budget update

What I Bought in January

January 30, 2019 by jessica Leave a Comment

Going a month without shopping didn’t exactly go as planned on the sartorial front, even though I did succeed when it came to housewares and other unnecessary indulgences. There was just something about this dress that I couldn’t pass up during the Net-a-Porter sale. I love fit-and-flare frocks, especially when they’re created from such a vibrant silk with an eye-catching design. It’s one of those pieces that embodies the direction I’d like my wardrobe to go this year: beautifully crafted, high quality, thoughtful, unique, and something that I’m beyond excited to wear.

This month’s edited list also made me realize how much happier I am when I pare down my selections to just one or two (or sometimes three) quality items to refresh my closet each month. I think I’m finally past the point where I crave an overhaul of fast fashion each season. That’s not to say I won’t enjoy the cheap thrill occasionally (thus, the earrings), I would just rather save my money and put it toward a better quality item I’ll love for years to come. With that in mind, the one item I have my eye on for February is this gorgeous blouse from Nicola Glass’ debut collection with Kate Spade. I love wearing loose blouses with jeans and this one ticks all of my boxes with a beautiful print, fluid fabric, and a flirty neckline.

PURCHASED
See all of this year’s sartorial additions here.

Diane von Furstenberg dress – Super cute and true to size. It even has pockets! (I so rarely purchase designer clothing and it’s always such a treat to have a garment with thoughtful attention to detail and beautiful fabric.)
Figrace acrylic hoop earrings – These are pretty great for $10. They’re substantial, but lightweight, and the emerald green color is gorgeous. This particular pair is now sold out, but you can get these rectangular hoops in green.

–
Let’s keep in touch! Instagram / Facebook / Pinterest / Bloglovin’

Wardrobe Update: June 2018

June 28, 2018 by jessica Leave a Comment

Recently I had been putting any blog money I earned toward house projects and purchases. Those things can add up quickly and I’m so fortunate that I’ve been able to add extra money to my bank account by way of this hobby. This month, though, I spent some of that money a bit more irresponsibly. I had been obsessing over these earrings ever since I featured them on March 20. I hemmed and hawed over purchasing them because, well, they’re plastic and it’s a lot of money to spend on a pair of acrylic earrings. I’m so glad I went for it, though! They’re such statement makers in person despite being clear. Plus, they’re so much fun to wear! It was money well spent.

TOTAL SPENT: $337
(Budget: $200; $4 subtracted from last month; $141 over budget, but I had plenty of blog revenue this month to cover it)

PURCHASED
See all of this year’s sartorial additions here.

Old Navy ruffle-trim linen-blend popover shirt ($27) – I linked to this shirt in a recent “Weekend Links” post and went to Old Navy shortly after to see it in person. It was as good as I hoped it would be. The fabric is light and breezy, which is perfect for summer. And the cut is flattering with the v-neck. The size small fit well if it were tucked in, but I went up a size because I preferred the looser fit of the medium so that it draped over my hips better.
Old Navy denim boyfriend shorts ($20) – My other pair of denim shorts is now too large. I’m not a huge fan of shorts in general, but I do wear them when we go on bike rides. So, a smaller pair was a summer essential.
Sam Edelman ‘Bay 2’ slides ($100) – I ordered these the same day I saw them on Shopbop. They run true to size.
Rachel Comey ‘Factor’ earrings ($115) – Yes, that’s a crazy amount to spend on plastic earrings, but they’re all kinds of amazing. They’re lightweight making them easy to wear all day. (If you’d prefer a wallet-friendly pair of acrylic earrings, check out these or these.)
Madewell tiered tank in pink ($45) – Isn’t this the cutest? If you want it to fit like it does on the model, you’ll have to go up a size. I went with a medium in the top and the band fits snugly on top and it hits me at the top of my hips. I tried a small for comparison and it was entirely too short. The fabric has a nice heft to it and a lot of women left reviews online indicating that they were able to wear it without a bra. I haven’t tried that yet, though!
Leith racerback shift dress in emerald ($30) – I’m a sucker for this dress, which should be obvious by now given that it’s the third color I own. You can see how I’ve worn it here and here.

DIDN’T WORK OUT
Things I tried and didn’t love.

Madewell butterfly top in sherbet stripe – I love the colors of this top, but it was much too short and the hem was curved. Whenever I lifted my arms, the shirt rode up to expose my torso. Pass. (Also, it feels like upholstery fabric. I’m still not sure if I liked that or hated it.)

–
Let’s keep in touch! Instagram / Facebook / Pinterest / Bloglovin’

Wardrobe Update: May 2018

June 1, 2018 by jessica Leave a Comment

I’m two months into my newfound budget restrictions and I’m still going strong! (Albeit with a $4 deficit.) This month was all about adding a few lightweight dresses to my collection, including one I’ve crushed on since its debut, which made my wish list go down to just one single item: this Jenny Bird pendant. I’m not sure if I’ll pull the trigger this month, though. We have a trip to Portland on the books for the end of the month and I feel like all of my disposable income is going to go to Schoolhouse Electric when I visit the store!

TOTAL SPENT: $235
(Budget: $200; $31 added from last month; subtracting $4 next month)

PURCHASED
See all of this year’s sartorial additions here.

Tory Burch silk scarf ($18) – I received a $50 coupon to use for my birthday month and decided to put it toward this adorable silk square. The four different patterns make it so that you can change the look from a floral design to a geometric one based on how you tie it.
Leith racerback shift dress in navy ($29; worn here) – I love the black version of this dress (worn here) that I had to buy it in navy. I’ve been wearing these two dresses to work just about every week. They’re machine washable, too!
J.Crew Mercantile faux wrap dress in fresh daisies ($60; worn here) – This little number runs true to size. The bust is a bit on the larger side, though, and it falls open if you don’t maintain good posture despite the hook and eye closure. I love it with slip-on espadrilles and sneakers, but it’s adorable with ballet flats, too.
Madewell denim pintuck cami dress ($128) – I had been crushing on this dress ever since I first saw it on the Madewell site. I was waiting for it to go on sale, but once I realized the size run was selling out at both Nordstrom and Shopbop, I had to hit “add to cart” to see how I felt about it in person. Love. It. The pintuck pleats and bust detailing make it so much more interesting than your run-of-the-mill sun dress. It runs true to size.
Warby Parker ‘Nancy’ sunglasses in pink & no-name gold and white hoop earrings in Austin ($0) – Birthday gifts! Dave bought the earrings for me while we were out and about. (I’ll post them in an outfit post soon!) The sunglasses are from my parents — sort of. They send me a birthday check each year, and this year my mom specifically requested that I buy something for myself and not the household. I put part of the check toward the sunglasses while we were in Austin and deposited the rest into my travel savings account.

DIDN’T WORK OUT
Things I tried and didn’t love.

BB Dakota ‘Luciana’ maxi dress – The polyester lining felt like it would oppressively hot on steamy days.
Soludos espadrille wedges – I’ve been thinking about buying these for a couple of years now and really hoped that they’d be a comfortable option when I want a bit of height. I followed the recommendations to go down a half size and found the toe box too tight and uncomfortable. Back they went.
Deepa Gurnani ‘Petaloop’ earrings – I love big earrings, but these were too much even for me.

Wardrobe Update: April 2018 (Back on a Budget)

April 30, 2018 by jessica Leave a Comment

Now that we’re finally into spring and embracing the fresh start the season brings, I thought I’d give my financial situation a bit of spring cleaning. With house projects (which are all more expensive than you think they should be), savings goals, and travel dreams, I’ve got to button down on the sartorial front and keep myself to a more reasonable amount. I’m going to start with $200 per month, and put $50 per paycheck into a “splurge” savings account for whatever captures my fancy down the road. (That, along with blog revenue, is how I saved for my Gucci bag.) I feel like I’m in a really good spot with the foundation pieces in my wardrobe, so $200 should be plenty of money to freshen up my collection and add a few nicer pieces over the months.

TOTAL SPENT: $169
(Budget: $200; $31 rolling over to next month)

PURCHASED
See all of this year’s sartorial additions here.

Old Navy bow-topped slides in gingham ($15) – Aren’t these adorable?! They fit true to size.
New Look ruffle strappy jumpsuit ($32; worn here) – With black slides and statement jewelry, this jumpsuit is perfect for warmer days. I went up a size because I liked the looser fit.
Target short sleeve mini dress ($33) – As with most Target purchases, this was an impulse buy when I ran to the store for household needs. It’s such a sweet dress and well made for the price point. It’s lined and has great attention to detail with the ruffled hem. I’m not crazy about the sleeves and tried it with the sleeves tucked under, which I thought was much cuter and I’ll likely get it altered. It runs large. (I’m typically a size 8 and went with the small.)
Anthropologie Lucite tassel necklace ($68; pictured above) – We stopped at Anthropologie while we were waiting for our dinner reservations in London, and I fell in love with an oversize Lucite beaded necklace with a tassel pendant. I almost didn’t purchase it since I hate buying things overseas that I can get here, but I couldn’t bear the idea of not having it in my collection. As it turns out, it’s a good thing I bought it because it’s not on Anthro’s website.
London street vendor earrings and ring ($21) – I bought an oversize silver and lapis ring at Brick Lane Market and a pair of circular brass earrings at Old Spitalfields Market that will probably irritate my ears, but they were super cute and cheap.

DIDN’T WORK OUT
Things I tried and didn’t love.

Gap mid-rise skinny jeans in black – I own the blue version of these jeans, but for some reason the black pair ran exceptionally small. I couldn’t get them over my hips.
J.O.A. striped mini dress – I wanted to love this dress and even tried it in three different sizes to see if it could work. The medium was way too small, despite the claim that a medium fits a size 8. I tried the large and couldn’t breath with it zipped up. And I even tried the XL, which was too large in bust and waist. Sigh. It’s super cute, though!

Wardrobe Update: December 2017

December 28, 2017 by jessica 1 Comment

I never intend to spend quite so much on myself in December, especially since it’s such an expensive month to begin with, but I can’t resist adding a few new things to my collection to round out the year. My favorite purchase of the month is one I’ve had my eye on for awhile: this Paravel backpack. I had originally been crushing on the capsule bag, but the size wasn’t practical for actually traveling with it. Finally splurging on a pricier item and being so incredibly thrilled with it is a good reminder to step back and carefully plan future purchases. I’ll talk about this more in my upcoming New Year’s goals post, but I’m working to be more mindful of purchases in the new year — and I’m actually kicking things off by not buying anything at all in January. I don’t want to call it a “shopping ban” and attach any negativity to it. It’s more of a reset button to allow myself time to sift through my collection and figure out what I actually need.

Below, you’ll see what I snagged this month before my self-imposed challenge. I also received a few sartorial pieces from Dave this Christmas: feathery earrings, these Jenny Bird stunners, and a black sweater.

PURCHASED
See all of this year’s sartorial additions here.

Madewell ‘Woodside’ pullover sweater in heather rust – This sweater is ridiculously cozy. I’ve barely wanted to take it off since I received it. Admittedly, the boxy shape isn’t the most flattering, but I don’t care. It’s warm and perfect for weekend lounging. Go down a size.
Madewell long-sleeve poppy dress in peacock feathers – The shape of this dress is exactly what I need more of in my wardrobe with its flattering v-neckline, cinched waist, and swingy skirt. It runs true to size.
Kate Spade linear drop earrings in gold (smaller version) – I bought these at the Kate Spade boutique in Chicago earlier this month and have worn them almost every day since. They’re large, but surprisingly versatile.
Paravel 3-in-1 motorist backpack in black – I still can’t believe I bought this! I had been eyeing it up for months because it looks perfect for travel. I can’t tell you how annoyed I get by shoving my camera into a cross-body purse for our adventures. It doesn’t always fit well and the shoulder strain starts to bother me after a few days of lugging it around. This is going to be so perfect for our trip to London in the spring. There’s more than enough room for the camera, wallet, and any other treasures we collect during the day. I love that it transforms into a shoulder bag, which will be great for visiting museums that don’t allow backpacks. I’ll do a full review in a dedicated post soon.

DIDN’T WORK OUT
Things I tried and didn’t love.

Madewell ruffle-tier cami dress – It fit everywhere but the very top of the bust. It would be way too large if I went up a size. It’s really cute, though!
Madewell ruffle-edge skirt in peacock feathers – I end up hating every elastic-waist skirt I try because it bunches oddly. I think it’s time to stop buying them.
Cece crepe flounce skirt – I’m on the lookout for a new black skirt, but I hated that this one didn’t flare out right at the waistband. The pleats are stitched down for the first couple of inches making it fit snugly across my midsection. Pass.

DAYDREAMING ABOUT
The items I just might add to my wardrobe next month.

I still need to get my black flats resoled.

–
Let’s keep in touch! Instagram / Facebook / Pinterest / Bloglovin’