Alternative Fashion Week -- Spitalfields

Felicity's Fetiché / Foot Worship - Polk Gultch

The funny window displays and fantastic sign make Felicity's worth mentioning.

This stripper supply store is well stocked with fishnets, stage costumes, plus plenty of naughty nurse and French maid costumes for those who are not in the trade. Upstairs Foot Fetish is well stocked in lucite shoes sized for girls and trannies.

1214 Sutter St
San Francisco,
CA 94109-5517
415.474.7874

Prada -- Soho

Prada often gets a bad rap. A favorite of label whores and counterfeiters alike, the streamlined, subdued nylon bag favored by these two groups is what many people envision when they hear the word Prada. True, some low-end bags still have that silhouette, but Mucia is so much more than that.

The New York flagship store in Soho showcases all that Prada has to offer. Much of the floorspace showcases architectural elements, not fashion, but as with all forms of art, isn't fashion also about context and setting?

575 Broadway
New York, NY 10012
212.334.8888

Buffalo Exchange - Haight Ashbury

When it comes to recycled fashion, Buffalo Exchange is one of the best. I would go so far as to say it is the best second hand shop on the Haight for everyday wear. It's not full of cheaply made new clothes like Crossroads, or costumey like Wasteland, yet the selection is better honed, and of better quality than the Goodwill on Haight. In addition to a full range of clothes for all sexes, it has a good selection of shoes, bags, belts and other accessories.

1555 Haight Street
San Francisco, CA 94117
415.431.7733

American Rag - Civic Center

Interesting small labels share the racks with big, yet still stylish labels like Comme des Garçons, Pucci, and Marc by Marc Jacobs. The front of the shop showcases new clothes, surprisingly divided nearly evenly between men's and women's fashions. The back is filled with vintage, clearly picked with the swing set in mind.

The selection changes often, so the Moscow rule of shopping is well-advised here. American Rag always has a nice selection of denim, including those übertrendy styles that may not look good on every figure, but, I'm sure, have an audience. Shoes are fashionable, yet walkable, from dressy flats to Pumas and Vans. My favorite section of the store is the jewelry, much of it made by local designers.

1305 Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94109
415.474.4553

General Woodwork -- Stoke Newington

Since I've been in a DIY frenzy lately, I had to mention General Woodwork Supply on Stoke Newington High Street. They carry everything an urban do-it-yourselfer could need and offer a valuable service: custom cuts. Bring in your pieces of wood that need to be cut to fit around those strangely shaped Victorian plumbing fixtures, and they'll cut them for you.

76-80 Stoke Newington High Street
London, N16
020 7254 6052

Fad or Trend?

What is the difference between a fad and a trend?

In fashion, the word "fad" seems to hold negative connotations, while "trend" is up-to-the-minute good. Vogue publishes "trend reports," not "fad reports."

Literally, a trend is meant to be the beginning of a cycle, or movement, as in "the downward trend in real estate prices is escalating," or "the trend in eco-friendly appliances has carried over to electricity providers." Linguistically speaking, the word "trendy" is often used wrongly. In most instances "faddish" should be used instead. Big shoulders were a fad in the 90s, fancy jogging suits in the 00s.

What's the fad of 2007? Uggs are not considered trendy anymore, but they're still around, so perhaps they were actually trendy, not faddish. The same applies to Crocs. I have to admit to owning a pair of those. They're so ugly they're cute, and anyone who's tried them on has to admit that walking in Crocs feels like walking on marshmallows. I have to draw the line at wearing them with dresses, though. That's just wrong.

Can something be trendy, even if it was naff the year before? Vera Bradly bags come to mind here.

I've got it! The new trend is to dress like a granny. My shopping trolley should be right in style soon. More on that later.

Samsonite Black Label - The City, Sloan Square, Oxford Street

If Webstats are to be believed, Samsonite Black Label is more popular in the UK than the US, perhaps because of the collection designed by Alexander McQueen? It's certainly more expensive. Shoppers who want to buy this designer line of the tried and true workhorse of travel have several options in London. The boutique on Sloane is modern and minimalist, while the boutique in The City is a bit more traditional. The basement of Selfridges also has a nice collection of Black Label in stock.

The displays at Selfridges are, as usual, true to brand, adopting the decorating schemes of many Black Label boutiques.

8 Sloane St
London, SW1X 9LE
020 7245 8261

7 Royal Exchange
London , EC3V 3LL
020 7929 3944

Hamleys -- Regent Street

Hamleys is one of those magical toy stores that can drive even the most well-behaved children into a frenzy of greed, while causing adults to wax nostalgically for the nonexistent "good old days" of childhood. There are no new-agey ideas that boys and girls should play with the same toys here. The fifth floor, labeled "Boys Toys" is chockablock with toy weapons and action figures. The third floor, "Girls" is a pink riot of baby dolls, Barbies and arts and crafts sets. Computer games and Lego are wisely placed in the basement, along with science toys. Perhaps as a nod to the adults buying things for themselves, train sets dominate the floor called "Hobbies."


The non-PC Golly seems to be banished from the shelves but it still seems to be OK to sell prostitute dolls to little girls.



Is it my imagination, or does Superman have breasts?

188 - 196 Regent Street
LONDON, W1B 5BT
0870 333 2455

I'm a Top Shop Girl -- Oxford Circus

I knew that if I waited long enough, Bea Arthur's fashion sensibility would eventually come into vogue.

Top Shop has always been one of my favorite High Street chains, so I was not surprised to see the shop stocked with items that seem to recognise Bea's, until now, ignored role as a fashion icon. Strangely, these clothes still manage to be trendy. Acrylic fruit on chains and flowing dresses in Mod prints hearken back to the Maude era, while slouchy boots and jersey caftans remind us of Dorothy, in The Golden Girls.





216 Oxford Street
London , W1D 1LA
020 7636 7700

Caravan -- Spitalfields

I suppose this place is called Caravan because it is filled with all sorts of lovely trinkets that an especially stylish travelling gypsy might collect, homey with a touch of magpie and a hint of bordello. The price range is broad, but everything seems to be carefully chosen. Plastic, larger than life, ravens share shelf space with hand blown light fixtures and silver ceramic cookie jars. I hate the overused word "eclectic," but in this case it truly fits.

11 Lamb Street
Spitalfields, London
020 7247

Gift With Purchase

In the US, gifts with purchase are usually limited to the makeup counter and fast food outlets. They're certainly important in those markets. I don't know a single woman who hasn't, at some time bought a lipstick, on an unguent because it came with a free set of makeup, purse, umbrella, perfume..... I'm sure that every child in America knows what a Happy Meal is, unless she has never seen television, nor been allowed to mix with other children. Where would McDonald's be without them? It's a pity that most US manufacturer premiums seem to be limited to cheap disposables or those bought from vintage tchotcke vendors on eBay.

In the UK, it's all about the gift with purchase, with everything. Every weekend, the Newsagents are chock full of free premiums offered by publishers. This Saturday alone, the London Times was giving away a free DVD of The Killing Fields with purchase of the newspaper, The Independent was giving away one of a series of banned books, Time Out London's Literary supplement was giving away a free book too. Glamour was giving away a free umbrella with the purchase of this month's magazine.

It's not limited to publishing. Branded premiums are available every day in grocery stores. PG Tips is currently giving away a free toy monkey in specially marked boxes of tea. It ties in with a new ad campaign, which pays homage to their old "monkeys' tea party" ads. They seem to be flying off the shelves. I've noticed some are up on eBay already.

This Web site gets about 100 hits a day, so I know there are readers out there. I'd love to hear from you. Have you ever bought something because there's a free gift with purchase? What was it? Am I one of the few swayed by these type of marketing ploys?

SFMOMA Store - San Francisco Airport

With the additions of the SFMOMA store and Sephora, shopping is improving considerably at the San Francisco Airport. The restaurants are improving too, but that's another blog.

The SFMOMA store has lots of cute toys, books and decorator items. It's a good place to spend your last US dollars or to buy last-minute gifts for arty people back home. Most of the things are designer-inspired & certainly beat a key chain or t-shirt grabbed on the way the the gate.

Spitalfields Market - Spitalfields

It seems that much literature mentioning Spitalfields focuses on poverty and deprivation. Children of the Ghetto,
Jack London's melodramatic The People of the Abyss and then there's The Satanic Verses. True, it has been the site of large cemeteries, starting with the Romans. True, the name came from some illiterate pronunciation of hospital. However, now the area has become so gentrified that it is no longer a haven for the poor, the disenfranchised and the artists. They've all moved to Hackney.

There is one place, though, where artists abound: Spitalfields market. Open every day except Saturday, it's the place to buy and sell handcrafted clothes, bags and bric-a-brac, as well as vintage housewares, books, records and general truclaments. Usually the artists, themselves are selling their wares so if you need another size or want something in a different colour, they are often willing to accommodate you. Last time I was at the market, I bought a necklace that was a bit to long for me, so the designer sized it on the spot.

Old Spitalfields Market
105a Commercial Streeet
Spitalfields, London E1 6BG

Monster Dolls are Absolutely Fabulous at Habitat -- Kensington

Adena was wrong, babies and Lacroix sometimes do go together. These dolls designed for Habitat are sold as toys for children, but this little monster would like one for herself. Like everything else at Habitat, they are quite expensive. That's all relative, though. Could you get anything else by Lacroix for £35?

26-40 Kensington High St
London, W8 4PF
020 7795 6055

Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market -- Embarcadero

I love the Ferry Plaza Farmers' market. True, it does attract a bunch of tourists, pretentious "foodies" and yuppie gourmet wannabees, but who cares? Of course they're going to go where many chefs in the city pick up their produce.

The truth is, though, vendors are required to use sustainable farming methods, follow standards of animal treatment, pay their employees decent wages, and, of course, farm in an ecologically responsible manner. It's not all about what you put in your mouth. Then again, it is all about what you put in your mouth. Shoppers can buy something delicious, without the harmful chemicals, in a picturesque setting and still be socially responsible. If the prices are a bit decadent, at least shopping here is socially responsible decadence.

Buying eggs laid by happy chickens, beaks intact makes me almost able to stomach people like the woman I saw a month ago, prancing along with a large wicker basket, as if she was frolicking through the fields, gathering daisies in a Swiss meadow.




Ferry Building
Embarcadero
At the base of Market Street
San Francisco

Off the Rack Bridal at BHS -- Oxford Street

When my sister was preparing for her wedding, I went bridal gown shopping with her. We hit several fancy wedding boutiques in San Francisco. At these boutiques, the bride-to-be, dressed in the appropriate bridal underpinnings, stood on a platform in a vast changing room while an attendant fetched and carried gowns and accessories, and helped my sister try them on. Mum and I sat in the chairs provided for the bridal party and other hangers-on, and watched our own private fashion show, mouths agape at the prices, which ran into the tens of thousands. I can see how anyone who ever had young-girl fantasies of being a princess could be sucked in to the faux couture of a beautifully made wedding gown, shown in a beautiful setting.

My fiscally responsible sis did not buy a gown at one of these boutiques. She ended up finding a very pretty dress in some off-price place in Santa Ana or Long Beach. It wasn't fru fru, layer cake, or overly shiny. She was a beautiful bride in a simple age-appropriate design that did not look bargain-basement.

Ten years later, on the way to indulging in one of my favorite breakfasts at British Home Stores, I walked past the bridal section. There was nothing like this in America when my sister was looking for a dress, rows and rows of bridal off the rack, including gowns, bridesmaids dresses, tiaras, the lot. I can't say they were nice, but they looked a lot better than the prom dresses at Sears. A bride-to-be on a budget can buy a whole ensemble, a dress, a veil and shoes for £200, now that's chavtastic.

252-258 Oxford Street
London , W1C 1DL
020.7629.2011

ApparelAmerican Apparel -- Haight Ashbury, NOHO & Lower East Side, Notting Hill

I don't know what appeals to me most about American Apparel, it's sweatshop-free policy, the quality and fit of the clothes, or its slightly salacious ad campaign, including the ads in Butt Magazine. They bring to mind the short-lived campaign by Calvin Klein years ago with Miss Moss saying "It's torture."

The long sleeved, long v necks are a staple to my wardrobe. I don't wear them the way the models wear them, as dresses. For me, they make nice long, slimfit shirts.


1615 Haight St.
San Francisco, CA 94117
415.431.4028

712 Broadway
New York, NY 10003
646.383.2257

183 E. Houston St.
New York, NY 10002
212.598.4600

Costco -- SOMA

Unlike the experience at most warehouse stores, shopping at Costo can be shopping for pleasure, if you can find a way to avoid the crowds. Amongst the usual fare of over sized packages of toilet paper, pork loin, and tires, treasures lurk: Veuve Clicqot by the caseload, iPod Nanos, the occasional nice piece of jewelry and a few heavily branded purses.

450 10th St
San Francisco, CA 94103
415.626.4388

Teenage Row - Tanforan Mall

It is sheer genius to put the teenage stores together at Tanforan Mall. Of course, one could argue that the whole mall is teenage haven, but some shops, such as Hot Topic, Pacific Sun, Zumiez & Shoe Palace are especially alluring to teens and the mutton dressed as lamb brave enough to shop there without a young person in tow.

Tanforan Mall
San Bruno, CA 94066
650.553.5100

Picketers at Bristol Farms -- San Francisco Centre

The picketers are still at San Francisco Center, protesting Bristol Farms' no union policy. It doesn't seem to be deterring shoppers, though. Bristol Farms seemed as busy as ever. Why do people cross picket lines? Is it concious opposition to unions? apathy? the feeling that one small purchase won't make a difference? Do tell.

845 Market St - Suite 010
San Francisco, CA 94103
Westfield San Francisco Centre
Bart Level
415.979.0106

Nan Kempner at the MET - Upper East Side

A Women who said she wanted to be buried naked so she could shop in Heaven certainly deserves to be mentioned as a patron of shopping. I wonder if this was a serious request, or just something said in jest? I suspect the latter, but that doesn't diminish her love of fashion, or of clothes.

The Costume Institute's exhibit, showcasing Ms. Kempner's extensive wardrobe in the basement of the MET, is a testament to what can be done with a credit card. It is said that she did not rotate her clothes out for the seasons, but liked to keep her gowns, riding habits and resort wear handy, along with the appropriate suits the lady who lunches needs. All I can say is she must have devoted quite a bit of prime Manhattan real estate to closet space. If you appreciate vintage designer wear and costume jewelry from the 70s and 80s, the exhibit is a must-see.

Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth Avenue
Fifth Ave at 82nd Street
New York, NY 10028-0198
212.535.7710

Macys - Union Square

I love the fact that the tree at Union Square is still up. The juxtaposition of the Christmas tree and the palm tree make a nice California contrast to the East Coast flagship. In fact, compared to the San Francisco Macy's, the 34th street store looks like a hot mess.

Union Square
San Francisco, CA 94102

The Five and Dime - Laurel Village

The Standard 5¢ & 10¢ is one of my favorite stores and one of the last of its kind in the city. Of course nothing costs a nickel or a dime, but shoppers can find almost anything, including cooking supplies, craft supplies, garage sale labels, toys, cards, stationary, school supplies and those strange hardware items needed for Victorian houses that are impossible to find at big box stores like Home Depot. There's a sign on the door saying "Be a local, shop local." I hope people do.

Laurel Village Shopping Center
3545 California Street

No Photos Allowed - Santa Rosa Plaza

I was panhandled at the Santa Rosa Plaza this weekend. Living close to the Haight, I'm used to being panhandled, but I was taken completely by surprise when it happened in such a suburban setting. This was no street urchin. The girl who asked me for money looked like a typical suburban teenager, with converse shoes, Levis, a hoodie & salon highlights. She looked clean and well-fed. I though she was asking for change for a dollar, so when she said "I just need to buy a hamburger," I was completely taken aback. What's that about? Have parents stopped teaching their children that it's rude to ask strangers for money?

This mall seems to attract a disproportionate amount of teenagers. Is it the only place for kids to go in Santa Rosa? The stores could certainly be a draw to this audience. The stores are pretty typical mid-level retail with a high emphasis on teenwear: Forever 21, Hot Topic, Torrid, Gap, Express, and a few blah staples: Bath & Bodyworks, Victoria's Secret and Lane Bryant. The anchor stores are a bit grotty: an old, unrefurbished Sears, a low-end Macy's and an OK Mervyns.

Mall security is fairly vigilant. I was told not to take any pictures for "copyright reasons." What's behind that weird rule? How does taking pictures of mall stores violate copyright? It's not like sneaking photos at a fashion show in Milan to copy in a back street sweatshop.

1071 Santa Rosa Plaza
Santa Rosa, CA 95401

Bloomingdales - Soho

Bloomingdales, Soho is the chic, skinny sister of the flagship on 59th. It has all the elements of the original, the checkerboard floors, the pink beauty bar, the diverse range of designer lables. The Soho Bloomies is streamlined, though, edited to reflect the neighborhood it's in.

504 Broadway
New York, NY 10012
212.729.5900

Bolex Anyone? -- Chinatown

If you've been wondering where the vendors of fake Rolexes disappeared to, They're alive & well, hawking their wares out of briefcases at Canal & Broadway. I am NOT advocating buying the wares of these shifty-looking characters, just making an observation.

Canal & Broadway
New York, NY

Arthur Avenue Retail Market - Arthur Avenue

rolling cigars
Italian delicacies

If you crave authenticity in a world of Pottery Barns and mall pastiche, go to Arthur avenue in the Bronx. One of the great gems is the Arthur Avenue Retail Market. Fresh cheese, fresh bread, fresh veg, fresh meat (including rabbit) and fresh cigars can be bought at a good price. Apparently, Mayor LaGuardia opened the retail market in the 40's to get the pushcart vendors of the street, out of the elements. It's still going strong.

2344 Arthur Ave
New York, NY

Orchard Street Corset Center - Lower East Side

It's easy for those with small perky breasts to buy cute bras. From Victoria's Secret to JCPenneys, to La Perla, every mall and high street is brimming with them. Likewise for buxom gals built like prison matrons, with big proletarian backs and large motherly bosoms. They can find the appropriate Cross Your Hearts at any Mervyns, KMart or JCPenneys. But what about those of us who have normal size backs but larger-than-usual fronts? Even Nordstrom doesn't special order anymore.

Orchard Street Corset Center to the rescue. It's one of two places I can find bras in my size, the other being M&S. This old fashioned merchant is not for those who like slick merchandising and a leisurely browse to see what styles are in. The bras are hidden in boxes, in shelves lining the walls. The fitting room is a curtain, strung up across the stock room. All is overseen by Ralph, the king of customer service, and his wife the chief fitter.

When customers walk into his shop, Ralph sizes them up and tells them if they are wearing the wrong size brassier. One one shopping trip, I dragged my modest sister-in-law, Angel, in. As she was mumbling her size, Ralph stopped her and said. "No, this is the size you are." She tried to disagree but he countered with an authoritarian "I see everything," held a suitable size up and called for his wife to sweep Angel off to try on the proper bra. He was right. While she has not ventured back to the shop, Angel does admit that the bra she bought that day is the most comfortable one she owns.

One thing I should mention: The owners are Hasidic, so the shop is closed on Saturdays.

157 Orchard St., Between Stanton Street and Rivington Street
New York, NY 10002-2214
212.674.0786

Kate's Paperie - Soho

The Christmas decorations at Kate's Paperie in Soho, are simple, yet quite beautiful and appropriate this year: a large paper snowflake covering the whole ceiling.

561 Broadway
New York, NY 10012
212.941.9816

Purdy Girl - Soho

Purdy Girl is a cute boutique that feels like the really large closet of a stylish friend, a few well-picked vintage clothes, a nice collection of mid-ranged clothes from small designers, a few small brands and some lovely costume jewelry made by local artists.