Setup

Install Qemu

brew install qemu-system-x86_64

Download Arch

wget http://mirror.bytemark.co.uk/archlinux/iso/2018.04.01/archlinux-2018.04.01-x86_64.iso

Boot Qemu with arch distro and USB device

sudo qemu-system-x86_64 -cpu core2duo -cdrom ~/Downloads/archlinux-2018.04.01-x86_64.iso -boot order=d -m 1G -hdb /dev/disk2

Bootstrap

pacstrap /mnt base vim wpa_supplicant dialog

Set xterm as default terminal in i3

vim ~/.config/i3/config
bindsym $mod+Return exec xterm

Fix retina display

vim~/.Xresources

Xft.dpi: 180
Xft.autohint: 0
Xft.lcdfilter:  lcddefault
Xft.hintstyle:  hintfull
Xft.hinting: 1
Xft.antialias: 1
Xft.rgba: rgb

Make sure the settings are loaded properly when X starts, for instance in your ~/.xinitrc with xrdb -merge ~/.Xresources

Reference