Chic, Not Trendy: 27 Nordstrom Items for Effortless Style

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(Image credit: @lindseyholland_)

So, my official mantra at the moment is ‘fewer, better things’, but if I’m allowed to have a second, it would be ‘chic, not trendy’. But look, as I write this I’m sitting here in my Sambas—so I’m clearly not anti-trend, nor am I immune to a bit of hype. That being said, I have been doubling (and tripling, even quadrupling) down on certain fashion styles and silhouettes for a few years now, and it feels like over the past few years, new iterations of these classic pieces continue to be shoppable each season.

Perhaps the algorithms have just learnt to keep serving me up more of the quiet luxury they've figured out I like? Whatever it is, there’s no shortage of fashion on the internet right now that feels timelessly chic, with just nod to this season’s trends. I've curated the best shoes, bags, apparel, and winter accessories from Nordstrom that capture this energy. Some picks are designer, some are a bargain, and all of them are very worth your time.

Footwear

The most effortless footwear this year (and likely the next) are the chic flats everyone's been wearing to death with no sign of slowing down: Mary Janes, ballet flats, sling backs, glove shoes, loafers, in quiet neutrals or (if you're in the mood) low-key metallics. Simple, low heels are also perfect for a low-key cool vibe.

Bags

There are a few bag styles that are dominating that quiet luxury vibe, my favorite are the chic shoppers that perfect for commuting with a laptop in tow. Classic structured styles always feel polished, while sling styles and moon-shaped are just a little trendy.

Accessories

Investment-worthy winter woollies (like this beanie from Totême) will keep you cozy and can take your looks from good to great. Aside from that, everyone seems to be obsessed with finding a great belt at the moment—

Apparel

Inserting a little tailoring into a casual look is the quickest hack to effortless style, so a winter-weight blazer is a great buy for this time of year—this suede style fro Mango feels cool and timeless. Turtleneck layers always feel elevated, and great trousers in a relaxed fit are easy and cool.

Natalie Cantell
Executive Director, Brand Studio

Natalie leads the style direction for the all content we create in partnership with our friends at various brands plus the legendary team of editors who work on those shoots and stories. She loves collaborating and storytelling, so it's a really fun role for her. It's also the first full-time job she's ever had⁠! She started out in her career as a very mediocre model who agreed to her first styling job to impress a photographer she had a crush on, which led her down a happy path of contributing to Vogue Australia and working as a stylist, fashion writer, and creative director for all sorts of brands and titles. She has a bachelor of communications, but most of her career opportunities came up thanks to some fleeting and accidental street style moments. She's been at Who What Wear for three and a half years and still loves to work as a freelance consultant with brands and designers to shoot their campaigns in NYC. She's originally from New Zealand, and Bondi Beach is her second home, but like just about every other 20-something, she fell in love with New York at some point. She lives in Williamsburg with her fiancé and their weird little dog, Ruby. If you ever need reccies for feel-good fashion, legit coffee spots, politics podcasts, or non-intimidating yoga studios, she's very much your girl.