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Fall Fashion, Three Ways: Date Night, Work, and Playdate Styles

In yesterday’s post, I told you how I got to attend the opening for the brand-new Nordstrom Rack in Louisville, Kentucky this week and style three outfits for fall.

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Date night

I’ve been eyeing motorcycle jackets for a few years now, and was seriously impressed with the Rack’s offerings. Leather jackets aren’t cheap–they’re definitely investment pieces. This one from Michael Kors will serve me well for the long haul, and was a genuine good value at $209 (marked down from $430). I’ll get tons of wear out of it (plus it feels amazing on).

Nordstrom Rack had a nice selection of graphic dresses for fall. I loved the versatility of this dress from Bobeau ($35, instead of $70), and paired it with the moto jacket and feminine Franco Sarto wedges ($45, marked down from $90) for a date night look. I added a Marc Jacobs clutch for another pop of color. (The handbag department said those clutches–marked down 50% from regular retail–were flying out of the store that night.)

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While I dressed it up here, I could layer the dress over a turtleneck and add black denim or tights for a casual chic look.

Work

I was shocked to find this sweet velvet blazer from Hinge for $19 on the clearance rack–marked down from an original price of $128! Adding a cute jacket is an easy shortcut for looking put together for my days at the law office, where the vibe is business casual.

I paired the blazer with a cheerful Kate Spade striped buttondown ($82), a Ralph Lauren necklace ($48), and Paige Premium Denim skinny jeans ($80, instead of the typical $158).

I finished off the look with a Vince Camuto handbag ($180, marked down from $328) and dolce vita riding boots ($69, down from $99), culled from the Rack’s amazing shoe selection.

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Playdate

Next up: a comfy, casual outfit that I could wear on a playdate.

Instead of pairing this chunky Love by Design cardigan ($25) with a basic tee, I hunted down a Lush graphic blouse with pretty detailing ($20). It’s easy to wear and easy to clean, and the pretty pattern will hide playground stains. (Or–let’s be honest–the coffee I’ll inevitably spill down my shirt.)

I added Paige skinnies, Cole Haan wedges (with Nike Air cushioning, $119, down from $168), and a bright Steve Madden wallet. As the days get shorter, I need my pops of color more and more.

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I ended up buying the date night look (plus the navy blazer, because at $19 I couldn’t pass it up!)

Want to see what our date nights look like?

I don’t think you’ll be surprised to hear that more often than not they involve window shopping, bookstore browsing, and coffee.

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I’m glad I finally got to see what I’ve been missing out on, because the promised great buys lived up to the hype. I’ll enjoy wearing my own finds all fall, and I’m looking forward to my next trip to check out the departments I missed the first time around. 

What styles are you looking forward to wearing this fall? (And if you have any Nordstrom Rack shopping tips, share them here!)

I was selected for this opportunity by Nordstrom Rack, however all content and opinions expressed here are my own.

15 comments

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  1. Anne says:

    As soon as I saw the Date Night pictures, I hoped you had purchased the deep red wedges! Looks like you did. Super cute. You think the Cole Haan Nike Air stuff is worth it? How did they feel? Hope you had fun!! My favorite outfit is that orange shirt with the velvet (navy?) blazer. It really made your skin and eyes pop!

    • Anne says:

      Well, I have huge feet, and I’m used to paying $$$ for shoes that fit, and only certain brands fit well. Cole Haan is one of them, and finding that brand marked down is a rarity. I wouldn’t mind (terribly) paying $100 for a comfortable (that’s key) pair of flats I could wear 4 days a week, year round. My cost-per-wear would be pretty low.

  2. Jillian Kay says:

    Are the bathrooms at Nordstrom Rack as wonderful as at Nordstrom? I only started shopping there because someone clued me in to their great diaper changing areas when I was a new mom.

  3. I like the blazer/orange shirt combo as well…it looks great on you!

    I bought a maxi dress at Nordstrom Rack this summer, and I love it. They had a great selection of maxi dresses that actually had appropriate coverage up top (unlike all the ones that come with two triangles up top for boob covereage!)

  4. Stephanie says:

    What great pictures! You look fantastic! Nordstrom Rack is one of my favorite stores – especially for denim and casual tops. In fact, I just bought a lace top by Bobeau there about two weeks ago.

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