For the cardigan-loving, comfy shoe-wearing, fun accessory-collecting casual gal, this first glimpse of fall fashion in the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Preview is VERY promising—SO many versatile closet staples! And for this year’s go-around, I have an even better feeling about the selection.
I’ve already noticed a handful of pieces in the preview that I’ve tried versions of in the past, and even some pieces I’m currently wearing (and LOVING) in other washes and colors. Remember these Zella Live-In Joggers? I own three pairs. Eberjey lounge pants? Just thick enough that I can wear them on a quick trip to the corner store, but as comfy as the PJs for the house. These MOTHER jeans that have the perfect amount of stretch, and these Veronica Beards jeans that magically look good with everything? I know they’ll work since I already own and love them in other washes. By the way…the Veronica Beard Taylor wide-leg jeans are available and on sale here in a similar wash if you don’t want to wait for the NSale…also here and here. You’ll see a few of these tried-and-true pieces make an appearance in this post…as well as my upcoming NSale coverage!
Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2022 Outfit Ideas: On-Trend Jeans, Comfy Shoes & Cute Cardigans
For my 5 casual outfit ideas below, I’ve included quite a few pieces I personally know are winners and combined them with some new picks that I can’t wait to try in person. You’ll find these looks are filled with cute sweaters (cardigans included, obviously), some really good denim (yay! for tons of wide-leg and flare denim in this year’s sale), and then of course comfortable shoes and a few fun accessories. I decided to focus this post on these pieces, since they’re really the ones that get worn over and over and over again in my closet (and I know many of yours, too). If you keep scrolling… you’ll also see a bit of advice for those of you shopping the sale, based on what I’ve learned the past several years.
Outfit Idea 1: Ooooooh! Fall Shades Of Sunshine
I often get stuck in the pattern of wearing black with tan and then tan with black in the fall, but there are some truly noteworthy pops of color in this year’s Nordstrom Anniversary sale to TOTALLY get me out of my all-neutrals-all-the-time rut.
I can’t wait to try this AllSaints frayed hem sweater in this gorgeous smoke pink combined with this little fun belt bag in a color-coordinated hue for all the fall sunshine-y feels. I’m hoping the colors will play off each other to give them some interest and an extra pop when worn together. I have and love these MOTHER Tomcat Rollers in a different wash — soft and stretchy and oh-so-good!
Coat | Sweater | Denim | Clogs | Bag | Sunnies | Lipgloss
Outfit Idea 2: Running Errands With Wildly Good Style
This might be a bit aspirational — most of the time I’m running errands in my Zella joggers and a workout tank after squeezing in an exercise class, but hey…you gotta have dreams, and these ARE pieces that I WOULD wear for errands if I actually showered right after exercise. And I would absolutely wear this for any casual outing where I wanted to look put-together. I’m a HUGE fan of Veronica Beard jeans (as mentioned with the Taylors I already own) and wrap cardigans or vests ALWAYS make an outfit look more polished. Even if I wasn’t going with the fancy Veronica Beard gorgeous pointelle sweater, this cute tie-cardigan from rag & bone would look equally as good over any plain tee as well. Bonus that it’s short-sleeved b/c I’m always over-heating.
Tie-Cardigan | Sweater | Denim | Sneaks | Bag | Sunnies | Lipstick
Outfit Idea 3: Fancy Cozy Coat + Curled Hair = ALL The Fabulousness
First off, this is my favorite curling iron…it TOTALLY changed the way I style my curls. Just a bit of “help” with this iron to soften up a few of my tighter curls makes a HUGE difference. And this ALC faux fur snuggly coat appears to be the luxurious brown color-block one I wore this winter, but in all white (actually, “natural”..which is even better). Stunning! This coat is like wearing the warmest, softest, cuddliest teddy bear ever. And dresses up everything you’re wearing underneath. Or…put it on with sneakers, curl that hair, and be SUPER-fabulous while walking the dog! If you own a coat this breathtaking, you should be wearing it everywhere. For dinners out or special winter outings, I love wearing a tank or short-sleeve sweater with a huge cuddly fabulous coat over top.
Coat | Sweater Tank | Denim | Boots | Bag | Curling Iron | Lipstick
Outfit Idea 4: Hot Date Night, But Make It Comfy
I’m debating between trying this ALC 100% silk tank or this luxe Theory ribbed halter. Both look gorgeous for a dramatic black top to wear for date night or any time you want to look a little special. Pair either with stretchy comfy MOTHER black jeans and you’re set. I would likely wear this outfit with black clogs, but these comfortable boots or even Naturalizer heels definitely give this look a dressier vibe. And last, but definitely not least…don’t judge this cardigan-tie-jacket by the image below. PLEASE! I know it looks like a bathrobe. I picked up a VERY similar Max Mara Tie Cardigan-Jacket in last year’s sale, and I love it. So good in person — definitely a forever-closet piece.
Jersey Tie-Cardigan | Tank | Denim | Boots | Bag | Earrings
Outfit Idea #5: “Momming” While Cute
THIS is what you’ll see me in a ton this fall. Comfy flare or wide-leg jeans, some type of stripes, a cute cardigan and sneaks. Super-excited my fave sunscreen is part of the sale too. Love the idea of having both an orange-y fall sunshine bag and a bit more subdued green bag to switch out for pops of color with all the neutrals.
Cardigan | Tee | Denim | Sneaks | Bag | Sunscreen
And Now…A Little Advice On Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Must-Haves
A few things I’ve learned from the previous years’ sales:
-Buy multiples of the Zella Live-In Joggers. They are amazingly versatile (selfies from last year here), and I’m QUITE happy I own them in three different sizes for three different fits. I wear XS like they’re leggings, S as regular fitted joggers, and M for a slouchier look….or I just wear whatever size is clean or can be found the quickest as I’m scrambling in the morning. At under $45, I’m happy I bought multiples.
-AllSaints sweaters (like this one and this one) are expensive and frequently sell out, but get worn a TON if they make it to your closet…also I for some reason try desperately to make these AllSaints tops work every year, but they are way WAY too big on anyone even remotely my size (5’2). Don’t do it.
-If you’re a Clare V fan, shop those bags first (before they sell out), but don’t fret if they’re gone by your shopping day…they sometimes come back in stock, there’s always something similar on Clare V’s site, and you can find other Clare Vs on sale throughout the year. I like this new one this year, but I’m on the fence about the others.
-I’ve learned to be prepared for there never being enough new and exciting comfort brand shoe styles in the sale. I look instead for the higher-end designer shoes, that are usually comfortable enough and get worn year after year. Exciting to find beautiful boots like Aquatalia and Paul Green on super-sale in fresh (but still classic) styles. Also hoping desperately that these stunning boots are comfortable enough to wear dresses every once in a while…gorgeous, right?
For you Eileen Fisher Fans, I didn’t forget about you! I am RIDICULOUSLY excited about the outfit ideas I’m putting together specifically with pieces from the Eileen Fisher collection in the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. This year, I paired my Eileen Fisher faves with a TON of AllSaints, and it works SO well! Just the right balance — a smidge of edginess to offset all that Eileen Fisher drape. Some great Zella and Vince pieces in the mix too. Look for it on the blog soon!
I’ll also absolutely provide some budget-friendly picks as the sale gets started. Budget-friendly jeans in the sale are a maybe. We’ll see once I try them on in person and evaluate if they’re good enough to recommend.
I’ll be back soon with those Eileen Fisher outfits, as well as TONS of selfies and sizing/ fit notes once I start shopping. And of course, some “NON” Nordstrom finds and other sales NOT related to the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale too. All the fun stuff! But if you are interested specifically in the NSale, be sure to check out our cheat sheet or for the full run-down, our ultimate guide to the Anniversary Sale.
-Linzi
ps. This one’s for the Pinners…
