Dropping a lot of cash on a glitzy holiday dress is much more painful when you spy someone else at the party in the same outfit. One surefire way to avoid those wince-inducing moments is by picking up something at one of the Bay Area’s top vintage and consignment stores. We scoured the town to find boutiques that make buying something secondhand feel special: each of these shops has a great collection of party-perfect clothes in fabulous condition.
Ver Unica
Quite simply, this is the best of the best. The prices, though high, reflect the years that owners Cindy Spade and Willow O’Brien have spent searching tirelessly for their own impeccably edited, mint-condition selection. You can walk out with an ’80s-style leather pencil skirt for under $100, or you can drop $1,500 on an authentic 1920s floral silk chiffon dress. Cocktail-worthy LBDs abound here—a saucy black Geoffrey Beene number tempted on a recent visit, along with a more demure 1960s lace frock. 437B Hayes St., S.F., 415-431-0688
Mixed Use
For a holiday party with the potential to end up feeling more like a night at Studio 54, this North Beach multipurpose shop is your best bet. Mixed Use carries not only sexy ’70s and ’80s pieces—recent finds include a slinky Sonia Rykiel sweater dress and a couple of sparkly Pierre Cardin sweaters—but also such ladylike treasures as gilded Bottega Veneta flats and cropped jackets with mink collars. And downstairs, in the home decor section, you can pick up a set of vintage tumblers or ceramics to present to a particularly groovy host.
463 Union St., S.F., 415-956-1909
Bella Vita and Recaptured
Side-by-side stores on Rockridge’s College Avenue make shopping a snap for vintage-minded East Bay partygoers. The gorgeous brocades and nipped-in waistlines at Bella Vita have a Donna–Reed–gone-high-fashion vibe. And at Recapture (in the space formerly occupied by Soirée), Robin Densten focuses on reclaimed and reworked bridal gowns and accessories (with bits of exquisite vintage lace and fabric). She also has a selection of lace party dresses, from basic black Victorian to retro 1950s promlike hues.
Bella Vita: 5407 College Ave., Oakland, 510-653-1639; Recapture: 5405 College Ave., Oakland, 510-530-5828
Cris
A drastic departure from the typical secondhand store that displays its wares on tightly packed racks, this refreshing boutique-style consigner, with its color-coded, pared-down presentation, does justice to its strictly designer duds. You’ll draw inspiration from owner Cris Zander’s signature spare window displays before moving inside, where you might find a floor-length Chanel white satin dress with a black lace jacket. Finish off the ensemble with satin-and-rhinestone Manolo Blahnik slingbacks and a dramatic piece from the store’s jewelry selection. Only the prices remind customers that they’re shopping consignment.
2056 Polk St., S.F., 415-474-1191
La Rosa
For parties with a Gatsbyesque air, a retro getup from La Rosa is just the ticket. Slide on a pair of elbow-length gloves or model a 1920s-style cloche, and you’ll instantly feel like an Old Hollywood star. A butterfly-print dress covered in layers of netting (get it?) stood out on a recent visit, as did piles of men’s deco-era shoes in excellent condition—and the collection of men’s suits is also impressive. Though many of the store’s pieces show a few signs of wear, it’s nothing the dim lighting of a slightly louche cocktail gathering won’t cover up.
1711 Haight St., S.F., 415-668-3744