How To Shop The 2021 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Online

On July 28th, the 2021 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is open to everyone! If you haven’t shopped this sale before, it’s a treasure chest of new arrivals at sale prices. You’ll find bargains in fashion (for men, women, and kids), home and beauty. On August 9th, the prices go back up. What’s unique about this sales is that it features fall merchandise before the season has even begun! (If you’re still shopping for summer, you’ll have plenty of summer options as well).

What’s more, fashion influencers and cardholders get early access to the sale; the more you’ve spent at Nordstrom over the past year, the earlier you can shop the sale. That means there are plenty of try-ons, reviews, and recommendations available before July 28th. The downside is that many of the popular items sell out during that early access period, so you have to have a shopping strategy to be able to purchase what you want and need.

Don’t have a Nordstrom store near you? Me neither so here’s how to shop online without getting overwhelmed by the thousands of choices! P.S. These strategies work anytime you go shopping!

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1. Take An Inventory Of Your Closets

Have you ever gotten caught up with the thrill of a bargain, and come home with something you don’t really need? Yeah, me too, especially because I keep most of my off-season items tucked away in boxes and drawers and forget what I have! So now, before I go shopping, I always take a look at my closet and start thinking about what’s missing:

1. Items that I want to replace i.e worn-out shoes, outdated dresses, staied t-shirts etc.
2. Pieces that I need to coordinate with what I already have i.e. a cropped top for my high-waisted skirts
3. New styles that I would like to try.

I’m not planning to buy everything on my Fall Fashion Trends Checklist, but it helps me figure out what to shop for.

(You’ll find more helpful tips in these posts: 7 Questions To Ask Before You Buy (Especially During A Sale) and 7 Shopping Mistakes And How to Fix Them.

2. Make Your Wish List

Even if you don’t have access to the sale yet, you can preview it and start your wishlist. Either download the Nordstrom app or create an account on the Nordstrom website (look for the drop-down menu under Sign In, to create an account). Then head to the Anniversary Sale menu to begin saving your favorite styles!

A couple of hints so that you’re not overwhelmed:

1. Search one catergory at a time. The Anniversary Sale Women’s Clothing will give you almost 2000 options but if you mostly need sweaters you can scroll through a much smaller number of items.
2. Filters are your friends! While it’s fun to see all the goodies in the 2021 Nordstrom Anniversary sale, it will be overwhelming. So if you filter your selection by your budget. Unless you’ve figured out a way to shed 10lbs by fall (if so, do tell) then, fiter by size also.
3. Revisit your choices. You’ll see items you haven’t noticed before, ones that have sold out, and ones that you no longer like. So update often.

These are some of the items that I think are good investment pieces for your fall outfits:

Clothing

Cashmere Sweaters

The Anniversary Sale is a really good time to pick up some cashmere pieces like a hoodie, a sweater, or an open-front cardigan.

Jeans

There are also good sales on jeans, so if you’ve wanted to buy designer jeans, now’s a good time. Hudson Jeans and DL1961 are heavily marked down during the Anniversary Sale.

If you’re looking for affordable options try Wit And Wisdom’s Ab-Solution Skinny Jeans and Kut From The Cloth’s Catherine Boyfriend Jeans so I’ve added both to my wishlist.

Jackets

You’ll find some incredible markdowns on leather and suede jackets during the sale, including ALL Saints Dalby Biker Jacket, BLANKNYC’s Suede Moto Jacket, and Sam Edelman’s Peplum Moto Jacket.

Corduroy jackets are a nice alternative to denim. Calson’s Corduroy Utility Jacket and Thread And Supply’s Frayed Cordory Shirt are two comfortable, casual options.

Shoes

Running Shoes/ Workout Sneakers

I’ve worn out my second pair of Asics GEL-Kayano Running Shoes, so that’s the first item on my wishlist. If you’re still trying to figure out which running shoes to buy take a look at this post for some tips: How To Buy Running Shoes.

If Nike is your brand The Air Zoom Pegasus 38 is a lightweight running shoe that gets good reviews.

Boots

You can start wearing boots as early as September (even though that’s still officially summer) so buy them early and get more wear out of them.

Since I donated some of my older boots last year, I know I need some brown boots and am deciding between Frye’s Melissa Knee High Boot and Pikolinos’ Aldaya Musketeer Tall Boot. I have other boots from both brands and know that they’re comfortable and durable.

If you’re looking for ankle boots, take a look at Pikolinos’ Vicar Combat Boot or Eileen Fisher’s Ladd Wedge Bootie.

Accessories

I’m probably not going to buy a new handbag for fall, as I’m loving my Staud Mini Moon Bag. However, if I were shopping for a new handbag, I’d buy the All Saints Edbury Leather Shoulder Bag in Cherry.

If you’re looking for a classic tote bag, this is a good time to invest in the Longchamp Le Pliage Expandable Tote or the Tory Burch Carson Leather Tote.

Beauty

If you’ve been waiting for a sale on PMD’s Clean Facial Cleansing Device you’ll find it on sale at Nordstrom. I’ve been using mine since I received it in my Alltrue subscription (formerly Causebox) and love it!

If you need to upgrade your styling tools, take a look at T3’s Satin Blush Lucea 1-Inch Professional Straightening & Styling Flat Iron and matching Compact Hair Dryer.

3. Don’t Forget Gifts

It’s not too early to think about holiday gifts!

For the guys in your life, take a look at Ted Baker’s Hvar Zip Through Cotton Blend Sweater, and Barbour’s Bowden Quilted Jacket, and ALL Saints’ Lark Leather Jacket for three casual options.

Barefoot Dreams’ Animal Print Throw Blankets are highly rated, and come in 12 different colors!

Candles are always a nice hostess gift, and NEST’s candles are paraben-free; sulfate-free; phthalate-free.

Nordstrom’s Wine Rack is small enough for a tabletop or small apartment and holds six standard bottles.

Theragun’s Mini, Wave Solo & Revive Stick Massage Bundle would make a nice gift for anyone who needs a little self-care this year (umm, everyone you know)!

4. Consider Becoming A Cardholder

As a cardholder, you can start shopping at the 2021 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale on July 16th, and there’s usually a Bonus Note (Nordstrom rewards) offer for new cardholders. You’ll find more details on the Nordstrom Online Application page on their website.

5. Keep What You Love And Return What You Don’t

Nordstrom makes it pretty easy to return what you don’t love, so now’s a good time to try out new styles, brands, and colors.

Look out for a future post about what I end up buying. Let me know what you purchased from the 2021 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale!