Blonde Rosie Blog

Guide to the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

Published on July 12, 2017 by blonde rosieLeave a comment

Why is it that when we tell ourselves we will not spend anymore money this month that the next week there is an amazing sale? The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale begins on July 13th for cardholders and on July 21st for non-cardholders ( ie. me!)

Get rewarded for shopping! I don’t like to have a million cards for stores, so I try to find other ways to get in on the coupons and exclusive deals. With Nordstrom Rewards, you get the benefits of a card without having to rack up debt or credit on a card. You still get the $20 notes when you spend a certain amount and there is free shipping for everyone so you can still shop smart without the card. Be sure to sign up for Nordstrom Rewards before you start shopping to collect points!

Why am I excited about this sale? I like to call myself the expert sale and clearance shopper. I know where each clearance section is in my favorite stores and I have learned when the best sales are. When panties are $3.99 at Victoria’s Secret, they are the ones that are left over from the past year and need to get sold to make room for new inventory. Those cute pillows I always find for $5 at Target are clearance ones and are from a collection that is getting phased out. This is why the Nordstrom sale is different… this sale is on new inventory coming in on fall items. Even better, the prices are like clearance prices for some items before they even hit the shelves! Now is a great time to stock up on trendy pieces you want for fall. Even though it is 90+ degrees outside, buy it and put it in the back of your closet until fall rolls around. Other summer items are also on sale, but this sale is popular for fall shopping specifically.

What am I buying? I am just like every other 20 something girl out there who wants a designer handbag, but can barely pay my bills and afford my daily Starbucks coffee. Nordstrom is successful in the declining retail world we live in because they sell luxury items and have trendy pieces as a part of their store brand, BP, for a cheaper price. If you have been eyeing that Tory Burch bag, now is the time to buy it because you won’t be able to find it cheaper anywhere else. I know when to buy and where to save. And this sale is when to buy! Now is the time to buy booties, coats, sweaters and denim. Upgrade your fall accessories during this sale.

How do I prepare? In the beginning and end of every season as I take out a new wardrobe and put it away, I purge. I see what items I can part with and find out that I have way too many white t shirts and sweaters and need to stop buying them. I will take everything out of my closet and fold it on my bed before deciding if I should put it back in my closet. This is a smart thing to do every season, but also before the Nordstrom sale to find out what pieces you are missing in your closet. I know I cannot buy one more sweater because I have 2 storage containers packed with them. But I am finding that I am missing some other items in my closet. Know what you have and know what your closet is missing.

What am I buying? I like to walk around Nordstrom during the sale and see if anything catches my attention. This year, there is nothing that my closet is missing, but I am sure I will stumble on something that I need! Lately, I have been wanting to invest in accessories like jewelry, shoes or handbags. I am hoping to pick up some items from Tory Burch or a new brown leather watch. You may want to cry when you swipe your credit card after your shopping spree, but the good news is that what you buy will last and it is an investment. Now is also a good time to buy luxury makeup!

Stay connected to my blog Facebook page and InstaStories where I will post what I purchased during the Nordstrom sale! I plan on posting on here again with some of my must haves from the sale when it becomes live.

Also let me know if there is anything I neeeeed to have in the comments below!

happy shopping!

how I’ve waited so long for summer nights when there’s magic in the air and I don’t have a care

Published on July 10, 2017July 10, 2017 by blonde rosieLeave a comment

I try not to buy tops that I know will only be in style for a season and then out the next. However, this off the shoulder style looks like it will be around for a while! I wasn’t really sure how I felt about this style in the beginning. To be honest, I don’t like my shoulders because of acne and my scoliosis curve, so highlighting this feature on my body isn’t usually a priority. I went shopping a few weeks ago and saw this blue striped off the shoulder top with bows on the sleeves and knew it was coming home with me. But then it sat in my closet for weeks…. Even I, the fashionista didn’t really know how to style it.

My family and I decided to end our 4th of July weekend by going to dinner on the water in Highlands, NJ. The town my mom and her family grew up in so it holds a special place in our hearts! Even though it is hot in July, anyone who lives on the water knows that after 7pm the temperature drops dramatically. I thought my long sleeve off the shoulder top would look cute and keep me warm by the water. I finally had an excuse to wear it!

This became a perfect summer and patriotic outfit for the 4th of July! We had such a rainy and chilly start to the summer that left most of my cute summer clothes to get lost in the back of my closet. Finally, the weather is starting to get warmer and the sun is staying out to play!

Summer is definitely my favorite season and I also have a very large summer wardrobe because of it. My white shorts or white jeans are a summer staple, so if you invest in one or two good pairs of each they can last you for years. I am constantly wearing the same white J. Crew 3 inch chino shorts with different tops. I literally wore the same shorts every day for a week and no one noticed because I would change up my look by having shirts tucked or untucked into my shorts. I am a big fan of the J. Crew chino shorts because of their length and they can easily be dressed up or down.

This top sat in my closet for weeks with the tags still on, but I love that I finally took it out! I styled it with a silver necklace from Francesca’s to dress it up a bit and my new cork clutch. My Tory Burch Miller Sandals are a summer classic for me. I am shocked I have not scuffed them up after having them for a year, but they are a very durable shoe. They are a bit pricey, but they are lasting longer than any other $20 sandal I have ever purchased. Scroll down for all of the outfit details!

My clutch is currently 50% off and a must have for summer! I get stopped on the street whenever I use it because people ask where I got it from. When I tell them how much it was everyone is blown away! The best part is that it is fake cork so with a Clorox wipe you can wipe it down and keep it looking clean and fresh year after year! If you are a teacher or college student you get another 15% off, too!

My off the shoulder top is currently out of stock, but I put together some other options for you here, here and here. When I shop the items are usually on clearance or major sale, so they sell out quickly! Be sure to follow me on my blog Facebook page because that is where my shopping hauls are posted first.

when in doubt put a bow on it

Published on July 7, 2017 by blonde rosie2 Comments

shirt // shorts // watch // shoes

I hope everyone had an amazing 4th of July weekend and is adjusting back to their work schedule! Since I had to work at the store leading up to the 4th, and then run the town parade, I decided to take a few days off of work this week. It is a nice break from my long work days to just sit by the pool and do nothing! I actually spent the week powerwashing my back yard and sidewalk because everyone knows I cannot sit still!

Sharing an exciting outfit on the blog today! I fell in love with this shirt in the clearance section at J. Crew and needed to have it! This bow detail is so cute and is the perfect addition to a simple t shirt. ! I love that I can dress it up or down very easily. I decided to wear it with white shorts during the day to run errands during the day and switched into white jeans to go out to dinner and drinks later that night.

One of the reasons I love to invest in J. Crew tops is because they know how to make a statement top. I can easily throw on a J.Crew top with jeans and it becomes a dressy outfit ready to go out with friends. J. Crew made a collection of tops with this bow detail that are on clearance right now.

Guys, I am just so obsessed with this outfit!

espadrilles have my soles

Published on June 30, 2017June 27, 2017 by blonde rosieLeave a comment

Happy Wednesday, everyone! It has been a while since I have shared an outfit here on the blog, so here I am sharing a must have shoe for summer. It is not a new style, but I am happy to see the espadrilles will be here for many seasons to come. I have been wearing them a ton lately especially to work at the office and the store. I love how they are comfortable like a flat, but have their own unique style perfect for summer. I own these, but have my eyes on the Tory Burch ones. Every girl dreams of these, but these are definitely more budget friendly.

Life is short, buy the shoes!

one / two / three / four / five

Patriotic Swimwear!

Published on June 28, 2017June 27, 2017 by blonde rosieLeave a comment

It’s that time again! Bring the patriotic spirit with you to the beach with an American Flag bathing suit! I bought mine last year at Target and they are back this summer. The Fourth of July calls for red, white & blue swimwear.

I have a red and white striped one piece bathing suit I wear every Fourth of July and last summer I wore blue scalloped shorts to take it from the beach to the bar! With the right accessories you can get more out of your patriotic bathing suit than just wearing it to the beach. Try wearing it as a crop top with high wasted shorts or invest in a one piece like I did that can be turned into a bodysuit.

Some of my favorite patriotic bathing suits from Target are here, here and here!

Happy 4th, everyone!

Celebrating National Sunglasses Day + Sharing How To Get Designer Frames At Low Prices

Published on June 27, 2017June 27, 2017 by blonde rosieLeave a comment

In honor of National Sunglasses Day, I put together my favorite a blog post about my favorite sunglasses. When your mom is an eye doctor and your dad is an optician…. you own a lot of sunglasses! It’s embarrassing, but I own dozens of sunglasses! I am lucky enough to own a lot of higher end designer sunglasses because my parents see buying sunglasses as protecting my eye health, therefore worth the purchase! 😉 Scroll down to the bottom of my post to find out how I am able to get designer sunglasses for a ridiculously low price!

I have the links to my favorite sunglasses as well as what I wore them with. The best part about designer sunglasses is that they dress up any outfit you have on! I cannot leave my house without sunglasses so now I have a pair in my purse, car and in my beach bag!

My favorite sunglasses for summer!

Can’t go wrong with these designer tortoise sunglasses!

Classic Ray Bans! Mine are very vintage, but they never go out of style making them worth the investment.

Sunglasses to splurge on! And I also bought these too!

And finally my secret to getting inexpensive designer frames is…. to buy them at Costco! Yupp! The same store you buy your paper towels and cereal in bulk is where you can buy designer sunglasses for very low prices. All of my glasses (including my recent Tory Burch frames) are from Costco! So the next time you want to buy some sunglasses, head on over to Costco and see what they have. Their inventory is always changing too so I browse at least once a month to see what is new!