BEDKNOBS & BAUBLES

I started the month with the best of intentions, but then found myself fed up with my summer work wardrobe and “I have nothing to wear!” days becoming more frequent. Most of my work wardrobe was more appropriate for cooler months, leaving me with casual pieces I’ve been repurposing for the workplace. I dreaded getting dressed Monday through Friday because I had no idea what to wear and was growing tired of the same ensembles. And with that, a sizable order was placed with J.Crew, a Tory Burch dress was justified, and my wardrobe got a whole lot more versatile. So, yes, I went completely and utterly overboard with my budget. And you know what? I don’t care. I can’t remember the last time I purchased truly professional clothes. I considered giving myself a pass this month–mostly because I was too embarrassed to add it all up–but that seems like cheating. I present to you, the monthly list of what I spent money on instead of investing in my IRA.

See all of the year’s wardrobe additions here.

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
• – $48 deficit from last month
• + $400 added to the budget this month (And yet I still went over…)
• – $704 spent this month
• = $102 deficit

PURCHASED

• Express chambray off-the-shoulder trapeze dress ($60): Love. It. See it well-ironed here on here and less so here.
• J.Crew embroidered mosaic pull-on shorts ($39): I doubt I would have kept these if my foot wasn’t broken. In fact, I haven’t worn them out of the house yet. I think I was just enamored with them because I could put them on over my cast. I went with a size small, which is absurd. My booty is not a small. Go down a size or two.
• Steve Madden “Antler” flat sandal ($70): I may only be able to wear one sandal right now, but I sure do love it! It looks like the leather will patina nicely and they’re comfortable. Some reviewers said that the toe strap gave them blisters. I didn’t have that problem. I’m antsy to wear the left sandal now!
• Trina Turk flower pendant with a red center via eBay ($36): I had the pleasure of trying a Trina Turk piece in my Rocksbox last month and was impressed with the quality, so I went to eBay to add a piece to my collection.
• ASHA By ADM earrings ($75): What can I say? I’m a sucker for a sample sale. I’ve wanted a piece from ASHA for a long time, but her pieces are on the pricey side. The earrings are absolutely beautiful, even if they’re heavy.
• J.Crew chevron-striped dress ($103): I went with my regular size 8 in this dress. It fits perfectly around the waist, but the top is too large. I have this problem with most dresses and will need to take a trip to the tailor once my cast is off. The flirty peekaboo cutout is my favorite part.
• J.Crew “Jackie” cardigan sweater in navy ($46): I have more navy in my closet than black, so I opted for the neutral to mix and match for chilly days at work.
• J.Crew “Jackie” shell ($34): Conservative and looks cute with skirts and pants. Win, win!
• J.Crew mélange herringbone skirt ($128): I was hesitant to purchase this skirt since it was excluded from J.Crew’s recent promotions, but I’m so glad I gave it a shot. I love the pleats and the fabric pairs nicely with other work favorites. See it here.
• Tory Burch ponté dress ($113): Isn’t it amazing how a good sale brings some items to the forefront? I barely noticed this dress when it was available for full price. It’s quite lovely, though. The knit is heavy, allowing it to be form-fitting without being revealing. It’s no longer available for such a low price. Stalk it at Bloomingdale’s and Saks.
• Banana Republic shirred blouse ($0 with Gap Rewards): I’ve gone on about this blouse long enough.
• Old Navy high-rise soft shorts ($0 with Gap Rewards): I would have never kept these if they weren’t free. The quality is surprisingly shoddy, even for Old Navy. However, they are incredibly soft and look okay after a good ironing. The waist tie is stitched under the back belt loop. I took a seam ripper to it because it added too much bulk under shirts.

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 selective about the pieces I accept and will only work with companies I feel good about recommending.

• Puma sneakers c/o KicksUSA
• Karen Walker c/o Shopbop
• Spiked Pendant c/o Happiness Boutique
• Velvet by Graham & Spencer “Ora” top c/o Garnet Hill

UP NEXT

I do need to buy another pair of practical shoes to wear when my cast is off. I’m thinking a pair of white slip-on sneakers that I could wear with dresses. After that, I’m going for a month of no shopping (or almost no shopping). Wish me luck! And don’t tempt me with your adorable blogs and outfit photos. 😉

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DIDN’T WORK OUT

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

• Fallen Star off-the-shoulder swing dress: Everything I hate about fast-fashion stores (human rights considerations aside) is in this dress: cheap fabric, poor construction, and questionable sizing. If your judgement is clouded by the print, be sure to go up at least one size.
• Zara off-the-shoulder embroidered dress: This was adorable! I tried a medium, but a small would have had plenty of room. I didn’t keep it because it looked so similar to the Michael Kors version I bought last month, which I like quite a bit more.

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