January 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.

Coming in hot (and by "hot," I mean "late") with the first budget post of the year! I did not shop much in January, in case you couldn't tell. I also didn't get dressed much in January. TBH I'm finally feeling the quarantine blues, between the cold, the lack of holidays to look forward to, and feeling discouraged about how much longer this whole global pandemic thing is going to go on. I'm finally starting to see family get appointments for the vaccine, but it feels a long way off until Jeff and I will be eligible (assuming as healthy young adults who work from home... we're last?). So January saw me in a lot of sweats, leggings, and pajamas. All day erry day. 

Anyway, I did buy two things in January. TWO. And I used a giftcard for one. So this is a particularly interesting post. Here's what I bought in January: 

Target Leopard Sneakers - originally $24.99, on sale $12.49. Yes, that's really how much I spent on a pair of shoes. Usually I just skip the Target shoe section because they aren't high enough quality for my very picky feet, but I saw a couple people sporting these on las instas and decided to give them a try in store. And woah. So comfortable! They have a memory foam cushion insole, and the (faux) leather around the ankle doesn't rub. So far I've only worn these around the house because right after I bought them Chicago decided it was time for winter, but I'm confident they'll hold up once we leave the house. If leopard isn't your thing, they also come in white. You can see them on my feet here.

Treasure & Bond Cowl Neck Sweatshirt - originally $45.00, used giftcard $0. I also got influenced by a few people to try this one when I was sinking deep into my sweatshirt phase, and I'm v glad to have it in the Kristina's Closet family. The fabric is surprisingly lightweight but it's fleece on the inside, so you get warmth without bulk. Plus, it's so so soft and cozy, and pairs great with leggings. You can see me in it here. 

Total Spent: $12.49

I just ordered a couple of things for spring from J.Crew (including this super cute floral blouse) so hopefully my February budget post will be a little more exciting!

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January 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.

Yeeks the first month of the roaring '20s is complete!! It flew by over here (don't they all?) and I felt like I hadn't bought anything, and then I checked my Pinterest board and I guess I bought kind of a lot! Jeff and I got a big Nordstrom gift card for Christmas so a couple of things came from that (along with a cake server because that's an adult thing to buy right?).

Here's what I bought in January:

Sam Edelman Mules - $119.95, used gift card $0. I've been wearing my leopard Sam Edelman mules nonstop, so I decided to get a pair in black too. It turns out Sam Edelman makes basically all of my favorite shoes, everything is so comfortable! These instantly class up any outfit I pair them with, definitely a good purchase.
Knotty Raffia Fan Earrings - $42.00, used gift card $0. I definitely didn't need another pair of statement earrings, but I couldn't resist these! They're nice and light and will be so fun once things warm up a little.
LOFT Bobble Heart Sweater - originally $59.50, on sale $29.75. I picked this up in stores when I was returning stuff after Christmas, and it was love at first sight (sorry, couldn't help myself). I literally just hopped away from writing this to leave a review on the site for it because I saw a few negative ones and I love it so much. I haven't had any issues with pilling, and it isn't itchy at all for me and I'm usually super sensitive to wool. You can see it on me here.
Freshly Picked Belt Bag - $59.00, used gift card $0. I got it in my head that I definitely needed a belt bag so I could be hands free with Mia, and ended up ordering this one which is technically a diaper belt bag. I did bring it on our trip to Florida and found it a little cumbersome for travel. I didn't really want to wear it while I was sitting, so I had to take it off and put it back on a lot. But I definitely still think it will make sense for park days and running after a toddler. The color in person is beautiful, a slightly darker tan than in the photos.
LOFT Tunic Sweater - originally $59.50, on sale $29.75. I was looking for a great basic to wear with leggings when I work from home, and this fit the bill! I actually bought this in the pale pink color, and then got home and realized I have like five pale pink sweaters now. So, I guess I'm set for spring!
Madewell Floral Dress - originally $138.00, on sale $99.99. This was 100% a post-Christmas sale impulse buy, but it was so cute when it got delivered that I had to keep it. I plan to break it out for a date night this weekend with black tights, black booties, and a long cardigan. We're headed to Bar Roma because I've basically been dreaming about their lasagna for the past year. It was one of our last dinners out before Mia was born, and I've been dying to go back!

Total spent: $159.49
Total saved: $97.51

For February, I've got my eye on some of Vineyard Vines' new arrivals, I paged through their latest catalog and everything so freaking cute! I'm hoping that since I was under budget this month I can justify an expensive purchase to myself. I also just ordered this sweater from Old Navy with a gift card from last Christmas I just found, I've been loving the "cardigan as a sweater" look so I'm excited to give it a try.

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January 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.

I've been counting down the days until my due date (eek less than four weeks now!!) but somehow this budget post still snuck up on me - I literally almost forgot! I really have barely shopped this month, and really it's because now I'm feeling like it's too late to buy anything else for while I'm pregnant, and most normal clothes are not going to work on me. I did grab a few new sweaters, but they're all things that will work post-pregnancy. I was really excited to score the sock booties though - they filled a hole in my closet and I got a ton of wear out of them until Chicago forced me into snow boots for what feels like eternity ;)

Here's what I bought in January:

Steve Madden Booties (also available here) - originally $109.95, on sale $79.96. I kind of shied away from sock booties when they came onto the scene just because I wasn't quite sure how to wear them. But now I've realized that they are amazingly comfortable. Just like the sock-style sneakers I've been wearing, there's absolutely zero rubbing at the ankle which is amazing because almost every pair of booties bothers me there. And in the winter, you can tuck the sock part into your jeans or tuck leggings into them, and still wear regular socks and not have cold ankles. Win win win. If you're considering these, snag them fast as they look to be selling out!
Target Sweater - $27.99. I was having a bad day last week and went on a little shopping binge (nothing like a little retail therapy!) and this sweater was one of the things that made it home with me. It is so soft and I love the pretty stripes, it reminds me of a Madewell cardigan I wanted all season but couldn't buy because of the wool content. I sized up to an XXL in this but tried on the XL too and could have gone with that as well.
Halogen x Atlantic-Pacific Striped Sweater - $59.00. Another gray and pastel striped sweater - can you tell what I'm feeling this winter? I wore this sweater here and love it, the stripes are so cute! I sized up to an XXL in this also to accommodate the bump, but I think it would run true to size if you weren't pregnant - it's meant to be pretty fitted.
Sejour Leopard Cardigan - $99.00, used Nordstrom Note $0. I've seen a few leopard sweaters around this fall and really wanted one, but again had problems finding one that wasn't itchy. This one is so soft and cozy, and I think the leopard pattern is the perfect scale. I've worn this a lot so far as I run out of clothing options, you can see it on my Instagram here.

Total Spent: $166.95
Total Saved: $29.99

I have a feeling I won't be doing a ton of shopping in February unless I start to get really bored leading up to my due date and start buying clothes for post-pregnancy ;)

Did you budget in January? Find any good scores??

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January 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.

We're here, the first budget post of the year! Are you excited? Let's dive in.

I approached this month as a low-spend month in an effort to build back up my bank account after holiday spending and our trip to Paris. I haven't bought any beauty products and am instead trying to use what I have stocked up, and have tried to be really thoughtful about any other (non-clothing) purchases. I thought I was taking the same approach to clothes, but apparently I still managed to go over-budget. What?! Part of the problem was me longing for spring break, part of it was all of the post-Christmas sales, and part of it was me being sick and spending a lot of time at home, bored, and on my computer. That being said, I'm pretty psyched about all of the new additions to my wardrobe. Here's what I snagged this month:

Old Navy Striped Sweater - originally $34.99, on sale $27.99. I love, love, love this sweater. It is so freaking cute and cozy. I just wish I had cooled my boots a little - I was really worried it would sell out, and so I bought a regular large. I really could have used that tall! So that's something to keep in mind for the future, although I love it so much I don't really care. Seen here.
Lilly Pulitzer Ophelia Swing Dress - originally $178.00, on sale $69.00. I snagged this during the Lilly Pulitzer After Party sale after New Year's, and I have to say, I like it, but not nearly as much as the LWD I scored last year. This one just doesn't seem quite worth the price tag, even on sale. It is cute, but I think I'm going to be more careful shopping their sale from now on.
Panacea Ball Drop Earrings - $28. These are so cute in person, but a word of warning, they're actually more neon than I thought. I used to be the neon queen though, so I'm not mad about it. I can't wait until it's seasonally appropriate to wear these!
Madewell Jeans - originally $128.00, on sale $48.99. When I was putting together my recap for 2016 post, I discovered my favorite jeans were back in stock in my size and on major sale, so I had to snag them. Very happy to have a pair of dark wash jeans with zero distressing / hem detailing for those days when I truly need a dressier jean.
Halogen Bow Back Sweater - $79.00. I saw this sweater and I had to have it, and I did not care that it was not on sale nor that it's more expensive than I would usually spend on a sweater. It's really flattering, it's surprisingly soft, and I love, I love, I love it. Seen here.
Steve Madden Clutch - $75. Something else I saw and had to have. Apparently I have a problem with self control. Anyway, it's somehow even more gorgeous in person, and I can't wait to bust it out on spring break.
Clare V Petite Alice Bag - $175, used giftcard $0. I talked about this bag versus it's larger size here, and I'm happy I went small. Plus, Jeff said "a bigger size would look weird." Thanks husband!
J. Crew V Back Sweater - originally $59.50, on sale $35.70. I had to snag this when it was on sale, and again, it's so good in person. The material is amazingly soft, almost like a fleece or sweatshirt, and it's really flattering. The v is a little deep, but nothing a little fashion tape can't fix.

Total Spent: $363.68
Total Saved: $218.81

So just a tinge over budget for the month, but not too bad. I do have to remind myself next month that the trip that we're taking to Charleston is only four days long and it probably won't even be warm, so I absolutely don't need to shop for new warm-weather stuff for the trip. Not that it's really going to stop me ;)

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January Budget

Oh hey, welcome to the first budget post of 2017! For the past three years I've budgeted $300 a month for clothing and accessories (not counting gym clothes, pajamas, or undergarments), and this year I decided to give myself a raise to $350 a month. I was really excited to get shopping this month and to try my hand at buying fewer, higher-quality items, but clearly that didn't quite work. Instead I shopped the sales and ended up with a lot of less expensive pieces and didn't come anywhere close to that $350 marker. Le sigh. Of course, I got a lot of great deals in end-of-year sales, and I did order a bunch of other items that I ended up sending back.

I'm so excited that I bought my first Lily Pulitzer dress at the beginning of the month during the After Party sale. I'm not super into most of the Lily patterns, but her little white dresses can't be beat! I'm definitely pairing this dress with those fun pom-pom earrings during our trip to Thailand in March!! I also love the jeans I snagged on sale - they're my first pair of jeans from J. Crew and I don't know how I haven't tried their jeans before!! This pair is so soft and stretchy but still super flattering.

I did make one error this month - I usually never buy final sale items online, but I decided to risk it and pick up the ribbon-trimmed striped tee. I mean, it has stripes, so how was I supposed to say no?! But the fit is just a little off. It's a little short and a little boxy. I'm still going to wear it (because, as I said earlier, stripes) but it just wasn't the best way to use my budget.

Here's what ended up in the keep pile this month:

Lily Pulitzer dress - originally $198, on sale $64. This dress is so freaking cute, I can't wait to get the chance to wear it!!
Pleione peplum tee - $42 (seen here). If you're going to pick up one blouse, get this one. Seriously, do it. It's so cute and flattering and works well dressed up and dressed down. Do it do it do it.
J. Crew toothpick jeans - originally $125, on sale $62.50. I love these. They have the perfect amount of distressing and are so flattering.
BaubleBar pom-pom hoop earrings - $34. I just got these in the mail on Monday and they are so cute! I love statement earrings but have a hard time finding ones that aren't too heavy - these ones are super light!!
Ann Taylor embellished shell (I got this in black) - originally $79.99, on sale $18, used rewards $8. I snagged this from the clearance rack during my lunch break and am so glad I decided to go for it! I love Ann Taylor's clearance section (they always have such great stuff at really low prices!) but rarely buy anything online because their minimum for free shipping is so high. Now I work just a couple of blocks from an Ann Taylor so I can go there in person and search for deals whenever I want!
J.Crew grosgrain ribbon tee - originally $39.50, on sale $17.99. This was also a clearance rack snag, and it was a mistake. Boooooo.
Ann Taylor velvet blazer - originally $169.99, on sale $40, used rewards $30 (seen here). I've been wanting a new black blazer for a while now, and the velvet is so fun!

Total spent: $258.49
Total saved: $429.99

I can't believe how much I saved this month, I found some really good deals!!

As for February, I'm still hoping to find a cute dress for Valentine's Day and lots of pretty blouses - I already ordered this one, this one, and this one! Oh, and this sweater. Looks like I may have already spent my budget for the month...

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January 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. 

Well, it appears I managed to forget what month it is. Instead of sweaters and boots, I went for dresses and other spring-y attire. I guess that happened last January too - what can I say, I'm dreaming of spring! A few of these items managed to make the trip to Florida last week, but I guess I'll have to plan something else to give all those dresses their time in the sun!

Surprisingly I was way under budget in January, which is weird since traditionally I overspend at the beginning of the year. I have a feeling I'm just going to go nuts in February though - I recently gave my sister my black Hunter boots so now I'm dreaming of a red pair. I also still have a little extra cash from Christmas burning a hole in my pocket, and I'm still dreaming about this pleated leather number.

So anyway, enough rambling - here's the damage for January:

Gap Shift Dress - originally $59.95, on sale $35.97.
Gap Striped Dress - originally $69.95, on sale $41.97. This is a great dupe of a dress that was popular at Nordstrom last fall (ahem, that I maybe purchased in the wrong size and still have in my closet and need to return...)
Gap Red Crossbody - originally $39.95, on sale $22.10. I never would have guessed it, but this little red bag goes with everything. Ahem. Ahem.
Old Navy Distressed White Jeans - originally $36.94, on sale $19.67. These run a little big, I would definitely recommend sizing down!
Old Navy Gray Sweater Tank - originally $19.94, on sale $11.96.
Ann Taylor Bow Belt - originally $45.50, on sale $16. I haven't gotten to wear this yet, but I'm excited to pair it with pencil skirts and dresses for a few dressier days I have coming up.
Old Navy Tee Dress - originally $24.94, on sale $10.70. I seriously couldn't believe this dress was such good quality for the price - it's stretchy and comfortable, but thick enough fabric to be super flattering. Bring it on, summer!

Total Spent: $158.37
Total Saved: $138.80

Did you budget this month? How did you do?

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January Budget

And welcome to another budget post! I can't believe it's already time to do this again, I feel like I just wrote my budget recaps for 2014.

This month I feel like I didn't do so good on the practicality scale. Those jeans (yes, I kept them) were totally necessary, but everything else? I did not need another pair of boots, but got drawn in by the end of year sales. And the blanket scarf is fun, but not really that practical. I also got a tinge excited because Jeff and I finally started really planning our honeymoon instead of just talking about it, which somehow equated to me buying three summer dresses in the dead of winter. So here you have it folks, basically a whole month-long fail. 

You may remember me talking about buying myself a little present with some of my Christmas money - I actually did buy this gorgeous Kate Spade bag, and while I absolutely love it, I think it has to go back. The construction of the bottom isn't really strong enough (they went cutsey and made it the shape of a bow instead of a rectangle) which means when I put anything heavier than my chapstick in it, the sides collapse inwards. I can tell that in a couple of months it's going to look terrible (especially because I was planning on toting my iPad mini around in it). 

Here's the damage for January:

Tart Dress - originally $176, on sale $59.99
Madewell Jeans - $128
Sheinside Scarf - originally $27.78, on sale $16.67
Stella & Dot Bracelet - originally $49.99, on sale $24.99, used Dot Dollars $0
Sheinside Dress - originally $19.67, on sale $14.75
Sole Society Boots - originally $149.95, on sale $74.98
Sheinside Dress - originally $35.58, on sale $14.99

Total Spent: $309.38
Total Saved: $277.59

As far as next month, I'm not really sure what I'm looking for, besides a different bag since the Kate Spade didn't work out. There's not a whole lot that I need, although I have been getting that pesky feeling recently of having a closet full of clothes but nothing to wear. #struggs

How did your budgeting go for January?

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January Budget

I thought this year I'd start trying to budget my clothing purchases, or you know, at least track them so I know how much I've been spending.  I was aiming for $300 a month, since that's what a couple of bloggers who shop at similar stores as me stick to (ahem, Jill and Kaitlin).

It turns out I am a crazy spender and definitely need to rein myself in.  Working in the Loop is just dangerous :)  Here's the damage:

Betsy Johnson Bag - Originally $98, on sale $39.99 (still might return this if I can find the receipt)

Sole Society Sandals - Originally $59.95, on sale $29.98

Loft Circle Skirt - Originally $59.50, on sale $29.75

Sole Society Pumps - $64.95

Loft Blouse - Originally $59.50, on sale $29.75

Target Swimsuit - Originally $39.99, on sale $31.99 minus a $25 giftcard = $6.99

Not pictured: 
Black Coach bag - Originally $258.00, on sale $54.00
Coral Coach bag - Originally $228, on sale $89.55
Loft Circle Skirt - Originally $49.99, on sale $25.00
Loft Woven Sweater - Originally $59.95, on sale $35.97
Banana Republic Sequined Sleeve Tee - Originally $80, on sale $25.99

Total spent: $431.92
Total saved: $625.91

Sooooo here's hoping I do better next month!




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