The famed Nordstrom Anniversary Sale happens every Summer. It officially kicks off on July 19th, so midnight, Thursday night. However, they also offer early access (one week early) to Nordstrom Card holders. That’s how they got me years ago… The sale is a good one if you’re already a Nordstrom shopper, or looking for some new Fall pieces for your wardrobe. BUT, if you’re looking for a killer sale to end all sales, deals that you would find at a Marshalls, TJ Maxx, or Nordstrom Rack, you won’t find that here. These prices will go up as soon as the sale is over and many are very low but they aren’t those unicorn clearance priced items that you find when you’re on the hunt.

If you are looking to purchase designer items, this is a good sale for you. Or, like I said, if you’re looking for some staple Fall pieces, fresh on the scene, this is a good sale for you. I like to shop for items that can be mixed with my existing wardrobe, so blazers, solid shirts, cardigans, and of course shoes. It’s never NOT a good time to buy more shoes.

Below are my picks from this year’s sale, separated by category. Here’s the kicker, everything I picked is UNDER $150. If you see something you like, you can click the heart to favorite it and you will receive an alert if the price drops during the Anniversary Sale, or even at a later time. I placed my first order at noon on the first day of early access and about a third of my choices were sold out by the time I finished entering my cc info. They often restock items, but not always. I made sure that all my picks below are available as of now (Saturday, July 13th). But who knows for how long… My suggestion to you is, if you see something you love, just get the credit card, make the early purchase, pay it off and close it. Unless of course, you’re a Nordstrom regular, in which case, this is a great card because you earn one point per dollar you spend in stores and online at Nordstrom, NordstromRack and HauteLook. For every 2,000 points, you’ll receive a $20 Nordstrom Note that you can spend online or in stores. It doesn’t sound like much, but trust me, it adds up quickly.

Last note… my picks are extremely tailored to my specific style (of course, that makes sense). If you follow my blog because you like to pull inspiration from my style and want to see more of something, comment below. I skipped the designer bags, all athletic wear, and more, but I would be happy to pick from those as well. Happy Shopping!

Tops

Pants/Denim

Skirts/Dresses

Coats

Shoes

Accessories

Jackets

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It’s no surprise that the fashion of the ’90s is back.  That being said, I do not take that 100% literal.  This windowpane plaid suit, when buttoned up could be very reminiscent of Cher Horowitz’s iconic yellow suit from the movie, Clueless.  Yes, I did skip the thigh high stockings and mini backpack purse.  Sorry, Cher.

I purchased this set (sold separately) during the Nordstrom Anniversary sale, hoping for it to be a great go-to outfit this Fall.  For work, I will probably pair it with pointy toe pumps, but these strappy lavender heels were perfect for bottomless mimosas at The Oyster Bar at the Roxy Hotel in Tribeca.

September in New York, in my opinion, is the perfect weather scenario.  This year, however was unusually hot.  Not only that, but it drizzled rain the entire weekend.  Hence the location of this shoot – the lobby of the The James Hotel.  Our original plan was to shoot it on the cobblestone streets of Chelsea, near the flower markets, but the weather would not cooperate.  If ya gotta relocate a shoot to indoors, finding a stellar hotel in NYC is cake.

Skirt suits are being seen far outside the boardroom this season.  Coco Chanel made skirt suits a status symbol in the 1950s, following which time they were synonymous with business.  In the ’80s women attending high brow meetings with corporations were often seen in designer skirt suits, in the ’90s they became shorter, louder in color and were suddenly trendy with teens.  Now, they can go from the board room to the street.

Aimee Song pairs skirt suits with Louis Vuitton Archlight Sneakers.  Don’t even get me started on this sneaker trend.  I saw Louis and Balenciaga sneakers everywhere during fashion week, and I just don’t get it.  Sometimes I gotta stand my ground and say “WTF?!”.  The point is, skirt suits are still a power symbol, but times are a changing and so are the office dress codes.  Yes, industry has a lot to do with it, but suits are worn less and less M-F and popping up more and more on the runways.  Is this a sign that avant garde designs are becoming fewer, and more attention is being paid to tailoring and technique?  Only time will tell.

 

shop similar looks here:

 

 

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It’s here… New York Fashion Week!  At least for one more day.  I was in NY over the weekend and the weather was crazy.  It went from hot and humid with misty rain to a cold, windy, downpour.  Thanks, Hurricane Florence.  With that said, not even sideways rain can ruin NYFW.  I put on my most waterproof heels – these nude patent leather pumps, and headed out.  September weather is often difficult to predict, which is why I love this boho maxi dress by Free People.

When the temperature drops in Atlanta (Halloween night, no doubt), I’ll pair it with a denim jacket or cardigan and tall boots.  The print is very detailed and contains somewhat of a 1970s vibe, which is perfect given that this season’s trends are heavily inspired by the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s.  The material is very light and as you can see, flowy.  It moves with every step.  I actually changed into some light orange/rust colored booties right after this shoot so that I could walk through the city.  It’s very versatile and can be dressed up or down, depending on where you’re headed.  New York Fashion Week, or a fall festival.  I’m ready for you, October.

SHOP THIS LOOK (you can also opt to be alerted if/when something goes on sale!):


photography by Lydia Hudgens

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Hello, lovahs!  It’s been too long since I’ve posted and now we’re only two days away from September!  You know what that means; it’s fashion season.  I’ve spoke of this lovely time of year before in my post – Hello, September. Wow, I’ve come a long way since my days of watching the shows online and looking up NY street style on Instagram.  Can I get a hallelujah?!  Today I would like to share with you my experience at Jeffrey Fashion Cares, which took place only a few days ago.

Jeffrey Fashion Cares is the premier fashion event of the season here in Atlanta.  This was their 26th anniversary of the runway show to benefit the Atlanta AIDS Fund, which funds HIV/AIDS projects in the metropolitan area, and Susan G. Komen Greater Atlanta which provides grants to grassroots organizations fighting breast cancer. The total amount raised is still being calculated, but this year is predicted to be the most successful yet.  Congratulations to Jeffrey Kalinsky and the event co-chairs Lila Hertz, Jeffrey McQuithy, and Louise Sams for putting on such a memorable (and noble) event.  And a shout-out to Caren West PR for their services in this event as well as their collaboration to provide you this story.

So, let’s talk about the fashion.  If you’ve been paying attention at all, you know that the current trends are a beautiful mix of many decades.  Styles have been revived from the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s.  Plaid tailored suits reminiscent of Cher Horowitz are back (I may have one on deck for NYFW next weekend- stay tuned!).  ’90s “mom jeans”, shoulder pads, and neon psychedelic prints from the ’70s are everywhere.

So what did I wear? A 1920s inspired hand-beaded dress from my favorite store in San Francisco, Decades of Fashion.  I wrote more about this store in this post.

 

The looks displayed on the runway at Jeffrey Fashion Cares were curated by Jeffrey Kalinsky.  He pulled selections from top designers including Celine, Dior, Givenchy, Christian Louboutin, and Manolo Blahnik.  It was a wonderful display of all the best trends this year has to offer, by of course some of the most popular design houses in the world.

Caren West PR was kind enough to send me Jeffrey’s Fall Trend Report, which I am happy to share with you:

Jeffrey Kalinsky’s Fall Trend Forecast: 

If there is one bold font message from the Fall 2018 shows, it’s that fashion is forever changing. In a world where bothmenswear and womenswear are being presented together, brands are evolving from the notion of seasonal collections.

If we had to choose one word to describe the season, it is #EMPOWERMENT. The expression of femininity came in many differentshapes and sizes. From sharp shoulder outerwear, to an array of shine and iridescent colors, Fall 18 was anything but safe.  

Other notable trends we noticed on the runways:

Sparkle: Traditional sequins just don’t cut it! Your favorite knits, dresses, and coats have been transformed into exploded novelty items. The whirl of paillettes storming down the runway was hard to miss and the most shimmering jumpsuits were sent down the cat walk.

Oversize:
  Enormous fashion, anyone? Don’t be afraid to layer up with 2-in-1 pieces or oversized strong shoulder outerwear reminiscent of the 80’s. Designers are delivering exciting collaborations with this trend. 

Sports: Go team go! Many designers took to the sports culture, each creating their own athletic inspired merchandise.

Neon:  Not afraid of color! Fall 2018 brings you iridescent dresses that can be seen from a mile away.  On the runway, there were eye-popping neons (pink, green, and orange) in every type of fabric imaginable, including florescent infused knits.

Plaid: Plaid looked richer than ever this season. We saw perfect tailoring to strong outerwear, all featuring plaid or plaid prints.

 

Next year, look here to purchase tickets to this event.  In the mean time, you can shop the newest Fall trends at Jeffrey at Phipps Plaza in Atlanta.  And as always, I will continue to post my favorite looks here, inspired by these designers, in a range of affordable prices.  Follow me on Instagram for more on NYFW street style.  I will be arriving next Friday and cannot wait to show you what I’ve picked… as well as what street styles await.  Cheers!

 

Images by Ben Rose Photography

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Thank you, Karl Lagerfeld for creating a line of clothing and accessories that are affordable!  For those not familiar… Karl Lagerfeld is a photographer and the Creative Director for Chanel.  He has worked with many fashion houses throughout his career.  He has been loved, as well as hated by many.  He continues to lead not only Chanel, but Italian brand Fendi, in addition to curating own designs, including this coat that I picked up for $100 (can you believe it?) from his Karl Lagerfeld Paris collection.

Fashion icon, Jackie O… Quite possibly one of the most memorable fashion ensembles in American history, the pink suit that Jacqueline Kennedy wore on the day that President Kennedy was assassinated, was indeed a Chanel.  She was the epitome of a Chanel muse.  Her signature oversized black sunglasses and timeless chic style will be mimicked by inspiring fashionistas for generations to come.  Here is my stab at a 2017 version of a Jackie O inspired look that works well for work or play.  I wore this to an early morning meeting and then to a champagne brunch at Atlanta’s most fabulous french cafe, Le Bilboquet.  I want to think that both Karl and Jackie would approve.

Details:  Sunglasses by Tiffany & Company | Black distressed jeans by Nordstrom | white shirt by Calvin Klein | black patent heels by Steve Madden (similar style here)| handbag by Kate Spade (similar style here)| black bow bangle bracelet by Kate Spade (similar style here)| gold chain bracelet from Woo Skincare & Cosmetics (similar style here) | Rose gold crossover ring from Nordstrom | black earrings by Baublebar

crisp white shirt, career wear, black mary jane heels, patent leather, tiffany sunglasses, chic fashion, jackie o, fall fashion, winter fashion,

crisp white shirt, career wear, blonde lob, icy blonde, tiffany sunglasses, chic fashion, jackie o, fall fashion, winter fashion,

bauble bar black earrings

 

chunky gold bracelet

crisp white shirt, career wear, black mary jane heels, patent leather, tiffany sunglasses, chic fashion, jackie o, fall fashion, winter fashion, tweed coat, karl lagerfeld

tiffany and co sunglasses

white long shirt - calvin klein

chanel inspired coat - karl lagerfeld

chic black and white - karl lagerfeld

patent leather pumps - steve madden

french bistro, champagne, chanel, karl lagerfeld

karl lagerfeld coat

Photography by KVC Photography

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