September 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 did I even buy this month?!? After sharing my budget posts for years (eep 2014!) somehow my organization system went off the rails. So I think this is all I bought in September, but really, who knows.

I keep going through phases of only wanting to wear loungewear (because I'm late to the quarantine party) and wanting to really get dressed, if that tells you anything about my purchases for the month. Usually I end up doing loungewear for getting up with Mia and getting her to preschool, and then get dressed "for work" when I get home. It's like a mullet day. 

I did however go a little crazy on the shoes this month. Usually what happens is, I order a bunch of shoes online (because I can't usually find my shoe size, eleven, in stores!) and I try them on and hate all of them for not being comfortable enough. But this time, I got three pairs in the mail on the same day and I LIKED EVERY SINGLE ONE. So now I have three new pairs of fall shoes to wear in my clofficeroom (closet/office/bedroom). You're welcome, Zoom calls. 

Anyway, here's what I bought in September... maybe.

Madewell Striped Sweater - originally $79.50, on sale $55.65. One of those things I saw and *HAD* to have. The stripes are navy and tan so it looks really cute with darker wash jeans. I wore it here. 

Abercrombie Black Bodysuit - $39.00. I bought a BODYSUIT and let me tell you, they're a little weird to wear! I thought I'd beat the system by just tucking it in and not actually doing the crotch snaps, but then you just have a little tail hanging down 😂 I mean sometimes it's nice to wear with skirts but overall a bizarre experience. This one is nice though because the material is like a light sweater and soft, versus feeling like you're wearing a leotard.

J.Crew Leopard Dress - originally $128.00, on sale $83.20.  EDIT: RETURNED I'm still a little on the fence about whether to keep this dress. On the one side, obviously it's leopard and I like the structure of the top. But, it's also really big throughout the body, which I like during the summer but am not so sure about it with tights and boots for winter. Plus we're in a pandemic so like, when am I wearing this? On the other side, if I'm inside all winter I don't necessarily have to wear tights with it, and I'm all about a good comfy house dress these days. 

UGG Tan Booties - $139.95. Lol yes these are UGG brand, ha! But no fleece inside sadly. I ordered these because they dip low in the front of the ankle and I haaaaaate when booties rub my ankles (see my rant with the other pair of booties haha) so I thought I'd give these a try. So cute, comfortable, and they fill a hole in my closet! Just a note that I thought they'd be closer to a nude from the pictures, but they're definitely brown.

J.Crew Loafers - originally $158.00, on sale $102.70. I am always a sucker for a good smoking slipper, even though they don't actually feel anything like slippers. Really cute with skinny jeans or leggings.

Abercrombie Colorblock Sweatshirt - $49.00. Oh my gosh I just realized I spent $49.00 on this. Why did I not try to get it on sale?!?! It is definitely not fifty dollars worth of sweatshirt, but it is amazingly soft and super cute with leggings for lazy mom day. 

Botkier Black Booties - originally $187.95, on sale $109.90. I had never heard of this brand before, and ended up ordering these right at the tail end of the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale when everything else I ordered didn't work out. I love that these are a little bit dressier of a boot, and the shaft is slightly above the ankle so I don't have to worry about ankle rubbing (why 99% of the booties I order get returned). Some of the reviews complain about the ankle being too wide, and I really don't know what they're talking about because I have amazingly narrow ankles and these fit fine. My feet are the weirdest things - extra long, slightly wide, with tiny ankles. I wear any shoes with an ankle strap on the tightest setting. No wonder I can never find shoes. Foot rant over.

Abercrombie Striped Pullover - $45.00. Okay so this hoodie is the reason I ordered those other two Abercrombie items at full price. I decided I HAD to have this and it was about to sell out in my size, so I just went for it. So so so cute and cozy in person. They only have a few random sizes in different colors left, but I highly recommend it. 

Total Spent: $628.40

EDIT: Total Spent: $545.20

Yiiiiiikes. I mean, I knew I had gone over budget what with all of the shoes, but still! The only good news is that I've been mostly way under budget for the rest of the year, so it should all balance out in the end. 

I'm on a real cozy kick at the moment what with the temperatures dropping in Chicago (I woke up to temps in the '40s this week!!) so I'm assuming October will be filled with more lounge wear :) 

Are you still shopping? Or are you on a quarantine freeze? Let me know! 

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September 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.

Welcome to October - what?!??

Since I literally only bought one pair of earrings in August (I ended up returning that blouse), I was a little worried about how September would go. Well, it turns out I was right to be worried ;)

Usually I feel like I'm not ready for fall and wait until after the true first day of fall to put away my summer clothes. But this year, I realized that fall clothes are my favorite clothes and they also seem to have the shortest wearing window since at some point in November I'll start breaking into holiday clothes. So out the sweaters and booties came!

Target Color Block Cardigan - $27.99. So cute in person!! I think it's a great dupe for the really popular color block Madewell cardigan, and it's softer and comfier. I wore it here.
J.Crew Skinny Jeans - originally $110, on sale $66. I realized after I started trying jeans back on post-pregnancy that my J.Crew skinny jeans were the cutest and most comfortable, so I went ahead and ordered another pair. The dark wash sans distressing is great for dressing up!
Madewell Striped Sweater - originally $75.00, on sale $41.65. I'm wearing this one right now! This is a great oversized sweater for fall, it drapes really well and looks great with a front tuck.
LOFT Blue Floral Dress - originally $89.50, on sale $44.75. I orignally bought this a size up from normal and thought it was big and unflattering. I tried it down a size and while the buttons pull a little, it's so pretty I think I can live with it. Or maybe I will sew the buttons closed ;) The fabric is so beautiful and soft in person, it's the type of thing that works for spring, summer, or fall!
LOFT Striped Short Sleeve Sweater - originally $49.50, on sale $29.70. This is actually a really dark green and I was weirdly drawn to it in the store. I saw stripes and thought MINE MINE MINE hahaha. I love that this looks like a dressed up version of all of my striped tees. I wore it here.
LOFT Vine Pattern Dress - originally $89.50, on sale $44.75. I said this dress was worth paying full price for, but then it went on sale for 50% off so I ended up buying it again and returning the first one - good thing I didn't take off the tags! It is so flattering thanks to some invisible seaming. I think it will look so cute with over the knee boots this fall!
J.Crew Bracelet - originally $25, on sale $15. I'd been eyeing this for a while as something to wear with professional outfits. It's super cute, the perfect addition. I wore it here. I have the rose gold.
J.Crew Brown Striped Tee - originally $26.50, on sale $15.90. I'm all about the brown this fall, and this tee was a no brainer! It is a less stretchy material that isn't super form fitting which I'm all about these days!
J.Crew Blazer - originally $198.00, on sale $118.80. I've needed another blazer for years, since the only ones I currently have are navy (which doesn't quite go with all of my black dress pants) and a black velvet, which is very season specific. I love that this color will go with gray, black, or navy pants. I always go for a tall in J.Crew jackets to get enough sleeve length.

Total Spent: $404.54
Total Saved: $286.45

I know I went over for the month, but I actually feel okay about it since I basically spent nothing in August and since I filled in a couple holes in my closet. I'm still looking for another pair of mules or booties, and keep refreshing on these jeans to see if the size I need comes back in stock (hint - size down!), but besides that am not shopping for anything specific for October.

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September 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.

Yay, all the fall things!! I said yesterday that my pregnancy dressing philosophy is going to be lots of cardigans and jackets and vests, but I guess that's not entirely true - I've also been buying anything that's drapey and long so that I'll hopefully be able to wear it for the next couple months and post-pregnancy. My goal is to maybe buy a few maternity tees as well as jeans/leggings, and then find regular clothes to fill the rest of the holes. I did decide I will not be counting maternity wear towards my monthly total, as like workout clothes / pajamas, underwear, it's stuff I need versus stuff I want. So far I've only gotten leggings, one pair of shorts, and a couple pairs of jeans (from Old Navy, they offer long sizes!!) and returned a loooooot of things haha.

So here's the damage for September:

Abercrombie Sweatshirt Dress - originally $58, on sale $34.80. TBH, I only added this to my cart to qualify for free shipping, but it really is super cute and comfy. Fall dresses aren't all that practical in Chicago as it's usually either too hot or too cold to get away with one, but I'm hoping to get a couple of wears out of this! It really is cute in person and very bump friendly.
BP Sandal (sold out!) - originally $34.95, on sale $13.98. And these I bought only because of the price! I figured I'd return them if the quality was bad, but they actually are surprisingly comfortable. I'm digging them now as a good transition piece - they feel a lot more fall-appropriate than most other sandals. Also figuring I'll get a lot of use out of them next year!
Abercrombie Sherpa Pullover - originally $68, on sale $40.80. After loving my Abercrombie pullover from last winter, I decided to go for it with this one once it went on sale. It's so cozy and warm, perfect for fall!
Old Navy Knit Vest - originally $36.99, on sale $27.20. Shared this one yesterday and I love it! Wearing a large here.
Gibson Tunic - originally $54.00, on sale $36.18. I actually ordered this last fall and ended up returning it, but for some reason I decided to try it again and like it now! Just note that I am never wearing it off the shoulder like it's pictured, it can also be a cowl neck which is much more my fall/pregnancy style haha. The length is great too, very bump friendly.
Madewell Cardigan - originally $98, on sale $58.80. This was actually on my wishlist during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, but I didn't end up grabbing it then because I bought too many things. Well, after returning a ton of stuff I felt like I could justify this again, and I'm so glad I did! It's very soft, a great length, and I love the color for fall. As I'm typing this it's out of stock, but if you want it I would keep checking as I keep seeing colors and sizes popping up.
Lush Tunic - originally $42.00, on sale $27.90. I've considered this for a few years but was always worried it would be too low-cut on me. Turns out it's not! This is such a pretty color for fall too.

Total Spent: $239.66
Total Saved: $152.28

Very happy with everything I got this month!! I basically already spent my entire budget for October over the weekend though (whoops) so trying to rein things in for the rest of the month.

Did you score any good deals in September??

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September 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.

Another month has come and gone, except now I'm in full sweater mode. Thank goodness the weather has finally cooled down to allow for that!

This was another month where I was 100% sure I was going to go over budget, and ended up returning so many things that my Nordstrom card now has a negative $200 balance. I think something about the knowledge that I can return stuff to Nordstrom anytime, and now it's so convenient to go to Nordstrom for returns (just a 10 minute walk from my office!) that I've been ordering a lot of things to try, knowing that they'll likely go back. One of my coworkers jokes now that every time I go into the office I have at least one item to return these days.

So what did I get? Why all of the pretty fall things of course! And I've already ordered next month's budget's worth of more pretty fall things too. In case you haven't been able to tell, this floral dress and this burgundy dress have become fast favorites - I think I've worn both of them at least once a week since I got them. They're both so cute and flow-y, and while they've been a godsend in the 90+ degree temperatures we've had for the past week and a half, they both also layer really well. I also picked up a few things for work and a few basics because, sadly, I gained a few pounds this summer. Stupid turning thirty and that whole metabolism thing shutting down.

So anyways, here's the haul for September:

LOFT Blouse - originally $49.50, on sale $29.70. One of those pieces that's super flattering and really easy to wear. I've been loving it with black leggings!
J. Crew Factory Sweater - originally $64.50, on sale $38.50. This just came in the mail on Monday but I'm so excited to wear it - also perfect for leggings or for layering under a cozy vest. Comes in six colors if millennial pink isn't your thing ;)
Lush Crepe Dress - $46.00. This dress is perfect for so many things (work, or perhaps the weekend) and is starting to sell out - down to just three colors (including this one). Snag it fast!
J. Crew Jeans - originally $125.00, on sale $87.50. I tried J. Crew toothpick jeans a few years ago but remember rejecting them because the inseam was too short even on the talls. I can't tell if the inseams are longer now, or if shorter inseams are just in style, but this is now hands down my favorite pair of jeans - I also own a ripped version. I have this problem where the pockets are always coming out of my jeans, and they did something new where the pocket fabric goes across the whole top of the pants and supposedly slims you down and oh my gosh they are magic.
J. Crew Earrings - originally $24.50, on sale $19.60. I went on a mad hunt for earrings one day and went into every store on Southport. I specifically wanted black or gray statement earrings to wear to my cousin's wedding, and whenever I get something so specific into my head like that I either can't find it, or in this case, find a million options but none of them are "quite right." Thank god J. Crew had these in stock or I might still be looking. I love that these are lightweight, and while they are technically a statement earring they are really easy to wear and go with everything.
BP Striped Peplum Tee (sold out) - $29.00. I mentioned that I've gained a few L.B.s, and I am so no longer into tight fitting shirts. This one is flattering and comfortable, and will look great under all of my cardigans this fall. It sold out really fast, but here's the long sleeve version.
J. Crew Factory Pencil Skirt - originally $79.50, on sale $29.32. I weirdly bought this in a couple of colors but only liked the black. I've owned a few Factory pencil skirts over the years and always love them. This one will come in handy for the infrequent occasions when I need to dress up for work and then realize I still don't own any dress clothes.
LOFT Floral Dress - originally $89.50, on sale $53.70. This dress is the epitome of a wear-anywhere dress, because I've already worn it on a date, to a wedding, on a weekend adventure, and to work, and have worn it with booties, flats, OTK boots, and sandals. Oh, and it's currently on clearance for even less than I paid for it! Win win win win win. That's five wins.

Total Spent: $333.32
Total Saved: $174.18

So what am I shopping for in October? All of the fall clothes of course! I'd love to find another field jacket as mine is from Forever 21 from years ago and has faux leather on the shoulders that sticks to my body if I wear it with a tank. And also a serious winter coat for when it get's seriously cold. I already tried one that looked promising, but as per the usual, it was too short in the arms and too narrow in the shoulders. Sigh. The search continues.

So tell me, did you budget in September? What did you get?

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September 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. 

You guys, I don't know what happened. Usually September is a really intense shopping month for me (see: 2015, 2014) because I want all of the boots and scarves and sweaters and whatnot, but this year I only ended up keeping four things. Part of the problem is I bought these booties back in July during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale and they're still on backorder, so they've been holding a part of my budget dollars. The other part is I had a couple of serious misses this month that had to be returned. I was so excited about this Gap & Pendleton plaid shirtdress but it was amazingly terrible on me - I even tried it in tall and regular and a couple of different sizes but they were all bad. I also ordered a million pairs of shoes that ended up being uncomfortable - I think I must have amazingly picky feet. I did manage to keep a couple of things though. Here's the damage for September:

Target Cowl Neck Tank - originally $19.99, on sale $14.99. I already shared it here and already wore it an excessive number of times ;)
Charles Henry Off the Shoulder Dress - $88. I bought this to wear to our wedding on Friday, and then when it came it was so cute that I immediately put it on and wore it to an event last week. It turns out it's really easy to dress down - I'll share tomorrow!
Rockport Flats - $109.95. I was looking for some new ballet flats, and wore these out of the house before I realized they actually aren't the most comfortable. So now I guess I'm keeping them. I'm hoping they'll break in well, they're already feeling a little better.

Total Spent: $212.94
Total Saved: $5. Lol.

For next month I'm going to try not to buy anything, because of the aforementioned booties and the pile of plaid shirts I bought over the weekend that haven't arrived yet. Whoops.

Did you budget this month? How did you do?

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September 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. 

Another month, another budget post. Usually September is a high month for me, but not this year. I think it's partially because I still love all of my fall clothes from last year, partially because I'm not quite ready for sweaters yet, and partially because Jeff and I are currently looking to buy a house and need to save our dollars and cents ;) I managed to fill a few holes in my closet, so overall I'm pretty pleased with the month.

Here's the damage for September:

Adrienne Vittadini Thomas Bootie (DSW) - $69.95. Every year when the weather gets cold enough for tights, I start to panic about shoe selection. Every holiday party I went to last year was a struggle because I didn't have any closed-toe heels I could wear with tights, except for one old pair that's so uncomfortable I can't wear them if there will be any walking involved. I'm excited to have found this heeled pair that (so far) seem pretty comfy!
Girly Chevron Necklace - $16. I lost my favorite long necklace at some point last year, which was a total bummer because it's hard finding longer necklaces that work with a bigger chest. I was super excited to find this one (and at such a good price!) and have been wearing it basically nonstop ever since (ahem).
Zella Leggings - $52. My favorite leggings were falling apart, and I've heard people rave about these so I had to give them a try. Length? Check. Full coverage? Check. Comfy? Check check check.
Banana Republic Sweater - originally $79.50, on sale + used rewards $37.70. I try ponchos and oversized sweaters on all the time and usually they don't work on me, but for some reason this one does. It helps that I ordered the Small/XSmall so it isn't so oversized. I'm excited to wear this with leggings and boots once it cools down a little more.
LOFT Hi-Lo Tee (in black and purple) - originally $49.50 each, on sale $24.75 each. I got this tee in green back in August, and once it went on sale again picked up the black and purple versions. They're so flattering and seem to work for any occasion, so I've been wearing them all the time.

Total Spent: $225.15
Total Saved: $91.30

Once again I'm not really sure what I'm looking for next month (besides a new watch) - probably as the weather cools down I'll be looking for some sweaters, but I don't feel like I need anything. We'll see how the month plays out.

Since we're three quarters through the year, here's how the budget has been going so far:

January: $309.38
February: $256.22
March: $300.33
April: $228.74
May: $196.20
June: $401.28
July: $178.30
August: $275.40
September: $225.15

Total Spent: $2,371
Average per month: $263.44

Did you have a clothing budget this month? How did you do?

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September Budget

Welp.  This really shouldn't have been a surprise to anyone (especially me) since September is usually a busy shopping month, but I went a wee bit over budget this month.  What really did me in was getting this new job, and then remembering that all of my flats were falling apart.  While I had been wearing Payless flats for the past couple of years, I really wanted to upgrade.  So when I saw that Kaitlin had scored some adorable Tory Burch flats at Nordstrom Rack, I had to go on the hunt myself.  And naturally, not only found and bought a Tory Burch pair, but also threw in another comfy find, because, well, I got a little excited.

Here's the damage for September:

Loft Button Back Sweater - originally $44.50, on sale $22.25.  Already worn here.

Loft Super Skinny Jeans - originally $69.50, on sale $41.70.  I have been a real Gap jeans girl for the past couple of years, but when I tried to re-purchase my favorites the fit was different and the knees were really baggy.  Decided to give Loft a try instead and they are perfection!

Vince Camuto Elisee Flats - originally $98, on sale $59.97.

Target Pleated Circle Skirt - $22.99.  Already worn here.

Sole Society Gayle Heels - originally $74.95, on sale $22.49.  Already worn here.

Gap Outlet Boyfriend Cardigan (in gray - similar) - originally $40, on sale $20.

Gap Outlet Boyfriend Cardigan (in blue - similar) - originally $40, on sale $20.

Old Navy Quilted Vest - originally $34.94, on sale $19.46.  This is a near perfect dupe of JCrew Factory's solid vests, just sixty dollars less.  I usually get larges from ON for outerwear, and had to size way down to a small tall for this.

Loft Colorblock Tunic Sweater - originally $59.50, on sale $35.70.

Loft Jeweled Oxford - originally $59.50, on sale $35.70.  This still may go back, it's just a little too big. I would just exchange it in stores, but I need a tall.

Tory Burch Flats - originally $225, on sale $159.97.  My huge splurge for the month, but I love them!

JCrew Popover - originally $64.50, on sale $32.25.  This was to replace the same shirt that's now too big.

Total Spent: $492.48

Total Saved: $340.90

So, you know, just two hundred dollars over budget.  September is traditionally a high spend month for me, and October is usually low (last year I did a shopping ban for the month of October and only cheated once!) so hopefully I can get back on track.  We're now in the fourth quarter of the year, so here's a recap of how I'm doing budget-wise so far:

September - $492.48

August - $289.18

July - $273.81

June - $256.12

May - $266.42

April - $270.70

March - $281.80

February - $263.22

January - $431.92

Total budget so far: $2,700

Total spent so far: $2,825.65

That's a whole lot of dollars.  How did you do on your budget for September?

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