Unlike the half-yearly sales & seasonal clearances, which see in-season goods get marked down, the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is both a preview of the upcoming season, and a sale on year-round goods which don’t always see markdowns. That combination is a rarity in the retail sale game. This stuff can sell out sometimes too. Here’s one interpretation of the best of the best. As always, everything ships and returns for free with Nordstrom. No minimum.
Butterfly lined, a deep blue with a subtle pattern, and the 58% wool / 42% linen blend seems perfect for summer. That’s a nice combination. Now, no personal experience with this particular sportcoat, but I (the Joe guy) have acquired two Nordstrom brand sportcoats lately and they’re impressive for an on-sale price point. Really nice fabrics, the cut is contemporary but not tight, the sleeve cuff buttons are non functioning for easy tailoring, and the tails aren’t chopped. By my measurements, the length of the tails on Nordy brand sportcoats right now are running 29.5″ on a 40R. So, extrapolate that out if you’d like to guesstimate. My 5’10″/185 prefers a 30″ long suit jacket or sportcoat tail, but I also have a longer than average torso.
This is really unusual. Bonobos pretty much never puts their flagship, “icon” washed chinos on sale, yet here they are for $34 off at Nordstrom. What’s also kinda weird is that they’re only available in one length: 32. Strange. Five colors to pick from.
A highlight of the sale. Looks to be worth the investment. A dark blue mac goes with everything. T-shirt and Jeans? Yes. Suit and Tie? Yes. And everything in-between. The removable bib makes it a great choice for all but the coldest months. Also shown at the very top of the post.
Goodyear welted in Port Washington Wisconsin. Three colors of calfskin as well as a patent leather for the black-tie traditionalists.
Interesting blend here: 45% cotton, 30% nylon, 21% lyocell, 4% spandex. That’s quite a bit of engineered fibers, but also a healthy dose of cotton too. Haven’t seen these in person yet, but they look like a really good bet and that particular shade of blue is perfect.
One of those bestsellers which has been made for years. This time in a green/off-white color blocking setup. Separated shoe storage is a nice feature.
Probably not gonna be some heirloom, but if you’re not sure you’re a “leather jacket guy” and you want to find out, then this is pretty low risk. Under $200, stand collar looks more contemporary than the old-school floppy style, and it ships/returns for free.
Take that, expensive Bonobos Riviera shirts. Oh they have those too? Well, whatever. These are significantly cheaper. Five different colors/patterns to pick from. Fabric is a blend made to be smooth, comfortable, and stretchy: 45% cotton, 30% nylon, 21% lyocell, 4% spandex.
*PRICE CHECK ON AISLE “FANCY WATCHES”… As of 7/23/25 Macy’s has these for $495. Which is clearly a lot less.
If memory serves, these have dipped into the (high?) $400s in the past at other stores. But watches have been getting hit particularly hard by the global trade war. FWIW it’s stuck at full price on Amazon at post time (but that could change quickly).
Lotta loafer season left in this particular, uh, season. That dark, bitter chocolate option at the bottom would also look great with jeans and flannel trousers in the fall.
Have sunglasses been getting a bit… “squatter” lately? Seems like there’s been a return to the late 90s/early 2000s lens shapes. Not that these are aggressively so, but they certainly aren’t as tall on the “Y” axis than other Persol frames. Overall sizing is big at 58mm.
Moisturizer with just enough sun protection in it to keep you from turning into Magda.
It’s two (two!) bomber jackets in one. Not bad if you divide the price by two and then you get $95.99 per color. Really well reviewed too.
Made in Italy. For those that want a little texture to their dress belts.
From their in-house Nordstrom Men’s Shop line. Not quite sure why there’s no gray option for the jackets (because there is for the trousers), but if you want a true-blue set of suit separates and like the idea of free shipping and free returns then these’ll do nicely. 96% wool, 4% elastane.
Italian leather uppers. Occupies an increasingly rare space in the footwear world. Not dirt cheap, not absurdly expensive. Right in the middle. Also available in black.
100% cotton. Trim Fit. Just enough of a pattern to make it interesting. Something to wear with a solid suit and tie.
They are what you think they are. And there’s not a darn thing wrong with that. 96% cotton / 4% spandex.
Summertime staples for the prep set. Tan, navy, or light green.
Looks to perfectly walk the line between casual desert boot and sleek dress chukka. Suede uppers, rubber soles that aren’t as casual as the crepe seen on desert boots, and enough structure to dress them up a bit.
When lululemon exploded on the scene years ago, every store on the planet seemed to try to make their own brand to compete with lulu’s popularity. Zella is that brand for Nordstrom. Albeit at a more affordable level.
Those look bouncy. And visually they’re a bit more interesting than standard white/minimalist style court sneakers.
58% virgin wool, 42% linen. Butterfly lined in the back for breathability. Light blue color makes it a great choice for the warmer months. Not sure why they’re using the word “tweed” to describe it. Sure it may have some texture (which is good!) but it’s almost certainly not some heavy, thick winter-months tweed.
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. Seven colors.
Blake stitched in Italy. Had a similar (identical?) pair once from the same brand. They were slipper-like comfortable. Lightweight and super flexible.
Hard not to love a knit sportcoat. 98% wool / 2% elastane. Just quarter lined/butterfly lined in the back for breathability. Soft construction through the shoulders. “A distinctive holographic-grid pattern…” WAIT WHAT.
For those who want a less-structured/sleeker penny loafer to wear with their lighter weight and color suits and sportcoats. Nice price. Also shown at the very top of the post.
Nice wools, tapered flat front trousers, and you gotta think the construction is nice. Made in Canada. Which means the full price on these might increase significantly next month.
Take care of your feet. Especially in sweltering heat. Merino blend socks like these help keep your feet from overheating, they move sweat away from your skin, and they breathe. That’s just not the same as regular cotton socks which can hold moisture and get real gross, real fast. Ten bucks a pair + free shipping = nice deal.
A modern Harrington. Stretchy, 57% polyester, 43% elasterell-p fabric. Navy or Black.
Seasonal shade of suede that’ll still look smart when we eventually move towards fall.
“Ball Pouch” equipped. A bunch of different fabrics. 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.
Same brand, different style of boot.
One of those items that might sell out pretty quick. A rich lighter shade of brown, blade style collar, and a price that’s really quite affordable relative to other suede and leather jackets out there.
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.
Looks like something Liam would wear on tour. Genuinely surprised those two brothers haven’t throttled each other yet.
Not bad looking for $120. The matte nubuck(?) looks particularly good. Lug sole for traction but not overly aggressive or toothy.
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.
Cheap leather can sometimes look… cheap. I know, profound analysis there. But Nordstrom has been at this thing for a while, and if they show up and you don’t like the way they look or feel in person, then they can go rocketing back to Nordy’s warehouse on their dime. Not yours. That’s the power of free shipping and returns.
Six colors to pick from. You’ll need to get them hemmed afterward, which is pretty standard for dress trousers. Not quite as nice as the Italian dress trousers from Santorelli, but still nice and a good price considering how expensive wool dress pants have gotten in the last couple of years.
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 this summer has been, so thinking fall/winter outerwear right now isn’t gonna land quite 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.)
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.
Loud plaids. Subtle plaids. Summertime shades and year-round colors. Wool or wool blend. Looks like all of them are just half lined in the back for extra airflow. That’s not cheap to do. It’s more expensive that way, as the finishing has to be really good since you can’t hide anything under the lining. Worth noting is that the solid navy/true blue in the lower right is actually $399. All the others are patterned and at the higher price point.
Your face deserves better than cheap bar soap, which can dry you out big time. (it was… soap. poisoning.) Using a bestselling facewash like Kiehl’s is the way to go.
Cheap bit-loafers which keep the shine to a minimum thanks to the darker gray metal. Driving loafer style sole.
Yes, even these ship (and return) for free. There are a lot of shoes in this sale. So these might be a 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.
Icons. Cheap, versatile, icons. And even these ship and return for free. No wonder they’re “smiling.” Also available in black canvas.
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.
Smart casual briefcases, classic dive watches, and retro sneakers.
A casual but still put-together look for dressed down winter festivities.
Looking sharp but not over the top. Out on the town or at someone's place.
Tis-the-season to bring some style.
Tues. = Leftovers + extensions moved to the top. 20% off Huckberry's 365 pants, BRF…
Cozy duds, paper pets, some good reads, and a heated outdoor chair.