|
Confessions of a Black Friday novice. Did you go?
I have never been a big Black Friday fan. The two things I hate more than waking up early are Hitler and pickles.
My commonlaw sisters go every year as part of a holiday bonding tradition. About five years ago I went with them, not understanding the rules. I showed up late to the line at Sears, catching death glares from everyone in line behind me who had camped out early for the free screwdriver, or whatever. Once we got in, it was like a scene from Armageddon -- people running, children screaming in the streets, power tools flying. For an avid browser like myself, it was a nightmare. I vowed never to go again.
But this year over Thanksgiving dinner, Black Friday teamster Mary told me something: "We're starting at 1:30 a.m. tonight." What's more, they were going to Old Navy, which was selling my favorite jeans for $15 a pair. Since I'm a nightcrawler, I figured I'd be up anyway. So I chucked caution to the wind, put on my gold granny shopping sneakers and joined them in the soup kitchen line at Old Navy.
Turns out, it was a ton of fun. I got two pairs of jeans and two tops, as well as a pair of jeans for my boyfriend. Bonus was the free Rock Band Xbox game we all scored for getting there at twilight. Check out my haul. Yeah, I look a little putrid, sick and dying, but it was 3:30 in the morning by then and the turkey was seeping through my face.
Oh, but it didn't end there. Because I had too much bad 7-11 coffee, I agreed to go with them to Target, where we got these free totebags for being among the first 500. Melissa, seen left, can die happy now that she got this bag and a $3 crock pot. At Target, I picked up a tank and a $10 sherpa hoodie.
I'm thinking I'm down with Black Friday from now on as long as it keeps on starting in the middle of the night and not at the butt crack of dawn.
Did you go, Divas? Send your Black Friday photos and info about your shopping scores to shayes@sptimes.com and we'll post them on the blog!
And don't forget to sign up for our Deal Diva weekly E-mail alert so you never miss a deal. Go here.
Deal Diva Stephanie
Photos from my iPhone, obvs.
- Bags, oh my pretties
- Discount Stores
- Randomly Fabulous
- Recessionista Fashion
- Splurge vs. Scrimp
- Street Beat
- Tar-jay
Most Recent Blog Posts
About the bloggers
Looking for shopping deals in Tampa Bay? The Deal Divas are on the prowl, sniffing out hot fashion finds that won't leave your wallet in ruins. Now you never have to miss a shopping deal! Sign up for weekly Deal Diva Alerts by e-mail. by e-mail. And check in often for the lowdown on local bargains, as well as fashion advice, fun photos and style news. Because shopping should be all about the Washingtons!
Disclaimer: The content of this blog is produced by the editorial staff of the Times and is not tied to advertising.
Meet the authors
E-mail us ideas you'd like us to write about.
Follow us on Twitter!
Join our Facebook page.
Advertisement
Most Popular Categories
THE AUTHORS
Stephanie Hayes came out of the womb wearing high heels. While other kids were reciting multiplication tables, she was learning to calculate an extra third off the half-price discount during buy-one-get-one week. She loves animal prints, black mascara and anything that sparkles. She objects to visible panty lines, Crocs and anything that costs more than a car payment. And she doesn't drive a nice car. She can be reached at (727) 893-8857 or shayes@tampabay.com.
|
Kameel Stanley has never encountered a thrift store she didn’t like. Her
mother taught her that the true value of clothes isn’t how much they cost,
but how many outfits one can create from them. Having grown up in Michigan,
she was delighted to learn upon moving to Florida that she almost never
needed to wear socks or boots again. There’s a lot of turnover in her
closet, and she’s obsessed with dresses, necklaces and wedge heels. She can
be reached at (727) 893-8643 or kstanley@tampabay.com.
|
A disciple of the little black dress classics school, Letitia Stein stretches her budget by looking for styles with staying power. She lives for 80 percent off shoes at DSW, floral sundresses and bohemian chic tops. She confesses to being a bit of a snob when it comes to handbags and jewelry. She can be reached at (813) 226-3400 or lstein@tampabay.com.
|
Coming from a long line of fashionable women, Kim Wilmath considers herself lucky to fit into their hand-me-downs. Her wardrobe staples include her grandma's vintage blouses and her mom's funky jewelry. When she's in the market for "new" items, Kim hits her favorite thrift stores -- a habit she also picked up from mom. But when circumstances require a visit to the shiny stores in the mall, you'll find Kim at the sale rack like a good little diva. She can be reached at (813) 661-2442 or kwilmath@tampabay.com.
|
Comment Policy
| Please be sure your comments are appropriate before submitting them. Inappropriate comments include content that: |
| Is libelous |
| Is abusive, harassing, or threatening |
| Is obscene, vulgar, or profane |
| Is racially, ethnically or religiously offensive |
| Is illegal or encourages criminal acts |
| Is known to be inaccurate or contains a false attribution |
| Infringes copyrights, trademarks, publicity or any other rights of others |
| Impersonates anyone (actual or fictitious) |
| Solicits funds, goods or services, or advertises |
| The Tampa Bay Times does not edit posts but reserves the right to delete comments that violate our policy. |
Registration FAQ
| Read our Frequently Asked Questions on how to register to comment on the site. |
