Shopping


How to shop your closet for fall 2026

wearing: gold hoop earrings / ivory short sleeve sweater / belted tote bag / pink nail polish / coated skirt (looks like faux leather) / slingback flats /

Happy almost fall! Although temperatures outside are soaring, it is prime-time to organize our wardrobes for the upcoming fall season; after all, Labor Day is almost here!

Before running out to the mall and shopping until we drop, it is best to shop our closets first; this will help us save money and not purchase duplicates for our wardrobes. The styles from year to year don’t change that much, so chances are, we all have some of the most perfect items for fall already sitting in our drawers and closets.

So, without further ado, let’s take this article to our closets, and start shopping! The best part, this type of shopping is free! Love that!

The fall 2026 season is still understated; although we are starting to see some pops of color, they are traditional autumn hues thus season.

Step One: For the fall 2026 season, pull forward all items in neutral hues, dark berry/red shades, all the greens in your closets, dark yellows, quiet blues and dark purples. These will be the colors complementing your neutral shades of brown, ivory, black, grey, and beige.

Step Two: Move all of your obvious summer clothing to the back of your closet.

Step Three: Wide leg, barrel, and classic cut jeans are still here. Make sure those styles are moved forward in your closet. You want your jeans to be clean, no cute or frays, and in shades of medium to dark wash, black, brown, and beige.

Step Four: Anything your own in leather or suede, that is not a shoe or handbag, bring forward. This fall, suede and leather are hot, so you can rock that leather skirt, suede jacket, and more. If you don’t own anything leather, and love the look, add a suede jacket or skirt to your fall shopping list.

Step Five: Stripes! Horizontal stripes are still hot. Keep your summer stripes, your 2025 stripes, and your 2024 stripes in the front of your closet. They are still hot.

Step Six: Sweaters. Keep all of your short sleeve and cardigan sweaters front and center in your drawers. You will reach for these sweaters a lot during the fall season.

Step Seven: Nail Polish. Chances are you own pink nail polish. If not, check out Chanel’s new pink and Dior’s new pink. I love these.

Step Eight: Re-Read my handbag trend article and organize your handbag collection accordingly. Chances are that you own the perfect fall handbag already.

Step Nine: Pull out all your boots, loafers, classic high heels and Mary Janes. These are the footwear styles you will be rocking this fall season.

Step Ten: Did you save your pleated skirts from several years ago? I hope so! If not, you might add this flattering style to your shopping list for fall. Pleats are back bay-bee! Bring those pleats forward in your closet.

Well, that’s it! You can always refer to my fall trends post for more ideas about what to bring forward in your closet. In this post, I highlighted what I think most people have from recent fall seasons in their closets. Hopefully this saves you some money for the fall season. Enjoy filling in your wardrobe with a few new investment pieces! Remember, stay classic and look for high quality. Logos are a no-no.

Thanks for stopping by and stay fabulous!

XOXO

Cathy


Best of Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2026

blogger picks nordstrom anniversary sale 2026

Best of Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2026 from top left: short sleeve sweater / Prada lipstick set / classic v-neck sweater / ring / reversible belt / Hermes fragrance set / pearl earrings / Kiehl’s face cream / classic slingbacks / grey suede boots / black Mary Jane block heels /

It’s here! If you have a Nordstrom credit card, you already know your shopping date, if not, the sale opens up to the public on July 18, 2026.

In person, the NSALE is crazy! I can’t shop like that, so I find online shopping is much more relaxing. Some of the sale inventory is pre-fall, while other items are late summer. Before you start shopping, know what you need in your closet. I recommend pre-fall over late summer since you can wear pre-fall well into the fall season.

The key is to not over-buy from this sale. The fall trends aren’t here yet, so this sale is great for buying basics and classic items which will work for several seasons. Remember the sale rule, if you wouldn’t pay full price, don’t buy it on sale.

My Nordstrom Anniversary Sale picks are very curated this year. Normally I find a large amount of fabulous merchandise to recommend, but this year, I am sticking to more timeless items which will blend into our wardrobes right now and well into the fall season. If you live in a climate such as California, these styles will work throughout winter too.

So, without further ado, here are my picks from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale for 2026:

Favorite footwear:

Favorite beauty deals:

Favorite sweaters:

Thanks for stopping by, and happy shopping!

XOXO

Cathy


How to sample fragrances online

pictured: Twisted Lily Best Sellers Sample Pack c/o Twisted Lily /

Have you ever wondered how to sample fragrances online? It can be challenging to see a perfume online and wonder what it smells like. Should you commit to a full bottle by spending a few hundred dollars? Should you wait to check it out in person but finding the time to go to the mall doesn’t seem to happen? Yup. I’ve been there! While I know which fragrance notes I love in perfume, it can still be a gamble to order a full bottle without testing it first in person. Thankfully, Twisted Lily sells sample packs!

The sample packs online at Twisted Lily take the guesswork out of online fragrance shopping. They have tons of sample packs to choose from on their website! So, when Twisted Lily offered to send me their Best Sellers Sample Pack, I was thrilled! This sample pack features best sellers from their website, and some of them are niche, so they are hard to find in person and sample. This is the best way to test them out! Love!

Most of the fragrances in the pack are unisex, so it’s easy to use one pack for the whole family. We had fun testing the same fragrances on all of us and seeing how they smell different on different people, as well as the difference between how they smell on men vs. women. For example, Montale Parfums Arabians Tonka smelled warm and rich on me yet light and spicy on my husband. It’s amazing how one perfume can react differently on different people. Nevertheless, we both loved how it smelled! I believe my husband is now hinting I invest in a full bottle.

Although the Twisted Lily Best Sellers Sample Pack is sold at a modest price, there will be a coupon sent to you after purchase it which can be used towards a full bottle of the scent you fall in love with. So, it’s actually a great deal! Not to mention super convenient for online fragrance shopping. Love that!

The Twisted Lily Best Sellers Sample Pack includes both famous and niche fragrances which are best sellers at Twisted Lily. Here is a list of what I received: MAISON CRIVELLI Hibiscus Mahajad Extrait, VILHELM PARFUMERIE Poets of Berlin, JUSBOX PERFUMES Carioca Heart, MANCERA PARFUMS Amore Caffe, ROJA Elysium Parfum Cologne, MONTALE PARFUMS Arabians Tonka, FUGAZZI Angel Dust Extrait, CASAMORATI Dama Bianca, MATIERE PREMIERE Vanilla Powder, ETAT LIBRE D’ORANGE Story of Your Life, XERJOFF Torino 21, and MAISON FRANCIS KURKDJIAN Baccarat Rouge 540.

In addition to using this sample pack to test out fragrances before investing in a full bottle, the samples are perfect for travel. They are the perfect size to thrown in our clear bag of beauty products in our carry-on that we use to go through TSA. Love that!

So, if you have been wondering how to sample fragrances online to help you shop for fragrances online, this is the best way!

Thank you for stopping by, and I would love to hear which fragrance you sampled and loved!

XOXO

Cathy