It’s that time of year – the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is here! Are you excited? On pins and needles? Annoyed? Sick of hearing about it already? Wherever you are on the scale, I hear you. I love Nordstrom and have been a loyal shopper long before social media was a thing. Even so, I feel like the sale brings up a lot of emotions, and this year it’s especially mixed considering the state of the world. Maybe you aren’t shopping at all right now. I know a lot of people aren’t. Maybe you’ve been saving up to either get a few special pieces or replace tried and true staples. If that’s you, then the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale can be a great time to make those strategic purchases! Either way, whatever camp you’re in, I always try to remember that a sale is just a sale, these things are just things and there will always be more of both 🙂
My goal with this post is to outline how I typically approach the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale and share my favorite things from this year’s selection – from items I own and love to what’s on my wishlist and in my cart!
That being said, I never want you to feel like you have to buy anything that I share or use my links. As someone who often feels internal and external pressure to shop, and deals with my emotions sometimes by…shopping, I know how icky and sticky it can feel. Getting dressed and sharing my style makes me happy, and by sharing my process and outfits I hope to inspire you not to buy what I have but to wear what you have in new ways and cultivate a wardrobe that you love (more on that here). My goal in sharing and linking my clothes is to make things easier should you choose to shop, not because I think you need to shop! If you end up buying something through my links, I do get a small commission and for that, I am so grateful.
The Anniversary Sale
Now, back to Nordstrom. I am a Nordstrom fan and cardholder and have been for years. I grew up in the midwest and Nordstrom was and always will be my store of choice – they carry my favorite brands and have the best customer service around. I know it’s a large department store but it has always felt small to me – I have such fond memories of getting the sale catalogue, going through it with my mom and ultimately visiting the store together and picking out a few special items for the back to school season. Welp, now I’m getting nostalgic and missing my mom. And school! Gosh these are weird times.
Typically I use the sale as an opportunity to 1. replace a few staples like underpants, bras and leggings 2. add 1-2 fall classics to my wardrobe that I am really excited about and 3. when choosing #2, I try to fill a wardrobe hole (historically I have purchased a sweater, a pair of boots, a wool coat , a pair of jeans or a versatile dress). I personally try to stick to 1-2 investment type pieces and call it a day!
My Thought Process
Sometimes, I admit, I end up going to the store and picking up 100 things to try on and then immediately I’m overwhelmed and forget about all of my points above. For that reason, it’s almost a blessing that that is not an option this year – I personally find it much easier to be thoughtful and stick to a budget from behind a computer screen! And since Nordstrom has the best return policy and customer service, I’m never worried about being stuck with something that doesn’t work.
This year, my list is very small – I need to replace some underpants (cool) and might get a new pair of jammies (#quarantinelife). But a few of my past staples are making a comeback, so I’ll definitely share those too!
Without further ado…
My Selective Sale Picks
COATS – My love of coats runs deep having lived in Chicago, upstate NY and NYC (apparently I love tough winters). My favorite camel coat was an NSALE purchase, and both this one and this one are similar. I also adore my two teddy coats (reviewed in this post) and if I was in the market for a third (C will say I am not lol) I would definitely go with this neutral plaid version! This one and this one are also more traditionally “teddy”. My trench coat is also an NSALE purchase and I like this one and this cool black alternative.
SWEATERS – I completely spaced on my collage and didn’t want to do it over so, sweaters will only be listed here! I literally live in this Halogen cashmere crew in the fall and winter – I have three colors and add one each season! The cashmere isn’t the highest quality and requires a little extra care in the pill department, but it’s so soft that I don’t really mind. In past years I’ve also purchased Vince cashmere from the sale – it holds up so well. This mockneck turtle and this cardigan are my favorite Vince pieces this season. You know I live in chunky ivory cardigans year round, and this one is very similar to one I own and love – so good for snuggly nights in!
SHOES – I have purchased all of my boots and booties during past sales – I’m completely serious. These heeled suede ones are dreamy and very similar to something in my closet – my leopard booties (similar in black) are Marc Fisher and they are super comfortable! I’m also eyeing these – I’m not big on the Tory Burch logo but I love the moto touches on these more than I dislike the branding 😉 Also these are the newer version of my waterproof boots that I swear by for snowy, wet winters! Also a different colorway of my Veja esplars are included (FYI they require breaking in!) and the (gasp) all white version of my fave Stan Smiths (these are much comfier than the Vejas tbh). They also brought back a new version of my favorite weekend walking sneaks – these black Adidas!
ATHLEISURE – I wear this fuzzy vest LITERALLY all the time (sleeved version here) and this coat is my go-to for our long walks in the city – it’s thin but so warm! Patagonia is typically included and their pieces are so well made and sustainable to boot. The better sweater is great, too, and another staple of mine. These joggers are similar to a pair I purchased this spring and haven’t been able to find the color since! I also usually grab these leggings but don’t need any more this year.
JAMMIES – Jammie queen reporting for duty! This blue and white shorts set is so cute and whimsical and the brand is on my wish list (here is a long version!). I have these in my cart tho – I can’t resist a neutral stripe!
DENIM – I was less than impressed with the denim selection this year but I was pleasantly surprised to see my all time favorite Madewell jeans on the list! I have this exact wash (worn here) and sized down 2 sizes. I also love Rag & Bone denim and only purchase it on sale. The straight leg and minor distressing on this pair is right up my alley! I also have a pair of Levi’s super similar to these.
THIRD PIECE – Jackets are my JAM come fall! My favorite plaid blazer is an NSALE purchase, and this oversized one is super similar. I also adore this one, but it’s a little out of my price range. I’ve heard nothing but amazing things about the brand though, so I have no doubt it would be a worthwhile purchase. I also LOVE a collarless tweed jacket and the pattern and color on this one is bananas – it would go with EVERYTHING. I wear my denim jacket year round (and styled it here) and this oversized Madewell option is a fun twist on the classic. Lastly, this leather jacket looks great for the price – I have a similar style and have a suede version by the same brand and adore it!
ACCESSORIES + CLEAN BEAUTY – Come fall and winter, I pretty much wear one scarf, and it’s a black cashmere scarf I got years ago during the sale, similar to this one (I love the cream too!). I am reallyyyy thinking about this hat! I have the same one in black that I wore all around Paris and loved it so much I found it on sale in a deep red (wearing it here). Rag and Bone hats are expensive but so well made, which is why I always wait for them to go on sale. I also added these silk hair ties to my cart because I CANNOT stop putting my hair up and apparently these will save it from breakage. C and I both have these pillowcases at home and love them for our skin and hair! Also, I added a few clean beauty finds to the carousel because #duh! I’ve been wanting to try Necessaire forever and this duo is now in my cart – it’s fragrance free. My colorist recommended Olaplex shampoo (clean at Sephora!) but it’s pricey – I may grab this trio at a discount!
UNDERGARMENTS – I didn’t put the underwear on my collage either, but I pretty much always replace my undergarments during the NSALE. This is one of my ALL TIME favorite bras and I’ve been wearing these underpants for years. I only buy them on sale because they are stupid expensive for what they are. I also have these high rise full bottom ones in my cart because…I’m in my thirties now 😉 Or who knows, maybe I’ll go with these lace trimmed ones instead! Still high rise of course.
That’s all I’ve got, folks! I hope you found this guide helpful. If you can’t shop yet (don’t worry, I can’t either) you can still access the pre-sale items and save them to your wish list. When it’s time to shop, you can easily add to cart and check out!
Are you shopping the Nordstrom sale this year? What do you have your eye on?
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