.how to rock the nordstrom anniversary sale – shopping tips.
alright, the awaited Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is fast approaching and we’re all kind of freaking out! π okay, probably not .. but still, we’re REALLY excited. or at least I can speak for one of us. π
today I’m going to break down a few of the basics and share my tips and tricks for shopping the sale! and if you’ve got a few of your own tips and you’d love to share, leave them in the comments π
WHAT IS THE NORDSTROM ANNIVERSARY SALE?!
this sale is NEW for FALL items that haven’t been in store before – they’re brand new by the designers and brands and they’re on a discount. so currently it is summer, but in a few months it’ll be fall and you’ll be wishing you bought your fall wardrobe π once the sale is over the prices go back up (to full price) on all these new fall goodies. it starts July 12th for Nordstrom card holders and July 20th for the public. you can view the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale catalog here to see what will be on sale.
1. get the Nordstrom card
I know this one is intimidating because people automatically think ‘credit card’ well hey. they actually made a debit version of the Nordstrom card – so it’s linked directly to your bank account. if you’re not a credit card person THIS is the option for you. the reason I say that the #1 tip is to get the Nordstrom card is because you get to shop the Anniversary Sale EARLY. this means early access to the best deals. this year it’s a whole 8 days earlier. and I’ll be honest, it’s sad how much stuff sells out within the first few days of the early access period. sometimes items get restocked for when everyone gets access to the sale, but rarely.
I love having my Nordstrom credit card but I have the version that lets you use it anywhere, so it’s my main credit card. this gives me 2 points per dollar spent at Nordstrom and 1 point per dollar spent everywhere else. every 2,000 points gives you $20 back as a Nordstrom Note that you can put towards any purchase at Nordstrom or Nordstrom Rack π there are four levels of the card as well, and depending on how much you spend in a year, you can earn different perks and enjoy triple point days. I save using my triple points days until this very sale π because that’s when I buy the most. read more about it here.
2. make a list
making a list is crucial. and it’s not a list of wants. it’s a list of ‘needs’ lol or what I feel I’m missing in my wardrobe. I actually do this long before I even look at the catalog π that way I don’t get distracted by all the pretty things that will be in the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. I sit down and look at my closet and examine what I think I am missing in my life (as far as clothes/shoes/bags go)
for example … I looked in my closet and I already have 1 gray long cardigan, 2 tan cardigans, but no black or navy cardigans, so I put that on my list – that if I could find a black or navy cardigan in the sale that’d be awesome.
another example, I would love a solid colored mule and ballet flat. I own a floral print ballet flat and leopard print mules (both I found last year in the sale) but I don’t own a solid color of either shoe style. so I put those on my list because I feel I would get a lot of use out of those items for seasons to come.
3. come up with a budget
this one is optional lol but probably for the best. before the sale starts stating a dollar amount that you won’t go over is great because it really makes you think and make the best decisions about what you’re going to spend your money on. I also look at the prices of the actual items, just because they’re ‘on sale’ doesn’t mean that’s the greatest price ever. for example, there is a nude leather flat that I really love in the sale this year, but they’re still about $180! I could very likely find a similar option for a lot less. even though it’s on sale, there may be a better alternative out there.
4. buy all the things
this one goes a little against what I said in #3 however, from my experience I have learned that not everything fits the way you want it to, or the color isn’t what you thought it’d be, and so for that I say .. buy all the things! in previous years I’ve purchased A LOT and returned A LOT. Nordstrom has a good return policy but because I have the credit card I always return within 30 days. I wait until all the shipments have arrived and try everything that I bought on, and return what I absolutely don’t love, or what doesn’t fit into my budget.
last year when buying shoes, I did a lot of exchanging because some styles I needed a half size up, some a half size down and some I just needed my normal size. it’s SO tricky to know what will work just from looking at them online, if you can go in store to get a feel about what sizes will be best.
if I had purchased ONLY what I thought I was going to love then I would’ve been really disappointed last year because what I wasn’t totally confident about, I ended up loving and what I thought I’d be obsessed over, I returned. so you really never know π
5. check back often
items can be restocked randomly during the duration of the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, so keep checking your favorites to see if the color or size you need comes back. I like to go in store as well as shop online because not everything is available in my location.
6. which trends should I look for?
the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is a great time to buy closet staples AND try new trends, a lot of what is coming out in the sale will be right on trend for fall / winter and carry over into the following spring … this year for trends you’ll see …
– white booties
– flare / crop denim
– corduroy, suede, leather
– western details (cowgirl styled boots, stitching details)
– the color red
– pointed toe shoes
– rainbow / colorful stripes
7. what sells fast?
– designer denim (watch for AG + FRAME deals)
– anything $50 and under
– hats
– basics (solid cardigans + tee shirts)
– fun sweaters
– outerwear (J.Crew especially)
8. be true to you
it’s fun to shop the trends, but honestly if something doesn’t suit your style, don’t buy it just because ‘everyone else’ is buying or wearing it. patent leather booties in bright red ARE popular but they don’t represent my genuine style. I would honestly feel a little odd wearing them and trying to fit them into my wardrobe. a pale pink suede bootie would fit seamlessly into my closet and I would be able to wear them with countless outfits. be smart about your choices and buy what YOU really LOVE.
the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is a fun opportunity and it’s one of the only times I really splurge for myself and buy a bunch, it’s one of the best sales (especially for shoes!)
keep coming back as I’ll be updating you guys on which products are in stock, what I’m loving, what is selling out, how to style the pieces and how everything is fitting π I LOVE shopping this sale and seriously get SO dang pumped about it! π it’s a little silly but it’s so fun for me. I can’t even wait for the sale! follow along on my instagram @jensynjeppsen as I share sneak peeks on my insta stories about my shopping experiences next week π
thanks for reading!
xo, Jensyn
