Friday, January 31, 2014

January Purchases

I set my clothing budget using the common guideline of 2% - 8% of my take home pay. This year, I’ll keep my clothing spending at $150/month. This includes most of the items you see on my blog, but excludes workout gear, undergarments, and hosiery. Let’s get started, 2014!

Crossroads Trading Co.

I told a local about my first visit to Crossroads and she said, “Where are you from? The moon?” Apparently, Crossroads, a local resale clothing chain, is well known and loved. I can see why!

1. Ethnic scarf, $6.50.
2. Native backpack, $12.50
3. Red bebe blazer, $7.50. I think this is a fake Bebe jacket. Although why anyone would go through the trouble to fake Bebe is beyond me. (I love me some slutty Bebe, but it isn’t usually well made.) This jacket is probably of better quality than real Bebe.
4. J Crew mint tweed mini, $15.00.
5. Diane von Furstenburg silk zebra dress, $18.50


Goodwill

6. Gray bag, $2.50. Beefy says this is a bowling bag, but I say it is a bowling style bag. It isn’t big enough to actually hold a bowling ball.
7. Turquoise sweater, $2.50
8. Levi’s denim shirt, $4.00. This shirt is great. It’s fitted enough to button up and tuck into a skirt, but also has a nice shape to wear open, like a jacket.


My Sister’s Closet

After going way over budget last year, I banned myself from My Sister’s Closet. I had become so accustomed to averting my eyes as I walked by the storefront that I passed it by a few weeks ago before remembering: “It’s January! It’s a new year and a new budget!” And I found another treasure.

9. Chaus Jeanswear red and black buffalo plaid skirt, $12


Thrift Town

10. Plenty by Tracy Reese Glasbury plaid skirt, $2.99. The Diane von Furstenburg was a score, but this skirt was a coup!


Renaissance

This is a fancy consignment store full of designer duds. Most of it is too rich for my blood, but I do like to browse the sale rack.

11. Da Nang silk camo pants, $25.00. I know you can’t tell from the photo, in fact you can’t even tell from a few inches away in real life, but these pants are the smoothest, dreamiest, matte silk. If only my uniform camouflage pants had been made from this fabric (and not starched cardboard-stiff)!


January total: $108.99

Total spending for the year: $108.99

Remaining 2014 budget: $1691.01

What was your favorite purchase this month?

Candidate for Slimming

I’ve started following a couple petite style blogs and all the clothing seems to be “shortened” or “slimmed.” Although I’m not petite, they’ve got me reconsidering the fit of some of my own duds. I’ve convinced myself that this dress (already shortened), would be more flattering if the skirt were slimmed to a pencil silhouette. I had the self-alterations mentally planned until I got home, took off the vest, and realized that the strapless bodice had slid to well beneath my bust. Now, I’m overwhelmed with the amount of “slimming” required and thinking of just donating the dress.


Vest, Urban Vibe. Dress, Bitten (shortened). Blouse, INC (thrifted). Shoes, Eileen Fischer (consignment). Sunglasses, Target. Earrings, Epcot Morocco. Bag, thrifted.


The skirt’s shape is a little more obvious without creative posing:


Unless you can convince me otherwise, I’m setting this dress free to find someone with bigger boobs and a love for straight skirts.

These are all the ways I’ve worn this strapless, plaid dress:

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Time for School

Crested blazer, plaid skirt, and satchel: looks like I’m ready for class.


Blazer, Bebe (consignment). Tank, Merona. Skirt, Plenty by Tracy Reese (thrifted). Tights, We Love Colors. Boots, Sofft (consignment). Sunglasses, Girlprops. Necklaces, thrifted and/or vintage. Bag, Mondani.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Street Hiker

The long, full skirt and high-heeled boots would be no good on a real hike, but are perfectly adequate for stomping around Sacramento’s streets. And if I get stranded (or feel like having a picnic), the skirt doubles as a blanket.


Shirt, Forever 21. Skirt, Chaus Jeanswear (consignment). Boots, Lauren Ralph Lauren. Earrings, Charming Charlie. Necklace, Zad. Jacket, H&M (thrifted). Bag, Vieta.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

I Got Style

As I grow my bangs out, there is no reason to let the rest of my style go. No reason other than my sheer laziness in setting an appointment with a stylist. I finally got in to see the very talented Noel, today. She shortened the back and layered the rest to give me a look much better than “overgrown mop.”


Jacket, Allen B. Dress, Adrianna Papell (consignment). Tights, We Love Colors. Boots, Miz Mooz. Sunglasses and necklace, Target. Bag, Vieta.