San Francisco is home to the most beautiful bay views, gorgeous Victorian houses, architectural details, gastronomic treasures, ecceletic inhabitants, and a cosmopolitan lifestyle. However, in the realm of fashion, it leaves much to be desired. In this nearly perfect city, expect to see Gap chinos, sloppy jeans, North Face fleeced, flip-flops, and puffy vests galore.
Don’t get me wrong; inhabitants of this city are indeed well traveled, cultured, and sophisticated. Perhaps San Franciscans are merely saving stylish clothes for trips to NY, Paris, Tokyo, and London? Because they are surely not showcased around this town.
In San Francisco, we do not prioritize fashion or place importance on outward appearances. Even the wealthiest areas of the city “play it safe” with fashion by resisting ostentatious, flashy dressing. Our city is unassuming. This functions both as a blessing and a curse. San Franciscans are very eco-oriented, liberal-minded, modest, open, warm, and engaging. They forgive (or rarely take notice of) all fashion mistakes. While sincere and liberating at times, it can be horrifying to arrive at an upscale restaurant only to sit next to a patron adorned by sweatshirt and jeans.
The most important rule in dressing for SF is to remember the climate. Unfortunately, due to the proximity of the water and bay breeze, be prepared to experience a cold windy chill after 5 pm every single day of the year. Yes, this includes the summer months. Do not show up to San Francisco in seersucker, linen, or shorts – the weather will never permit you. People often associate California with warmth, beach, and the hot sun, but you must travel further south in order to experience that weather. Layering is a must in this city. Even on warmer days, the temperature will vary significantly. The sudden drop in the evening will surprise you.
Tips for packing for San Francisco:
DAY:
1. Scarves
2. Sweaters, cardigans, etc
3. Shoes you can actually walk in comfortably (get ready for some major hills)
4. Larger handbag (for schlepping everything while walking the city)
5. A jacket that you can layer over sweaters
EVENING:
1. A scarf or a wrap
2. Evening shoes
3. A dress
4. Evening coat
5. Pants and dressier top
In general, anything goes for daytime. San Francisco is hilly with uneven streets – so bring comfortable shoes for exploring the city. For evening, most San Franciscans are seen wearing jeans and a dressier top. A dress is a nicer option, but do NOT forget to bring your coat. Evenings are windy and cool. Even for 4-star restaurants, the dress code is lenient. For men, there are only a handful of restaurants that have a “sport coat necessary” to dine, so check beforehand.
What to expect from varying shopping areas:
UNION SQUARE:
- Greatest concentration of shopping choices
- Newly remodeled Westfield Mall / San Francisco Shopping Center
- Mainstream and luxury department stores – Macys, Nordstrom, Barneys
New York, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Gumps (luxury home)
- Luxury jewelry stores (Shreve, Cartier, Bvlgari)
HAYES STREET:
- Urban, casual, and contemporary clothing boutiques
- Younger, hip, indie clientele
- Hard-to-find brands and independent designers
CHESTNUT / UNION STREET:
- Independent clothing boutiques (some are very hodge-podge), as well as mainstream stores like Lululemon, Gap, Armani Exchange, BCBG, etc)
- Fine jewelry boutiques
- Bridal boutiques
FILLMORE:
- Shorter stretch of upscale clothing boutiques
- Upscale shoe boutiques
- Designer consignment stores
SACRAMENTO STREET:
- Mature, older clientele
- Antique stores and home boutiques
- Upscale clothing boutiques
THE HAIGHT:
- Vintage and Thrift stores
- Urban, street wears stores
- Specialty sneaker stores
Written By: Erin Kim
