Welcome to The Great Try-On. We’re gearing up for fall, and that includes freshening up our wardrobes with some new pieces. We got to try on some of the best fall pieces from some of your favorite brands and documented it all from our at-home dressing rooms so that you can see how they actually look IRL. We hope that our photos and candid reviews will help you shop for fall wardrobe builders and trend-forward pieces that you’ll wear over and over this season and beyond.
Fellow Nordstrom fans, are you there? Seeing as you find yourself reading this story, I’m going to guess that you identify as one. I’ve had no qualms about sharing my lifelong passion for shopping the retailer, whether I’m getting my mom and sister to dish on their latest finds or predicting Nordstrom’s next sellout pieces.
Today, though, I had the pleasure of trying on a ton of new fall arrivals from the retailer, and I’m about to tell you all about them. They’re actually from one brand, in particular. I’ve quietly been a fan of Nordstrom’s in-house brand Open Edit ever since it launched a few years ago, and I’ve put countless of its trendy, affordable finds in my stories. So when the opportunity presented itself to finally try out the fan-favorite label IRL, I didn’t flinch. I picked out maxi dresses, lightweight cardigans, and autumn-ready jackets from its latest drop, all in fall-friendly shades of olive, maroon, and black. Ahead, read my reviews, and see my mirror selfies of the eight Open Edit picks I tried on, and if you’re so inclined, shop my favorites among them.
My review: I first spotted this dress on my colleague Natalie when she shared her love for the frock in our team’s Slack channel, which promptly blew up with messages about how pretty and expensive it looked IRL. It’s a simple slip dress with a pretty gathered halter neckline and sleek ankle-length hem—nothing crazy—but in a sophisticated burgundy hue, it’s simply stunning. I’m excited to share that when I opened up my own version of the dress, it certainly lived up to the hype. I even wore it to a wedding I attended last weekend and plan on styling it with flats and blazer for casual fall days. I paired the slip with Open Edit’s drop earrings that feature a sculptural orb shape and mixed metals. The drop shape was the perfect addition to the dress for an occasion like a wedding, but I liked that they came as a set with a stud version, too.
My review: Hello, dream shacket! I’d been looking for a cool shacket for a minute since my fashion friends all seem to own one and style theirs with fall basics like jeans and ankle boots. My first impression of this croc-effect Open Edit style was how roomy and comfortable it was. The oversize fit cocooned me instantly and could fit several layers, even chunkier knits, underneath, which will be a key detail to remember as we move into colder weather. That said, if you’re look for a less oversize fit, I’d suggest going down a size.
My review: One area Open Edit absolutely crushes it in is shoes. These platform boots are all the proof you need not to overlook its affordable and trendier shoe selection. Speaking of price, $100 seemed too good to be true for a shoe trend mostly found at the designer level, but once I zipped them up, any lingering doubts vanished. They’re as comfortable as they are cool. I could have stepped right out of my apartment and finished my five-mile daily average in them.
My review: I love a good pair of leather trousers, so I was instantly curious to try out this wide-leg pair that I’d seen on Nordstrom’s site for a while. The languid shape and puddly hems felt especially forward given how trendy pants like this have become. The drawstring waist made them infinitely more comfortable than most other leather pants I’ve worn (read: no sticky, hot feeling), but their loungewear-inspired style didn’t make them feel any less elevated, either. I can already see myself wearing them as a staple throughout the colder months.
My review: I noticed that Open Edit carries this zip-front cardigan in both a sweater and sleeveless dress style. I opted for the sweater since I’m not much of a dress person and wanted to pair it with various high-waisted bottoms like skirts and trousers. I’m pleased to share that it was soft, stretchy but firm, and that both zippers are, in fact, functional. I had fun adjusting both ends to experiment with looks that were more and less conservative. Talk about a day-to-night piece. I don’t think it gets much more versatile than this.
My review: Easy, cool basics are what I live in 80% of the time, so you can imagine how excited I was to try out the cropped rib tank and utility vest. They market the top as a sleep tank, and while I’d 100% wear it while the sun is up, I can see why it’s categorized like that: It’s incredibly soft and forgiving. The vest, on the other hand, is lightweight and silky. It’s a cool layering piece I can see myself wearing with tanks for now and long sleeves later on in the season. I’d never completely appreciated the value of “transitional” pieces until I tried this one on.
This is everything I want in a leather jacket right now.
My favorite dress also comes in this stunning tangerine shade, which I might also need.
Hello, beautiful.
Over-the-knee boots are a big trend for fall. I like this wearable Nordstrom version best.
My vest obsession truly knows no boundaries.
This shade of blue is perfection.
My closet could always use more of these.
The shoe trend of the moment for under $100? It’s a yes from me.
Sultry knits are my favorite fall going-out staple.
