Sales tax holiday this weekend Published July 27, 2011 By Susan Griggs 81st Training Wing Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Mississippi's back-to-school shoppers get a price break on clothing or footwear purchases this weekend. The state's "sales tax holiday" begins at 12:01 a.m. Friday and ends at midnight Saturday. During this period, the state's 7 percent sales tax isn't collected or paid on purchases of specific products priced at less than $100. "We'll be supporting the sales tax holiday by taking an additional 7 percent off for qualifying items Friday and Saturday," said Bill Buell, main exchange store manager. "Clothing" is defined as any article of apparel designed to be worn on the human body including pants, shirts, blouses, dresses, coats, jackets, belts, hats, undergarments and multiple piece garments sold as a set. "Footwear" is any article of apparel for human feet except for skis, swim fins, rollerblades, skates and similar items. Accessories such as jewelry, handbags, luggage, umbrellas, wallets, watches, backpacks, briefcases and similar items aren't included in the tax break. If a customer buys two shirts at $50 each, a pair of slacks at $75 and a pair of shoes at $110, no sales tax is due for the two shirts and slacks at a cost of $175, even though the combined cost exceeds the $100 threshold. Sales tax is due on the entire $110 price of the shoes since they exceed the $100 threshold. For more information, log on to http://www.dor.ms.gov/secondsalestaxholiday.html or call (601) 923-7015.