I hope that you had a great turkey day, filled with thanksgiving spirit AND food, family and friends, and fun! I know that I certainly had my fair share of holiday festivities today including but not limited to consuming large amounts of food all day. However, as I write this in the wee hours of the morning, people have been shopping for hours already. That’s right – Black Friday began early this year; for many people, this meant hitting the stores at midnight. Black Friday, equally notorious for its amazing shopping deals and its competitive, at times cutthroat antics, has long been a milestone for the holiday season. However, it is not a shopping day for the faint of heart. It takes stamina, courage and chutzpah to emerge successfully from stores on Black Friday. To aid in your Black Friday shopping, I’ve come up with a formula to dress for success on Black Friday – that is, if you haven’t already started hitting up the stores.

1. Shoes: Wear flat shoes with closed toes; a pair of shoes with good arch support and traction (you’re going to be standing in lines all day and possibly running to grab the last of something.) Bonus points for something easy to slip on, like tall boots; easy to get on and off for quick try-ons.

2. Purse: Leave the huge tote at home and ditch fussy handbags. Choose a cross body purse that will leave your hands free to hold shopping bags or search clothing racks.

3. Layers: Dress in lightweight layers that are easy to remove and stash. And leave the bulky, heavy-duty coat at home. It may be chilly outside, but once you’re in a shopping center, you’ll just end up being burdened by a heavy coat.

4. Fortification: Finally, the best thing that you can do to prepare for a day of intense Black Friday shopping is to eat a hearty breakfast, get a decent amount of sleep, and fill up on the caffeine coffee. And don’t forget to make a list – Black Friday can be a bloodbath, so keep your list specific and reasonable, so that you can focus on what you really want to get.