The New York Timescalled San Francisco "the land that style forgot" in an article a few weeks ago. The piece, which pointed to our propensity to mix and match high and low, inspired us to do a roundup of our favorite vintage stores as this week's guide. We called up our go-to spots to see what they've got going for fall fashion. See what they have in store below and let us know where you'll be shopping for your fall vintage wares in the comments.
La Rosa Vintage1711 Haight St., (415) 668-3744
La Rosa's always-elegant collection of vintage wares is a luxurious, well-curated amalgam of 40s, 50s and early 60s garb in near-perfect, ready to wear condition.
What to expect for fall:
Says Tommy at La Rosa, "We just put up our fall windows in a beautiful fall color palette. Fur has been doing well, like mink and fox fur stoles, which are more humane because they're recycled. We have a beautiful white fox fur wrap right now, and a bunch of chiffon dresses in fall colors that customers love for parties and weddings."
Painted Bird1360 Valencia St., (415) 401-7027
Recently relocated to a bigger place on Valencia and soon to open a small outpost in LA, Painted Bird is the spot if you need perfectly priced and on-trend vintage for date night, a party or simply every day life. The clothes are perfect for cool young things about town, dudes and girls alike.
What to expect for fall:
"We follow a lot of editorial spreads so for fall, we're excited about shearling and leather jackets and cute, chunky button up sweaters. And of course a lot are way too expensive so people can come to our shop to get them for a steal!" says owner Sunny Walker. "We're also excited for our new shoe line coming in a week or two. There will be some oxfords, some ankle boots and the rest you'll have to see for yourself. A friend from Bali handmade all of them and they're all really nice leather. Whatever people want, we're down to look for it."
Ver Unica437 Hayes St. & 526 Hayes St., (415) 431-0688
Inundated with new fall merchandise, Ver Unica is a higher-end vintage boutique with two locations that carry items from classic to quirky, spanning several decades. Pieces are always in great condition, and be sure to check out their amazing jewelry and accessories that add pop to any outfit, vintage or not.
What to expect for fall:
"We are loving great tweeds and heavy chunky knits in luxurious materials right now," Emily at Ver Unica tells us. "We have a new leather jacket rack full of mens and womens pieces, and we're happy that 50s silhouettes are so big this year, because we've always loved those!"
Dina Louise260 Divisadero St., (415) 553-6299
Only open for three months, this cozy space on Divisadero near Haight is home to a perfect mixture of classic and funky pieces, as well as amazing 70s pottery and housewares. Owner Dina Laquaglia's adorable window displays always catch our eye.
What to expect for fall:
"I'm excited for knee-length wool pencil or pleated skirts, and everyone is really thankful I have them," says Laquaglia. "For fall I'm also geared towards sophisticated 80s pieces and large brown envelope clutches. Oh, and trench coats! Anything that's simple and classic."
NO. 389 Valencia St., (415) 252-9982
Next door to Four Barrell, this newish vintage-dedicated space is geared towards young Mission-dwelling and fashion-conscious minds who love music too. They sell records and 8-track tapes and even publish their own in-store magazine.
What to expect for fall:
Employees Lia and Amber say: "Monochrome color schemes, tans, browns greys, blacks and whites in luxurious fabrics like cashmere, thick wool, rayon, linen and silk and sweaters and collared shirts!"
Wasteland1660 Haight St., (415) 863-3150
A vintage Mecca occupying a huge Haight Street space full of hip clothing and even hipper clientele, we've been coming here for years for new and vintage digs.
What to expect for fall:
"People can find really cute coats and jackets right now," says buyer and inventory manager Liz Franczak. "We're excited for lots of vintage lace up Justin boots, crushed velvet maxi skirts, cozy cashmere sweaters, and 80s and 90s crop tops for girls. For guys, we've got a lot of heritage workwear like Pendleton and chambray shirts, letterman jackets and selvedge denim. It all goes fast, but we get a lot in every day."
Afterlife Boutique988 Valencia St., (415) 796-2398
Open a scant 5 months, Afterlife is becoming the coolest vintage kid on the block with their hip clothes, in-store jukebox, reconstructed Adoura Demode vintage jewelry and monthly shows featuring local bands. Owned by brother-sister duo Luke and Danielle Teller, you can count on them to stock cool accessories, a rainbow of flannels, and stunning concert tees that Luke has been collecting for years.
What to expect for fall:
"We're most excited about vintage cardigans, flannels and Justin boots for men and women," says Danielle. "We have a lot of really great dresses that we get reconstructed with three-quarter length sleeves for fall."
Static Vintage1764 Haight St., (415) 422-0046
Always full of cool band tshirts, Adidas gear and sharp leather jackets, Static Vintage stands out from its Haight Street neighbors by dedicating a section for each of its employees to curate to their own tastes.
What to expect for fall:
"We have been getting a lot of wool ladies' coats, some from the 70s, some in plaid, and some hooded. I wanted all of them when I saw them," says employee Sara Wood. "We just got a huge score of leather jackets, plus awesome Western snap-ups and Members-Only jackets for men. We've been on the hunt for boots for fall, and we have a lot in decent sizes. I'm excited for it to get cold!"
Torso Vintages272 Sutter St., (415) 391-3166
A classy downtown space with gorgeous clothes and accessories made to outfit movie stars, Torso Vintages is an upscale store with gowns, furs, sequins and glamour on every rack. We're still waiting to hear back from them about what they're excited about for fall, and we can't wait for what that might be!
Images via battyward on Flickr.com, Afterlife Boutique's website and Dina Louise's Facebook.
