Nordstrom Anniversary Sale & Friendship Friday Link-up #3

Have you been hearing choirs of angels singing this week? If not, listen harder – the legendary Nordstrom Anniversary Sale started yesterday with early access for credit card holders!#nsale, Nordstrom, anniversary sale

So, why is this sale such a big deal?  Well, it’s because Nordstrom releases a bunch of brand new fall clothes (not yet in stores or online) at limited time fabulous sale prices!  Some of these discounts are HUGE and merchandise includes both trend items and staples.

The best way to shop the sale is with early access.  In fact, last year early access did so well that many of the more popular items sold out prior to the sale opening to the public.  While I hear from the Nordstrom “Powers That Be” that they’re better prepared for this year’s onslaught, why leave it to chance?

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Wardrobe Building: Capsule Foundation Dresses & Outerwear

Welcome to the fourth post in our series on building a capsule wardrobe.  Today’s focus is on dresses and outerwear.  We’ll wrap up the foundation pieces next week with shoes and with a strong foundation in place, we’ll move on to the fun stuff!

Spring/Summer Casual Capsule Foundation Dresses
Casual Caspsule Foundation Tee Dress
Eileen Fisher Ballet Neck Tee Dress
Casual Capsule Foundation Shirt Dress
Madewell Striped Shirtdress
Spring/Summer Office Capsule Foundation Dresses
Office Capsule Foundation Sheath Dress
J. Crew Resume dress
Office Capsule Foundation Sheath Dress
J. Crew Cap Sleeve V-neck
Spring/Summer Capsule Foundation Outerwear
  • A sporty, lightweight jacket.  This could be a denim jacket, lightweight moto or bomber in either a cropped or just-at-the-waist length for layering over tees and dresses.
Capsule Foundation Trench
The Iconic Burberry Trench
Friendly Reminders for Capsule Foundation Pieces
  • You don’t need every recommended piece but should work toward  collecting at least a few of them.
  • For most foundation items, buy the best you can afford.  These will be the workhorse pieces that get a lot of repeat wear.
  • Keep foundation piece silhouettes clean and minimal.  Decorative details are fun but limit versatility.
  • Commit to a primary color palette for the season – a dark base of either black/charcoal, navy or brown with a light base of either light grey, white or ivory for black/charcoal and navy or either tan or ivory for those choosing a brown dark base.

Wardrobe Building: Suiting

One of the most important building blocks in any woman’s wardrobe is a suit.  While it’s easy to think of this as a piece only relevant to bankers, lawyers or hospital administrators, a suit is an indispensable item for all women and can be broken apart into many flexible looks
 
The J. Crew Super 120s Collection is my go-to low/moderate brand and can be a steal when they are running a sale, while BOSS and Theory are two top picks for moderate/high investment suiting.

My recommendation is to invest in the best jacket-pant-skirt combo that your budget can handle in black, navy or a dark grey.  Look for quality stretch wool fabric.  One-button or two-button jackets will work better than 3+ or double-breasted as will a classic shaped trouser (not too skinny, too flared).  A pencil is the most versatile skirt shape.  Tailor for an impeccable fit!

Now have fun styling your new versatile look!  For work try the trouser with a print blouse and accent-color cardigan; for day try jeans with a simple tee, blazer, bold statement necklace and platform slides or the pencil skirt paired with a chambray button-down tied at the waist, sunnies and a pair of lace-up ballet flats; for date night pair the trouser with an embellished silk tank and metallic sandals.  And rest easy you’ll never have to worry again about what to wear to that unexpected interview, that funeral, that after-hours work function of your husband’s, etc. 

J. Crew Super 120s

J. Crew Super 120’s Collection – Skirts from $128, Trousers from $138, Jackets from $248; a variety of fits are available in each category so you can find something that fits your style and best suits your body type. 

Theory Gabe Blazer
Theory Testra Trouser
Theory Lanai Blazer

 Theory Suiting Separates – Prices range from about $215-515 depending on item. 

BOSS Jabina Blazer
BOSS Tulea Trousers

 Boss Suiting Separates – Range from $180-625.