I had 70 pieces on my Nordstrom Anni Sale wishlist. Do you know how many were at the store? Less than 10. After panicking a bit, I told my shopper I would take a look around. If there’s something I’ve learned with this job is that sometimes the best things are those that didn’t look good online.
Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2021 Fashion Edit: Chic Pieces To Go From Casual To Dressy
Luckily, that is true. I found 8-10 pieces I fell in love with and brought home to style several outfits with them. Most pieces are incredibly versatile and easy to dress up or down. That’s something I look for in most pieces as I work from home, but I want to look good and have the option of dressing up when needed.
Note: Because I couldn’t get any boots or sweaters at my store, you’ll see some of my own pieces mixed in.
1. A Brand Not To Miss: Club Monaco (2 Tops I Fell In Love With)
A. This Fringe Top Makes The Most Simple Outfit Way More Fun
Top (XS, sized down) l Pants (S) l Jacket (6)
The first thing I grabbed at the store and fell completely in love with. This top is special yet casual, and perfect to add texture to an outfit. Its fabric content is mainly cotton making it perfect to wear now and later. When my shopper came to check on me, she fell in love with this top. GORGEOUS. I sized down because I wanted it more cropped. I’m petite, so my true size came to my hips.
B. The Perfect Little Black Top
Top XS ( runs a bit big) l Jeans (26)
Retailer pic? Okay. At the store: This looks interesting. On my body: I actually love this. Size down, or the sleeve will look droopy unless you have big shoulders. Keep scrolling to see it styled in different ways.
2. The Piece I Didn’t Think Would Work: Good American Animal Print Midi Dress
Dress (S, but can go down) l Sneakers (37 run a tad small)
I like snug dresses and animal print, but I never thought I’d wear both things simultaneously. When I saw this Good American dress in the hanger, I liked how it felt, and once I put it on. WOW. The fit is amazing. It’s lined, so it feels substantial and falls great over the body. Better yet, it does it all.
A. Animal Print Midi Dressed Down
It pairs really well with sneakers, a cropped sweater over, and a leather jacket for extra warmth if needed.
Dress (S, but could size down) l Jacket 1 l Jacket 2 l Shoes 1 l Shoes 2
B. Animal Print Midi Dressed Up
Nude heels are perfect if you, like me, are petite and want to elongate the legs. But tall boots look as great too; I’d top the second outfit with a coat.
Dress (S, but could size down) l Jacket l Similar boots in the sale
3. The Most Versatile Pants In The NSale: Vince Drawstring Pants
Pants (S) l Top (XS, sized down) l Shoes (37, run a tad small)
Aside from a pair of Levi’s that you’ll see soon, I didn’t have luck with the jeans. But then, perusing the Vince selection, I found these pants. I first loved the color, it’s such a great neutral that works with most color palettes, and as I kept styling it with different tops and shoes, it became a clear winner. That is, of course, after hemming them to my short legs.
A. Drawstring Pants With Sneakers
Pants (S) l Top l Sweater l Jacket (6) l Shoes (37, run a tad small)
Whenever I wear pants like this, I like to wear a top in a similar shade to add an elegant monochromatic touch. I also used some tape in the pic of the left to see the length better; I still need to hem them more but love the look with sneakers.
B. Drawstring Pants Casual & Cozy With A Sweater
Pants (S) l Sweater 1 l Sweater 2
I usually pair a fitted top with looser pants, but whenever I do a loose top, in this case, an oversized sweater, I make sure to half tuck it. You’ll feel comfortable, cozy, and look great without a lot of effort. By the way, the Free People sweater (left) looks way better when on, and it’s super soft.
C. Drawstring Pants Dressed Up With Pretty Tops
The combo with the teal Eileen Fisher top is amazing, but black is a safe bet, especially if it has some texture like the Club Monaco top.
Tried-and-True Tip: Wear These Spanx Shorts Underneath
I love to wear low control shapewear to avoid panty lines and get a smoothing effect under soft and lightweight pants like these. I also like to go a size up because I have thicker thighs.
4. Replace Your Black Leather Jacket With Another Color… But Which One?
Ever since I learned about color and did my own color analysis, I stopped wearing my black jacket as much as I used to. I’ve since now discovered that what I like about a biker jacket are the style and the leather, and that I can find a color that goes better with my closet.
A. AllSaints Balfern Leather Biker Jacket In White
Jacket (6) l Top (size down) l Jeans l Shoes
I love the freshness of a white biker jacket, and while more of an off-white, it’s a color that will work with any color in your closet. I need warm and deep colors, so I’d mix it with all my warm blues, browns, rusts, olives. But it will look equally amazing with cool colors like lilac, navy, pinks, etc.,
Dress (S, but could size down) l Jacket l Shoes l Sweater l Pants
The look of it is amazing. I’m unsure of it for me because of the waist belt. I’m too petite, and I don’t particularly appreciate where the jacket hits my body, and the belt makes it more pronounced.
B. AllSaints Dalby Leather Jacket In Deep Berry Red
Top (XS, sized down) l Jacket l Jeans
The richness of the color is to die for, and what I like over the white one is that it’s less heavy in the hem without the loops and belt, working better for a petite body.
Top (size down) l Jeans (26) l Dress (S, but could size down) l Jacket l Shoes
Even though I love the white 100%, I love the deep red more, and I can see it easily replacing my black one 90% of the time. Now I need to find a similar one in white, without the belt.
5. Two Slim Straight Leg Jeans To Try
A. Good American Good Classic Jeans
Jeans (26, TTS) l Top XS ( runs a bit big) l Shoes (37, run a tad small)
While most Good American Jeans are super stretchy, these are not as stretchy…but they have the perfect amount of stretch that allows the denim to feel substantial. I’ve also noticed that straighter leg jeans don’t look great when the denim is too stretchy and thin.
B. Levi’s 501 Straight Leg Crop
These Levi’s are amazing. Make sure to choose the length you want. This style comes in 26 and 27 inseam. I chose the 26, and it’s the perfect length for me. I’m not fond of the super-cropped look as much lately. I went with my true size because they break in and get big, but go for a size up if you like a more relaxed fit. I’m also anxiously waiting for this other pair with a longer length.
i. Levi’s With Sneakers
Top (size down) l Jeans (26) l Shoes
ii. Levi’s With Block Heeled Boots
Levi’s vs. Good American Classic. What’s the Difference?
The Good Americans have 2% of stretch, a smaller waist, and are slightly longer than the Levi’s. Meanwhile, the Levi’s 501s are non-stretch with a 100% cotton composition, have a wider waist, and have the option of a 26 or 27 inseam. Also, I might be biased because I’m Levi’s addict, but they give a better butt.
6. The MOTHER Jeans I Wanted To Love But Didn’t
Top XS (runs a bit big) l Jeans (26) l Similar boots in the sale
These Mother The Lookers were high on my list, but they didn’t work for me. Pros: These are soft and stretchy and have the perfect dark wash. Cons: I like Mother’s more rigid denim with a higher rise. I also found the waist a little wider and the back pulling down a bit. See picture. Long gone are the days I wanted to sit and have my underwear showing. So, who are these for? Well, If you like Mother, stretchy denim, a lower high-rise, and need more space at the waist, these are perfect. I truly love the wash and softness.
7. Let’s Move On To Comfy Sneakers
A. P448 Thea Sneakers
As if you haven’t seen them enough already, the Theas are my favorite P448 style. Why, you may ask? They are comfortable, like really comfortable, and as a short-legged petite, I love the extra height thanks to the platform. I wasn’t sure of this year’s combos, but after seeing it at the store, obvs, I warmed up to them and loved how they went with a lot of my outfits. I still want to see the other combo in person and compare it. Size-wise, I’m a true size 6 and preferred the feeling of the 37.
B. Tory Burch Leigh Sneakers
Did you see how sometimes the outfits needed a cleaner sneaker? These Tory Burch were a nice surprise. I grabbed them as I was ready to go home. I love the look of an ivory sneaker. It’s less striking than pure white if you don’t like that and can work beautifully with many color palettes.
8. 3 Unexpected But Amazing Finds
A. The EILEEN FISHER Top That Does It All
The top you saw over and over throughout this post and styled more ways than I can count. It’s a simple top in a versatile fabric and a stunning color that will go any direction you want it to go. Jeans or trousers, sneakers, or heels, as a top or a top layer. It’s simple but perfect. Make sure to size down one or even two if you don’t like a super oversized look. The rest will depend on the way you style it.
Here’s a little refresher…
Top (size down) l Pants (S) l Jeans l Jacket
Ps. The buttons are not black. They’re the same color in a matte finish.
B. The Mini Dress That’s Made For Sneakers
Yes, you can style this dress with heels or heeled boots, but I really wanted to see how they’d look with sneakers. After becoming a mom, I stopped wearing mini dresses, but I’ve been tempted to start wearing them again with my trusty shorts and comfy shoes on casual days and heeled tall boots for dining out.
C. Beyond Yoga Lounge Set
I don’t wear much black or grey, and my top lounge set is still the Faherty set, but I loved the softness and fit of this Beyond Yoga one. Perfect to lounge at home as it’s not too thick, but you can always throw a great biker jacket or coat on and wear fashionable sneakers for quick running errands look. Ps. I also wear those shorts under sweatpants.
That’s it for me! I’m still waiting for a big order, and all I want are the FRAME booties. I hope this was helpful and gave you ideas of what will go well with your style and closet. Let me know of any questions, but you can always check our entire Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2021 guide …
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 checkout. We realllly appreciate it.
Happy shopping!
Besos, Julieta
For more ways to take your closet from casual to dressier, look casually put together, and help discovering the colors that make you glow, join me on IG (@julietatorresd). I’d love to see you there.
I always look for your posts! I love how you go with more classic styles and cuts that really flatter shorter women instead of jumping on the trend train. THANK YOU! I will say I’m a little sad with how quickly my wishlist items are selling out, and also how expensive some of the items are that are acryllic/polyester and other less desirable materials. For $150 pants I’d hope for more natural fibers. I really appreciate you pulling this try on together for us petite ladies!
Charlotte, thank you!!! I understand the frustration with things selling out. Some things in my wishlist sold out even on the first day while I was at my store. Regarding the pants, thank you for bringing that up. In the midst of all, I forgot to go through that. I’m not a fan of synthetic fabrics either, and I hate it when higher-end brands do that. With that said, the pants are really well made, and the fabric is thick and looks good. While I wouldn’t pay full price, the sale price seems fair. I will keep my eye out for similar pants in other fabric compositions. I’m getting tired of wearing jeans all the time, and versatile pants like this are a good way to branch out.
The dark red All Saints jacket looks amazing on you! And I really love that leopard print dress and all your styling ideas for it.
Thank you! Two of my favorite pieces.
Lovely outfits! I am inspired to try the Allsaints jacket in white. I own a similar one but in black and actually think white will be worn a ton more! I’d also be interested in an alternative to that Vince drawstring pants. They look lovely but not thrilled about polyester.
Your styling ideas are superb! I love getting multiple outfits out of an item. You are darling and I look forward to your posts!
Thank you!!! I hope you got some ideas from this post.
I always look forward to your posts-love all the looks here! I find I gravitate towards similar colors as you. That being said what do you think of the pink color in the all saints dalby? It looks more of a baby pink than a salmon / dusky rose which I prefer and which works better for my closet; not sure how versatile the color in the sale is?
Also, will anyone be doing a roundup of other accessories (I’m looking at belts) in the sale for those of us who need that extra definition??
Please? And thank you!!! 😀
Thank you! That pink is gorgeous. It’s light and soft enough to work as a neutral. And if you see it working well with the colors in your closet, go for it.
Regarding accesories, I always forget to check the belts but will do – I wear belts on a regular basis. Thank you for the reminder!
Wondering about length for the Eileen Fisher shirt. I am tall (5’8″) with a long torso and in the model pic it looks almost cropped. It looks like you have on higher rise pants and it was tucked in so I couldn’t tell. I love the color. Looks fab on you!
Yes, I have it tucked in my jeans. So I just measured a size XS, and it measures 22″ from neck/shoulder line to hem. On my petite body, 5’2″, it comes down to my hipline. I hope this helps.
YES! I recently purchased the silk eileen fisher pants Shana posted about in petite, and they are so GOOD. PS. I also splurged on the naadam cardigan you wrote about. Thanks for all your tips 🙂