I went into Nordstrom on a sunny morning, sufficiently caffeinated, with curated outfit collages carefully constructed from my sale wish list, high hopes, an empty bladder, and not one drop of sweat on my brow…
Well. I walked out four hours later, in a bit of an excited daze, needing to pee really badly, feeling like I had just completed a triathlon and with the realization that I hadn’t actually tried on the majority of things I had hoped to. That said! I had discovered a slew of incredible pieces, ones that were not on my tidy, planned out little collages…but ones that stirred up inspiration and sparked joy.
Best Of NSale 2021: All The Fall Jeans, 3 Comfy Dresses & A Few Cute Surprises
I think that’s exactly why I enjoy this particular sale so much — it veers me away from my normal style selections and provides me with a clothing adventure. It’s so much fun!
Thinking back on days of yore, every time I’ve successfully wrapped up another round of Nordstrom Anniversary Sale #dressingroomselfies, I have emerged with plenty of jeans for fall (spoiler: these were incredibly fun) and some comfy dresses to wear right now. The pieces I was initially drawn to while browsing the sale are rarely the ones that get rung up for me. It’s consistently the pieces I didn’t have on my radar at all that end up being the winners.
This time around, it was the jeans and dresses that came in from left field…along with one particular cheery Kurt Geiger Tweed Shoulder Bag and these epic Lenah Square Toe Booties.
But First…Two Finds That Make A Statement
1. This Colorful Tweed Shoulder Bag For The Win
I am giddy over this bag. I thought it was going to be a smaller shoulder bag, so when I saw it in all its oversized glory, I danced a little in the dressing room. It feels and looks like a very expensive bag without the price tag. I firmly believe that if you find yourself stuck, with nothing to wear, sometimes all you need is one glorious, colorful bag…and BAM! Goodbye, style rut.
Gosh, its so good.
bag | top | jeans | blouse | boots
2. A Pretty Wool Blend Coat (That Isn’t Black)
If there’s an affordable, longer coat that’s part of the sale…chances are I will try it on. This one did not disappoint! The lovely surprise of this one is the side slits. It makes the entire thing more interesting, which in turn adds an interesting flair to your everyday jeans and top. Also, it’s on the lighter side, which I look for, living in a warmer climate. By the way, the rag & bone Gina Top was also a favorite from my try-ons. It’s such a lovely topper for day-to-day and looks great peeking out from underneath a layer.
This Fall’s Denim Refresh
I tried on a bunch of jeans. A bunch. A whole lot of jeans. I was kinda shocked by the ones I ended up putting in the ‘keep’ pile.
The styles I immediately appreciated, once on, are the ones you’ll see below…and they’re not all Levi’s *gasp*. I know. What? That’s what I’m saying! This sale makes me break out of my little style box and try new things.
1. The Ones I Want To Wear With Everything: PAIGE Cindy Ripped Straight Leg Jeans
Okay, so PAIGE isn’t usually my thing. Not really ever. I always find them to be…gosh, I don’t even know how to explain it. I am tall (a whole lotta leg going on over here) and every time I try on a pair of PAIGE jeans, I feel like I am playing at being a petite gal. They just feel like that’s the type of body they are made for.
Not so for these Cindy Straight Legs! I was genuinely shocked that they were long enough, considering that PAIGE is usually on the edge of being not-quite-long-enough and IS THERE A FLOOD COMING, CAMS?! The Cindy is not only long enough, hitting at my ankle (miracle, honestly), but they’re also buttery soft, easy to move in, and just delightful to wear. I can see putting them on most days. I think I will, too, because I actually added these to my ‘To Buy Pile’ (they are currently sitting in my closet calling to me to be worn).
sweater | top | jeans | sneaks | bag
Above I styled them with a cozy, darling pullover sweater in pale blue, fresh sneakers and the Vince Camuto Blouse (which is another winner, ya’ll — so flattering). I like the understated layering happening.
Keep scrolling to behold the booties that blew me away (bottom outfits) — the Lenah Square Toe Bootie by Louise et Cie. My gosh, I love them. They are the perfect example of a surprise piece for me! I ended up wanting to pair them with almost everything in that dressing room. I can’t stress this enough…I love these booties.
Top: leather jacket | tee | jeans | boots
Bottom: shacket | top | jeans | heels
2. Still Loving A Mid-Rise Skinny: AG Ankle Cigarette Jeans
Another shocker was these AG jeans. I tried them on just to say I had tried them on and then…OKAY. I see you. I see you with your unique wash, perfect length for all of the statement booties (Paul Green, goodness, you slay) and slightly lower waist. Don’t roll eyes and scroll! Let me explain, haha. I, too, usually prefer a high waist…but what I find at times is that they can be challenging with certain tops (tuck or not to tuck? sometimes frumpy looking). For instance, this FRAME Pleated Top needs a bit more space to lay properly and it finds that with these jeans. I’m officially a fan of you, AG Prima Ankle Cigarette Jean.
3. Levi’s, Obvi
Yeh, okay. I did try on one pair of Levi’s. I had to! It felt like a betrayal not to. That said, they didn’t end up being my favorite, as they usually are. Weird.
These cropped 501s were a so-so for me. The rigidity I have come to love was spot-on and I could tell they would become more comfortable with wear, but the length was a tad bit too short on my 5’10/5’11 frame. I have seen a dramatic crop on others, styled with a pretty flat and what not…and I have appreciated the look. I don’t know. Not a bad style, but not a winning one for me. FYI: I had been wanting to show you one of my favorite Levi’s styles — the 501 High-Waist Straight Leg, but they weren’t in stock in store. Winners, for sure.
4. Easy & Cute For Everyday: FRAME Raw Edge Straight Leg Crop
These FRAMEs are a nice relaxed, soft jean…a pair I’d wear with all of the pullover sweaters, tees, sneakers and booties. Also, a cozy shirt jacket (it has a warm lining) works perfectly with the wash.
Top: shacket | tee | jeans | sneaks
Bottom: sweater | jeans | boots
5. The Cool Jeans: BP Wide-Leg In The Perfect Black Wash
Uhhhhhhh. What happened? These fun jeans ended up being one of my absolute favorite things from the sale. Such a surprise. I thought I’d look a bit silly, posing as a ’90s teen…but I loved them on. I played around a lot with them, because I kept coming up with different outfit combinations…
cardigan | jeans | sneakers | purse
Top Left: sweater | jeans | sneakers | Top Right: shacket | blouse | jeans | purse | boots |
Bottom Left: blouse | jeans | purse | loafers | Bottom Right: blouse | jeans | purse | boots
6. On-Trend: BDG ’90s Vintage Mom Jeans
I liked these the second I pulled them on. They felt and looked like a reinvented version of the mom jean…maybe like, if Levi’s & AGOLDE had a Mom Jeans baby. This would be the result. A bit of that classic rigidity, but with a relaxed, comfortable feel to them. Also, HELLO. I could cuff them? Yeh, a teeny almost-not-there cuff, but a cuff just the same! That’s huge for a tall gal.
I have to point out my favorite outfit with these jeans: the one with the light blue puffed sleeve top, my new favorite booties with an interesting heel, and the colorful, fun tweed bag.
Top left: blouse | jeans | purse | boots | bag | Top right: cardigan | jeans | boots |
Bottom left: sweater | jeans | purse | boots | Bottom right: sweater | jeans | purse | boots
Comfy Dresses With A Twist
1. The Vince Dress Everyone Loves…On A Tall Gal
Aaaah, Vince makes such nice things. I fell for them last NSale with a cashmere sweater, and now, this dress — I suppose their version of the “Little Black Dress” for Summer. It’s soft, long enough for the tall ones, and feels like it will last quite a while. I did have a moment of “huh?!” while trying to tie it in a way that looked nice…and then I got it and all was well.
Fit notes: The top was a bit loose on me (I’m a 34A/B). I think it was also partly due to not having the right bra with me. It kept showing and I had to keep pulling it down, which resulted in a flattened, droopy chest. So, I think that if I had had my strapless bra on or even a pretty bralette (one that I wouldn’t mind peaking out from under), the top would have been a lot better on me.
The pink is lovely, too…
2. Not Your Basic Black Midi (Peep That Slit)
I was unsure about this one until I got it on and realized how unique it was. I’ve worn many t-shirt dresses and not one has ever been this nice. Like a t-shirt dress, it does cling a bit to the body, but not only is it a thicker material, it also has a short slip underneath. Furthermore, the material has a nice sheen to it, which makes it easier to wear and move in…and adds more to that fun, unique look of it.
Cool booties and hi-tops are good friends for this particular dress, in my opinion. However, thinking about it now…I’d love to try a strappy sandal or heel with it…
dress | sweater (similar) | sneakers | boots
3. The Ruched Bodycon I *Didn’t* Bring Home
This is a FANTASTIC dress, one that is very well made and feels really nice on…but it made me feel like I was in the first trimester of a pregnancy. My eye was instantly drawn to the tummy and, maybe it’s just me, but it sort of creates the look of a bump. Anyone else see it? I like what they did with the ruching and the pretty draping, though! I just think it would look 10x better on an expecting mama. p.s. it wins in the booty poppin’ department…
I am so glad I got to do this again with you all! Genuinely. It was my pleasure to try all of this stuff on, uncover some gems and then to have the privilege to present them to you.
We are in the process of moving, so life is busy and I almost considered not tackling the sale, but it was actually a nice break from the rush of it all. It was hectic in its own way, don’t get me wrong — ha ha — but a good kind of whoah!, a fun version. Thanks for coming along with me on this journey, friend. Have fun shopping! Remember, if in doubt, go with that thing that you think is “too much” or “too loud” or “too young”. They’re usually the things that give your style life. xo.
And oh, hey, if you haven’t seen ALL our coverage yet, check out our ultimate guide to the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (EVERYTHING is there) or head over to the cheat sheet for an easy list of all our #NSale articles and shortcuts to each contributor.
And please remember, if you want to be sure to support us throughout the sale, be sure to click a link from one of our posts before you shop and check-out. We realllly appreciate it.
Cheers,
Cams
You can find me on ye ol’ Instagram, too… @camilledipaola.
Those Frame Sylvie crop jeans are amazing! I didn’t expect to try them on or buy them, but they looked so good and are so comfy. Glad they’re getting the love they deserve.