Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Picks!

Have you guys heard of this store called Nordstrom? Apparently there's some big sale going on? Kidding. It's that time of year again! The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is here and it is without a doubt the best sale of the year. Brand new products for summer and fall at killed prices - heck yes! I don't know about you guys, but my Instagram feed is flooded with everyone's fun picks from the #NSale. I love seeing what everyone is finding! This sale can be super overwhelming so it helps me to check out what everyone else is loving to get some ideas.

Now I am SO not ready for fall, but I do admit this sale has me a little giddy over all the fun outfit possibilities. When shopping this sale, I like to be strategic. I think about what I already have in my closet, what I reached for last season that I wish I had, and go from there. This sale is perfect for grabbing those wardrobe staples at killer prices - like boots, coats and sweaters. Everything will go up in price come August 8th, and some items don't get restocked during the sale, so grab stuff while you can! Don't forget, you can always return things, too. With certain items I even order multiple sizes to ensure I get the best fit. 

I've gone through and picked the top 20 items that I just LOVE and will be adding to my shopping basket. Check them out below!

FINE PRINT: The sale is currently only open to Nordstrom cardholders from July 14th - 21st and will open to everyone else on July 22nd. If you don't have a card you can still apply now and take advantage of the early access!

Almost all these items come in multiple colors!

1. Free People Open Back Sweater

2. Treasure & Bond Stripe Sweater

3. Leith Dress

4. Karen Kane Top

5. BP Plaid Shirt

6. Rails Plaid Shirt (under $100 which is awesome for this brand - great quality)

7. Vince Coat

8. Leith Shawl Collar Sweater

9. Topshop Oversized Cardigan (one of my top 3 picks)

10. Frye Riding Boots

11. Steve Madden Bootie (LOVE the tie detail!)

12. Phase 3 Floppy Hat (how great is this for $20!?)

13. BCBGeneration Bootie (torn between the grey I pictured or olive!)

14. Steve Madden Thigh High Boots (seriously, if you don't own OTK boots you need them)

15. Rebecca Minkoff Saddle Bag (love this color!)

16. Halogen Cashmere Cardigan (under $100 for cashmere!)

17. Barefoot Dreams Cardigan (THE coziest looking sweater!)

18. Vince Camuto Bootie

19. Halogen Over The Knee Boots (I repeat, you NEED OTK boots)

20. Chelsea28 Faux Leather Clutch (great Stella McCartney dupe and only $30!) 

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All the links above will take you directly to the items, but I've also added shop widgets by category below (price shown on hover does not reflect sale price).

SWEATERS

SHOES

COATS/TOPS/FASHION ITEMS

ACCESSORIES

If you love blanket scarves and wraps, there are a TON of great ones in the sale.

If you've already shopped the sale I'd love to hear what you scored! Leave a comment with your findings. Happy shopping!

It's My Birthday!

Dress / Belt / Bralette / Shoes / Watch / Necklace (Use code SWEETANDSAUER for $10 off $30+ or $25 off $75+)

It's my birthday! Holy cow where does the time go? This last year has been a rollercoaster and, quite frankly, the worst year of my life with the cancer diagnosis and Crohn's flare. But with that comes reflection and learning experiences, and that's what I wanted to share today. I'm excited for my birthday this year because it means a new year, a fresh start, and the beginning of some positivity! Despite everything, I'm happy and have a positive outlook for the future. Here's what I've learned this last year:

1. Everything can change with the blink of an eye & you're not invincible. 

One minute you're dancing at the Ed Sheeran concert, the next you're in the hospital being diagnosed with cancer. I was totally guilty of having that "it won't happen to me" mentality, until it actually happened to me. And while this is not an ideal situation, it changed my outlook and perspective on life and put a lot of things into perspective. All in good ways.

2. Don't sweat the small stuff.

There are bigger problems in the world than running into a cute guy or ex-boyfriend when you look like a mess. Don't get me wrong, I complained about some DUMB stuff before all this. But once I realized that there are bigger problems in the world, it makes all that other stuff seem trivial. There's no need to waste energy or get upset over things that really won't matter 5 hours or 5 days from now. Life is too short to get hung up on things that won't matter in the long run. Brush it off and don't worry, be happy :)

3. When people show you who they are, believe them.

I love the lyrics of the song "Find Out Who Your Friends Are" because it's so true! When people want to be there for you, let them. And nourish those friendships, because those are the ones that last. And when people don't show up for you the way you expected or wanted them to, it's ok. Sometimes it takes a major life event to learn who falls where, but it's better to know who your real friends are sooner than later. But no matter what, be kind to everyone and treat others the way you want to be treated.

4. Everything happens for a reason.

Sometimes I love this phrase, and other times I hate it so much. But when things get really tough and I want to give up, it ironically keeps me going. Life isn't fair sometimes, and that's ok. That has been one of the harder lessons to swallow, but it's reality. The sooner you can come to accept that things aren't always fair, the better off you'll be. All the things we go through in life, good and bad, shape who we are as people. Some people have easier paths than others, but those paths make us who we are and we can all learn from both our experiences and the things others go through as well. 

5. Take care of yourself!

Take care of your mind, your body and your health. Go to the doctor regularly. Eat well. Exercise. Wear your sunscreen. Make a conscious effort to BE HAPPY. Like I said earlier, we're not all invincible. Take care of yourself, because you are the only thing you're guaranteed in this life.

Thank you all for being Sweet & Sauer readers and followers. I have so much fun working on this blog and sharing things with all of you, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! Your support means the world to me. Here's to the next year to come!

Initial cancer story here, FAQ here, latest health update here

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Trunk Club Review + Easy Summer Dress

Photos by Brandon Hill

Dress: Free People (my color sold out, but I LOVE the black, duh) / Shoes: Sam Edelman / Purse: Coach (c/o) / Watch: Michael Kors / Lips: MAC 'Myth' + Buxom 'White Russian'

Happy Monday! I figured it was time to break up all the black I have going on with my Instagram and blog lately. I'm the first to admit I wear a ton of black and neutral colors, but lately it's been turned into overdrive apparently! I like what I like I guess? 

I absolutely love this new dress for the summer, it's super lightweight and easy to throw on. I actually got it through Trunk Club! I decided to give Trunk Club a try and was pleasantly surprised! Don't get me wrong, I love to pick out my own clothes because I can definitely be a little picky, but sometimes it's nice to have a fresh pair of fashion eyes pick out things for you. Both these shoes and my dress came from my first trunk and I absolutely love them both - I don't know that I would have normally picked either out for myself initially.

Trunk Club was super easy. I answered style questions and had a nice chat with Sarah my stylist about what I was missing in my wardrobe and what my likes and dislikes are. Once your trunk is curated, you can preview the items that are going to be sent to you and provide immediate feedback so you really get the most out of your trunk. Once your trunk arrives, you have 10 days to try on your items and decide what you want to keep. After your selections are made, you send the trunk back and provide feedback on what you liked and didn't like about your items so your stylist can really nail all your future trunks.

If you want to give Trunk Club a try, use my referral link and my stylist, Sarah, will take good care of you! I love that there is no financial obligation to sign up, and all the item prices match what you would pay in store. Plus, shipping is free both ways so it's literally like someone just shops for you. Perfect for busier times in life :) Disclaimer: this post was NOT sponsored by Trunk Club, I was just pleasantly surprised with the process and wanted to share with you all. 

Have a great rest of your week, thank you for stopping by!

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