Thoughts on the Nordstrom Sale (and what I ordered)
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Yes, I was up at 1 AM last night shopping the Nordstrom Sale. And yes, I get it – hearing about the Nordstrom Sale is probably already annoying the majority of you. Totally understandable.
I asked everyone over on Instagram a few weeks ago if they were shopping the Nordstrom sale and if they wanted content centered around that. It was split pretty 50/50, so I decided I would do a post on what I actually ordered from the sale and what I end up keeping (because I definitely won’t be keeping it all.) I know that the blogging scene gets a little overwhelming during the Nordstrom Sale and I also know that Nordstrom prices may be a little bit of a stretch for many.
In full transparency, I’ve only shopped the Nordstrom sale once (last year) and spent about $250.00 to get a few staple pieces for my fall wardrobe. I got a couple sweaters, a new bag, some super comfy joggers, and a pair of the best leggings I’ve ever owned in my life. But, I’ll be honest. It was really overwhelming for me to see so many posts about ALL THE THINGS and feeling like I HAD to buy ALL THE THINGS to stay current and relevant. I’m really glad that I gave myself a budget beforehand and that I already knew what I was shopping for so that I didn’t get too out of hand. That being said, please don’t feel like you HAVE TO SHOP this sale to be current and trendy. This sale is a great sale, but there will ALWAYS be sales. Everyone will tell you what you HAVE TO GET, but you don’t HAVE to get anything. There may be some things that are worth the money, but please don’t feel like you have to go into the hole just to get those shoes or that jacket that everyone is telling you
My best tips for shopping the Nordstrom Sale?
Set a budget and promise that you won’t go over it at the end of it. (I know I’ll go over my budget initially because I’ll order one thing in a couple sizes to figure out the best fit, but I know I’ll return everything that doesn’t fit.) I’ve been stashing a little money away over the last few months so I would have some saved up for this sale specifically and my budget this year was $800.00. Even though that’s a lot, I gave myself some extra because I wanted to stock up on some boots to replace the ones that I’ve worn through. I also wanted to be able to get a few things that I’ve been eyeing for a while and that I’m getting them at the best price and not going into the hole for them, since I’ve been saving.
Make a list of things your closet needs beforehand and figure out what things you need/want and then number them in priority order. This will help you not be tempted by all the things and help keep you accountable to the things you initially wanted to get. I like prioritizing them, too, because it helps me know what to look for/order first and if I go over budget, I don’t have to grapple with what thing I need to remove. Things on my list this year? Number one was the Lea Booties from Sorel that I’ve been dreaming about for about a year. They are waterproof, have great grips on the bottom (ideal for Utah winters) and they are so cute. I also wanted another pair of my favorite leggings, a couple basic tees, and a new winter jacket.
Turn off all the noise. After you shop, don’t be afraid to stay off social media for a few days so that you aren’t bombarded by all the extra temptation to buy more. Obviously, I always check in with my trust-worthy resources to make sure I didn’t miss out on any amazing deals on something on my wishlist (Erin from Living in Yellow is my go-to guru for the #nsale.) But, after I’ve finalized my purchases and have spent my budget, I tune out from everything else surrounding the sale so I can enjoy the things I bought and have the confidence in knowing that I bought what was best for ME!
Anyway, all that is to say that I get how overwhelming the Nordstrom Sale can be and I hope you know that I’m only sharing what I bought in hopes that it might help those who ARE shopping it to find the best deals and check things off their lists. I’ll be updating my Nordstrom Sale page as I make returns and buy things to replace those returns, so if you want to stay on top of it, you can check it out there. Don’t feel like you have to!
OKAY! Time to get to what I actually ordered last night! And, bare in mind, I definitely spent over my $500 dollars because I ordered shoes in at least two sizes and a few things that I’m not sure I’ll keep, but wanted to try on to see. Once all my orders come in, I’ll do one more post to update what I ended up keeping and returning and what sizes worked for me in case anyone needs that additional assistance before the sale opens up to everyone.
Things I ordered under $25.00
BP Leopard Print Scarf – $12.90 – I’ve lost some weight recently and my favorite leopard print tee is too big for me now. I love to accent with leopard in the fall, so I thought a scarf would be a good way to replace the print in my closet, especially because it’ll be more versatile!
BP Raw V-Neck Edge (Black, White, Striped, and Green in size small) – $11.80 – These are a GREAT staple at a great price and I needed to replace my black tee and white tee in my closet. Size down in this!
Things I ordered under $50.00
Carlson V-Back Sweater (Blue in Size Medium) – $44.90 – I’m tempted to order this in another color because I think it will look so good with leggings and boots in the fall, since it’s a tunic length! Super excited about this one.
Zella Live-In High Waisted Leggings – (Size Medium) – $35.00 – If you only buy ONE thing from this sale, LET IT BE THESE LEGGINGS. These are the BEST leggings I have ever own/worn and are 100% worth the higher price tag. I bought a pair last year and they look just as black and just as opaque as they did the day I bought them. They are seriously so comfortable and so, so good.
Dreamers by Debut Exposed Seam Sweater – (Size Medium in Olive) – $29.90 – I got a similar sweater by this brand last year and it was my most worn sweater of the season. They are SUPER soft and I love that they have a little length, so they will pair well with leggings and boots!
BP Cocoon Cardigan – (Size Medium in Black) – $31.90 – I needed to replace my black cardigan in my closet because the one I have has a hole in the armpit. BP makes great cardigans and the prices are awesome. Plus, this will look super cute the tees I got above!
Things I ordered under $100.00
The North Face Furry Fleece (Grey in size Medium) – $68.90 – This looked so cozy and snuggly and would be great for those fall evening walks with the puppers.
Spanx Faux Leather Camo Leggings (Size Medium) – $72.90 – DISCLAIMER – I have almost no intention on keeping these because 72 dollars on leggings are a LOT of money. But, everyone and their mom raves about these, so I snagged a pair so I could see if they are REALLY worth the hype and so I can compare to my favorite camo leggings from Costco!
BLANKNYC Meant to Be Moto Jacket (Size Medium) – $64.90 – One of my favorite faux leather jackets had a hood like this and I wore that thing RAGGED! I was so excited to see this version because I’ve been looking to replace that jacket for years. I got it in the Mushroom color because I don’t have any outerwear in that color and I think it will pair really well with green, blue, and maroon in the fall.
Ugg Dakota Bow Slipper (Size 9 in grey suede) – $79.90 – Another item I’m not sure I’m going to keep, but I have a pair of slippers that I wore ALL THE TIME last winter and they are pretty destroyed. I’d love to replace them if I can, but I want to see if I feel like the quality is really worth it. I’ve never bought Ugg before but my sister loves them!
Kut from the Kloth Jeans (Size 28, Regular) – $59.90 – While I was super close to pulling the trigger on my first pair of AG jeans, I decided that I’d rather use the money in my budget to buy a few more staple items and I got these jeans instead. I own one pair of Kut from the Kloth jeans that I found at Burlington for $25.00 and they are BY FAR the most comfortable pair of denim I own and the wash hasn’t faded in almost 8 months. I know I can trust on this brand to deliver quality denim and this price is almost the same as American Eagle, so I’m 100% okay with it.
adidas EDGE LUX CLIMA RUNNING SHOE (Grey, size 9) – $63.90 – These also come in PINK and if I wasn’t worried about how dirty I’d get them, I probably would have ordered that color instead. I think these are super cute for running shoes and adidas is a tried and trur brand!
Barefoot Dreams Circle Cardigan – (Grey, Size Small, and Medium) – $76.90 – This was something that’s been on my list for a long time and I could never justify the price tag, but this year, I decided to get one because hell, I deserve it. Will report back to share if they REALLY ARE as dreamy as everyone says they are!
LANCÔME THE BEST OF LANCÔME LASHES MASCARA SET ($95 VALUE) – $59.50 – In the beauty community, everyone raves about the Lancome lash primer and mascara, and since my lashes need ALL THE HELP they can get after getting my extensions off, I definitely wanted to snag this bundle to try it out!
Things I ordered over $100.00
MICHAEL MICHAEL KORS DIAMOND QUILTED HYBRID HOODED JACKET (Size Medium) – $109.00 – Another item I’m not SOLD on, but wanted to order to try! I’ll keep you posted on this when it comes in!
Ugg Pax Waterproof Wedges (Size 9 in black) – $129.00 – So, in the delirious 1 AM shopping state I was in, I somehow ordered 3 pairs of this boot. OOPS. Thank goodness for free shipping and returns! I ordered these and the Sorel wedges with the intention to only keep ONE pair, but I wanted to try both on to figure out which ones felt better with my leg.
Sorel Joan Wedge II Waterproof Chelsie Booties (Size 9) – $133.00 – I’m MORE excited about these over the Uggs, especially since its name is Chelsea. Also, the grips on these look way more hardcore and that makes this knee-replacement girl feel good about wearing them in the Utah winters!
Okay, I think that’s it. I’m feeling PRETTY shopped out, but there is ONE other pair of boots, a pair of converse, and a cami that I’m still looking at getting, depending on what I end up keeping from this haul. Remember, you do NOT have to shop this sale if you do not want to or if you don’t have the money to. There will ALWAYS be sales and there will ALWAYS be good deals.
Let me know if you are shopping below and what you’re buying!
