The wait is over! The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale preview is officially live and that means the most wonderful time of year…aka the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale! I look forward to this sale EVERY year! This year’s sale is a little later in the summer (it typically happens in mid July), but browsing the preview, it’s better than ever! The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is unlike any other sale. Typically, sales feature older merchandise at a marked down price, making room for fresh inventory. The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale does the exact opposite, offering NEW fall merchandise at a discounted price. When I say new, I mean the freshest fall styles that have yet to hit stores, meaning you are getting new finds at a sale price.

This is the first year you can preview majority of the sale online! I have already been adding items to my wishlist for easy access when I can start shopping. I’m looking for new fall pieces to add to my wardrobe, especially shoes and denim. I always find great deals on new staples for work too, because we all know one of the best parts of being a teacher is going back to school shopping. There are a lot of great beauty deals that are too good to pass up. It’s also a great time to stock up on fall and winter must haves for the entire family (hello new winter coat at a discount!). Get ahead of your shopping by adding your picks to a wishlist and figuring out your game plan!

The sale will start Wednesday, August 19 and runs until Sunday, August 30. However, if you are a Nordy Club member, you can shop the sale starting as early as August 4 during Early Access. Nordy Club members can get up to 15 days (what?!) to shop the sale before it is even open to the public. When you can shop depends on your Nordy Club status. Why does it matter you ask? These items are new and discounted and hot ticket items often sell out before the sale even opens to the public. Shopping starts at 9:30 am ET/6:30 am PT for each status daily.

Learn more about Nordy Club and cardholder benefits here.

See important shopping dates below and check your card status here.

Obviously you can head to your nearest Nordstrom to shop the sale (make sure to mask up!), but I prefer shopping online from the comfort of my own home! I will be shopping strictly online this year because of distance (I live 3 hours from the nearest Nordstrom) and current events. I feel like the most responsible thing for me this year is to get online, but know everyone has different preferences! Online shopping is easy and with free returns and exchanges the process of finding those must have pieces is effortless! Throughout the sale, I will have posts featuring my sale favorites on the blog! I plan on sharing my top sale picks, shoe favorites, styling tips, teacher faves and more! If there is something you want to see let me know!

My first post will be live shortly after the sale opens, so make sure to stop by and share what you are buying! If you are interested in what I picked up last year, check out early access picks, this review of my purchases and teacher picks.

1.  SHOP, SHOP, SHOP – This is a huge one and something I always do every year! Hot selling items will go fast (Nordstrom anticipates some being gone within 24 hours!). Order early, try on in the comfort of your own home and keep what you can’t live without. Remember, Nordstrom has free shipping and returns! Because I live almost 3 hours from the nearest Nordstrom, I find that this works best for me! I usually place an order as soon as the sale opens (and will probably place a few more before the end of the sale, if I’m being honest). I plan on trying everything at home to determine what works for me. I typically snag a few items that I am even on the fence about. I can’t tell you HOW MANY TIMES I have debated a purchase only for me to decide I did want it just as it sold out! Find out sale details and how to become a cardholder HERE so you can get access to all the goodies before they sell out!

2. MAKE A LIST (and check it twice!) – While I firmly believe in buying more and returning what you can live without during the sale, I also think it’s important to not go overboard! I mean do you really need the North Face down parka coat if you live somewhere that rarely gets below 50 degrees? Just because it’s a great deal doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a must buy! I’ve too often been tempted to purchase items I really don’t need, so now I always go in with a shopping list! Write down the items you are looking for and keep your eyes peeled for good deals in those categories! The easiest way to do this online is to create a wishlist or two to make shopping when the sale opens easy peasy.

3. GET FAMILIAR WITH WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE – Spend some time looking over your wardrobe before you shop. Not only does this ensure you don’t walk away with items you already have, but it also helps you find pieces to incorporate into your closet! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve eyed something only to realize I have an almost identical version at home! I have also used this trick to find pieces to style with items already in my closet. One of my favorite things to do is look for fall accessories that I can pair with some of my easy summer dresses. It’s so easy to turn a summer tee dress into a fall appropriate look by pairing it with a cardi, scarf and some boots!

Want to make sure you don’t miss any Nordstrom Anniversary Sale posts? All of my sale posts will live under the NORDSTROM ANNIVERSARY SALE tab on the top menu bar! I will also be posting plenty of shopping content on my LIKEtoKNOW.it page!

These are the items that caught my eye in the preview! Click any item and  “Add to Wishlist” to create an easy way for you to shop when the sale starts!