#NSALE Overhype?
Sincere apologies in regards to my last fashion post and the hype I created about the then-upcoming Nordstrom Anniversary because, full disclosure? That sale was a let-down of EPIC proportions and I hope you didn't waste anywhere near the amount of time that I did hoping it would improve over the course of its 2-week duration. Sadly, it did not.
To start with, the boasted number of Women's Clothing items for sale (2500+), when filtered by category, resulted in the majority of sale items falling into the most snooze-worthy of categories such as underwear, activewear, sleep + lounge, socks + hosiery and a ridiculous amount of Rebecca Minkoff bags. The next turn-off was how little of my wish list actually came up for sale. It seemed to be a sale for low-to-mid range labels as nothing from the high end was marked down so the T by Alexander Wang and DVF pieces I had my eye on, as well as a fabulous Ted Baker coat, will have to wait or be sourced elsewhere.
I contemplated these Badgley Mischka embellished velvet sneakers and stuck them in my cart for a few days to see how I felt about them but, after looking through my current shoe collection and sending a snap of these slip-ons to several friends for their opinion, I decided it was a fleeting love affair. I was really just crushing on how potentially cute they could look with the slip dress below but knew that wearing that outfit once would be the extent of life these sneakers would be given. Out they went.
This Trouvé slip dress is similar to the T by Alexander Wang one I had my eye on, and it was getting rave reviews from bloggers who had early access to the sale, so I decided to check it out. I'm glad I took a chance on it as it sold out quickly and looks even better in person than it did online, with its delicate hammered texture and stunning shade of rose. I'll be wearing this slip dress under leather jackets + bombers with booties this fall and layering turtlenecks + sparkly socks with heels come winter!
Another score I was happy with finding, as it proved to be the best deal of the bunch, was this 100% linen IRO tee in a unique color not often found in IRO's palette. It's a beautiful cross between lavender and ice blue that some might call periwinkle (but I wouldn't because I refuse to use such a word). The tee retails for almost $200 CDN and I snapped it up for $75. The only downside was the Nordstrom sizing recommendation to "size up as the tee runs small", which I found to not be the case at all once it arrived. Note: Currently only available in black or white.
My last two grabs felt more obligatory than inspired, so much so that I actually forgot about them until the box arrived, but my impulse choices turned out to be lovely surprises in their own right. First was a silk pillowcase from Slip that does an amazing job of keeping pillow creases off my face and neck while also allowing me to wake up with much more manageable hair. Now I am coveting the matching eye mask. Second was the Vermeil mini tin assorted candle set by Voluspa, a stack of yummy-smelling coconut wax candles encased in tiny metallic tins in gorgeous shades like rose gold, silver and mint. I've scattered these around the house and they've filled the air with scent despite the fact that none have been lit yet!
This big department store sale was yet another reminder of how much better it is to shop your local boutiques to see what carefully-curated goodies await right outside your own front door. Around the same time as the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale I shopped two local #YXE sales and, with deals ranging from 40-75% off major brand names, I ended up finding some incredible pieces at price points that the #NSALE couldn't hold a candle to! Plus it's always fun to meet your local retailers, see what they have to offer, find a new place to source your favorite labels, and make friends with the owners who you more than likely have mutual friends in common with. Those little things go a long way when, for example, an owner can become such a good friend that you've actually shopped her store via FaceTime while sitting 20 miles away, supervising your child at a play centre and stuffing your face with fries, and then said gracious owner HAND-DELIVERS said goodies to your own front door. I mean...you can love on Nordstrom and Neiman all you want, girl, but it will never serve you that well in return!!
Moral of the story: LOCAL SALE > #NSALE. ALWAYS.
