I live for the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. I love it so much. But for anyone like me who doesn’t get to shop right away — the pitfalls of being 200 miles+ away from the nearest Nordstrom — I feel your pain.
When my day finally came to place an online order and the first of my NSale purchases started to trickle in, I realized it was all worth the wait. I may or may not have been stalking the Fed Ex delivery guy’s every move online for the past week (not to mention my frantic checking of the front door any time a truck passed by the house). No regrets.
10 Fall Wardrobe Essentials In The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale
As I unpacked my first order, I began craving fall weather and scheming up all of the fabulous coat, denim & boot combinations I could possibly think of. I’m all about fall essentials, but I need to have some pretty and romantic pieces mixed in, too. This Frame blouse was a true winner for me, and I had so much fun playing around in my closet with this floral cotton tunic from FP. I love a good Dress Over Jeans moment.
My final must-have for fall? Chelsea boots. My closet will be FULL of them, but I need help deciding (yep, I bought a bunch of pairs to try). These Blondo booties (in 2 colors!) are especially exciting. Now let’s get into my try-on…
1. Everyday Denim: PAIGE Cindy Ripped Straight Leg Jeans
These PAIGE jeans are at the very top of my fall essentials list. Slightly destroyed, straight-leg jeans are the go-to foundational piece for basically ALL of my fall and winter outfits. You will see me rocking them multiple times throughout this post. And, they’re a TME favorite, too! You can see them on Em, Cams, Scotti & S here.
The great thing about light-wash, straight-leg jeans is their unending versatility — they go with ANYTHING (sneakers, booties and more). I like to wear them with a romantic date-night blouse, a structured plaid coat, or a plain old tee and they always look amazing. With ’90s-inspired denim like these, you can usually expect zero stretch and heavy denim fabric. But not these. I found these had the ideal amount of stretch, and this particular denim gives where it needs to (without stretching out or sagging).
Jeans | Blouse | Converse | Plaid Coat | Turtleneck | White Lug Sole Boots
2. Statement Coats: Oversized Halogen Plaid Coat
A stunning, longline wool-blend coat is one of my all-time favorite fall and winter wardrobe staples. I am so taken by this classic-yet-chic silhouette that always makes a statement. Throwing on this Halogen coat will be an easy way to polish up any outfit and it’s roomy enough to layer sweaters underneath come winter.
Coat | Turtleneck | Jeans | Boots
Coat | Jeans | Beige Boots | Turtleneck | White Lug Sole Boots
3. One Perfect LBD: Club Monaco Square Neck Puff Sleeve Mini Dress
No fall wardrobe is complete without a little black dress. The versatility is endless and it makes for a perfect transitional weather piece. I’d pair this Club Monaco LBD with sneakers and sandals in the summer, over-the-knee boots + a moto jacket in the fall, then layered over jeans in the winter. Just pop a sweater and your favorite coat on top, and you’re good.
In past seasons, I’ve always gravitated toward midi dresses but I’m LOVING this puff-sleeved, square-neck mini dress by Club Monaco. The fresh and flattering fit had me hooked from the moment I put it on!
4. An Oldie-But-Goodie: BLANKNYC Suede Moto Jacket
This BLANKNYC Suede Moto is one of my most-worn fall wardrobe essentials. For the past two years, it’s been in heavy rotation practically all year long. This hardworking closet staple is made from soft and supple leather that you don’t usually find for under $100. If you don’t have this yet, snag one.
5. Something Edgy: Free People Crop Faux Leather Pants
Faux leather pants are a wardrobe game-changer in the best possible way. Trust me when I say, you need these in your life. And don’t worry — you don’t need to be some sort of rock n’ roll biker babe to wear these. They are shockingly versatile and surprisingly easy to style. Think: black jeans but better.
Faux Leather Pants | Turtleneck | Booties
6. Dark Wash Denim: PAIGE High Waist Skinny Jeans
Dark wash jeans are a must-have for me. These super-flattering PAIGE jeans pair perfectly with the autumnal hues I’ll want to wear all fall. They are also ideal for dressier occasions like a casual office, date nights or holiday parties.
While skinny jeans aren’t as popular as they have been in previous years, I still like to keep one solid pair on hand for my over-the-knee and mid-calf-length boots. These PAIGE skinnies look killer with my Marc Fisher OTK boots…but honestly? I’m really feeling the classic vibe of the outfit below: a simple black turtleneck, white sneakers and dark wash skinnies.
Turtleneck | Jeans | Sneakers
7. A Bit Of Boho: Free People Floral Cotton Tunic
A little bit of boho goes a long way in any closet. This bold, retro-inspired floral tunic by Free People will add some much-needed interest to my classic, more subdued fall wardrobe pieces.
Drapey Free People Tunic dresses are kinda my thang. Historically, they are one of my all-time favorite styles to buy. Everything about them speaks to me — the flowy, billowy, oversized silhouettes are just…*chef’s kiss*. Not to mention they are some of the versatile pieces EVER. What else can be worn with a swimsuit and sandals in the summer, sneakers and a denim jacket in the fall, and on top of jeans and boots in the winter?
Tunic | Turtleneck | Boots
Tunic | Black Chelsea Boots | OTK Boots | Jeans
8. Something Romantic: FRAME Puff Sleeve Top
Forever the romantic, I always need at least one gorgeous, detailed blouse. I was intrigued by this pretty FRAME blouse from the get-go because I love anything shirred or smocked. I wasn’t completely sold until I saw it on Cam and then I knew I needed it. It’s one of the most stunning, figure-flattering blouses, ever. It’s a high-quality fabric that’s lightweight and airy at the same time.
9. Flattering Boots: Marc Fisher Over-The-Knee Pointed Toe Boots
Over-the-knee boots have been a staple in my fall closet for like, 10 years now. I upgraded my OTK boots during last year’s NSale and am so OBSESSED with how flattering and dare I say — sexy — these Marc Fisher Boots are.
10. Now, Which Chelsea Boots To Choose?
Suffice it to say that my favorite department to shop was most definitely the shoes. (The chunky, lug sole, Chelsea boots, to be exact.) Chelsea boots are best known for their snug-fitting, pull-on style with elastic side panels (and I just love them). These are a fall must-have for me. Let’s run through a few of my favs…
Top Left | Middle Top | Top Right & Bottom Left | Bottom Middle | Bottom Right
A. Tory Burch Suede Chelsea Lug Bootie
These Tory Burch Chelsea Lug Booties are everything. I’ve always loved warm and rich caramel-colored suede booties. They are the perfect autumnal neutral shade to pair with burgundies and browns, as well as beiges, and creamy whites. But I also love to pair them with some faded black wash denim — they add that pop of color, create interest and add warmth to an otherwise basic look.
Boots | Similar Sweater | Similar Jeans
B. GANNI Waterproof Rubber Lug Sole Booties
WOW. These Ganni boots ARE uh-mazing. So far they are definitely one of my favorite NSale purchases of the year. I almost didn’t spring for these, but I am so glad I did. When I said in my wish list post that I wanted stomping boots, these are EXACTLY what I meant. I. AM. OBSESSED. The quality is top-notch, plus they are made from 50% rubber sources from production scraps and cutoffs. I think I just died and went to boot heaven. Keep x’s 100.
Boots | Coat | Jeans | Turtleneck
C. Blondo Drew Waterproof Booties (In Black Leather & Sand Suede)
These Blondo booties are the perfect everyday bootie to wear with everything and this post is proof of that — I think they are featured in no less than four of my outfits above! These are similar in style to my favorite pair of boots from last year’s Anniversary Sale. I wore them non-stop all year long and they still look brand new. I think I have to keep the Sand Suede. They are too good.
D. Louise Et Cie Sanji Platform Wedge Bootie
Keeping these, for sure. These sleek, minimalistic Louise et Cie platform wedge booties were one of the very first items to catch my eye in the sale this year — and they were one of the first items I purchased when I finally got to shop. I’m all about the chunk-ified platform lug soles styles trending right now. There’s something to be said about a simple, streamlined bootie. Also, I can’t get enough white and cream-colored boots at the moment. Now I have two pairs of white boots that are in my keep pile.
That’s it for now! Who else is SO ready for fall?
The best place to see all things NSale is our ultimate guide to the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale – all you want to know about sale, all the good stuff like our wish lists, reviews, top picks, etc., For the simple, get straight to shopping guide, see our cheat sheet.
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.
Xo,
Jess
Lovely, lovely stuff! Now, to pick Only What I will Wear🤷🏼♀️
hi, is the BLANKNYC Suede Moto jacket pictured the one you bought previously, or the one currently on sale? Yours looks quite a bit darker than the gray one (looks) on the website.
I am SOLD on that Free People tunic. All great picks, thanks for the inspiration!
How do I get away with out breaking the bank! This stuff is everything!
Hands down my favorite compilation so far! It’s all so good! Also, Jess, your hair is perfect! Love it so much!!!
Jess…yaaasss! Showing up to the party with her A game! Awesome finds, off the charts styling! So many things I didn’t know I needed! Thank you!!
Love this post! Did you find that the Louise et Cie booties run TTS? The website says they run small but I have been mislead by their instruction before! 🙂 Thank you!