An Aladdin's cave of sequins, flowers, polka dots, ruffles, and ribbons, Ambiance is a girly-girl's paradise. With the help of friendly saleswomen, SF fashionistas find all the dresses they ever dreamed of here, from vintage-inspired cocktail outfits to spaghetti-strapped summer frocks. Ambiance also carries tops, skirts, and jeans, as well as pretty accessories. It gets crowded here on weekends.

Open Mondays through Saturdays 10 am to 7 pm, Sundays 11 am to 7 pm.

A music junkie's paradise, Amoeba has an encyclopedic selection of new and used CDs, as well as DVDs, music posters, LPs, and 45s. Everyone from pierced club kids to aging Deadheads comes here to offload their used CDs for cash or trade then stay for hours to browse. Unlike Virgin and other media mega-stores, Amoeba has an extremely knowledgeable and helpful staff, many of whom moonlight as musicians or DJs. Plus, there are live in-store performances every week (sometimes local bands, sometimes major phenoms like DJ Shadow).

Open Mondays through Saturdays 10:30 am to 10 pm, Sundays 11 am to 9 pm.

The miscellany of home accessories here includes speckled egg soaps, ornamental leaf-shaped pillows, starfish napkin rings, and lavender-scented natural detergent. The unifying theme is nature, with several local lines represented. It's the perfect place to pick up a whimsical gift, perhaps for a hostess or housewarming—consider an aromatic White Flower Lei Soy Candle, made with organic soy wax. You'll also find handcrafted ceramics with clean, simple lines, and dainty mother-of-pearl spoons.

Open Mondays through Saturdays 10 am to 6 pm, Sundays noon to 5 pm.

This charming boutique is designed to encourage browsing, with comfy couches and a coffee table spread with books for flipping through. Fashionable women's tees, lingerie, and a great selection of jeans (especially Citizens of Humanity) are stocked here; there are also toiletries, baby clothes, jewelry, and other pretty knickknacks. Clothes are grouped by color, not garment, which means you'll make serendipitous discoveries—and leave spending a lot more than you meant to. Something Blue, the companion shop next door, sells chic bridesmaid dresses that you can actually wear more than once.

Open Tuesdays through Saturdays 11 am to 7 pm, Sundays noon to 5 pm.

Yves Behar designed this inviting space for shop owner Mark Lenox, and he also designed some of the products. These include furnishings from the likes of Kartell, Vitra, and Alessi, as well as local talents such as Offi and Publique Living. The store also carries housewares, including handblown glass by Michael Ruh and a wide range of Sausalito-made Heath ceramics. Behar describes the unifying aesthetic as "warm modern"—an apt description of the hip yet hospitable feel here.

Open Mondays through Saturdays 11 am to 7 pm, Sundays noon to 5 pm.

Founded in 1977 to offer sex information and toys geared toward women, this store is no dimly lit back-alley den. Rather, it's bright, comfortable, and friendly, stocked with condoms, lubricants, books, and videos, as well as state-of-the-art vibrators and other playthings. The knowledgeable personnel will discourse on the finer points of the Rabbit Pearl or the Magic Wand, and on occasion, founder (and sex therapist/educator) Joani Blank displays her "museum"—dating back to 1869—of antique vibrators.

Open Sundays through Thursdays noon to 7 pm, Fridays and Saturdays noon to 9 pm.

Founded in 1861 by Solomon Gump to introduce Gold Rush parvenus to the decorative arts, the famous Gump's purveys costly, beautiful, and unusual housewares in addition to a wide selection of inexpensive gifts. As well as bedding, bath accessories, china, and crystal, you'll find jewelry and objets d'art, such as Limoges boxes and Murano glass. Gump's wares show a strong Pacific Rim influence, and an 18th-century Ching dynasty Buddha (not for sale) greets visitors who enter from Post Street.

Open Mondays through Saturdays 10 am to 6 pm, Sundays noon to 5 pm.

A great place to get a dress for a warm-weather wedding, Haseena also has quality basics such as sleeveless shirts and lots of girly gifts like patterned tights, funky hats, and cute, colorful tote bags. Local designers are well-represented and include Mary Green, whose lace-edged lingerie comes in provocative colors like orange pop and frosted mint. The selection of men's clothing includes Antik Denim jeans and hip dress shirts.

Open Sundays through Tuesdays noon to 6 pm, Wednesdays through Saturdays 11 am to 7 pm.

More East Village than Mission District, House of Hengst is a true atelier: Peer behind the curtain at the back of the tiny boutique and you might spot designer Susan Hengst cutting the next season's collection. Inside the modish neutral space, the small selection of looks for women evokes a retro sex appeal with a modern finish. Simple silhouettes—wrap sweaters, pencil skirts—are precisely constructed with a nip here, a tuck there, and a little bit of ruching that goes a long way to flatter just about any figure. High-style Mission chicks shop here for high-waist trousers and skirts. Those erring on the side of comfort love the designer's slinky knit dresses.

Open Mondays through Saturdays noon to 7 pm, Sundays noon to 6 pm.

This Berkeley temple to bath-time sells bubble bath, lotions, bath salts, scrubs, and an array of soaps as colorful as tropical fish, all natural and locally made. The wildly imaginative collection includes a line inspired by San Francisco neighborhoods, such as Japantown, decorated with black brush strokes on a white background, and scented with ginger and lime. A giant's bathtub adds a touch of Dalí to the decor, along with devil-and-pirate rubber ducks.

Open daily 11 am to 6 pm.

Evidence of San Francisco's love affair with design, LeeQuen Atelier, on an obscure artists' alley in SoMa, is a showplace for the creations of couple Colleen Quen and Rick Lee. A lofty, industrial interior sets the stage for Lee's contemporary works: curvaceous modern furniture, dramatic installations, and high-tech home accessories. Couturier Quen's colorful cocktail frocks and elaborate evening dresses harmoniously interact with her husband's designs—hanging from Lee's Sutra suspension racks that resemble outstretched hands. An award-winning and widely published designer, Lee's pieces have been touted on the pages of Dwell and the New York Times, while Quen's whimsical fashions regularly adorn society-page mavens. Make an appointment to shop one-of-a-kind looks.

Open Mondays through Fridays 10 am to 6 pm. By appointment only.

Rich hipsters with a hankering for avant-garde Belgian and Japanese designers shop with the big dogs at M.A.C., the longtime Hayes Valley mainstay for pricey-but-worth-it works of fashion art. Owned by stylish brother/sister duo, Ben and Chris Ospital, the store is like a brick-walled curio cabinet for the family's collection of eclectic artworks and unexpected garments—if you've ever dreamed of a corset that looks exactly like a miniature men's three-piece suit, then this is the boutique for you. With a well-edited selection including A.F. Vandervorst, Tsumori Chisato, and Martin Margiela, there's no shortage of totally wearable and expertly tailored looks for clients with the means. The men's collection is really the highlight here, with a large offering of Dries Van Noten alongside Lanvin, Engineered Garments, and local label Turk + Taylor.

Open Mondays through Saturdays 11 am to 7 pm.

At Miette Confiserie, the sunny French-style sweet shop in Hayes Valley, the world is your candy oyster—or gummy rat, chocolate carrot, or sweet tart skull. While there's none of Wonka's lickable wallpaper, the flowery pastel-hued space with cheerful shop girls and gumdrop topiaries is a sugarcoated backdrop for overflowing jars and tables laden with imported herbaceous chocolates, artisan lollipops, and Parisian macarons. The in-house kitchen dolls out homemade caramels, marshmallows, toffee, and likewise serves as a sweets laboratory for local culinary talent. Wash down a fresh-spun pouf of organic cotton candy with an elderflower spritzer. For artisan cakes and assorted pastries, check out their sister shop, Miette Pâtisserie, in the Ferry Building.

Open daily 11 am to 7 pm.

Even the handmade Venetian masks on the walls won't distract your attention from these exquisite shoes. Made in Italy and designed by owner Paolo Iantorno, the collection includes superb women's boots, each pair with its own personality, as well as heels, flats, sandals, and handsome men's boots and loafers. Shoes tend to range between $150 and $400—a bargain for footwear that is at once so comfortable and stylish.

Open Mondays through Saturdays 11 am to 7 pm, Sundays noon to 6 pm.

In a town as quirky as San Francisco, you have to work pretty hard to stand out… but R.A.G. can help you get there. The garments here (for both men and women, locally designed and arranged in a gallerylike space) are either one-of-a-kind or made in small batches, so you'll be able to find pieces that no one else has. The clothes are distinctive without being too wacky; their originality lies in funky details like frilled seams, an asymmetric cut, or a whimsical tennis-player pattern on a dress.

Open Mondays through Saturdays noon to 7 pm, Sundays 12:30 to 5:30 pm.

With endless varieties of miso, tofu, and seaweed, baked goods that accommodate every allergy known to medical science, and luminous fruits and vegetables, Rainbow is the most extensive emporium of organic vegetarian food you'll ever hope to find. It also carries great natural beauty products and an encyclopedic range of vitamins, medicinal herbs, and detoxifying teas. Stock up on supplements, buy a vegan gift, or simply assemble a delicious and virtuous picnic.

Open daily 9 am to 9 pm.

If you like to cover your bed with luxurious throw cushions and grace your dinner parties with elaborate table settings, then this place is for you. The selection of opulent home accessories includes Venetian glass mirrors, Anichini pillows, and gorgeous hand-blocked silk bed-coverings. The furniture selection, including pieces from Paris and the Far East, is elegant but not stuffy. There's also a wide selection of flatware and European dishes (you can order a set with your family crest or monogram) and Italian bath linens.

Open Mondays through Saturdays 10 am to 6 pm.

If you want to look cool without seeming like you're trying too hard, Villains is the place to go. The look is understated but youthful and urban. The great selection of designer T-shirts includes the quirky Gama-Go brand, a local favorite. The cute staff members really know their denim and will help you pick the perfect pair of jeans from their vast selection, which includes 7 for All Mankind and Citizens for Humanity. Sneaker fetishists will have a hard time resisting Villains Shoes next door.

Open daily 11 am to 7 pm.

A San Francisco original since 1966, Wilkes Bashford is the city's priciest and most exclusive department store, catering to local elite hungry for upscale sportswear, couture, and premium men's suits—labels include Brioni, Kiton, Monique Lhuillier, and Azzedine Alaia. But with Neiman Marcus, Saks, and Barneys all in the neighborhood, it's Wilkes' personal service that keeps customers coming back. The sales team and tailor will make house calls, and the staff is experienced in closet clean-outs and wardrobe editing. Gift wrapping is always gorgeous (and free), and if you get hungry while perusing the season's looks in the private salon, just order a little "room service" from the acclaimed Campton Place. Too tired to carry your packages home? Wilkes will have them delivered.

Open Mondays through Saturdays 10 am to 6 pm.

His truffles may look rough-hewn, but their creator, Jean-Marc Gorce, is a master craftsman, named one of the top ten chocolate makers in the United States by Chocolatier magazine. His tiny shop sells 27 flavors. Try the peanut butter with dark chocolate—a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup that has died and gone to heaven. Or sample "Casimira's Favourite," named after Gorce's wife: smooth white chocolate ganache perfumed with Madagascar vanilla.

Open Mondays through Saturdays 9 am to 6 pm, Sundays 10:30 am to 6 pm.