local shops


Small Business Saturday 2023

small business saturday san francisco bay area christmas gifts

Pictured: cozy sweater from Margaret O’Leary in San Francisco /

Happy Small Business Saturday! As we go through our shopping lists for the holiday season, it is important to visit our local, small businesses to find the perfect somethin’ somethin’ for our loved ones. The most unique and special gifts are often found locally. Why give someone something everyone else has?

This year, I would like to highlight four small businesses here in the San Francisco Bay Area which can be visited in person or shopped online. These are small businesses I love and own items from, so they are fabulous, stocked with gifts, and local! Love that!

So, without further ado, here are four small businesses to visit on this Small Business Saturday.

The Perfect Provenance: This fabulous shop is located in downtown Tiburon, and they also have an online shop. You can find clothing, accessories, home decor, and the perfect gift! Check them out at ThePerfectProveance.com.

Have Need Want Luxury: Looking for the perfect gift under $50? You will find it here! Have Need Want is based near Santa Cruz and is completely online. You can find whimsical tees and more! Please visit their shop online here.

Margaret O’Leary: I recently became acquainted with Marget O’Leary and I am in love! They have the most amazing sweaters and more! In addition to clothing, you will also find fabulous gift ideas from their accessories both in-store and online. There are multiple Bay Area locations as well as an online shop at MargetOLeary.com.

Spirit Sox USA: This amazing sock company was founded right here in Silicon Valley and is women owned and run. They make the coziest socks with fun designs! Socks are a great stocking stuffer and always make the perfect gift. Check them out online at SpiritSoxUSA.com.

I hope you love these small businesses as much as I do! Happy shopping!

XOXO
Cathy


Margaret O’Leary sweaters

san francisco designers sweaters

pictured: Chelsea Pullover in spice stripe /

Margaret O’Leary is a fabulous local designer with a beautiful boutique on Fillmore in San Francisco. She came to San Francisco in 1989 from Ireland and instantly realized San Francisco had the perfect climate for sweaters! I mean, it is the city where Mark Twain declared “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.”

Margaret O’Leary was on to something! She quickly began knitting, and by 1990 was selling sweaters to local boutiques and was soon picked up by Barney’s. Her company is still independently owned and operated, making it an amazing San Francisco design house. I even had the honor of meeting Margaret O’Leary herself while sweater shopping last week! She was amazing!

If you have not stopped into her shop on Fillmore, what are you waiting for? The boutique is filled with beautiful sweaters ethically made as well as party attire, scarves, and ethically sourced handbags and shoes. Love!

I instantly fell in love with this Chelsea sweater in spice stripe. I have also added to my wish list this grey and white version called “marble” and pictured below.

quiet luxury sweaters san francisco margaret oleary

pictured: Chelsea pullover in marble /

Isn’t it fabulous? I am in love! There were more sweaters to fall in love in with as well. I loved the beautiful hues in blue, green, and purple. There is a lot to love at Margaret O’Leary! If you are local, definitely pop into her shop! You can find her boutique locations online at MargaretOLeary.com and you can also shop her beautiful collection online too! Love that!

So, I ended up taking home this beautiful Chelsea pullover in spice stripe. Isn’t it fabulous? It will look amazing with jeans and casual skirts, as well as casual pants. Love!

margaret oleary sweaters san francisco

Try-on: Chelsea pullover in spice stripe (This is what I took home) / tweed jacket in background / holiday nail polish / jeans / hoops /

Of course, I did shop around with my mom! She took home a sweater too! I can’t believe I didn’t snap a photo of her in it! Stay tuned, next time I see her I will snap a photo of her wearing it and share it with you. She bought the sweater pictured below in spice. It is named the Molly pullover. You can find it online here. Apologies for the grainy photo of us, I used my iPhone instead of my camera.

Margaret O’Leary’s designs are all investment pieces, so when you invest in one, you know it will be part of your wardrobe for years and years. Love! Timeless style is where it’s at! Her sweaters will also make fabulous gifts this holiday season, so be sure to check out one of her boutiques or her online shop. Love it!

You can learn more at MargaretOLeary.com.

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

*I was gifted a sweater by Margaret O’Leary, all thoughts and opinions are my own. My mom loved the collection so much, she purchased a sweater.

quiet luxury sweaters margaret oleary san francisco

Holiday gift shopping at Hillsdale

The holiday shopping season is here, and I am so excited to enjoy all of the beautiful and festive decor at Hillsdale Shopping Center. In addition to these fabulous trees on the first floor, right by Macy’s, there are golden stars cascading from the ceiling, garlands throughout the mall, and additional displays the whole family can enjoy. Love it!

Of course, there is more to holiday shopping than decor! Hillsdale Shopping Center has so many of my go-to shops this holiday season. It’s the perfect place to get my shopping done for my entire list; and a few things for myself too. haha

If you are looking for the perfect home items, Macy’s is an obvious choice; but did you know Williams-Sonoma has the perfect table settings for the holidays? In addition, they have multiple types of hot cocoa, and holiday themed marshmallows! I picked up a few for my kids. We are excited to enjoy them!

I know these cocoa tins and marshmallows will make amazing gifts this season too!

Although large gatherings aren’t a thing this year, we are still dressing in festive outfits when we go out and about; plus we have to have the holiday spirit on family Zoom gatherings! I love all the amazing holiday clothing at White House Black Market, aka WHBM. If you are looking for something fabulous with a little va-va-voom this season for that special someone on your list, WHBM is the perfect place to go! I mean, how fabulous are these shoes!!

I know you love beauty products as much as I do. So Sephora is the obvious choice for the perfect gift for you, and every beauty fan on your list. I love all the gift sets they have in store. Gift sets make beauty gift shopping easy! Plus, Sephora at Hillsdale Shopping Center has Dyson products in stock! I know people have their fabulous hairdryer and curling iron set on their list. If you don’t own the hairdryer, I recommend giving it to yourself this season, I am addicted to mine and can never use another dryer again! Love it!

Cozy sweaters and moto jackets are hot trends this year! For the Fashionista on your list, I highly recommend Banana Republic at Hillsdale Shopping Center for your destination. They have the IT moto jacket which everyone is after, plus the perfect sweaters to put under the tree.

If my family is reading this, the moto jacket is on my list. hint hint, nudge nudge.

I know you love handbags! This means your friends and family do too! Michael Kors at Hillsdale Shopping Center has a ton of fabulous handbags in stock right now. I love love love these studded styles; plus they have on-trend quilted styles, classic hobo bags, and more! I need these sunglasses in my life too. You’ll be a kid in a candy store at Michael Kors!

Hillsdale has so many fabulous shops to check out for the holidays. Plus, they are easy to get to from anywhere in the Bay Area.

For more information, and to see all the amazing shops located at Hillsdale, please visit Hillsdale.com.

Happy shopping, Happy Holidays, and stay fabulous.

XOXO
Cathy

*sponsored by Hillsdale Shopping Center. all thoughts and opinions are my own.