When you think of Black Friday shopping, the first thing that comes to mind is the crazy people waiting in line at the crack of dawn for the best deals on home electronics, toys and the odd kitchen gadget.

With so much attention being given to all of these non-fashion items, does it even make sense for the fashion set to hit the mall? In a word, yes.

While you may not find the most recent, cutting-edge designer merchandise at deep discounts, there are many style items to look for and even stock up on during Black Friday madness. And with an economy that still has everyone pinching pennies, retailers are strategizing on how best to capture your dollars early, with deals on items not normally on sale at this time of year.

"True luxury items like cashmere, shearling, leather and functional outerwear will be topping the list of things to look for, because normally, these items don't go on sale until after the holiday," Tom Julian, trend expert and president of Tom Julian Group, a retail consultancy, told StyleList. "I'm intrigued by all the early sales for items not normally on promotion before Christmas."

Julian, who shops in two-to-three cities each week, has already seen some of these items. "Italian cashmere, Napa leather and down-filled jackets are already on promotion. I've seen outerwear at 30 percent off. There have been so many incentives and special insider type deals already," he said, citing "Friends and Family" promotions and "buy one, get one" sales. "Serious retailers have to prove that they have the serious deals."

Department stores at all levels including Macy's, Lord & Taylor, JCPenney and even Kohl's are offering great buys on things like cashmere sweaters. There will be great deals on outerwear in general and luxury coats in down, leather and shearling specifically. Look for special buys in fine jewelry, diamond studs in particular.

While the idea of a $9.99 George Foreman grill is pretty tempting, $100 cashmere sweaters on sale for $34.99 at Kohl's "Make Every Minute Count" sale is just a little more delicious to fashion shoppers. The chain, which opens its doors at 4 am Friday is also offering 50 to 60 percent off its Apt. 9 sportswear and its fine jewelry.

Target is offering special pricing on its exclusive items like Converse, Carlos Falchi and Anna Sheffield's limited-edition collection and has created a holiday collection, featuring dresses for $39.99 for the occasion. For early shoppers, Target is giving away a free limited-edition reusable shopping bag designed by internationally-renowned Target designer partner Marcel Wanders to the first 500 shoppers at each store.

Lord & Taylor is featuring trend-right women's pea coats for $89.99. Liz Rodbell, Lord & Taylor's general merchandise manager added, "We have terrific values planned for Black Friday and this important shopping weekend throughout the entire store. Our pricing strategy is planned to offer compelling value for both the self shopper and gift purchaser."

JCPenney, which opens at 4 am Friday, has women's apparel starting as low as $5.99 (feels like the 1970s) for items from the trendy I Heart Ronson and Bisou Bisou collections.

We've rounded up more steals and deals for you in our weekly "sale rack" feature.

Specialty stores are not necessarily known for their massive Black Friday markdowns, but this year, many are getting in on the act. Old Navy is jumping the gun on Friday's festivities by opening nearly 700 of its stores on Thanksgiving day, calling its sale "Gobblepalooza." In addition to offers like 50 percent off outerwear, $15 sweaters and buy two T-shirts, get one free, the chain will be rewarding its earliest customers with free Rock Band guitars so that they can play the Rock Band video game while standing in line.

Kenneth Cole is offering a great opportunity to stock up on shoes, sportswear and accessories on Black Friday and the rest of the holiday weekend. On Friday, for the first four hours any of his locations are open everything in the store will be 41 percent off. For the rest of the weekend, a 31 percent markdown is in effect for the first four hours of the shopping day. Store hours vary by location, but the company's Rockefeller Center store, for example, opens at a relatively late 8 am Friday morning.

And then there's outlet shopping, which celebrity stylist/retail consultant Robert Verdi swears by.

"I shop at places like Woodbury Commons (in New York), San Marcos (in Texas) or other Prime outlets that are very high end with stores like Gucci, Etro, or Space, which we all know as Prada," he tells StyleList. "You're going to find spectacular stuff and amazing discounts. You will have a lot of luck finding things you had been looking at for a season and couldn't afford."

A recent trip to the Prime outlets in Orlando netted Verdi a beaded Ted Baker evening dress that he bought for client, comedian Kathy Griffin for a mere $115.

"For the values that you can get, why not make Black Friday selfish Friday?" he added. "I might not be first in line, but I go early. Woodbury Commons opens at midnight and I had friends who went last year and it was bumper-to-bumper traffic."

Indeed, the Prime outlets call the shopping hours from midnight Thursday until 8 am Friday "Midnight Madness," and each shopping center is offering gift bags to the first 500 people who show up in their pajamas.

Better make your celeb wake-up call for early!