My closet floor was a disaster last weekend. Fall clothes everywhere, receipt in one hand, a clearance tag in the other. That’s when I decided to stop “window shopping” and just show you what actually made it in.
I’ve been restocking my fall wardrobe, and I’m trying to balance high-quality investment pieces on sale with genuinely cheap finds. There’s a wide mix of price points below — I mix high and low the way I do everything else. A full $26 outfit was in there. So was something that used to cost $300. That’s the whole point.
Quick note before we start: my size has been shifting, so I can’t give you a reliable “true to size” call. Instead, I’m listing exactly what I’m wearing in each piece, for your own reference. I’m 5’3″ and I usually run 25/26 in pants, 2/4 in dresses, and XS/S in tops.
The $26 outfit that started it all
Okay, this one’s wild. The whole outfit below cost me $26. I spotted a button-down collared tie top at Walmart — it’s substantial, almost like a little anorak — and went to link it, only to find it was already on clearance for $7. I wore XS. It also comes in a blue seersucker print, which is adorable. For that price? Ridiculous.
The high-waist bootleg jeans I paired them with are from Target, on sale for 30% off at $19. I wore a 4 Short in Dark Wash — if you’re between sizes, go up. I ordered them in three colors the same day I got home, in short length. The medium wash is just as good, and I wore them with a 100% cotton Gap sweater from Costco, which I’ll be covering in a future post.
They also work with a ribbed knit button-down shirt, on sale for $12. I ended up with the royal blue, black, and white versions. (If you saw an earlier listing that said $127 for that shirt — typo. It’s $12.)
Boden: where the rabbit hole begins
Boden’s linen-cotton dress is one of those things that looks better in person than in the photos. The details are lovely. It was originally $300, and the Labor Day 20% off code LABOR stacks on top of the sale price, bringing it down to 60% off the original. I’m wearing a 4 Petite — order at the upper end of your sizing. You can browse the whole site here: Boden’s full collection.
We have the first and only Boden store in the US just down the road, and I’d been wanting to try their bow knit cardigan/jacket in person. It comes in four color combinations, and the pink/black one won me over. I regretted not grabbing it in the store, so I sent the link to my husband and asked him to surprise me. He did. (Please ignore the lace trim shorts I was wearing in the fitting room.) I’m wearing a size 2 — true to size.
The argyle sweater is what sent me down the Boden rabbit hole for the season, and it’s 20% off with the same code. I’m wearing a Small; I’d prefer XS, but either works. I’d recommend your normal size. I’ve also got my eye on an argyle sweater and argyle cardigan from Mini Boden — I’m taking a chance on a 13/14 (sleeves included) because the sale price is too good to pass up.
Two more dresses from the same shop: one with a belt detail I love, and a cord shirt dress in four colors. Both are 20% off the sale price with code LABOR, and both are 4 Petite on me — again, order at the upper end of your sizing.
Nordstrom: the dressing room sesh
I did a full dressing room session at Nordstrom and came home with spoils. A few of these I’d actually bought at full price before, and they went on sale right after — so I reordered.
The belted dress is so versatile and I’m loving it for fall. I’m wearing a 2 — if you’re between sizes, size down. Another dress is prettier in person than in photos, and it’s not on sale, but the black floral version is 40% off here. I’m wearing a 2.
The satin slip dress was a departure for me, but I love it. (I’d tucked my bra straps and was wearing the wrong undergarments, so forgive the awkwardness in the mirror shot.) I’m wearing a Small, and it’s 33% off. The darling viscose-linen-cotton dress with the fabric belt? That one was 55% off. It also looks cute with a cropped cardigan or jacket, and it’s coming with me on fall break at the end of the month. Small, again.
One more dress was a favorite when I shared it on Instagram — it fits so similarly to my favorite Tobie dress from Anthropologie. I’m wearing an XS, and it’s 40% off.
Anthropologie: the Tobie situation
I own more than a few Tobie dresses. The short gingham version stole my heart, and I paid full price in store — then it went on sale the following week, so I reordered at a discount. I’m wearing an XS, now 33% off. I also snagged a long seersucker version with embroidered eyelet trim on a major sale a few weeks ago and grabbed the last one. Several other patterns and lengths of the Tobie dress are on sale here — I’m wearing a Small at 35% off.
Old Navy: the staples that actually work
Classic, versatile fall and winter staples — that’s what the cropped cardigan and faux suede skirt are. I love the cardigan in every color, especially with the skirt. I’m wearing the cardigan in XS (20% off, plus an extra 10% off with code BONUS) and the skirt in Small (40% off, plus the same 10%). I wish I’d gotten the skirt in XS. The same look works with the brown cable knit cardigan and a navy cord skirt.
The barrel pants below aren’t on sale, but they’re still only $35 and they feel incredible — soft chino material, in four colors. I’m wearing a 2.
I also picked up an athletic jacket on a major sale last week (65% off, wearing XS) and I’m leaning into skorts at the ballpark. The one I just got is 50% off plus the 10% BONUS code. I’m wearing a Small. And I’ve got a haul of athleisure for fall — pullovers and hoodies at 36-50% off, plus the BONUS code, which is perfect for living at my kid’s extracurriculars. I’m wearing XS Petite in the tops, Small in the skort.
Everything else that made the cut
A lace trim satin triangle scarf in pale yellow, 20% off — it comes in four colors. An Altar’d State sweater paired with those $19 bootleg jeans (4 Short Dark Wash, again). And an Amazon swimsuit in brown gingham that I ordered for fall break — I loved it so much that when it went on sale (under $29!), I also ordered the pink stripe. Wearing a Small, 28% off, with a sarong.
Finally, a vest and a sweater fleece pullover, both with an extra 10% off using code FALL10, paired with Paige jeans at 40% off. I’m wearing a Small Petite and a 26 Petite.
FAQ
Do these sale codes still work? The Labor Day weekend codes (LABOR, BONUS, FALL10) are time-limited — they were active as of early September 2026. If you’re reading this after the holiday, check each store’s site before you check out, and treat the prices here as a benchmark for what these items go for on sale.
I’m between sizes. What do I do? For the Boden pieces, order at the upper end of your sizing. For the Nordstrom belted dress, size down. For the Target bootleg jeans, size up. I’ve noted it per item above.
Is this all for a specific body type? I’m 5’3″, and I carry most of my weight below the waist. If you know the struggle, the high-waist bootleg and the belted dresses are the pieces to pay attention to.
A note from Ava: the best part of this haul wasn’t any single piece. It was the $26 outfit. When you mix a $7 clearance top with $19 jeans and it looks intentional, that’s when you know the sale worked. Rest up, and check back next week for the Costco clothing steals post.
More from OutfitWave: Budget Finds · Capsule Wardrobe guides
