What to Actually Buy from the Nordstrom Sale: Short Lists


Is anyone else already starting to get sick of the Anniversary Sale? It's currently day 2 of early access and I'm really tired of hearing bloggers talk about it on Instagram.  BUT, it's a pretty good sale and a great time to buy some really cute clothes for fall (and now) before the prices go back up on August 4th.  It's also a great time to stock up on basics you'd probably pay full price for anyway (bras, camisoles, underwear, white t-shirts, socks etc.)  That said, you really don't need to shop the N Sale at all.  Are there cute things? Yes.  Can you probably something similar at every other department store? Also yes. 

Combing through the sale to find the good deals takes forever so I've done the hard work for you.  I've broken things down by category (sweaters, shoes, denim, beauty, home, and more).  There's still plenty to go through here but it's not as overwhelming as the actual sale.  Have questions about any of these items? Let me know in the comments below!

Don't forget: If you aren't a Nordstrom card member, you don't get access to the sale until the 19th (if you want to apply for the card, it takes less than five minutes).  I'll update all of these lists before public access so that sold out things are replaced.  Things tend to sell out quickly so make a plan of what you want to buy now so you can add them to your cart and check out quickly (items in your cart aren't reserved).

Basics

I love when I can buy something I would usually pay full price for when it's on sale and the Anniversary Sale is the BEST time to do it.  I love the puffed sleeve detail on this t-shirtBlack turtlenecks are a staple of my winter wardrobe (how awesome would one be under this light blue coat with black jeans, flats, and big sunglasses?).  Spanx bras are another favorite of mine (are they sexy? No. Are they incredibly comfortable with straps that don't fall off? Yes) and they rarely go on sale.  Same with Hanky Panky original rise.  No-show socks are great with my go-to Superga sneakers (no one likes stinky shoes).

 

Home

Honestly, I wasn't that impressed with the home offerings.  This pitcher from Anthro's collection with Nordstrom was one of my favorite things from the home section.  There were also some good housewarming/Christmas gifts like these cheese knives, this serving platter (so not my typical style but kind of cool), and these diptyque candles.  Hint- buy the full set of candles and give them as gifts one at a time.  These sheets were fine but I'd honestly wait until Bloomies or Horchow has one of their 25-30% off sales to buy these Matouk ones.

 

 

 Skirts & Dresses

I'm a big dress person and the selection in this year's anniversary sale was just okay.  There were some great finds for sure but I didn't find tons that I couldn't live without. I really liked was this black sheath dress.  The neckline just screams "I'm a boss!"  I also think this red dress would be great on days when you have to look nice but are tired and don't feel like sucking in your stomach all day (we've all been there).  And this patterned shirt dress has great late 70s DVF vibes.  I'm also really liking this skirt but hate how they styled it with tennis shoes (I'd dress it up with heels).

Beauty

I'm pretty no frills when it comes to beauty (mascara and chapstick are my everyday makeup) but there are a few things I use all the time that are included in the sale.  Bobbi Brown products are some of my favorites and her eye cream and face cream are included in this set ($85 but valued at $160).  I may or may not be addicted to this eye cream, it's that good.  I've also used Mario Badescu's Drying Lotion since I was a teenager and could only find it at the Nantucket Pharmacy (a bottle lasts about a year so I'd get a new one every summer).  It's part of this set that also includes a lip balm and their rose spray.  Also, Oribe's dry shampoo is expensive but it's also the greatest dry shampoo I've EVER used (and I'm a brunette and I've had a can for the past six month and it's not empty).  Grab some here.

 

Pants & Denim

This was another section that I was sort of meh about.  Mostly because I'm starting to get sick of skinny jeans (side note, I started wearing skinny jeans circa 2005 when all my friends were still in their bootcut sevens and I acted like I was really cool and trendy... I wasn't).  Skinny jeans are still perfect for tucking into boots in the winter and I'm a big fan of these black ones.  These pink pants are intriguing to me.  Thinking I'll order them and see how they fit. And speaking of bootcut sevens, I'm really liking these bootcut ones by Paige (maybe booties will actually look good if I wear these because with skinny jeans, my legs just look stumpy with booties).

 

Sweaters

I'm decidedly a sweater hoarder.  I'm always cold so they're a year-round wardrobe staple for this girl.  This was one of the sections I was pleased with.  Side note: If you're looking to buy cashmere, this isn't the sale to do it.  Black Friday sales at Neimans are way better (last year, I bought a sweater almost identical to this Anniversary Sale one for a quarter of the price).  I do love this color block wrap though.

 

Cashmere

I'm weird so I made a separate section for cashmere.  Some of the sweaters above are also cashmere but these are exclusively cashmere (no blends allowed).  I'm a big fan of this wrap/scarf and think it would be amazing for travel.

Accessories

 This was another section I didn't find much in.  I love this Clare V tote bag though. I have this bag in a different colorway and it's great for work and travel.  It easily fits a laptop, planner, water bottle, and tablet.  Plus everything else you might throw in a bag.  Heads up, it does have an open top so if you want a zipper top, go with this Longchamp bag.  I will say that when I'm not wearing my own earrings, which is rare, I wear a pair of studs similar to these (or the pearl studs my grandmother gave me for 8th grade graduation).

 

Tops

There were a few tops I was pretty excited about! One is this Rails shirt that will probably sell out quickly.  Rails makes the most comfortable shirts and their cotton-linen blend ones (like this) are so cool in the summer.  I also really like this ivory lace camisole for a few reasons.  1) it isn't the BP one so many people have and 2) the lace actually covers up your cleavage so it's not as booby but still sexy.  I'd wear it under a blazer like the Theory one I profess my love to in the next section.  I'm also a huge fan of this boatneck shirt.

 

Blazers & Coats

This Theory Blazer might be one of the greatest things I've ever seen.  You know those gross fall days when it's cold and damp and dark and you don't want to leave your house? This jacket will make you look immune to those days.  Throw it over a black or white tshirt with some black jeans and fun flats and you'll look like you spent a lot of time working on your outfit.  

I also bought this light blue knee length jacket.  I'm looking forward to wearing it over all black this fall and with some pretty dresses to the races in the Spring.  It's one of those pieces I think I'll get a surprising amount of wear out of even though it isn't a standard "basic" color.  UPDATE: This jacket was not great.  It sort of swallowed me, there was no lining, and the fabric felt cheap.  Will try to find an alternative but I wouldn't buy this one.