Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Favorites: Our Try-On Session


Early access for the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is still going strong, and soon it will open up to everyone (on Friday!). Last week, we shared some of the items we’re both excited about from this year’s sale. We did end up trying on a few of those pieces… and many more!

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale FavoritesA leather jacket and jeans from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

Jeans // Shoes // Jacket

Today, let’s dive into the details from our try-on session in store. It was hilarious loading up our arms with items to try-on and then hitting the dressing rooms together. We even tried on a few of the same pieces so you can see how things fit on different body types.Nordstrom anniversary sale favorites from 2018 summer sale

These are our HONEST reviews of these pieces. You guys know that we’re not ones to shop, shop, shop…so if we weren’t 100% in love with a piece, we passed. Luckily, we each came away with some Nordstrom Anniversary Sale favorites that we hope you love as much as we do.

FYI: Casey is 5’8″ and usually wears a medium. Bridget is 5’5″ and usually wears a small.

Casey’s Try-On Session

Top // Jeans

Henley Blouse

  • Size: Medium
  • Fit Tip: True to Size (TTS)
  • Overall Thoughts: I am so happy I tried on this long-sleeve. The material is so soft and I love the fit. Nice and fitted through the arms, but not too tight on your midsection. This will be a great layering piece for fall with cute jackets and boots. Plus, it’s only $25!

Maroon henley t-shirt and madewell jeans

Top // Jeans

Madewell Jeans

  • Size: 28
  • Fit Tip: Size down
  • Overall Thoughts: I’m obsessed with most things from Madewell, and I was so happy to see these jeans in the sale. They’re marked way down and they’re the perfect jeans for fall. Very stretchy, love the button-front, and high-waisted. Bridget and I both chatted about how we wished the ankle was a tiny bit tighter, but we still both loved them.

Jacket // Top // Madewell Jeans

Faux Leather Jacket

  • Size: Medium
  • Fit: TTS (but if you plan to wear bulky items underneath it, you may want to size up).
  • Overall Thoughts: I was really excited to see a faux leather jacket available for the sale…especially one that’s only $65! This one looks like it’s worth 5x that price. I love the gold detailing on this jacket and it even comes with a hood that you can snap in (not pictured). I think I’ll get a lot of use out of this jacket in the fall because it’s so easy to just throw over a casual or a dressy look and feel pulled together. If you need a fun jacket for fall, this one can’t be beat.

A striped t-shirt for fall with dark jeans

Top // Jeans

Striped Long-Sleeve

  • Size: Medium
  • Fit: TTS
  • Overall Thoughts: I’m hoping to add a few basics to my fall wardrobe, so I was excited to try this long-sleeved tee-shirt on. While I love the stripes, it was a tad see-through on me. The other colors would probably be much better (especially since it’s under $20!).

BP jeans in a dark wash from Nordstrom anniversary sale

Top // Jeans

Dark Jeans

  • Size: 28
  • Fit: TTS
  • Overall Thoughts: The wash on these dark blue jeans is absolutely perfect. I love dark denim, because it just feels a tad dressier than lighter ones. These BP jeans are such a great price point and they have a lot of stretch to them. I didn’t end up purchasing them, because I bought some similar ones last year, but these are a great pair if you need some for fall.

Coral sweater from the Nordstrom Anniversary sale

Sweater // Madewell Jeans

Cozy Sweater

  • Size: Medium
  • Fit: TTS
  • Overall Thoughts: This sweater was one of the items from my wishlist that I was most excited to try on. But sadly, it wasn’t perfect for me. While I love the knit and this coral color was beautiful, it just felt very bulky on my frame. I’ve seen other bloggers rock this gorgeous sweater, but since I hold weight in my tummy…this didn’t help that area at all.

Black v-neck sweater with jeans from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2018

Sweater // Rag & Bone Jeans

V-Neck Sweater

  • Size: Medium
  • Fit:ย  TTS
  • Overall Thoughts: Here’s a sweater that did work for me and it wasn’t even on my radar! Looking at this sweater online, you’d think it would be waaaaay too revealing. However, it worked perfectly on and the v-neck wasn’t too deep at all. I was originally worried that you might need a tank under this (which you could def do), but I didn’t need one at all. This sweater is shorter, so it would be perfect with high-waisted jeans. Such a good sweater and I’m so happy I gave it a shot!

Joggers // Workout Tee

Gray Joggers

  • Size: Medium
  • Fit: TTS
  • Overall Thoughts: Here’s another one from my wishlist, and these bad boys ended up working out! Now that I’m working from home, I tend to wear a lot of comfortable (but cute!) clothes throughout the day. These joggers are more polished than sweatpants and they’re incredibly soft. Love the black detailing with the pockets. If you need comfortable athleisure, give these a try!

Bridget’s Try-On Session

Nordstrom Try-on Madewell CardiganCardigan //ย White T-shirtย // Jeans

Madewell Cardigan

  • Size: Small
  • Fit Tip: True to size (TTS)
  • Overall Thoughts: LOVEEEE! I have this cardigan in gray and wear it ALL the time when it’s cooler. To work, on the weekend, even around the house… I swear I live in it, soย  I was super excited to see a few other colors available. Plus, I feel like these never go on sale so now is definitely the time to splurge!

Madewell Jeans

  • Size: 25
  • Fit Tip: Size Down
  • Overall Thoughts: I really, really love the high-waisted buttons because they literally suck everything in. And high-waisted jeans are super versatile because you can tuck blouses in or leave them untucked for two very different looks. The only thing I wish about these jeans is that they were a bit tighter in the ankles. They definitely weren’t big in the ankles, but a smaller ankle would make these a 12 on a scale from 1-10.

Waffle Cardigan // Jeans

Waffle Cardigan

  • Size: S
  • Fit Tip: TTS
  • Overall Thoughts: The color, the SUPER soft material, the cozy fit… what’s not to love about this versatile fall sweater?! I can see myself wearing this piece to work and on the weekend throughout the fall and winter.

Striped Fitted SweaterPreppy Striped Sweaterย //ย Jeans

Preppy Striped Sweater

  • Size: S
  • Fit Tip: TTS
  • Overall Thoughts: Love the tailored look of this preppy sweater and the adorable detail in the shoulders (aka tiny shoulder pads that are very hard to see in this pic). The colors of the school that I teach at are blue and gold, so I figured this sweater would get tons of wear throughout the year.

Bow BlouseBow Blouse // Jeans

Bow Blouse

  • Size: XS
  • Fit Tip: TTS
  • Overall Thoughts: I’m a sucker for a good bow, especially for work wear, but had to pass on this blouse because the arms were very overpowering. Sadly, it was just too much…. Casey said it looked like the puffy shirt from Seinfeld. #yikes

Dark Jeans

  • Size: 26
  • Fit Tip: TTS
  • Overall Thoughts: Great amount of stretch, love the dark wash and raw-edge ankles. Like the Madewell jeans, I wish they were a tad tighter around the ankle but overall, these are a GREAT buy for the price point!

Patagonia PulloverPatagonia Pullover // Jeans

Patagonia Pullover

  • Size: S
  • Fit Tip: TTS, not boxy or short like other Patagonia items often fit me
  • Overall Thoughts: LOVEEEEEEE this piece and will get a ton of use out of it. Plus it comes in a few colors! And is it me or does Patagonia never go on sale?! If you’re in the game for a Patagonia piece… now is the time!! Here’s what’s on sale from this brand.

Wubby Fleece // Dark Jeans

Wubby Fleece

  • Size: S
  • Fit Tip: Runs big!! Size down at least one size
  • Overall Thoughts: This piece was on my original wishlist because I’ve seen a lot of bloggers wearing it over the past year. I love the brown color and really loved the cozy material. Unfortunately though, this one was a bit too big and made me look like a big teddy bear. If you’re going to buy this Wubby (yes, that’s what it’s called!), I would highly suggest sizing down! If you score the perfect size, I’m pretty sure you’re never going to want to take this off because it’s that comfy.

Carmel Trench Coat NordstromTrench Coat //ย Jeans

Trench Coat

  • Size: US 4
  • Fit Tip: Runs very large, size down at least 2 sizes
  • Overall Thoughts: I love the color and the cut of this classic piece, but the size was way too big for me. If you’re looking to buy this coat, definitely size WAY down!

Collared Blouse at NordstromCollared Blouse // Work Pants

Collared Blouse

  • Size: S
  • Fit Tip: TTS
  • Overall Thoughts: This is a perfect post-baby blouse that can easily transition from work to weekend. I love the color, arm detail, and most importantly, the flowy cut in the mid-section. It’s a very forgiving, classic piece that can easily be worn all year round. Plus, how cute would this color be under a sweater?! Love!

Ponte Work Pants

  • Size: S
  • Fit Tip: TTS
  • Overall Thoughts: Literally OBSESSED with these work pants. These are like yoga pants for the office and if they had them, I would have bought them in every color! They have an elastic waistband and go up above the belly button, which helps keep the tummy sucked in. Plus, the material is more work appropriate so it looks like you’re wearing work pants, but you feel like you’re wearing yoga pants. I mean, work pants don’t get much better than that, do they?!

Madewell Jean JacketJean Jacket // Striped Tee //ย Jeans

Jean Jacket

  • Size: S
  • Fit Tip: Runs Large
  • Overall Thoughts: I liked the jacket better on me than on the hanger, but wasn’t in love with how oversized and boxy it looked. They didn’t have a smaller size in stores, but I think I would have liked this jacket a whole lot more if I could’ve tried on a smaller size.

Henley Tee from NordstromHenley Blouse //ย Jeans

Henley Blouse

  • Size: S
  • Fit Tip: TTS
  • Overall Thoughts: This Henley was extremely soft and perfect for the breastfeeding moms tuning in. Plus, it would make a great layering piece in the fall/winter. I would just recommend staying away from the white though, it was a tad more see-through than I was comfortable with.

Spanx Leggings at Nordstrom

Spanx Leggings // Striped Tee

Spanx Leggings

  • Size: S
  • Fit Tip: TTS
  • Overall Thoughts: These high-waisted Spanx leggings look like leather, but feel more like yoga pants. They too suck it all in but make you feel trendy and a bit sexy all at the same time. I can’t wait to wear these to date nights or girls’ nights this fall/winter. For anyone else thinking about taking the plunge, but not sure what to pair these with, this post shows how versatile these classic staples can be!

Items We Both Tried On

We each individually reviewed most of the items that are pictured below, but we wanted to include these photos so you guys can get an idea of how some of these pieces looked on Casey’s apple-shaped body type vs. Bridget’s pear-shaped body type. Here’s how they measured up:

Black Spanx leggings from Nordstrom Anniversary sale 2018
Spanx Leggings

Sweaters and jeans from the Nordstrom Annivesary sale 2018

Sweaters // Madewell Jeans

Henley tees and madewell jeans from Nordstrom

Henley Tees // Madewell Jeans

Tie-front t-shirt dress from Nordstrom

Tie-Front Dress

Tie-Front Dress

  • C’s Size: M // B’s Size: S
  • Fit Tip: TTS
  • Overall Thoughts: This dress was super comfy and could be very versatile, but we didn’t love the fit on either of us. The tie-front just wasn’t very flattering on either of our body types.

Our Top 10 Picks from the 2018 Nordstrom Anniversary Saleย (in no particular order)

  1. Spanx Pants
  2. Madewell Jeans
  3. Faux Leather Jacket
  4. Sneaker Wedges
  5. Crossbody Bag
  6. Ponte Work Pants
  7. Waffle Cardigan
  8. Collared Blouse
  9. Preppy Striped Sweater
  10. Hanky Panky Underwear

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale favorites

Jeans // Tee // Bag // Glasses

Do you guys have any Nordstrom Anniversary Sale favorites? Have you shopped the sale? Fill us in on the details for any pieces that you’re loving! Oh, and if you want to see our try-on session in action, we saved our Insta Story as one of our highlights called “nSale”. You can head to our Instagram profile to view it!

Bridget&Casey

 


The Year of Casey

Hey there!

Iโ€™m Casey Finn, the voice behind The DIY Playbook. I’m a Chicago gal teaching you how to design, DIY, and maintain your home…by yourself! Learn more about me right here.