Hi! And welcome. This is my 7th year covering the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, friends, and my first year doing it with…hot flashes! Cool, cool. Loving this journey for me.
I’m just thankful for not having to procure it all in a tiny dressing room and for air conditioning (we only added it in our house three years ago, heh #pacificnorthwestprobs.) Enough about me and temperature…this sale is HOT, too. And definitely more in the Paris Hilton kind of way and less in my own personal temp regulation kind of way. ANYHOO…
Plaid, Stripes & Jewel Tones…Leather, Wool & Denim: An NSale Fall Vibes Try-On
My overall takeaways…let’s just get right to them. This Theory Blazer and matching Plaid Pants are IT for me. I’ve been looking for a suit that worked on me for YEARS, and low and behold, found. I really just thought about stopping there lol j/k, Shana, j/k. But instead, I tried on the Paul Green black lug sole boots. And, oh my, SO freaking good. Comfy, but chunky AND lightweight. I know. Brilliant. Thirdly, don’t miss out on this 100% cotton Treasure & Bond striped sweater. I DID miss out on that rag & bone one (Shana didn’t love it btw) and knowing myself, I needed a stripe in my life for this article, so I snapped up Treasure & Bond’s super-soft, much more reasonably priced option and I LOVE it.
Overall, I agree with S, that there are some really great pieces in the sale, but less of a chance to build a capsule wardrobe. That being said, the pieces are killer. Surprisingly, no perfect jeans or high-top sneakers found in my search YET (I know, I live in both things) but there are some gorgeous finds, many that would work for the office if that is your gig!
1. Hi, I Wear Blue rag & bone Sneakers Now
sweater (s) | long sleeve tee (m) | jeans (29) | sneakers
So…this is fun, eh? This colorful outfit has that mix of sporty and classic that I love. I wondered if it was too much at first but gosh, I love it all. The blue rag & bone sneakers weren’t my first color choice, rather the only option available in my store, and yet — happy surprise — I love them. The blue is perfection, especially with blue washed jeans like these MOTHER The Hustler distressed jeans. More deets below on those.
sweater (s) | long sleeve tee (m) | jeans (29) | sneakers | bag | similar necklace
This Coach Bag was a last-minute sleeper find…I needed a pop of color for some fun, and gosh…this Coach bag is it! SO gorgeously made — as you’d expect from Coach — and the perfect size. I’m a sucker for a top handle on a purse (so it’s easier to grab quickly), but then the clip-on crossbody strap is a must for me these days. Give me all the interchangeable straps. This would be cute with a gold chain strap!
The wash on these MOTHER Jeans and the butt are great (duh, it’s MOTHER) but I’m kinda just over this cut. I know. It’s only one of two pairs of jeans I got today (there were some SNAFUs in my brain on what I needed to grab versus pickup versus order for shipping so I only blame myself) but I’m just…not sure what jeans I like right now. In life. I plan to do a follow up trying to figure that out soon! These look great with the blazers though! The Treasure & Bond Sweater is so soft and comfy, slightly oversized, and 100% cotton. I love that this isn’t too heavy, and again, a much more affordable alternative to that rag & bone!
2. Open Edit Nylon Trousers? Yes, Wide-Leg + With Stripes
sweater (s) | trousers | boots | bag | similar necklace
These Open Edit wide-leg track pants are super-cool and unique (and I’m still totally messing with styling them), but they are such a fun piece to experiment with. I think I should have stuck with a S, but the M here is nice and comfy. They are quite long and swishy…but gah there’s something about them.
3. Treasure & Bond Faux Leather Skirt, 2 Ways
cardigan (s) | skirt (s) | boots
I’ll get to the skirt, too, but the Sam Edelman Uma Knee-High Boots are so beautiful and $100 off regular price! I’ll spray the heck out of ’em to keep them looking amazing, but gosh the suede is insanely soft. They are just stunning in person AND have a walkable lower heel. Love. TTS.
cardigan (s) | skirt (s) | tank top (1) | blazer (6) | boots | similar necklace
OK, the faux leather Treasure & Bond midi skirt now…lovely, especially for the price point and the fact that it’s faux. The S just fits me but I worry the M would be too big; size up if between for sure. Love the front slit so it’s not too overwhelming on my shorter frame, and doesn’t look like I’m wearing a faux leather bell. Hahaha. A really stunning piece, this one!
4. Allll About This Plaid Theory Suit
trousers (8) | blazer (6) | tank top (1) | black bag | boots
Gah. This plaid Theory blazer is my favorite item of the try-on for sure. It’s structured, but soft, wearable and not too heavy. It fits so beautifully and completes the set with the matching pants. TTS, but size up if you need more room in the midsection (I like it best worn open, anyway). I’ve been hoping for a find like this forever. So stoked!
These Paul Green lug sole boots are seriously comfy and such a fab find. I love that they have a chunky look, but don’t feel heavy or hard to walk in. TTS.
This Aimee Kestenberg bag was one of my fave finds last year, and I’m so glad to see it back! I have carried it a ton over the last year and love the shape, size and versatility. Ooh…and check out the dark green it now comes in! Stunning for fall.
blazer (6) | jeans (29) | cardigan (s) | tank top (1) | trousers (8) | boots | black bag | red bag | similar necklace
And the plaid Theory Pants? Freaking cool and flattering, especially with the matching blazer. They do run a little tight if you have a booty like me. I’m often a size 6, perhaps an 8 in trousers, and the 8 just fits. They have some stretch, but aren’t too thick. I adore this set so much and will have it for years to come.
blazer (6) | jeans (29) | bag | boots
The Veronica Beard Leeland Chelsea booties are really lovely and so beautifully made. I probably need to live somewhere else besides Portland to wear all the suede shoes I own and adore, but honestly, there’s nothing like them. The soft texture just makes an outfit IMO and I just spray the heck out of all my suede with this protectant regularly and LIVE MY LIFE.
trousers (8) | cardigan (s) | blazer (6) | black top | sneakers
This thing is so light! I adore the Vince Cashmere Cardigan worn on its own over just a bra. It’s much sexier that way (I’m not much of a cardigan person in general.) This borders on too low in front but only just barely and I do tend to have a shorter upper torso. So lovely and soft and my favorite quality sweater I saw.
trousers (8) | tank top (1) | leather jacket (6) | black bag | cropped blazer (m) | tank top (1) | olive bag | boots | similar necklace
I’ve had my beloved AllSaints Balfern Moto jacket for years, and it seems to find its way into the Nordstrom Sale each year, too. I have it in two colors and the oxblood I got in 2020 is back, too! So soft and lovely! It breaks-in just beautifully with a few wears to fit your body perfectly. The Vince Linen Blend Crop Blazer was interesting to me. I’m not sure why I grabbed a M, as I’d typically get a S in a boxy blazer especially. The fabric is nice and structured but odd to me. I am still on the fence about this guy.
OK, so my bad, I thought my exact AllSaints bag from last year was in the sale in olive, but it is in black! And the olive AllSaints bag I did link is the same beautiful green and a really great design that I like better than my own.
5. My Version Of Dopamine Dressing
tee (m) | jeans (8) | boots (tts) | bag
The slub cotton long sleeve green ATM tee is the piece I didn’t know I needed. Gosh, it’s lovely. I know it’s on the pricey end for a piece like this, but I am 100% keeping it because it is soft, has the perfect sleeve length, and I just fell in love with it.
LOVE the wash, love the waistband, love the stretch on these Good American Straight-Leg jeans. I do wish they were a bit wider in the lower leg, but they look amazing with the Paul Green boots and these Free People Western boots (so well-made and TTS.)
6. I’m Back In Flared Yoga Pants — Zella, To Be Exact
tee (m) | leggings (s) | sneakers (tts)
So…I already have some bootcut leggings from Beyond Yoga, but I wanted to try these Zella Flare leggings, too, and dare I say I like them better?
They are a leetle bit thicker (but not in a heavy way), they lay nicely, are a little shorter (bonus for my 5’4″ self), and they have pockets. Yep, sorry beloved BY, you have no pockets. I will say, I think these might be more comfy for athleisure vs actually working out due to the thicker fabric, though, but that’s just me. We’ve already established I am hot-natured and it’s especially true when I’m doing a bazillion squats in my barre3 classes.
bra (m) | jacket (s) | leggings (s) | sneakers (tts)
This Zella Bra is not to be missed. It is a bralette with some support (thin straps, tho, FYI) and padding, but not TOO much padding and it is comfy + lays so nicely under tees. Plus, I love it on its own and am trying to embrace working out more in crop tops and sports bras because LIFE IS TOO SHORT to worry about that shite, friends. And it’s much cooler.
The ivory Zella Track Jacket is so soft, but structured and so freaking cute…except when it’s zipped up. You can see weird lines in the pockets. UGH. But because it is so cute worn open (and that’s how I’d wear it 99% of the time), I’m OK with that slight limitation. It does come in black, too, though and I bet the black won’t have that issue. Zella jackets have been some of my most-kept items from NSales past.
7. That Good American Jumpsuit, Tho
jumpsuit (2) | boots (tts) | bag
The Good American Jumpsuit is SO freaking cute! It is quite fitted, but still comfy and feels like it would break-in just beautifully. It does run small though friends. I’m typically a 1-2 in Good American. Gah, the color though. So good. I can’t decide if I’d like it better with a wider leg? But dang it, I should have tried the knee boots with it!
I’m typically a size 6 in fitted jumpsuits and might have liked to try the size 3 here. It does have great stretch and hugs all the curves! Depends on how you want a style like this to fit. I’m digging it with the fun Coach bag! I think it skews orangey enough not to read “I’m going to a Christmas party.”
jumpsuit (2) | boots (tts) | bag
8. A Rich, Jewel-Toned Midi Dress From Halogen
similar necklace | dress (s) | boots (tts)
This Halogen dress caught my eye of course, for the gorgeous color and shape, but it is really flattering on and well-made, too! It’s a little tight to get on and off, but I felt ah-mazing in it. I love, love it.
9. 3 Blazers In Various Shades of Tan
blazer (m) | black top (s) | jeans (8) | boots (tts) | bag
The Treasure & Bond Blazer was a last-minute grab in-store and it’s pretty cool. I love this color with black. I don’t know how it would look with other shades, but I think it’d be great with blue-washed denim, too. Went with a M so I could push up the sleeves, and I like the fit. It’s not as high-quality as some of the other blazers, but the price is nice for such an interesting, on-trend color.
blazer (s) | black top (s) | jeans (29) | boots (tts) | bag
This Vince Cardigan Coat is so soft and cozy…but I found this a little tricky to style with the pieces I found in this try-on. I love it with my collared top but really wish I’d found a cool half zip sweater this year for a true collar moment, but have yet to find that. This Zella sweatshirt almost got me there, but the collar is shorter and I’m not sure if bright pink is very me.
blazer (6) | tank (1) | jeans (8) | boots (tts) | similar necklace
Well, the gorgeous Reiss blazer is now sold out BUT as lovely as it is, I think we can find an alternative. The color is gorgeous as is the structure, but the fabric felt a little less-than-great to me, especially for the price. Try this one or this one instead.
And To Round Out My Try-On… A Couple Of Practical NSale Buys I’m Stoked About
Linz hipped me (heh) to the Chantelle undies last year and…gah! They’re like actually made for people’s butts and I LOVE them. Buttery soft and $14 instead of $20 right now. Besides SKIMS boy short style, these are by far my fave undies these days.
And the other practical buy is that Zella bra. SO comfy (wearing it right now) and enough padding to lay nicely under tees but not make you feel super-padded. I’m a 32DD/34D and wear the M. I would call it a yoga bra you can totally wear for everyday. Pull-on style and adjustable straps.
Finally, there are a couple of things I’m super-stoked about that will be arriving in the mail… these P448 black high-tops and this Bernardo Mixed Media Aviator jacket. I hope both live up to the hype in my head because they look so cool.
Ask away in the comments if there is anything you have questions about! Super-happy to answer them. Thanks again y’all for supporting us here. My goal is always to be as helpful as possible throughout this kinda stuff, so I’m here for ya!
xo,
L
PS. Don’t forget! Our 2022 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale cheat sheet is updated daily. It’s your one-stop shopping guide with all our best recs, so check it out or head over to our more in-depth Ultimate Guide To The NSale. And please remember, if you want 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. Happy shopping!
Would love for you to say hi over on my Instagram @laurajansenstyle where there are mostly odes to snacks, OOTDs, travel and everyday mom-life-stuff in Portland, Oregon. xoxo
That Aimee K backpack looks great but reviews say that it flips open when filled and stuff spills out of it. Have you ever had this problem?
Oh, I haven’t! I never seem to need to fill it up all the way though because it’s so roomy but not quite tote or large bag sized, if that makes sense.
Some really cool pieces here, and I love your styling (the green long sleeve tee cuffs peeking out from under that striped sweater? Chef’s kiss). I adore the plaid suit on you. Can’t wait to see the high tops and jacket. I don’t know whether I’ll ship the sale (I don’t have access till the end) but these looks have really inspired me so I guess stay tuned for a referral click wayyyy down the line, haha.
Haha no worries. Thank you so much for the lovely comments and support!! xo
I’m curious about your thoughts on the green Madewell Transport bag?
Ah yes! Gosh, I meant to write a little blurb about that, too. I haven’t spent much time going over the interior yet but I LOVE the color and the size on my bod. The leather is great and the quality I have come to expect from Madewell bags!
I also love that it comes with both the woven stripe strap AND the thinner leather strap. Options!
Love the Theory blazer and pants but cleaning instructions say “spot clean”. How in the world do you make that work? Can’t imagine investing in clothing that can’t be properly cleaned!
Oh strange. I haven’t seen that before! I will probably spot clean between dry cleanings, but have been wanting to find a green dry cleaner anyway so this will prompt that search.
great picks and you look fab! now…don’t shoot the messenger…(and under the broad heading of unsolicited advice…) i know you’re a foodie and i know you love your donuts but…..you might be able to regulate that temperature fluctuation a little by regulating the sugar….i’ve had great success for myself and my (pilates) clients with that. i’ve also seen (only anecdotally) that subbing out wine for less sugary spirits helps….and hydrate hydrate hydrate! feel that goddess power and remember…THEY’RE NOT HOT FLASHES THEY’RE POWER SURGES!! <3
Love your try-ons– so many pratical, cute, wearable options. Shoes, what can I say? I put them all on my wish list. Fab!
Thank you for the reply. It’s on its way to me!
I hope you love it!
On the Zella Bra, I’m a true 34D! Does it mash you down at all? (Some do, and then it looks bad) ? I’m torn between M &L???
It doesn’t! That’s what I love about it. But granted it’s not sports bra support, but lovely for everyday under tees. The band is stretchy so it doesn’t run small there. I feel like 34D a Medium should be good! Unless you feel like you always need more room in the cup size. Then perhaps go up. I hope that helps!
Hi Laura! Thanks for all your reviews and thoughts! Have you received your P448 high tops yet? I’m trying to decide between those and the P448 John sneakers. Since they’re the same color I’m trying to determine if they’re different enough to keep both but how to decide which one if I only keep one…argh! Interested to hear what you think about your high tops.
Hi! I haven’t received this pair yet but I have a white pair I’ve had for years and LOVE them. I’m more of a high tops gal though and wear them more than lower sneakers. Not sure if that is helpful or not haha.
Lol, yes, that is helpful – thank you!!