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It’s almost time for Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2021 and I can’t wait! This is my favorite sale of the year for so many reasons – one of which is that I shop at Nordstrom a ton. I’ll have extensive coverage of the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale this year, as I have in years past and I’m here to bring you all the details so you can plan before it begins.
When can I shop?
Strategies for shopping the sale
Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Picks
What I tried on, bought, kept and returned
When is the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale?
Typically, the sale happens in July, with the exception of 2020, when it was pushed back. in 2021, the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale preview begins for everyone on July 6 and prices go back up on August 9.
When can I shop the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale?
The sale will be shoppable in tiers, dependent on what level you’ve obtained in The Nordy Club, based on whether you have a Nordstrom card and/or how much you’ve spent on it in the past year. The graphic below will help you determine when you can shop the sale. I am in the Influencer tier, so I’ll be shopping on July 16 (and beyond) – the sale is a combo of a sprint and a marathon for me each year. I’ll explain what I mean by that in a bit.
What makes the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale so special?
The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (or #nsale, as you’ll see it referred to on social media) is a “reverse” sale, of sorts. Items for the upcoming season (think women’s, men’s, and kids’ jackets, sweaters, boots/booties, scarves, etc.) as well as home and beauty staples hit the floor and the web at deep sale prices (think 25-50% off full price, roughly). This is the first time the inventory is available at Nordstrom and with many of the items, there is limited availability at the sale price without the ability to get a rain check.
What’s my strategy for shopping the sale?
- I focus on auditing my closet before I even know what’s going to be on sale. I figure out what I have plenty of (longline cardigans and booties, I’m looking at you!) and what I need more of for the fall and winter seasons. Since the colder weather lasts for most of the year in Minnesota, I try to hone in on layering pieces and/or investment pieces that I might be lacking in my current wardrobe.
- Once I have that outlined (and be specific – colors, fabrics, fits), I wait until the preview comes out and then review to get an idea of whether there may be pieces on sale (and whether the deal is good enough for me to buy) that fit these needs. As I’m typing this, the preview hasn’t yet been released, so I’m not sure if what I could utilize in my closet will even be on sale. What I do know is it’s going to help me from going bananas during this sale, and trust me, in 2019 I went nuts.
- I not-so-patiently wait for it to be my turn to shop and keep tabs on whether things I liked are in or out of stock. Every year, I have FOMO while all the big influencers who spend $$$$ get to shop the sale early. Most of them are not plus size, so I only take what they show with a grain of salt because the fit will be different on my (pear) body than it will be on theirs.
- When I can shop, I prioritize my “musts” and my “want-to-trys” and add to my cart as quickly as I can – in priority order. This is the “sprint” part of the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale – things sell out QUICKLY and may or may not restock at the sale price. They do restock eventually (since this is before the season even begins) but they won’t hit that same sale price until late December, if not later.
- I return what doesn’t work immediately. It’s out of my hands, money back in my pocket, and gives someone else an opportunity to buy.
- If there’s something else I didn’t grab before and it is available or comes back in stock, I’ll grab it throughout the sale when I see it. I use the Nordstrom app and sign up for restock notifications. It’s a huge help! This is the marathon part of my shopping – and also where my budget sometimes goes downhill. I’m working on it :).
What are some of the items included in the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale?
We aren’t sure yet (preview is released July 6). I’ll update here with some of what I’m seeing and liking as soon as the preview is revealed and then update again as the sale officially begins (including pricing).
Can you answer more questions about the sale?
Yes! I am so excited to chat about Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2021. Follow along on Instagram and DM me there (or comment below) with any questions! I love to shop this sale, whether for me or for others.
My Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Picks
The public sale begins July 28 and stock has been fluctuating. Here are some of the items still in stock on July 27 (and predicted to have healthy quantities). Just click on any of the items to shop directly (affiliate links). Below that, you’ll find my overall picks for the sale. Happy shopping!
Accessories
Click here to shop all accessories included in the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale.
Beauty
Click here to shop Nordstrom Anniversary Sale beauty items.
ATHLEISURE (AND ACTIVEWEAR)
Find all of the sale athleisure and activewear here!
CLOTHING
More than 2,000 women’s clothing items will be on sale! Find them all here.
What I tried on, bought, kept, and returned
I’m going to be brutally honest in my review and photos of what I tried on, bought, kept, and returned! I am also linking each item in both the photo and review. Comment with any questions!
I loved this top because it’s perfect for work! It’s light and flowy but DEFINITELY runs small (the 2X wouldn’t fit over my chest and that is never the case with brands). The bottom button is actually sewn to the bottom of the shirt so the movement is more controlled.
This sweater is so cute in person! Cream and a muted pink will look awesome with denim or paired up with trousers/a pencil skirt at work. Could also wear over a bodycon dress for a cute layered look.
This side detail is everything. It’s not obnoxious but it keeps the sweater from looking boxy and overwhelming your figure.
I knew this sweater would be a very hot seller and have seen nearly all of the smaller straight size influencers try it on. I wasn’t so sure I would be into it but I decided to give it a try anyway.
As a solid 2X, I still had PLENTY of room in the sweater. I’m also 5’10” and it still covered my booty, so it’s perfect for one of the ways I want to wear it. It’s selling fast but may restock – limited sizes and colors available now!
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