Unlike the half-yearly sales & seasonal clearances, which see in-season goods get marked down, the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is mostly a preview of the upcoming season. Lots of fall goods or year-round stuff gets decent price cuts. And that’s a rarity in the retail sale game. This stuff can sell out sometimes too. And while Nordstrom’s Anniversary Sales used to cause more tongues to wag in the past, it’s still very much an event worth giving a strong look. Here’s one interpretation of the best of the best. And as always, everything ships and returns for free with Nordstrom. No minimum.
Yes, even these ship (and return) for free. There are a lot of shoes in this sale. So these might be a quite-perfect impulse buy. Here’s the size chart for these things. Most will need a medium or large, depending on size and width. For example, the most common sizes are as follows:
Size chart is also linked to on the product page. Just click on the “size guides” link and it should pop up.
An absolute wheelhouse, foundational piece from North of the Border. 99% wool / 1% elastane. Sold in true chest sizes (like 40R) and not ballpark alpha sizing. Non-functioning sleeve button cuffs make for easy tailoring post purchase.
Dressing up loafers is a style that’s having a bit of a moment, but some of us prefer something at least a little dressier than a penny loafer when wearing a suit or sportcoat. That’s where single monks excel. Not as flashy as a double monk, but still super sleek and dressy. And these are nicely affordable. Implication seems to be that the uppers are full grain leather.
Herschel has been making these things forever. And for good reason. Because they make a nice little gym bag and/or packing-very-light overnighter. And the extra, separate shoe compartment is nice. Just don’t let gross gym shoes marinate in there. Let those things air out.
Mainly cotton with some performance woven in and a good amount of stretch. 57% cotton, 39% polyester, 4% spandex. Just don’t expect it to wick and breathe and dry quite as fast as something that’s pure, airy performance material. Smart piping on the collar and sleeves.
And for those who do want the stylistic flash that comes with double monks. A rare mid $100 – $200 price point.
Trendy leather goods are fun and all… until they aren’t on trend anymore and you’re stuck with them. But! Colorblock is one thing, but colorblocking black and gray is another. It’s interesting but not loud. That should do just fine for a while, as trends ebb and flow.
Cotton blend. Not full performance fabric. But check out the amount of spandex in the mix: 52% cotton, 39% nylon, 9% spandex. That’s quite a bit of stretch.
Sometimes (often? always?) excluded direct through adidas. So any sort of savings here is nice. Again, ships and returns for free.
Okay these ARE full performance fabric: 71% nylon, 29% spandex. Plus, if a 7″ inseam (found on a lot of shorts these days) feels awkwardly short to you, while a 10″ feels just a touch too long… then a nine inch inseam to the rescue! “That’s not very profound, Joe.” Yeah I know. But what it lacks in ingenuity it makes up for in accuracy. Not quite sure where the light blue option shown above is. At post time they’re not showing up as available on the Nordstrom site. Maybe they’ll appear at some point? Zella = Nordstrom’s in-house performance/athleisure brand they invented to try and compete/keep up with the rise and dominance of lululemon.
About as affordable as a suede jacket will get. Or more accurately: about as affordable as a suede jacket that you’ll actually want to wear will get. Trucker style.
“Ball Pouch” equipped. A bunch of different fabrics. Doesn’t look like any of the “Quest” fabric is included (those are the ones that won our recent performance underwear review round-up…) but lots of guys swear by their SAXX underwear. So, here they be. And it’s super nice they ship for free no minimum, as it’s Nordstrom.
Great shape. Sleek without being pointy. Much dressier than a desert boot, but not so dressy that you can’t wear them casually. No idea where these are made. China? India? Portugal? And yes that is the “espresso” color shown above. Proof can be seen at the Gordon Rush website where they’re stuck to full price.
Thinking these are all half-canvas. Because the true-blue option has this in the description: “featuring a jacket with a half-canvas front for a more natural fit.” And if they’re all made in Canada, one would think they’re all coming from the same manufacturer. They’re also all priced the same. Could be connecting dots that don’t exist, but, it’s probably a safe bet.
Just four colors and none of them are navy or black. BUT. They’re cheaper than what Rhone has them on sale for, AND with Nordstrom they ship and return for free. Rhone sticks to final sale (meaning no returns) when they put stuff on sale. Not so at Nordstrom. These are those bestselling, all performance-fabric polos with the hidden button down collars.
And the Nordstrom house-brand alternative. Fabric is a pique style. Mix is 66% rayon, 34% polyester. No button down collar though.
Shades of the SPECTRE jacket. And while not cheap, it’s certainly less than whatever designer thing Daniel Craig was wearing in his 2nd to last turn at Bond.
Protect that handsome mug of yours. You don’t have to go full obsessive-grooming-guy. Your bathroom countertop does not need to be littered with 8 zillion tonics, salves, creams, and cleansers. A little daily moisturizer goes a long way. Especially one with some sunscreen in it. This’ll do the job just fine. Get in the habit of putting some on your face after you get out of the shower and dry off. Not only will you head out the door with some needed sun protection, your skin will feel better/less dried out from the shower. That also means less frying-pan/shiny forehead, which is often caused by your skin overproducing oil if it’s bone dry.
FANCY. Splurge worthy dress trousers, if that’s something you’d legitimately wear often. Split waist construction. Grippy interior to the waistband to help keep your shirt tucked in. Loro Piana Italian wool. Made in Italy.
Seasonal shade of suede that can look smart right into early fall.
From their house-brand Nordstrom Men’s Shop line. Lightly burnished. Black, dark brown, and the cognac shown above.
Summery. Preppy. Leather lined. Sperry’s upgraded boat shoes.
A bit of a splurge compared to Nordstrom’s house brand dress shirts, but could be worth the extra dollars if the collars look as good in person as they do online. Looks like they’d do great without a tie for that Danny-Ocean look.
Feels like it’ll be too hot to wear leather chelseas for the next couple of months, but for those who love the slip-on-and-go factor of this style of boot, here’s a reasonably priced smooth leather pair that can work in both smart casual and dressy situations.
“Well, it’s one for the money two for the show… Three to get ready now go, cat, go… But don’t you step on my blue suede”… jacket? Also shown at the very top of the post.
For those who love to splurge on eyewear. That’s far from everyone reading this of course (and the person writing it doesn’t really fall into this category either). Made in Italy.
Polarized, blue(?) lenses. That’s why they cost (even) more.
Looks to be a hot weather navy blazer that can also be worn in the cooler months/transitional periods. 73% wool, 27% linen. Just partially lined in the back so it’ll breathe better.
And now something for now. Very much for there here and now in the dead of summer. 56% linen, 44% cotton. Light in color to reflect pesky photons.
Slightly dressier than the already mentioned “Tech-Smart Flat Front Chinos,” as these have a flat front closure. Not a full-tech fabric, but instead a mix of 38% cotton, 37% polyester, 12% CoolMax polyester, 10% modal, and 3% spandex. Slim, “lightly tapered fit.” Four colors. Ships/returns for free.
A little bit sleeker thanks to no pocket up front on the gut of the sweatshirt. Slub fabric gives it a little texture and keeps it breezy. Five colors.
WORRY LINES WHAT WORRY LINES? WHY WOULD ANY OF US BE WORRIED ABOUT ANYTHING?!…. 2.5 oz. So a little goes a long way. You don’t slather this stuff on. You dab.
Is it even a big Nordstrom sale without a Barbour Quilted jacket going on sale? Here’s this year’s required option. And yes, one has to acknowledge how BLAZING HOT it has been, so thinking fall/winter outerwear right now isn’t gonna land right inside some of our brains. But a guy can dream. The black option with those bits of brown trim/aged bronze looking hardware looks particularly good.
And now something that could get used sooner than the jacket. That first fall chill in the air will be here before you know it. Please. Let it be so. (So says a total stereotypical Mr. Fall Man who just doesn’t like summer all that much.)
Again… ships free. 5/6 stars after more than a thousand reviews.
Your face deserves better than cheap bar soap, which can dry you out big time. (IT WAS… SOAP. POISONING.) Using a facewash like Kiehl’s well loved facial fuel is the way to go.
The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale runs through Sunday August 4th. And if past is prologue, some of this stuff may sell out in a relative hurry. Prices really do go back up after August 4th.
Happens only 2x a year. New arrivals, old favorites. Suits, chinos, jeans, t-shirts, sweaters, the…
Lots of foundational stuff in this one.
$211 suits, $54 suede sneakers, and the Bulova Hack Automatic line goes back on sale.
New sweaters, boots, jackets, and more. J. Crew's first big sale of the fall.
New, leaner looking dive watches. Flannel blazers for fall. Suede boots. Classic macs. Henleys.
Where to spend, and where to skimp & save when it comes to the world…