San Francisco doesn't get enough credit as a fashionable city in the US. Though New York City and Los Angeles undoubtedly have it beat in terms of luxury, people in the Bay Area still know how to dress to impress. Part of that is how the city embraces vintage fashion; fearless in their embrace and play on past trends, aesthetics, and more. You'll see many of SanFran's fabulous in-crowd shopping in the likes of Relic Vintage, The Wardrobe Project, Missing Audrey Vintage, and more. Naturally, it helps that many of these are thrift stores that sell quality pieces at low prices in an infamously expensive city.
Chameleon Vintage
Let's start with the most unique one on this list: Chameleon Vintage. Located in
Japantown, this vintage store specializes in vintage Japanese fashion. Around 50% of their stock even comes from Japan, while fashionable Bay Area locals donate the rest. So to say that Chameleon Vintage sells unique vintage pieces is an understatement. You truly won't find many of the items they sell here anywhere else, whether in San Francisco or beyond. Hence, any vintage lover worth their salt should check this place out!
Address: 1605 Haight St, San Francisco, CA 94117, United States
Decades of Fashion
Decades of Fashion is practically an institution of vintage fashion, as it is a secondhand clothing store. This store at the heart of
Haight-Ashbury takes pride in its extensive collection of a century of fashion; a treasure trove of different styles from the 1890s to the 1980s. Be it couture or ready-to-wear, Decades of Fashion has all the style staples that defined the fashions of each decade from the 20th century. It's no wonder many shop here for costumes for period shows, themed parties, and the like.
Address: 1653 Haight St, San Francisco, CA 94117, United States
Empress Vintage Studio SF
You'll find familiar names like Miu Miu, Issey Miyake, Christian Lacroix, Versace, and Yves Saint Laurent in Empress Vintage Studio SF, the chic vintage store on Harrison Street. And the best part? They're sold at only a fraction of the usual costs for these designer brands. Granted, these are vintage, secondhand pieces that many would argue are no longer in vogue, but that's only a matter of opinion. What is a fact, however, is that Empress Vintage Studio SF sells pristine vintage clothes that will elevate any style regardless of the current trends.
Address: 1962 Harrison St, San Francisco, CA 94103, United States
Missing Audrey Vintage
Head to Stockton Street in
North Beach to get to Missing Audrey Vintage, one of the more unique shops on this list. While most of San Francisco's vintage stores heavily focus on women's clothing and secondhand casual-wear, this women-owned spot gives as much attention to vintage menswear and women's purses. Vintage womenswear still reigns supreme here, especially the cutest pieces from the 1960s to the 1990s, but it's good to have a store where men can still get some awesome finds too!
Address: 1767 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94133, United States
No Shop
If you're wondering how dedicated No Shop is to selling vintage, you'd be happy to know that they also sell old records, tapes, CDs, and the like, too. This small but might hotspot in the
Mission District is more about selling the vintage lifestyle than just secondhand clothes, making it a go-to for hipsters, bohemians, and just about anyone who prefers the old to the new. It also helps that No Shop focuses more on vintage basics and outerwear, from graphic tees to denim jackets. You'll instantly look cooler than a fashion influencer after one shopping spree here!
Address: E & M Market - 389 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94103, United States
Relic Vintage
Relic Vintage is another institution of a vintage shop in the Bay Area, beloved by locals and tourists alike. For one thing, it's located in Haight-Ashbury, the famous
San Francisco neighborhood known for its vintage stores. Most of those who go here are already looking for vintage fashion, which the shop is ready and pleased to accommodate. Especially since the store's extensive selection includes a wide range of oldies but goodies, specifically fashions from the 1920s to the 1960s. Whether it's a smart suit from the 30s or a cute mini from the 60s, there's no end to what you'll find in Relic Vintage!
Address: 1475 Haight St, San Francisco, CA 94117, United States
ReLove
ReLove definitely has an appropriate title because the vintage pieces they sell here deserve to be loved again and again. But in truth, the store got its name from how it operates its business—providing the perfect platform for reselling quality secondhand clothes. Not only is it smart to do so in a city known for its love for anything and everything vintage, but it's also a way to be sustainable at a time when fashion is at its most wasteful. What more could you ask for?
Address:
The Wardrobe Project
The Wardrobe Project is for the cool kids who don't mind mixing in the old and new in their awesome styles. More than just a typical secondhand clothing store, this shop goes above and beyond in crafting and curating the coolest wardrobe. As such, The Wardrobe Project partners with local vendors and small businesses to get only the best vintage pieces possible. Some of them even provide their own handicrafts and well-made jewelry for a more unique selection.
Address: 1815 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109, United States
Valencia Street Vintage
Once you shop at Valencia Street Vintage, you won't want to shop anywhere else! Why? Because the prices here are insane! Despite selling secondhand clothes, vintage stores tend to have high prices for their rare pieces. Valencia Street Vintage, however, is distinctly not that! This store even sells decades-old outerwear for as low as $15.00 each! You won't find such awesome deals anywhere else, even in the other shops on this list. And don't let the small store fool you! The space is filled to the brim with the best vintage fashions on Valencia Street!
Address: 714 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110, United States
Vacation
Diversity is the name of the game in Vacation, another awesome vintage store in San Francisco. While other shops on this list also sell different kinds of vintage pieces, this North Beach hotspot takes it up a notch! Where else would you find a place that would sell both a pristine Halston gown from the 1970s and a cute band tee from the 2000s at the same time? It's not just that they boast pieces from different decades and such, but they also offer different categories, styles, and more. What's not to love?
Address: 1499 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133, United States
Vintage fashion reigns supreme in San Francisco, the birthplace of countless counterculture movements. The city even boasts entire districts known for their vintage shops, offering classic and secondhand pieces in pristine condition.
