My Must Have Picks From the 2019 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

Hey, lovelies!

It’s my favorite time of year again! The 2019 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale has hit, and between you and me I think the selection this year is better than any year I’ve ever shopped the sale! You’re going to be so excited to see my 2019 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale top picks, I promise!

If you’re new to my blog or have never ventured into the pandemonium of the Anniversary Sale before, let me give you a quick recap:

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale happens every year in two waves: there’s the early access portion for shoppers who have a Nordstrom card 💁🏼‍♀️for a week before the sale opens to the public. 

This year, early access opened on Friday, July 12, and as you probably guessed, I went crazy shopping for my fall must-haves!

Public access opened on Friday, July 19, and will continue for the remaining two-week duration of the Anniversary Sale. That means your chance to snag new Fall 2019 designer items at discount prices closes for the year on August 4th, so make sure you get in there and shop til you drop! 🛍

While shopping for my favorite fall pieces, I created a fun challenge for myself in order to help you, my loyal followers, get the most out of this sale. Drumroll, please… 🥁

This year, I challenged myself to create a full 2019 Fall Capsule wardrobe from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale to share with you! Every piece I picked is easily interchangeable with the tops, dresses, shoes, and pants I selected and perfect for all kinds of events. 🤩

Below, I’ll show you my handy Nordstrom Anniversary Sale capsule wardrobe cheat sheet (you can 📌 it for later!) with every piece. Then, I’ll show you a few different outfit combinations to make out of the capsule wardrobe so that you can get the most out of your purchases!

Are you excited? I know I am! Let’s take a look! 👇

How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe

Choosing Tops For My Fall Capsule Wardrobe

When shopping for my fall capsule wardrobe, I decided to stick with long sleeves. After all, it gets chilly in Fall and Winter around here! I also stuck with neutral colors for more flexibility with my other pieces and focused on interesting details like necklines and sleeves to punch up the fashionable edge.

Choosing Capsule Wardrobe Bottoms

Capsule wardrobes are one of my favorite things to construct, and are the perfect solution if you’re on a budget – or just don’t have a lot of time to outfit plan! For my 2019 Fall Capsule Wardrobe, I followed these guidelines for selecting pants:

I sought out mostly comfortable but fashion-forward jeans in a variety of lengths and washes.  Some jeans are full-length skinnies, some are crops, and I chose three different washes to make each combination look like a fresh, different look. 

I added a black pair of skinnies since black is ultra-flattering and transitions from day to night with ease. Black pants go with literally everything, from a boardroom to a lunch date, to a night at the club! 
Finally, I chose one statement pant for when I’m feeling fashionable and feisty. The high waist leopard print crops from FRAME are perfect when adding a POP!

Choosing Capsule Wardrobe Skirts

Quick sidebar here: I feel like my legs are one of my best features, so I don’t often wear midi or full-length skirts. If you love wearing longer skirts, mix one or two different skirt lengths into your capsule wardrobe to create a bunch of fresh looks!

When choosing skirts, I looked for two things – fit and material. For example, the Commando control faux leather high waisted skirt is perfect for date nights or nights out – you can wear a really sexy top without worrying about the fit or whether everything looks sleek. 

I also chose the Topshop mini for the faux leather and zippers. This look is surprisingly flexible – you can dress up faux leather to be edgy or sweet depending on your top and accessories. Finally, the suede mini adds a fresh texture and touch-ability to your capsule wardrobe, while being a bit more toned down for day settings. 

Capsule Wardrobe Shoes

If you’ve been following me for any length of time, you probably know that my shoe addiction is real. I love boots, heels, and flats, but I traded in glitzy heels for really flexible pieces as you really need to do when constructing a capsule wardrobe. 

The final winners made it based on two things: height and color! Black leather heeled boots are chic, sexy and so convertible whether worn over skinny jeans, or with skirts and dresses. 

I chose a cheerful pop of color with my Marc Fisher red booties, to add a punch to the neutrals that really dominate this fall wardrobe. These also look really fierce with the crop skinnies, which show off the boots perfectly!

Finally, the feathered Steve Madden loafers are super fashionable but easy to wear in the office or around town. If you haven’t caught onto the theme here, flexibility is key. These flats have a lot of pattern and texture, but neutral tone. That means they’ll balance nicely with my other wardrobe selections.

Fall 2019 Nordstrom Anniversary Dress Picks

I departed from the neutrals a tiny bit in my dress selections while keeping fall colors at top of mind. I found a good balance with two patterned dresses and two neutrals, with an eye for material and cut. 

Since dresses are often a whole outfit in and of themselves, you can really play with sleeve lengths and textures. However, to keep your pieces as functional as possible (to get more mileage), skip over really wild pieces, minidresses and maxi dresses that are hard to transition from office to going out. Instead, stick with classic, flattering cuts with interesting details! 

Fall 2019 Capsule Wardrobe Outfit Inspiration

Building out a capsule wardrobe is kind of fun, right? Especially when you start to see the possibilities of each outfit combination.

To give you a little inspo, here are some outfit combinations based on one piece in my capsule, the Madewell Faux Wrap Pullover Sweater! Cozy, comfortable and easy to layer for those chilly months.  

What do you think? Do you love capsule wardrobes, or do you prefer to never wear a piece twice? And if you DO love capsule wardrobe, what’s your main Fall season staple? Let me know in the comments below! 👇