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Budget Update

April 29, 2015 by jessica

BudgetUpdateApril2015V4

Budget? What budget? Not only did I blow through my monthly budget, I breezed through the rollover amount I accumulated, the “bonus” money added this month, and next month’s allotment. It’s safe to say I’m on a serious shopping ban for awhile. I was actually doing really well until our trip to Florida. We went to Sawgrass Mills, where I bought this dress at the DVF outlet and a top at the Tory Burch outlet. It’s such a rare treat to try things on in-store and I went a little overboard. The only saving grace is that I’m pretty well set for spring and summer clothes now.

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 (or deficit, in this case) to rollover into the next month.

  • $250 starting budget
  • + $220 rollover from last month
  • + $130 added to the budget this month
  • – $850 spent this month
  • = $250 deficit (eep!)

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PURCHASED

  • Loeffler Randall “Amelia” sandals ($221): I bought these to wear at Dave’s sister’s wedding with my beloved Erin Fetherston kiss-print dress. They were surprisingly comfortable to wear all evening. I’ll post an outfit photo with them soon.
  • J.Crew pull-on shorts in “Falling Flowers” ($35): I’m always worried that white shorts will be too sheer, but the fabric is nice and thick. Go down a size.
  • J.Crew pleat-front mini skirt in citrus lemon ($67): This is such a flirty mini skirt. The fabric is on the thicker side, which gives the skirt structure and doesn’t lift up every time there’s a breeze. It does wrinkle if you sit down in it all day. I went with my regular size.
  • Lele Sadoughi “Mini Groove” necklace ($40): I snagged this from Piperlime when they had an extra 40% off sale. I also used a gift card and a Gap Reward to bring the price down even further. Trust me, I didn’t need another piece of jewelry, but the price made it irresistible. For the record, I don’t think would be worth full price at $325.
  • DVF “Carpreena” dress in “Lilly Crossing Blue” ($95): This curve-hugging dress is made from a lightweight silk-blend. I’ve already worn it to the office with black tights, but it’s versatile enough to wear on weekends. I suspect it’ll be a summer staple in my wardrobe.
  • Lilly Pulitzer “Elsa” top in “Worth It” ($158): I was already planning to purchase another Elsa tunic next month for my birthday, so I justified this in Palm Beach. I have another one in navy and white chevron that I wear to work almost weekly. They’re extremely comfortable and well made.
  • Tory Burch “Evelyn” top ($100): I’m crazy about the shirt. I’m not sure if you remember what it looked like from last year’s stock images, but it has the prettiest ’60s silhouette with a swingy back. If you’re looking for it on eBay, it runs true to size. The lining is fitted, so don’t be tempted to go down a size because it won’t fit correctly.
  • Lilly Pulitzer x Target halter in “Sea Urchin” ($26): I bought this half expecting to return it. Instead, it was a lovely surprise. The fabric is silky and it’s lined. It hits mid-hip and looks adorable with shorts.
  • Lilly Pulitzer x Target shorts in “Upstream” ($24): These run large and are pretty thin. I doubt I’ll wear them as part of a regular daytime outfit, but they’ll be perfect over a swimsuit.
  • Not Pictured: Old Navy “sweetheart” skinny jeans ($25): I am so not a denim person (as I mentioned here), but I kind of adore these. I wear jeans so infrequently that $25 is about as much as I’d want to spend on them.
  • Not Pictured: Cooperative striped dress ($59): I’m actually on the fence about this purchase. I received a lot of compliments when I wore it, but I hate how it photographs. It’s also the only time I’ve ever disliked pockets in a dress. They add quite a bit of bulk to the hips, so much so that I’m going to sew up the pockets and cut them out. The sizing is true to junior’s sizing.

BudgetUpdateApril2015v2

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GIFTED
As always, I want to be transparent about what I’ve received from companies for review or as part of a collaboration. I’m very selective about the pieces I accept and will only work with companies I feel good about recommending.

  • Emma McKinstry “Cleo” earrings
  • Kenneth Jay Lane stone statement necklace c/o Shopbop
  • Helen Ficalora sterling silver “J” charm necklace

UP NEXT

May is my birthday month. Refraining from shopping entirely seems shortsighted, but I’m still planning to avoid as much temptation as possible. I’d like to pad my savings account, start setting aside money for another vacation (New Mexico seems promising) and a new coffee table, and invest in my IRA. I do have my sponsored shopping credit with Shopbop that I’ll probably put to good use for a birthday gift. There are tons of new additions to the sale section, including the prettiest Tibi ribbon bow pieces. I also really want an off-the-shoulder dress and this cute pineapple necklace.

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DIDN’T WORK OUT

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

  • J.Crew “Carrie” cami: This is adorable. The length is perfect and it’s good quality. I had purchased it in an 8, but it was just a tad too snug across the chest. I didn’t have time to reorder it before vacation, but might keep it in mind later this summer when there’s a sale.
  • Alexa Chug x AG Jeans “Honey” ruffle dress: I tried this in a medium, a small, then an extra small. The XS fit the best, but I was just so tired of trying to make it work at that point. It wasn’t the immediate love affair that I’ve had with other items this year. Sartorial relationships shouldn’t be this hard, right?
  • ASOS simple shift dress in coral: This thing was huge.
  • Tory Burch “Erin” skirt: I tried this on in a size 8 when we were in Palm Beach. It was really cute and a good value for the sale price. The 8 fit perfectly in the waist, but was little too snug in the hips. They didn’t have a 10 in stock to try on. I had already spent more than enough money on the trip (obviously) and decided not to order it, especially since it would need alterations for the waist.
  • J.Crew fringe sandals in white: Super fun, right? Unfortunately, they made me feel like I had hairy hobbit toes.

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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:

Wardrobe Update: September 2017

Budget Update: May 2017

Budget Update: June 2017

Wardrobe Update: November 2017

Filed Under: Budget Tagged With: Budget

Comments

  1. The Adored Life says

    April 29, 2015 at 6:10 am

    I’ve had my eye on that skirt for a while from J.Crew! So it’s worth it?

    The Adored Life

    • Jessica says

      April 29, 2015 at 6:17 am

      I really like it and I actually pre-ordered the black version, which ships in June. The care tag says no ironing, but I did it on low on the reverse and it was fine. (I’ll probably steam it next time instead.) Just be aware that it’s going to wrinkle if you’re sitting for awhile. It didn’t bother me that much, but worth mentioning.

    • Jessica says

      April 29, 2015 at 8:25 am

      I should add that I went with my regular size 8. However, the 8 doesn’t go up over my hips. I need to put it on over my head. Haha. I didn’t want to go up a size because it would be too large in the waist.

  2. Rachelle says

    April 29, 2015 at 7:45 am

    You got some cute stuff, I really need to check the sawgrass outlet stores. It’s a shame because that’s like 10-15 minutes from where I live. Did you go to the Ferragamo outlet?

    • Jessica says

      April 29, 2015 at 8:23 am

      I didn’t realize there was a Ferragamo outlet! I must have been so dazed about spending $200 in about 20 minutes that I was blind to other stores!

  3. jillian says

    April 29, 2015 at 8:20 am

    i really wanted those blue patterned shorts but good to know they run kinda big…guess i didnt miss out on too much. xo jillian – cornflake dreams

    • Jessica says

      April 29, 2015 at 8:23 am

      Yeah, I wouldn’t be too bummed about missing out on them. I thought the fabric would be a little thicker, but it was thin sort of like jersey. They’re great for a lightweight beach coverup, but kind of a miss for everyday wear.

  4. Cassie C says

    April 29, 2015 at 8:33 am

    Oof! Yep, that’s a little over budget, lol. It looks like you managed to grab some really great pieces though! That Lilly Pulitzer top is really cute. I was quite under budget this month, but I’m anticipating I’ll be on the other end of the spectrum next month.

  5. Charnele Michel says

    April 29, 2015 at 9:56 am

    Even though you’re in the deficit this month you got some great items. Love those metallic sandals. So cute! Sawgrass is always a danger zone for me.

    Cha Cha The Fashion Genius

  6. Meghan Hayes says

    April 29, 2015 at 10:22 am

    The sales were so crazy this month. I had a hard time resisting. There were several things I bought during sales that weren’t included in my monthly budget money so I think that was my saving grace. My “upstream” shorts are still on the way. They may end up being resold. I was very thankful to be able to find a pair.

  7. Kimberley Pavao says

    April 29, 2015 at 12:08 pm

    Your budget is so on point, I am almost jealous… I also am jealous of all those amazing purchases!

    Eleventh & Sixteenth

  8. StyleFragment says

    April 29, 2015 at 12:41 pm

    Great buys. I’ve been really trying to cut down on friviolous shopping, so I don’t have much on my birthday list.

  9. Holly says

    April 29, 2015 at 12:42 pm

    I love that DVF dress. Shoot me an e-mail if New Mexico pans out – it’s my home state!

  10. Jessa says

    April 29, 2015 at 4:31 pm

    All of your picks are so bright and summery! Love it as I’m left longing for days at the beach. The metallic heels are tres belle, and I still like the look of the Lilly short. The gold in the Tory blouse is quite pretty. Great purchases, you’re going to look fresh all summer

  11. Angela Keeley-White says

    April 29, 2015 at 4:45 pm

    You purchases some amazing pieces! I love those silver sandals!

    xo,
    Angela

  12. Lyddiegal says

    April 29, 2015 at 8:40 pm

    You got some very lovely pieces this month, and I can relate to going totally overboard… it happens! Especially when the weather finally starts to turn and all you can think about are fun florals and bright colors. I got a similar factory version of that green skirt – I can’t wait to wear it! I’ve still been a bit hesitant to fully embrace the bare leg… soon though, very soon.

    Chic on the Cheap

  13. Kimi says

    April 30, 2015 at 12:49 am

    I also went overboard this month. I’m so glad I’m not alone, haha! The items you got are so beautiful and interesting. I love how bright and colorful your style is! 🙂

    xo Kimi
    twentysomethingsimple.wordpress.com

Trackbacks

  1. S.W.A.K. says:
    May 1, 2015 at 6:19 am

    […] another note, May officially kicks off my birthday month! Even though I’m broke after last month’s spending spree, I’d love to treat myself to the blouse I featured in yesterday’s post. Boho […]

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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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