Spotted (SF Street Style): Fancy Fine’s Ashley Ording

Ashley Ording

Ashley Ording

Ashley Ording

A fan of all things fine and fancy, as well as “ruffly, lacey, chiffon and feminine” and a long time San Francisco resident, fashion blogger Ashley Ording loves vintage, yet has an updated sense of style that you’ll spot in no time on her blog Fancy Fine. I recently met up with Ording for fashion talk and a delicious blueberry muffin in the Mission. Read on for more on Ashley’s shopping secrets, her love of karaoke bars and the best place for a burger from this self-described burger connoisseur.

How did you get inspired to start your fashion blog?

I was reading a lot of amazing style blogs, and I almost talked myself out of starting it. I thought maybe I’d be just another drop in the bucket because there are so many fashion blogs. But I was getting so much inspiration from other people, and I have this crazy, always-growing collection of vintage clothes that I thought I might as well share it. And I’m glad I did. 

How do you describe your aesthetic?

It’s all kind of revolving around vintage and sort of celebrating femininity anything lace, ruffle, girly, sweet – I love old things.

Where is your favorite place to find one-of-a kind clothes in the Bay Area?

I love the Alameda flea market. Oh man, it’s dangerous. I pretty much never walk out without a giant bag filled with things. The dealers knows me now. One of them calls me “the lace girl” and it’s good because it helps me work with them to find things for my etsy shop (Fancy Fine Vintage). 

What inspires you most?

Probably friends of mine, girls I know, whose names you maybe wouldn’t know. But they find their entire wardrobe at thrift stores and only wear what they love even if it looks kind of goofy or off in some way. Girls like that inspire me, more so than actresses or models. And street style photos, when it’s just photos of random folks. That’s always inspiring to me, too. 

If someone handed you a free plane ticket, where would you travel to and why?

I would want to go to Tokyo. I’ve never been, and I just felt like I would love it and want to live there. It’s so colorful and beautiful and vibrant. I feel like I might never come back. The karaoke, the food, the culture….

Wait. You’re into karaoke?!

Oh yea, obsessed. I do it all the time. Encore Karaoke in Nob Hill is the best. I’m even having a karaoke party tonight. I also consider myself an expert in a good burger, too. Pearl’s Deluxe (as she writes it down for me) is really good and in my neighborhood. 

Favorite winter trend at the moment?

I’m not very trend-driven, but I guess for me, anything pleated or chiffon. Definitely keeping my eye out for nice vintage coats ones that have a nice swing shape to them or big collar or nice buttons. And tights, I never wear pants. I need to have tights in every color. My sock and tights collection is ridiculous. 

Lastly, who are you wearing today?

All labeless, but…my vintage 60s dress from Afterlife. Vintage coat from the 50s. I’ve had forever. I got it at Haute Couture in Santa Rosa, an amazing vintage store I’ve been shopping at since I was 15. It’s been there forever, and they have great stuff. And my trusty vintage Ferragamos. 

Follow Ashley’s vintage style on Fancy Fine.

Photography by Sara Iravani

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Secession Art & Design New Year’s Sale

A New Year’s Sale is on at Secession Art + Design, a sweet little gallery and boutique in lower Bernal Heights that also happens to double as a workspace for local designers such as Colleen Mauer.

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Shacking Up: Rare Device + Little Otsu = Cool, New Space

News from San Francisco’s only design store with a name torn from the pages of Coleridge’s Kubla Khan: Rare Device is leaving Market Street for a bigger and better space on Divisadero, where it will partner up with onetime Mission paper goods shop Little Otsu. The planned relocation is set to take place in early March.

Specializing in design-conscious gifts, home accessories, art objects, jewelry and wearables, the new collaborative shop will include a Little Otsu mini store stocked with a full line of publishing products, as well as selected crafts and goods. This is the first time Portland-based, Little Otsu will be available in San Francisco since the closure of their Valencia Street store over a year ago.

Rare Device is currently located on 1845 Market Street and promotes a variety of designers who create modern, handmade, and beautifully-designed goods. We can’t wait to see the new and improved space in the Western Addition neighborhood at 600 Divisidero Street (at Hayes).

Photography courtesy of Rare Device

Closet Cleanout: Top San Francisco Consignment Shops

Cece's Closet is a gem of a consignment option in Noe Valley.

The New Year is always a time that leaves me itching to root through my closet, hanger by hanger, to remove any space-hogging garments that I either can’t – or simply don’t – wear. And since having my son 16 months ago ushered in a very necessary wardrobe revamp, I have more clothes that deserve better homes than ever before. Had-it tossers go in the giveaway bag, but items in decent, great or brand new shape are ones I try to sell, trade or consign first.

San Francisco has a wealth of options for consigning new and used apparel and accessories for women, men and children that not only offer a way to bring in a little money on things you no longer need or use, but also are also great places to hunt down new clothes for less. Another reason to love consignment? You’ll often find apparel and accessories that are of-the-moment and in style, as many of the people who run consignment stores keep a close eye on what’s popular and take in items accordingly, but they won’t be what’s on the racks in every store right now – and that can make for a more interesting, unique wardrobe. Last but not least, buying secondhand is, plain and simple, a greener way to shop.

When you’re about to do your next closet clean out or want new wearables for less, consider these San Francisco consignment shops. With any luck, you’ll get more space at home, some cool new pieces and a little money out of your efforts. In most cases, you’ll need to contact the store for an appointment if you’d like to consign.

  • High-End, Designer Consignment

If you’ve got luxury brands that you’d like to unload, try these shops:

Sui Generis: Head to these twin Castro shops for men and women if you have items on hand by major designer labels that are in pristine condition. Rare vintage and couture are among the gems the stores’ buyers frequently manage to obtain from their roster of consignors. While Chanel, Versace, Prada and Oscar de la Renta grace the racks, you will also find lower-priced items from labels such as Banana Republic and Zara in the women’s shop and a solid selection of men’s denim, men’s sneakers, sunglasses and belts among the finds.

The Real Real: This online consignment site specializes in selling women’s apparel and accessories by high-end, designer brands in a flash-sale format that’s reminiscent of Gilt Groupe or Rue La La. If you’d like to consign items, you call them and speak to a styling consultant to start the process. They’ll determine what items are a match for their shoppers, and you can either ship them in for free or schedule a pick-up if you live in the Bay Area, Los Angeles or New York and have over 10 items. Another perk for consignors: the site offers 60 percent back on the sale price, compared to the usual 50 percent or less that many consignment shops offer.

Cris: This Russian hill shop has long been a go-to for those seeking to consign designer brand women’s apparel, as well as those looking for a good deal on labels such as Marc Jacobs, Prada and others. The setting is much more like that of a high-end boutique than a consignment, re-sale shop, and the owner – Cris – is known for being knowledgeable about brands, current pricing and fashion.

Simply Chic: High-end handbags are the focus at this Cow Hollow shop and online store. If you’ve got handbags (they specialize in Chanel and Louis Vuitton), women’s accessories or shoes by designer labels, this store will either allow you to consign them or will buy them outright. A consignor perk: your items will be listed for free in both the shop’s eBay site and its online boutique, as well as offered for sale in the store.

  • General Consignment

Not everyone has perfect-condition Prada hiding out in their closets. The shops below accept and sell a wide variety of brands, labels and apparel.

Cece’s Closet: This small shop in Noe Valley is a neighborhood gem of a consignment store. Run by Cece, the store never fails to turn up a great deal on something during my visits. She’s especially welcoming to new consignors and accepts both vintage and contemporary pieces in good condition in a variety of sizes.

Designer Consigner: Located on Sacramento in Laurel/Presidio Heights, this shop is known for frequently having upscale labels and great condition accessories brought in by the well-heeled folks who live in the surrounding neighborhood. Because of that, people from around the City head here to shop and that makes it a great place to bring your no-longer-needed apparel and accessories.

Good Byes: Another solid Laurel/Presidio Heights consignment shop, this one stands out for have a separate men’s shop that can make it a two-birds-one-stone option if you’re interested in consigning both men’s and women’s clothing and accessories. The shops also offer a 50-50 split, so consignors make the same amount that the store does on every sale.

Jane Consignment: Outer Richmond residents are known to head to this eclectic consignment shop to find both luxury and affordable labels in vintage, retro and contemporary styles. A consignor perk: in addition to women’s apparel and accessories, the shop takes small household items such as pottery and home accessories, allowing you to unload more items in one fell swoop.

  • Children’s Clothing, Accessories and Toys

The shops below are San Francisco consignment destinations for children’s clothing and gear.

Chloe’s Closet: Locations in the Inner Sunset and Bernal Heights regularly draw parents seeking to recycle their kid’s clothing, toys, shoes and gear. Both shops are great places to find gently worn children’s apparel and almost-new toys. A perk for busy parents: the shops accept consignment items seven days a week and without an appointment. That said, if you have large items or more than four bags of clothing to drop-off, they ask that you call ahead.

Peekaboutique: This Noe Valley children’s store sells new and used kids’ clothing, toys and gear, including many items from local labels and companies (something I’m a big fan of, obviously). Set buying times on different days throughout the week and most of the day on Saturday make this a convenient place for busy parents to sell. For shoppers, the tidy arrangement of items and kids’ toys to occupy little folks in tow make this a pleasant place to browse.

This list is focused on consignment shops I’ve personally visited, sold at, shopped in and written about for SF Indie Fashion and other media outlets. It’s by no means exhaustive, and there are plenty of additional places around town to sell and consign apparel and accessories. For straight selling, you’ll find Crossroads and Buffalo Exchange, as well as vintage shops such as Painted Bird, to be great spots. For a look at all the consignment options in town, a good place to start is checking out the consignment store listings on Yelp.

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Mission Sale: BellJar Up to 65% Off

Mission shop BellJar kicks off its winter sale today. Stop in for up to 65% off merch through Jan. 19.

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