tips

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale tips 2017

 in NSALE / Shopping  tagged fall 2017 / nordstrom / nordstrom anniversary sale / tips by

nordstrom anniversary sale shopping tips

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale / Chloe Faye

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale starts this Thursday on July 13 for Nordstrom cardholders, and public access begins July 21. This is a HUGE sale which can be overwhelming if you walk in the store, or log on to the website, without a shopping strategy. I have put together my Nordstrom Anniversary Sale tips and tricks into this blog post in order to help you navigate the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale when the doors open on Thursday.

What is the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale? If you do not shop at Nordstrom, or you are not a cardholder, you might be wondering what this sale is all about. The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is an annual event which features fall 2017 merchandise at sale prices. When the sale ends after a few weeks, everything goes up to regular price. This is important to keep in mind because if you love something from the sale, you should buy it before the prices go up after the sale. That being said, make sure what you buy is something you will actually wear when the cool weather hits.

Being careful about what you buy, is why I am giving you my Nordstrom Anniversary Sale tips. Often times, we all get really excited about the sale prices and don’t think our purchases through. It is easy to justify a purchase because it is on sale, but when temperatures cool off two to three months later, we might find ourselves not interested in our sale purchases. This means we wasted money on fall 2017 merchandise we don’t actually wear. Raise your hand if this happened to you! (mine is way up!)

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Tips 1: Shop your closet for fall 2017 NOW

Before the sale starts, shop your closet to see what wore out, what doesn’t fit, and what you don’t want anymore. Send to consignment or charity the items you know you won’t wear this fall.

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Tips 2: Make a list of what you need

After you clean out your closet, what is left? Do you have a go-to dress for last minute party or dinner invites? Do you have a comfortable pair of jeans which also fit well? Do you have basic tee-shirts? Do you have a pair of casual booties? What are the core wardrobe pieces you need, which are missing from your closet? If this thought leaves you overwhelmed, here is my core must-have-for-fall list

  1. Little Black Dress (perfect for last minute invites)
  2. Black pumps (see above)
  3. Cross Body bag
  4. Top handle satchel
  5. Skinny jeans
  6. Boyfriend jeans
  7. Wide leg jeans (cropped with an interesting hem)
  8. Long sleeve casual tee’s (look for unusual sleeve details)
  9. Long sleeve blouses (modest enough for work, but with interesting sleeves to double as a top with jeans on weekends)
  10. One jacket (do not overbuy outerwear during this sale, you will regret it. Pick one jacket or coat and then wait until September to add to your collection if you need more)
  11. Booties (mid heel casual booties you can pair with skirts, dresses, and jeans)
  12. Menswear loafer (look at slides, lug soled loafers, and oxfords-again, just get one or two pairs during the sale)
  13. Workout clothing (buy everything you need, these are great deals!)
  14. Underwear (again, buy everything you need, these are great deals!)
  15. Children’s clothing (buy what your kids need but control your teen or tween, when school starts in August they will see other kids wearing things they want and you will find yourself buying them more things.)
  16. Men’s (Stock up on polo shirts, button down shirts, anything classic or ideal for work. Men’s styles don’t change very much)

Women’s clothing changes every season. My biggest tip from my Nordstrom Anniversary Sale tips list is to buy things which are basic, classic, closet staples. These are the items you will wear a lot and they will give you the core wardrobe you need for the season. As fall develops, you can easily add to this core wardrobe without breaking the bank, or finding trendy items in your closet you bought during the sale but don’t want to wear.

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Tips 3: Make a budget and stick to it

It is easy to overspend at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. Before you start picking out what you want to buy, make your wardrobe core essentials list, then make your budget. Allocate around $99 for booties, and $120 for a jacket or coat. After that, ensure you stick to your budget whether it is $200, $500, or over $1000. STICK TO YOUR BUDGET! The last thing you want to happen is to find you overspent your budget and when the bill arrives in the mail, you have to return some items to pay off your credit card. If you stick to your budget ahead of time, you won’t be forced to return something you have become attached to later.

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Tips 4: Pick out what you like in the catalog

If you are a Nordstrom cardholder, look through the catalog and dog ear pages, or circle items, which interest you. Keep in mind, the catalog only shows a small amount of what is on sale. Over the years, I have noticed the most on trend, and the most popular items, end up in the catalog. If you want any of these items, they are the ones you should put in your online shopping cart first, or reach for first, when you enter the store.

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Tips 5: In store shopping

If you plan to shop in store, be sure to wear comfortable shoes such as slip on sneakers. Your feet will thank you, and they are easy to slip on and off when trying on shoes. Also, bring the socks you plan to wear with the shoes you plan to buy. Bring your bootie socks, athletic socks, and/or trouser socks so you can try them on with the shoes and ensure a perfect fit.

Wear a cross body bag. You don’t want your satchel becoming a nuisance. Wear a comfortable cross body bag so your bag stays put and you can use your free arms for shopping!

Wear clothing you can easily slip on and off. Elastic waist pants, or skirts are easy to get in and out of, along with tee shirts. It can get warm in the early access sections, so stay cool in natural fibers such as cotton. I will be wearing a pair of elastic waist pants with a basic v-neck tee.

Arrive to the store when the doors open. This way you can get to the merchandise before it has been handled by a million people and your sizes will still be in stock. Be ready for vulture-like behavior! Some women get ugly during major sales, keep your composure, stay positive, and don’t lose yourself. If someone pushes you to get to something, or tries to snatch something from your hand (yes this happened to me) keep your nose high, and remain calm. Remember, you are fabulous, people like that are not.

Get a babysitter. Don’t try to do this sale with kids in tow, or a stroller. The vultures will knock into your kids, reach over your stroller (happened to me!), and your kids will be overwhelmed by the people. Let them stay home with a sitter, they will be happier and so will you.

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Tips 6: Online shopping

If you plan to shop the sale online, which I recommend and plan to do first, then you don’t have to worry about crazy vultures at the store. Put on your fuzzy slippers, and log in to your Nordstrom account so you can shop with your card. There are thousands of items on sale, so if you want something from the catalog, type in the item description in the search bar and then add it to your cart right away. After you put the catalog items in your cart you want, then go to the main sale to find the other core closet pieces for fall you need. You can either use the search bar, or be sure to sort and define your search in the general product area. My favorite way to sort is by price. This helps me stay on budget and only see items I can afford.

Still overwhelmed? Don’t worry, I will be posting my favorite items from the sale on Thursday, and I also plan to go to the store and try on items I love so you can see what they look like in person, without actually taking off your fuzzy slippers.

In case you are wondering why every blogger on the planet posts about the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, it is because you can snap up so many basics at great prices! Last year, I saved over $1000 for my family during this sale. I want you to enjoy this type of savings too!! All you need is a strategy.

These are my Nordstrom Anniversary Sale tips for 2017. If you have any questions, feel free to email me, DM me on social media, or comment below. I am happy to help! If you want more of a conversation, hook up with me via the Twiirly app and we can strategize this sale for you!

Early access to the sale for cardholders begins July 13, public access begins July 21. Stay tuned for all my coverage of this fabulous sale! Happy shopping, and stay fabulous šŸ˜‰

how to shop the nordstrom anniversary sale

How to wear a special occasion dress multiple times

 in General Fashion  tagged closet organization / dresses / formal / holiday fashion / investment dressing / tips by

fundraising gala gown

Have you ever been invited to an event and wondered if you can re-wear a dress from your closet? Do you have a fabulous gala gown just collecting dust in your closet that you would love to wear to another gala but you are not sure if it is OK to rewear a formal dress? We have been programmed over the years to never be caught wearing the same special occasion dress twice. Therefore, it can be difficult to know what to do with a formal dress hanging in our closets!

Special events are just that; special. So we all have this subconscious feeling inside which tells us we need a special, new dress for the occasion. While shopping for a new gala gown, or cocktail dress, is a lot of fun, it can also add up! Think about how much you spend each time you attend an event. Could that money go towards a fabulous designer bag you can wear on a daily basis? Or maybe that money could buy an entire new summer wardrobe, or pay for a trip to Hawaii. Perhaps the money could be used for a new washing machine. (I know boring, but reality)

Saving money, and still making a special event feel special, is easier than you think! You can absolutely re-wear a special occasion dress, gala gown, or cocktail dress; again, and again, and again! The only rule of thumb is to never wear the same dress, to the same event, twice. That silver cocktail dress you wore to your friend’s party last week? You can’t wear it with that group of people again, but you can easily wear it to the upcoming charity event you are attending, and then your second cousin’s Friday night wedding. Get the idea?

While it seems to be a simple thing to be able to wear a dress over, and over, there is one easy way to remember where you have worn each dress. I easily forget where I wore a dress; especially if it hangs in my closet for two or three years. Since formal attire trends don’t change often, you can hold on to a dress for several years and continually re-wear it. Love that!

I have one simple system I use to help me keepĀ track of where, and when, and with who, I wore a dress. In order to keep track of where my dress has been, I make hang-tags which I keep on the hangers of my dresses while they hang in my closet. This tells me when I wore a dress, which group of people I wore it with, and to which event it attended. This enables me to get many wears out of a cocktail dress, gala gown, or party dress without getting caught in the same dress twice, with the same group of people.

Here are the steps for making your own hangtags! You can see what they should look like in the photos below.

  1. Buy a package of index cards.
  2. Use a hole punch on the end of one index card to make a hole about a quarter-inch from the top. Hold the index card vertically when you punch the hole so that the hole is on one of the short ends of the card, not the long end
  3. Using scissors, cut a straight lineĀ from the end of the card to the hole.
  4. Make three columns on the card and label them “Date,” “Event,” and “Group.”
  5. Fill in the card with the event information from the place you wore it.
  6. Hang the card on the hanger; and voila! You have a record of where. and when, and with whom, you wore each gala gown, cocktail dress, and party dress!

punch a hole how to make a formal dress hangtag steps for making a formal dress hangtag how to rewear a cocktail dress how to remember where you wore a dress how to remember where you wore a cocktail dress how to wear a special occasion dress again

In addition to a special occasion dress, you are likely to own special occasion shoes, and clutches. These can be re-worn over, and over, and over again. If you have a clutch, orĀ aĀ pair of shoes which are kitschy, they will have a shelf life and should be labelled, so that they are never re-worn to the same event twice. If you tend to own classic formal accessories, like me, then you can easily re-wear them to the same event, and with the same group of people.

formal high heels shoes

Pictured: Tom Ford formal pumps

When it comes to formal accessories, I recommendĀ owning three formal clutches or mini-bags, one in black, one in silver, and one in gold. I also recommend owning three pairs of formal shoes, one pair in black, one in silver, and one in gold. My black satin mini bag is fifteen years old, yet every-time I wear it, the bag looks fresh and new. Look for formal accessories which are classic and can be used over, and over. You will save a ton of money over time. Besides, when you attend an event, everyone is looking at your dress, not your shoes or bag. #FunFact

There you have it! It is OK to re-wear a formal dress to another event as long as you are keeping track of where you wore it before. Do you have a system to keep track of where you wore your gowns? If so, please share in the comments below!

Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy saving money by re-wearing your formal gowns, cocktail dress, and party ensembles!

XOXO

Cathy

Gucci fall 2015 beauty look from the Milan Fashion Week runway

 in Beauty / General Fashion  tagged fall 2015 / gucci / milan fashion week / runway / tips / winter 2016 by

gucci makeup fw15Photos courtesy of Gucci Beauty

Gucci sent their fall/winter 2015/2016 collection down the Milan Fashion Week runway last week and showed a clean, classic beauty look which complimented the subway themed show, and vintageĀ collection featured on the catwalk. The feminine and classic beauty look on the Gucci runway was created by Gucci Cosmetics Artistic Director, Pat McGrath.

Pat McGrath shares with us how to achieve this runway look at home, right now, before fall 2015 begins! Love that!

GET THE LOOK:

Skin:

Skin was prepared by applying Gucci Purifying Cleansing Water, Refining Gentle Toner and Perfecting Lightweight Moisturizer. Before makeup application, Gucci Silk Priming Serum was used to prime the skin.

Face:Ā 

Gucci Lustrous Glow Foundation and Luminous Perfecting Concealer were applied to match each modelā€™s skin tone.

Eyes:

Each model received individualized application amount of the Gucci Magnetic Color Shadow Duo in Aristocratic to enhance the natural tone of their eyes. Next, one coat of Gucci Opulent Volume Mascara in Cocoa was applied to the base of the top lashes only. Lastly, eyebrows were groomed using the Precise Sculpting Brow Pencil.Ā 

Lip:

Clear lip balm was gently dabbed on lips with a finger and then tissued off.

Finishing Touch:

The look was finished off with Gucci Luxe Finishing Powder.

To view the Gucci runway show, please view the video below by Paris Modes TV courtesy of Rightster.Ā