Jumping on the Band Wagon: The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

Previously, we talked to you about the virtues of Nordstrom 

One of the things we mentioned was the Anniversary Sale. Well, tis the season to write the same post that every other blogger is writing about… or is it??? (It’s not.)

What we want to talk to you about today is how to navigate it- REALLY navigate. Not the “here’s the list of things you should buy” navigation, but how to learn something you can use year after year, at any sale, regardless of whether your tastes or styles change or whether a blogger is telling you what to buy.

All sales have one thing in common: lower prices. Duh, right? But with the lower prices comes swarms of people. Add in limited quantities and you have mess and frustration for the Real Working Girl, most of whom don’t really have the patience to dig through racks and boxes to find that one great deal on the most fabulous of things. (Remember the Victoria’s Secret semi-annual sale in high school? Katie 2 still gets hives thinking about digging through bins at the front of the store. More on that in a minute.)

The best advice we can give beginners for shopping massive sales is to have a plan. You can look at it two ways: 1) an opportunity to get the things you already love at discounted prices; or 2) the chance to buy something you couldn’t afford when it was regular price. No matter which you decide, you should have a plan. Decide on your goal (1 or 2 above, but note it can be a mix). Then, make a list of brands or specific items you want or need. For example:

• Katie 2 loves the Bashina Cotton Blend Blouse by Hugo Boss (there will be a post on this life changing shirt later- check back) and pretty much anything else Hugo Boss for work. Having wide feet, she finds comfort in Kate Spade or Stuart Weitzman shoes. 
• Katie 1 focuses her brand-specific shopping for beauty, not clothing. She uses the Anniversary Sale to stock up on the jumbo size bottles of Kiehl’s Amino Acid shampoo and conditioner (if she waits until the sale, she can get the jumbo size for approximately the same regular cost of the normal size).
• Elizabeth usually picks up more expensive accessories such as fine jewelry, handbags, or shoes. However this year seems to be the year of less expensive items unless she gets this beautiful coat that Katie 2 is already copying. A super comfy pair of flip-flops (which she has owned a pair of for years and is close to worn out) is on sale, so she may be getting a replacement. Lounge wear is also catching her eye as something that she normally thinks is too expensive. Now with a discount, the price doesn’t seem too bad. 

When the sale (or pre-sale sneak peek) comes out, start looking for those brands or items. Mark the items you definitely want and get them into your bag. Things you definitely want, purchase online. If you’re not sure, keep it in your bag and check it out in store prior to pulling the trigger.

For those of you “intermediate” or brave sale shoppers, start with a specific clothing occasion (work, for example), clothing type (example: dresses) and happily scroll through to see what strikes your fancy as you watch reruns of The Great British Baking Show on Netflix.

For all levels of experience, keep the things in your bag you’re not sure about and check them out in stores prior to purchasing.

The next group of items to look at should be trends you’ve been looking to try. Sprinkle in a few things that you wouldn’t necessarily want to risk at full price, either because you don’t know how you will like them or because they have a short shelf life.

One thing to watch out for: fake sales. We’re looking at you, Amazon Prime Day and Victoria Secret Semi-Annual sale (we told you it would come back around.) What we mean here is items that are included in the frenzy but aren’t really on sale. Amazon has been known to mark items up in the days leading up to Prime Day so that on the day of the sale, they can say it is 60% off. Really, if you bought it 2 months prior, you may have gotten it for around the same price they are claiming is 60% off. Victoria’s Secret sells bras and panties with obviously marked down prices. I mean- you can see the price that it was and there’s a sticker on it that’s definitely lower you say? Sure- but when you realize that those panties you’re holding used to be part of the “5 for $25”, you realize that per pair, they were actually cheaper at “full price” then they are now in the sale.

Another thing to look out for: the high you get from getting a deal clouding your judgment. (This advice is easier to give than to follow.) If you wouldn’t want or need it at full price then why are you buying it? It also pays to ask yourself if you already have something similar in your wardrobe and/or whether the item you are considering will fill a gap. You may love those pumps that are 30% off, but if you already have two other pairs that are basically the same, step away and find a fabulous wedge or a different pop of color instead (or save your money, whatever). (Katie 2 disagrees- not with the sentiment, but that you sometimes just shouldn’t buy it anyway. Katie 1 probably agrees- see the post on black knit dresses.)

So why are we discussing this all now (the sale officially starts July 21)? Because it pays to do your homework before purchasing. Love that red Burberry trench coat? Make sure to check out the price of that coat at other retailers before pulling the trigger to make sure that you’re getting the deal you think you are. (Also, check out this space for an upcoming post about how to get the designer look for less using Ebay, thrift stores, and a good tailor). Checking out the clearance section is also a good point of comparison because you may find a similar item from last season at a steeper discount.