Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Guide

I feel like I blinked and it was suddenly N-Sale Season! My favorite season! Strap in because every fashion blogger will be talking about this sale for weeks (and for good reason). It is seriously the best sale EVER - it totally trumps Black Friday in my opinion! This will be my third year shopping the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale so I feel like I'm pretty much a pro by now. I included a few pictures below of items I've purchased in past years and still wear today (there are lots).

What is it? The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale happens every July. While most sales are meant to clear out older items, the N-Sale is a sale on brand new, never before seen merchandise. And it is all FALL merchandise! I'm the most basic of the basics and fall clothes are my jam so I always stock up. This sale gets me so excited for fall fashion and cooler weather! Once the sale is over, all items go back up to their normal price.

When is it? The genius marketing team at Nordstrom creates some major FOMO with the set up of this sale.

• July 12 - the "Early Access Sale" opens to Nordstrom Card Holders. The best items usually sell out very fast before the sale opens to the public. If you want a chance to snag everything your heart desires, you'll want to sign up for a Nordstrom Card here! 
• July 20 - the sale finally opens to the public! Before I had a Nordstrom Card, I would set my alarm for opening time in the middle of the night to ensure I had every chance possible and my wish list items! Things sell out immediately and it gets intense. 
• August 5 - the last day of the sale before prices go back up 

Why shop it? It is the perfect opportunity to buy your entire fall closet at extremely discounted prices. Boots, bags, scarves, jewelry, beauty items, sweaters, jeans, jackets, hats...you name it! If there is a pair of expensive booties or a designer bag you've had your eye on, you can score them for a MAJOR discount during the N-Sale. I always stock up on basics that I wear year round and then treat myself to a few special items, too! 

What do I recommend? To make the most of the sale, you're gonna want early access with a Nordstrom Card, just saying. I know from experience! The card is KEY and you get double points (meaning more Nordstrom Notes). You can get one here! Whether you are a card holder or not, though....

• Peruse the N-Sale catalog now for any items you might like! 
• Make a wish list and a need list. I always use the Nordstrom Wish List feature to keep track of things I want! This is a great time to stock up on things you need, too, like jeans or leggings or boots.
• Follow me and any other bloggers to see the best picks! I'll be posting my N-Sale wish list soon as well as making a trip to Dallas when Early Access starts (we don't have a Nordstrom in Okla., womp womp). Get ready for lots of try-on sessions! 
• If you're iffy on a size and ordering online, order both sizes! Nordstrom has free shipping and free returns so you can essentially try it on at home and ship back whatever doesn't fit.
• If you're not 100% sure on an item, buy it anyway. Nothing haunts you like the things you didn't buy! N-Sale items sell out FAST and you can always return something if you end up not liking it. 
• Keep checking back if an item is sold out. Most things get restocked or people make returns. Popular restock items get snatched up QUICK, though, so you have to be on top of it!  

N-Sale Items I still love and wear:

I bought this striped BP. tee two years ago during the N-Sale and I'm still finding new ways to wear it today! These Zella leggings are my all time favorites for work, PJs, light workouts, you name it! I buy a new pair every year during the sale because they are always marked down dirt cheap!

This choker neck tee from last year's N-Sale is a STAPLE in my closet.  I wish I would have bought it in a million colors!

This BP. cardigan was one of the more popular items from last year's sale. I stalked it on Nordstrom.com all throughout the sale and finally snagged it in my size! I'm so glad I did, too, because I wore it non-stop up until it got too hot out. I had purchased a very similar one in hunter green during the 2016 N-Sale and I still wear that one regularly, too.

Another closet staple cardi and there are those leggings again!

OK clearly I love to rock my N-Sale merch when traveling lol! Regardless, this was a sweater from the 2016 N-Sale and yes, still wearing it. It is so soft and comfortable. And hello, Zella leggings. As you can see, they get a LOT of wear and they hold up great!

I posted THIS blog post last year that contains tips on shopping the sale without a Nordstrom Card. It is intense when a million girls log on to Nordstrom.com in the middle of the night and start filling their carts at the same time. The sale anxiety can get REAL! Check that post for tips to make the process go smoothly. 

I put a Nordstrom Anniversary Sale tab in the menu bar that will give you quick access to every post I do containing anything N-Sale related so be sure to check back!

Happy shopping!!