Vintage pops up for holidays The recession and a focus on being green have put all-things-vintage into the spotlight. Vintage clothing and accessories have the added plus of being unique and often better made than their H&M counterparts.

Local bloggers Rae Danne-man of Bourbon & Lace and Meghan McAndrews of High Plains Thrifter connected over a shared love of vintage and decided to collaborate on a temporary sale, not online but in a brick and mortar store. The bloggers say their pop-up is a rebellion against eBay and other electronic marketplaces.

"The idea came out of our frustration with online retailing," said McAndrews. "As lifelong thrifters and vintage lovers, Rae and I had been stockpiling lots of amazing merchandise, but it was hard to find the time to painstakingly measure, photograph and list all of our items. With all that work, you have to hike up your prices and you never get to really connect with your customers."

Thus, Mighty Swell Pop-Up Shop was born. After a successful fall sale, they're back with a holiday-themed event this weekend.

While McAndrews defines vintage as something at least 20 years old, she admits that "everyone has their own idea of what it means to them. Some of our shoppers are only looking for classic pieces from the '40s and '50s, while some of our younger customers are looking for '80s and '90s stuff that brings them back to when they were kids."

McAndrews had some tips for shopping vintage:

Provided photo, Star Tribune
Another vintage look from Mighty Swell.

Keep your eyes open: Be sure to check for stains, tears, moth holes and other kinds of damage. "Sometimes these things are fixable," she said "but other times it's just not worth the effort or money to repair the item."

Think creatively. "That oversized men's sweater might look hot with tights and heels, a calf-length '80s dress could be much more adorable and wearable hemmed, and a vintage glass pitcher could work as both a serving piece and a vase," said McAndrews.

Look for gifts: McAndrews said "jewelry and accessories, like cute gloves, hats, scarves and leg-warmers, make for great presents. For men, ties, vinyl, barware and plaid button-downs are pretty safe. Kids are a bit harder to buy for, since vintage wear is harder to source for kiddos, but picture books and puzzles are timeless and will stand out in a sea of Carters clothes and plastic crap."

The Mighty Swell Vintage Pop-up Shop

When: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sat., noon to 5 p.m. Sun.

Where: Tarnish & Gold, 1511 NE. Marshall St., Mpls., cash and credit cards only.

What: Vintage clothing and accessories from local vendors, including Bourbon & Lace, High Plains Thrifter, Two Birds, Geisha Pearl Vintage, Minnehappiness, Salvaged Strawberry, Saving Latin, Tulabaru and Top Shelf Vintage.

More information: www.mightyswell.com

pick of the week

Maria Rivolta at Southdale

There's a new line of costume jewelry in town. On a trip to Buenos Aires, Marge Schwab of Minneapolis discovered the Maria Rivolta line of silver-and-gold tone jewelry. Schwab, whose background is in retail, loved the costume jewelry so much that she decided to introduce it stateside by opening a shop in Southdale (first level, next to Macy's). Look for rings, bracelets, necklaces and watches priced at $12 to $98.

sales and events

THURSDAY

Thrifty holiday shopping: 20 percent off all holiday wardrobe items, including party dresses, accessories and shoes, including goods by local brands CounterCouture, Vintage City Classics, Allison Danzl Designs and Ideal Jewels.

6 to 9 p.m., b. (a resale shop), 5456 Nicollet Av. S., Mpls., 612-824-1292.

Rock Your Frock show: A trend fashion show featuring Drama, Suit Up and Atmosfere.

7 p.m., OM Restaurant, 2nd Floor Loft, 401 1st Av., Mpls., 612-338-9423. $10 to $30. Tickets at www.brownpapertickets.com.

Brazil shopping night: A yoga samba instructor offers jewelry and swimsuits she brought back from a recent trip to Brazil. There also will be jewelry by local designer Donna Menne.

6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Guild Collective, 4414 Excelsior Blvd., St. Louis Park, 952-378-1815.

Provided photo, Star Tribune
The pick of the week: Maria Rivolta jewelry.

FRIDAY

Black Christmas: Find a perfect outfit for the holidays with 10 percent off everything in the store, plus sweets and champagne.

6 to 9 p.m., Blacklist Vintage, 25 E. 26th St., Mpls., 612-872-8552.

SATURDAY

After Hours Wine and Shopping: Enjoy desserts, drinks, music, a Palladium Boot trunk show for men and women plus 30 percent off specials throughout the store.

7 to 10 p.m., Elsworth Menswear, 811 LaSalle Av. S., skyway level, Mpls., 612-339-0763.

Cosmetics events at Nordstrom: An early morning show will feature the latest looks. After the show, cosmetics counters will have consultations and special events throughout the day. Laura Mercier and Trish McEvoy will be hosting experts, and Chanel's national artist John Fussell will be offering tips.

8 a.m. show, makeup consultations begin at 10 a.m., Mall of America, Bloomington. Show tickets are $15. (The cost can be redeemed in cosmetics purchases.) For tickets, call 952-883-2121; ask for the cosmetics counter.

CLOSINGS

Corset: The personal styling service and clothing and accessories boutique will be going into "hibernation" at the end of the year, according to owner Carrie Leum. She's currently looking for a buyer for the business. In the meantime, get storewide savings of 50 to 75 percent and an additional $10 off a purchase of $50, $25 off a purchase of $100 or more.

715 Mainstreet, Hopkins, 952-224-2495.

Shorty's Loft: Owner Nancy Sherman is heading to Dallas, so she'll be shuttering her popular Western-inspired boutique. Get 20 percent off now with deeper discounts later this month.

4590 Excelsior Blvd., St. Louis Park, 952-473-0404.

Sara Glassman • 612-673-7177 • sglassman@startribune.com