There's just something about vintage clothing. Fabric feels more luxurious; skirts seem fuller; waist lines appear impossibly small. It's all so elegant in comparison to today's cheaply made casual Friday wear. For Claudine Villardito, owner of the Phoenix-based online vintage clothing retailer Black Cat Vintage, vintage fashion is a "security blanket of nostalgia" with a "quality of materials and construction [that] surpasses all but the most exclusive modern clothing." Her covetable collection has been featured in museums, galleries and on period shows including "Mad Men." Meanwhile, her web shop boasts such vintage scores as Chanel suits, Yves Saint Laurent blouses and a deeply gorgeous 1960s, red Rudi Gernreich tube dress you'd have to pay me to get out of if I ever got my hands on it.

Which, much to my delight, could conceivably happen since Villardito has opened her first pop-up shop in Downtown Phoenix for the holidays. Located inside the lobby of the historic 111 Monroe building (which used to house a bank), the pop-up is sharing square footage with Villardito's husband's high-end audio store Esoteric Audio, as well as Hidden Track Bottle Shop.

Black Cat Vintage pop-up boutique is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. through December 23.