I was standing in front of the closet this morning, mid-wardrobe-sort, when I realized something: I didn’t actually need a lot of new clothes. I needed a few good ones, at the right price. So when the Labor Day sales went live this weekend, I did what I always do β I went through them like an editor going through a stack of submissions. Keep what earns its place. Send the rest back.
This is what made the cut. Prices and codes as of early September 2026, during the Labor Day weekend window β a few of these will not be true after the holiday.
Old Navy: 50% Off Jeans, Tees, Sweatshirts and More
I’m 5’6″, usually a size S/M or 6 in clothes and 8.5 to 9 in shoes. All the sizes below are what I wear.
Barrel-leg jeans (size 6). My favorite find so far. They hold their shape, sit well on curvy hips, and they’re the cheapest way I know to try a more interesting silhouette before committing to anything expensive. With a fitted top, they read intentional β not trendy.
Wide-leg jeans β $22 (size 6). Yes, twenty-two dollars. Soft, easy to wear, the kind of jeans that disappear into a rotation and never get bored. At that price, it’s not a purchase decision. It’s a rounding error.
Fitted tee (size S). The workhorse that balances out wide-leg bottoms. It runs short β if you have any interest in coverage, take the tall size.
Heavyweight tee (size S Petite). A better basic than a thin tee, because the fabric has actual weight. It drapes, it holds its shape, and it looks put-together without doing anything. If you have a short torso, the petite cut is the difference.
Burgundy pants (size S). One of the quiet workhorses of this season. Dress them up for an office day, or throw a t-shirt and sneakers over them for the weekend. One pair, two lives, many colors available. Burgundy is doing a lot of heavy lifting this fall β ecru, olive, brown, navy, all of it wants to be next to it.
Crop button-up top (size S). For everyone who hates the act of tucking. Wear it alone, under an open cardigan, or layered under a pullover. It does the tucking job without the daily negotiation.
J.Crew Factory: 50% Off Sitewide and In Stores
Olive green and ecru wide-leg pants (size 28). A longtime favorite for good reason: lightweight and stretchy, but they don’t bag out by afternoon. Available in straight, petite, plus, and tall. The ecru version is my pick for fall, because it plays so well with everything I already own.
Denim jacket (size S). The classic for a reason. It works over pants, skirts, and dresses, and it’s the piece that turns a good outfit into a finished one.
Ruffle utility jacket (size S). A small update on a wardrobe staple β the ruffle detail adds something without shouting, and this shade of green isn’t muddy, which is more than I can say for a lot of spring greens.
Blue-and-white striped top (size S). There are ruffle sleeves on this one that you can’t see in a photo, and they’re the whole point. It works with jeans for a casual day and with tailored pants for work. Several prints and solids available.
LOFT: 44% Off, Plus an Extra 22% Off Online
Burgundy floral print blouse (size S). The fabric has a crinkled, smocked feel β texture and stretch without any fuss. It feels dressier than a basic top without asking you to do anything about it.
Striped wide-leg pants (size 6). They have a soft denim hand but read like work pants, which is exactly the split I want from a pair of trousers. The stripes add interest, and they’re still easy to pair with a simple neutral top. Also worth a look: their chocolate brown lace tee β rich brown is perfect for fall, and the lace gives texture without needing a print β plus a few burgundy print blouses that pair with jeans and neutral shoes and are basically done as an outfit.
Spanx: Extra 30% Off Sale Styles
Wide-leg trousers (size M). These are the pricey end of this list, but the quality is genuinely good. The fabric is thick and supportive, still very stretchy, soft, and β I cannot overstate this β comfortable. Regular, petite, plus, and tall sizing.
Lightweight wide-leg jeans (size M). I love the wider-leg silhouette paired with a fitted top to balance the volume. There’s a second wash of the same jeans, and they are just as wide without widening you out β a distinction that matters.
Air Essentials half-zip and pants β 57% off. The half-zip is $128 normally; with the 30% off plus an extra 30% off, it lands at $55 in cart. The pants run $118 normally and come out at $48 after discounts. They’re famously soft, and the name is accurate β they feel airy in a way that’s hard to describe. Sizes S to 3XL, with petite and tall lengths on the pants. Run the cost-per-wear math: at $55, if the half-zip gets 30 wears this season, that’s under $2 a wear. That’s the whole game.
Lands’ End: 50% Off Sitewide
Slub notch neck top. It feels like a t-shirt but looks considerably nicer. Medium weight, which makes it right for fall. Sizes are limited, so if yours is there, it’s worth grabbing at half price.
Barrel-leg striped pants (size 6, size down to 4). Stripes are having a moment, and this pair combines them with barrel legs. Soft, and fun. One honest note: I sized 6 and it ran roomy in the waist β I’d go down to 4. The other colorways are a bit more structured, less soft, than the striped version.
Also Worth a Look
Nordstrom markdowns. Nordstrom doesn’t do a big Labor Day sale, but the markdown section still turns up pieces worth checking. I pulled out a few from the sale section that I think are worth a look.
Kohl’s. One of the best places to get good pieces for far less. The prices there regularly make me stop mid-scroll, and some of the items are genuinely well-made. A few sale styles below are worth a look.
Electric Picks jewelry. 20% off sitewide, and if you spend $100 or more you get a free necklace with your order. The Icon necklace is the one I reach for constantly β I own it in three colorways: black for darker palettes, white for a clean pop, and silver (with an all-gold version at the same link). They also offer a lifetime guarantee: they’ll repair or replate your jewelry. Note: the brand offers me a discount code (20% off with code TAKE20), which is how I get these β full disclosure, in case that changes your mind.
Helix mattress. If you’re in the market for a mattress, they’re running Labor Day codes: 20% off sitewide with code LDW20, 25% off Luxe mattresses with LUXE25, and 30% off Elite mattresses with ELITE30. The sleep quiz matches you to a mattress based on how you actually sleep, and the return process sends people to haul it away if it’s not right β you don’t even box it up. Daniel and I have different preferences, and we both wake up better on ours, which is the whole point of the thing.
The Edit
You don’t need everything on this list. You need the $22 jeans, one good basic tee, and one piece that fills an actual gap. Buy those. Walk away from the rest β it will still be there next weekend, at full price, which is the correct outcome.
FAQ
Do these sale prices last after Labor Day? Most of them won’t. The codes and percentages are tied to the Labor Day weekend window β I’d treat anything past the holiday as a coin flip. Check the retailer’s site before you commit.
Are the sizes I listed accurate for everyone? No β I’m 5’6″, a 6 in pants, 8.5β9 in shoes. Brands cut differently, and stretch fabric in particular varies a lot by brand. Check each one’s fit notes, and when a piece runs roomy on me (like the Lands’ End pants), I say so above.
Is the Spanx half-zip worth the price even on sale? At $55 after discounts, yes β that’s under $2 per wear if you actually wear it. At the full $128, it becomes a real purchase decision. The sale price is the argument.
A note from Margot: I spent ten years editing magazine racks, and the lesson that stuck was this β the sale is not the reason to buy. The reason is the piece. The sale is just the price.
