Finally, here are my top picks for all sorts of bottoms. Jeans were particularly good at the sale and there are some trouser gems too. The best skirts were straight and tapered, which is a pity because I adore flared skirts. I warned my clientele against leather skirts because they crease terribly at the back after sitting in them for a while, and you can’t iron the leather.
It has been a ten day marathon working the NAS, but I’m in my element and enjoy every minute. It’s my busiest time of the year and I absolutely thrive on it. My clients are wonderful, and our forum members have been excited, supportive and very helpful. I haven’t covered lingerie, activewear, menswear, home wear and children’s wear in my lists, but do check out those areas too.
Remember that items DO come back into stock throughout the fortnight of the sale so keep checking back on the items that tickle your fancy. Good hunting!
Skirts
- Leith Floral Stretch Knit Pencil Skirt: Best affordable skirt at the sale. Excellent fit, great fabric, cute pattern, elegant length, versatile, easy to launder, comfortable and crease-resistant. Slimming. I WISH they had offered this in a wider assortment of sizes.
- Classiques Entier Jacquard Front Pencil Skirt: A classic beauty that works marvelously well with the matching jacket for a business formal look. Good on an hourglass and slight pear shaped body type. Fabulous quality.
- Halogen Asymmetrical Zip Pencil Skirt (Regular & Petite): Clients either loved or intensely disliked this style. When it fits, it's killer. Very affordable. It runs small so size up. Works well on a long torso and curvy figure. Not as good on narrow hips and a wider waist. Stay away if you are apple shaped. Great length and easy to style with a black support act.
- Hinge Denim Pencil Skirt (Rain Dusk Vintage): Best denim skirt at the NAS. GREAT length and fit. Tapers back to the knee, and has worked on many body types. The front slit is surprisingly subtle, so don't worry about it. Runs at least a size big. You need to wear it a little lower on the hips, so pull it down.
- Lafayette 148 New York 'Revelin' Tweed Pencil Skirt (Regular & Petite): Modern Classic Fabness. Ultra polished and beautifully made. Gorgeous fabric that does not crease. Good on a curvy hourglass.
- MELISSA MCCARTHY SEVEN7 Digital Print Ponte Pencil Skirt (Plus Size): A great tube skirt with plenty of length. Fun pattern and easily paired with a black top. Streamlined and forgiving.
- Boss 'Vulara' Stretch Wool Blend Suit Skirt: The fabric and colour are sublime. Very lightweight with good drape. It has a matching blazer for a formal suited look. Good on many body types.
- BP Rib Knit Pencil Skirt: An easy textured tube skirt that also comes in a two-toned grey and black. Super fabric and affordable price. Plenty of length for tall gals. Runs small.
- Vince Camuto Ponte Midi Skirt (Online Only): A wonderful basic back knitted skirt with LENGTH. Weighty fabric, and quite forgiving of belly bulges. Great fit because it tapers back onto the waist. Works on many body types. Good price. Dress it up or down.
See the items alongside my descriptions on the collection page.
Pants
- Halogen Kick Flare Knit Ankle Pants (Regular & Petite): Best cropped flares at the sale and affordable too. Very substantial fabric, and wonderfully dressy. They have worked on every body type from super straight to very curvy, and from a size 2 to a size 16. A genius cut. They mould to your body but do not look like a "sausage casing" either. Easy to shorten for petites.
- MAX MARA 'Pegno' Jersey Crop Pants: Incredibly comfortable stretchy cropped pants that work well on a straighter hourglass. Good on tall gals. It has a matching long blazer that looks incredible when worn as a suit. The grey is slightly textured. Very luxurious.
- Classiques Entier Leather Trim Flare Leg Pants (Regular & Petite): Best bootcut trousers of them all. They are relatively slim on the legs and flare out at the hem with magnificent drape. Luxe and chic. Glorious in motion. Works on many body types. Petites looked amazing in the petite sizes. Stunning fabric and beautiful quality.
- Jen7 Stretch Sateen Slim Straight Leg Pants: Wonderful sueded casual pants. The green is as fab as the burgundy. They work extremely well on a curvy figure, and might run a size big. They have plenty of room on the calves if you have wider calves. They also cuff well into cropped pants with a wide cuff.
- 3.1 Phillip Lim Pleated Glen Plaid Crop Wool Pants: Modern Retro Fabness. These ultra trendy trousers are an acquired taste. They bring back the '80s in a wonderful way, although the fabric is very '40s. You have to wear them with a tucked top to showcase the buckle detailing, otherwise what's the point? Works well on a curvy figure with a defined waist, or a more rectangular figure with a defined waist. They pouf out when you sit, so you have to be okay with that. Exquisite quality and very comfy.
- Joie 'Bardot' Crop Flare Leg Pants: Glorious fabric and dressier than jeans. The flares are quite dramatic so consider yourself warned. They also have a very high rise. Worked on many body types. Good on curvy bodies too.
- Lyssé High Waist Faux Leather Leggings: Machine washable pleather leggings that do NOT create muffin top. The knees might bag out a little. Can be shortened for petites. Read the rave reviews.
- Spanx Faux Leather Leggings: Best leggings at the sale. Super Hero Liquid Mercury Fabness. It makes everything look more modern. Fabulous under dresses, skirts and tunics. Great tummy control too. They are hard to get on, but worth the effort.
- Eileen Fisher Crop Wide Leg Trousers (Regular & Petite): Smart casual comfy knitted culottes. They look relaxed rather than crisp. Fab with a shorter sweater. Works on many body types and size down.
See the items alongside my descriptions on the collection page.
Jeans
- Citizens of Humanity 'Emerson' Slim Boyfriend Jeans (Palmero): Best comfortable cropped jeans at the sale. Relaxed fit with excellent back pocket positioning. Works on most body types. Will not stretch out. Size down a size.
- AG 'Farrah' High Rise Skinny Jeans: A repeat style that has made many clients happy. VERY comfy and fit like a glove. Girdling higher rise. Works on many body types.
- KUT from the Kloth 'Diana' Colored Denim Skinny Jeans: Best olive jeans at the sale because they weren't "sausage casing" tight. NICE bright olive. Great on those who need more room around the calves. Tends to work best on a straighter figure, but curvy gals have been lucky with this style too.
- Joe's 'Olivia' Crop Flare Jeans (Julissa): Very fun flared crops that work extremely well on curvier figures. Gorgeous fabric. Length is off for petites unless you hack the released hem. Might run a size small.
- KUT from the Kloth 'Reese' Distressed Stretch Straight Leg Ankle Jeans (Capability) (Regular & Petite): These worked on most of my clients who tried them on, both straight and curvy hipped. The distressing is not that bad. Petite lengths are available!
- Chelsea28 Denim Culottes (Blue Mode Medium Vintage): Best denim culottes at the NAS. Gorgeously '70s and the distressing is in all the right places. It fits both curvy and straighter figures. Hack the raw hem to shorten the length for petites. Runs small so you might need to size up.
- Rag & Bone JEAN 'The Dre' Slim Boyfriend Pants: Great deep burgundy jeans with a slightly relaxed fit. They are quite wide at the waist, so you might need a belt if you are curvy. Or simply size down for a tighter fit.
- FRAME 'Le High Straight' High Rise Staggered Hem Jeans (Carroll) (Nordstrom Exclusive): Best trendy jeans at the sale. Higher rise, soft denim that isn't overly stretchy, fun hem treatment, and slight distressing. Works well on a moderately curvy and straighter figure. Will not work on petites as the hems cannot be shortened.
- Rag & Bone / Jean 'The Dre' Slim Fit Boyfriend Jeans (Yesler): These jeans were either loved or intensely disliked by clients. They are killer when they fit. They run wider on the waist so curvier gals will need a belt or have the waist altered. They are tight through the leg if you have wider calves. The length works fine on petites who can wear the cuffs at the ankle.
See the items alongside my descriptions on the collection page.
NAS Top Picks by Category
This is part of a five post series.
- Coats, Jackets and Vests
- Footwear and Accessories
- Tops and Knitwear
- Dresses and Dress Toppers
- Skirts, Pants and Jeans (this post)
Also check out my introduction to the series, my tips on how to shop the sale, and the items I brought home from the sale.
