So I have always had a thing for my leopard print ballet flats. I faithfully replace them every couple of years when I wear them out but I never thought of them as a neutral before. But as I have been dutifully shopping in the name of the blog (or at least thats what I tell myself) I have seen cheetah and my new love, leopard, everywhere. I have seen cute baseball caps, cute sweaters, cute clutches, and my personal favorite cute sneakers. Below I rounded up my personal favorites and reviewed two of the products I tried.

Halogen Corbin Genuine Calf Hair Slide Loafer

Nordstrom– $89.95

Topshop Tucker Leopard Print Slip On Sneaker

Nordstrom– $40.00

BP Leopard Print Genuine Calf Hair Clutch

Norstrom– $45

Halogen Leopard Cardigan

Nordstrom– $46

Target Leopard Booties

Target– $34.99

I will admit I am totally on board with the lemon print trend.So to finish out this beautiful summer season I have rounded up some cute lemon pieces.

Zappos- Kensie Lemon Tree Off the Shoulder Top– $52.99

Forever 21- Plus Sized Off The Shoulder Top– $17.90

Zappos- Kensie Lemon Tree Print Dress with cut out back– $75.00

Revolve- Show me your Mumu Piper Dress– $136

As I am sure you have all seen the infamous Nordstrom sale is coming. Starting July 13th and ending July 20th, the Nordstrom Anniversary sale has great deals on tons of Fall clothing. (View the catalogue here!) Below are my tips for navigating the sale and my wishlist for the sale!

TIPS

1. If you do not have a Nordstrom credit card get one!– Having early access to the sale on the 13th is a must if you want to snag all the goodies you have your eyes on.
2. If you aren’t sure what size you will need buy both!– Often very popular items will sell out and that means if by accident you ordered the wrong size you are out of luck. Plus Nordstrom makes it very easy to return things so better safe than sorry!
3. If you see something you like buy it!– Like the above top things sell out fast and are easy to return so if you are on the fence buy it!
4. Evaluate what gaps you have in your wardrobe and fill those!
5. Don’t forget all the men in your life and the kids too!– The sale is not only for women- it also has children and mens stuff so make sure to stock up for everyone in your life!

WISHLIST

1. rag and bone Margot booties ($329.90 on sale) -This classic bootie has been around for years and is a great investment for your fall and winter wardrobe! Also depending on your work dress code it is a great bootie to wear to work!
2. adidas Tubular Viral 2 sneaker ($74.90 on sale)- I have been eyeing these cute work out shoes for awhile and the color is to die for! Plus I have decided its encouragement to start sweating for the wedding!
3. adidas Originals Linear Leggings ($25.90 on sale)- Another sweating for the wedding item! But if we are being honest I will probably just run errands in these.
4. Two by Vince Camuto Off the Shoulder Plaid blouse ($58.90 on sale)- This off the shoulder top with long sleeves is a great way to include the latest trend in your fall and winter wardrobe. Plus who doesn’t love plaid?

Its time for my first ever giveaway and I could not be more excited! I have partnered with Jord watches to give to one lucky winner a $100 giftcard and for everyone else a $25 gift card so make sure to keep your eyes out for the video coming soon on Instagram! But for now you can enter the contest here!

Plus its right in time for mothers day AND graduation so why not spread the love and get a deal?

Celebrating graduation with a watch is a family tradition in both my boyfriend’s and my family. A watch is something that one wears everyday and really can class up an outfit making it the perfect gift for a grad. With a Jord watch one can just as easily wear it to a first job or out to grab drinks with a friend. (And in case you do not want to style it yourself I have included two on trend ways to style the watch below!)

Jord watches first drew my attention when I realized that they were made of wood. These are just some of the reason why I love this watch

1- So many different wood types- Jord watch bands come in so many different types of wood- there is zebrawood, sandalwood, and Koa wood just to name a few. Most watch straps are metal or leather but not this one! This is the watch I have and I love it – https://www.woodwatches.com/series/frankie-35/zebrawood-and-navy/#bargainhuntingblonde

2- They make both men’s watches and women’ watches- plus I feel that a lot of the designs are neutral enough that either men or women could wear them.

3- Coolest looking box ever- no need to wrap it if you are giving it as a present!

4- There are a ton of different watch face shapes and colors- there are round ones and square ones and big ones and small ones (and I feel like with that sentence I was writing a Dr. Suess novel).

Luxury Wooden Watch

So if you all haven’t notice I have a Nordstrom Rack Addiction. But to be real who doesn’t love the rack? A “Rack attack” is one of my favorite weekend hobbies. I can routinely be seen in my local rack spending wayyyyy to much money and saving a bundle . But even with all the savings, you still have to be smart about what your buying at the rack. Some items are created exclusively for the rack while other items come straight from Nordstrom. Below are my tips for navigating the Rack.

Being Aware of All the Great Brands Nordstrom Rack Carries

When most people think of discount stores like the Nordstrom Rack, Off 5th, and T.J. Maxx the often think of outdated merchandise that didn’t sell last season and no one wants. But if you are a fellow discount shopper you know this to be completely untrue. The Nordstrom Rack carries in-season clothing, designer merchandise and deals! For example I love brands that Revolve or ShopBop sells such as Mother Denim, Tularosa, and Flynn Skye.  Luckily for me Nordstrom Rack carries all three and at discounted prices. For example, I LOVE LOVE LOVE Mother denim (I love them so much I am even willing to pay full price for them). I just recently purchase a pair of black “Looker” jeans at the rack for $24 dollars.

It is almost important to take note that not all of the brands the Rack carries are brands that were originally carried in Nordstrom. The Nordstrom Rack has exclusive brands such as Melrose and Market, Abound and Harlowe and Graham. This brands can often be a good way to get on trend pieces for cheaper but it means when they go on sale the savings are not so great.

Knowing What a Red Tag Means

Red tags are my holy grail. These tags indicate that these items are on clearance and have been discounted even further from their retail price. These are also the items that go on sale for 25% off during clear the rack time. (Or even further like now till May 14th all red tagged boots and coats are 50% off). The one thing that you have to remember with red tags if you see something you like buy it and do not wait for the next clear the Rack. Red tagged items have a tendency to disappear quickly so snatch up that item you were eyeing.

One of my best red tag finds was a pair of Rag & Bone jeans. Retail on the specific pair was $218. I paid literally just a penny. To this day it goes down as my best find ever.

Deciphering the Savings 

Almost all of the tags at the Nordstrom Rack will have the retail price listed on them. Most of the tags even have the % savings from retail to the marked down price. But do not always take that at face value. I found a leather jacket at the rack on clearance during clear the rack that said it retailed for $238 and it was now on sale for $80. While this is still a good deal I did a quick google search and found out the jacket retailed for $750 when it was at Nordstrom. Moral of the story is if you really like an item but are worried it is not discounted enough do a quick google search to confirm that retail price listed is actually the retail price.

Location, Location, Location

Each Rack receives different merchandise on different days of the week and at different times. Racks that are in more affluent areas (such as mine in Palo Alto) have a tendency to get higher end merchandise. I have especially noticed this when it comes to the shoes that a store carries. I have bought numerous pairs of Chloe flats, Rag & Bone Booties, Jimmy Choo heels and VINCE sneakers at my rack.

90 Day Return Policy 

While the Nordstrom Rack doesn’t have the Nordstrom return policy, it does have a pretty good one. You have 90 days from the day of purchase to return the item if it is not worn. You can even return it without a receipt as they can look it up by your credit card number. This is especially crucial if you see an item you are on the fence about. As I said before if you see something at the rack buy it because if you go back even an hour later it is likely to not be there and knowing you have the ability to return it makes the decision to purchase easier.

The Power of Hautelook 

Hautelook is basically the Nordstrom Rack online with timed events. (Also note that the Rack has a website but I often find better deals in store.) Hautelook has different events each day that are either centered around a brand or theme. They have events for women, men and children and for a variety of brands. Some of my favorite past events have been Levi, Sam Edelman, and Equipment. The key with Hautelook is to add the items you like to your cart immediately as it saves them for 15 minutes. Plus my tip is to always spend over $100 to get free shipping since it is easy to return the items via mail or to your local Nordstrom Rack. This is especially helpful for people who do not want to comb through the Rack or the Rack’s website for specific brands.