The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale officially launched online at midnight last night and it’s YLF tradition to provide my top picks. A bumper issue with more than 80 items! Stores open bright and early this morning so swing by as soon as you can.

The Anniversary Sale kicks off the Autumn retail season and is hands down my favourite sale of the year. Nordstrom discounts brand new Autumn and Winter merchandise for two full weeks only. Prices go back up on August 1st. You can pre-select the sale with a sales assistant if you have a Nordstrom card. It’s too late to preselect for this year’s sale, but I highly recommend the process for next year.

There is a LOT on sale and it’s an overwhelming experience navigating through the goods. I’ve been preselecting merchandise with clients for ten days, so by now I’m very familiar with the fabulous assortment. Below are my suggestions that cover a range of price points. There are many, many more incredible items to be scored but I had to draw the line somewhere. I will be revisiting my list and exploring some areas in more detail as the sale progresses.

Jackets and Outerwear

• Bagatelle Faux Fur Trim Open Vest: Deliciously dramatic and I dare you to bring out your 70’s side! Available in both regular and plus sizes.
• Bebe Wool Blend Boucle Jacket: Cozy, casual and different. The funnel neck can be folded down into a V-neck revere collar if high necklines are not your thing.
• Charles Gray London Short Wool Coat: Cape-like and uber regal on tall gals.
• Bernado Distressed Lambskin Leather Jacket (plus): Love the colour and the quilting is fabulous.
• Classique Entier Lamb Moss Leather Jacket: A well made, lightweight and eclectic leather jacket in an unusual earthy colour. Sublime drape. Also looks incredible over a pencil skirt for the more professional you.
• Guess Knit Collar Wool Blend Jacket: A great mix of casual and chic, and the asymmetrical line is flattering. Remember that you can alter button positions to fit.
• Guess Leopard Print Faux Fur Coat: Oh my goodness! Just try it on if you love retro looks. The fit and length are fantastic.
• Guess Cable Knit Cape: An acquired taste, but pretty terrific. The cut line on the bust helps to structure the garment.
• Helene Berman Wool Blend Cape: Stunning! The two toned buttons, wrist fastening and yoke detailing make this cape a winner. Size down.
• Halogen Belted Tweed Jacket (petite): Retro, professional and polished in the best possible way.
• Hinge Vintage Leather Jacket: The extreme tailoring here make this darling exceptional. The sleeves are long and a little snug, but the knit rib insets work wonders.
• Kenneth Cole New York Zip Detail Coat (petite): An unusual colour and good fit. Fab zipper detailing.
• Miss Sixty Soft Shell Jacket: Impeccably made, machine washable, detachable hood and very fab. This is the way to look great at the park.
• Steve Madden Tweed Cape (Plus): Sherlock Holmes in a sassy way!
• Tahari Ruffle Trim Satin Trench: A fabulous dressy trench, especially in ink blue. Perfect over a cocktail dress.
• Trouve Shrunken Blazer:  Cheeky and fun layered over longer tops or dresses. The grey plaid gets my vote.
• Tahari Greyson Knit Collar Coat: This coat looks better on the body than in the photo. It has fab pocket detailing that the model is hiding with her hands. Available in plus and regular sizes.
• Elizabeth and James James Genuine Ostrich Feather Trim Blazer: Very dramatic! The lines are clean, which really tickles my fancy. A true conversational piece and I almost brought it home.
• Halogen Tiered Leather Jacket: My petite client looked incredible in this style. It’s available in both regular and petite, but I prefer it on petite ladies.
• Sejour Tweed Moto Jacket (Plus): Fits like a dream and looks amazing both with jeans and career wear. Tweed looks great with tall leather boots.

Boots and Booties

• Aquatalia by Marvin K “Undy” Woven Boot: BEAUTIFUL quality. The best boots at the sale and worth every penny. Killer comfortable and waterproof. Hip, yet timeless and ageless. Very tailored. The extraordinary stretchy uppers work on all sorts of calf widths from narrow to wide. Works pretty well on a wider foot too. I bought these in black and they will be wardrobe workhorses. Size up half a size.
• Born Bitsy Boot: Fab on a wider calf and comfy too. Love the distressed leather and light toned heel.
• Born Crown Woodlynne Bootie: The flattering cut on the ankle makes it a great silhouette to wear with skirts and dresses.
• Cole Haan Air Whitley Buckle Strap Boot: Edgy, yet classic. Also works for a wider foot and calf.
• Frye “Carmen Short Back Lace” Ankle Boot: Great colour and fabulous heel height. These Fryes were designed especially for this sale.
• Indigo by Clarks “Water Row” Bootie: Great for those who like to wear casual heels.
• Miz Mooz Kellen Boot: Comfy and interesting. The shaft is high so it’s extra great on long legs.
• Nine West Fango Boot: Great for a wider foot and remember that you can waterproof suede with spray.
• Paul Green Jano Leather Boot: A quality ped that’s amazing in every way. It’s comfortable, elegant, distressed and totally timeless. Graphite gets my vote.
• Report Bersen Ankle Boot: A great price for a cute and comfy slip on boot. Works for a wider foot.
• Seychelles Clue Bootie: Fab if you can manage the heel height.
• Steve Madden Lindley Contrast Zip Boot: Tall ladies with larger calves, try this style! The contrasting back zipper will make you smile.
• Nine West Revved Up Bootie: Another super style for skirts and dresses.

Shoes

• Attilio Giusti Leombruni Chain Trim Ballet Flat: Soft, soft, soft leather and works for a wider foot. For many women, this is the ballet flat of the decade.
• Cole Haan Air Tali Wedge Pump: This type of wedged ballet flat is unusual and I am impressed with the comfort level.
• Me Too London Pump: If you like fun platforms, give this one whirl. It’s stable and comfy.
• Sofft Fatina Mary Jane Pump: A super career wear option both with hose or bare legs.
• Trouve Curtis Laceless Oxford: I love these! Very comfortable and works for a wider foot. A very clean looking shoe.
• Cole Haan Air Sloane Patent Leather Loafer: Very Euro and beautiful in the cafe au lait. My feet were very happy in these.

Tops

• Alberta Makali Faux Fur Trim Print Cardigan: One of my clients received no fewer than 10 compliments when she popped this on at preselections. It fits really well, the faux fur is not overwhelming, it’s cozy as can be and makes quite the statement.
• Amber Sun Cable Trim Cardigan: Easy and a break from boyfriend and cascading cardigans.
• Bellatrix Sleeveless Collared Shirt: Super for warm weather and great on all body types. Nice on petites too.
• Caslon Short Sleeve Cabled Cardigan: Most of my clients have these. Great price and super streamlined. The cables are chunky yet the style is slimming and I don’t know why that is!
• Classiques Entier Print Tie Neck Blouse: Super for all bustlines and looks great under a jacket.
• Classiques Entier Print Silk Mesh Top: Another great career wear piece. No camisole required.
• Classiques Entier Cowl Neck Sweater: One of the best and most versatile basics at the sale. It’s a great length, super quality, fab fit and does not itch. It makes a great backdrop for scarves, looks fab under jackets or worn on it’s own. Make sure that the shoulder seams line up on your shoulder and pull the cowl down to get perfect drape. I bought a few colours.
• Daniel Rainn Print Tunic (plus): Great drape and rich earthy colours.
• Joie ‘Marlo’ Silk Blouse: Here’s another one for boxy bouse fans.
• Halogen Back Button Drape Neck Sweater: This is more casual than the cowl from Classiques. It’s perfect on lasses with broad shoulders or full bust lines, or both. It’s also available in stripes and in petites.
• Only Mine Cashmere Cowl Neck Sweater: I never thought that this would be fab, but it is. Just try it on.
• Pleione Sheer Floral Shirt: A super price for a casual-chic blouse.
• Pleione Sheer Print Tie Neck Blouse (Plus): My favourite plus size item and it’s also available in petites. Pretty, retro and modern all at once. Also comes in other patterns.
• Sejour Dolman Sleeve Sweater (Plus): Another versatile and flattering item for the well endowed.
• Vince Camuto Faux Fur Trim Cardigan: One of my 70 plus year old clients bought this in black and took my breath away.
• Vulin Ruched Top: This is an expensive tee but it’s thick, long and very cozy. No lumps and bumps.
• Caslon Dolman Sleeve Scoop Neck Top: Great for warm Autumn weather and hiding the tummy.
• Frenchi U-Neck Cape Top: If you’re petite with dainty shoulders and like the idea of a cape, start off with this style.
• Hinge Bubble Hem Silk Blouse: Ethereal and pretty with a pair of slim fit trousers, pencil skirt or jeans. Love it in navy.
• Paperwhite Tie Front Animal Print Blouse: This blouse comes in solid colours and it’s beautifully tailored. The bow is detachable. The photo does not do it justice.

Dresses

• Calvin Klein Zip Trim Ponte Knit Sheath Dress: This lovely sleeved dress is best on petites because it’s short. Nice colours.
• Eliza J Faux Wrap Jersey Dress: A good one for the holidays and hallelujah another style with sleeves! Great drape and a good length. Also available in plus sizes.
• Suzi Chin Maggy Boutique Silk Blouson Dress: It’s short but works well as a tunic.
• T Tahari ‘Kaiya’ Dress: Clean, classic and elegant.
• Eliza J Cowl Neck Dress (Plus): Simple, sleeved and versatile.

Bottoms

• Citizens of Humanity ‘Ava’ Straight Leg Stretch Denim Jeans (Noir Wash): A great basic. Not too skinny and not too wide.
• Classiques Entier ‘Brenna’ Lambskin Leather Skirt: My favourite skirt at the sale. Sophisticated and edgy. Great with blouses and soft cashmere tops. No tall leather boots here though. Pumps and booties all the way.
• KUT from the Kloth Skinny Stretch Jeans (Plus): Another great basic. Also available in regular sizes.
• Nic + Zoe Rib Knit Boot Skirt: Midi skirts are up and coming. Be on-trend with this one.
• Sejour Houndstooth Knit Skirt (Plus): Fun, mod, stretchy and a flattering length.
• T Tahari ‘Borage’ Skirt: Flirty!
• Joe’s ‘Provocateur’ Mid Rise Bootcut Stretch Denim Jeans (Petite): Try these if you are petite and curvy.
• Hinge Plaid Flannel Shorts: Delightfully baggy and fabulous with boots.
• Trouvé Leather Shorts: Edgy and cool when matched with a soft top and dressy pumps or booties.

Accessories

• Lulu Floppy Felt Hat: Full on 70’s and utterly adorable.
• Alexis Bittar Leopard Hinged Bangle (Nordstrom Exclusive): Pricy, but quite the statement.
• Alexis Bittar Leopard Disc Pendant Necklace (Nordstrom Exclusive): Versatile, chic and understated. You could wear it every day.
• Cara Accessories Peacock Long Statement Pendant Necklace: Bold and playful.
• Cara Accessories Swirl Knot Stretch Ring: Fun!
• Nordstrom Geometric Statement Pendant Long Necklace: My favourite pendant necklace at the sale. Simple, yet strong. Comes in a variety of metals.

Handbags

• Dooney & Bourke Ostrich Embossed Satchel: Different and awfully retro. The lining knocked my socks off.
• Halogen Military’ Leather Satchel: I adore the military vibe of this amazing boyish bag.
• Olivia Harris ‘Collar Stud – Small’ Flap Satchel: Another great different looking handbag. I’ve had my fill of unstructured hobos and so have most of my clients. We are into structured satchels.
• Cole Haan ‘Vintage Valise – Kendra’ Snake Embossed Leather Tote: Pretty against dark clothing in the Winter time.

Remember that not everything is available online. Top stores have even more items to choose from, so if you’re serious about this sale, head over to a very large Nordstrom. Call customer service if you’ve seen something on someone else but cannot find it online or in a store.

If they don’t have your size in store, Nordstrom will ship it to you asap. Also, don’t panic if things are sold out. People return items left, right and center and items often come back into stock both in stores and online. But in order to get the price advantage you have to purchase by the 31st July, or wait until end of season sales in November and December.

If you’ve already shopped the sale, feel free to share what you’ve bought in the comments section. Post your finds on our forum if you’re unsure about your loot. And remember that you can use the YLF iPhone app to post pictures and questions directly from the store. I’ll be watching for incoming questions and together with our great community on the forum I’ll guide you as best as I can.

Modgrl enjoys Heidi Klum’s look of the day because she often posts her glam self sans makeup. The best part about the outfit shots are peeking into Heidi’s closet and home.

Desmo April enjoyed two recent posts by Male Pattern Boldness, first as he takes you through a typical women’s magazine from 1951, and then the Ladies Home Journal of 1972. What a change!.

Dresslover was saddened when her favourite independent dress label Issa London officially became mainstream. Hopefully the quality be stay top notch.

Queen Mum was reminded that things are not always as they appear on photos after watching this extreme makeover video. WOW.

Diana discovered my closet in sketches where the blogger presents her daily outfits with beautiful hand illustrated drawings instead of photographs. I am in awe of this type of artistic talent.

These ethereal Ellie Saab wedding gowns mesmerized Rae, who would pick one out in a heartbeat if she had unlimited funds.

Astrid enjoyed Emily’s simple outfit and fab hairdo when she visited her home town Berlin.

Inge informs us that a new shopping center that caters exclusively to men just opened its doors in Prague. How do we feel about that, ladies?

If you love dramatic polka dot blouses, check out the one Taylor fell in love with on Karla last week.

Take a peek at models dressed up like rock stars through the ages. Cocolion and I agree that rocker style is timelessly cool.

Kate Middleton is becoming a style icon and Lisa really likes her looks. Lyn is addicted to what Kate wore.

Kristine wonders whether pantyhose are back in fashion because bare legs are so 2010.

Jonesy says that she understands when blogger Jentine, who is also 5ft 11, gets double takes and stares when she wears heels.

CoraNyn enjoyed Wave’s opinion on Vogue Italia’s issue called Vogue Curvy. It’s quite the controversial topic!

Our fab friends Morgan and Christina hosted a delightful Rosé Party on the deck of their home late last Saturday afternoon. The sun was out, the air was warm and there were plenty of delicious eats. We had a lovely time!

Christina, who loves the colour orange, inspired me to wear a billowing asymmetrical blouse that I bought at Zara during the YLF gathering in Pasadena. Orange is not my best colour, but every Dutch gal needs an orange wardrobe item. This is my patriotic piece.

I adore BIG boxy blouses in soft fabrications and wear them very frequently. I find it awfully liberating to not have the waistline tailored, or rein in the volume with a belt. Since it was a casual affair, I paired the blouse with zippered skinnies and new Stuart Weitzman ballet flats.

I also wore Chanel accessories, which would have ordinarily been too glitzy and dressy for this type of casual setting. But it also happened to be my birthday – and I wanted to be a Chanel girl on my birthday. I figured that my flat shoes, jeans and voluminous blouse dressed down and relaxed the Chanel accessories. The picture would have been quite different if I’d worn dressy heels and a form fitting top. I kept the bag on at the party because I was standing for most of the time.

Morgan, Christina’s husband and the wonderful gentlemen who worked with Greg on the YLF iPhone app, takes fashion and style very, very seriously. He’s a superbly spunky dresser who sports peroxided white spiky hair and killer specs. I was warmly greeted by Morgan who said: “Look at you! You’ll all shiny and jangle-y! I love it!” Christina said: “Oooh, I like your top! I love orange.” I also matched Biscuit, their French Bulldog, who almost always wears an orange collar.

This is the outfit that inspired me to write about approachable style earlier this week. Some people may think that my glitzy Chanel accessories would make the outfit less approachable in this sort of casual home party setting. I’ll probably never know for certain, but it didn’t seem that way. I laughed and yakked with people I had met for the first time and felt perfectly at ease. People were really nice and very friendly. Perhaps that’s because I was 100% comfortable in my outfit. Perhaps it’s because my body language made me approachable.

Or perhaps it’s because it was my birthday and nothing was going to get in the way of me wearing Chanel!

Capes and caplets waft in and out of fashion and are usually a fringe trend. I don’t think that they will be mainstream for Autumn and Winter either, but they are becoming more popular. The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is offering lots of capes and poncho type coats and coverups this year. I will be sharing my top cape picks and how to wear them over the next couple of weeks.

In a good example of the ripple effect of fashion silhouettes, the cape goes hand in hand with the dolman and bat wing sleeved tops and knitwear that are featuring for Fall. The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale range is also full of dolman sleeved knitwear and poncho styled cardigans. At the NAS pre-selections this week, many women were fitting on capes over dolman sleeved knitwear and quite a few of my clients were among them. I found the look refreshing.