305: How they Black Friday'ed
16 talented shoppers take on the sales.
My favorite part of covering Black Friday in this newsletter is getting to use it as an excuse to be nosy. It’s perfectly fine for me to ask a bunch of smart, interesting, and stylish people how they spent their money if it’s journalism.
Their answers didn’t disappoint, and perhaps even revived in me what I thought was an exhausted itch to shop this week’s sales. (More on my buys…thus far…coming tomorrow.) Here’s how 16 talented shoppers took on Black Friday.
Michael Scanlon of Chandelier Creative
I just made some deep-brown moves to my apartment (new sofa, new rugs) and things were starting to feel a little... heavy. So I just bought these Magniberg sheets on sale this morning for a shock of Yves Klein blue in the bedroom.
Mel made the best jeans a man can get, and I had to get a second.
I have a wedding in two weeks, and the dress code is hedonistic black tie. I thought I was sorted with a late 90's black satin Gucci suit I found a few years ago, but I saw this Tom Ford for Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche jacket earlier this week and ordered it immediately.
Hosting Thanksgiving made me realize all of my kitchen and entertaining shortcomings. I made a last minute run to Nicky Kehoe for a potato masher and water pitcher.
Definitely not on sale, but I just did something crazy and bought one single yard of Raf Simons goat hair fabric in a deep midnight blue. I'm going to try my hand at reupholstering a chair, wish me luck.
Viktorija Jasevice of VSJ Consulting
I always have a running list of things I need/want. Someone gave me a great advice last year to wait and buy all mundane home things, like kitchen appliances, during promotional season. So I followed that advice and bought a new coffee machine from illy. Coffee is 8/10 and I like the look of it.
On a weekends, there is nothing better than spending all morning in pajamas, sipping coffee and reading, so I stocked up on some cotton pajamas from J.Crew. Since Olympia took over, I find myself reaching for some classic staples from J. Crew again and again. This style with red stripes I’m the most excited about.
I am also super happy with a pair of Italian armchairs in the manner of Paolo Buffa. I wanted them for a while and after finally tracking them down, I persuaded the dealer to take them off hold from another designer. They were mine, and yes, I got a little discount too.
Nikolai Hansson of Palmes and Diadora
Cowboy boots by Lemaire. Not too much of a statement, not too little amount of boot.
Cartier Tank. I don't know shit about watches but have always liked the Tank and just sold my apartment after ten years, so it's only fitting to throw my brain into the glove compartment and buy this.
Carter Young Western Business Shirt. Since I'm all onboard with ethics and all, I'm not gonna recommend something from my own Palmes line and looking beyond my selfishness, I love this one that my friends from Carter Young just did for ACRE, a beautiful shop in Salt Lake City. (they do 30% off on the site currently).
Daphne Javitch of Doing Well
I got these buttery sweatpants for my kids.
Replenished my favorite skincare: the Kristina Holey x Marie Veronique collaboration.
Bulk ordered my daily magnesium.
And treated myself to these loafers!
Erika Veurink of and EV Salon
I bought monogrammed stationery for a bunch of people on my list from Papier. I love the designs and the extra 20% off didn’t hurt.
I swear by Sofie Pavitt, so I loaded up on mandelic serum and her cleanser. The Crown Affair clips are my new obsession, and also make for darling gifts. I’m stalking my obsessions on TRR to see if anything goes on sale. Brightland and Ghia are my fav hostess gifts, so I ordered some of both to have on hand.
Chantal Hughes, Consultant
Fun stuff I purchased:
The Row yellow sock slippers, which I’d been eyeing all summer but kept telling myself they weren’t essential, finally broke down when I saw them on sale, however TBC on whether the size I bought will fit, The Row shoes fit me differently depending on the styles.
Glasses case from Smythson on sale, purchased as a gift, but now I want one too!
I’ve never tried anything from Leset, but decided to go for these pointelle t-shirts since they offered a 30% off site-wide code. Everything else I purchased are tried and true brands for me.
Beauty stuff I purchased:
Lilis is a Korean body care brand that honors the tradition of Korean body scrubs that one gets at bathhouses, but without all the harsh scrubbing. I’m obsessed with the clean and smooth feeling their instant peel leaves me with. They also offered me a discount code ‘TUESDAYS’ for 10% off if anyone wants to try it :)
Not on sale, but as stocking stuffers ordered several Officine Universelle Buly lip balms monogrammed for friends’ Christmas gifts.
I am headed to Todos Santos Mexico in a couple weeks, a favorite spot for our family each December, I like to have a bit of coverage, but also want my skin to breathe when I’m somewhere hot so I swear by this amazing tinted moisturizer from Natura Bissē, it’s pricey, so I snagged one during their Black Friday sales.
Kids stuff I purchased:
My kids 5 1/2 years old and 2 1/2 years old doodle, draw, and create all day long so I bought some cute art supplies via Black Friday sales from Ooly, a cute artistic brand I like.
We are surprising our children with a Yoto audio player for Christmas and stocked up on some audible cards that were on sale to wrap for under the tree.
Home stuff I purchased:
Charvet bistro/tea towels for myself and as hostess gifts.
Gohar World Fish Lemon Squeezer, like the Buly lip balm, not on sale, but bought it as a Christmas gift.
Christina Holevas of
I have one tiny tee shirt from Gil Rodriguez in red and I always wish I had a white version, so I bought two on sale (I added a black as well).
To go with my tiny tees I bought a pair of big pants—low loose jeans from Agolde, marked down on SSENSE.
The cheap projector I have in my living room has finally stopped working, so I bought a slightly less cheap one that will hopefully last longer.
I also restocked my go-to Embryolisse cream and Kiehl’s mask. And a pair of Capezio dance tights (apparently they don’t rip).
Nico Lazaro, Editor and Consultant
I went to Mohawk General Store, where so much is 25% off. First one is Studio Nicholson, not online. Second is this. Otherwise, Sunspel is 20% off certain things, like this polo sweater I went to pick up for my dad.
Emily Sundberg of
This time of year I’m on the Upper East Side for two reasons: my weekly therapy appointment, or outrageous holiday participation. I’m talking the 30 Rock tree, Monkey Bar martinis, Zitomer stocking stuffers, you name it.
The other day I stopped into The RealReal on the Upper East Side and the experience was, as it almost always is, lackluster. However I did see a jacket from Khaite that stood out to me. The price tag was horrific so I continued on with my day (opening doors of dozens of advent calendars in Bergdorf, half a baguette at Le Rock).
Later that night I was on The RealReal’s site and the jacket was on sale and I was a little buzzed from holiday cheer and I ordered it—saved 40% vs. buying it in store. The only other two sales I participated in was a value pack of Pilates classes from my local Park Slope studio and workout clothes from Alo. I think I’m done with wandering the city in oversized sweats and t-shirts from high school after my workouts!!!!
Simon Merz of SM-S Projects
I’m not much of a Black Friday enthusiast but I stocked up my favorite socks + underwear (both 40% off).
Ethan Glenn of Every Other Thursday
Raglan Sleeve Topcoat In Italian Fabric Madewell
The Hiking Boot Brown Suede Morjas
Orslow 105 90s Pant In Denim Used
Alessandra Codinha of
I have learned the hard way that big sales (sample or seasonal) are more often than not a one way ticket to disappointment. (Did you really want that, or did it just seem like a really good deal?) That said, we just moved to a new house out here in LA in October, which has revealed itself to suddenly require so many things. So I will take any discount I can get.
Among my most pleasing new acquisitions: some rugs from Nordic Knots, including one big one in a glorious shade of green you just want to sink into. Linen bedding in the most perfect terracotta, rosewater, and lavender colorways, which feel sort of gentle, or pretty, which I realized I definitively require from my surroundings rounding out this calendar year and approaching the next one.
I also did what I do this time every year, which is to buy a shocking volume of tins of Leckerlee lebkuchen. These are chocolate dipped German gingerbread cookies, and I cannot recommend this practice more highly—they are utter crowd pleasers. Leckerlee’s lebkuchen are delicious (nutty and spiced and not overly sweet), the tins are collectible, and it’s a small woman-founded company, the kind which always feels good to support no matter what time of year. They’re also the perfect thing to give to friends and neighbors and bosses and assistants and acquaintances hosting around the holidays. So, like, anyone. (They even have gluten free now, though I haven’t tried it.) Truly: I keep a stack of different fetchingly patterned tins near the front door to grab on the way out. It adds up to one less thing to worry about during the holiday season, which, honestly, is a gift in itself.
John Jannuzzi of Mack Weldon
Banana Republic Camel-Wool-Cashmere Topcoat: It’s so good for being Banana.
Alex Mill Jordan Sweater in Washed Cashmere: It was time.
Yang-Yi Goh of GQ
I have bought two things technically on sale this week:
A 1981 Kermit the Frog tie on eBay
Tickets to the Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden
Juliana Goldman of Potion
Finally pulled the trigger on the couch I’ve been eyeing, and in the meantime, I’m living in this HYEIN SEO vest. Also bought this Isa Boulder bag for almost 60% off—a steal.
Elora Joshi, Consultant
My main goal during these larger promotional weeks is to stick to items that I always use and have or would pay full-price for, but at a discount. I’m looking for essentials.
G.H Bass Whitney Loafer: Especially during the cooler months, these are pretty much my daily driver and I wear them down so much that I need to replace them every 24 months or so. I’ve been due for a replacement so the timing was perfect.
Matteau Tailored Trouser (sold out in black where I purchased on SSENSE but here in brown): I’ve recently noticed a hole in my wardrobe: a simple pair of flat-front trousers that can be slouched a bit. Matteau is one of my favorite brands and I found their Trouser on sale.
Arne Jacobsen Stelton Ice Tongs: I have the matching ice bucket and quickly realized I was missing this item after a recent hosting experience where I found myself using a tablespoon to scoop ice.
Moon Juice Magensi-om: I drink this nightly and had to stock up for the next few months.
Toteme Belted Croc Heel: My fun purchase! The one item I didn’t really need but couldn’t stop thinking about.
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I've been hankering after the Mel jeans forever!
I’ve had facials from Kristina Holey and I miss being able to have her massage my buccal cheek muscles like omg the tension she worked out of them! But yeah her MV stuff is great!!