Proper Clothing & Accessories for Black Friday Shoppers

Get ready for Black Friday by dressing the part. If you’re going to get deals, you might as well be comfortable enough to appreciate them. Here are the essential do and don’t tips for what to wear and bring with you on Black Friday.

Shoes

You will stand outside doorways. You will stand in line. You will walk a couple miles in aisles and mall corridors. You will need good shoes to do this all and still have functional footsies at the end of the day. When it comes to hardcore Black Friday shopping, you shouldn’t be concerned with making a fashion statement.

Don’t: Waking up at 3am for that early bird sale is no occasion to wear heels. Avoid anything spiky, studded, and strappy. Heels are not conducive to either long-term standing or walking, and you do not want to get knocked down in a discount hunting flash mob because your stilettos let you down. Also, avoid the flip flops. Your feet will be exposed to both harsh weather and the heavy feet of other better shod power shoppers.

Do: Functional footwear will be what separates the wheat from the chaff. Wear sneakers, trainers, tennis shoes, anything that offers coverage, support, and traction (especially for anyone not living in Southern California or Florida). A good sole is imperative so that you aren’t slipping and sliding on either icy sidewalks or waxed department store floors.

Outerwear

If you are a dedicated shopper determined to get those crack of dawn Black Friday deals, you may very well have to spend a few hours (if not the whole night) camping or standing in less than habitable temperatures. Plan your outerwear accordingly.

Don’t: A fleece pullover is not going to do the trick. Even in the warmest climates, winter evening temperatures can dip into the 40s and 30s. Many northern and Midwest regions typically see below freezing temperatures, so don’t think that your ratty hoodie will save you during the darkest, coldest part of night.

Do: Choose an outerwear coat that is appropriate for your local cold weather. Hoods, insulation, and pockets for exposed hands are essential overnight or early morning pre-shopping survival needs. Snow coats, rain coats, woolen and knit accessories — I recommend bringing any or all of the above. You can always drop them off in the car when your freezing early bird shopping is done.

Handbags

This one is mostly for the ladies, but gents fond of their satchels will also want to take note.

Don’t: You want to avoid large bags with short straps. Anything that you have to carry in your hand or on your elbow limits your mobility, tires your arm, and inhibits your ability to quickly grasp that must-have item off of the top shelf. Large bags are cumbersome and usually require two hands to keep them in check for fear of drumming some unsuspecting consumer who just wanted to reach under your arm, not faceplant into a wall of Gucci.

Do: If you have to bring a purse at all, opt for the cross body bag with a sturdy shoulder strap. Most handbags have optional or adjustable straps so hopefully you won’t have to do much to your existing handbag to get the cross body effect to work for you. Carry only the essentials: money, phone, keys. Anything else is extra weight that you will regret when you’re toting your Black Friday treasure trove back to your car.

Guest post by Analise Marcus, smart shopper and avid seeker of quality Black Friday deals worth the effort of getting up early and facing discount-hoarding crowds.

Ben Johnson is Alliance Manager at Logoinn, a logo design company. He writes about the effect of design on marketing and brand identity and helps small businesses find design solutions for effective marketing.

Ben Johnson

View all posts by Ben Johnson
Bens website

If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.