Budget Update

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.

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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!