- Elle denim jacket, Sonoma chambray camp shirt, and leopard skinnies – Kohl’s
- Big Buddha bag - Hautelook
- Daniel Wellington watch
- Rampage shoes
- Tom Ford sunnies
double the denim
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Category Archives: fall
I bought stuff. let’s discuss.
Last week, my friend Meg celebrated the 3-year anniversary of her boutique, m.marie. I decided it was the perfect opportunity to spend this month’s hundred bucks on some new things and support her.
Since giving myself a strict monthly budget, shopping has become more strategic — less compulsive snatching and spending. I went in with a plan: Resist the urge to buy a cute dress or top that I may wear once or twice, and instead look for items I can get lots of mileage from. Pants or denim (I love the Blank NY brand she carries), a great everyday carry-all bag, a unique piece of jewelry, or maybe a cute pair of shoes. While I usually like to stock up on lots of smaller-priced items on a shopping trip (like, ten $10 things) I’m realizing that it’s worth it to make investments on pieces you’ll use over and over again. Quality over quantity. A closet full of well-made basics that you can spice up with accessories, as opposed to twenty varieties of cheap tank tops and stacks of ill-fitting junior’s clearance skinny jeans because “more is better.” Follow me?
So after a blood orange and prosecco cocktail and a few trips around the shop, I settled on this graphic Billabong bag — perfect for toting back and forth to work every day with my Macbook and notebooks — and a pair of black suede lace-up wedges that were half off. My total was $92 and change, and I left excited about my purchases and so proud of Meghan for all of her success in her small business!
That leaves me with about $8 for the rest of the month. Just enough for a new Essie nail polish, or a replacement tin of Rosebud minted rose lip balm (I lost mine when my purse was stolen over the summer). But I think I’ll just let it ride, and wait for next month.
Who am I?!
bundled
- {there’s home-brewed Barnie’s Santa’s White Christmas coffee in that cup! hurrah for seasonal treats!}
It’s a rare day when a girl can walk around Central Florida with a jacket, boots, and a beanie without getting strange glances from passerby. With temps in the 60′s (that’s cold for us “thin-blooded” southern folk) I’m breaking out all of my cool-weather artillery, because who knows when we’ll get it again!
Let’s break it down, head-to-toe:
I bought this beanie at The Wal-Marts last year for something ridiculous, like, a buck-fifty? Then I buried it under a stack of September issues on our desk at home, and rediscovered it when cleaning up the house over the weekend.
This pretty lace blouse is one of my favorite purchases of late. I scooped it up at Beall’s Outlet a few months ago for $12. It’s the perfect lightweight layering piece! You can find similar wallet-friendly styles here, here, and here.
I’m pretty much living in these Stampede riding boots from Wanted Shoes this season — cold weather or no. I’ve already scuffed the toe and put a scratch on one of the uppers, which just adds to their charm and yeah-I-just-got-back-from-the-stables appeal {she tells herself}.
the start of something new!
{wearing: Mossimo sweater (Target clearance, $11); Simply Vera Vera Wang black skinnies; thrifted button-down; Seychelles loafers (Hautelook); watch c/o Daniel Wellington; Tom Ford sunnies}
{“Pleeeease, momma, let me at those blowing leaves!”}
Fall seems like a great time to turn over a new leaf, don’t you think? Let’s hope so… ’cause today’s the first official day of my new budget experiment!
Here’s the 411: I’m a long time over-shopper in desperate need of a detox. For the next four months, I’m holding myself to a strict $100 spending allowance for personal purchases of clothes, accessories, and beauty products. To keep myself motivated, I’ve also set a goal to use the money I’ll save to pay off all of my remaining credit card debt by the end of February. This may sound simple to some, but I’ve never had much success in sticking to a restrictive spending plan, and my hands are shaking a bit as I type this post in anticipation of the retail DTs…
I’ve put myself on countless “budgets” over the years, but always in my head; and always with a laundry list of mental loopholes {ahem, excuses} that quickly deteriorated my resolve — and bank account. Example: “I know I said no shopping this week, but when am I ever going to find [insert item] in my size at this price again?! This is fate. And this purchase doesn’t count.” Neither did the next five. What can I say, I’m my very best (or worst) enabler. So this time, I’m proclaiming my mission to all the world in hopes that a little accountability will lead to a life-changing, habit-breaking, confidence-boosting triumph!! {Huzzah!}
