I’m taking a different approach to my posts this year by consolidating my picks into a Part 1 & 2 with a Part 3 report on what I found after my things arrive. Then summing it all up once the sale opens to the public and capturing things I may not have seen. My time is limited this year because we have family in town! I’m not working appointments in the store as I’ve done the past few years because this little cutie (our grand daughter Ruby) is visiting!! Spending time with her is the most important thing right now. You’ll see from the photo that she loves purses. I found her a couple to play with, and she loves to sit in my closet and put those boxes in and out over and over again. Simple things make such good toys sometimes.
In addition, tomorrow is the GRAND OPENING of the local boutique I work at. Talk about everything happening at once! But let’s get this party started!
Please Refer to my Previous Post if you want the best tips on shopping as well as how to use my links! I appreciate it so very much! SHOP ONLINE for the best selection! Shopping the night before you can actually go to the store on your shopping day gives you such a head start. Over the last years, the inventory in stores is just not what it used to be, and that can be disappointing.
I also suggest picking up in store if you can because then you can try on and return right away (for others who may be waiting for an item) Unsure? Go home, try with other pieces and wear around home. I always feel you make the best decisions when you can have things to work with for a while!
Shoes & Boots
I am a firm believer in paying attention to brands. When you find a winner, it becomes a “go-to” and will save your so much shopping time. It is so easy to go down “rabbit trails” when you are searching! I’ve heard from so many of you that you always appreciate when I help you narrow the search because too many choices is overwhelming. That is exactly what I’ve done for this category.
Blondo is one of my favorites because of the price point and durability. You just can’t beat something that is waterproof! If you were just to stick with Blondo for boots this year I think you’d be more than pleased because there are several different styles . And talk about saving time! When you click on this general BLONDO LINK, all the choices will come up. I wanted to do this purposely so you can learn how searching by brand really saves you time.
Next up is the popular category of sneakers. They continue to be such a great wardrobe addition for almost everyone. This is the third year we’ve seen P448 and you know I’m a huge fan. You will note there is a Thea and a John style. I prefer the Thea. This style was more comfortable on me after the break-in period. By the way, this took a bit. I almost gave up and returned them. I’m so glad I didn’t. The Italian leather is of higher quality that conforms to your foot. I love the lower cut of the John style. I don’t know why these were not more comfortable for me, because I’ve read from others that this is their favorite style. Everyone is different so give it a shot. I plan to give them another try as well.
Last year we saw the retro sneaker come into play. This is more of a court shoe but you’ll still see more and more of this typical running shoe style now worn casually. Oh, and I wanted to point out the Bueno brand in case you missed it. This loafer style was included last year and I bought them. I have been really pleased so wanted to make sure and point them out. You can never go wrong with Franco Sarto, and I know many love the affordability and comfort. And I have to mention the Vionic and Olukai flip flops. I wear these in the house during the summer and the Vionic especially have great arch support! I’m also intrigued by the ON brand and I’ve been researching these. Anyone reading have a pair?
Did I see a distinctive shoe style this year that was different than last year? Not really. There are sleek, classic styles, chunkier options with the lug sole we have seen a couple of years. There is definitely a western flair again. Overall, you will find some great choices to replace something wearing out or if you need to add a similar style to “spread the wear” of a pair you are choosing to wear frequently. I was a little underwhelmed by the shoes but that could be because other than the P448, I’m not buying one pair this year because my shoe space is filled!
Denim
It’s the next category you are going to see the most savings and the choices are plentiful. Note the savings on some of those higher end brands like AG and Paige! You just don’t see that often. Here is a widget for some of my favorite denim! Frame and Mother are two brands that don’t work on me, but others LOVE! The AG Mari is my favorite slim straight. The Wit & Wisdom Boot cut is my favorite of that style. Watch your descriptions carefully. Look at inseam, rise and leg opening comparing it to the measurements of favorites that are presently in your closet. As for what I’m choosing, I have to say NO to denim this year. I have plenty! It’s going to be hard not to put my favorite brands in my cart!
Outerwear
This is another area I really gravitate towards for the sale because you see great savings and, well, becauseI love coats! If your weight fluctuates like mine does, and you’re not feeling your best in some of your clothes, l feel there is no better way to look polished & put together when you’re out and about than a great looking coat! There are so many styles that do not have to be super fitted. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again– the wrong coat (worn, dated or ill fitting) can add to the frump factor quickly. Trust me ladies, treat yourself to a great coat or two! This is the time to add to your outerwear capsule if you are seeing gaps. It’s also one of the easiest categories to check inventory because most of use have our coats in a separate closet. So if you don’t have time to really evaluate your needs, check your coats! In this widget I did captions to give you a little more insight.
Jackets
Another favorite category of mine is jackets and the reason is similar to what I said about coats. A third piece pulls your outfit together. It elevates an ordinary top and bottom and gives a polished look. Jackets are your friend if you are struggling to put together outfits and create different looks.
The jacket widget will include blazers, leather jackets and lots of options for so many different styles!
NEXT I’ll cover sweaters, tops/blouses, handbags and activewear AND I’ll share what I was able to purchase.
NOTE: This blog post has taken me a long time because the site was really slow today. I just placed my order at 9 pm PST and completed it in under 10 minutes because all was in my wish list except a few things. Things will come to a local Nordstrom Rack and be there on 7-13. I LOVE ONLINE SHOPPING! Two things were sold out and I am disappointed about that but that’s the way it goes. One was my splurge item so perhaps I’ll go back in and look for something else 🙂
Enjoy your shopping and please let me know if you have any questions! Thanks for reading!
