Thrift-Seeker: Vintage Shopping

There will undoubtedly be visits to this Haight Street used-clothing behemoth that yield nothing more than a lingering smell of moth balls, but the occasional amazing finds (think vintage pieces at roughly Salvation Army prices) make it worth regular stops.

The huge assortment of costume and everyday used clothing at this Haight Street spot is organized by decade, making it easy to skip past the flower-power '60s polyester and head straight to the '80s prom dresses.

This smallish Mission shop carries a hand-picked selection of playful, affordable vintage fashions (mostly '60s and '70s stuff) for both men and women--a perfect spot to pick up some polyester and gold sequins for your friend's disco party.

It's not cheap, but at least the choice of vintage finds (with a great selection of old dresses especially) at this Haight Street oasis will make you feel like the million bucks you end up spending.

Expect to pay top dollar for the fashionable gems from eras past at this downtown emporium for high-end vintage apparel--worth it if you are a serious style hound.

The thrill of finding that perfect decades-old summer dress is magnified by the genuine pleasure the staff of this charming Noe Valley store takes in helping you shop. A few racks of locally designed pieces can be found here as well.

This men's-only Castro shop sells high-quality, stylish vintage wear from suits to tees, but shoppers of average build will find the most options since everything is obviously only available in one size. See their sister store at 2265 Market St. for more used clothing.

This national chain of secondhand stores boasts a number of Bay Area locations; stop by if you're in need of more modern used gear (brands like Gap and J.Crew are pretty common) or want to make a little cash off your own old duds.

Similar to Crossroads, this vintage boutique-meets-thrift store has a whole lot of stuff to sift through, although great deals are to be found in both trendy styles and vintage fashions.

The main selling point at this large, no-frills Mission thrift store isn't the quality of the clothes or style of the garments but the fact that you pay just $10 per pound for whatever you can fit in a bag.

Finally, a dignified way to afford Miu Miu purses, Prada shoes, and Chanel sunglasses--this Nob Hill secondhand store carries all the finest labels (and many pieces in little-used condition) at a fraction of the cost of buying them new.

This Hayes Valley boutique bestows shoppers with high-class, mint-condition vintage wear: dresses, sweater, shoes, purses, jewelry, the works.

The Mission Street-wise owners of this Union Square emporium for chic city apparel have done the work for you--meaning they've hunted the thrift stores and filled their shop with a limited but lovely selection of perfect vintage (and some new) pieces.