I try to mention Clever Alice, the five-day sample sale with prices marked up to 75 percent off, every time it rolls into town because the deals are just unreal. At the last pop-up sale, for example, there were $290 cashmere sweaters marked down to $60, and $480 silk dresses going for as low as $90. Clever Alice is run by former boutique owner Tamara Chapnot, who works with brands such as Faubourg Du Temple from Paris, Toujours Toi from New York, and C.Z. Falconer from Los Angeles. They’re the kind of under-the-radar labels you find at independent boutiques, not big national retailers.

The pop-up returns to Chicago on Thursday, at a new home in the Gold Coast (49 E. Oak St., 2nd Floor). Doors are open daily through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday and Monday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. After that, the deals go into hibernation until spring.