AH, BLACK FRIDAY. As the Biggest Shopping Day of the Year, huge discounts and desperate crowds can get ugly in certain retail environments. One way to avoid being spotted in footage of shopping riots? Take advantage of the many, many non-mainstream sale events in the city this week.

THIS WEEK'S STYLE EVENTS

• Have yourself a vintage little Christmas (or whatever) this year with the You Unique Black Friday alternative. Multiple vendors will have clothing and accessories from the '60s-'90s, plus DJs and bands to take the edge off. The Service, 2319 NE Glisan, Fri Nov 28, 3-10 pm

• Attendees of this year's Content fashion installation event might recall the live-action dying happening in the Ace Hotel room of Olderbrother, the latest apparel project from Bobby Bonaparte (also of Lift Label). Now they're teaming up with West End Select Shop for a Black Friday showcase, where you can check out the unisex line, chat with its creators, and put edibles/drinkables in your face. Olderbrother purchases will be 10 percent off during the festivity (and come with a bonus gift), but if you hate parties you can still come in to buy from the line through Sunday. West End Select Shop, 927 SW Oak, Fri Nov 28, 6-9 pm

• Just in time for the biggest retail weekend of the year, Stand Up Comedy has announced they'll open on Black Friday, and I can't wait to see them give SW Broadway a jolt of conceptual sophistication. They've got a lot of plans for their new shop windows, too, and you can check out the first display, designed by 69, dude. Stand Up Comedy, 511 SW Broadway, Fri Nov 28, 11 am

• Mercantile is busting out the hallowed tradition of the prize wheel for this retail occasion: Spin it for a discount! Plus, they're featuring the newly introduced Anzie, a line of jewelry hailing from Canada. Mercantile, 729 SW Alder, Fri Nov 28

• It might not be the first place you think of, but the Museum of Contemporary Craft's Gallery Store is a wonderful place to find unique and exceptionally well-made gifts from regional makers, as well as an excellent way to support the fine work of the institution. They're getting a little help from their friends this week, too: When you shop at Hand-Eye Supply on Black Friday (can we start calling it BF for short?), a portion of the proceeds will go to the museum. Museum of Contemporary Craft, 724 NW Davis; Hand-Eye Supply, 427 NW Broadway, Fri Nov 28

• The newly minted outpost for Liza Rietz apparel and BOET accessories, SIX/SEVEN is offering 15 percent off storewide on each line (and if you haven't seen their collaborative 6/7 clothing line, it's worth checking out too, even at full price!). SIX/SEVEN, 811 E Burnside, #111, Fri Nov 28, noon-6 pm

• Lille Boutique has a little something for all the lingerie shoppers in the house, too: They'll be offering a generous 30 percent off storewide all day for Black Friday/Small Business Saturday, simply and suh-weetly. Lille Boutique, 1007 E Burnside, Fri Nov 28, 11 am-7 pm, Sat Nov 29, noon-6 pm

• If you have fans of local/up-and-coming design on your hands, you'll be overwhelmed by the ideas offered at Black Magic, which is where most of the city's cool kids will be in lieu of the big-box stores. The lineup of vendors is right on target, covering jewelry (AK Vintage, Better Late Than Never, RillRill, Tiro Tiro), apparel (Crazy Wind, Made on the Moon, REIF), scent/body (OLO, Portland Apothecary), and leather goods (Primecut, Sara Barner), to name a few. Also, if you miss the event (or prefer not to leave the house), an edited selection from each vendor will be available for online purchase on blackmagicpdx.com from November 30 through December 30. The Cleaners at Ace Hotel, 403 SW 10th, Fri Nov 28-Sat Nov 29, 11 am-6 pm

• Yet another retail score for downtown's West End shopping zone is North of West, spearheaded by three small local manufacturers: Pigeon Toe, Nell & Mary, and Make It Good. Using their connections to find likeminded creators from all over the country and beyond, they're curating what they call a "design-focused mercantile," and this is your first chance to see it. For Black Friday/Small Business Saturday they'll be offering shoppers cocktails from micro-distillery Stone Barn Brandyworks, and will even let you retreat to their upstairs lounge to watch Die Hard on VHS while drinking hot toddies (really), because they know sometimes shoppers need a break. North of West, 203 SW 9th, Fri Nov 28-Sat Nov 29

• Shopping for tomboys is easy. Just head to Wildfang, which is offering drinks, music, and 20 percent off for this two-day glory of mass consumerism! (Even little tomboys are covered: The company's co-founder Emma McIlroy just published a children's book based on her own childhood exploits, Emma's a Gem, which is available at the shop!) To sweeten the deal even more, your purchase will also get you a $20 voucher off a purchase in December and a free coffee at Coava. Wildfang, 1230 SE Grand, Fri Nov 28-Sat Nov 29

• Amelia is setting up shop with a two-day trunk show featuring jewelry from Ten2Midnight Studios. There'll be a much wider array of pieces than ordinarily featured in the store, plus some new designs made special for the holidays. Amelia, 2230 NE Alberta, Fri Nov 28-Sat Nov 29 11 am-6 pm

• Little Boxes is no doubt the furthest reaching and most sophisticated BF alternative in the bunch. Unlike the others it doesn't take place at a single location, it's a citywide cooperation among local retailers. There's an app you can download to find participants (hint: almost every independently owned store in town) and plan a route that's convenient, plus you can collect reward points and win raffle prizes. It's kind of amazing! All over Portland, Fri Nov 28-Sat Nov 29, 10 am-6 pm, littleboxespdx.com

• Radish Underground is participating in an Etsy/American Express effort to give in-store visibility to Portland Etsy sellers—how nice of them! They've selected Lauren Greenwalt's Loop Jewelry, who'll hold court in the store with exclusives and one-of-a-kinds, as well as live music by Shelley Short, food and drinks, and 10 percent off all Etsy sellers repped at the shop. Radish Underground, 414 SW 10th, Sat Nov 29, 11 am-4 pm

• The November edition of the Sunday Emporium returns, with your favorites from the Portland Flea plus an added boost in the housewares department courtesy of host Rejuvenation. This is a special holiday edition of the regularly occurring event, with 30 designers/makers participating and a food hall on the second floor filled with gift-worthy edibles from the likes of Alma Chocolate, Jacobsen Salt, and Olympic Provisions. Rejuvenation, 1100 SE Grand, Sun Nov 30, 11 am-5 pm

• This year, instead of just envying the crafty types who make their own holiday gifts, be one of them. Schoolhouse Electric is hosting a whole series of workshops, A Handmade Holiday, taught by the likes of WildCraft Studio School, Egg Press, and more that will guide you through everything from making shibori dyed table runners to getting through all your holiday card writing. Schoolhouse Electric, 2181 NW Nicolai, starts Mon Dec 1, various times and prices, schoolhouseelectric.com for details