culture@sfbg.com

STREET SEEN [Caitlin Donohue: Although I originally contacted former Stanford University football offensive guard and current Apple employee Ish "Mr. Marina 2013" Simpson for help in writing a style guide to the Marina, he wrote me back a rundown so evocative that I hated to paraphrase his words. And so this week, I've given my style column over to him. Check out sfbg.com for my recap of the glorious March night he was crowned king of SF's preppiest neighborhood, and don't forget, you can add flair with a belt.]Read more »

caitlin@sfbg.com

STREET SEEN What's in a lookbook? When you're a styling collective that works with one-of-a-kind vintage items, the question is somewhat challenging. Only one person can buy each outfit in Retrofit Republic's newest "Tastemakers" style book, after all.Read more »

caitlin@sfbg.com

STREET SEEN The fact that that our conversation is taking place to beat of Carly Rae Jepsen's 2012 seminal classic "Call Me Maybe" leads me to believe that T-We Tea owner Christopher Coccagna is being real when he says he'll be holding 12:30pm dance parties for the FiDi lunch set in the darling tea shop he just opened in the neighborhood.

It also leads me to believe that Crocker Galleria may be downtown's most fun mall — or at least, that it's on the way.Read more »

STREET SEEN As the author of a style column, I spend time trawling the city for innovative new local designers. Clothes that are made here, cute ones. Let me hear about them, I'll put it in print, swear down.

But there's not... that much of them. Speaking historically, of course. In the heyday of garment manufacturing, San Francisco churned out mountains of readywear — more than any other city in the country besides New York and Los Angeles.Read more »

caitlin@sfbg.com

STREET SEEN You are welcome to spend Valentine's Day as I will this year: corralled onto a dark dancefloor with 200 similar atheists in the face of the love goddess. But as many of you will be happily celebrating with partners (hiss!), I've assembled this four-pack of completely locally-made Valentine's Day gifts. You're welcome (pfft.)Read more »

caitlin@sfbg.com

STREET SEEN While larger clothing companies are free to define their brand through glossy print campaigns and billboards staring out impassively over downtown shoppers, the little guys look elsewhere to establish identity.Read more »

caitlin@sfbg.com

STREET SEEN First, I saw the socks. Half sheer, half solid, the pair's blue rose design made me flash on stained glass cathedral. Like a sock-crazed zombie, I turned on my heels and entered the most unassuming, unmarked shop on Hayes Valley's row of quirky boutiques and designer collections.Read more »

culture@sfbg.com

SHOPPING Dearest Christian and Christian-adjacent reader: it's too late for the Internet. Unless you want to shell out Santa-sized bucks for overnight delivery, you're gonna have to fill those loved-ones' stocking IRL, with a good ol' fashioned brick-and-mortar dash through the metaphorical snow.Read more »