I Built the Ultimate Summer Capsule Wardrobe Thanks to Nordstrom’s Surprise Sale

24 under-$100 pieces to wear on repeat.

copenhagen spring summer 2025 fashion week attendees
(Image credit: Launchmetrics)

It may feel like we've just entered the height of spring fashion season, but I'm already looking ahead. I'm a shopping editor, after all, so I can't help but think about the cute summer outfits I'll be wearing in just a month or two. I'd rather be overly prepared than scramble to put together my summer capsule wardrobe at the last minute and go over budget to do so. Instead, I'm finding all of my must-have pieces for summer at Nordstrom's massive surprise sale.

Nordstrom just secretly marked down thousands of new items, including tons of trendy summer finds. To be more specific, I'm talking about savings of up to 50 percent off staples like linen pants, tank tops, pretty summer dresses, flowy skirts, and more. Plus, there are a few finds here from Nordstrom's chic in-house brand, Open Edit, and the retailer's massive sneaker selection that I can't stop thinking about.

To show just how worthwhile this Nordstrom's surprise sale is, I'm sharing my summer capsule wardrobe of the best on-sale selections below. Staying true to my frugal shopping editor form, these on-sale summer basics are $100 or less. The pieces on this list are designed to be worn together, so consider this your hack to finding your perfect summer style.

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Brooke Knappenberger
Associate Commerce Editor

Brooke Knappenberger is the Associate Commerce Editor at Marie Claire, where she specializes in crafting shopping stories—from sales content to buying guides that span every vertical on the site. She also oversees holiday coverage with an emphasis on gifting guides as well as Power Pick, our monthly column on the items that power the lives of MC’s editors. She also tackled shopping content as Marie Claire's Editorial Fellow prior to her role as Associate Commerce Editor.

She has over three years of experience writing on fashion, beauty, and entertainment and her work has appeared on Looper, NickiSwift, The Sun US, and Vox Magazine of Columbia, Missouri. Brooke obtained her Bachelor's Degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism with an emphasis on Magazine Editing and has a minor in Textile and Apparel Management.