Belle’s Anniversary Sale Follow-Up, Part I
Jul 21, 2015
You know I love the Anniversary Sale. So many childhood memories of driving five-hours to get up at the crack of dawn and wait outside Nordstrom for the 7:00AM opening. My little brother yelling the entire time about how he was already bored. (He has other good memories. Probably.)
My Anniversary Sale strategy goes like this: I set a budget. I order a lot of things, vastly exceeding that budget. I try on everything that I ordered. Then, I start sending things back until I get down to my budget. It’s fashion survival of the fittest. (Fashionest? No, not a word.)
Today is part I: skirts and dresses. Here’s what I bought, what I kept, what I would have kept budget-permitting, and what went back without question.
Loved the color palette. Couldn’t get enough of it. Had to have it. Opened the box, and the skirt was way too shiny for work.
Verdict: And back it goes without even opening the plastic. Shiny, seriously?
Halogen Ponte Seamed Dress ($65)
I bought this as a toss-in. Like, “Hey, at that price, I’ll give it a whirl.” I put it on, and if I didn’t immediately look five pounds thinner. It’s an optical illusion, but I’ll take what I can get.
Verdict: Adore it. Great surprise. Selling out quickly in black. Also available in grey, green, and burgundy.
Eliza J Seam Detail Dress ($98)
I bought this dress because I don’t have enough red in my wardrobe. I also wanted something more fun for casual workdays. At least, I thought I did. For me, the cut made me look really young. Too young. Like I was trying to look younger. Not the look I was going for.
Verdict: I might have kept it had the shape suited me better. It was really well made and the color was bright and poppy, which I loved.
Halogen Seamed Pencil Skirt ($46)
I own this skirt in four colors. I’d own it in four more. It’s got a great weight to it. It’s lined. It hangs beautifully, and it is super comfortable. I buy one in a new color every year.
Verdict: There was no chance this one was going back.
Sometimes an elbow sleeve works on you, sometimes it doesn’t. You won’t know til you try it on. This dress’s sleeve is slim, so it’s more flattering than most elbow sleeves I see.
I adores the bodice of the dress. It was fitted, structured and great for work. It also comes in grey melange.
Verdict: If the budget had allowed, it would have stayed. But decisions had to be made, ladies. You’ll see why in part II on Thursday.
I bought the Halogen V-neck Ponte Seamed Dress in 2 colors and am kicking myself for not buying all 4 colors as soon as the sale started. It fits marvelously and the material feels substantial enough, plus it’s a great deal at that price point. Very few sizes left in limited colors (10,14,16R and 00,8-16P) but fingers crossed they either restock or some get returned!
Hi Belle and her readers. Can anyone comment on sizing for the Halogen pencil skirt? Perhaps in comparison to brands like J. Crew and LOFT? I have seen raves here and elsewhere but would like to increase my chances of getting something that fits right! Also I am 5’4″, so any info re: petite vs. regular would be so helpful.
I take a 2 skirt in LOFT and a 2 in J.Crew. I ordered the 4, it fits right.
I’m 5’6″ with hips, and I got a 6 regular. It’s a little loose in the waist and comfortable throughout. The 4 fit okay, but the 6 was more forgiving. It goes to my knee, so depending on how long your legs are or how high you wear it, you might want a petite.
I also bought the first skirt…and loved the fit, but returned it for the same reason. Too, too shiny for work, not dressy enough for anything else.
I was thinking I would return the v-neck ponte seamed dress – when I first tried it on it seemed like too low of a V for work, but maybe I need to try it on again.
It wasn’t too low on me, but I think it depends on your body shape.
I love this! Great to see reviews of your purchases while the sale is in swing. With less than a week to the bar, I had a temporary moment of (in)sanity yesterday and went way over budget on the sale. Looking forward to the rest of your reviews!
I did the same exact thing. Gave myself a budget and ended up spending about 5x more. Bar problems, am I right? What a great method to keep the things I really need and return the rest. Thanks, Belle!
Just showing we all have different figures–The V-neck ponte seamed dress looked *awful* on me. Didn’t like the shape of the V-neck and didn’t find the cut flattering at all. (The color and quality were good, though.) 🙂 Immediate return.