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Budget Update

February 25, 2015 by jessica 15 Comments

BudgetUpdateFebruary2015v2

I’m never too excited about clothes at this time of year. I’ve grown tired of cold-weather clothes and all I want to do is purchase items for warmer months…only spring seems so far away. (Does anyone else hate February as much as I do?) On the bright side, this bout with melancholy helped me stay well under budget with just three new purchases!

If you follow along on Twitter, you might be wondering about one more purchase: the Tory Burch monkey earrings I’ve been obsessing over. I decided to spend a portion of my tax return on these (#TaxReturnSplurge) and they’re scheduled to arrive today. Can’t. Wait. I don’t include this annual designer splurge part of my regular budget. If the earrings are as great as I hope they are, I’ll dedicate a post to them soon!

See all of the year’s wardrobe additions here.

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THE BUDGET

Each month, I’ve earmarked $250 to spend on clothing and accessories. I consider blog revenue and eBay sales to be “fun money” and will add a portion of that additional income to my monthly budget (if it doesn’t end up in my travel fund first). I’ll record any budget increases or expenditures here each month. Anything that has been ordered and has not yet arrived will appear on the next budget update. I’m also allowing any extra money to rollover into the next month.

  • $250 starting budget
  • + $146 rollover from last month
  • + $50 added to the budget this month
  • – $190 spent this month
  • = $256 remaining

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PURCHASED

  • Vintage Egyptian revival pendant – $34: Every few Saturdays, I get on a vintage jewelry kick and spend hours scouring eBay. This was way too good to pass up and I’ve already worn it a ton.
  • BB Dakota “Savvanah” lace dress in pink – $88: I haven’t been thrilled with my current dresses and had a big event early in the month. The “short, swingy silhouette” description of this dress won me over and I ordered in a couple of sizes to try. As the reviews indicate, the smaller dress was the winner. It has a deep keyhole opening in the back that puckered out strangely. I loved the dress otherwise and did a quick running stitch to close it for the event. I need to take it to the tailor to have it done properly before I wear it again for Dave’s sister’s rehearsal dinner in April.
  • J.Crew pom-pom beach tunic – $68: I’ve finally stepped up my beachwear game after years of cheap knit shorts and old jersey dresses. It’s so freaking cute and can’t wait to wear it in Florida this April. I went with a size small, which is my normal J.Crew size for sweaters. It had more than enough room to fit my hips.

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BudgetUpdateFeb2015v3

GIFTED
As always, I want to be transparent about what I’ve received from companies for review or as part of a collaboration. (Or, in this case, Dave purchased for me as a gift.) I’m very selective about the pieces I accept and will only work with companies I feel good about recommending.

  • DUO “Karin” block heel pumps in navy (worn here): Think of these as Ferragamo Varas for girls on a budget. The classic shape is absolutely darling and they’re well made. I went down a half size, despite what the reviews say.
  • Kate Spade toucan sandals (from Dave for Valentine’s Day, worn here): I know toucan sandals aren’t for everyone, but I couldn’t be happier with them! They fit true to size.
  • Rebecca Minkoff mini “Affair” bag in white with gold hardware (c/o Shopbop): I admire girls like Fran who are saving for a Chanel bag. I’d love to own one, but I don’t think I could actually pull the trigger after setting aside money. It’s just so expensive! This bag is every bit as classic as the Chanel icon, but it’s a heck of a lot more reasonable at $195.
  • Garnet Hill striped cashmere sweater (worn here): I received this a week ago and I’ve already worn it twice. It’s so soft and holds its shape.

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UP NEXT

Two words: vacation clothes! The day after Dave’s sister gets hitched in April, we’re heading to Fort Lauderdale for a week! It’s actually the same city and week of our first vacation four years ago (aww), but we’re staying in a nicer hotel. 😉 We’re planning a day trip to Palm Beach where I hope to wear this dress and buy a pair of Stubbs & Wootton loafers (worth going over budget for). I’ve also got my eye on a pair of shorts from J.Crew Factory in “blue grotto” and retro sunglasses in white (just $48!). I’ve also got a crush on the orange and pink dresses by Rory Beca. I’ll probably pick up this Banana Republic dress once there’s a good sale. It’s not the most exciting piece, but I see myself wearing it to work often over spring and summer.

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TRIED & RETURNED

Of course, with every successful shopping month, there are some misses:

  • Re:named midi skirt in turquoise: This was darling and I loved the color and fabric, but it arrived with a broken zipper. I tried it on anyway and the waist seemed too snug.
  • English Factory white dress (featured in this post): Gorgeous, but way too small. I had purchased a medium and there was no way it would accommodate my hips. The large was already sold out, but I’m not entirely sure that would have given me enough room. I need a dress with a swingy cut.
  • Diane von Furstenberg “Fleurette” dress: I’ve long admired this dress and was eager to try it on after I saw that it was on sale. The fabric and quality were divine, but it didn’t do my shape any favors. (I felt like an eccentric extra on The Golden Girls, which I’d be fine with if it didn’t make me look twice my size.) It has really good reviews here, which makes me think it’s for an entirely different body type.

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HOW ARE YOU DOING?

Fran does a great job of linking to budget bloggers each month and I hope you take part. I’m always curious to learn how others curate their closets!

You might also enjoy:
Budget Update: August 2016
Reflecting on a Month of [Almost] No Shopping
Budget Update: December 2015
Budget Update

Filed Under: Budget Tagged With: Budget

Hello!


Jessica Hamm
Hello there! I'm a first-time homeowner updating a 1920s house in Madison, Wisconsin. I have a penchant for travel and a love of costume jewelry.

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I always get a kick out of comparing views of our I always get a kick out of comparing views of our home today to the photos I took during our home inspection. (Swipe to see our main bedroom then!) While I knew the house had potential, it was hard to look past some of the owner’s “design” choices. Though, it looks like the room was destined to have a warm-toned quilt. 😂

P.S. @schoolhouse just released new colors of their popular Stillwater Floral Quilt!

And, for those interested, I’ve linked my bedroom items here: https://liketk.it/5iC8R

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Back in December, we booked @therobeychicago for a Back in December, we booked @therobeychicago for a couple nights in the summer and our long awaited anticipation of lounging by the rooftop pool was finally fulfilled last weekend. It also inadvertently became the weekend I made Dave eat a cheeseburger every day, between @redhotranchchicago, @eatmottst, and @smallcheval. There are worst ways to spend a weekend.

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Our guest room wasn’t a design priority until la Our guest room wasn’t a design priority until late last year when we finally bought a bed, mattress, and a set of sheets. We used some of our own extra bedding (tucking in the generous overhang of our king blankets under the queen-sized mattress) and old bedside lamps from our bedroom: functional, but not quite the charming space I’d envisioned.
 
That started to change when I purchased the Popcorn Grid Coverlet from Schoolhouse — an item I’d been eyeing for years — plus some graphic floral pillows. Then came a bright blue round cushion and the sweetest Teig lamp, both generously gifted by Schoolhouse, and the room finally started to come together. You can shop my picks here: https://liketk.it/5f322

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Growing up in northern Wisconsin, lilacs always hi Growing up in northern Wisconsin, lilacs always hit peak bloom right around my birthday on May 30. My mom would fill a large crystal vase with fresh-cut stems, and their scent would waft through the house. 

Now that I live a few hours south and lilac season wraps up earlier, the blooms actually mark the start of my birthday month.

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Snapshots from the past week: • Spent quality t Snapshots from the past week:

• Spent quality time with my favorite cat

• Biked for Pacificos, chips and quac, and tacos at @bandit.tacos 

• Loved how the rain collected on the Lady’s Mantle I planted last year

• Dipped my toes (quite literally) into this year’s mesh shoe trend

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Finishing our guest room has been a focus of ours Finishing our guest room has been a focus of ours this year, and the cute Teig Lamp from Schoolhouse is such a charming addition to the space. It’s named for the German word for “dough,” which is perfect for its soft, petite shape.

Find this and the other Schoolhouse items we’re using in the space here: https://www.shopltk.com/explore/bedknobsandbaubles/posts/e01ae8c9-38af-11f0-b5c2-0242ac11000b

(The lamp and circle pillow were gifted. I purchased the other items.)

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