Bleak Friday and Cyber Sunday

My purchases: Sam Edelman Louie boot knockoffs; fur snood; leopard print loafers.

This year, I was extra prepared to attack the shopping malls, ready to spend some of my hard earned prostitute-slave money.  I had my list of items to buy, my functional shopping outfit laid out and in the wee hours of the night I even came up with a playlist to keep me energized during what I knew would be a sleep-deprived shopping stupor:

1. Burning Desire...Lana Del Rey (the quiet intensity put me in the mood to spend)
2. Breath of Life...Florence + The Machine (kept me striving to find a quality item)
3. Don't Keep Me Waiting...Britney Spears (kinda made waiting in long lines a little annoying)
4. Ritual...Ellie Goulding (because Black Friday is a ritual...)
5. Heaven...Emeli Sande (because Black Friday deals are like being in Heaven)
6. Only Girl in the World...Rihanna (I want to buy things that make me feel that way)
7. Promise This...Cheryl Cole (this song just has a really good energy to keep me awake)
8. Out Here All Night...Damone (I'd been up all night and all morning so it was fitting)

I hit Urban Outfitters first because they account for about 50 percent of my wardrobe and they opened the earliest I was willing to wake up (but honestly, if they did the whole midnight doorbuster thing, I would have found a way).  Surprisingly, I left empty-handed and a little pissed off because I could have slept in. I went to Macy's next to pick up some leopard-print loafers that I had put on hold on Wednesday (totally could have slept in for that too) then I wandered the mall rather aimlessly looking for the following:

1. A white dress (with minimal specifications)
2. Some kind of fur accessory
3. Some nice OTK boots
4. Dicker-style boots

...found at American Eagle

I decided to pick up a black lace dress I had tried on days before, but wasn't necessarily in love with. Why? Well, according to my sleep-deprived reasoning, I should get a black dress because I couldn't find a white one...and that makes no sense, but that's how my brain works on no sleep. I actually returned the dress a day later because I have one that's very similar and I didn't see the point in keeping it despite the deep discount.

Next, I went to Target just to see what they had to offer and I decided to pick up a fur eternity scarf...

...discovered amongst the Black Friday debris at Target.

I visited Express right afterwards and discovered a much more luxurious version of what I found at Target. Despite being $20 more, the fur snood pictured in the first photo looked and felt worth the  $88 dollar value (it was 50 percent off). I felt the exchange was well worth it; at the end of any shopping day, I would rather buy the quality version of whatever I want because I'm less likely to get sick of it.

I headed to another mall and found number four on the list at DSW. They're actually a Sam Edelman knockoff that I have been looking for since I saw two of my favorite style bloggers with them on. Even though they're a pretty blatant copy, the construction is legit with real suede and a wooden heel plus, without the fringe they still have a Dicker-esque silhouette so I'm very happy with them.

Later, I browsed the Gap because their clearance is always amazing.  I was going to head over to Forever 21, but I didn't have the energy--that place is a hot mess on a regular day. I ended up leaving with only the shoes and my trip ended after that.  I had been shopping for about six hours straight and running on no sleep and an over-priced 12 oz mocha latte. I still found some nice stuff, but I didn't find all that I hoped I would. 

I guess my Black Friday was actually kinda lame this year.

But the holiday shopping didn't end there; I decided to get in on the Solestruck sale on Sunday (if you missed it, WOW, that sucks for you).  I had my eye on these insane-and-sort-of-ugly hiking boots and after much debate, I got them for 50 percent off...I know there must have been a ridiculous increase in traffic on the site so I'm crossing my fingers that my order arrives within a reasonable time frame.

Jeffrey Campbell Kick It; credit: Solestruck.com

Those crazy cat ladies in Oregon better have their shit all the way together because this is pretty much the most exciting item I bought.