What I Ordered (and Kept) From the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

It’s that time of year again! Okay, YES it’s the NSale, but actually I’m referring to our annual trip up to the Boundary Waters on the North Shore here in Minnesota. It is, in my humble opinion, the very best place on earth and I am so happy my little family agrees. It’s literally just breathtaking nature everywhere you look, no cell service, and beautiful hiking trails around every bend. My literal paradise and dream come true. I’d live up there if the winters weren’t so cold and long…

but more on our trip in another blog post. Today will, in fact, be about the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. I am not someone who gripes about this sale every year, but neither am I someone who views it as God’s gift to shoppers everywhere. And I’ve taken different approaches every year depending what my mindset has been. My point is, no extreme approaches to be found here. I actually really love the sale because it’s new season styles on sale before they hit the racks “officially” so it’s a great opportunity to fill the gaps of your fall and winter wardrobe at a pretty great discount. This year I had a pretty strict list going into it, and I think I did pretty well!

On that list:

• A new causalish blazer and possibly a pair of matching pants
• A black wool coat
• A trench coat
• A pair of black pointed toe boots (these haven’t come yet, so I’ll update this post when they do)
• A stylish waterproof pair of boots – I already have a more functional pair, but I wanted something I could dress up a bit.

I found most of these things – the trench coat sadly won’t get here until the end of the sale so I won’t be able to show it to you, but it looks like a winner… water resistant, good length/fit, and from a brand I trust in terms of quality.

I did order a few other things out of curiosity and while they were all nice, only one of them is going to actually stay home with me. You’ll find out what it is in a minute…

for the kiddos, nothing really stood out to me this year except for one thing. I got Gabe his Bog’s for this fall and winter, but the girl’s print this year wasn’t my favorite so I skipped it. If you do like the print though this is a great time to pick them up because they are almost $40 off!

And finally, there wasn’t a lot of beauty that stood out to me, but I did pick up a few favorites for when I run out (I always buy restocks during the NSale and the Sephora Sales even if I don’t need them at the time, which means I never have to pay full price for my favorite beauty products!): my favorite day cream was included in the sale so I picked that up (it’s the one that’s so hydrating and gives such a pretty glow I usually don’t wear foundation over it), and my brow serum has a two-for deal so I grabbed that as well (that one box will last me an entire year as each tube lasts for at least 3 months).

Okay then! That’s everything! Let’s talk about the clothes now shall we? Unless you’re already exhausted and just want to be done 😉

NSALE pieces:

First off, let’s get these jeans out of the way. These are by Madewell and I thought for sure I would looove them. But you know what? I’ve gotten so used to 100% cotton denim that stretchy denim just feels uncomfortable to me now. These jeans are really stretchy so you may love that if you’re not on the 100% cotton train like I am. These jeans loosely remind me of a shorter version of the AGOLDE Freja jeans, but at a much lower price point (especially during the sale!) and with a lot more stretch. I’ll be returning these because I’m just not feeling how stretchy they are.

This sweater is a really beautiful cashmere sweater. I have no complaints about it. It’s soft, cozy and warm, and the fit is exactly what I’d want in a basic cashmere pullover. It is on the sheerer side (you can see the faint line of a white tee underneath), but I actually like that as this color feels a bit more delicate to me. I am going to return this however because my winter wardrobe lately has been leaning more towards black accessorizing and I already have an ivory cashmere sweater which I think will be more versatile than this warmer oatmeal.

A closer look at the Sweater

And finally, the thing that was actually on my wishlist: a blazer. This was a very affordable blazer so to be honest I didn’t have high hopes for it, but it’s actually a really nice one! It’s made well, it fits really well, and while it does need a good steam right out of the box, the material feels very nice and wrinkle resistant. I also didn’t feel like I was a little girl playing dress up with her dad’s suit like so many blazers look now. My only complaint, and the reason I’m sending it back is the length. It just felt a little too long on me. Not a huge deal, but a big enough one I knew I wouldn’t reach for it.

NSALE pieces:

Now this blazer on the other hand was the winner. The fit was a lot better for my height, it was just a little more structured… although I do have pretty narrow shoulders so I think I might buy some additional shoulder pad inserts to give it just a slightly boxier fit in the shoulders… totally an optional thing obviously. I also like the stone beige color because like I mentioned above it works with my cooler toned accessories… and I think I’ll get more use out of a lighter colored blazer than a black one anyway. It feels less formal.

NSALE pieces:

Oh and look! A pair of matching pants! So my wish did come true. 😁 I actually already have this same pair of pants in a warmer brown color, but this stone beige is where it’s at! The length is perfect on my 5’5” frame and they are perfectly casual/not casual. I love wearing these types of pants with sneakers for the perfect I’m not really trying (but I’m actually trying) kind of outfit.

And speaking of sneakers, I may have added these New Balance sneakers to my collection (and when I say collection I mean my two other pairs 😉). I’m not necessarily always a fan of a chunky sneaker, but I do love this style of New Balance. Come fall I pretty much exclusively cycle between sneakers and flats so I’m happy to add these into the rotation.

A closer look at the Sneakers

NSALE pieces:

Aaaand here are both pieces together. I don’t know how often I’ll wear these together, and when I do it would probably be in a more formal setting with a cami and a pair of heels, but I like now having a suit to style if I want to.

NSALE pieces:

Okay so these are the waterproof boots I mentioned above, and believe me I can’t believe they are either. This is exactly what I was looking for though – knee high with lots of room so I can wear long thick wool socks to add extra warmth and lots of style with the serious Isabel Marant vibes they’re giving (a girl can wish right?). They’re only about $150 with the sale so the price is really good!

This wool coat is sadly not a winner. It’s a nice enough coat, but I’m not looking for a nice enough coat I’m looking for something that I’ll LOVE and that will sit in my closet for years. I’d like something just a bit more oversized (without overdoing it), a little longer (but not maxi length), and with a nicer fabric (this one feels too much like felt to me)… I realize I’m picky. ☺️ The search continues!

Well that’s everything I have to show you today! I’ll add the boots when they come and if the trench coat comes in time I’ll do the same with that, but I hope you found these reviews helpful! I know the sale can be really overwhelming which is why I do these for you… I looked through the entire sale offerings… twice! And I really think I found the best of the best to show you guys.

I’ll see you guys on Wednesday for a little photo diary of our trip up North!

Until next time,

Karin