Kate Conger

Christina Ruiz always hoped to become an entrepreneur. But after graduating from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, she started working as a buyer for Macy's. "I needed to support my fashion habit," she jokes.

Now, Ruiz can take her habit with her wherever she goes -- and bring a quick fashion fix to other style-conscious San Franciscans. Her Topshelf Boutique, which made its debut at the Hayes Valley Urban Air Market last weekend, is the city's first fashion truck.

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Men, please dress like this more often. Actually, please dress like this all the time. Thank you.

I could go on about what great clothing people wore to the Art Deco Society of California's Art Deco Preservation Ball on Saturday night, or what an appropriate venue the glitzy and historic Bimbo's 365 Club is for any vintage-themed event, or how people should be throwing money at the Deco society so it can continue its noble efforts to preserve the architectural and artistic masterpieces of that dazzling era. I could, and yes, people looked spectacular and showed off a variety of fascinating period dance moves to the era's tunes, many sung by Frederick Hodges, a true '20's style light tenor. But more interesting than the event itself for someone who wasn't there might be that it highlights what we've lost as a culture in terms of the way we "party" -- what we talk about when we talk about clubbing. More >>

On Thursday I passed a guy on the sidewalk combing his beard, the San Francisco equivalent of the groundhog emerging from its burrow -- spring is here. And with spring comes the inevitable appearance of floral print on what seems like everything: skirts, shirts, scarves, dresses, shoes -- you name it, and all of a sudden it's got flowers on it.

I fluctuate on whether to partake in the pastel petal explosion. On the one hand, flowers are cute! On the other, I feel like a little kid when I wear flounce-y floral print items, and not in a good, I'm-eternally-young way. It's more like "Do I look like a toddler?"

Some trends are considered too "young" for us to pull off. We've all seen that peroxide-blonde grandma in the rhinestone-studded Lucky Brand jeans and then reminded ourselves to age gracefully and not overdo it with the Botox. But when evaluating our own closets, it can be hard to tell when it's time to phase out a particular dress or cardigan. None of us wants to ask the difficult question: "Am I too old to wear this?" There's no clear answer, and even if there were, it would have exceptions.

All this means I spotted tons of adorable, flowery outfits on the street this week (mostly modeled by the 20something crowd) and want to wear similar things without having anxiety about it. Also, another trend makes a cameo in this week's post: the word "swag." It's totally necessary, I promise.

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How downright gorgeous is San Francisco this week? Thursday was the first day in recent memory when I left home without a coat; I hope you've all been doing the same. If you're not enjoying the weather, you should probably stop reading and head outside, or at least read on your phone while you wait for the bus or something. Days like these are too pretty -- and too rare in our foggy town -- to let get away.

However, if you need a little outfit inspiration before you head off to whatever hazy 4/20 activities you have planned, look at some of the lovely residents I spotted on the street this week. I've noticed the nice weather has brought out lots more runners, bikers, and other spandex-clad fitness folks than usual, so I've got some bike-friendly outfits for you as well as some bright, summer colors and a new skill we should all learn.

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Every store I've walked into lately is offering an array of colored denim -- neon, pastel, primary -- you name it and they have it. With the trend so dominant in stores, it's obviously going to show up on the street as well. I was excited to see so many pairs of colorful jeans this week; San Franciscans love their denim, so it's nice to see them switching things up a bit. The brighter shades are also a welcome addition to our usually black and gray collective wardrobe.

It made me curious -- are there any die-hard blue jean lovers out there who hate this trend? Or have all of you rushed to the store and stocked up on a rainbow array of pants for spring? Look at a few pairs of colored jeans I spotted on the street this week and let me know what you think.

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The last time I wrote about street style in the Haight, I got some very angry comments from some not-so-peaceful hippies. Apparently, the '60s and '70s are still very much alive out there on the Internet somewhere, and they don't appreciate their iconic strip being overrun by consumerism.

But love it or hate it, Haight Street has become a shopping destination, not just for our ultra-hip citizens, but for our tourists as well. The very best vintage San Francisco has to offer is all sold on the several blocks between Amoeba and Buena Vista Park, and the street is packed every day with fashionable locals adding to their wardrobes.

This week, I spotted quite a few vintage looks on the famous free-love destination. Hopefully the fact that these environmentally conscious individuals bought their clothes secondhand will appeal to the tenets of Haight Street, and their chic-ness can be celebrated by everyone. Click through to see more.

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Kate Conger

High above Union Square, a design workshop reminiscent of Project Runway has opened to its first batch of six designers. The Fashion Incubator San Francisco, located on the top floor of the Macy's men's building, aims to elevate the careers of the designers by giving them access to a sewing studio (equipped with machines from Macy's now-defunct alterations department), offices, a showroom, and a classroom where they will learn the business of fashion.

The incubator is part of a growing movement to revitalize San Francisco's fashion industry. Before our city was a haven to Internet startups, it was known for its garment manufacturing industry. Since the late 1990s, however, factories have disappeared -- the most notable departure was Levi Strauss & Co. from Valencia Street. Some local designers have begun revitalizing the industry by manufacturing their clothing here. Tellason, Turk + Taylor, and Nice Collective are three names on the list -- one that the six designers hope to join when the incubator ends next year.

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Kate Conger

Fashion icons Dita Von Teese and Jean Paul Gaultier celebrate Gaultier's exhibition at La Grande Fete on Friday at the de Young Museum.

Known in the fashion world as the enfant terrible, Jean Paul Gaultier maintains his exuberantly youthful attitude after nearly 40 years as an haute couture designer. It's apparent in his abundant enthusiasm for telling stories -- particularly about growing up with his grandmother -- as well as his consistent chuckle and his stride, which is occasionally punctuated with little skips.

The couturier, in San Francisco for the unveiling of his retrospective exhibition at the de Young Museum, earned the nickname in his school days. Always an outcast because he didn't play football, he recounts getting his knuckles smacked by a teacher for sketching a Foiles Bergère girl during class. The teacher safety-pinned the sketch to the back of his shirt and made him parade around the classroom with it, hoping to humiliate him. Instead, the sketch won him acceptance among the other boys, who asked him to draw similar pictures for them to keep. This formative experience led the French bad-boy to realize that his drawing was "like a passport" that would open doors for him throughout his life.

"It gave me some kind of strongness in myself," Gaultier said. "Through my sketch, I could do whatever I wanted."

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I'm coming down with something, chic citizens, and my guess is that you are too. I've got Gaultier fever. Yesterday I went to the de Young Museum to meet the man himself, and let me tell you, it was Glamorous (yes, with a capital G). There were mini chocolate croissants and coffee in china cups and French accents and, of course, massive overdoses of haute couture. I've been transformed into an obnoxious Francophile who punctuates her sentences with "voila" and "j'adore."

In case you haven't been outside or on the Internet in months, I'll fill you in. The de Young hosts huge fashion exhibitions every spring, and this year it features the work of famed French bad-boy couturier Jean Paul Gaultier. (Read more about the exhibit, "The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier," which opens Saturday.) Even if you don't recognize his name (you cave-dweller), you're familiar with his work. He designed Madonna's legendary cone bra as well as costumes for several films including The Fifth Element, and he served as creative director of Hermès from 2003-2010. So, you know, he's kind of a big deal.

I'm in awe of his work -- and you will be too, once you see it -- but I also spotted quite a few intriguing outfits yesterday at the press preview. I promise to tell you about the exhibition, the opening party, and the gentleman behind it all on Monday, but for now, check out these lovely fashionistas.

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Rarely does one get access to the magical creations of haute couture, fashion works of art that by definition are handmade and shown in Paris exclusively. Which is why we are still freaking out about our viewing of "The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk" on Thursday at the de Young Museum, where 140 of his haute couture works of art (including a set of rotating bustiers in a video clip below) are on display in a meta-exhibition.

The mannequins on which robes hang are not merely hangers, but expressive faces that move and talk. There are videos, large-format photographs by prominent photographers, illustrations, and a rotating catwalk. The scale and depth of the exhibition is impressive, but there are so many works that it does get overwhelming, especially with all the multimedia distractions.

That is, until you realize you have real-life garments in front of you, sewn by fairy-tale-like seamstresses, begging to be looked at and admired.

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