Where did San Francisco’s style go?
It depends where you look.
This is not another essay about San Francisco's "doom loop." (San Francisco is doing fine, in my humble opinion.) Instead, I'm talking about the evident lack of forward-thinking fashion in the Bay Area. How did this happen? What is the consensus? And where do we go from here? This is less about answering a question and more about questioning.
During one of my last visits to San Francisco, I was having lunch with my mom at Presidio Kebab. Next to us were two women. One was wearing a Sandy Liang cardigan, and the other draped her Toteme scarf jacket neatly over a chair. They were wealthy, obviously. I couldn't help but eavesdrop as they chatted about their business ventures. Private chefs, birthday bashes in Napa—the works. At one point, Scarf Jacket lady lamented that her friends in New York City are infinitely more stylish. Her friend nodded her head in earnest. "I don't know how to style clothes as well as they do," she said. "They are so much more effortless!"*
I had two thoughts: 1.) All the money in the world can't buy style, and 2.) Are you serious?
San Francisco has been the butt of fashion jokes for a long time. One running joke is about the chokehold athleisure has on San Franciscans. This is best summarized in the tweet below:
Yes, Patagonia vests and Allbirds abound in San Francisco. Yes, GQ called San Francisco "sartorially-challenged" in 2011. But is it fair to paint 808 thousand residents with the same brush?
Tech Isn’t the Death Knell We Think It Is
It's common knowledge now that SF's fashion malaise coincided with the Tech Boom. As Silicon Valley rose to prominence, casual workplace culture seeped into the broader Bay Area consciousness. Hoodies, t-shirts, and jeans became the new power suit. Melissa Leventon, a San Francisco-based fashion historian, shares that this embrace of casual wear is part of California's broader sartorial legacy—one shaped by waves of economic forces. It's also likely San Francisco's temperate climate contributes to its low-key fashion approach. The proliferation of athleisure speaks to this preference for functional, no-fuss dressing. After all, what's more Californian than clothes that transition seamlessly from the office to outdoor activities?
I have a nuanced opinion on Silicon Valley's influence. On the one hand, we can't deny the immense technological advancements that have emerged. Where would we be without companies like Google revolutionizing how we access information? But, one look at the current zeitgeist reveals an increasing skepticism toward the power and ethics of Big Tech.
Yet the marriage between the tech and fashion industries may yield positive outcomes. At its core, fashion is about creative expression, identity, and functionality. We could see exciting new avenues for design when we fuse the two. Take the company Unspun, for example. This SF-based startup tailors garments to customers' measurements using a 3D knitting machine. Their approach to fashion manufacturing is data-driven and aims to reduce waste. Technology aside, their custom approach also lends consumers greater agency over what they wear.
San Francisco’s Most Stylish
I have a theory: you won't find style in San Francisco's wealthiest neighborhoods. You won't find it in the Marina. You won't find it in Pacific Heights. And you certainly won't find it in Presidio Heights.
Instead, look at San Francisco's most diverse neighborhoods. Neighborhoods like the Mission District, Castro District, Chinatown, and Sunset District. These neighborhoods have retained some semblance of culture even amid gentrification and displacement.
This points to another observation. Money alone doesn't guarantee good taste or style. A distinctive style comes down to creativity and resourcefulness more than wealth or financial means. Those with an imaginative eye are often the ones who cultivate the most iconic personal styles.
A S/O to My Favorite SF-Based Fashionistas, Designers, and Small Businesses
Now onto the fun part! Here is a smattering of my favorite fashion influences in San Francisco and the greater Bay Area:
SF-Based Designers
Evan Kinori - Minimalist, meticulous workwear.
Kamperett - Effortlessly chic bridalwear and bridal-adjacent items.
SF and Bay-Area Boutiques
Le Point - Your go-to for Sandy Liang and Ganni goods.
McMullen - Founder Sherri McMullen is a force and rightfully known as a fashion trailblazer in the Bay Area.
Reliquary - An eclectic collection of new and vintage items.
Hero Shop - One of few places you can find brands like Khaite and The Row in SF!
ReLove (also pictured above) - Beautiful and thoughtfully curated secondhand and vintage.
If you live in San Francisco, what are your thoughts? In what corners of the city do you find style? Are you also excited that Allbirds' growth is slowing? (Sorry, Allbirds.)
Thanks for reading! For additional insight into this topic, I highly recommend this Substack post by
. As I mentioned in my last post, Viv compiled excellent historical images that give readers more context.Up next, I plan to share why Strava is my favorite social media app. 😎 Stay tuned!
When I was living in the city, I definitely spotted some of the best street style in the Richmond, Sunset, and Mission! I also used to work right next to ReLove and agree that their selection is top notch. Plus the associates are so kind too.
i love this