Fashion Girls Love These Elevated, Under-$100 Finds in Nordstrom’s Half-Yearly Sale

If there is one thing I know I'm good at, it is shopping a great sale. Anyone can spot a great $400 dress marked down to $200—but the real skill is finding pieces that look like they cost three times as much for half that price. So when Nordstrom's Half-Yearly Sale dropped earlier this month, I did what I do best: scoured the new-in pages for the best finds.

The discounts run through June 1 and offer up to 50 percent off in stores and online. With every category in the mix, there is genuinely something for everyone, from a stylish mom to a basics-loving minimalist.

I only had one rule going in this time around: don't buy anything that costs more than $100. Summer is expensive enough as it is, with travel, al fresco dinners with friends, and Ubering everywhere because the subway is simply too hot. The last thing anyone needs is to blow their budget before the season even starts.

The good news is that you absolutely do not have to. I went through the sale, and what I found was better than expected—sandals that look far more expensive than they are, earrings I will be wearing on repeat, and the coolest silver sneakers that I may have already added to cart. Ahead, the finds that prove you don't need to spend over $100 to look like you did. Consider this your hack to the chicest summer looks.