Special to The SunBreak by Kelsey Kaufman
To preface this post, let me say I used to work for Nordstrom.
I drank the Nordstrom Kool-Aid (to mix brand metaphors). I raved about our customer service; I followed the (often ridiculous) return policy and walked with an air of sophistication as I made my way through the flagship doors each day.
So when I was invited to attend Macy’s Black Friday Preview, I arrived with a bit of bias. What would they show me that I, an insider, hadn’t seen before?
For those of you who didn’t already know, Macy’s has a small window to shop their Black Friday specials. For the brave, Macy’s opens its doors at 12 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 23 (the midnight of Thanksgiving night) and deals end that same day at 1 p.m. Yes–that’s 11 hours to shop your little heart out.
A Tag Fairfield luggage set for $49.99, diamond hoop earrings for $39.99, Charter Club crewneck cashmere sweaters for $49.99, and up to 40-percent-off espresso makers seemed to be the best deals. Macy’s has successfully merged fashion and home departments under one roof, and you’ll find markdowns at both destinations.
Darcy Camden of Styled.Seattle presented the looks for the evening, in a variety of size and age ranges. She is no newbie to the fashion game, and is best known for her weekly segment on New Day Northwest. Darcy provided us with five tips to get through our holiday wardrobe woes, and all clothing presented was exclusive to Macy’s.
Darcy Camden’s 5 Holiday Style Tips
- All bright colors are festive.
- Yes, you can mix your metals. Especially with jewelry!
- Always go a little girly and a little rocker.
- Maxi dresses and long skirts will carry you through the holidays.
- If you buy one thing this holiday season, make it a clutch!
A dramatic clutch was described as “the punctuation on a sentence.” It’s the one piece that will take you from day to night, and MICHAEL Michael Kors has a few great options. You’re encouraged to be a little selfish during your holiday shopping, and indulge in a piece or two from the Bar III or RACHEL by Rachel Roy collection.
Lastly, a new Black Friday feature on Macy’s mobile app will help customers browse and shop for specials specific to their local store. Customers can view Black Friday specials and create personal shopping lists they can edit and share, as well as receive push notifications that will offer details on previously unadvertised specials. It’s a great tool to avoid any potential Black Friday brawls and create a strategic plan.
Also, to ease some of your shopping guilt, Macy’s donates $2 to Make-A-Wish with any men or women’s fragrance purchase of $75 or more. Macy’s is one of the largest cash donors to the foundation, so stock up on your gift sets!
As for the final question–am I a Macy’s convert? In Seattle, where Nordstrom reigns supreme, it’s hard to choose. But I do know where I’ll be headed this Black Friday for kitchen electronics and a killer maxi dress.