Budget Update

A new year calls for a fresh budget and a new Pinterest board to record my 2015 wardrobe additions. If you don’t already have a board dedicated to new purchases (or even planned purchases), I’d recommend it. It’s interesting to see the direction your wardrobe is taking with a quick glance. Evidently, I’m all about stripes (no surprise there) punctuated with rich color.

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
• $0 rollover from last month
• $300 added to the budget this month
• - $404 spent this month
• = $146 remaining

PURCHASED

• J.Crew Factory Striped Popover – $27: I tried this on in-store right before Christmas and immediately fell in love with it (so soft!). I bought it in one size larger than usual so it can double as a beach cover up. Until then, I’ve been wearing it to work with a pair of my favorite pants and classic ballet flats.
• J.Crew Silk Tie Scarf – $10: This was an impulsive purchase when I stopped at the store to do a post-holiday return. It was 50% off the sale price and I figured $10 for 100% silk was totally worth it.
• Line & Dot Pink Dress – $33: I’m so freaking excited about this purchase. It was part of Shopbop’s final sale section, but I took a gamble and ordered it anyway. It’s girly and fun to twirl in. We’re looking at Puerto Rican vacations right now and this dress will be the first thing in my suitcase.
• J.Crew Striped Blouse – $40: This is a lot cuter in person than it looks online. I purchased it to wear to work in the summer, but it’s also cute with the shorts I purchased this month. I’d like to bring it to the tailor to have the shoulders narrowed. Right now, they’re a little too wide for my frame.
• ASOS Striped Dress – $15: I’ve already waxed poetic about this dress here.
• Tory Burch Tote – $133: This is definitely this season’s hero piece. I have a friend from college who now works for Tory Burch. Around the holidays, she gave me a coupon for 30% off a purchase. I also received a $200 Visa gift card as a holiday gift from work. It was pretty much the perfect storm to splurge on a bag I wouldn’t be able to afford otherwise. Not only is it gorgeous, it’s ultra practical. I’ll be able to use it as a work tote and on vacations. There’s more than enough room for my camera and endless souvenirs collected throughout the day.
• J.Crew Shorts – $48: I adore the print on these shorts and couldn’t pass them up. It’s hard to tell in the stock photo, but there’s a very small pleat in the front, which I’m not a huge fan of. You can’t tell it’s there with the loose shirts I’m planning to wear with them. Just keep it in mind if you like to tuck anything in and your stomach isn’t totally flat.
• Old Navy Striped Top – $14 (not pictured): I can’t find this online, but it’s totally worth stopping at the store to purchase. It’s a thicker knit that seems like it will hold up well. I had to try on a few different ones in my size to find the best fit.
• Old Navy Floral Scarf – $14 (not pictured): I bought this in the white and black colorway that isn’t online. It reminded me of an old DVF print.
• Loft Windowpane Skirt – $70 (not pictured): I know it’s foolish to buy a full-priced item at Loft. However, I couldn’t find it online and it was something I knew I’d regret if I passed it up. It reminds me of a skirt from Tory Burch’s pre-fall collection.

UP NEXT

Once we get a vacation on the calendar, I’d like to use a portion of my tax return to buy a few new pieces to pack. (I always wanted to be that girl who has a new vacation wardrobe!) While I won’t be able to completely outfit myself on whatever amount I set aside, I’m hoping to add a pair of espadrilles, a few silky camis, this skirt (definitely a splurge, so it might not happen), and a couple of casual dresses. I’ve also ordered the Loeffler Randall “Starla” sandals in gold. You may remember the style from a couple of years ago. I’m beyond excited to see that they re-released the pair. I used a 30% Piperlime coupon and $100 in Gap, Inc. rewards that I had saved up to bring the price down to $23 (squee!). The sandals are backordered until April. Hopefully they’ll still arrive, given that Piperlime is closing at the end of the quarter.

TRIED & RETURNED

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

• J.Crew Retro Floral Popover: I bought this to wear with the shorts, sort of like a practical romper. The polyester blouse was so staticky that it was miserable to try on and the shoulders run incredibly narrow. I also tried it in a size up, but it still didn’t feel comfortable.
• DVF Striped Julian Dress: I’ve already mentioned this one quite a bit. It really is darling and fit well. I just felt lukewarm about it. I think the sassy snake print version in silk jersey might be more up my alley.
• Lucy Paris Splatter Skirt: This reminded me of the Tibi skirt I couldn’t afford. The satin was soft and it was well made, but I didn’t expect the elastic at the back. I hated that. It also hit just below my knees, which is ultra unflattering on me. I didn’t love it enough for alterations.
• Cameo Night Tale Dress: So cute, right? In the previous Cameo dress I tried on, I wore a medium. So, I ordered both a medium and large in this one to be on the safe side. Neither fit. There was no way the zipper was even close to going up in the large. This may have been the catalyst for my “get fit” kick.

HOW ARE YOU DOING?

Fran does a great job of linking to budget bloggers each month and I strongly encourage you to take part. I hope you’ll also share links to your wardrobe recaps here. I’m always curious to learn how others curate their closets!