San Francisco
Welcome to San Francisco, where singular style is celebrated, where people applaud you for doing what your parents always told you not to do. The city is tiny in comparison to New York or Los Angeles, yet style-wise, it's as influential as either of those. Why? Because people here love aesthetics. That's why they came in the first place--for the sheer beauty of the landscape, where precipitous hills meet blue ocean, where Victorian and modernist architecture collide. This blend of old and new translates to personal style as well. San Franciscans are the first to embrace new ideas in fashion, but they refuse to give up the tried and true in lieu of trends.
Here, classics like cashmere cardigans and vintage Adidas never disappeared from the streets, even as they came into fashion and went out and came in again. Luxury is appreciated; Marc Jacobs, Gucci, and YSL are readily available--and easily afforded--but San Franciscans tend to mix and match, opting to create looks that are entirely their own. Sure, the city has its malls and chain stores, but they're generally avoided--left to the tourists. Instead, locals shop in neighborhoods, where boutiques and small shops stock the very best in fashion and home design and where a great latte or glass of wine are just steps away.
New York
Los Angeles
San Francisco
. .Hayes Valley
...North Beach
. .The Mission
. .Pacific Heights
. .Sacramento Street
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Art and commerce blend beautifully in Hayes Valley, possibly the city's best shopping district. Centered on and around Hayes Street, between Franklin west to Laguna, the diminutive neighborhood is crammed with art galleries, boutiques, wine bars, and design studios.
Go to Hayes Valley
North Beach
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>Go to North Beach
The Mission
Those in search of funk should hightail it to the Mission District, known in San Francisco simply as "The Mission." Parallel streets Valencia and Mission, from 16th Street all the way south to 24th are dotted with offbeat boutiques and shops geared toward those who eschew the conventional and embrace the singular.
>Go to Mission
Pacific Heights
It's hard to walk down Fillmore Street and not feel pampered--provided you're in the right section of Fillmore, roughly between California Street north to Jackson.
>Go to Pacific Heights
Sacramento Street
Seeking refinement? Wind your way west on Sacramento Street, from Broderick to Spruce. This quiet residential neighborhood, on the cusp between Pacific Heights and Presidio Heights, is a home decorator's wonderland.
>Go to Sacramento Street
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