This year, I will be documenting my monthly clothing budget. I will show you my budget for each month and what I bought with it. Every month, I have $60 to spend towards clothing. Some months might be more, because I use Ebates to shop online and use a small commission through affiliate links. During the months that I receive money from Ebates and Skimlinks, that amount will also go towards my clothing budget (this month! yay!).
This month was a good budget month. I had some extra moolah to put towards clothes, so my budget was $214.22. I had $18.24 left over from last month, $60 from my normal monthly budget, and $135.98 from various sources, like an Ebates payment and a side job I have every once in a while for proctoring an exam.
Let’s get to recapping…
First up, I had some Old Navy cash left over from Christmas shopping. I actually had to use the cash in January, so I’ve had these items for a while and took the total out of my February budget. The oxford shirt was a recommendation from Ashley. It’s so nice, and I want to get more in different colors. I’ve been wanting some red flats for a while, so these D’orsay flats fill that hole. They’re very comfortable. The Pixie Skinny Ankle Pants are for work, although they’re so comfy I would wear them any time. They fit similar to my Gap Slim Cropped Pants. The inseam is a little longer, but it’s not too long.
Another hole in my closet has been nude pumps. I searched high and low and looked at a lot of different styles before I decided to purchase these Madden Girl Ursey Pumps. The price was very persuading, and I was so happy that they fit and feel good during the work day.
I happened upon a really great sale on Zara. I think I’m a bit more adventurous when it comes to ordering from them, and I really love these three tops. I had ordered a fourth top, but I didn’t care for it so it got returned.
So, thredUP. I’m officially obsessed with stalking their site. I’ve even taken to keeping a list of items to check on when I have money to spend. In this order, I got a second pair of Gap Slim Cropped pants, a LOFT pencil skirt, a LOFT casual skirt, a LOFT dress, and an Old Navy top. I was so glad that everything fit. I’ve worn everything but the white/grey skirt.
Although, I do have to say that I analyze size charts like it ain’t nobody’s business when I find an item I want on thredUP and I’m not sure of the size. In fact, I don’t think I would be able to order something without a size chart to consult. I guess it’s working, because so far, so good! I haven’t needed to return a thredUP item yet.
So, that was my first order… And here’s my second 🙂
I’m on a hunt to build up my cardigan selection again. I’m not really sure what happened, but I’ve been feeling very uninspired by my cardigans and skirts. And since spring will be upon us, I want to really love all my skirts and cardigans when it warms up. They’re pretty much what I depend on when it comes to dressing for the office in the spring/summer.
The J. Crew skirt was the only if-y item in this order, but I think I haven’t figured out how to style it. I wore it with a black top/cardigan, black tights, and black boots. I didn’t care for it. I keep envisioning it with sandals and a white shirt. Spring needs to arrive so I can do that!!
Here’s my budget break down:
Budget $214.22
Old Navy $47.94
Amazon $23.00
Zara $49.97
thredUP $89.39
Total $210.30
Balance $3.92 (going towards next month’s budget)
I’m super (SUPER) happy with the items I purchased this month. I’m trying really hard to focus on classic items that I will love forever. Of course, that’s a challenge when shopping online (especially second hand), but I don’t purchase anything that doesn’t grab my attention immediately. Next month, and throughout the summer, I’m going to focus more on classic warm-weather clothing. I realized that my winter wardrobe is exactly how I want it to be, but my warm-weather wardrobe is a tad neglected. I don’t know if it’s because I love winter/cold weather so much or it’s because I have more expendable income from my birthday and Christmas being in the same month (thus, I spend a little more on the items I buy … and end up loving them more). So, I’m going to focus my efforts on finding spring and summer items that I love just as much.
Also, my totals in my budget break down might not reflect the totals in the collages above. I factor in any shipping that I pay in the breakdown but show the price I paid for each item in the collage. Is that confusing? It’s easier than dividing out the cost of shipping for each item to reflect in the pictures. I’m probably the only one who will think that hard about it!
Linking up with Fran.
Rebecca has been writing about style, beauty, and lifestyle topics since 2011. Thank you so much for reading this post! Feel free to leave any questions or comments below. I love hearing from you!
