The colorful pieces are in step with spring’s hippie trend.

1st Street between Main and Spring streets, downtown Los Angeles. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursdays.  (Glenn Koenig /The Los Angeles Times)

A tabletop jewelry store at the Thursday market in downtown L.A. The rules of produce picking apply to farmers market fashion picking too. Bring cash, come early to find the best selection and don’t be afraid to haggle for a discount.

1st Street between Main and Spring streets, downtown Los Angeles. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursdays.  (Karen Tapia-Andersen / The Los Angeles Times)

A carved antique coral and blue lace agate bracelet from Harlow by Elizabeth Sayles. The designer started selling her reworked antique jewelry at farmers markets 11 months ago. Despite being picked up by Barneys New York, the line is still sold at the Melrose Place farmers market.

Between Melrose Avenue and La Cienega Boulevard, Los Angeles. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays.  (Glenn Koenig / The Los Angeles Times)

Walls, what walls? Myrna Pena browses an open-air stall on L.A. City Hall’s south lawn.  (Karen Tapia-Andersen / The Los Angeles Times)

Hippie handicrafts are on tap at markets throughout Southern California. This $10 coin purse comes from Benzair Melchor’s downtown stand.

1st Street between Main and Spring streets, downtown Los Angeles. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursdays  (Glenn Koenig / The Los Angeles Times)

A different way to go green: pop-can pull tabs are recycled into accessories at the Echo Park Farmers Market. Belts are by Flor Gomez. Everything at this farmers market has to be handmade.

Logan Street south of Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles. 3 to 7 p.m. Fridays.  (Jamie Rector / For The Times)

Buyers enjoy lunch and a bit of clothes shopping outside City Hall at the Thursday market in downtown L.A.

1st Street between Main and Spring streets, downtown Los Angeles. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursdays.  (Karen Tapia-Andersen / Los Angeles Times)

Antique horse fob necklace from Harlow by Elizabeth Sayles.  (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)