Search Results for: garnet hill

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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linking up with Franish

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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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!