Unless you’ve been living under a rock (or detoxing from social media), you know that the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is upon us. I too fall victim to all the buzz and get excited about the deeply discounted prices, new designer fashion and promise of fall on the horizon.
I like to think of myself as a financially responsible shopping obsessed individual (oxymoron?), so I thought I would share my tips and tricks on how to navigate this gargantuan sale and other retailer sales in general.
Review Your Wardrobe
Before adding anything to an overly packed closet and/or dresser, its important to first review your current wardrobe and take inventory. This is a great opportunity to get rid of items of clothing that you “promised” yourself you’d wear and never did. Check out my other blog post with tips on de-cluttering your wardrobe.
Taking inventory of your current clothing helps you do away with the old but also give you the opportunity to make note of the holes in your wardrobe. For example, if you need to add more white blouses to your waredrobe (you can never have enough!) be sure to mark that down.
Given the Nordstrom sale is focused on fall and winter fashion, be sure to spend some time trying on your denim, jackets, sweaters and shoes to make sure things still fit and are in good condition. For example, if you’ve been putting off a new pair of riding boots because your current ones are marked up and old (me!) take them to your local shoe repair and have them give you a quote on repairs. If this number is in the ballpark of a new pair of boots, it might be time to pull the trigger on those new Tory Burch riding boots.
Make a List
I’ve mentioned in previous post, I have a list on my phone of the pieces of clothing I’m looking for. Things are added to the list on an on-going basis as I get rid of clothes or decided to add a new element or trend to my wardrobe. Some of the items I’ll be shopping for in the sale are:
- Nude Pumps
- Grey Suede Pumps
- Updated Black Work Shoes
- Suede/Leather pieces (i.e. jacket or skirt)
- Long-Sleeve Blouses for Work
- Lightweight Beige Turtleneck
- Anything Tweed or Plaid (Blazer/skirt/dress)
For this particular sale, I have to remind myself that I don’t need anymore sweaters. Earlier this year I packed up over 40 sweaters in varying shades of black, grey and cream. I repeat, I will not buy anymore sweaters!
Set a Budget
Once you have your list created, i.e. your marching orders, the next step is to create a budget. I don’t like to create one overarching budget, instead I set price parameters on different items and will buy something if falls within this range.
- Heels/Flats $50-$100
- Booties – $80-$150
- Leather Jacket (Faux) $100 – $200
- Sweaters $30-$60
- Work Blouses $25-$50
- Jeans $100-$150
- Blazers $50-$100
- Work Skirts $30-$50
Nordstrom is a high-end and high-quality retailer which means there is a good chance that I won’t be able to find all the items I’m looking for in my price point. If that is the case, the item stays on my list and I look for it at another store. I don’t feel pressure to buy at Nordstrom just because they are having a sale.
Stay True to Personal Style
A final point when shopping sales is to stay true to your personal style. It is easy to get heart eyes for a jumpsuit when its only $25 but it’s important to stick with what you know. Even with my strong sense of personal style, I have fallen victim to buyers remorse because of a designer label or low price tag. Remember to be you and try everything on!
Hope you all find these tips helpful as you begin navigating the Nordstrom sale and retailer sales to come!
Happy Shopping!
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