©MothersDaughter.com  English Lace Tea Dress, $36

A few months ago I was browsing online and came across a fabulous haven for style lovers:

Mother's Daughter, an online shop based out of San Francisco.

If you live or have ever visited San Francisco you'll know about the unique style the women here have; mixing designer labels with budget friendly finds, taking care of vintage pieces and wearing them with uniqueness, and making a look their very own!

Mother's Daughter owner and stylist Hayden Shiebler knows this about the women in San Francisco and is showing it to the world, in style of course.

Her online shop not only stocks vintage apparel and accessories but also creates a platform for local artists and designers. Shiebler's aim is for Mother's Daughter to carry only the best vintage pieces and shine a light on San Francisco creativity by showcasing local art and photography as well as other handmade items.

Taking a well deserved break from her hectic schedule Shiebler answered a few questions for Examiner.com readers:

©SandyKim  Hayden Shiebler, Mother's Daughter owner & stylist

How did MothersDaughter.com come about?
My idea for Mother's Daughter had been in the back of my mind for years and I finally was able to realize it when I took a short two month break from San Francisco and moved back to rural Tennessee. Before I left I collected a huge amount of inventory and while back home I spent every waking hour working on the shop. I've always wanted to have an online store specializing in vintage clothing, but I also wanted to create a venue for other artists and designers in San Francisco where they could showcase their artwork and pieces to a broader audience. We've recently started to add such items, starting with photographic poster prints done by San Francisco photographer Sandy Kim.

Can you explain the name you chose for the online store, Mother's Daughter?
I chose Mother's Daughter because of the nature of vintage clothes. The most special thing about vintage clothing is their history. Any dress I sell in my shop probably belonged to someone's Mother, Aunt, or Sister. I like the idea of style being passed down from generation to generation. As an item passes on from one person to the next it takes on a whole new identity with that person, depending on their own sense of personal style.

Is your background in fashion or retail?
I've been working with vintage clothes since I was in high school. I had a little online shop and would sell to friends, I didn't want to get a real job like every other teenager I knew. I absolutely loved thrift shopping and going to estate sales, but couldn't keep everything for myself. So, I found a way to be able to feed my shopping habits and also make a living. My parents were models in the 70s and 80s so fashion has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I've also worked in retail at a vintage clothing shop which really gave me some insight on what people are looking for when they shop vintage.

Describe a working day for you at Mother's Daughter.
I do everything in the store myself, which can be a little overwhelming. Throughout the week we shop for inventory, style outfits, take photos of our models, update the blog and website. Having so many different venues to promote store on the internet takes up a lot of time but for me it's much more liberating than being tied down to a physical storefront.

©MothersDaughter.com  Emanuel Ungaro Leather Purse, $48

Any plans to open a 'brick and mortar' store location?
I don't. I plan on having occasional pop-up stores in San Francisco and eventually other places. I prefer having an online storefront. There is a lot more freedom in terms of advertising and making my store accessible to the entire world rather than a particular city. This also can be difficult because it separates your shop from the community, and that is why I am trying to make it very apparent that Mother's Daughter is a San Francisco based shop. The creative community here is really special and the styling I do for the store really reflects the eclectic fashion sense of San Francisco locals.

Do you personally chose the pieces stocked or do you have a team?
I personally choose each item. Occasionally friends will see something incredible and get it for me for the shop, but generally I am the sole buyer for the store.

Where do you find the pieces you stock?
Thrift stores, vintage stores, antique stores, estate sales, sidewalk sales, yard sales, everywhere. Since I was in Tennessee I've really been drawn to shopping for clothing at antique stores. You can't find 1930's tea dresses at thrift stores anymore but antique stores still have them.

How do you decide on what to sell online?
Like San Francisco, my taste is very broad and eclectic. I just pick pieces that I think really represent my aesthetic and are well made. I think it's very important for a store to have a very specific and defined aesthetic. There are certain styles that I am drawn to, but the inconsistency with specific styles I think really makes the shop interesting. I'll have a pretty 1960's sun dress next to a cool 1980's leather bandage mini dress. Also I think quality is very important with vintage. I try to sell well made, well tailored pieces that are made of cotton, silk, leather etc. I will occasionally stock items made of polyester but only if they are particularly amazing.

What would you say are the challenges of stocking vintage pieces?
I've never stocked anything else or worked at a regular retail store so I don't have much to compare to. I suppose the specific sizing of vintage can sometimes be challenging. A lot of vintage runs on the smaller side and it can be difficult to find things that would fit a more modern woman. I am not a small person, I am 5'10" so even I sometimes have trouble finding things to fit me. We try to carry items of all sizes, and also pieces that aren't confined to one size such as a kaftan or an oversize knit cardigan.

Describe the Mother's Daughter customer.
A Mother's Daughter customer is someone who may not even know anything about fashion, they just know what they like. I feel like how our customer looks at style is a bit more artistically-minded rather than fashion-focused. I wouldn't say our shop is trendy, or that our customer would even care about trends. Everything comes back around at some point so the items we stock are just ones that we find to be interesting and unique.

Who do you see as inspiration in terms of style?
My personal style is very inconsistent. I don't confine myself to any era or style so my style inspiration changes weekly. I actually recently have just been dressing like my boyfriend. Him and Patti Smith are my style inspirations as of late. I find inspiration everywhere, not just from designers or magazines, in oversize anoraks, cardigans, hunting jackets, laced boots, an old lady shuffling down Market Street to an eleven year old girl at the grocery store. Next week my style inspiration could be Diane Keaton in The Godfather.

Can you recommend San Francisco places to eat at, visit for inspiration and shop for apparel and accessory items?
Eat at:
El Metate, Bar Tartine and Bombay Ice Cream Shop.
Visit for inspiration:
Marin Headlands, any beach, Golden Gate Park, Bernal Hill, and Chinatown.
Shop:
The Painted Bird, Gypsy Honeymoon and The Good Shop.

Hayden Shiebler is one lucky woman, she is surrounded by apparel and accessories that carry a story, a history and have seen so much along their way to her. And thankfully she is giving some of that style to us with Mother's Daughter.

I can't decide what I want more at the moment: the Polly Peach Silk Blouse, as shown in the slideshow below, or the Emanuel Ungaro Purse, shown above. 

What is your top pick from MothersDaughter.com?