Baby, The Stars Shine Bright Boutique

The staff was standoffish but really sweet if you spoke with them! The selection was really great! I may have just been excited to be there but it was a great experience~

Long overdue update.
The staff has definitely improved over time. Super helpful and you’ll definitely get a warm greeting and help if you need it!
A fair bit of warning: the selection and price point here is typical of a specialty boutique. Expect to pay a fair penny and have a limited selection. You will go into sticker shock if you are used to mass produced fast fashion lines.
My suggestion? Follow their social media and wait for their lucky packs and sales announcements. Get their point card too so you can track your purchases and get a discount when you fill it up. A bonus: they have an online store that is constantly updated so you know the inventory, and if you like something, you shouldn’t wait to get it because inventory is so limited.
Low blow on my part to bag on appearance in my older review. Sorry about that.

This store is really quite lovely. It’s small and shares a space with another store, however it really packs quite a punch.
* The clothing here is absolutely beautiful, like a candy store for the eyes. Every article was incredibly detailed and well sewn. While it is rather expensive, it’s important to remember that their clothing isn’t mass produced and everything is designed from scratch. If you were to buy the materials and go to a tailor, it would end up being the same cost anyways.
* The girls that worked here on the day I came in were dressed up in similar attire and were very friendly and helpful. I tried on multiple dresses and they never failed to be cheerful and went on a search to find matching headbands and hats for me, as well.
* The dressing rooms have a sensor that turns on and off depending on movement which can be a bit annoying, but not really a huge problem.
* The atmosphere was cozy, happy, and lighthearted. It was an fun experience.
* My only complaint is that when I bought a (gorgeous!) dress they only packed it in a plastic bag and sent me on my way. Seeing as these things are really quite expensive, I would have liked a little more attention put into the packaging to protect them from the wet San Francisco weather. Wrapping up the dress in crêpe paper and in a small, decorated box wouldn’t cost the company too much and it would make the experience even more luxurious and fantastic.

I heart this place real hard. This is one of those places where I don’t mind dropping a few dollars. It is worth it. Even if I don’t have any cash to spend, I always like to browse and run my fingers through the soft fabrics and lace. The designs on the merchandise are so whimsical and creative.
Baby, The Stars Shine Bright is feminine and cute. Their colors tend to be more on the soft and pastel side. Alice and the Pirates is Gothic with a focus on a pirate theme and has menswear. They have more dark and richly hue colors. The sizes run petite, real small. The dresses and skirts have beautiful prints with variation in prints (fairytale, nautical, masquerade, fruits, etc…). They do have pants but I only have seen Alice and the Pirates carry them.
If you are plus size, then you would probably have to stick to the accessories or get the dresses heavily modified by a tailor if it is possible. However if this is the case, don’t be discouraged because the accessories can liven up anything you wear and you would be able to spend a chunk of your allowance quite easily.
They have a mixture of Alice and Baby items at the entrance but when you walk past the front desk, Alice is on the left and Baby is on the right. Right across the desk is the display where the bags, umbrellas, stationary, hats, plushies, and totes are. Bags vary in size and shape. The knits (sweaters, boleros, cardigans, and pullovers) are in the middle of store close by the bag display. There are floor length mirrors for you to check out how you look.
The two dressing rooms (one on the left, one on the right) are located at the back of the store next to the window and dolled up mannequins. Let the salesgirls know you would like to try on outfits before you jump in the dressing booth. There is a round cushion in between the dressing rooms for you to sit on while you try on shoes or wait. In front of the round cushion is the display case for the brooches, pins, veils, thigh high socks, bows, bonnets, bows, necklaces, bracelets, rings, head dresses, lace cuffs, scrunchies, hair clips, hair ties, hair barrettes, and mini hats.
They do carry some shoes but there isn’t a huge selection partly because the line doesn’t put out many shoes and the shoes that do become available get snatched up pretty quickly. Any shoes in white are usually the most popular. Baby’s shoes are at the bottom shelf at the front desk. Alice’s shoes are lined up underneath their clothing displays in the Alice and Pirates section.
Prices are steep. If you think it is because it is being imported from Japan, then check out the prices on their Japanese website, you will see the prices are still high. Believe it or not fashion companies like these are actually small. This is some quality stuff though so if you love this style of fashion and are in it for the long haul, I think you will find it worth it.
You usually receive a logo sticker with your purchase. I have occasionally received a postcard with a model usually in a dress. Ask for a stamp card and you can receive a discount after it is filled up. You have the options of picking an Alice or Baby stamp card. Remember there is a no photo taking policy so you will have to take pictures of your goodies after you step out of the store. The store doesn’t host many events but they do hold a couple sales per year.
You can place orders on their reservation collections. At the front desk, there is a binder with pictures and listing of their reservation collections you can order from. If you are not sure if it will fit you, you can ask the girls to look up the measurements online. There is a time window for reservations. Be aware, if you place a reservation (s), you must pay for them. If you miss out on a reservation or cancel it, the company policy is to ban you permanently from making any reservation (s) in the future. Yeah, they are fairly strict about that.
The salesgirls dress up in Baby and Alice attire. The salesgirls here have always been courteous and welcoming to me. As I have gotten acquainted with them, I have learned many of the salesgirls have shy personalities which could be mistaken for aloofness at first. I don’t usually dress up in Lolita when I visit the store and haven’t been snubbed at all.
BBTSSB are located on the second floor and don’t worry about not finding them since they stand out like a neon sign compared to the other stores next to them. Even if the fashion isn’t up to your taste, it is a fun place to check out.
Btw: if you are against leather, I have been told that the line uses veggie pleather instead.

Really good customer service. The ladies there are always so nice and helpful. I shop there regularly. You can do pre-​orders for releases in person, and often have goodies that are sold out in Japan. I highly recommend it to those into the Lolita scene.
To those who don’t know, Lolita style clothing is a street fashion from Japan. It’s very popular world wide. But being a Japanese company, it is different than your normal Nordstoms or Forever 21 experience. Here are some advice I have for those who haven’t been here before.
Things to remember:
1) This is not a costume. And no, this is not for children or babies. This is a clothing style adults and young teens wear. Please be respectful.
2) There is only two sizes: womens and mens. And mens sizing is available only in boy’s style clothing and jackets. Most of the woman’s sizing will be around an American Small. If you aren’t sure if anything can fit something, you can ask the staff. They will gladly recommend a piece that fits your measurements.
3) This clothing is not cheap and everything is limited edition. Often there is only ONE of an item in that color in store and maybe the last one left in the world. Blouses average $ 138 – 200 and dresses $ 200‑1000 depending. You can find accessories for under $ 100 for a cheap kick. If this isn’t your price range, then it may be best to keep this to window shopping or void it all together.
4) You can only try a few pieces at a time, and undergarments are not allowed to be tried on. Please don’t try to sneak any past the staff and try them on anyways. They will be nice and hold items for you and trade them out as you go.
5) A lot of the fabric is delicate and can get stained from your make up. Please treat everything as you would walking into an art gallery. Don’t pick up, try on and throw around items that you don’t at least have an interested in buying. Don’t walk around in the store in the un-​purchased clothing. If you were trying on a piece of clothing that is now sweaty, ripped and covered with make up, you just ruined it for the next person who now cannot buy it.
6) Keep an eye on your kids, unless you want to be a proud owner of a broken $ 100 bonnet. Seriously, this isn’t a cheap store to set your kids free in.
6) If you want something that isn’t available, ask the staff if they can special order it. They are helpful and more than willingly to search for an item if it is available at another store and/​or can be ordered from the website. But keep in mind that because of the limited production, some thing may be sold out.
7) DON’T TAKE PHOTOS. It is posted all over the store and yet people still try to. Don’t even take it of customers. If you like someone’s outfit, you can nicely ask to take their photo outside the shop.
If you’re nice and respectful, it will get you far with both the staff and with other customers. I can’t say how many times I’ve wanted to kick customers out for being rude to the staff, to customers and mistreating items. Respect gains respect.

I have to say the store itself is absolutely fantastic. It is absolutely unfortunate when the behavior of the employees just ruin the experience for the customers.

Wonderful store! I came in here a week or two ago to pick up a skirt I had ordered online and the two girls working there were really nice and friendly. I had no problems picking up my order and I was able to check out quickly. I got an Alice & the Pirates sticker too along with my purchase which was a plus. I would definitely order/​shop from here again.

I’ve always gone to the shop in the past with a friend that was acquainted with the girls that worked there and had always been treated okay.
Today, all I did was walk onto the floor, look around, and a girl yelled from in the store to me and said «The Escape Room meets downstairs.» She said it in a rude manner, and made me feel like I don’t belong there. Excuse me, but I didn’t talk to you, I didn’t even walk towards your store. I was looking around because it had changed a bit since the last time I went to the building, and was trying to figure out where something was.
Thanks for the tip.

Store was quite small. Part of a larger building of shops in Japantown, but it definitely deserves more space. There is a garage next door at the mall so parking is not too worrisome. It is a bit expensive, but the quality is worth it. There are also changing rooms to try on the clothes. Staff is helpful, sweet, and polite. :)

The store is clean and well organized and the staff is very friendly and helpful. I’ve been there many times and I love shopping there.

Baby the Stars Shine Bright in the New People building is the brand’s first American location, and your one stop lolita clothing shop in San Francisco. It sells clothing, shoes and accessories for the lolita fashion trend (google it) so it’s frills, lace, bows, full skirts and tiny hats aplenty.
I think I’m now a bit too old (and sadly I KNOW I’m way too poor) to clothe myself entirely in such conspicuously cutesy outfits, but I’d probably shop for seperate pieces for cosplay purposes. Just be prepared to drop some major coin because that BTSSB cuteness is costly!

I got to visit the boutique during my family Vacation in San Fran over the Holiday. I was really excited to shop, I had a long list of goodies i wanted (plus a lot of gift shopping for xmas gifts)
When I walked in, I was not greeted. There were two girls there and neither of them seemed to notice me (or my family of 5 who soon joined me) … it felt a bit awkward. I felt like I was wandering into a stranger’s home uninvited.
I walked around for a while and finally found something I liked on a rack in the center of the store, when i pulled it off to try it on, the staff finally noticed me and ran over saying «Don’t touch that please!“The girl pulled the garment away telling me that rack was online orders for other customers. I apologized and felt a bit embarrassed– i was confused why they didn’t have any signs out that said it was already sold.
I felt like I had to tip toe around the store– the staff seemed almost annoyed by my presence. I asked a few questions about some items I liked, the answers were short and unhelpful.
I left without buying anything.

This place is one of the Lolita «promise lands» in the City. In fact, this particular boutique Baby, the Stars Shine Bright (which for sake of sanity I’ll call Baby from here on out) was my first taste and introduction of Lolita fashion.
Baby at the time offered a cool refuge from the warm Sakura festival and when I first set for on the floor and saw it, it took my breath away.
Now on to the boutique it self. Okay, let’s get out of the way that Lolita fashion is generally tailored to tiny Japanese women. This is, after all Japanese street fashion at its finest. Don’t act all surprised that you cannot fit in to some pieces here unless you’re an American size zero. That should not take away from how great this store is.
The shop girls are all sweet. I’ve never really had an issue of so called snobbery. I’be actually never worn Baby while in here, I’ve even been in here while not even in Lolita, but I’ve always been helped. It’s also super cute how they bow to you after you make your purchase at the register.
It’s also ridiculously tidy. Like I usually feel bad messing up tables in general in stores, but this straight up makes you feel like a sinner! But the girls are quick to tidy anything up not folded or hung perfectly. The fitting rooms have fave covers so you can try on the garments without getting makeup all over it. Very useful considering how much said garment is.
Overall, very cute! If you’re into it, check it out! Check it out regardless in my opinion!

I must admit, this shop is really really cute! BTSSB has been one of my favorite lolita brands since their items are nicely made and adorable. I have purchased a couple of dresses from this store since 2009 (mostly on sale since the items are quite pricey). I give it one less star because you can’t take photos inside the store :(
They also carry Alice & the Pirates — a subcategory brand for BTSSB, its mostly dark themed with a Pirate twist.
The staffs are helpful and friendly. And they’re also dressed in BTSSB dresses, so adorable.
A must visit place for those who love lolita and/​or Japanese fashion!

I don’t think someone can ~fully~ enjoy a BTSSB boutique without knowing – at LEAST – what Lolita fashion IS. So yes, BTSSB is definitely not a place everyone can… enjoy /​appreciate, haha. And I’m sure just the phrase ‘Lolita fashion’ alone sadly conjures unfounded negative connotations…
However! I recommend you make the trip inside for the aesthetic pleasure alone, if you’re into fashion. *_​_​*
I am *all about* Japanese street fashion, so I was thrilled to randomly come across this BTSSB store while roaming San Francisco.
Having been to a BTSSB in Tokyo, it’s fair to say that this San Francisco outpost isn’t much different. Walking in, you’ll just be surrounded by the gorgeous dresses and accessories, cry as you can’t afford it all, but still stay there a while to ogle at the utter beauty (. so yeah, there’s my experience in a nutshell.) Additionally, BTSSB pretty much doesn’t make dresses/​etc. comfortably in any size above maybe… a US8? That may even be a stretch. So be warned. NOT plus-​size friendly.
The staff was lovely, though – they were incredibly helpful to the teenage Lolitas who were shopping there, and seemed knowledgeable about virtually every print BTSSB has ever made. They also didn’t mind me moping around the store, holding up $ 200 pairs of shoes contemplating if the splurge was worth it, and then putting them down 20 minutes later. They were certainly reserved towards me though – so I can echo that from other reviews – until I opened up about my love for Lolita fashion and my adventures in Harajuku boutiques.
So, yes, BTSSB’s fashion isn’t for everyone, but ~sigh~: it’s a gorgeous store with impeccable fashion and craftsmanship, and going to look at beauty – whether or not you’re into Lolita – is definitely worth checking out, in my opinion.

So I don’t know much about Lolita boutiques… but I was brought here by someone who was. She was quite happy with the place and would give it a 4 or 5… not to mention be able to write a more knowledgeable review. But since she’s not a Unilocaler… you are stuck with the views of the guy who went with.
The store seemed nice and despite the other reviews the girl at the counter was very friendly and helpful. We walked in and within moments my friend had a bunch of things in her hands and was whisked away to a changing room. I proceeded to sit quietly on a big pink round couch feeling a little awkward, but relieved that there was just one other couple in the place so I didn’t feel like a creepy guy in a store of clothes made to make woman look like young dolls. I found that the girl working there was super helpful to my friend in regards to tying up the dress to suggesting things to go with it… without ever being pushy. After the other couple left I ended up chatting with the girl working there about Lolita fashion in general, her experiences with it in Japan, and the Lolitta scene in the area. She was very nice about it given that I knew so little. About $ 1,000 later we were out of there. The girl I was with left super happy and excited, and I left feeling that this was a much better experience than the other reviewers had led me to believe.

This is based off my first time visiting this place. It has been a dream of mine to actually visit Baby, The Stars Shine Bright boutique. Sadly the staff wasn’t super helpful. I’m a plus size girl and I already was sad that I couldn’t fit into any of the dresses, but the staff kinda made it worse. No one really helped me. One girl yelled at me because she thought I was trying to take pictures with my phone, when I was actually tagging myself there on Unilocal!
Discouraged I almost walked out with nothing, but my husband told me to buy some sort of keepsake because I always wanted something from there. Finally one of the staff members was nice enough to help me find a bag and I choose a heart lace umbrella for a cosplay I have in mind. Once I flashed my wad full of $ 20 the Lolita staff was finally interested in helping me with my purchases. How many Lolitas does it take to wrap an umbrella, the answer is all of them because there is a specific way to cover it.
Even though it wasn’t stellar service I did enjoy browsing. Definitely plan on going back to visit and see the new styles of Lolita. If you didn’t already know this place is super pricey, so watch out for your heart!

I’d just like to clarify for anyone who thinks that wearing lolita or Vivienne Westwood would inspire the shopgirls to greet you or acknowledge your existence: it actually has no effect. It should be the bare minimum of customer service no matter what someone is wearing to say hello, though. Maybe next time I’ll flash my debit card in front of their faces or something?
There’s a very limited stock there with prices adjusted for the cost of importing it. Not really sure why you can’t take pictures, considering the novelty aspect is the one interesting thing about the store for non-​lolitas. I really want to know how thisstore could possibly stay afloat. They had two girls working who seemed to have no idea how to use the register, both waiting on the single other customer that was in the store. Snobby and incompetent is a hell of a combination.

THIS is exactly how a Lolita boutique should be!
Bright, organized, pristine.
It doesn’t matter how I come dressed to this boutique, I am always greeted with happy enthusiasm, even when I don’t know the person working personally (And I do know MOST of them, as I have been into this fashion and community since at least 2004).
For reviewers saying this store is small: This is the LARGEST BTSSB store in the /​world/​! These boutiques only have the best of the best custom designs, and everything that comes out of their brand is top quality. That means that there is so much attention to details per piece, that there is a smaller volume of designs.
Love this place.

I absolutely adore this boutique. Small as it is, given what it sells and the demand for it here you can’t expect a huge spread like H&M or Express even. If you are into lolita clothing then no explanation needed, you already know what it’s all about :).
Baby has some of the most wonderful lolita dresses and accessories. Everything is so freakin’ cute… and expensive. Dresses here are rarely (if even that) below $ 100. Lolita gear everywhere, not just the Baby line, is not cheap. Lolita style covers from head to toe, the headbands down to the socks and lacey shoes. To put an entire look together can be well over $ 500. The girls here are very friendly and will help you with whatever you need. I came in pushing my big old stroller with my daughter pointing at everything and they were all still so nice; none of them had that «you break it you buy it» type of look as my 3 yr. old looked at the dresses with me. Everything is kept neat and tidy so browsing is a breeze.
Too freaking cute.