Aug 8, 2025

Hi, and welcome back to Line Sheet. We have reached peak Out of Office season, so please don’t forget to send me your burning questions for Line Sheet’s annual end-of-summer mailbag issue. Tell me what you want to know!

In today’s issue, Sarah “SShapiro@puck.news” Shapiro has a real treat for you: We’ve partnered with the affiliate marketing platform ShopMy to share their 10 most popular products from the past 30 days. (Popularity is determined by actual conversion after clicking through to view.) This month’s list says as much about where people are shopping as it does about how they’re shopping. Up top, Sarah zooms out on the tariffs sitch, offers a proprietary analysis of the Ralph Lauren earnings, and reflects on the week in retail.

Last night, I went out-out for the first time in what felt like months, starting at what was formerly known as the Reg. Bev. Wil. for an overdue catch-up with a Line Sheet V.I.P., and then ending the evening in Silver Lake to celebrate the reopening of the expanded Clare V. store on Sunset Boulevard. Founder Clare Vivier hosted a party in the second room, done up for dinner by her best friend, the tablescapist Heather Taylor, and catered by Annie Campbell.

Clare opened this store, her first of 14 (and more to come), a little over 13 years ago, as Sarah noted in her recent profile of the brand. I’ve known Clare for almost all of that time, and sitting among her friends last night, some of whom are also my friends, reminded me that one of the great things about covering this business has been watching people like her keep at it, no matter how tough things get. I fully teared up during her speech, because I’m human.

Mentioned in this issue: ShopMy’s July top 10, Michael Rider, Karen Brown, Nordstrom, Flabelus, Ralph Lauren, more tariff jitters, Haider Ackermann, Canada Goose, Frank Lloyd Wright, Jackie McKeown, Brian Molloy, Beyoncé, Valentino’s T-strap sandal, and many more…

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Sarah Shapiro

Three Things You Should Know…

Forever tariff uncertainty: The retail industry received mixed signals on Thursday as President Trump’s new “reciprocal” tariffs took effect after months of confusion and “TACO” drama. At the start of August, National Retail Federation executive David French warned that “retailers have been able to hold the line on pricing so far, but the new tariffs will impact merchandise in the coming weeks.” But while dozens of countries now face higher U.S. tariffs, the actual rates came in lower than many had once feared.

I followed up with the N.R.F. after the levies kicked in. Jon Gold, the group’s V.P. of supply chain and customs policy, reiterated that nobody really knows where final rates will land. Goldman Sachs analysts, meanwhile, called the outcome “better-than-feared” for clothing retailers, and noted that most of the pain will likely be delayed until 2026, giving companies time to adjust. (Most fashion brands traditionally implement price increases in January.)

Of course, some businesses are already feeling the impact. On Thursday, I heard from a high-end multibrand boutique owner who was grappling with surging shipping costs. She described her latest DHL bill as “jaw-dropping.” Many stores are forced to absorb these higher costs because brands set the M.S.R.P., and shoppers can easily find the same price online. In response, some international brands are investing in their U.S. warehouse operations to skip overseas shipping entirely. (For what it’s worth, I guess that means the tariffs are having their desired impact in places.) This process, which once might have taken 2-4 years, is now being completed in 4-6 months. What could possibly go wrong?

Anyway, retailers are cautiously optimistic but far from settled. We’ll start to see the impact on margins in Q3 earnings reports. The good news for shoppers, at least, is that there have been no major price adjustments… yet.
Ralph’s meta earnings: Ralph Lauren’s net revenue jumped 14 percent last quarter, and the reason is simple: The company is the trend right now, the true ground zero as other brands try to work out what their version of preppy looks like. R.L. won Wimbledon by outfitting spectators, celebs, and influencers, and their recent Oak Bluffs collection, in partnership with two H.B.C.U.s, captured part of the Martha’s Vineyard story with just the right touch of old-money charm.

And then there’s the rainbow-brights campaign that former Polo creative director Michael Rider and his crew, including successor Karen Brown, have been driving hard for the past few years. You can see the brand’s influence in so many corners of the fashion world at the moment, from the European runways to the corner store: Coach is opening up coffee shops akin to Ralph’s, and virtually every high street store has produced a flag sweater.

Wholesale partners are rewarding this momentum with expanded floor space. Shares did drop 6.5 percent Thursday over macro fears, but the numbers are already trending back up. The earnings tell the real story here.
More store openings and launches…: Flabelus is coming to SoHo after opening in the Hamptons earlier this summer. Their Spanish-made espadrilles, featuring fabric Mary Jane uppers, mostly sell for under $200 in summer styles. They’ve also boosted U.S. visibility through distribution with Nordstrom. … Mother, the denim and ready-to-wear brand, is betting that shoppers will add a belt to their purchase. Khaite and Isabel Marant (following in the footsteps of Gucci and Hermès) have also built solid accessories businesses with identifiable belts—which, as many stylists will tell you, are the best way to “frame” a look, along with a tucked-in shirt.

Meanwhile, Haider Ackermann’s latest collection for Canada Goose, Snow Goose Summer, dropped Thursday with a workwear collection that brings a Southwest flavor to the brand’s outerwear and streetwear items. What might have previously been a more fall-focused collection instead offers items like ripstop shorts alongside parkas, a nod to unpredictably changing seasons. … Literary Sport’s third collection, shot inside Frank Lloyd Wright’s “Woodside” house, expands the brand’s assortment while clarifying its creative direction with a new outerpant, designed for those moving away from leggings. Meanwhile, Jackie McKeown’s styling, with the collection’s layered t-shirts, feels distinctly reminiscent of The Row, no doubt shaped by stylist Brian Molloy’s approach.

And now, the main event…

The Week in Shopping: ShopMy x Line Sheet’s July Top 10

In this new monthly feature, Line Sheet and ShopMy will reveal exclusive data about the hottest items in internet shopping, and what’s actually driving buyers to the checkout cart. The July results (no surprise) underscore the enduring power of the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale—with special insights on the influencer economy.

Sarah Shapiro

Shoppers see hundreds of products in their social feeds every day, but what items are coaxing buyers to click out of Instagram and actually open their wallets? As a retail data nerd, I’m endlessly fascinated by who’s buying how much of what—which is why I’m thrilled that Line Sheet has entered into an exclusive partnership with ShopMy to reveal their top 10 sales-driving links across the internet each month. This first installment of the recurring monthly feature will highlight what exactly is making people stop scrolling and start shopping. (Line Sheet also uses ShopMy’s affiliate service.)

ShopMy uses cookies to track this activity across its growing network of 150,000 influencers, 1,000 brand partners, and millions of followers. The data doesn’t track sales, per se, but rather the “sales-driving links” that prompted people to click away from an Instagram story, for example, and on to a retailer’s platform. (In other words, if you clicked on Valentino sandals and landed on the Nordstrom site, but wound up buying jeans instead, the sandals were the “sales-driving link.”) Interestingly, the July data confirmed that Nordstrom’s Anniversary Sale still has a chokehold on the influencer and affiliate marketplace—it notched seven of the top 10 items.

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When I wrote last month that the Anniversary Sale items this year seemed a little, er, boring compared to the sale’s heyday, a Nordstrom executive quickly messaged me to note that they were “Boring! But also everyday woman.” The ShopMy data bears this out: Influencers’ audiences still click through for practical items—whether they’re logo sandals or nursing bras or fuzzy slippers—even if these aren’t exactly the dopamine-inducing hauls of yesteryear. Point to that executive, I guess.

Now, let’s get into the top 10 and see what else we can learn…

Valentino’s logo T-strap sandal: Shoppers love a deal on a designer-label item. This sandal is only a step removed from a true flip-flop—the undisputed most popular shoe of the summer—and has sold out at a markdown of 65 percent. Most of the traffic came through a link in Things I Bought and Liked (a.k.a. TIBAL), an Instagram account run by an anonymous woman in Texas whose followers seriously trust her blunt recommendations. (Like Line Sheet authors, she famously does not accept gifts.) She noted that the price on the Nordstrom markdowns from this link were “better than The RealReal prices.”
Reformation’s Fern satin shorts: Almost 500 creators, influencers, and media sites that use ShopMy have linked back to these silk and lace tap shorts, which has boosted their visibility and helped form the notion that they’re on trend. (Once you see an item three times, it must be a thing… at least until it feels overexposed.) The Reformation shorts, which embody this summer’s lingerie-as-clothing vibe, are similar to these from Dôen, but are actually a little more wearable since they’re longer, and can be easily dressed up or down.
Ugg’s Tazzette genuine shearling collar slipper: Yet another Nordstrom score. It’s easy to imagine these fuzzy mule hard-sole slippers attracting the matcha crowd—worn by someone claw-gripping their keys, phone, wallet, dog leash, lip balm, etcetera. At $69.99, they converted a lot of shoppers during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, but they’re now back to $100.

Old Navy’s mid-rise baggy cut-off Bermuda jorts denim shorts: The only denim item in the top 10, these mid-rise cut-offs underscore that the preferred denim short this summer—for those who go for such a thing—is a bit longer and baggier. (By the way, this is our third mention of denim shorts in the past few weeks.)
Veronica Beard’s two-fer wool blazer with a dickey: This blazer was 33 percent off during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. I would usually classify this as one of the more boring, watered-down sales items, and indeed some reviews complained about the quality. But based on sales and conversions, for plenty of shoppers, saving almost $300 was worth it.
House of CB’s Jovanna midnight embellished midi dress: Pookie, a.k.a. Campbell Puckett, shared this halter neck cocktail dress from Nordstrom with 1.4 million Instagram followers here, and 1.5 million TikTok followers here. This is the first item on the list shared by a single curator, which goes to show the power of a well-timed influencer post.
Abercrombie & Fitch barrel pull-on pant: These cotton twill pants have been featured in countless summer roundups, in categories ranging from what to wear that isn’t leggings, travel pants, work-appropriate, vacation pants to wear with a swimsuit, yada yada. Abercrombie offers them in various materials with slight tweaks (Add a cargo pocket! Make them linen!), and the reviews are generally glowing about how comfortable they are.
Dolce Vita Regy Western boot: Another Nordstrom Anniversary Sale item, these boots were perfect for Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Tour in July. They’re also emblematic of the “Texani” trend now being spotted across Europe—which, I have to admit, seems like the last place you’d expect Lone Star culture to take root.
Blush + Bashful maternity & nursing bra: Only one influencer shared this Nordstrom link: Laura Beverlin, who has 1.6 million Instagram followers, and just under 50,000 on TikTok. She single-handedly drove this nursing bra into the top 10.
Dolce Vita Kenzen Western harness boot: That a second Western boot from Nordstrom made the list might be chalked up to The Beyoncé Effect. It suggests that shoppers didn’t have any in their wardrobe to begin with, and were happy to find one at the discounted Anniversary Sale price.

Next month, I expect we’ll start to see the fall trends emerge—from denim to loafers and potentially a new must-have sneaker. Will we see a beauty item break into the top 10? Stay tuned.

Have a great weekend,
Lauren

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