While I’m not a fan of crowds, I am a fan of buying gifts in person. Sometimes you

just need to feel a sweater to know if it’ll be soft enough for your mom, or you need to smell a perfume to decipher if it has just the right amount of floral notes for your best friend. Since a day of shopping in any city can be a bit hectic, I like to focus on my wardrobe to help me feel prepared.

My footwear must be warm and comfortable since I'll likely be on my feet for hours at a time, which is why I love these black shearling-lined, lace-up boots. While my gut says to wear the boots with denim, a matching-leather-pants-and-top situation feels a bit more luxe. Another nonnegotiable on a busy day is a crossbody bag that not only holds my sunglasses, hand sanitizer, and maybe even a snack or two (don’t @ me) but also allows me to be hands-free while picking out gifts.