While I’ve gotten to the point of curating a pretty well-rounded wardrobe that doesn’t require as many last-minute purchases as it once did, I still know the feeling of having a trip creep up on me on the calendar and convincing myself I have nothing to wear. The cycle was always the same: I’d be a week out from traveling, realize I’d left everything too late, and frantically search for places that could get everything to me in time. While I live in New York City, and you’d think it’d be easy to shop for these things at the last minute, it often turns into a rat race going from store to store only to find the exact item I’m looking for is sold out.
Nordstrom has been the saving grace in many of these situations—even beyond vacations. It’s where I’ve shopped after realizing I didn’t own foundation a few days before a photoshoot or waiting until the last minute to buy a wedding guest dress. It’s become one of my go-to retailers for exactly this reason: Nordstrom cardholders get free two-day shipping, and it carries so many of the brands I already love in its curated in-house boutique of emerging designers called Space. Its beauty selection is just as reliable, so I know I can quickly restock products I actually use when I run out.
If you’re shopping on a deadline yourself, below are three retailers with two-day shipping that will arrive in time.




















































