The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is the biggest sale of the year. It’s when brand new fall merchandise that has never been on the floor before, is marked down for three weeks (up to 40% off), then it goes back up to full price for the fall season. It’s the best time to shop for that new fall wardrobe or to score a few new basics you might want to spruce up your wardrobe.
I typically allocate the majority of my annual shopping budget for this sale, it’s that good.
Today I’m answering all your questions about the sale, important dates, how to get early access & what my best purchases in the past have been. My overall idea is to help you navigate the sale, find the best items and score them before they sell out. I mean, since I’m shopping the sale myself and you girls have mentioned these posts have been helpful in the past + I know a few of you are already looking forward to this year’s sale (yippee!), it only makes sense to do it together.
All Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Blog Posts
EARLY ACCESS
As every year, Nordstrom offers cardholders early access to shop the sale three days before the general public gets access. Last year I went that route and it was so worth it. So many items sell out in the first three days, and while they usually get restocked for public access, the selection goes super fast if it’s a hot selling item.
Americans get early access on July 12th. Canadians get early access on July 17th.
The sale is available to the general public in both countries on July 20th.
You can learn more & get early access here.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT IS THE NORDSTROM ANNIVERSARY SALE?
The #NSALE is a huge sale event that happens once a year where brand new fall merchandise, that has never been on the floor before, is up to 40% off for three weeks. On August 6th, all items go back up to full price (and usually fully stocked), just in time for the new season.
WHEN DOES THE SALE START?
July 12th | Early Access for AMERICAN card holders
July 17 | Early Access for CANADIAN card holders
July 20 | First day open to the public
August 5 | Last day of the sale
WHAT IS EARLY ACCESS?
Nordstrom card holders, those who have a Nordstrom Credit Card, can shop the sale early. This goes for online and in the special, roped-off section of the store.
If you wanted to get the card and get in early, Americans apply here & Canadians apply here.
WHAT KIND OF POSTS WILL YOU BE DOING?
I will be sharing all the amazingness of the sale here on the blog leading up to early access. I will be doing a full first-look post in the early morning of July 12th, broken down by category, to make it super easy to shop if you have early access in the USA.
When the sale opens for early access on July 17th for us Canadians, I will be sharing my in-store finds on Instastories + will be doing a full round up of everything I tried on, sizing notes & more; just like last year!
When the sale opens to the public, be sure to check back here the night before on July 19th as I’ll be doing a special post rounding up the best of the best so you’re ready to shop efficiently!
I’ll also be sharing with you every piece I purchased, how to style it, a haul video and more, so check back frequently & let me be your resource for the sale. I’ve also dedicated a special page for all things #NSALE 2018 here, so bookmark that if you’d like to make it super easy to check back on where we’re at.
It’s going to be a busy and exciting few weeks!
WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO SHOP THE SALE?
If you’re a Canadian, I’m going to honest, heading into the store is ideal so you don’t get dinged with duty. However, keep in mind this sale event is huuuuuge and it’s going to be busy. Wait times for fitting rooms can be up to an hour (seriously) and the store tends to be a little chaotic.
Ultimately, and everyone else, online is the way to go. Nordstrom offers free shipping + free returns, so there really is no risk in throwing it all in your cart and then returning whatever doesn’t work. They also offer a pretty sweet deal of ordering online and picking up from the store if you don’t want to wait for it to be shipped. From my analytics last year, I could see that a ton of you did that, and I think it’s the best way to ensure you get the pieces you want before they sell out, plus the right fit, all from the comfort of your couch!
WHO CAN SHOP THE SALE?
Everyone! There is a large selection for women, men, kids, beauty products & for the home. The sale event is truly for anyone looking to add new, stylish pieces to their wardrobes at a fraction of the retail price.
Check out the women’s catalog.
Check out the men’s catalog.
So many good pieces + there will be a ton more that they didn’t show in the catalogs.
WHAT SHOULD I SPEND MY MONEY ON?
I typically spend the majority of my monies on designer denim, coats and jackets and boots. I know a lot of people love the bag selection, but for me it’s just never been a big seller for me. That said, I find shoes sell out really quickly, making them hard to come by in the later days of the sale if you don’t purchase them immediately. Also, while coats may not sell out immediately because they are a bigger ticket item, I do find that by the end of the sale the selection is low in sizes or sold out by then.
Designer denim goes quickly because they price it so well. It’s definitely still an investment, but since going over ‘to the (designer) dark side’, I truly understand why girls rave about these jeans. Personally, I’ve worn my dark denim Rag & Bone skinnies from the sale two years ago almost every other Casual Friday at work, plus regularly on the weekends. The fit is unmatched so to spend $200 on something I’ll wear multiple times per month, that looks flattering and feels great, the cost per wear is low and totally worth it.
When it comes to tops, sweaters, blouses–those are things I typically don’t invest a ton in to begin with, so for the sale it just makes sense to do the same. While there are a lot of beautiful tops and blouses at the designer level within this sale, those aren’t usually the items I’ll splurge on because I do prefer to invest in bottoms and outerwear.
So excited! Stay tuned for more & if you have any questions, feel free to slide into my DM’s and we can chat 🙂
All Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Blog Posts
