It’s that time again. The Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale for women and children is upon us.

Here, Nordstrom’s national stylist, Fanya Chandler, answers a few questions about how to best take advantage of the deals.

Sale starts Wednesday, November 2.

WWW: What kind of merchandise goes on sale at this event?
Chandler: Women’s Half-Yearly will offer markdowns on some fantastic early fall merchandise. It’s an exciting time because customers can save up to 50 percent on a great selection of brands and styles, including merchandise purchased especially for this sale. The event takes place in all of our stores and online at nordstrom.com (free shipping and returns!). Brands that will be on sale this year include Cole Haan, Diane von Furstenberg, Eileen Fisher, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Alexander Wang, Kate Spade New York, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Helmut Lang, Nike, Rag and Bone, Stuart Weitzman, and Tory Burch.

Are mark downs progressive? Are prices lower as the sale continues?
Markdowns start at 33 percent; additional markdowns can happen during the sale, but I would encourage customers to shop early because the good stuff goes fast!

What’s the best strategy for successfully shopping this sale?
First, make shopping easier by working with a personal stylist. They offer complimentary wardrobing and shopping services and can help you shop the entire store because they know where all of the great finds are in every department. Secondly, use your Nordstrom rewards card to take advantage of the double points during the first four days of the event. Lastly, these are our lowest prices of the season, making it a great opportunity to start shopping for holiday gifts. This is another area where personal stylists are a fantastic resource; they can take care of finding the perfect gift for every person on your list—not to mention the perfect look for your holiday parties and seasonal gatherings.