TrendShow

If you read our post on Nordstrom, you may recall that something I (Elizabeth) enjoy about Nordstrom are the events they have throughout the year.  In particular, I mentioned TrendShow. For those of you that don't know, TrendShow is a beauty event held twice a year.  This year’s Fall TrendShow was last weekend (September 23 to be exact) and we are going to tell you all about it so you can decide whether you may want to attend in the future, particularly if you're looking for a reason to like Nordstrom (like Katie 2).

First, Katie 2 asked me how I knew about this event and how I got invited.  As much as I would love to pretend that I am some sort of VIP with special access and knowledge to fabulous private events, I’m not. I first learned of TrendShow years ago when I had stopped at a makeup counter in Nordstrom and the sales clerk told me about it and asked if I would like to go.  Totally random and ordinary.  Since then, I generally know the times of the year they roll around and I typically get a call from one of the counters reminding me that TrendShow is coming up and asking would I like to make an appointment.  However, you don’t have to get lucky when shopping or read some blog to find out about the events happening at Nordstrom. Katie 2 was surprised to learn that all of the events are listed on Nordstrom’s website.  Once her eyes were opened to that she found another event that she is interested in and booked an appointment for a trunk show the same day as TrendShow.

Now for the good stuff, here are all the highlights of TrendShow.  To put is simply, it is a fashion runway for makeup.  A $20 ticket (redeemable towards purchase) gets you into Nordstrom at 8am on a Saturday.  You are then given a goodie bag with some swag and you head upstairs where there is coffee and, to be honest, a pretty paltry snack offering. (This is one area where I think Nordstrom should step up its game. Many of their events have much better drinks (read cocktails) and food.  Katie 1 attended the show with me the previous year and we both commented on the missed opportunity to serve mimosas. Come on Nordstrom, you know we all spend more when we’re drinking.) Anyway, you get seats hopefully near the front row of the runway (this you will see is important later) and wait for the show to begin. Then the brands all have their experts and brand ambassadors come out and show you their new wares with tips and tricks for what will be in vogue for the upcoming season. 

 That on its own may not be that exciting to you, but there's more. Door prizes! Now I generally don’t win anything…ever, so I don’t get my hopes up, but last year I did win some expensive skin care so never say never you Naysayers and Negative Nancys (or Katies as the case may be). The door prizes are mostly raffle based, but if you can muster some excitement and sit towards the front you may also be chosen to get a freebie for your enthusiasm. I know it is balls early on a Saturday and Katie 1 and I are not big cheerleaders (although Katie 1 was actually once a cheerleader), so I get it is hard to be clapping and woo-hooing all over the place but it could be worth it to try. Miraculously, ALL THREE OF US won prizes this year! And then we all ended up swapping until we each ended up with something we were excited about. In fact, Katie 1 actually ended up with the Jo Malone fragrance that she was planning to buy at TrendShow so WooHOO! Katie 2 ended up with this:

So now, maybe you still aren’t feeling it because you don’t think there is any chance you will win anything; well they are still not done. You may not win a prize, but you may still get a deal. Once the show is over you go downstairs to the beauty counters. You can buy whatever you saw in the show that caught your eye (many of those items with a TrendShow-only deal or price) or stock up on your favorite products that always run out (I’m talking about you, concealer), and there is pretty much a decent gift with purchase at every counter. (This spring I bought a ton of Jo Malone products. There were gifts for spending $150, $175, and $200. The $200 level gift was a full sized body wash. Not too shabby.) (Katie 2 would like to note that while walking around, some of the counters were pretty aggressive. "Come with me! We can wash your makeup off and do it better!" Katie 1 also noticed this as the counters were significantly pushier than in prior years.  I believe "vultures" was how she described them this season.) If you are using a Nordstrom credit card you also get triple points, so you’ll also earn cashback faster. Last, I usually have an appointment to have my makeup done at a counter, which I think is fun but not necessary if you aren’t interested. 

To wrap up with my unsolicited advice (as if that isn’t what this all is), is that the most fun thing about TrendShow is going with your girlfriends. I unsurprisingly recommend it as a fun way to spend a Saturday with your pals with the added bonus of a bunch of deals and swag on beauty products before you go to brunch. What’s not to like? Plus, you might get lucky and find out there's a bridal trunk show on the same day and you can wedding dress shop after getting your makeup done so you look pretty (that may be exactly what we did this year). Plus... brunch.  Who doesn't like brunch? (Or you could just head to the Nordstrom bar for some meatballs and cocktails...)