My Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Story: 10 Years, 3 Generations

Grit & Glammers, the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale opens its doors again this week — and before we talk about a single blazer or bath towel, I want to tell you why this sale means more to me than any markdown ever could.

I’ve been covering the Anniversary Sale for ten years now — ever since I started blogging and we moved to Athens. That very first year, Mr. Style tagged along and promptly disappeared into the men’s department, entirely content to do his own shopping while I did mine. It was a modest start; I didn’t cover the sale extensively for another two or three years, when Kelly and I headed to Atlanta to shop it properly for the first time.

We came home from that Atlanta trip with our bags and our stories, and that evening the whole family headed to one of our favorite restaurants. Mr. Style was with us that night — present, happy, surrounded by his family — and he thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. He would pass away only a few days later. That dinner remains one of my sweetest memories, and it’s forever stitched to this sale.

Key Takeaways

• The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale runs July 18–August 9, 2026, with Early Access for cardmembers beginning July 14 — new fall arrivals on sale before the season starts.
• This year marks Nordstrom’s 125th anniversary and my tenth year covering the Anniversary Sale — a family tradition now spanning three generations.
• Below you’ll find my picks across seven edits: Frank & Eileen, Veronica Beard (and a little Vince), Nordstrom Made, activewear, intimates & sleepwear, home decor, and baby gear for the grandbabies.
• Every pick lives in my ShopMy collections, updated daily with restocks.

A Birthday, Shared

Here’s the part I still can’t quite get over.

June — my first granddaughter, who joined us at the sale last year at the ripe old age of eight weeks — shares a birthday with Mr. Style.

She never met her grandfather. But every year on their birthday, and every July when this sale rolls around, she’s walking in his company. Some traditions we choose. Some, I’ve come to believe, choose us.

The Ritual

Over ten years, the sale has settled into a rhythm as familiar as a favorite recipe. One year, a dear friend joined me. Then it became the family tradition it is today, with a shape all its own: dinner the evening prior at Le Colonial in Atlanta — a nod back to the three years I lived in Vietnam in the mid-2000s (a story for another post, I promise), and the kind of place where the anticipation is half the fun. Then the main event the next morning: shopping the sale properly, followed by lunch at the Nordstrom café, where we spread out our finds and second-guess exactly nothing.

For the past four years, my photographer Jess — who is family in every way that counts — has joined us, camera in hand, part of the tradition herself.

Which is why this year feels different. On July 20, I’m headed to New York City for a YouTube x Nordstrom shopping event, where I’ll be filming the sale for all of you. No Le Colonial, no café lunch with the usual crew — a new city and a new chapter. And fittingly, Nordstrom itself is celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2026. Wowza. I love a legacy like that — because if this brand has taught me anything, it’s that anniversaries aren’t really about the years. They’re about the people we carry forward through them. And last summer, June “shopped” the sale from her stroller while her mama and I debated cashmere colors — so believe me, the tradition is in good hands. It will be waiting for us in Atlanta next year.

So this year’s edit is organized the way my life is: my closet, my new Atlanta apartment, and my grandbabies — with a third arriving in September, just in time to inherit the tradition.

New here? The full sale strategy, dates, and my complete top ten live in my Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2026 Guide

Frank & Eileen: My Go-To for Real Life (and Travel)

Frank & Eileen is one of my go-to brands, full stop — I own every single piece on this list, and they’re great to travel in, too, which matters when your July includes a flight to New York. These are the pieces that carry me from Athens to the Dunwoody apartment to BeBe days with the granddaughters.

1. Eileen Relaxed Denim Button-Up Shirt — the shirt I reach for on repeat. Relaxed, never sloppy.
2. Patrick Popover Henley Sweatshirt — elevated enough for errands that turn into lunch.
3. Belfast Peacoat — an investment coat at a genuine discount; this is what the Anniversary Sale is for.
4. Monterey Funnel Neck Sweater — the sweater equivalent of a warm hug.
5. Eileen Relaxed Cotton Corduroy Button-Up Shirt — corduroy season will be here before you know it.

Shop my full Frank & Eileen collection here.

Veronica Beard (and a Little Vince)

Speaking of brands worth waiting for — now is a very good time to shop Veronica Beard.

1. Suede Loafers — suede in fall’s best neutral. These will sell through.
2. Suede Bucket Bag — the splurge that earns its keep for years.
3. Catriona Cotton Blend Button-Up Shirt — pure American Classic.

And I also love Vince — quiet luxury before anyone called it that:

4. Drape Sweater Coat — the throw-it-over-everything piece for Georgia’s version of winter.
5. Cotton Midi Dress — one zip, done.

Shop my full Veronica Beard collection here.

Nordstrom Made: Oh So Affordable

Nordstrom’s in-house brands are the quiet overachievers of this sale — the quality-to-price ratio is hard to beat.

1. Leather Pants — yes, leather pants. Yes, at our age. Especially at our age.
2. Crewneck Cashmere Sweater — the workhorse. I buy a new color every year, and every year it sells out first. Consider yourself warned.
3. Suede Balloon Sleeve Jacket — the statement piece of the bunch.
4. This blouse — it looks just like a Veronica Beard blouse I own and love, at a fraction of the price. Run.
5. Textured Cotton Cardigan — the everyday layer you’ll wear until spring.

Shop my full Nordstrom Made collection here.

Activewear: My Pilates Uniform and Beyond

Let’s talk brands: Varley is by far my favorite for casual activewear, Beyond Yoga is my Pilates uniform, and give me a pair of Vuori joggers any day of the week. And then there’s Spanx. My actual Pilates uniform? A Beyond Yoga set with an open stitch cardigan thrown over the top.

1. Varley Open Stitch Cardigan — the piece that makes activewear look intentional.
2. Beyond Yoga Space Dye High Waist Midi Leggings — buttery soft and opaque where it counts.
3. Beyond Yoga Space Dye Long Layered Bra — the matching half of the uniform.
4. Vuori Joggers — give me a pair of these any day of the week. The pair that leaves the house.
5. Spanx Booty Boost Leggings — one of the best leggings out there, period.
6. Spanx Air Essentials — the travel line that feels like pajamas and looks like an outfit.

Shop my full Activewear collection here.

Intimates & Sleepwear: The Quiet Heroes

This is the category nobody photographs, and everybody should shop — because the Anniversary Sale is the once-a-year moment to restock the foundations.

Sleepwear first:

1. Madison Stripe Cotton Pajamas — classic stripes, crisp cotton.
2. Cashmere Lounge Set — for the mornings that deserve better than a ratty robe.
3. Petite Plume Colette Fleur Blush Scalloped Edge Cotton Twill Pajamas — I’m a big fan of Petite Plume, and that scalloped edge is everything.
4. Ralph Lauren Boxer Shorts — my not-so-secret secret: I love wearing these with sweatshirts.
5. Mulberry Silk Robe — the finishing touch.

Shop my full Sleepwear collection here.

And the intimates:

6. Wacoal Back Appeal Smoothing Underwire Bra — smooth under everything, comfortable past dinnertime.
7. Hanky Panky Signature Lace French Briefs — Hanky Panky and On Gossamer are my favorite panties, and this is the once-a-year stock-up moment.
8. On Gossamer 3-Pack Mesh Hip Bikinis — see above. Buy multiples.
9. Simone Pérèle Intrigue Sheer Underwire Demi Bra — Simone Pérèle always has gorgeous bras and panties.
10. Seamless High Waist Leakproof Briefs — and leakproof panties? Genius. That’s all I’ll say, and you know exactly what I mean.

Shop my full Intimates collection here.

Home Decor: For the Apartment (and Yours)

If you’ve been following the Dunwoody apartment story ([catch up here](TODO: apartment Life Beyond Style post URL)), you know I’ve been furnishing a Palm Beach-meets-Paris retreat one room at a time. The home section arrived at exactly the right moment.

1. Lola Blanket — definitely in my cart. My kiddos have three between them, which tells you everything.
2. Jo Malone Diffuser — so the apartment has its own scent memory for the granddaughters.
3. Flamingo Estate Heirloom Tomato Candle — Flamingo Estate is fast becoming a favorite, and this candle is summer in a bottle.
4. Picture Frames — always scattered throughout the house. A frame with a grandbaby in it beats any objet.
5. WOLF Stacking Jewelry Boxes — a must-have. Pretty storage is the whole secret.

Shop my full Home Decor collection here.

Baby Gear: The BeBe Edit

And now the section closest to my heart — because with June, Naiara, and a third grandbaby arriving in September, BeBe has shopping to do. I’ve learned a lot since June was born last May, and here’s the biggest lesson: the Anniversary Sale is one of the best times all year to buy big-ticket baby gear. Grandmothers, that stroller-that-lives-at-your-house you’ve been considering? This is the moment.

1. UPPAbaby Vista V3 Stroller — I purchased June’s stroller, and this is the one. It grows with the family.
2. Convertible Infant Car Seat/Compact Stroller System with Base — this one I purchased for Naiara. A car seat and compact stroller in one system — brilliant for BeBe’s car.
3. The Sleep Soundly Bundle — this is a non-negotiable. Naps at BeBe’s house depend on it.
4. Bouncer Bliss Convertible Baby Bouncer & Carrier Mini Bundle — as is this. The bouncer that buys you a hot cup of coffee.
5. Soft Wearable Blanket — June loves her sleepsack, and so does everyone who puts her down for the night.

Shop my full Baby Gear collection here.

Shop This Post

Every pick, one place: Frank & Eileen · Veronica Beard · Nordstrom Made · Activewear · Sleepwear · Intimates · Home Decor · Baby Gear

Bookmark the NSale — everything on this page lives there, organized by category and refreshed with restocks each morning. And if you want my daily finds and restock alerts in your inbox all sale long, join the newsletter.

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale FAQ

One More Anniversary

125 years for Nordstrom. Ten for me and this blog. Three generations at one sale — soon to be three grandbabies deep.

Tell me in the comments: what’s a shopping tradition in your family — and who started it? I read every single one.

Follow along on Instagram @styleatacertainage for the NYC event on July 20 — I’ll be filming the whole thing for the YouTube channel. And if you want the sale delivered daily, the newsletter has you covered through August 9.

Because style has no expiration date — and neither do you.