Eco Thrift
1. Tinseltown denim vest, $9.98.
It’s been too hot in Sacramento to wear this much, but I plan to layer it over all of my casual outfits once it cools off.
![](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3841/14653825497_80cf4a68be.jpg)
TJ Maxx
2. Willi Smith ikat trousers, $29.99.
I bought these so I’d have a workwear option on hot, hairy-leg days.
![](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5592/14715642370_c2bec4fa00.jpg)
Zara
3. Leather biker jacket, $99.99.
Total impulse buy. But I didn’t have a BROWN leather jacket. Just a black one (faux), a teal one (faux), and an olive one.
![](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3861/14725172768_04418beafa.jpg)
Garage sale
4. Anne Klein red envelope purse, $1.00.
![](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3860/14899295111_696a1df0ed.jpg)
Forever 21
5. Plaid tunic, $15.80
My 90’s obsession continues. Now if I could only find a plaid flannel shirt with an attached, waffle weave hood.
![](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3907/15074766516_4dff0eed27.jpg)
Gap
6. Rugby fit and flare dress,, $47.97.
In anticipation of an evening, outdoor wedding in Boulder (wearing cowboy boots), I began my search for an appropriate dress months ago. I thought my request was simple: long sleeves, fit and flare shape, above the knee length, natural fibers. I couldn’t find a single dress that met these requirements. I finally gave up on the sleeves and started searching for a dress that I could layer a shirt beneath.
Kendi wore this dress, in blush and white stripes, so I clicked over to the Gap website from her blog. I was excited to see it also came in black and white and was 64% cotton, but the dress looked TERRIBLE on the model. I would never have considered it except that it looked so cute on Kendi. I found the dress at a local store to check out in person.
I quickly discovered why it looked so bad on the model . . . the sizing is huge. I’m wearing a size 2 and I maybe should have bought a 0, but I wanted to leave space to layer underneath. According to Gap’s own size chart, my 27 inch waist puts me in a size 6 dress. Those poor models online, with their 24 inch waists, were simply swimming in the sample size.
So, although I eventually found a dress I liked for the event, the experience left me pissed off at the lack of cocktail dresses with sleeves, the prevalence of polyester, and ridiculous vanity sizing. First world problems.
![](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5558/15106222452_a51d2032b0.jpg)
July total: $204.73
Total spending for the year: $1291.49
Remaining 2014 budget: $508.51.