BP NOSTALGIA

And the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

I have always been obsessed with clothes. And “obsessed” is not hyperbole here. I am, and always have been, truly consumed by clothing.

My parents had me when they were relatively young and were the first of their friends to have a baby. So I spent a lot of time around “adults” (if you would call people in their 20s adults). I talked early, but more importantly, I listened. I observed. My mom describes me as a kid who was happy to sit on the sidelines and watch. I liked to dip a toe in and assess the situation before diving in. I wouldn’t say much, but when I did, she was always surprised by what I noticed and commented on. Spoiler alert… it was almost always clothes.

I would notice people’s jewelry. I would become fixated on an outfit I saw on TV. I would see a cool older girl or a friend’s babysitter and follow her around like she was my crush because I wanted to soak it all up. I wanted to dissect what made her feel so cool and magnetic to me. I was (and still am) a total sponge. And for a quiet kid who was so focused on clothing, fashion became the way I expressed myself.

Because of this, shopping became my favorite pastime. And my favorite shopping buddy was my grandma (I even dedicated my first book to her!). Of course, she spoiled me, so she was more fun to shop with than my friends—but it also went beyond that. She is observant, thoughtful, and patient (and she had to be because I had to touch everything in the store and spent a lot of time in dressing rooms). Like me, she is an observer. So she would stand back and let me do my thing. She wouldn’t push things on me, and she NEVER had anything negative to say (which must have been hard for her because she is sassy). Whether it was strategic or not, she really allowed me to find my style on these shopping trips. I had so much freedom to play and explore.

About once a month, she would pick me up, and we would drive to the mall. I loved the mall so much that I told her when I grew up I wanted to live in the apartments next to it so I could go anytime I wanted. This was a fabulous mall, too. It had a fabulous food court, a Limited Too, a Claire’s, but most importantly, it had Nordstrom. And Nordstrom had... BP.

We always parked at the Nordstrom entrance by the shoe department. We were not saving the best for last—it was important that we started with the best. We’d walk through the shoe section, then up the escalator to heaven, aka BP.

I remember always having a vision in mind. As generous as my grandma was, we were not having a shopping spree. I could usually pick out one thing, so the decision felt very important. I couldn’t blow it.

I would walk around BP and always fill the dressing room with the wildest things. My mom and grandma would remark that I had an eye and knew what I wanted (no one said this eye was necessarily “good,” but there was absolutely a point of view). There was… a vision. I wanted leopard-print flares and faux fur vests and bedazzled graphic tank tops. I wanted long prairie skirts and turquoise earrings. I wanted sweaters that slouched off the shoulders and chunky belts to wear over long tank tops. I wanted clothes that spoke to me—and for me.

I wanted to wear things that projected confidence and boldness so I could remain quiet. But I soon realized that the bolder I dressed, the bolder I felt. My clothing was actually influencing my behavior. And this is a real thing. It’s called Enclothed Cognition. While it’s obvious that clothing shapes how others see us, it can also alter our own psychology.

I remember getting a very specific pair of leopard pants in Nordstrom’s BP section. I think it was my first foray into animal print, but far from my last (more on that below!). I remember putting on those pants and immediately feeling powerful. Powerful because I had chosen to be a little “wild” (not many fifth graders were wearing leopard-print corduroy flares at the time), but also because there was something about the print itself that gave me a buzz.

When I wore those pants, getting dressed felt like an escape. I was able to step into a different version of myself. They were a little “too much,” but I think there was something therapeutic about that for me. They allowed me to claim space and attention. In the Midwest, conformity was often rewarded, so these sartorial choices were subtle acts of rebellion (whether I realized it or not). And to be honest, I think I understood that people would have a reaction to what I wore (my parents’ friends, my friends’ parents, teachers), and instead of shrinking, I chose to use my clothing to feel bold.

Funnily enough, I still feel the same way about animal print. Sure, we can all agree that it’s a neutral, but there’s also something uniquely powerful about choosing an animal print. It still makes me feel confident and sexy. There’s also something so pleasantly tacky about animal print that, to me, signals confidence. Adding a touch of leopard, zebra, or tiger print lets me explore a part of myself that I don’t always express.

While animal print is always in style, it’s fun to see different applications and approaches. Of course, we have our leopards and pythons, but while scrolling through the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (a little less fun than being at Somerset Mall with my grandma, but it will do!), I noticed a lot of zebra and tiger hybrids. A “ziger,” if you will. Stripey prints in shades of brown and black that feel both subtle and powerful... especially in accessories. As we all know, one of the easiest ways to add a little edge—or “rawr”—is through accessories.

I’ve found that many of my clients are expressing the desire to dress sexier. But not overtly sexy. More “accidentally” or subtly sexy. Not cleavage and high heels, but thoughtful pops of animal print and sensual textures. Summer lends itself to diaphanous, flowy fabrics, but as we move into fall, I’m really into using leather and suede as sexy signifiers.

To me, the softness of suede feels incredibly luxe and rich. Like animal print, it isn’t really a trend. Suede is something that will always feel relevant in your closet. Whenever I wear it, I feel like it gives me a soft edge. It adds texture but has more slouch and ease than a leather jacket, for example.

So if a client wanted to use clothing to make them feel a little sexier and cool this fall, I would point them this way:

(1) SUNGLASSES (2) SCARF (3) BAG (4) JACKET (5) JEANS (6) SHOES

(1) SUNGLASSES (2) JACKET (3) BAG (4) BELT (5) RING (6) JEANS (7) BOOTS

(1) GLASSES (2) JACKET (3) BAG (4) PANTS (5) BRACELET (6) SHOES

(1) TOP (2) BAG (3) JACKET (4) JEANS (5) SHOES

While there is nothing more nostalgic to me than shopping at Nordstrom (especially shopping the sale!), these looks feel cool and modern!!!!

Tell me some of your favorite Nordstrom purchases (bonus if you add a photo!!)! And what you are getting from the sale— shop it HERE!