UPDATE: a few more reviews from the fitting room and from what I’ve received so far.
Tory Burch Marsden Leather Tote (small)
Beautiful, well crafted, and just the right size for your everyday bag. Love the gold hardware detail.
Tumi Voyageur Halle Nylon Backpack
Tumi Voyageur Halle Nylon Backpack
I was so excited to try this backpack on in person because I really liked it online. It is even more pretty in person! The backpack is super lightweight, and the nylon material makes it very easy to clean. It has several inner pockets designed to handle your laptop, wallet, phone, and smaller loose items, The gray color is so versatile and can match with any outfit. If I hadn’t just bought my Knomo London backpack two months ago I would definitely have purchased this backpack for work and traveling.
I’m a fan of the step hem (shorter in the front, longer in the back) and the 28″ inseam was short, even on me! For reference, I’m 5′ tall. The shorter inseam would go great with booties with a higher shaft in the fall/winter.
Topshop chevron fine gauge sweater
BP ripped high waist skinny jeans
I found the sweater in the store but had totally missed it online. I like the rainbow chevron print; it is kind of funky and retro and fun. The jeans turned out to be surprisingly comfortable, and the rips were just over the knee (sometimes a hard task for those of us who are vertically challenged).
BP Stitch Curve Hem Cardigan in beige
Topshop Jamie Petite black jeans
The cardigan was a no go for me, as it draped very loosely over my frame and the sleeves were quite long. The Jamie black jeans seem to be a cult favorite. I think they fit nicely and the cropped length doesn’t require any sort of hemming, and they make for a nice basic black staple in your closet if you don’t already have one.
J Crew Ruffle Sleeve Tee
AG Jeans The Legging Ankle Super Skinny Jean
Ended up liking this simple T-shirt more than I expected to! And at less than $35 it is quite affordable. I also loved the AG legging skinny jeans, though the rip over the knee is a tad low and the jeans run a little bit long.
DL 1961 Emma ripped skinny jeans
The DL1961 jeans were one of my favorite pairs because they have a more relaxed fit. The material is soft and the overall fit is more comfortable than several of the other jeans I tried on. The rip was slightly below the knee, and I did have to cuff the jeans for length.
Topshop Kimono Wrap Blouse
Rag and Bone ankle skinny jeans in black
Actually really loved this pair of rag and bone jeans and I would recommend them for a “splurge jean” if you’re looking for a nice pair of black jeans that you can wear on a night out. The fit is tighter and sleeker, and really hugs and accentuates all your curves.
Soludos embroidered Ibiza loafer in size 5
I fell in love with this feminine floral print, and this color is perfect for spring and summer. Their smallest size is a 5, which was a tad big for me, though it may work with some insoles. I went with the Ibiza mule option in the same floral print, since there is no backing and it doesn’t matter if it’s a little big.
Tory Burch Benton ballet flat (sz 4)
The Tory Burch benton ballet flat is so much comfier and feminine than the popular Tory Burch Reva flats. I tried on size 4 and it was a perfect fit. I love the rounded toe and the lack of stiff elastic banding seen in many of the brand’s other flats. This would be a great work shoe; it also comes in a bright blueberry blue and a soft pink.
The Cole Haan Tali Bow Skimmer Flat in size 4 is one of the favorite things I’ve received from this sale so far. The design is beautiful, the fit is perfect and doesn’t make my feet look wide, and to top it all off, there are CUSHIONED insoles! I am so looking forward to wearing this to work and I have a feeling I won’t have any foot pain even after standing in clinic for hours. HIGHLY recommend this and I’m even considering snatching this up in other colors!
Will update as more stuff comes in!
Nordstrom Anniversary Sale
The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is where I get most of my fall / winter casual and work clothes, and there are a TON of great finds this time around! I also linked a bunch of items you can wear with a more formal suit since interview season is coming up. You can shop now through July 19th online and in stores if you have a Nordstrom card, and then July 20 through August 5th for the public. I have a Nordstrom debit card and I always use it during the anniversary sale; it also comes with personal triple point days where you can earn more points for your purchase, and free tailoring!
Onto my picks:
Shoes
I wear size 4 in flats and size 5 in boots/booties, so I pretty much can’t find shoes anywhere except Nordstrom. I inevitably always buy a few pairs of boots or booties every year during this sale, and this year is no exception.
Tory burch benton ballet flat – such a pretty shoe for work and for play! I have a pair in gold and I love mine. This pair comes in sizes 4 to 13, classic black, blueberry (bright blue) and a beautiful shade of sea shell pink. These are selling like hotcakes so the 4’s are only left in blueberry.
Louise et Cie Cela Bow Slide – I’ve been coveting a pair of comfy slides and this pair comes with a huge floppy and adorable bow. I really like the red/pink combo and the leopard one is super cute too.
Cole Haan Tali Bow skimmer flat – great dupe ($99!) for the Salvatore Ferragamo varina patent ballet flats ($550!). The nude, black, or navy colors would be perfect for work. I just ordered this pair in leopard print. I think the hospital could use a little bit of leopard print
Tory burch benton pump – beautiful and elegant, with a rounded toe. Great for work or for transitioning from day to night! I like this even better than the benton flat; I think the small heel (2 1/4″) is just the right height to give your outfit some extra oomph but still allow for walking around the office / clinic. The malbec color is a gorgeous color for fall.
Steve Madden over the knee Stretch Boots: a good OTK book completes any winter outfit look, and this contour hugging fit would go great under a dress or skirt. We’ll have to see whether pants can actually fit inside these boots but from looking at the photos, I’d guess not.
Work Clothes
Trouve long sleeve wrap blouse: beautiful, feminine, draped silhouette. This would make a nice work top, but I would need to make sure the sleeves aren’t too long.
BP lace camisole – this is a closet staple that is great for layering under lower neckline sweaters, dresses, or cardigans.
Halogen side tie cashmere sweater – I own two of these Halogen cashmere sweaters in a crewneck form, and I LOVE them. They are super soft, comfy, and warm, and a staple for winter.
Bobeau side tie wrap top – gorgeous in green, elegant, and perfect for work.
Olivia Moon cotton blend knit blazer – the relaxed fit and cotton fabric dresses down the more formal blazer look. Also how lovely is the pink?! Obsessed.
Cece scallop edge top – great on its own, but for those shopping for the upcoming interview season, this would be a cute top to wear inside a suit. Another alternative is this one with a lovely Peter Pan color.
Vince Camuto ruffle neck blouse – again, would be super cute underneath a suit (remember I was looking for feminine yet professional alternatives to your plain dress shirt inside a suit?). The maroon color would be gorgeous for fall.
Casual
Leith Melange wrap dress: just ordered this in navy; easy to dress up or down. Plus it’ll probably be a tad longer on me, making it a little more casual and easy to wear on an everyday basis. It’s also a steal at $37!
Hinge mixed lace peplum top: I’m a sucker for lace and peplum so the two together is a no brainer for me…Also love the ruffle sleeve detail.
Leith Surplice Jumpsuit: huge fan of jumpsuits and this one is just SLIGHTLY risqué with a little peek a boo action in the midriff area. The wide legs may look ridiculous on me but what gives me hope is the higher waistline. We shall see how this fits!
Other
Chevron 29 inch and 20 inch spinner luggage set: currently, I only have two sizes of luggage: HUGE moving suitcases or small carry-on’s. Since I’m going on a 4 week trip soon in September, I need a suitcase that I can check in that isn’t so large I can barely lift it. I’m a sucker for pink and sadly, as I was going to put it in my cart, it went out of stock I’ll be hoping the pink gets restocked, but for now, the teal and black are still available!
Longchamp expandable tote: I love my black Le Pliage Longchamp bag and I use it for work daily. It holds up extremely well and whenever it gets dirty I can throw it in the washer. I’m pretty excited to find this expandable version, which makes for a wonderful travel bag for day or even weekend trips.
Madewell Lafayette leather bucket bag: This bag is truly gorgeous in the deep brown color complemented by gold hardware. I have a smaller Madewell leather cross body tote which I love and wear all the time with casual outfits, and I’m a huge huge fan of Madewell leather bags. This would be a good work or play bag.
Tumi Voyageur Halle nylon backpack: I was on the hunt for a good backpack for months and though I ended up choosing the Knomo London beauchamp backpack, I’m wishing this Tumi backpack were on sale back then! Everyone I spoke to recommended Tumi backpacks for their durability and how light they are. If you’re still in the market for a backpack (which I HIGHLY recommend if you’re carting around a laptop or books!), this one is an amazing deal, marked down 33%. They grey color is also super versatile and goes with any outfit.
That’s it for now; back to studying! Will update as some of my items arrive. Happy shopping!
Sofia Marcos says
OMG your feet is so small! How tall are you Joyce and do you mind if I ask your age? I got hypnotized reading all your shopping sprees. How did you carry all of them? Thanks looking forward for more of your interesting blogs.
Joyce says
Hi Sofia, yes my feet are tiny! I wish they were larger and I’m secretly hoping they’ll get bigger in pregnancy so I can find shoes more easily. Right now I can only shop at Nordstrom because they carry size 4. I mostly do online shopping so they get shipped to my home