Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Haul 2015 + Giveaway!

Every year, Nordstrom holds an anniversary sale during which they bring out fall products at a sale price. Nordstrom card holders receive early access (started July 9th) and non-card holders receive access to the sale on July 17th. If you shop at Nordstrom, I highly recommend getting a card. They even have a debit version, so if you’re nervous about having a credit card you can get the debit and still get points and rewards!

Each year I tend to go into the sale looking for something specific. This year, I was looking for some Iceland essentials. In case you aren’t aware (or in case I’ve never stated it on my blog) the fiancé and I decided to go to Iceland in December for our Honeymoon. I’ve pretty much used this as an excuse to get a new winter jacket (which is always necessary for Chicago) and some new snow boots. Other than that, I didn’t have anything specific I was looking for.

If you have anything specific that you want to add to your fall wardrobe (jewelry, handbags, dresses, sweaters, boots, etc) I highly recommend checking out this sale. They have great deals on sweaters and boots that you won’t regret. Also, Nordstrom has a free shipping and free return policy, so you really can’t go wrong. Nordstrom’s return policy in general is also really great. Even if you keep something for more than 30 days because you can’t decide, they’ll still take it back.

Clothing

The North Face Lunabrooke Sweater Jacket (During Sale $89.90 After Sale $120.00)

A silly picture showing the collar buttoned up, but then I turned sideways and didn't show the buttons... :-/

I stumbled upon this jacket when looking for a winter one and fell in love. My current fall jacket is The North Face Denali jacket. I’ve had it for probably 6 years now and I still love it. However, there are some occasions where having a bit of a nicer jacket are necessary in adult life. What I love about this jacket is it feels like a sweatshirt. It is super soft, lined with fur, and just amazingly comfortable. I did order a size up because I do want to be able to wear thicker sweaters underneath. The medium fit me really well, but the large gives a little bit of room. Depending on what you want to wear underneath this jacket, I would say it fits true to size.

BP Reversible Poncho in Chevron Plaid (During Sale $27.90 After Sale) (There is no link because it is currently unavailable online)

Showing the plaid and chevron sides of the scarf/poncho with a Blaze walking across. Cats love getting in the way.

This “poncho” was displayed like a blanket scarf which is what made me pick it up. Last winter I regretted not purchasing a nice warm blanket scarf so when I saw this on sale, I grabbed it. It is really soft and cozy. When I opened it up, I realized that it had a “v” in the middle, and I finally realized it could be worn as a poncho. I would say that you can easily use this as either a poncho or a scarf. I’m really excited to use this and think it will be great for travel with its multiple uses.

My mom was looking for a transitional coat and the sales woman who was helping us showed her this one. After hearing about it and seeing it, I thought that it would be perfect for my winter needs. However, I did end up returning it but I wanted to talk about it anyway. This coat is a 3-in-1 rain coat, insulated coat, and then a winter parka. I love that this coat has 3 different ways you can wear it, has a hood, and is long but not too long. If you don’t own a rain jacket and you either live somewhere with non-polar vortex winters or already have a good winter jacket, I definitely recommend this. My mom currently owns The North Face Metropolis down jacket, but it’s going on her 5th winter so the down has worn a little bit. This Patagnoia is perfect for her because the rain jacket and the insulated jacket are exactly what she needs (separately) for transitional weather, and then when it gets really cold, she can put the insulated layer underneath her North Face jacket.

My issue with the jacket is that I thought the insulated layer was down, but it’s not. If it was, I would have kept this jack and been in love. After buying the jacket, I went online to see reviews and almost everyone wrote that this was a great jacket that kept them warm until the weather started going below 20 degrees F. Bummer. I was disappointed that I had to return this jacket, but it just isn’t what I need in my life right now. If it is what you need, please check it out!

Beauty

Shiseido Urban Environment Oil Free UV Protection SPF 42 ($32)

Over July 4th weekend, I tried my friend’s moisturizer and fell in love. However, it didn’t have an SPF. While at Nordstrom, with my make-up girl who I trust with my life, I decided to check out moisturizers. She recommended this one by Shiseido and the Daywear one by Estee Lauder. I ended up picking this one, not only because it was less expensive, but because it is really light. I haven’t tried it on my face yet, but when I do, there will definitely be a review.

The gift includes a black clutch, the Advanced Time Zone Cream SPF 15, Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II, Advanced Night Repair Recovery Eye Complex, Color Compact with Eyeshadow in 8 shades and Pure Lip Gloss in 3 shades, Full-Size Pure Color Lipstick in Sugar Honey, and Pure Color Intense Kajal Eye Liner Mini in Blackened Cocoa.

If you are making an Estee Lauder purchase yourself, I do want you to know that this gift comes with a few options. It comes with a warm option or a cool option. While I like the lipstick better in the cool option, I picked the warm option for you guys because the eye shadows are more neutral and I felt like they would look better on more people. You can also choose different moisturiziers, depending on your preference.

In order to enter this giveaway (at the end of this blog post), you must be 18 years or older and reside in the US.

For the Fiance

In case you have any men in your life, the anniversary sale is great for them too. My brother picked up a really nice pair of shoes and I grabbed a few items for the fiancé while I was there.

SmartWool “New Classic” Ribbed Socks (During Sale $12.90 After Sale $18.95)

If you have a man in your life who loves to be outdoors in the winter, SmartWool socks are the way to go. Even on Black Friday I have never seen these on such a good sale. I immediately grabbed two pairs as my fiancé lives in these in the winter. They are his absolute favorite.

What I’m Still Looking At

I have a few products that I’m still debating purchasing from the anniversary sale.

The first is the MICHAEL Michael Kors Belted Down & Feather Fill Parka with Detachable Faux Fur Trim Hood (During Sale $169.90 After Sale $258.00). Since I returned the Patagonia jacket, I am still on the lookout for a new down winter coat. I really like the look of this one, so I think I’m going to order it and give it a try. Hopefully, this will be more along the lines of what I’m looking for.

The next item is the Wildfox Baggy Beach Jumper Pullover in Clean White/Bordeaux (During Sale $64.90 After Sale $98.00). I have been looking at the Wildfox Baggy Beach Jumpers for a few years now. They are beyond soft and really comfortable. Most of the time they have silly sayings or pictures on them, which made it difficult to justify the price since I wouldn’t be able to wear them to work. The pattern on this one, however, is definitely work appropriate, especially with a scarf or statement necklace. I’m still a little iffy on the price, so I think I need some feedback. Do you guys think it’s worth it?

Well, that’s all I’ve bought from the anniversary sale this year. I’ll proabaly continue stalking their site to see if there’s anything else I “need.”

This Giveaway is now over