Black Friday has become a full blown month-long affair, and with sales being thrown at you from all angles since the beginning of November, I wouldn’t blame you for tiring or feeling overwhelmed by all the offers. It can be really hard to know where to start (which, for me, often ends up in a lot of panic and not shopping anything at all). There’s no denying, though, that now is a great opportunity to make some pretty huge savings, especially on buys you were planning on investing in anyway—whether that’s wardrobe updates, Christmas gifts or even pieces for around the house. And while some deals started early, this weekend is definitely the best time to take advantage of the biggest discounts. So, we’re here to help decode Black Friday for you. I’ve rounded up the best clothing deals across the board here, the best coats on offer (just in time for next week’s cold snap), some crowd-pleasing gifts you can find on sale, and we’ve scrolled through hundreds of the best beauty deals for you, too. But today is about focusing on what the great British high street has to offer, to help you cut through the noise and focus in on the best high-street deals with a calm head and a cool, considered approach.
As always at Who What Wear, we’re only here to talk about the crème de la crème. I’m a stylist and editor who has seen it all after a decade working in the industry, so you could say I have pretty high standards. That doesn’t mean I don’t shop on the high street, though. You’ll know from my weekly column that I just tend to focus on those expensive-looking pieces, the ones that still have a premium feel with a more affordable price tag. Not only does this approach mean a more polished-looking wardrobe, but it also guides me towards more classic, timeless pieces that have staying power.
Yes, shopping high-street discounts may seem a little contradictory to this responsible theory, but if you shop wisely, the Cyber Month sales are actually the perfect time to invest in these kinds of pieces. Often discounts are across everything, rather than just on a specific end-of-season edit that’s discounted for a reason; and they also mean you can bag more premium-quality items on the high street for much less. Think COS cashmere, wool coats from Massimo Dutti and Mango’s real leather boots.
After browsing the best high-street sales so far, I can confirm there are plenty of these elevated styles available with some pretty unbelievable markdowns. Below, I’ve rounded up the best of the best and linked out the pieces I’m actually considering buying myself. So you can save time and think of this as your one-stop sales shop. With only a few days (and in some cases only hours) left to take advantage of them, scroll on to see the most expensive-looking sale buys you can find on the high street right now.
Mango has up to 50% off over a thousand items including some amazing coats, knits and boots to see you through winter. SHOP MANGO’S SALE HERE
Cherry red and leather—this couldn’t be more up my street for winter 2023 (and beyond).
This year I’ve vowed to invest in more knitted dresses, since they’re such an easy piece to throw on in the morning and feel elevated. This will pair perfectly with my knee-high boots.
Finding real leather ankle boots for under £100 is a Black Friday miracle I’m not ready to pass up on.
I’ve lost track of the amount of people who have raved to me about these trousers, especially as a more affordable alternative to Agolde’s pinch waist style. It’s time to check them out for myself.
My friends all ask me for advice on what to shop for Black Friday, and so many are asking where they can find great ballet flats. Well, these are as good as it gets. I love the square toe and mary-jane buckle detail! They’d look so cute now with tights and a mini skirt or dress, but also come spring with some blue denim jeans skimming the top of them and your favourite trench coat.
We have a real thing for COS’s elevated tailoring and capsule staples. There’s 25% off a very chic selection right now. Scroll on for the pieces on my list… SHOP THE COS SALE HERE
COS’s wide leg trousers are famously good.
I’ve had my eye on this jumper for a while now, it’s giving me Khaite vibes.
Perfect for heading into winter. It’s practical, but chic too.
Massimo Dutti, the grown-up big sister brand to Zara, is the fashion industry’s best kept secret for premium-quality, affordable items that can easily pass for designer. This season the brand has levelled up even more so, and I’ve seen so many of the best-dressed fashion people in its winter staples recently. Lucky for you there’s 40% off right now. SHOP THE MASSIMO DUTTI SALE HERE
Cropped jackets like this work so well with wide leg jeans and trousers, especially for work. Plus, they’re easy to layer under coats in winter.
If you’re looking to update your workwear, don’t miss Massimo’s modern tailoring.
H&M is offering 20% off everything (yep, everything) for members over the Black Friday weekend—and it’s free to sign up. SHOP THE H&M SALE HERE
H&M jumpers are top tier this season.
I always gravitate to H&M’s minimalist pieces as they look the most premium—like this coat.
These classic (and real leather) boots are bound to sell out fast.
We all know and love & Other Stories, whether it’s their fun dresses, great denim or timeless outerwear you shop there for. For this weekend only the brand have 20% off sitewide when you spend over £60 (which isn’t difficult TBH, I could buy it all). SHOP THE & OTHER STORIES SALE HERE
This is just gorgeous—it’s the exact colour coat I’ve been looking for.
A best-seller for a reason.
Whistles is another of my favourite premium high street brands for top-quality pieces. It is usually on the pricier side though, so Black Friday is the perfect time to invest in its elevated wardrobe staples for less, especially the leather items which I really rate (I’ve worn this jacket on repeat for the last year and it’s still buttery soft and looks brand new). There’s 20% off everything, including existing sale buys, until Monday. SHOP THE WHISTLES SALE HERE
So many influencers have this jacket—they convinced me to buy it and now it’s one of my most worn wardrobe pieces. It’s an investment, but a worthy one in my eyes.
A pair of silver leather trousers has been on my wish list for a long time—I’m not a huge dress person so I’ll wear these for parties, as well as dressed down with cosy knits and chunky boots.
When it comes to versatile dresses that you can wear to everything from the school run to your next wedding, I (and the rest of the Who What Wear team) often turn to Nobody’s Child. They’re known for their great dresses, but this year i’ve also been impressed by their expansion into coats, knitwear and denim—all with a sustainably-minded approach. There’s currently 20% off everything with the code BF20. SHOP THE NOBODY’S CHILD SALE HERE
I wear striped jumpers so often, I know I’d get loads of wear out of this chunky version.
The perfect black mini that would go so well with tights and knee high boots for party season.
There’s 25% off everything at Abercrombie & Fitch for its best sale of the year, including brand new winter arrivals and, of course, the TikTok famous Curve Love trousers that Karina is wearing here. SHOP ABERCROMBIE’S SALE HERE
I’m so impressed with Abercrombie’s denim offering.
These have garnered thousands of amazing reviews, and they come in three different lengths too.
Anthropologie does great homeware, and I usually end up buying a lot of my Christmas gifts there too. I’ve also become a real fan of its fashion offering recently, brought to my attention by some of the brand’s viral hits like the designer-looking woven bags and teardrop earrings loved by TikTokers everywhere (yes, I just bought both). There’s 25% off everything on site this Black Friday, as well as an extra 40%(!) off sale items—and the deal includes its beautiful furniture. Don’t skip over this one. SHOP THE ANTHROPOLOGIE SALE HERE
John Lewis is a well-loved staple of the great British high street, and with good reason. I don’t know about you but I always find myself heading there for the best beauty buys, homeware and gifts (there’s something for everyone, I swear). They also, of course, stock so many fashion brands, but its their revamped own brand label that has caught my eye this season—especially the tailoring and accessories which are such good quality. For Black Friday weekend there’s a ton of deals across the board (you could sort your entire Christmas list in one go, I swear), including 20% off selected womenswear and a huge (and very rare) £80 of the Dyson Airwrap. SHOP THE JOHN LEWIS SALE HERE
This is cosy and chic—a jumper that will last in your wardrobe for years.
