What to Wear on Black Friday

PART 1: UNDERWEAR
First of all, when it comes to lingerie, stay simple. "I don't care what you're wearing, you need Spanx as undergarments. I'm not a fan of any tummy. You should always wear those when you're shopping," Martin chides.
Stephenson agrees. "Stick a pair of Spanx in your bag, which will hold you in if you're trying on that LBD." She says coverage is as crucial as clean lines, and recommends microfiber tanks, thongs and boy shorts from Hanro.
"Sometimes, you don't always get a dressing room on Black Friday," she continues. "In my shopping experience, it's a day when women have no shame. If you need to get naked in front of the world, at least you'll look good."

Courtesy of Spanx

PART 2: PANTS

Stephenson says when it comes to legs, stay skin-tight. For the brave or the buff, she'd suggest leggings.

"But I love my Loft skinny denim which has got spandex in it which sculpts the body. This season, everyone is buying boots and it makes it easy to try them on – you don't have all that fabric from a boot cut. You never need to take a pair of socks. And you can even pop a dress or tunic over – it's not bulky denim."

LOFT Modern Skinny Jeans, $59.50, available at LOFT stores and LOFTonline.com.

Courtesy of Ann Taylor

PART 3: SHOES

"There are so many embellished flats nowadays, at all price points," says Stephenson. "It looks festive and is easy for you to slip in and out of."

Heels are fine too but keep them low and kittenish: Cole Haan with its Nike technology, BCBGeneration and Jessica Simpson's collection.

Stephenson is also fond of Converse sneakers, a classic that's been revived yet again. She's increasingly spotting customized pairs, with sequins or brooches like a sporty version of that embellished flat.

"Just avoid shoes that take a lot of time to take off, and stay away from Uggs and clogs – I understand why women love them, but they're ugly," she says.

Jamie Koslow, AOL

PART 4: JEWELRY

Keep jewelry to a minimum. Chunky cocktail rings will snag on sweaters as you browse, and chokers catch on necklines of anything you try on. If you're loathe to nix sparkle entirely, keep it to outerwear: Stephenson loves the embellished sweater coats from Vera Wang's line for Kohls.

Brown Heather Long Sleeve Wrap Cardigan w/ Jewel Detailing by Vera by Vera Wang sweater, $78, available at Kohls.com


Rachel Been for AOL

PART 5: HAIR AND MAKE UP

The same rule's true for hair and make up as jewelry. Think fresh faced and simple, more Taylor Swift than Dolly Parton.

"You don't want to leave your face over every single garment you try on," says Stephenson. Pop hair in a pony tail and stick with nothing more than lip gloss.

Taylor Swift makes a shopping run in NYC.

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PART 6: OUTERWEAR

The key when you're running in and out of stores, or from the mall to the car, is to plan for extremes of hot and cold: opt for layered outerwear, like a cashmere cardigan.

"Vests are fantastic, too and we're having this huge sleeveless moment," raves Stephenson. "And layering a coat with a vest means you don't have the bulkiness."

Actress Kristen Bell steps out in a multi-layered outfit while readying for some retail therapy.

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PART 7: BAGS

"You have to stay as hands free as possible," Martin says, before confiding her own practical strategy. "I wear a pack around my waist that's black and I bought for $5. In it, I have a credit card and $100 cash in a rubber band, my shopping list, my Blackberry and some lip balm. That's it."

Stephenson agrees that practical purses for Black Friday should be hands-free. "Like messenger bags. And this season is all about the rectangular shape in bags, shoulder bags like hobos. And even very ladylike bags with two handles have a shoulder strap nowadays."

She'd splurge on the roomy quilted Marc Jacobs Stam bag, named after supermodel Jessica.

At left, Rihanna sports a Louis Vuitton fanny pack while out and about in London.

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PART 8: MORE BAGS

The fanny pack-equipped Martin has a canny tip when it comes to shopping bags that she calls creative planning.

"Go first to a store that has a great big shopping bag, like Intermix which has a giant shopping bag, because it sells boots," she says. "Then I go there and buy a necklace or a shirt, then ask 'Can I have a big shopping bag, I have a lot of stuff to get today?'"

That way, you can simply stuff future purchases into a single carry-all.

Mary-Kate Olsen teeters in Balenciaga heels with a shopping bag half her size.

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PART 9: THE MANTRA

Both Stephenson and Martin agree there's one overarching rule for Black Friday wardrobes: don't be tempted to dress down.

"You should look like you'd want to look if you were to run into an ex-boyfriend from high school," Martin says.

She speaks from experience. Martin once broke her own commandments and popped to the mall wearing sweatpants.

"My ex-boyfriend was there with his new girlfriend. I wanted to shoot myself. Everyone's shopping on that day."

Jennifer Lopez's shopping ensemble while touring Rome this summer.

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