You've picked up your holiday heels at the best shoe stores in San Francisco and learned about the best consignment stores in SF to shop for lightly used Winter fashions. Now it's time to focus our attention on the true spotlight of the season: the party dress! The best way to wow the fellow partygoers is with a fabulous frock, so this week's Pop 5 provides you with the best places to shop for seasonal sparkle and glam gowns.

  1. High-end Pacific Heights boutique Elizabeth Charles (2056 Fillmore St., 415-440-2100) carries an unparalleled selection of coveted and hard-to-find international labels, including Isabel Marant, Vanessa Bruno, Peter Som, Roseanna, and Todd Lynn, to name a few. From sequined, floor-length evening gowns to tailored and beautifully detailed pencil dresses, the store's extensive collection of party-worthy looks is a must shop if you've got money in the bank.
  2. If short and body-conscious is your weapon of mass flirtation during the holiday season, then make a beeline for Herve Leger (865 Market St., 415-284-9168) in the Westfield Centre. Albeit a hefty investment, beginning at $1,100, the designer's iconic bandage dresses, available in a range of rich palettes and sexy shapes, may as well have been made for December.
  3. For those of you who look to Audrey Hepburn and Betty Draper for sartorial inspiration, make a trip to fashion wonderland Torso Vintages (272 Sutter St., 415-391-3166). The Union Square destination sells fine vintage creations from all the golden eras; gorgeously beaded and detailed dresses — practically one of a kind — abound here.
  4. With locations in the Cow Hollow, Noe Valley, and Haight-Ashbury, local fashion boutique Ambiance specializes in party dresses, chic separates, and denim, as well as shoes and accessories, generally priced between $5 and $500. The well-organized stores are literally packed with pieces in a range of styles and from a variety of cute, contemporary labels.
  5. Looking for something more edgy than cute? Drop into Hayes Valley-favorite Acrimony (333 Hayes St., 415-861-1025), which has a number of hip and affordable dresses from independent or under-the-radar labels like Laugh Cry Repeat, The Addison Story, My Pet Square, and Ann-Sofie Back, which would be ideal paired with a statement necklace at a holiday cocktail party or dinner downtown.