Hey there, friends! The 2021 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale will be here in just a few short days and weeks depending on when you are shopping and, while I can’t shop it physically like I used to, I definitely still want to cover the sale to make it easier on all of you! It can be overwhelming as there are so many products included, but I’m determined to make your shopping experience anything but! Today, the preview for the sale launches for everyone to make their picks and gather the items they have been waiting all year to snag. You can add them to your wish list today and then when the sale goes live (more on that below) pop them into your cart and check out!

What Is The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale? Why Is It So Popular?

I love their tagline. ‘It’s more than a sale, it is an event’. And I couldn’t agree more! The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is unlike any other sale. For a limited time, brand new Fall & Winter styles are marked down to major discounted prices. There are SO many amazing brands that are included like, Ugg, Barefoot Dreams, Zella, Spanx, Marc Fisher and literally hundreds more. The items are on sale for a few weeks in July and the quantities are limited so when the sale ends the prices go back up for the rest of the season.

When Is The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale?

Here are the dates you need to know if you plan on shopping the sale! Remember, you need a Nordstrom Card in order to shop the sale before it is available to everyone and you have until July 27th to apply to shop the sale early!

What Products Are Included In The Sale?

This year Nordstrom is doing things a little differently. Instead of sending out their yearly sale catalog, Nordstrom added a date to ‘preview’ the sale and those dates started today! It allows you to check out the sale items prior to the start of the event. In years past, the catalog only gave a sneak peek of the sale, but with the preview, you can not only see the items included but, add them to your wishlist. So, once the sale is live, pop them into your cart, check out the morning the sale goes live and you’re done! Just like that!

What Should I Stock Up On From The Sale?

All of the items included in the sale are brand new, never seen before styles. It may be hard to want to shop for the Fall season in the dead of Summer but I promise once Fall & Winter roll around and you are pulling out those amazing outerwear pieces you snagged for 60% off or the faux leather leggings when it’s frigid out, you will be so happy you shopped the sale! Sweaters, shoes, loungewear, beauty products, kids, home decor, men’s, the list is endless. There is nothing they do not include in the sale! I always love to stock up on closet basics like leggings, denim, boots, booties, athletic wear, loungewear, sweaters, and basic tees.

Tips For Shopping The Sale With Me

One of the things you hear every year is that shopping the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is overwhelming … and it’s absolutely true! And, I think that’s why it’s so helpful to follow influencers because we truly love to shop and style outfits. We love to comb through a large department stores’ website and find all of the gold nuggets whereas that is likely not everyone’s cup of tea. Everyone is busy and wants to shop fast! I know I would if this wasn’t something I made into my job. So, to help you shop the sale … I’ve come up with a few tips to make shopping easier:

• SHOP ONLINE: The best way to shop the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, in my opinion, is online. The stores are crowded and the lines are long. I feel like the areas in the stores where they have the Anniversary Sale items feel a bit claustrophobic, plus not everything that is really, really good from the sale can be found in stores so I just feel like it’s best to shop online.

• IDENTIFY THE GAPS IN YOUR WARDROBE: I talked about this at the start of 2020 [in THIS post] that it’s really important to know what your wardrobe needs to prevent yourself from overspending on clothes. So many of us buy on impulse and end up donating or getting rid of things that don’t actually serve us. We need to create wardrobes that serve us so, to do this, we need to know what our wardrobe actually needs before we go shopping. So, before the sale starts, go in and look at what your wardrobe lacks. Write those things down. If you’re having trouble, think about the times over this last year [okay, maybe the last three or four months], where you struggled to style yourself for that event or that work thing you had. Whatever it was … what did you NOT have in your wardrobe that would be helpful? Was it a blazer for a work or class presentation or was it a nice clutch to wear to your sorority sister’s wedding? Have you just bought a house and need some home decor pieces to make it feel more homely? Or are your needing a refill of your favorite perfume? Once you have that list, use it as your guide to shop the sale.

• SHOP EARLY & CREATE A WISHLIST: I know that you can only shop as early as your tier allows you to so, what I actually mean is, use the preview of the sale your advantage and shop it all before it’s your turn to shop. Create a wishlist of the items that fill in those wardrobe gaps. Then, when it’s go-time for you to shop, all you need to do is put the items in your cart and check out!

• SET A BUDGET & STICK TO IT: Set a budget and aim to spend 85% of your budget on your gaps and have fun with the rest! Remember, this is all just stuff. It doesn’t matter at the end of the day so don’t let all the hype that this sale gets make your spend outside of your limits.

• FOLLOW ME FOR UPDATES: I will be covering the sale in-depth here on Alysonhaley.com, Instagram and LTK so be sure to turn on all alert notifications so you don’t miss a thing!

• TRUST THE RETURN POLICY: Sometimes, shopping online is nerve-wrecking for people because they worry about sizes not fitting and the hassle of returning items. Truly, Nordstrom’s return policy is unmatched. Anything you order that doesn’t work, they give you a prepaid shipping label and you simply seal up the box and send it back. It’s free and your reason for return is never questions. You also aren’t on a time limit to return the items, either!

Items That Sell Out Quickly

I would say the items that run out the quickest, like within the first week, would be basic tees and tunics, Barefoot Dreams, booties, sneakers, basic sweaters under $50, denim under $100, and a few basics in the loungewear department get a little spotty on sizes after the first week. Again, shop the preview! I can’t stress the wishlist feature enough. Set yourself a budget you are comfortable with, add items to your wishlist and then the morning of when you are checking out, you don’t have to go on a scavenger hunt to find everything you wanted!

My Favorite Basics To Stock Up On During The Sale

My main go-to basics from the Anniversary Sale are undergarments, good quality jeans, booties, boots, basic tops (plain and striped) and OTK boots. I am also really excited to shop for John and Louie this year! I’ve never gotten the chance to shop anything but the woman’s section so I am so excited and already have on my wishlist so many adorable things for Louie from the kids department and a few great basics for John from the men’s!

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Blog Post From Last Year’s Sale

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2020 Is Coming!

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Early Access Picks + $500 Giveaway

What I Ordered From The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

My Top Loungewear Picks From The Nordstrom Sale

The Cutest Shoes In The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

Activewear Items You Should See From The Nordstrom Sale

The Beauty Picks I Recommend From The Nordstrom Sale

My In-Stock Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Picks For Public Access

My Picks For This Year’s Sale

Well, I hope you found this post helpful! I know the Anniversary Sale can sometimes feel overwhelming. Shop early, make a budget you are comfortable with, choose one or two influencers with your style and shop with them and remember it is all just stuff! There is no pressure to buy anything you don’t need or already have. So, what are you shopping for this year?! Leave it in the comments below! Happy shopping, loves!