Hi, loves! It’s that time of year again! The 2022 Norstrom Anniversary Sale preview is live! Happy hump day to us! No matter when you are shopping the sale, you can preview the items, add them to your wishlist and, like me, make a well-rounded cart of staples that fit within your budget before you’re actually able to check out! I personally like to take a look at the Digital Catalog first as it’s always helpful to see some of these products in action [as much as they can be in images] before actually seeing them on a product page. I share more about my tips on the best ways to shop the sale below! Let’s dive into all the details of everything you need to know to make shopping an enjoyable experience for everyone!
What is The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale? Why is it so popular?
The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is an annual sale that features brand new upcoming season merchandise across all major departments from leading brands like Free People, Joe’s [Jeans], Nike, Charlotte Tilbury, Uppababy, Steve Madden, etc. and everything is marked down significantly. It’s an incredible way to shop for your upcoming Fall and Winter wardrobe, grab a highly-rated product for an upcoming season of life, or even for friends’ and family Christmas gifts without breaking the bank! The sale isn’t just clothing items so definitely don’t forget to look through the beauty section and / or home section. So, overall, it’s a great time to shop to say the least no matter what season of life you’re in!
When is The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale?
The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale runs from July 6th through July 31st but not everyone can shop at the same time. Nordstrom prioritizes their Nordstrom card holders, who are broken into tiers based on their annual spending. Be sure to see the specific tiers and their shopping dates below! Icon status shops first on July 6th and it’s open to non-Nordstrom cardholders on the 15th of July. Also, just to let you know – you still have time to apply for a Nordstrom card and, once approved, you can shop a few days before it opens to the public!
Of course, I would never advise opening a line of credit simply for a sale so, please apply at your own discretion.
What Is The Point Of The Preview?
Last year, Nordstrom launched the PREVIEW after, presumably, quite a bit of backlash over things not having enough time to shop and checkout before things sold out when the sale would open to each new tier. So, now, the Nordstrom Sale preview is, essentially, the ability for everyone to view everything included in the sale before the sale is available to anyone to shop. They typically launch the preview about a week before the sale goes live to the top tier of shoppers.
As I perused the preview this morning, here are a few things that stood out to me:
What Should I Stock Up On From The Sale?
My go-to items each year are basics that I wear non-stop during the Fall & Winter seasons like boots, booties, tennis shoes, faux leather leggings, outwear pieces, denim, loungewear, sweaters, and athletic wear. Last year was the first year I got to shop for John & Louie and it made shopping the sale three times more fun! I already have my eye on a few baby gear items that are SUCH a great deal! John always loves their basics as well so I tend to shop for him and save them for Christmas gifts when he is actually able to wear them!
Tips For Shopping The Sale With Me
One of the biggest critiques of the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is that it’s extremely overwhelming and it’s absolutely true! But, that’s why you have me! While combing through the sale does take quite a bit of time, it’s actually quite fun for me. I’ve always loved to shop and style outfits and highlight what is worth your consideration whereas not everyone does. I realize that everyone is busy and wants to shop as quickly as possible! If this wasn’t my job, and I didn’t love it so much, I’d be the same way. So, let me help you shop the sale this year! Here are a few tips:
+ SHOP ONLINE VERSUS IN STORE: Shopping in-store isn’t enjoyable as the areas where the sale items are are very small and claustrophobic and they may not carry the breadth of the products that they do online. I’ve personally shopped the sale in a store where they only had 10% of what I truly wanted to shop for. Buying online is the way to go!
+ MAKE A LIST OF WHAT YOUR WARDROBE NEEDS: I call these ‘gaps’ in your wardrobe. The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is full of ‘shiny things’ and you’ll definitely be tempted by things you don’t actually need. So, before you shop, look through your closet and figure out what it lacks that you know you’d get a lot of use out of. More on this whole concept in THIS blog post from 2020.
+ CREATE A WISHLIST + SHOP EARLY: This one is probably tip I want to stress the most. These are the two things that you actually have control over when it comes to shopping this sale. You can’t, at this point, control your tier status, stock levels, the amount in which others in higher tiers shop, etc. So, these two things will set you up to be as successful as you can. Have your wishlist ready to go the night before you are set to shop. Peruse the sale styles over multiple days – don’t wait to do it that night before. Then, shop when the sale goes live for your tier, which is typically 12:00AM EST.
Here’s how to create a wishlist:
• FOLLOW ME FOR UPDATES: I will be covering the sale in all of my normal arenas – here on AlysonHaley.com, Instagram and LTK but, this year, I will be putting together exclusive content for my Nordstrom Sale Newsletter subscribers so be sure to subscribe here for your chance at giveaways, outfit ideas by way of a look book, and more!
• 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. Don’t let all the hype that this sale gets make you spend outside of your limits.
• TRUST THE RETURN POLICY: Sometimes, shopping online is nerve-racking 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 questioned. You also aren’t on a time limit to return the items, either!
Blog Post From The Sale From Year’s Past
The 2021 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Preview + First Picks
My Guide To The 2021 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale
Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2021 | Basics
Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2021 | My Must-Have List
Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2021 | My Beauty Picks
Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2021 | Shoes
What Are My Picks From The Preview?
Well, how are we feeling?! Are you ready to shop?! Or maybe you are completely overwhelmed. Either way, make a budget, a wishlist, and/or a list of gaps in your wardrobe that need to be filled. Remind yourself you don’t need to buy everything and the things you really love will be worth the investment for years to come! If you have any questions at all, leave them in the comments below!