December Budget

I share my clothing budget here every month. My budget per month is $350, which may seem like a lot to some people or a little to others, but for me feels just right. I include all of my clothes, coats, shoes, and accessories in that budget, but not athletic gear, pajamas, or intimates.

What a weird year for clothes shopping, am I right? And obviously, that was the weirdest part of 2020. Definitely nothing weirder happened. 

I was joking with some friends that mentally I just hit the pandemic clothing phase that everyone else reached by the last week of March. I think it's probably because it's been cold so we've been doing a lot less, but I've been living in leggings, matching sets, and sweatshirts lately. Lounge all day. Which my December purchases clearly fall in line with. Two novelty sweatshirts and sequined joggers, what more does a girl need?!

Alice & Wonder Ya Filthy Animal Sweatshirt - originally $46.00, on sale $36.80. Still available in a few sizes and on super sale if you want to get ready for next year! These are unisex sweatshirts so the sizing runs large, I still went with my usual size since I wanted a relaxed fit. This also comes in black.

Alice & Wonder Merry Little Cocktail Sweatshirt - originally $46.00, on sale $36.80. This one is sadly sold out now. If you're looking for fun, Chicago lounge wear though, definitely check out Alice & Wonder as they have the cutest Chicago merch! 

LOFT Sequined Joggers - originally $89.50, on sale $44.75. These sold out basically immediately so I'm sorry I couldn't share a link! Really though, they are the ultimate quarantine *fancy* loungewear lolol. I've been wearing them with my novelty sweatshirt collection, but also dressed them up with a black blouse for NYE. This same material is still available in a dress or plus size midi skirt.

Total Spent: $118.35

A look back at my 2020 Budget

What a rollercoaster of a year! It's funny to see my spending and what I bought in terms of what I thought I needed as I thought quarantine would go on longer, when we expanded our bubble slightly, and when Chicago went back into full stay home mode. Here's a breakdown of my spending by month (each linking to that specific post in case you want to take a look):

January - $159.49

February - $133.40

March - $483.54

April - $210.95

May - $331.57

June - $189.08

July - $215.85

August - $155.10

September - $545.20

October - $20.08

November - $230.15

December - $118.35

Total Spent: $2,792.76

Average Per Month: $232.73

And here we are, officially at my lowest annual average spend per month since I started tracking my clothing budget in 2014! In a pandemic it isn't so much of a surprise, but I'm still proud of myself for continuing to rein myself in while still buying (mostly) *nicer* items than I did back in the day when I'd attack the Forever 21 sale racks during my lunch break. 

It's hard to say what my spending will look like in 2021, because honestly, who knows what the world will look like moving forward. Will we go back to having work events that I'll need to dress up for? Will we travel? Will we get to go to parties and see all of our friends again? Will I ever work in an office again? 

What I do know is that I need some more comfy basics to wear at home so I don't just end up in the same pair of sweatpants day in and day out. I did a little bit of post-Christmas sale shopping, and am excited to get this (slightly) fancier tee and this sweatshirt in the mail soon! 

Post-Christmas winter wear for me always means shifting my color palette from the richer shades of fall and Christmas reds and plaid to something softer and lighter. I'm currently on the hunt for sweaters in shades of blush pink, creamy white, and soft grays - I've currently got my eye on this one and this one.

Want to see more? Check out my budget recaps from 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, and 2014.

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November Budget

I share my clothing budget here every month. My budget per month is $350, which may seem like a lot to some people or a little to others, but for me feels just right. I include all of my clothes, coats, shoes, and accessories in that budget, but not athletic gear, pajamas, or intimates.

Oh heeeyyyyyy I haven't written a blog post in two weeks!! Holy moly I've heard moms complain before about how crazy the Christmas season is, and now that I have a toddler running around I fully get it. I have one thousand things on my to-do list to complete before next week. But it's all in the name of making Christmas special for Mia, so I'm happy to do it. 

That being said, I'm so sorry for not getting to my November budget earlier, because it's a lot of Christmas clothes, and it's now probably too late for you to get any of them in time. So really, I'm sorry for being such a tease over here. I decided Mia and I were going to match as much as possible this holiday season, and that plus the few pounds more I weigh than I did pre-babies and pre-pandemic, means a few new holiday items. 

My absolute favorite thing though are these velvet pants. They are so comfy but make you look dressed up - basically fancy joggers. I wore them for Thanksgiving and have been putting them on for some fancy WFH, and fully plan on pulling them out again for Christmas. I went with my typical dress size, but I'd suggest going down one size for these as they are a little roomy.

Here's the rest of my purchases for November: 

LOFT Poncho: originally $59.50, on sale + used rewards $20.46. I bought this durning a November heat wave when I thought a short sleeve sweater would be a good idea. We are now past that part of Chicago winter haha, but I really liked this the two times I wore it! 

J.Crew Factory Plaid Ruffle Blouse: originally $64.50, on sale $25.60. I bought this specifically to twin with Mia. I thought it wouldn't be particularly flattering on me, but I was surprised by how cute it is in person! I wore this here. 

J.Crew Factory Pearl Bow Earrings: originally $22.50, on sale $8.80. These are my favorite earrings forever and ever. I've been wearing them basically every day. They are so, so cute for the holidays, but I think I'll keep wearing them until the *fun* summer earrings come out to play ;) 

J.Crew Factory Plaid Bow Scrunchie (sold out but the J.Crew version is almost identical): originally $16.50, on sale $6.37. I obviously needed this for holiday matching. Worth it. 

LOFT Cowl Neck Tunic Sweater: originally $59.50, on sale + used rewards $20.46. Really, I was just looking for more tops to wear with leggings since I've gotten super into quarantine style lately. This isn't anything special, but it fits the "wear with leggings" bill. 

J.Crew Velvet Wide-Leg Pants: originally $118, on sale $59.00. Like I said above, these are the perfect holiday pant, because they look classy but are super comfy to wear. Definitely not the most flattering thing in the world, but I'm not letting that stop me! 

J.Crew Ribbed Ruffle Neck T-Shirt: originally $49.50, on sale $24.75. I reeeeeeally wanted this and was going crazy waiting for it to go on sale. I had the tank top version of this top in white and black for summer (seen here) and both the tank top and long sleeve versions are perfect for tucking into skirts or higher waisted pants if you, like me, don't like bodysuits. Plus the ruffle detail is so cute! The scoop neck is a little low for me though, I wouldn't wear it for work. Unless I'm not turning on my camera for meetings ;) 

LOFT Bobble Sweater: originally $59.50, on sale + used rewards $20.46. I like the texture on this but it is super see-through and not so warm. It worked great during warmer fall weather, but I wouldn't recommend it for true winter. 

J.Crew Factory Plaid Button-Down: originally $59.50, on sale $24.65. I bought this specifically to twin with Mia too, and then the top for her ended up getting cancelled. Wah wahhhhhhh. This top is a little more "business" than most of my button-downs and it definitely isn't my favorite because of that, but I still have been wearing it because I cannot stop with the plaid. 

J.Crew Factory Plaid Scarf: originally $49.50, on sale $19.60. I kept telling myself not to buy more plaid scarves because I have like five of these plaid scarves from J.Crew Factory from previous years, but then I bought Mia some blackwatch plaid and obviously I needed this scarf to match. Someone please send help. 

Total Spent: $230.15

Moving forward, I'll share a budget post for December but I think for next year I'm going to drop the full "budget" post every month and just share my favorites. My guess is, you're less interested in how much I spent and saved on new things in my closet, and more interested in my current finds and favorites. Let me know if I'm wrong! 

For December I'm basically not shopping for myself besides a couple of novelty Christmas sweatshirts from Alice & Wonder. The pandemic seems to have finally caught up with me ;) 

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December Budget

Every month I post about my clothing budget. My budget per month is $350, which may seem like a lot to some and a little to others, but feels just right for me. You can read my thoughts on my 2018 budget here.

And another year of budgeting in the books! I usually publish a follow-up post for the year in total sharing my favorites and misses, but honestly I don't think those posts are that fun to read. Instead, here's December for you, and I'll share a little recap of my overall spending at the bottom of the post.

I'm still so drawn to sparkly big earrings, even though I very rarely wear them these days (since there's currently a member of my household who wants to rip them out of my earlobes at every chance). But I just couldn't resist with these two! I was in the store to make a return, and these were so pretty they just called to me while I was waiting in line. But besides those, I feel like I made some good, practical purchases this month. I've been wearing everything else on repeat!

Here's the damage for December:

J.Crew Funnel Neck Sweatshirt - originally $59.50, on sale $29.75. I saw this in stores and had to try it on. It looks really luxe in person, but is lined in fleece so it's so soft and cozy inside. I've been pairing it with faux leather leggings to look dressed up when really I'm basically in pajamas. It also looks super cute with another layer peeking out underneath, like a striped tee or some plaid (like I wore it here)!
LOFT Embellished Fabric Drop Earrings - originally $34.50, on sale $13.80. These are so pretty and sparkly, and not too heavy for my ears!
LOFT Fair Aisle Pom Pom Hat - $39.50, on sale $17.77. Sadly this is sold out, because it's so freaking cute and it's really nice and thick and warm (so important for those Chicago winters!). Still linking it for you in case it comes back in stock. Otherwise here is a similar one, or here's a cute pink one.
J.Crew Lodge Coat - originally $365.00, on sale $182.50. I. Love. This. Coat. In case you couldn't tell. I kept not buying it (and trying other coats instead) because I was sure it wouldn't work on my body type. But somehow the swingy, a-line shape is surprisingly flattering! It's so gorgeous in person too with the gold hardware and the beautiful camel color. I wore it here and here.
LOFT Star Drop Earrings - originally $34.50, on sale $18. I really wanted these last year but missed out, so I was excited to snag them. Super cute in person, and once again not too heavy.
Daily Ritual Scoop Neck Tee - $18.93. I've had a couple other Daily Ritual jersey tees, and decided to add this one to my closet since the sleeves on my other long sleeve black tee shrunk. It's a great basic for layering under cardigans and scarves, and for wearing over leggings.

Total Spent: $280.75
Total Saved: $271.18

A look back at my budget for 2019

At the beginning of the year, I set up a budget of $350 per month, but with the leeway to overspend some months as long as I reigned it in the next. It turned out though that I rarely got close to that $350 mark. Here's a monthly breakdown (with links to each post): 

January: $166.95
February: $231.04
March: $149.49
April: $348.61
May: $334.20
June: $269.85
July: $294.90
August: $17.70
September: $404.54
October: $360.44
November: $252.30
December: $280.75

Total Spent: $3,110.77

Average Per Month: $259.23

It's kind of crazy, but this was actually my second-lowest spending total for the year since I started tracking my clothing budget in 2014, even though I "gave myself a raise" from $300 to $350 in 2018. I didn't have that "new new new" feeling, partially because I was so excited to rediscover a good chunk of my wardrobe post-baby.

For 2020, I'm going to keep that $350 number as my monthly budget, and see how it goes. For January I always shop for some warmer pieces to keep things interesting as we enter the season of never-ending sweaters, but I did also order this pretty dress to mix things up for date night (and for our trip to Florida over MLK weekend!).

Want to see more? Check out my budget recaps from 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, and 2014.

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December Budget

Every month I post about my clothing budget. My budget per month is $350, which may seem like a lot to some and a little to others, but feels just right for me. You can read my thoughts on my 2017 budget here.

And we're at the final budget post for 2018!! I'll be back next week with my thoughts on the budget for the full year, but for now we'll stick with December.

I feel like my budget posts are getting less and less interesting as I get more and more pregnant because really, I'm shopping way less than I used to. I'm at the point now where I'll see something is a great deal, but I don't want to buy it because I don't know what size I'll be next winter or whether I'll still want whatever it is. Case in point: the AMAZING sales that were going on at J.Crew in November/December. I really wanted to snag a new wool coat since they were at such good prices, but ultimately just bought some accessories instead.

I am super excited about the sherpa vest I snagged on sale though - how freaking cute is it?! Plus so cozy. I also finally took the plunge and ordered a piece of clothing from Amazon. I was expecting the quality to be terrible and for it to run really small, but I actually was pleasantly surprised! I ordered a large, and it fits perfectly over the bump (but will also be great post-baby).

So here's the damage for December:

Loft Sherpa Vest - originally $64.50, on sale $32.25. You can see where I wore this here, I've been wearing it on repeat since I got it and it's so freaking cozy! There are just a couple sizes left as I write this, but there's also a sweater version available.
J.Crew Leopard Hat - originally $29.50, on sale $14.75. This has been on my wishlist for a while so I was excited to pull the trigger, especially since I hear hats are a mom's best friend ;) This one might be a teeny bit too small for my giant head though, so I'm still unsure if I'm keeping it or not.
J.Crew Factory Plaid Shirt - originally $46.50, on sale $32.55, used rewards $27.55. I ordered this literally three months ago and it was on backordered until after Christmas! I actually had forgotten I even ordered it hahaha. But I'm glad I did, it's a cute, classic pattern that I'll be able to wear now (open over a tee) and will be great for breastfeeding too.
American Eagle Sweatshirt - originally $44.95, on sale $25.00. I bought this on a whim to wear over the holidays, and it was such a fun purchase!! It even won me the Christmas sweater contest at work (of course, I may have been the only contest participant not on the judging committee hahaha) and I wore it to parties and as my Christmas pajamas. I'll definitely be on the hunt for another fun Christmas sweater at the start of the next holiday season!
J.Crew Velvet Knot Hair Tie - originally $16.50, on sale $8.25. Yes, I bought myself a scrunchie. 1992 Kristina is very pleased. But really though, I love the concept of a hair bow, but love that this one is way easier to wear. I threw it in a few messy buns this holiday season to make them a little more festive, and will definitely be wearing it until spring decides to show it's face (you know, in May).
Amazon Striped Tee - $15.00. I've been wearing this a ton over the last month, it's such a good layering piece! Most tees are a little short for my taste (especially with the bump) but this is perfect for wearing over leggings and with longer cardigans. I'm contemplating snagging another color or two.

Total Spent: $127.80
Total Saved: $89.15

So way under budget for December! And I didn't really buy much in maternity either for the month so I'm feeling pretty good :) I did actually end up ordering the Madewell Zip-Top Transport Tote as a present for myself after Christmas with a giftcard and some Christmas money, but it's actually backordered until April!! So someday I'll have a new bag hahaha. There is also still a hole in my wardrobe I've been trying to fill - dressier black boots. Hoping I can find a pair that's cute and agrees with my super picky feet soon!

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December Budget

Every month I post about my clothing budget. My budget per month is $350, which may seem like a lot to some and a little to others, but feels just right for me. You can read my thoughts on my 2016 budget here.

This is one of the first years I didn't do a ton of shopping for myself in December. Usually all of the Black Friday madness sucks me in (online of course) but we were actually flying to Paris on Black Friday this year so I didn't do any shopping (except for this tee, which I bought in the airport after seeing it on someone's Instagram ;). Then when we got back, all of the sale emails were a little overwhelming so I basically stayed away. In fact, I really only bought three items in December (and all from Abercrombie), because that black dress was actually purchased back in October (I intended to take it back but then couldn't). Of course, I did also snag this bag for myself in Paris, but I'm leaving it out of the budget and counting it as a Christmas present instead. Because it's my budget and I can do what I please ;)

So here's the damage for December:

J.Crew Factory Plaid Elephant Tee - originally $39.50, on sale $19.50. Because obviously I needed this for the holidays - worn here.
Abercrombie V Back Sweater - originally $58, on sale $34.80. Okay, so I haven't shopped at Abercrombie since high school, and even then it was usually because my grandma bought me something from there for Christmas and I returned it and then had some store credit to burn. Back in about 2002 my brother and sister used their store credit to buy matching military surplus jackets and then wore them to death. Too bad it wasn't 2012 because then they would have been totally in ;) Anyway, I really just wanted the pullover but needed to add a few more items for that sweet, sweet free shipping, so this sweater got tossed in. And I freaking love it - so soft, the deep v in the back is a fun detail, and the fit is perfect.
CeCe Velvet Shift Dress (the velvet is sold out, but here it is in crepe and here's a similar velvet dress) - $128. I bought this back in October thinking it would be fun for the holidays but wasn't sure I was actually going to keep it. I ended up packing it as a just-in-case dress for our Paris trip and had to wear it - it's so pretty! I actually ended up wearing it for our photo session in Paris.
Abercrombie Velvet Lace Cami - originally $38, on sale $19. I don't usually go for tank tops because they mean strapless bras, but this was so pretty (and cheap!) I couldn't resist. It's funny, because back in the day I remember thinking of Abercrombie as so expensive. Anyway, I ended up wearing this under a big cardigan for New Year's Eve - perfect!
Abercrombie Asymmetrical Snap Popover - $68. The big kahuna. I've actually had this on my wishlist since it came out earlier this fall, and then it sold out. They brought it back in time for Christmas, and I was so excited I didn't even care that it wasn't on sale. It is so, so worth it, especially in this crazy cold we've been having. The fleece is incredibly plush and warm, and it turns out it's long enough that you can wear it with leggings. Definitely a win!

Total Spent: $269.30
Total Saved: $62.20

And that's a wrap for the budget for 2017! I think I managed to stay under overall, but I haven't actually done the math yet so we shall see - I'll have a full recap of the year coming at you next week.

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December Budget

Every month I post about my clothing budget. My budget per month is $300, which to some may seem like a lot and to others a little, but feels just right for me. You can read my thoughts on my 2015 budget here. 

I hate to say this, because it starts to get redundant when I repeat myself every month, but holy crap, how did we get to the end of December already? And for that matter, the end of the year?! I was looking back through my budget posts for the year to prep for my big annual clothing budget recap post (coming next week!) and realized I was way under budget for the year, so I decided to loosen the purse strings a little this month and went a bit over budget. Really, I would have been close, except that I saw this adorable Vineyard Vines plaid dress and had to have it for Christmas. I only wore it a couple of times, but I’m sure it’s going to be a staple for many Christmases to come.

Another purchase I was really excited about are these Coach riding boots. Chicago is supposed to be really cold this winter, and I realized about three days into December that my ankle boot collection was not going to cut it this year. I’m still breaking them in so they aren’t quite as comfy yet as my go-to riding boots that have been around for years (which I somehow managed to wear for a three mile walk through the Loop, River North, and the Gold Coast yesterday!), but I’m pretty sure they’re going to get there. A word of warning - these definitely have a super narrow calf (here’s the wide calf version if you need it). They’re snug on me and I never need wide calf anything.

So anyways, enough babbling. Here’s the damage for December:

Vineyard Vines Dress - originally $198, on sale $148.50.
Coach Riding Boots - originally $265, on sale $158.90.
Gap Jeans - originally $89.95, on sale and used rewards $33.18.
Sole Society Studded Heels - originally $69.95, on sale $59.46.
Charming Charlie Bow Earrings - $10.
BaubleBar Tassel Earrings - originally $32, on sale $22.40.
J. Crew Factory Striped Tee - originally $34.50, on sale $13.50.

Total Spent: $445.94
Total Saved: $253.46

So, like I said, a bit over, but I’m facing a surplus for the year overall so I’m not feeling bad about it.

I’ll share my thoughts on my purchases for the year next week, but for January at least I’ll be shopping for pieces that feel a little more special. This year I’ve gone crazy on basics, which are all great things to have, but I feel like I’m lacking things that are exciting in my closet. I want a couple of things that I’m really excited to wear, for date nights, parties, and when I need to dress up a little for work.

So tell me, did you budget in December? How did you do?

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December Budget

Every month I post about my clothing budget. My budget per month is $300, which to some may seem like a lot and to others a little, but feels just right for me. You can read my thoughts on my 2014 budget here. 

Yay for it almost being 2016! Are you up to anything fun tonight? We're having a few people over and I'm using the opportunity to bust out some new sequins. I'm back with another budget post, and weirdly, another way under budget post. I weirdly only bought one thing for myself over the Black Friday weeklong sales (these jeans, and they didn't actually arrive until the week of Christmas!) and the weather foiled my plans for a post Christmas shopping spree, leaving me under my $300/month limit again. I'll be back next week with my thoughts on the 2015 budget as a whole, but in the meantime, here's the damage for December:

J.Crew Factory Artist Tee - originally $29.50, on sale $13.33. I took advantage of big sales and free shipping on any order to snag another of my favorite tees (seen here and here). I used to buy mediums, but they tend to shrink so now I always go for the large.
Maia Sequined Shift Dress - $118. I wasn't going to buy a NYE dress. I have a bunch of sequined dresses (even though they might be mostly white at this point - thanks getting married!) and had my eye on a couple from Rent the Runway. But you know, this one is so gorgeous. And I basically only want to wear shift dresses when I dress up now. Somehow, someway it found its way into my closet.
Gap Distressed Denim - originally $79.95, on sale $47.97. I've been searching for distressed skinny jeans for over a year now, and finally found a winner in this pair. A lot of them were either too distressed, or the holes didn't line up right on my knees, or they were ankle length. These ones are perfectly soft and comfortable, they come in a tall, and they have just the right amount of distressing.
Madewell Necklace - originally $45, on sale $30.37. This was definitely an impulse buy. It was on sale, the shipping was free, and I just couldn't resist.

Total Spent: $209.67
Total Saved: $62.78

I don't think I'll be shopping for anything in particular next month, just looking for some great deals.

Did you have a budget for December? How did you do?

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December Budget

And I'm back with the last budget post of 2014! I'll talk next week about my thoughts about the budget overall for the year and plans for 2015, so for now I'll just talk about how I did in December. I was actually kind of surprised that I didn't spend more, because I feel like all I ever do in December is shop. I guess I did more shopping for other people than me, which is really the way it should be. I also found some pretty amazing sales which helped me stay way under budget.

This month I was looking for a more casual dress to wear for all of my holiday parties, as well as something to wear to a wedding I'm going to in January, and also a white top to wear when I go to work events (I have to wear a white top and black bottoms along with a branded red track jacket - super cute, I know). I also was looking for new jeans, I bought this pair and loved them - so comfy - but ultimately decided to return them because they're just a tinge too short on me even in tall. I really wish the whole "ankle length" trend would end, on my silly long legs they end up looking more like capris.

So anyway, here's how I did for December:

Ann Taylor Faux Leather Pocket Dress - originally $139, on sale $36
The Limited Zip Back Skater Dress - originally $69.95, on sale $19.99
Ann Taylor Layered Crepe Tank - Black - originally $54, on sale $15
Ann Taylor Layered Crepe Tank - White - originally $54, on sale $15
The Limited Texture Front Sweater - originally $59.95, on sale $23.95
JCrew Factory Pencil Skirt - originally $89.50, on sale $35.80

Total Spent: $145.74
Total Saved: $320.66


I didn't spend that much this month, but now thanks to some Christmas cash burning a hole in my pocket I may go a little crazy in January. I fully believe in actually spending any money I get for  Christmas or my birthday on presents for me, so anything that I gift to myself I'll share the price but not count it toward my monthly total.

How did you do in December?

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