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Categories: Women's Clothing, Used, Vintage & Consignment [Edit]
Neighborhood: MissionMon-Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
"As everyone already says - Priya is fantastic. On top of being adorable, she is so attentive, so right-on-the-money with helping you find…" read more »
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*****MiKA's 900th REVIEW*****
Went here on a whim to check out this store with a girl friend and found myself leaving with a purse that only cost me $12 - reminds me of what my grandmother would carry; it's black, embroidered and has gold trimmings. I love it. What a great find.
I love this store, would definitely come back. I love how tiny this place is but it's packed with so many vintage clothes, itemized and organized by color and style. They have an awesome display of accessories which are one of a kind: sunglasses, frames, jewelry pieces, purses, belts, shoes, etc.
You can't miss it, it's quite tucked by the corner of 24th and Guerrero...yeee!
still horrible.
definitely did NOT just recently snag a gorgeous gray blazer from here for under $20.
it did NOT happen.
their clothing selection is ugly & overpriced.
their location is horribly inconvenient.
the staff is…
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Painted Bird, oh how I miss thee. Can you please open a place in New York just like your store in San Francisco? The two things I miss most from California is mexican food and painted bird.
Great prices, I would leave with 6 new items under $100. All of m favorite pieces of clothing have come from Painted Bird. I get teary eyed just thinking about it.
Meh. For the ultra hip. I would consider my self more of an Zooey Deschanel/ Anthropologie girl...This is for the Mary-Kate Olsen/ American Apparel girl. I live right around the corner from this store so I make a few visits a month but lately not scoring. The shoe section is worth the go...but lately hit and miss again. I've noticed the shelves baring a little bit. The girls are mostly helpful, there is one that makes me feel uncomfortable sometimes...I feel like I'm putting her out when it's time for check out.
A cute little store! While a great deal of the stuff is a bit too wild for my fairly-subdued clothing taste, I appreciate the stuff that they've selected to be in here, and I have fun just looking at it. I'm pretty sure my more fashionably-adventurous friends would enjoy this store, too. I was also pleased to see the reasonable prices. I've only been here once, and I bought a cute vintage pullover sweater for 6 bucks. It had obviously been altered by some crafty person before me, but they did a good job and it fits me just right, so definitely worth the 6 bucks. I'm sure I will be back the next time I'm trekking around the Mission for clothes.
Cute store tucked away in a semi-residential section of the Mission. The woman behind the counter seemed genuinely nice and was attentive without being pushy. I think I came on a bad day though, because the racks were half empty. No joke, there just wasn't that much merchandise there. The stuff actually left was nice, though, but some of it was a little too worn for my taste. However, there were also a few new shirts and dresses mixed in with the vintage stuff, priced reasonably around $20-40. The shoes and boots selection in the back was pretty stellar, too. If you're lucky to find a pair in your size, you'll walk away with a great steal.
I'll try coming back again on a weekday when the selection isn't so picked over by the weekender vintage shopping whores.
Oh, there is also one rack (yes, one) for men, so your boyfriend can keep himself busy for all of 5 seconds while you try on clothes.
If you have a "store cat" you immediately get my approval.
Painted Bird + cute little store cat (that knows not to venture past the front door) = my cup of tea.
Oh and they do have some fantastic little morsels to try on.
An update just to mention that two years after my last review, this is still one of the best places in my rotation to come by... I moved away from the 24th street area more than a year ago, so I consider this more of a destination spot than just a store in my area or along my commute (even though I just relocated to Lower Haight.... still! its hard to leave your hood sometimes!). I was just in yesterday, and after having been to so many places, trying on dozens of garments, and having nothing fit, I walked out of Painted Bird with quite possibly 3 of my new favorite garments. hooray!! so this can sit pretty at the top of my list for 3 years and counting. thank you painted bird!
cheap cheap cheap.
good selection for clothes. I can usually find a must have sweater or dress or…
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People always ask me where I get all my good vintage/thrift pieces in the city. My answer is usually Painted Bird.
This place beats any consignment/secondhand/over pieced vintage shop any day. I honestly don't know why people still go to Crossroads, Buffalo Exchange or Wasteland when they can go here.
The shop is really cute, well styled, good music and you can tell walking in that this is a shop full of good stuff.
Cheap prices (how they make money, I have no clue), well picked pieces that are spot on on current trends (like this season's leather shorts, men's wolf/animal tees and baggy tank tops, brogue shoes) and a genuinely nice couple of ladies who help me out (someone said they seem bored, rude or hungry, I always chat with them. I think they know I'm a regular and I think they know me by name! They always help me find amazing stuff while they eat their lunch). The best part is that the store is rich in smaller sizes, something a lot of little ladies and Asian girls living in SF are very happy about. I'm just glad I can find things that fit that aren't from a kids department.
My boyfriend loves this place too, though their men's rack is a fraction of the store.
This is definitely one of those independent, local businesses that I truly believe in. When I sell clothes, I have a special pile of my best stuff for them, hoping that it helps their business.
Sell more guys clothes to them! I know they are always in need of more men's clothing and I know girls are wearing men's stuff this season too.
This place is like "vintage boutique". It's very small and quaint. I came here with my friend yesterday after reading the reviews on it. The best reason I will occasionally come back here for is: SCARVES,BOOTS AND JEANS. The selection of those were real nice. Although we did not walk out with anything. It's always a hit or miss with thrift anyways. The jeans were in good shape, same as the boots. I seen a pair of some reaaaaallllly cute leather ones that just did not fit. BLAAAH! maybe i'll have better luck next time.
I could see why alot may like this place. It won't be my fave but I would come back to check it out def.
Very cute vintage finds! I recently scored a beautiful sunwashed cami (perfect for the warmer weather!) and some old school plaid button downs. They have really great prices and the clothes are good quality.
Shopping for boots? Stop here! They have an incredible selection of boots - multiple styles, colors, texture - that will put any decent shoe store to shame.
I agree with one other poster - take your time! The store is quite small and can be cramped but you'd be surprised with all the little cute things you can find!
small store. ever-changing selection of great stuff. reasonable prices.
This is one of my favorite small vintage shops in the Mission. It's never crowded, and you can usually find something cool. I got my favorite jacket here!
It can be hit or miss, but that's a risk you take shopping for second hand clothes. The buyers mostly pick out pieces that people would want to wear.
The most perfect place to go if you're looking for something cheap, unique without having to dig through mountains of crap. Painted Bird is well-edited, economical and inspiring. Seriously, I've not been able to go there without buying a thing or two, or three, or four.... definitely not a place for window shoppers!
This place is like a 'choose your adventure' shop for entry-level alts.
The story goes something like this: walk in, pick up 80s Native American-inspired romper suit off the rack to the left, add shrunken leather jacket from center rack, select delightfully worn cream colored boots from the back, and finish with a pair of black plastic sunglasses complete with orange sides that were given out at a Bar Mitzvah in 1993 from the case near the register.
The protagonist will then go home, put on new clothes, and turn up at Dolo with a beer from Bi-Rite and talk about how much they think Uffie is past her prime.
Vintage stores take note: no matter what euphemism you use to describe used clothing, it's still just used clothing. Just because it's getting popular and trendy doesn't mean that it should now command a premium. This is why I love Painted Bird.
The clothes are good quality there, they have excellent selections and it's definitely not overpriced. Everyone I've seen work there has also been super friendly and helpful.
It's my first stop when buying used.
Hot. Quirky. Fresh. Brooklyny-Seattleish-SF-style awesomeness. All sizes. So many dresses from so many eras. Marches the line between thrift and vintage. Not cheap (got a $40 dress), but certainly excuisite and a bargain based on the originality of the items and the original prices (my bet is my dress went for $300 back in the day---in today's prices).
No matter how good or bad things get, I seem to have a bi-monthly "wardrobe meltdown," as my bf tends to call it. I fear that in the midst of a Mad Max-like dire future, as we are all scampering for basic human survival, and if I were one of 20 people left on Earth, I would still have a bi-monthly wardrobe meltdown. Should I wear the white anti-radiation suit with the purple camel pack or the blue one?! ::::: Ohhh::::....
Ever since a good friend introduced me to Painted Bird, I've had less meltdowns in the last few months. I've heard accusations that Painted Bird merely caters to the hipster crowd (can I get a dime for everytime that word is used on Yelp?) but I don't think so. Their clothes are charming, feminine, and surprisingly decent quality for the good prices. I found my favorite cotton long sleeve vintage shirt for $4 there, boots that I wear constantly for $24, and so on and so forth.
As reason dictates, just be sure to bring an extra pair of socks if you're trying on the boots/shoes fo course.....I mean, they're at least second hand and other people's feet have touched them.
Did I tell you that their salespeople are sweet and very cute? And they usually play kick ass music there that makes it pleasant to shop and gently rummage as long as you'd like. A walk through Painted Bird makes a nice little pit stop before Delores Park.
For an update, i am now giving them 5 stars. I just purcahsed a vintage leather jacket that i completely adore. It was a little on the pricier side, but i know that i would probably never come across a jacket like that again.
And also, the woman who usually works behind the counter was very friendly and also remebered me, which made me feel welcomed.
I am officially a fan.
A friend of mine actually introduced Painted Bird to me, and if you're looking for vintage mixed in… Read more »
I thought I'd wander into a wonderland of secondhand goods based on the reviews here, but I was fairly disappointed.
They didn't seem to have very many clothes, much less funky ones. Perhaps I hit the store during an off-month or something, because the only things they had on the rack were over priced, boring long sleeve pull overs and shoes that were only size 7 in the back.
Alas, maybe another time.
Bought a rad dress ($20) and looked at all the spectacular ladies' jumpsuits that I wish I had the guts to wear on a regular basis. Reasonable prices, really friendly, non-pushy guy at the counter, and good music.
Painted Bird is my favorite Vintage shop EVER! You saved my life!!!so many good finds here!! Love love love you Painted Bird! xoxo
Boo "View from the Bay" for doing a segment on this shop and making me think that it was chock full of awesome finds. Boo Yelpers for writing such glowing reviews that made me brave the 101 traffic and endless stoplights to come out here.
Perhaps I came on an off day. Perhaps. Perhaps I just don't get why I should be excited about clothing that, in any other city, would be sitting on the Goodwill fifty-cent rack, but here is considered "cool and unique" and "super cheap" at ten bucks. I totally agree with Julie C's assessment - it's 80's clothing, but it's the BAD 80's clothing. Hey, I'm all for mixing and matching my designer duds with a cool vintage belt, pair of boots, or a slick shirt. But no one - I repeat NO ONE - should be wearing an oversized chunky acrylic striped sweater with gold threads. Or a sequined butterfly coat. Or a badly faded Mike and the Mechanics t-shirt. No one!
PLUS I never got to see their store cat. I love store cats. Maybe it ran away to a better store. :(
A friend took me to Painted Bird for the first time this afternoon. Being the Yelp addict that I am, I decided I had to come home and talk about it on the internets. I didn't even know it existed, so I really had no expectations before entering. Basically, I wasn't very impressed. The men's clothing rack (yes, singular) is a joke. The women's selection is moderately acceptable, but the inexpensive prices do help to elevate discouraged spirits.
The only really good thing they have going for them is the accessories selection. Two glass cases are stuffed with vintage necklaces/rings/hair-pieces/etc. My shopping companion ended up making only accessory purchases. It's also not in an area with other cute, little shops right around the corner. So it's not really worth it to make the trek out there.
I'm really happy about this store. It's a lot easier to sell to them vs. Buffalo Exchange because you know exactly what they're looking for. AND their clothes are reasonably priced, unlike other small consignment stores in the area.
Only 4 stars because it's tiny. But other than that, I'm a fan.
We walked over here after our brunch at Phoenix Bar (yes, you can have breakfast at a bar). It's been awhile since I've been in a vintage shop and I'd forgotten how cool some of the finds could be. Mia found a super cute summer dress for a wedding in New York. They also had a pair of Ferragamo suede shoes that went perfectly with the dress and they fit her small size 6.5/7 feet! She also got a darling yellow coat and a striped shirt. I think her total was $60. What a steal! Nitya found a trendy grey jacket/blazer that looked great on her. Me and my size 9.5 feet walked out empty handed, but so excited to have discovered such a cool store!
I actually feel bad putting 2 stars on here. Especially since it's a thrift store and there is a constant flux of new things coming in... It's just the few times that I've been there, the things that I liked all had holes in them or the stitches were coming undone.
I guess, DO shop here if you are handy with a sewing machine because they do have cute clothes and a lot of them are designer wear.
Price wise...It's not Goodwill. You know how there a pair of jeans is a pair of jeans and the price is pretty much the same across the board? Well, not here. They seem to be brand savvy and will mark the price accordingly, which isn't a bad thing..just good to know.
Maybe it's because I actually WAS A TEENAGER in the 80s and am not a 25-year old who's overly romanticizing some vague period in history and doing it wrong. Hey, it's okay; I'm guilty of it too. My mom constantly winces at some of my vintage garb and tells me that no one stylish wore such-and-such . . . and I tend to throw 2 or 3 decades together all at once. Basically, no one should listen to me, ever.
But I digress. This store carries what some of my friends' moms wore in the 80s. And not the cool moms. My mom was cool, without dressing too young. I used to swipe her Adrienne Vittadini sweaters, Guess shirts, Carlos Falchi bags, borrow the Flora Kung silk dress for fancy events - you get the picture. If you want to dress like an uncool mom or underpaid secretary in the 1980s, this store will totally hook you up!
I'm going to give it two stars and a couple more visits because:
1. It's a nice space and I like to support small businesses and wear vintage / used clothing.
2. I did see a couple of cute pieces that I liked, and I do incorporate some 1980s into my wardrobe (hello lined wedge boots that I can't take off! I love you!).
3. They were playing Spacemen3 while I was there. True, that made me feel more like chasing the dragon and nodding off on the couch while scratching myself rather than shopping, but still.
It's a mixed bag in there. Most of the clothing is laughable (as in maybe-I'm-just-not-hip-enough-to-understand but really, is that hip?), but I always manage to leave the store with ONE really great piece of clothing. I have only ever found t-shirts and blouses that I like though. Pants, shoes, skirts, and such have never really been too impressive here. Most items are well priced, which is a nice change from a lot of vintage shops. However, the last time I went in I found a LOT of new items from "designers" that were a bit over priced (for what they were, just a plain red/white striped t-shirt for 20 dollars?). I don't think the new clothes are really adding much to the shop.
Several of my Mission friends swear by Painted Bird, which is why I have been there so many times. I like going but I wouldn't go out of my way on my own to stop in.
The Painted Bird is a lovely little boutique with unique vintage pieces that are chosen to capture the imagination and inspire outfits with flair and fantasy.
The clothing is carefully curated, and priced not to break the bank. Does your wardrobe lack charm and whimsy? Look no further than this one stop shop.
really cute store in a cute neighborhood. Althought I didnt get anything, they have a pretty good range of stylish clothes and accessories.
Part One:
how can such pretty girls be so nice???
I wondered this as one of them called to let me know that a pair of boots I might like had come into the store. she then preceeded to describe them to me and put them on hold. My cynicism is fading.
Part Two:
sometimes I like to feel pretty
like Charlotte Gainsbourg
or Sofia Coppala
or the chick from Umbrellas of Cherbourg
you get the idea
This is why painted bird exists
Part Three:
things that I have bought from painted bird that I love so much and wear so often that my friends know them as my PB clothes
little gold tree necklace/belt with a butterfly as the buckle
heidi dress that should have been like 40 bucks but was only 12
multiple ruffly shirts covered in flower prints
huge chunky knit cardigan that feels like I stole it from a grandpa who lives in Maine that I never met
possibly the most beautiful sweater I have ever encountered in my entire life
If you want something special that seems impossible to find, go to painted bird. The prices are so freaking reasonable that I wonder if they all live in some fairytale land where everyone believes in the right for all girls to look pretty and sophisticated no matter how much money they have. This must be why they are so nice.
Part Four:
make sure to save some for all the rest of us!
I absolutely love shopping at Painted Bird. Whenever I walk in, the store is guaranteed a sale from me. They have a great selection of accessories and shoes, particularly boots (I love boots!). Their prices are quite reasonable, and the quality of their merchandise is good. I almost always walk out satisfied without really breaking a huge dent in my wallet.
I really don't want to hype this place up too much. That's why I haven't reviewed it yet despite that I go there at least once a week. Frankly I want you to stay the hell away from this place because I don't want to share. End of story. And if you are also a size ten, you really better back off!
OMG! what a great store! it's so awesome and cool. The clothing is amazing. Staff is so nice and hip and super friendly. Highly recommend....
:-)
P
Every couple of years I try to reinvent myself as a square. I don't fully understand the compulsion, other than I grow so disgusted with my innate heathen that I try to fit myself into some mold or box in order to make myself more palatable to the world. Like, one time I tried to become a good Catholic, and another I thought I'd see what voting Republican could do for me. All I usually gain from these exercises in futility are the disappointing realizations that (a) Jesus Christ is not my savior, (b) denial is a lot of work, and (c) it's useless trying to alter the fabric of your character because your sloppy mess will come spilling out eventually. And (d) I really like lists. Which is kind of square in itself, so there's hope for me yet.
We all have ways of trying to tame the beast, and you know, at least I didn't try to marry a stockbroker or something. (Not to say that marriage is inherently soul-deadening, despite the overwhelming evidence. Or that any stockbroker would want a piece of this.) But my method of holding it all in for a long time was just wearing the blandest, deadest garb I could possibly find to suffocate anything in my personality that could be construed as colorful or original. I mean, there are deep-rooted psychosocial causes for this pathology but this is not the venue. Get a fucking blog. Who said that?? So anyway, it was a lot of navy blue and gray. Ill-fitting black cardigans, monochrome slacks, stifling outerwear. The kind of thing that just erases your sense of individuality. Unless of course that's what you're trying to do.
What usually happens after a year or so of labored conformity is that the dirty daughter from the labor camp starts to leak back out incrementally. It might start with a Chuck Klosterman book or a really excellent joint or a friend who has it all figured out, until slowly I just can't hide my disgust with convention anymore and I'm showing up to the office in jeans and last night's shift dress telling everyone in my life they just don't get me anymore, man. I'm a free spirit; you can't box me in. It's my hot body I do what I want. And what have you. And by the way I'm getting a tattoo. Fuck the establishment. Etcetera.
So how to clothe this wanton, foul-mouthed libertine? The sight of a striped button down and a navy J.Crew frock is sickening. It's time for color, and layers and as many patterns and textures as is possible to pile on at once! Whatever it is, the only requirement is that I look like an insane bag lady who just woke up from a Janis-style bender. And because life is full of miracles and wonderment (and commerce and dumb luck), there is Painted Bird.
In their little postage stamp of a store, I've found the most loved castoffs of every decade of the last five; layers of tops, sweaters and dresses of colored, checked, and ruffled madness. And I've purchased them all for less than $25 apiece. They also sell big nutty Janis sunglasses, sweet ass funky earrings and handmade journals made out of recycled books (so cool!) so I can journal all my complaints about stultifying convention. Seriously. Mostly.
Also, STORE CAT = HECKA FRESH!
I LOVE having out of town visitors. Mostly because my visitors are usually my friends from back east and they kick ass. But there are other reasons. Like showing off to them how well I know them by bringing them to just the right place. Also, I like making up outrageous lies to tell them about the places we go.
The last round of visitors was an ultra-cool couple who I've been friends with for more years than I can count. They're not called hipsters because you only get called that nasty word back east if you're a poseur. Or an all-around asshole. My friends are neither. After checking out really cool furniture at X21 Modern, they wanted to check out some thrift stores. The perfect place for them? Painted Bird. The outrageous lie? I told them that the place was named after The Cult's "Peace Dog".
Peace is a dirty word,
She used to be a painted bird.
And war she's a whore,
Don't you know we love her more and more?
This place is fantastic - lots of great clothes and accessories. The help is friendly and actually helpful, which is pretty rare. And the prices are extremely reasonable. My friends were shocked. And stoked. Their suitcases were considerably heavier when they left.
B52 baby, way up in the sky
Drop your love on me, ow!
No one told me there was a resident black and white kitty that hangs out in the store! A true plus! I love kitties!
Cuddlies aside, I stopped by the Painted Bird after many, many months of driving by it and hearing great testimonials from other friends. Damn the location, since I don't live in the Mission anymore, it's an annoying trek and parking to go here, but I did it anyways.
And I was quite happy.
It's like a Crossroads but without all the Old Navy/Etnies teenager clothes. There's a very specific style that all these clothes fit with. I can only describe it as singer-songwriter with some designer chic. Let's just say it's very fitting that it's located in the Mission district. Now you know where all those indie girls get there vintage sweaters, skinny jeans and cowboy boots.
Now, I'm not knocking the place. Not at all. It's just that, THAT isn't really my style. However as with all thrift/resale clothing places, the rewards come if you hunt. And I hunted for a good 10 minutes before stumbling upon an amazing pair of Frankie B. jeans (damn my ass looks good in those) and a great warm deep cranberry colored corduroy blazer. Yay!
The prices? Not too shabby. $25 for each item.
Why only four stars? I wish they had a better selection of shoes, purses and accessories. Plus like I said, it's not 100% my style in there so it's not really my clothing haven. But I'll definitely pop in again to see what goodies I can dig up!
I strike it lucky at Painted Bird surprisingly often. For such a small space they really have a fantastic selection of pieces. I am jealous of the fashion skills of whoever does the buying for the store. Actually, in writing this review, I'm kind of tempted to go there right now. I've gotten some of my favorite pieces here, including the gorgeous vintage wedges I wore at my 10-year high school reunion, at which I looked fabulous. ;)
I love how they organize the clothes by color, because that is how I shop. They have great shoes, dresses, and more.
If you go right now you might see me there.
I was not impressed. Maybe it's because I had really high expectations, or maybe it's because the girl behind the counter refused to crack a smile or speak a word to me for the whole 5-10 minutes I was in there, even after I said hello. She was really skinny. Maybe she would have been nicer if I had offered her a cheeseburger.
The selection was so minimal and most of the shirts in there would have fit me when I was 12 years old....maybe. I'm not sure how they stay in business. Two stars because they did have a couple cute items, just in size 0 or 2.
Also, I can't imagine anyone would be interested in buying a dirty LeSportsac bag, I don't care how trendy they are.
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