I thought I had an impossible shopping mission: a pretty, reasonably priced party dress for a teen. Would it be too much to ask for a dress made in the USA? I didn't dare to. But in the end, I found success right under my nose, at one of our favorite sources for American made clothing. Here's how it happened…

The Shopping Challenge

I've got a teenage daughter and this weekend, she is invited to attend a party. This is her first fancy party to attend all on her own and I wanted to help her pick out a special dress, but I knew it wasn't going to be easy. She is just between girl sizes and woman sizes, and she doesn't look quite right in the styles of either category. A friend suggested Nordstrom and that's when I remembered how many American-made treasures we'd been finding there recently.

Made in USA at Nordstrom

If you search Nordstrom for “made in USA”, you'll find over 9,000 items in every category. Go ahead, try it. Click here and the search is done for you. You won't believe the range of choices.

Once I searched on “made in usa”, I scrolled all the way down, watching that left-hand column until I got to the list of Juniors products, then I clicked on dresses. I think I heard angels singing when my click revealed over 400 pretty, American-made dresses and many of them were under $50.

I also love shopping online at Nordstrom because

  • They have free shipping.
  • They have free returns.
  • You can order online and pick it up at the store.
  • You can order online and return it to the nearest store.
  • Their gift cards have no fees and never expire.
  • Everything is labeled and searchable by “imported” or “made in USA”.
  • They have a huge selection of stylish, American made clothing, shoes, beauty, and home products.
  • USA Love List is an affiliate of Nordstrom so if you click through any of our links and shop, we'll earn a small commission that helps us support companies manufacturing in America.

What will she wear?

We looked at the choices together, agreed on several finalists, and in the end, she chose the blue lace dress pictured above on the right.  It has since gone out of stock, but the other two are still available and all three were under $50. Can I get a high five from the moms?

In fact, moms, Nordstrom even has a special shop dedicated to Homecoming and Prom dresses starting at $26. This shop is not exclusively American-made, but it is easy to check the details to find the country of origin. Good to know and no one says you have to be a junior to wear most of these dresses.

Of course, you'll find all kinds of American-made products at Nordstrom for Women, Men, Juniors, Kids, Babies. It is one of my favorite places to start.

The Giveaway: a $50 Nordstrom Gift Card

One of our readers will win a $50 Nordstrom gift card. We're hoping you'll use it to invest in something you love that's made in the USA.  There are a variety of entry options including opportunities for multiple daily entries. Good luck!

Click the arrow buttons below for further instructions on each entry. This giveaway will close at midnight on Thursday, November 21st. The winner will be randomly selected, verified for correct entry participation, and notified by email.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you've already entered one contest on USA Love List, entering another will be even easier. Visit our Giveaways Page to find out about other active offers to join.