One of the most common questions I get right around this time—the calm before the gala season storm—is “Where should I go shopping in San Francisco for a party dress?” And with all the back-to-back events that hit in September and October, the ladies are typically looking to avoid the horror of all fashion horrors: the dreaded McFrock that shows up all over town on every other gal the same night. Other than the usual department store suspects, where else can you shop on short notice for that next formal affair?