Thanks for the advance notice Angie. I like the idea of going online for the first peek at the sale items.
Hmmm. I may meet you there on the morning of the sale. You are very brave to put out that invitation! HaHa!

Smart.... getting on line at midnight:) Wish I could get to Seattle!!

The store near me does a preview over the three days ahead of event. They close off fitting rooms and put samples of everything in there so you can pick out what you like. Sales associates will go in back and pull your size so you can pre-hold and pick up when ready.
Last year, my sales assoc let me take home same day though!

Wish I was still in Olympia - I would love a YLF NAS event.

Great tips on how to navigate the sale. I'm saving my pennies for the next two months!

Okay, within the last two weeks I have gotten this fortune twice in my fortune cookies:

"Your talents will be recognized soon."

I hope that means I get a job and can celebrate by replenishing my closet at NAS. It seems like every time NAS comes around, I am unemployed :(

You know, in spite of living within close range of the flagship store as well as a more local Nordstrom for most of my life, I have *never* been to the anniversary sale. I always imagined it to be too crowded, crazy, and intimidating to be worth it. How bad are the crowds & how good are the discounts?

I would totally jump at the chance to meet Angie and other YLF-ers who are navigating the sale, but I'll probably be working during the first day. :(

Angie, I am looking for a great motorcycle jacket in brown, cropped with gold hardware. It has been impossible so far. Do you think Nordstroms would have anything like this at this sale or the later one? I thought the sale was in August? I guess my question is when is the best selection of leather jackets?

Thanks for the headsup Angie! Sniff..can't join you all in Seattle.

Jean, it's a distinct possibility. Time will tell.

Kari, items are between 40 to 50% off for two weeks only. Good time to go for the good stuff. Wish I could beam you all up for the sale!

Angie, I would love to join you, but there is no way I can work it into my schedule. *big sigh* I think I might have to work it online, and starting at midnight is a great idea. I hope there will be narrow calf boots!

Marianne, you could meet up with us later in the morning if you like? Bring your cherub and hang out AFTER shopping online at midnight :0). Would that work?

I might be able to figure something out after 9 or 9:30, but by then wouldn't it be a zoo? I'll think about it :)

Great!

Oh, darling - it’s a zoo at 7am. But a VERY organized, controlled, clean and stylish zoo. This is Nordstrom – the height of customer service. They have it down to a T. It’s loads of fun actually.

This will be my first anniversary sale since I've never been the right size before. To say I CANNOT WAIT would be the understatement of the decade. *g*

How nice of them to start the sale on my birthday!

how exciting! i'll be awake with you, angie, at midnight...though i think it's 2 am here. oh well, it's rare that i go to bed any earlier than that, so, bring on the sale! im hoping to find a cute dress for our wedding rehearsal dinner!

Midnight PST or EST? :-)

Ok, if it's in July then I assume it's summer clothes? Or, <drool drool> is it fall & I need to start saving now too????

Oh! Sweet, Tara. You and I are the same star sign. Kristin, you won’t be disappointed.

Shell, and all the others staying up late on the eve of the NAS, it’s going to be a fun night…well.....I mean morning. Lots to yak about while we shop till dawn hours . It's midnight Seattle time (PST) – Nordies head office is based in Seattle. I suppose you could also get up really early if you live on the East Coast?

It’s also important to actually SEE the sale in stores. There is not usually a 100% overlap between what’s sold online and in stores, so be sure to swing past. If you’re between a size 6 and 10 (M and L), you’ll have no problem getting your size online or in stores, unless the entire inventory of a style is sold out. It’s sizes 0 to 4 and 12 to 16 that sell out FAST.

From a retail perspective, I’m really interested to see HOW Nordies decided to pitch the sale in the light of our recession.

Oh! That's 3 AM here... but at least it's a Friday; I suppose I could talk my DH into taking me out dancing until 2 AM beforehand, to keep me awake! :-)

I've been meaning to ask about Nordie's. I have recently been to two local Nordie's. I don't usually go there, because it means a drive for me, so it's been months and months since I've been in the store. I noticed both Nordie's had been renovated and seemed to be MUCH different than I had remembered, with a different mix of clothes too? A lot less clothes, more upscale than I remember - more like a Bloomie's than a Macy's, if that makes sense? I always thought of Nordies as better than Macy's but not quite a Bloomie's. On par with Lord & Taylors, but with more stuff, like Macy's. It seemed the two Nordie's I visited recently were more and more like Bloomie's?

I went there during my recent dress hunt. I thought Nordie's would have more dresses to choose from, but Macy's had 4x's as many dresses - and conveniently all within one area, whereas Nordie's had the dresses spread out all over and there just wasn't as much to choose from. NOT like online.

So I am dubious about lining up early Saturday morning for a sale... it's a long drive for me (well, long I suppose is relative: anything longer than 30 minutes is a drive for me!). I might do that if the Nordie's was more like I before, and not like it is now. :-(

Nordies is a lot more upscale than Macys. More like Bloomies. Some Nordstroms are more upscale than others and look like Saks. The one in SF blows me away. It’s even nicer then the flagship. But when it comes to dresses – Macys is your best bet for sure.

Ah, yes... I almost said Saks... that is exactly what these two stores were like. The first I could understand (was in an upscale mall); the second I didn't understand. It was not an upscale mall AND the store was laid out nearly EXACTLY the same as the first, with exact same merchandise. I was quite disheartened.

Honestly, it was a disappointment for me! I went there hoping to find some dresses I'd seen on their online site, but they didn't have them. They didn't have much at all - especially in the petite department, which was sorry, sorry, sorry. Yes, the store was beautifully laid out, but I was hoping for more selection. Not just in clothing but in price point too!

I think I will just stay home, set my alarm, and surf at 3 AM... there will be better selection online! I'll take my chances on the returns. :-(

I will definitely have to set a reminder in my phone. We only have one Nordstrom here in Houston and I have never been to an anniversary sale. I guess I was too intimidated to go into Nordstrom's, because I can not afford a lot of the items they carry, but this sounds promising. 12 a.m. Seattle time is 2 a.m. here in Houston, so I will be ready! Thanks for the info. Angie!

Shiny I have to say I agree with your opinions on nordies too. After seeing heaps of great items on their website over the last few months, I was a bit let down by how little the SF store seemed to have on display; that and that nothing there appealed to me at all really. The actual store was lovely though. Is Neiman Marcus even more upscale? The SF store is just amazing; I felt like I was in an art gallery or something!!!

What season will it be ladies - summer or fall clothes then? THANKS! :)

Does anyone know if Nordy's will deliver sale items to Canada? *crosses fingers*

I have shopped at Nordstroms a few times now, but the store is 3 hours away. I am always pushed for time and really have never been able to figure out exactly how the stores are organized. Angie, can you give us some tips? In which departments should a 50 something teacher spend her limited time?

My local Nordstrom is quite small and I remember going in a couple of days after the sale started and most of the good stuff was already gone but yikes 3am for online!!! I am hoping to score some narrow calf boots this year as well.

I've been catching up and just read this. JewelryGirl, the Anniversary Sale is the new fall stuff which is why the sale is so special. (Somebody correct me if I'm wrong! )