The most important retail month of the year is blazing onward, with a nonstop calendar of trunk shows, parties, and fashion shows everywhere you look. Keep your calendar pencil sharpened as we attempt to keep you apprised of some of this week's best Portland happenings:

This First Thursday sees downtown shops competing even more heavily than usual with Pearl District galleries for eyeballs and foot traffic. Among the highlights is the Portland Design Collective's Yuletide Bling and Champagne Reception featuring jewelry by Esser Vesper, Winifred Jewelry, and the back-after-hiatus Caitlin Troutman. (Portland Design Collective, 902 SW Morrison, Thurs Dec 2, 5-9:30 pm) Up the street at Alder & Co., there's a holiday tea party featuring Joey Roth, whose impeccably cool white ceramic audio speakers are just one of the to-die-for household items carried in the shop. (Alder & Co, 537 SW 12th, Thurs Dec 2, 6-9 pm)

Friday brings us another Lille Boutique lingerie show, this time featuring the sumptuous hues of New York designer Teo Griscom's Unforeseen Circumstances. There will also be a trunk show of limited editions and a one-night discount on the fall collection, each piece of which miraculously already retails under the $100 mark. (Lille Boutique, 1007 E Burnside, Fri Dec 3, 7:30 pm, RSVP to info@lilleboutique.com)

On Saturday, join Katy Kippen of Grayling jewelry for an afternoon holiday studio party, and check out the latest from her collection, which features artfully draped chains and chunky stones that cater to just about every hip woman's taste from understated, lightweight earrings to super-dramatic chunky necklaces and bracelets. (Grayling Studio, 107 SE Washington, Sat Dec 4, 1-6 pm). The Cleaners at the Ace Hotel also continues to prove itself an ideal location for temporary retail with the lovely Sunday Best sale kicking off Saturday and continuing to Sunday. You won't have to worry about wading through a bunch of tacky kitsch here; carefully curated by the letterpress designers of Studio Olivine, everything chosen is tastefully unique. (The Cleaners, 403 SW 10th, Sat 11 am-7 pm, Sun 11 am-5 pm)

The downtown pop-ups are buzzing Saturday, too, most notably with a fashion show at Flurry that's set to pair regional apparel and accessory design with accompanying film projections. Look for designs from Betty Jean Couture, Michelle DeCourcy, Alicia Wood, and Lizzie Parker, to name a few. (Flurry, 720 SW Yamhill, Sat Dec 4, 6 pm) Meanwhile, back on the Eastside is the third edition of a menswear-emphasized Subject to Season (see My, What a Busy Week!, at left), quickly gaining ground as the bitchin'-est shopping party in town.

Sound like a lot? There's so much more. Track new announcement and overflow coverage of events, sales, and shopping suggestions every day at mod.portlandmercury.com.