Let's Get Dressed – Episode Summary

Episode: The Debrief: How To Survive and Thrive Black Friday Sales, Plus A Peek Inside My 2025 Holiday Gift Guide
Host: Liv Perez
Date: November 24, 2025

Overview

This special debrief episode features Liv Perez in a solo format as she shares strategies for successful Black Friday shopping, traditions for Thanksgiving, and gives listeners a first look at her 2025 Holiday Gift Guide. Liv candidly discusses how to approach holiday shopping with intention, avoid common pitfalls, and maximize both personal and gift purchases. She rounds out the episode with heartfelt community appreciation and personal anecdotes, all in her signature upbeat, insightful, and fashion-forward style.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Thanksgiving Traditions and Reflections

• Family Focus: Liv opens up about why Thanksgiving is her favorite holiday, emphasizing togetherness and tradition, especially as this year's celebration will be in her mom's new house after a fire.

  “Thanksgiving is my mom’s holiday... She has a whole book of recipes printed out, laminated... My mom, a former secretary, is the most organized person I know.” (02:10)

• Signature Desserts: She details her family's "Banana Oreo Cookie Cream Pie" tradition, including a playful, fashion-forward presentation (martini glasses!), and experiments seen on TikTok (like chocolate-covered strawberry ‘turkeys’).
• Fashion for the Holidays: Recommends outfit ideas to look polished but comfy for Thanksgiving, referencing her recent Instagram Reel for inspiration.

  “Jeans and a great top. A leather skirt and a sweater. A pair of slacks with a button down and a V-neck sweater. Just really great classic outfits that are stretchy for the occasion.” (07:25)

Cozy Seasonal Activities

• Reading & Watching: Liv is reading “Fourth Wing” after loving the ACOTAR series, watching "Grey’s Anatomy," and recommends the “Cutting Room Floor” episode with Paul Tazewell (Hamilton & Wicked costume designer).

  “I am in the Wicked hive... add that to your list if you haven’t seen it yet.” (10:45)

• Community Recommendations: Invites listeners to DM her dessert ideas or book recommendations, highlighting her love of interacting with her audience.

Surviving and Thriving on Black Friday

Liv’s Core Black Friday Shopping Manifesto:

1. Make a Plan

• Shop with intention; spend 10 minutes assessing your closet to identify what you need to replenish:

  “Black Friday is an amazing opportunity to reup on those pieces you need to get yearly. New undergarments? New white tees? New socks?” (12:28)

• Approach your shopping time purposefully (“sit down and shop” vs passive scrolling).

2. No Impulse Shopping

• Cautions against buying just because something is discounted, sharing a personal example:

  “Three years ago... I was on Essence with a $1,000 plus cart... Thank God I took a beat and came back to that cart... none of these things are things I actually need...” (14:30)

• Encourages listeners to use sales to buy things they've genuinely been wanting/need.

3. Buy Strategically—Gifts & Returns

• Black Friday is the perfect time to buy stocking stuffers, hostess gifts, and essentials for holiday social events.
• Warns about retailers’ shorter return windows and surge in 'Final Sale' items:

  “If I see Final Sale, I am definitely not buying it. What if it doesn’t fit? Such a risky buy.” (18:15)

Pro Tips & Tools

• Shopping Ritual: Recommends cozy routines (coffee, candles, tunes) to make shopping less stressful.
• Tech Tips: Shop on your computer, not your phone, for less impulsive and more organized online shopping.
• fia Price Comparison Tool: Praises the fia app (featured on a past episode) for finding lowest prices including secondhand options (“They just got a huge investment… led by Hailey Bieber!”) (19:40)

Liv’s Black Friday Go-To Shopping Destinations

• Personal Closet Refresh:
  • Guest in Residence: “Obsessed with their sweaters”
  • Jenny Kane: “Favorite V-neck, the Flynn cashmere sweater”
  • Aritzia: “Effortless pant... truly the perfect black pant”
• Gift Shopping:
  • Flamingo Estate: Candle trios, soap and lotion sets (“If you come to my house, I’m burning a Flamingo Estate candle. So, so good.”) (21:45)
  • Sephora: Summer Fridays lip butter balm, eye and sheet masks—ideal stocking stuffers for all
  • Ghia: Non-alcoholic aperitif with gift sets and puzzles—a unique host/hostess option

Peek Inside the 2025 Holiday Gift Guide

• Organization by Budget: Guide is structured by price (under $250, $500, $1000, over $1K) vs. recipient category to reflect real-world shopping habits.

  “When we’re all looking for gifts, the first thing that comes to mind is our budget for this gift...” (24:28)

• Highlighted Gifts:
  • Toteme T Lock Clutch – “Perfectly priced for a designer bag... I love this bag so much.”
  • Customizable Dopp Kits/Toiletry Bags from Abode – “You can get someone’s name engraved in it, or their dog... thoughtful, intentional gift.”
  • Watches (luxury to accessible, e.g. Cartier to Tory Burch)
  • Brilliant Earth lab-grown diamond necklace – “I will be doing a giveaway for that exact necklace on my Instagram next week!” (28:56)
  • Dior Jonathan Anderson ceramic plates – “A collector’s item… So cool and such a great piece of art and fashion history to give.”

Wrapping, Community, & Final Words

• Gift Wrapping Love: Liv finds wrapping therapeutic, going all out with bows and handwritten notes.

  “Bringing something beautifully wrapped... feels really thoughtful and intentional no matter how big or small it is.” (26:50)

• Community Appreciation: Deep gratitude for her Substack and podcast listeners.

  “One of the biggest things I’m most thankful for is this incredible community... I wouldn’t be able to do this dream job if it wasn’t for you guys.” (30:10)

• Encourages Engagement: Open invitation for DMs about gift conundrums; possibility of IRL meetups in 2026.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Buying Intentionally:

  “If it’s not something you’ve been wanting for a while or your closet needs, be really careful with buying just because it’s 60% off – girl math of Black Friday Cyber Monday is really crazy, let’s be real.” (14:55)

• On Tradition & Change:

  “It’s not where you are, but who you are with.” (04:25)

• On Final Sale Anxiety

  “If I see Final Sale, I am definitely not buying it. What if it doesn’t fit? Like, it’s just such a risky buy.” (18:15)

• On Community:

  “It has been honestly a bright spot in 2025 for me to have that [Substack] chat going. It’s just a heartwarming community of fashion lovers alike.” (22:50)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Thanksgiving Traditions & Dessert Recipes: [01:33 – 07:00]
• Holiday Wardrobe Tips: [07:00 – 08:15]
• Holiday Reads, Watches & Listens: [08:15 – 11:30]
• Black Friday Survival Strategies: [11:30 – 19:15]
• Shopping Tools & Tech Tips: [19:15 – 20:40]
• Favorite Shops & Products: [21:15 – 24:30]
• Liv’s Holiday Gift Guide Breakdown: [24:30 – 29:00]
• Wrapping & Thoughtful Giving: [29:00 – 30:10]
• Community Appreciation & Closing: [30:10 – 30:43]

Summary

Liv Perez’s “The Debrief: How To Survive and Thrive Black Friday Sales, Plus A Peek Inside My 2025 Holiday Gift Guide” is a practical, heartfelt guide to making the most of the holiday season—both sartorially and socially. Whether you want advice on mindful shopping, are looking for unique and thoughtful gift ideas, or just seeking some cozy community vibes, Liv’s transparent, relatable approach and sharp editor’s eye make this an unmissable episode for anyone planning to shop (or dress!) smarter this season.