I trust that you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Hopefully, you had a relaxing day watching the parade, noshing on turkey (or tofurky),  and catching up with family and friends. However, if you are still basking in the post-Gobble glow, you are now officially behind in your holiday planning. (Or at least that is what the commercials on TV say and they never lie, right?)

In recognition of (and not necessarily agreement with) the frenzy known as Black Friday, I thought I would share with you some of my favorite black things. And while I think black is always a great choice (as anyone who has seen my closet can attest), these objects are truly schwarz-tacular.

NB: Don’t forget that tomorrow is Small Business Saturday. (Finally, a made-up day I can get excited about!) Many of the great American companies featured on this site fall in the small business category and are purchased by local retailers who also do. So, if you’ve seen something here that you were thinking of buying, Saturday is the perfect time to do it.

Barn Light Electric – Made in the USA

A good light (like a good man) can be hard to find.

Thankfully, a very clever man started a company that makes amazing lights.

Barn Light Electric was founded by Bryan Scott as an extension of his passion for collecting and restoring antique barn light fixtures.

When he launched the Company in 2001, Bryan established 3 guiding principles to ensure his products would carry on the tradition of the antiques he loved. Each Barn Light Electric light must 1) be American-made 2) use only high quality & commercial grade materials and 3) represent original barn lighting style.

Recently, the Company has added porcelain enamel lighting, reviving a manufacturing process that died out in the 1950s, to its already exciting line-up of gooseneck, sign, sconces and pendant lighting.

The Ivanhoe Sinclair Industrial Porcelain Pendant (above, $159) is one of these new, old-style lights. The shade takes its shape cues from a 1930s task lamp, but its warehouse-chic look is also very of-the-moment. At 10″ w x 6 3/4″ h, this shade is the perfect size for over your bar, in your mudroom (or not-too-formal foyer), or anywhere else you need to see and be seen.

And in case black is not your color of choice (I promise not to judge you!), this light is available in 6 other colors – bronze, red*, white, yellow*, jadite, cobalt* and green. (* colors are $10 more.) To make sure the Ivanhoe Sinclair is perfect in your setting, you can also choose the canopy color, as well as the cord color and length. (This attention to detail and ability to customize is typical of the Barn Light Electric experience.)

Check out the entire Ivanhoe collection!

This is one bright idea, you don’t want to miss. Visit www.barnlightelectric.com.

Baron Wells – Made in New York, New York

November weather can be a bit unpredictable.

Some parts of the country have already had snow and others still have temperatures in the 80s. Regardless of where you are, colder days are a-coming.

To keep the “frightful” weather from impacting you too much, you’ll need to have a great coat at the ready.

If you think you’re covered, wait until you read about what Baron Wells has to offer. (It may just be time to donate your old coats and buy a new Baron Wells!)

Since its arrival on the fashion scene in 2010, Baron Wells has been turing heads with its preppy details and effortless style. The Waxwear Parka (left, $359) is no exception.

First of all, the parka is limited to 36 pieces. That means despite its fabulousness, you will not see it everywhere you go. (And isn’t that reason enough to buy it!) Second, it is made of Martexin Original Wax Finished 10 oz cotton canvas (made in the USA), making it the ideal choice for precipitous weather.

The parka is lined, has 2 exterior slant pockets, 2 interior welt pockets, an adjustable flat-lying collar, a wind-protecting collar, a wind-flap with button detail on upper back, marbled camel concave buttons and a slim tailored fit. (When I promised you details, I was not kidding!)

Baron Wells also makes the parka available in charcoal gray wool. The wool edition is 45 pieces. (And though not black, it is still handsome.)

See the entire 2011 Autumn/Winter Collection for inspiration.

Plan to be warm and dry! Visit www.baron-wells.com.

Imogene + Willie – Made in Nashville, Tennessee

Ever miss your family? Grandmother, grandfather, mom, dad, sister brother, aunt, uncle, cousin or a treasured friend? Maybe they are no longer living or just do not live close by anymore.

Do you sometimes wish you could carry them around in your pocket and pull them out when you are sad, lonely, happy or just want to talk?

Well you can’t. (Snap out of it!)

But when you wear wearing a pair of Imogene + Willie jeans you come pretty darn close.

The Company was named for Co-Founder Carrie’s maternal grandparents, but it represents the broader concept of family – the people who love us, who teach us, who stay with us forever.

Like most of the Company’s products, the Imogene Jean (say that 3 times fast) is made in Nashville, Tennessee. (Due to their rise in popularity, they are now out off space and now have to make some of their garments off-site.)

The Imogene (above, $240) was inspired by Carrie’s stylish grandmother. It is a mix of 1940s classic denim and 1970s feminine style with a straight, stovepipe leg and higher rise. The Imogene might just make you look longer and leaner than you really are. (Not that I am implying that you need any help in that department!)

This is a jean made for women. It has hips, and larger, wide-set pockets that anticipate that the wearer will have a bottom. However, please do not worry if this does not sound like the style (or color) for you. They make others, as well as shirts, jackets, vests and even a dress.

Fear not, Boys, Imogene + Willie also makes jeans, shirts, jackets, vests and even a cap for you.

For jeans with good genes, visit www.imogeneandwillie.com.

Pierrepont Hicks – Made in New York

Love can tie you in knots.

It can also give the confidence to (k)not ignore your tie-making destiny.

That later was the case for Pierrepont Hicks Founders, Mac and Kat.

For these two lovebirds, owning a company that celebrates textiles and the power of their combinations was an inevitability. While planning their wedding in Scotland, they were inspired by the vast offering of woolens. (After all, Mac need a kilt!) And then while honeymooning on the Adriatic, they discovered Croatia to be the birthplace of the cravat.

Kat’s experience at Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein and Mac’s experience in real estate/development gave them the design and business acumen necessary to start a business. But it was the third member of the family that provided the final push and real inspiration. With the birth of their daughter, Mac and Kat decided to be the kind of parents who walked the walk. If they were going to encourage their little girl to follow her dreams, they should as well.

Pierrepont Hicks ties and bowties are timeless. The silhouettes are modern but not trendy, elegant but not fussy. In other words, these ties could as easily belong to your college-age brother as your grandfather. (Both would look sharp in one!)

The point of distinction for the brand is its selection and use of textiles. Mac and Kat use the highest quality products and do not shy away (actually they run toward) wools in bold plaids and rich oranges, sumptuous silk repps and decadent camel hairs.

But the real magic is in the mix. One of Pierrepont Hicks’ hallmarks is the two-fabic tie. Like the Thunder (above, $120), two fabrics are combined so that when the tie is tied, there is an exciting peek-a-boo effect.

The Thunder is currently the most formal tie the Company offers. It is made of 100% English silk. And is also available in a reversible bow tie version, so you can go from a black-tie occasion to a white-tie occasion without going home to get another tie.

If these ties sound like something you would love (and I cannot imagine that you would not), then get moving. Each piece is handmade and in limited supply. When a design/pattern is gone, it is gone.

Knot to be missed! Visit pierreponthicks.com.

Tatine Foundry Candles – Made in Chicago, Illinois

To love beauty is to see light. - Victor Hugo

Mr. Hugo and Tatine Founder Margo may not have been friends or co-conspirators, but it seems they share a point of view.

Tatine candles (named for Margo’s grandmother) are handcrafted expressions beauty. Made in small batches by hand, Tatine candles are the result of Margo’s carefully crafted and blended fragrances.

She derives her candle and fragrance inspirations from places as traditional and grounded as plants and flowers to as unexpected and abstract as city cement, wet tree-lined streets and changing seasons.

Tatine’s Foundry Candle (above, $40) is a nice blend of these two inspirations. Foundry is an expression of Margo’s love for industrial design. (Did I mention her production studio is housed in an industrial loft space?) The container is super handsome in black recycled-glass marked with vintage motorcycle numbers. (Margo also adores vintage motorcycles and the men who ride them!)

The numbers are not just decoration. (Though if they were, I would not care. I like them that much.) They actually let you know the candle’s fragrance. The candle above is #25 – Branded Leather. A scent Margo describes as “deep, dark, masculine and sensual. With smoky middle notes of frankincense and myrrh, enhanced by top notes of genuine leather oil. A vintage leather motorcycle jacket. An aphrodisiac at it’s best.” (Need I say more?)

If for some reason you don’t want or need 60 more hours (the candle’s burn time) of rugged sensuality in your life, the Foundry is available in 4 other scents – #142 – Palmarosa, #719 – Holy Basil, #978 – Ancient Calamus Root and #653 – Orange Tinder.

Let your light (like your beauty) shine. Visit tatinecandles.com.

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Hope you enjoy this post.

Have a wonderful holiday weekend.

Thanks for reading!