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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More is More. If you know me at all, this should not surprise you. I go hard on details, and New York Fashion Week brings out my most extreme self, as you can see here – I’m mixing all the textures. With the temperatures in the twenties and anticipated bone-chilling winds, I knew I had to figure out how to dress for fashion week but not freeze to death (note: anything under 60 degrees is unacceptable, only exception being NYC).

The answer: Layers and of course, FUR. The goal is cover as much of my body as possible, keep my feet warm, but still make a statement. I wore a black tulle and lace skirt, a gold sequin long sleeve top, a black and brown striped faux fur coat, black tights, and cognac leather boots (by Zimmerman, no longer available). Every material and texture that I could tie into one look. This color palette is my absolute favorite, which makes mixing so many different materials okay without looking crazy.

IMHO, you do not have to choose a singular style to base your wardrobe or personal look on, put anything on your body that you love. These short Zimmerman boots are no doubt leaning toward the oh so popular western trends that blew up last year and are here to stay for a least a few seasons I think (wanna see more? Follow Coachella goers on IG this April). Yet, I wear them with anything from skinny jeans to a tutu. Do your own thing, and never doubt your creativity. Someone doesn’t like it? They can unfollow 🙂

Mixing textures: How do you wear things like silk, sequins, leather, fur, metal, all at once without looking like a hot mess? Try to stick within the same color family. With that in mind, distressed denim is an easy way to start… pair some shredded skinny jeans with a delicate lace top, velvet jacket, and sleek patent leather heels. Boom… four textures that give an “everyday outfit” (jeans, top, shoes, jacket) a little extra oomph, in an obvious way because there are FOUR textures, not just maybe two. It makes it more obvious. Another tip: look for repeating patterns in different textures. I chose this skirt before I added the coat to this look. Why? Notice the vertical stripes in the coat and the vertical seams in the tulle and lace. It carries the eye from top to bottom and although many may do a double take if I were wearing this around Atlanta (which is nothing new to me), it just works.

I’ve linked similar items to what I’m wearing below (scroll to the bottom, past the images). Below my outfit, I’ve linked items that I think would look great together if you’re ready to make the (bold) move, or just take a peek for inspiration. Stay tuned for less about my outfits, more about trends that I saw, on the street and on runway, at NYFW FW 2019.

    Photography by: Viva Lux Photography

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    I have returned.  My last fashion post was about New York Fashion Week (September), and here we are only 10 weeks away from the Fall/Winter Shows in February.  Why the hiatus, you might ask…  I left my stuffy corporate job for something very different.  I’m definitely on the right track now, but getting “situated” takes a little time for this particular role.  Was it the right move?  Absolutely.  No question about it.  So, slowly yet surely I will be able to create my own content again, beginning with this gem from (you guessed it), NYFW.

    I thought that this final look was perfect to share right here at the holidays.  Emerald green is one of my favorite colors and although breathing was issue after scoffing down all the pasta in EATLY, this has to be my favorite look of all time.  Velvet is in, again.  Is it even worth me mentioning that?  So, raid your mother’s (or grandmother’s) closet and see what you can find.  This dress was found at Buffalo Exchange consignment store in Atlanta.  My dear friend, @modern.boy.vintage would be so proud.  I think I paid $25 for it.  The shoes are by a brand that I can’t even think of at the moment (they’re currently being re-capped on the bottoms… am I the only one who has to do that constantly?!).  But they were a Christmas gift from my mom last year and really made this look complete.  I mean, jewel tones, for the holidays?? Groundbreaking.

    This look was shot in Tribeca.  If you’re not familiar with the neighborhood, perhaps I should dedicate an entire post to my love for New York.  Every corner is begging to be the setting of a fashion shoot.  If only I could master the art of self-portrait (I’m looking at you, Cindy Sherman).  But for now, my new friend and photographer, Alexandria Murray is killin’ it.  We ran back and forth through traffic shooting this dress and then we drank champagne before I headed out to the NYFW opening party.  Can life really get any better?

    So, for the month of December, I leave you with this list of a few of my favorite things (holiday party dresses), under $200.  Scroll to the bottom…

    Thanks for sticking around and have a Happy Holiday!

    Holiday velvet dress

    Holiday velvet dress green

     

    Holiday Party Dresses (under $200):

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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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    Sequins, shimmer, glitter… FINALLY I’m not just being “extra”.  Okay, I’m always going to be a little extra, but if ever there’s a time, it’s now.

    I styled this skirt to be worn casually during the day.  Traditionally, it could be worn as special occasion evening wear but I think that pairing it with a cotton top makes for a fun juxtaposition.  I would even go so far to say that black combat boots would be killer, but alas I wore mirrored strappy heels – after all, I like to be a fancy pants.  I paired it with an oversized leather tote and tied a silk scarf to the handle.

    When one thinks of glitter and sparkle, what designer immediately comes to mind?  For me, it’s Kate Spade.  One phrase that was trending after her unfortunate passing this past June, was that “she left a little bit of sparkle everywhere she went”.  Creative Director, Angela Weiss took that phrase to heart when planning the SS19 show (last week), adding an element of sparkle in many looks, including a stripe of glitter down the runway.  What a lovely sentiment.  Hopefully she will be remembered for who she was in the beginning – what we know Kate Spade NY to be – a bright and joyful brand that embodies women who carpe diem the shit out of this life, being as “extra” as they wish, every step of the way.

    But you don’t have to be young, extra, or a trendy influencer to embrace the sparkle craze.  Saks Fifth Avenue SVP Fashion Director, Roopal Patel was asked about the shiny embellishments taking front stage in their department store, and she responded with, “We find that sparkle has no age limit; there is a wide appeal to all of our customers to add sparkle and shine to their wardrobes,” she says. “For so long sequins and embellishment were used for holiday dressing, but now designers are playing sparkle into everyday silhouettes. Through bejeweled necklines, sparkly collars, and rhinestone trims, popular brands like Gucci, Prada and Miu Miu have brought the idea of adornment into daywear.”

    Being “extra” is now just being one in a crowd (at least it is at NYFW).  Find your favorite shimmer, mix it up with different prints, colors, and textures or just add a touch with your shoes or bag (I’m looking at you, Kate Spade NY).  Dress it up or dress it down.  Not your thing?  More into linen or lace?  Move along… because after all, knowing your style is the first step to looking and feeling your best (*shameless plug* read my blog post on “Defining Your Style” here).

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


    Images by Viva Lux Photography

     

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