I Did a Nordstrom Deep Dive—31 Summer 2026 Items I Recommend

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Woman wearing a vacation outfit.
(Image credit: @kelseymerritt)

Since summer is kicking off, I've been mapping out my wardrobe for the season. While I'm not making any big changes to my personal style, I am aiming to add some strategic pieces to my closet, ranging from versatile staples to directional pieces inspired by the best vacation looks and city outfits that are already emerging for the warm months ahead.

To bring the best 2026 summer shopping finds to you in one place, I went on a Nordstrom deep dive to uncover the coolest pieces that hit on all of the biggest trends and investment-worthy pieces this season. I'm talking about everything from sandals to tote bags. Ahead, take a look at the best 2026 summer shopping items to add to your cart from Nordstrom.

Kristen Nichols
Associate Director, Special Projects

Kristen Nichols is the Associate Director, Special Projects at Who What Wear where she oversees luxury, runway content, and wedding features, and covers fashion within the luxury market, runway reporting, shopping features, trends, and interviews with leading industry experts. Kristen has worked with brands including Prada, Chanel, and Tiffany & Co., and her style has been featured in publications including The New York Times, Vogue.com, Vogue France, WWD, and the CFDA. Kristen began her career at Rodarte, where she worked on styling, photo shoots, and runway shows, and at Allure, where she moved into print and digital editorial. She graduated from the University of Southern California, where she studied art history and business, and currently lives in New York.