San Francisco's Best Hipster Boutiques
Belljar
The Belljar is pretty much the most precious little boutique I've ever set foot inside. This art gallery, curiosity shop, and clothing boutique has an absolutely amazing selection of things (and "things" being the operative word), from fashion to knick knacks to apothecary to candles to artwork.
Located at 3187 16th Street in San Francisco, this lovely store - all eggshell white walls and hardwood floors and airily high ceilings - is a must see for everyone, from the casual windowshopper to the serious buyer. But buyers beware. You will spend some cash at this place, though it will be well-worth it for the goods. Check out their beautiful selection of little blouses and jackets. Belljar carries whimsical and feminine clothing lines like Jovovich-Hawk and Eskell, which go along with the rest of the store.
Saffron Rare Threads
A credit to San Francisco fashion, Saffron Rare Threads is soooo super cute. The outfit at right, part of their Summer 2008 collection, is the perfect thing to be wearing this September during our Indian summer. When it's not quite summer but not quite fall and you need an easy breezy outfit to stomp around the city in, look no further than neutral shades like khaki and cream to bridge that gap between the seasons.
Saffron Rare Threads was created by Priya Saraswati here in San Francisco, and the clothes are simple, elegant, and versatile. They are available online, or at Studio 3579 at 499 Dolores Street right off Dolores and 18th Street.
Edun
Edun occasionally has a pop-up store in SF in one of our favorite Hayes Valley boutiques: Azalea! Some history behind the brand: Edun was started by U2's Bono and his wife, Ali Hewson. Edun is a socially conscious fashion label that uses environmentally sound manufacturing techniques and donates 15% of all proceeds to charity. It exists also to provide employment for people in developing regions, particularly Sub-Saharan Africa, by using the fair trade business model.
Painted Bird
The Painted Bird, at 1201A Guerrero Street (X Street is 24th) in the Mission, is a one stop shop when you need new used-clothes. Their selection is ridiculously awesome. Their prices are amazing too. Like, boots are $25. Shirts can go for $5. And everything is pre-selected to be majorly wearable. While it takes eons to dig through the racks at Thrift Town and Community Thrift, going to a second-hand vintage store like the Painted Bird is worth it, because the value of your money should also account for the time it takes to find something, and while you may go through thrift stores and dig for hours and come up with nothing, one stop at a vintage gem like The Painted Bird will yield major results. MAJOR. Trust. Their look is heavily 60s and 70s (which means: fantastic prints) and everything here, even if you don't want to buy it, is fun to look at - this store really captures the imagination, and for those like me who live in a cloud of nostalgia, this store is perfect.
Eco Citizen
Eco Citizen is a boutique that sells fashionable and eco-friendly clothing. According to their site: "Eco Citizen strives to offer high quality, fair trade, classic fashion design and construction to the eco-conscious consumer. Our mission is to support the planet and its people while encouraging and implementing fair trade practices, sweatshop-free merchandise, and organic fashion products. Eco Citizen promotes a lifestyle choice that goes beyond the traditional allure of fashion, by transcending the self through transparent business practices, while providing fashion-forward and classic clothing for the 21st century woman."
The best part about Eco Citizen is that it's conveniently located here in San Francisco (though you can order their clothing online as well) at 1488 Vallejo St.
