I think of myself as a mom who’s kind of on top of her game (well…at least in Shana’s eyes…and at least in the back-to-school arena), but last year I blew it. I was so fixated on making sure my son had the exact brand and size of 5th-grade notebooks required by his teachers, and THE most well-reviewed combination lock and magnets for his first locker, that I forgot to make sure he had good first-day-of-school pants that fit. Ugh. Well…of course he didn’t. He had some from the previous year that were way too short and a few pairs of very worn shorts that fit (but looked awful), so of course I was scrambling last minute, ordering any pants I could find that could be overnighted. I’m kind of a stickler about nice new pants or shorts on the first day of school.  

Hooded Denim Jacket on Pax & Raines

This year, I’m going to try and balance my school supply obsession with at least SOME early back-to-school clothing shopping for both of my boys. The big July sales are a pretty great time to work on updating their fall wardrobes. I ordered some basic uniform items from J.Crew and they both have these pants coming for the first day of school, but I’m also having way too much fun perusing the super-cute play and weekend clothes from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. This fun involves fantasizing about my kids having nice neat mix-and-match capsule wardrobes that simplify our lives and our laundry situation (this will never happen, but one can dream). A few of these cute mix-and-match items have somehow made it to my cart, though, so we’ll see.

How To Create A Kids’ Capsule Wardrobe From The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

I organized some of the cutest pieces from the sale into color schemes for Little Kids and Big Kids, but there’s PLENTY of overlap with sizing (and in my opinion plenty of overlap between girls’ and boys’ pieces), so if you see something you love, check and see if it will work for your kiddo (even if it’s not in your “category”). Hopefully, it will!  

Little Kids: Reds & Blues

My little one loves red. He actually prefers metallic gold, but the metallic gold jean selection in his size is somewhat limited. The sale is a great time to get The North Face coats if you’re a The North Face person…good quality coats that can be passed down from kid to kid. I’m also loving this blue “handsome shirt” (as my kiddo refers to button-downs), these glow-in-the-dark jammies, and both of my kids definitely love all the soft pants. Note: The collage below is clickable.  

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Little Kids: Pinks & Purples

The pieces below are what I would wear if I was 5 or 6 for sure! I’m telling you…I would rock this denim jacket (soft comfy sleeves and a rainbow…yes!), this adorable black and white ruffle sweater, and of course these glow-in-the-dark PJ’s. As for these stretchy jeans and this super-cute Tea dress? Yep, count me in! Note:  The collage below is clickable.

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Big Kids: Blacks & Grays

I have to admit…I don’t know if I’m ready for my big guy to look this cool. He’s definitely headed in that direction, though… having strong opinions about the style of his backpack this year. Boo. Shana picked up two of these jackets and these jeans for both of her boys. I’m using the sale to stock up on big kid boxers and a few different types of Hudson jeans to see which my kids like best. I also am considering this big kid “handsome shirt.” Note: The collage below is clickable.

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Big Kids: Neutrals

I’m wishing some of these awesome pieces came in my size. I’m feeling this ’90s inspired sweatshirt, as well as these paint-splattered Hudson jeans. And all the soft stuff from Zella Girl. Definitely some easy mixing and matching with the neutrals. Note: The collage below is clickable.

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I’ll let you know if my kiddos love the Hudson jeans as much as Shana’s do. Feel free to shout out your favorite finds below from the kid section. Don’t forget to check out the rest of the team’s faves and our full NSale coverage here! 

-Linzi