San Francisco, CA
At first glance, San Francisco’s shopping mecca is Union Square. Gucci, Tiffany, Saks, and more populate this upscale shopping district. And if your shopping desires lie in these tried and true brands, there’s no need to look any further. Union Square will most certainly satisfy you.
On the other hand, I came to San Francisco wanting to explore more than what I could find in every major shopping district in the world and so I found myself exploring two other more out of the way shopping areas.
The first district I perused was the Fillmore Street shops on, well, Fillmore Street. This street certainly has a lot to offer the upscale shopper. Dozens of trendy boutiques line the road and, with the exception of Betsey Johnson, all are fairly exclusive to the area. Besides a pair of Betsey Johnson shoes marked half-off, I merely found myself browsing the racks of admittedly adorable but high priced items. Interspersed between these kittish shops are several thrift and consignment shops which, I have to admit, impressed me. I didn’t find much to my liking, but I would recommend these stores to any girl on a budget or who maybe just loves a bargain. In particular, Crossroads Trading Company had a selection of brands no fashionista goes without including Nanette Lepore, Dolce & Gabbana, Betsey Johnson, and more. I even found a fake Louis Vuitton handbag.
Health and beauty stores also dot the map of Fillmore. I found myself in the biggest Kiehl’s store I had ever seen or dared to imagine during my meander and also stocked up on several other beauty products along the way.
After walking up and down Fillmore Street, I headed to the Union Street shops. This decidedly different atmosphere was a perfect fit for what I was hoping to find on my trip to San Francisco. Undoubtedly more crowded and cheaper, I found myself in a number of equally adorable shops along Union Street. One shop I found particularly charming was Entrance. The shop was run by a Japanese woman, and the Japanese influence was obvious. And coming from a woman who witnessed Japanese girls climbing Mt. Fuji in stiletto boots and miniskirts, this isn’t a bad thing. In this second story, two room store, I found a plethora of cheap jewelry and original clothing. I walked out of the store with a white belt with a large skull buckle, a navy blue tee with oversized white buttons running down the front and center, and a frilly, fitted mustard yellow hooded sweatshirt designed with hearts, flowers, and - you got it - skulls. Later in the evening, I paired this new sweatshirt with a wifebeater and jeans to wear to the Giants game, and it elicited a handful of compliments from the men who attended the game with me. The one item I coveted but refused to buy was a white floral printed handbag with fantastic orange trim similar to this season’s Betsey Johnson handbag line. I fell in love with the bag, but walked away due to the sheer needlessness of another handbag on my already full shelf.
The other great find on Union Street was a multi-room store called Ambience. I had to stop myself from pulling every adorable item from the crowded shelves, because I could have very easily left the store with everything in it (had my credit card limit not prevented that). I narrowed my options down to two reasonable priced, trendy tops and a black jumper (which will perfectly compliment this season’s colorful leggings). Numerous other worthy shops dot this street, and I would recommend any girl headed for San Francisco to check it.
Certainly, there is even more to San Francisco shopping scene than I had time to explore. I’m certain the case will be the same for many of you. So, if you only have a few hours to kill, here’s my suggestion. If you are a glam girl with money to spend and you don’t often make it to big cities, head to Union Square. It has all the typical tried and true city fare, and who can ever get sick of Gucci? A step down from these couture shops, but still hip and pricy are the Fillmore Street shops. I felt this was a worthy shopping experience, but after the eight or ninth high priced shop, the clothes all began to look the same. The thrift stores are fun for those willing and ready to peruse for a bargain. Just five blocks from Fillmore (down the steepest hill I have ever walked in my life discluding the Rocky Mountains) is Union Street which is sure to satisfy the hearts and budgets of most visiting shoppers. No matter your budget, San Francisco has something for us all.
On the other hand, I came to San Francisco wanting to explore more than what I could find in every major shopping district in the world and so I found myself exploring two other more out of the way shopping areas.
The first district I perused was the Fillmore Street shops on, well, Fillmore Street. This street certainly has a lot to offer the upscale shopper. Dozens of trendy boutiques line the road and, with the exception of Betsey Johnson, all are fairly exclusive to the area. Besides a pair of Betsey Johnson shoes marked half-off, I merely found myself browsing the racks of admittedly adorable but high priced items. Interspersed between these kittish shops are several thrift and consignment shops which, I have to admit, impressed me. I didn’t find much to my liking, but I would recommend these stores to any girl on a budget or who maybe just loves a bargain. In particular, Crossroads Trading Company had a selection of brands no fashionista goes without including Nanette Lepore, Dolce & Gabbana, Betsey Johnson, and more. I even found a fake Louis Vuitton handbag.
Health and beauty stores also dot the map of Fillmore. I found myself in the biggest Kiehl’s store I had ever seen or dared to imagine during my meander and also stocked up on several other beauty products along the way.
After walking up and down Fillmore Street, I headed to the Union Street shops. This decidedly different atmosphere was a perfect fit for what I was hoping to find on my trip to San Francisco. Undoubtedly more crowded and cheaper, I found myself in a number of equally adorable shops along Union Street. One shop I found particularly charming was Entrance. The shop was run by a Japanese woman, and the Japanese influence was obvious. And coming from a woman who witnessed Japanese girls climbing Mt. Fuji in stiletto boots and miniskirts, this isn’t a bad thing. In this second story, two room store, I found a plethora of cheap jewelry and original clothing. I walked out of the store with a white belt with a large skull buckle, a navy blue tee with oversized white buttons running down the front and center, and a frilly, fitted mustard yellow hooded sweatshirt designed with hearts, flowers, and - you got it - skulls. Later in the evening, I paired this new sweatshirt with a wifebeater and jeans to wear to the Giants game, and it elicited a handful of compliments from the men who attended the game with me. The one item I coveted but refused to buy was a white floral printed handbag with fantastic orange trim similar to this season’s Betsey Johnson handbag line. I fell in love with the bag, but walked away due to the sheer needlessness of another handbag on my already full shelf.
The other great find on Union Street was a multi-room store called Ambience. I had to stop myself from pulling every adorable item from the crowded shelves, because I could have very easily left the store with everything in it (had my credit card limit not prevented that). I narrowed my options down to two reasonable priced, trendy tops and a black jumper (which will perfectly compliment this season’s colorful leggings). Numerous other worthy shops dot this street, and I would recommend any girl headed for San Francisco to check it.
Certainly, there is even more to San Francisco shopping scene than I had time to explore. I’m certain the case will be the same for many of you. So, if you only have a few hours to kill, here’s my suggestion. If you are a glam girl with money to spend and you don’t often make it to big cities, head to Union Square. It has all the typical tried and true city fare, and who can ever get sick of Gucci? A step down from these couture shops, but still hip and pricy are the Fillmore Street shops. I felt this was a worthy shopping experience, but after the eight or ninth high priced shop, the clothes all began to look the same. The thrift stores are fun for those willing and ready to peruse for a bargain. Just five blocks from Fillmore (down the steepest hill I have ever walked in my life discluding the Rocky Mountains) is Union Street which is sure to satisfy the hearts and budgets of most visiting shoppers. No matter your budget, San Francisco has something for us all.
posted by Lindsay @ 4:26 PM
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