What to Buy at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is just around the corner, so I was thinking about the best ways for me to help you all shop. I realized that there was a recurring theme in my purchases year after year and the items I wore the most throughout the seasons. In this post I’ll outline my best purchases of the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale in years past, and what should be at the top of your list for the Fall season. If you want to learn more about the sale and how to shop 8 days early, catch up here!

What to Buy at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2018

Outerwear

I think we’ll just peel back the layers in this post, so we can start at the top with outerwear. I have several moto jackets in my wardrobe both bought at this time of year, and worn all throughout the year until I couldn’t do it anymore (hello early summer in Texas). This suede moto jacket goes on sale every year, and it is by far my best and favorite purchase of the entire year, not just the sale. It’s no secret I have a love affair with gray, and I already owned a classic black leather, so I couldn’t resist. Apparently I wasn’t the only one, because this jacket sold out in the first two days, before I could even tell my audience about it! Luckily it was restocked later in the season, but it was full price by then, so if you see a gray one and are thinking about it? Grab it. You can always return it if you change your mind later.

Another outerwear item I got in 2016 and still wear was this gorgeous top coat. It’s unlined so it was perfect for the Texas winter. I get so many compliments on it when I wear it out and each year I look for something similar to recommend for you! I love a lightweight top coat for fall and winter in the south. While I definitely wear it with jeans, It’s also great to wear over nicer outfits and dresses which is something I really struggle with finding. I never want to buy a dressy coat because I’ll wear it maybe twice a year which isn’t worth the price for me. So, moral of the story, a great fall/winter coat is also a great buy from this sale.

Sweaters

Each year I end up buying a long gray cardigan. It’s usually an accident because I have an abundance of gray sweaters, but I just can’t resist! Whichever one I buy for the year is in my regular sweater rotation and usually the most-work item in my closet for the season. Gray cardigans are so neutral and easy to pair with everything! Sometimes I’ll wear one instead of a jacket as it gets cooler, too. There are always great cardigans in the sale, so I’ll help find the best ones that will take you through the season!

Pullovers and trendy sweaters are another great buy for the season. Sweaters don’t typically go on sale until it’s time to buy shorts, so this is your chance to grab them while they’re at a discount. While I don’t love buying a ton, I do like to get a classic one or two to cover my needs for the season.

Shoes

Probably my favorite topic for the sale is shoes! I always get 1-2 pairs of booties from the sale that take me through until late spring. Booties are always a hot seller, and do go on sale throughout the season. However, I watched the price of the best-selling booties last year, which were also the ones I bought, and they didn’t reach the Anniversary Sale price until March when they were low in stock and limited in sizes. Get them now, and thank me later!

I keep waiting for over the knee boots to go out of style, but they really haven’t and I don’t think they will anytime soon. I’m overdue for a new pair, and really should have gotten some at the end of the year, but I was waiting to see if they would come back this year, which they did. So I’m definitely going to grab some from the sale because they will be the best price. I imagine their pricing cadence will be similar to the booties from last year because they are such a hot item.

I also tend to grab a pair of athletic shoes during the sale, but I’ve picked up a few new athletic sneakers lately, so I think this year I am not going to. However, if you’re in the market, I love checking out the casual shoes and the athletic sneakers. In past years I have bought Nike Flyknits and on an impulse, leather sneakers (which as it turned out I didn’t wear enough)! Since I’m a runner I do have to give this note: Please don’t buy your running shoes at the sale on a whim. If you are running regularly, or want to start, go to a local running store like Run On to get evaluated by trained professionals. They will help fill your needs so you don’t get inured because you’re wearing a trendy shoe. That being said, I did just do that and got fitted for a pair of new Nike Pegasus 35s and love them, so if you have high arches you may love these!

Jeans

I was introduced to designer denim a few years ago when I worked for Trunk Club, a Nordstrom Company. They sold many similar pairs to Nordstrom and I learned a lot about the technology in them that made them so great (and expensive). To be honest, I wasn’t sure when I was selling them to men until I got a pair for myself. Here’s the thing: in most cases, you get what you pay for. I’ve had the same 3 pairs of designer denim for the last 4 years and 2 of them still look like new. So, in my humble opinion, if you’re in the market, splurge on those designer jeans! DO IT.

One Last Note

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is really fun to shop and I do think that if you normally shop at Nordstrom there are amazing deals this time of year! However, if you can’t shop the sale, please don’t feel pressured. There will be a lot of bloggers posting about it, but trust me, you don’t need any of it. So, if you don’t shop, there will still be sales later in the year and at other retailers! I’ll do my best to tell you all about them! But, if you do shop, I am happy to help you with what to buy at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale and greatly appreciate you coming here, to my corner of the web for your info!