Budgeting Bloggers ~ June

Greetings!  I somehow managed to skip posting for last month's Budgeting Bloggers, so I wanted to be sure to to join in this month.

I think one of the hardest things about not working full-time during the summer is the amount of free time I have...  I tend to be one of those people who shops when they're bored, whether it be online or in store and that can be a HUGE budget buster if I'm not careful.  I try to occupy my time with things other than shopping, but of course that doesn't always happen.  

Loft Floral Jeans - $39

Image via Loft

I had 2 of Loft's $25 off $50 savings cards at the beginning of the month and decided to give myself a portion of my budget for a little fun there.  I tried these cropped jeans on a whim and LOVED them!  I've really never had much luck with patterned pants, so I was pleasantly surprised with how flattering they are.  The colors are great for summer, but can transition into fall and I've received compliments every time I've worn them!

Loft Linen Tank - $11

Image via Loft

I feel like I have a love / hate relationship with linen.  I've bought some great linen tops and I've bought some really crappy ones as well.  I really like this fit and it goes great with my new jeans!

Loft Sunwashed Tees - $31 for 5

Image via Loft

  Does anyone else feel like they have to upgrade their tee collection almost every year!?!  I feel like got rid of and bought a lot of new tees last year, but I feel like I'm having to do the same this year.  I think part of this can be blamed on changes in my weight and how I like things to fit.  Loft had a couple good promos on tees this month, so I was able to snag them all for about $6 each.  (This is less than the sale Target has been running on their Merona tees!)  Tees are something I wear year-round, so when I find a fit that I like I tend to buy them in bulk!

Loft Floral Henley Romper - $41

Image via Loft

This is my splurge of the month.  It's very much out of my element, but I really like it.  Unfortunately I don't know how much wear it will end up getting, but I'm trying to style it different ways.  I would have never thought I romper would fit or look good on me, but since Loft's clothing is made for not teenagers, it's a more comfortable length.

How I styled the Loft romper for a day of errand running and shopping.

J.Crew Linen V-Neck Sweater - $35

I will refrain from ranting too much about how sketchy it was that this sweater was suddenly sold out the morning of their one day 40% off promo and then magically reappeared in full supply the next day when it dropped down to 30%.  Anyway, I guess that means I really wanted this sweater because I was still willing to pay the extra 10% ($5-ish) for it.  As a K-State grad I'm naturally drawn to purple things and neon purple (or "neon amethyst" as this one is called) is a rare find and not a color I really own.

Versona Accessories Earrings - $6 and $4

I went into Versona looking for a gift and walked out with these for myself.  I've been pretty well behaved with jewelry for a few months, so I didn't feel too guilty.  The spades remind me of Kate Spade (for about 1/10 the price) and the leopard is a little something fun to spice up some of my basic black outfits.

Gap Polka Dot Dress - $21

The only words I can think to describe this dress:  totes adorbs.

How cute is this dress?!?  I really wasn't in the market for a dress, but this one caught my eye and when I saw that it was on major sale I decided to give it a try.  It's definitely going to be traveling with me in September when I go on vacation for a friend's wedding!

Total = $188

I stayed within my $200 max budget, but not by very much.  As you can see, I've been hitting Loft pretty hard lately.  Some of my other old favorite stores just haven't been doing it much for me lately.  I definitely branched out of my element with the floral jeans and romper, but I'm quite happy with both of those purchases.

July Budget Plan:

I'm heading out of town for a few days and plan on doing some shopping at stores that I don't have locally.  (Watch out J.Crew and H&M, I'm coming your way!)  I pretty much plan on blowing through my July budget on that trip, so I'm going to test my self-discipline the rest of the month.  It's probably good that I'll be taking my two week summer class and that will keep me busy and out of the stores.  As much as I don't want to think about it, school will be starting up in about a month and a half, so I need to start focusing my shopping mindset on things that I can wear to work and that can transition into fall.

Don't forget to stop over to Fran's blog and check out the other budgeting bloggers!

Branching Out

This past year (or not quite a year) has been a challenge for me.  It's not necessarily one particular thing that has challenged me, but a variety of things.  Friendships, dating relationships, relations with coworkers...  I've been challenged in a lot of ways, good and bad.  I've learned a lot about myself and a lot about the people around me.  I've learned who I can truly trust and depend on though good and bad and I've learned who really has my back.  I've developed friendships with some very unlikely people that I would have missed out on had I not opened myself up to new opportunities.

I feel like these challenges have caused me to branch out of my comfort zone in a lot of ways.  I've put myself out there in ways that I haven't before...  In some ways the result has been good and in others it's backfired on me.  I'm learning to trust God and I know that he's doing these things to make me stronger and wiser.  

Loft Romper Styling 

This isn't a fashion post necessarily, but in all of this I've also branched out a bit with my style.  I consider myself to be a reasonably stylish person, but there are some things that I look at and think, "No way!  Not on this girl!"  But really, what have you got to lose when you grab that cute item in the store and aren't quite sure if it's you?  Try it on and just SEE!  Branch out and try something new!

I had this happen last week...  I went into Loft to get another cotton tee.  Something basic, safe, and (of course) on sale.  As I was wandering around the store, I noticed this cute floral romper...  Totally cute, but totally not something I would typically go for.  I decided there was nothing to lose, though, and tried it on.  I loved it!  Out of my normal element?  Yes!  But, that's part of why I love it so much.  (And did I get another tee?  Nope!  I decided to go for something DIFFERENT!)

Now, I'm not saying that God teaches me lessons while shopping, but this connection did occur to me.  I'm not the same person I was a year ago.  I've learned a lot, cried a lot, and grown a lot.  I've learned to branch out of my comfort zone.  It's not always 100% comfortable, but it can be a very rewarding experience.  :)

Getting Away

One thing I love about being off work for the summer is that I have the flexibility to spend time with friends and family.  I've actually had a quite a few busy weekends with weddings, showers, birthdays, and just spending time with friends.  In a couple weeks, I will be traveling out of town to spend time with some friends and family for a few days.  I'm not going on an actual vacation this summer since I'll be going on a trip for a good friend's wedding in September, so this little getaway is going to have to satisfy me until then.

My trip is going to consist of a baby shower / BBQ, shopping, eating at yummy restaurants, and more shopping.

Weekend Getaway featuring American Eagle Outfitters

I'm going for cute, comfy, and casual here...

• Striped dress & denim jacket - This is pretty much my favorite kind of outfit.  I love cute knit dresses and they're perfect topped off with a denim jacket.  I plan on wearing this to the baby shower / BBQ and maybe out to dinner.
• T-shirt and jeggings - I'm only going to be driving about 3 hours away, but I still want to be comfy yet cute and ready to go out and about.  I love this tee and my AE jeggings are pretty much the yoga pants equivalent to jeans.  
• T-shirt & scarf - I'm a sucker for scarves and I still love them this time of year in lightweight florals.  I've been wearing this one from Aerie a ton lately.  It's a nice way to dress up a basic tee without piling on the accessories.
• Striped blouse - This was a great buy back when I last visited the J.Crew Factory store in Oklahoma.  It's become one of my favorites because it's kind of dressy, but still comfortable and versatile.
• Metallic sandals - You know you made a good choice when you get asked if these are the $150 sandals in the J.Crew catalog...  Nope, they were less than $20 from AE!  These seriously go with everything and add a teensy bit of glam without being over the top!
• Crossbody purse - I love crossbody purses for traveling and shopping.  They're so convenient!  I bought this black one from Coach last summer, but they brought back the same style this year.  I wish I could justify getting another color (or 3)!
• Go with everything necklace - I have a very similar necklace that was a $2 Forever 21 clearance find several years ago.  It goes with everything and I get compliments on it whenever I wear it.  It's proof that you shouldn't always discriminate against inexpensive jewelry.  
• Versatile makeup palette - I'm currently loving my Too Faced Natural Eye palette and their Better Than Sex mascara.  I can create a lot of looks with this palette.  I love that I can go with a lighter look during the day, but then add some darker colors on top for the evening.  Plus the packaging isn't super big and bulky so you can still stash it in your purse if you want it on the go.

What are your go to outfits / accessories / makeup for a weekend getaway?  

Fashion Friday: Why Loft is one of my new favorite stores.

Over the next few Fridays I'm going to share with you a few of my favorite stores and why I like to shop there.  I love discovering new places and sometimes overlook stores that are really great.  In working at the mall, I've learned that sometimes people miss out on  shopping at great places because they're not in their normal shopping center or they think that a store doesn't fit their image or target demographic.

***

I first noticed Loft about 5 years ago from a magazine ad...  I remember it featured a soft pink tank, a cream cardigan with a tan floral print, jeans, and an army green jacket.  I'm guessing that I'd never paid attention to that store before because we didn't have one nearby, but that ad haunted me with that beautiful outfit.  Right around that time I went on a road trip to Colorado and found a Loft store.  I bought about 1/2 of the outfit right off of that ad and after that I was hooked on that store.  Unfortunately, the nearest stores were about 2 1/2 hours away from home and they haven't hopped on the bandwagon of reasonable shipping costs, so my purchases from there were few and far between.  I did some pretty serious damage at their Times Square store a few years ago, but other than that it was just a couple items here or there.

And then it happened last fall...

We finally got a Loft store in town AND it's only about 5 minutes from where I live!

I'm pretty sure I was in there opening day.

Ever since then, Loft has become a favorite for work clothes and the part of my wardrobe that I call "dressy casual"...  You know, the stuff that you can dress up or down and that can easily transition from work to weekend.  

Those skirts!  Both scored on super clearance, of course!

My wild new floral print cropped jeans!

1. There's always a sale.  There is never a reason to pay full price there.  They always have some sort of deal going on and a lot of times you can score stuff at pretty significant discounts.  I've managed some really great deals on new arrivals and of course have scored some amazing clearance finds.
2. They have really good "dressy casual" clothes.  I know I already said this, but this store is perfect for the whole work-to-weekend thing.  A lot of what I own from there can be dressed up or I can rock my distressed jeggings and it works either way.  It's obviously a lot more cost effective if the items are more versatile like that.
3. They carry petites!  I teeter right on the edge of petite and regular in dresses and pants, so I love having the option of choosing between one or the other.  
4. Everything is so pretty!  If you've read my blog for a while, you know I love my neons, but sometimes there's just something to be said for pretty neutrals and prints.  Speaking of prints, I'm not a huge print person, but they always seem to have ones that appeal to me and get me to branch out of my comfort zone a bit.
5. The fit!  I feel like I'm at that age where it's not really that appropriate for me to buy juniors clothes anymore (although let's face it, I do occasionally), but I'm not quite ready for "mom clothes."  (Moms please don't take offence to that, but I think you know what I mean.)  I really like to fit of a lot of their clothes and really haven't tried on much that made me totally cringe.  I find a lot of it to be really flattering to the curves, but it doesn't feel too old and frumpy.  Aside from American Eagle jeans, Loft jeans are my next favorite for fit.  Their dresses are also very flattering and they typically have a good variety of styles to fit different tastes and needs.

Do you shop at Loft?

What are your favorite things to get there?!?

April Budget

Loft Stripe Textured Cotton Sweater - $39

Image via Loft

I really debated on whether or not to get this during the Loft Friends & Family sale...  I loved it, but wasn't sure how much use I would get out of a sweater at this point in the spring.  Then, I was reminded that I live in Kansas where it can literally go from blizzard to shorts weather in the same week.  (Seriously, we had one day this month where part of the state was under a tornado watch and the other was having blizzards.)  Anyway, I've already gotten some good wear out of it and I think the navy and white stripes are classy for any season.

Loft Curvy Cropped Jeans - $39

Image via Loft

I wasn't really looking for jeans when I hit the Loft sale, but I decided to give these a try as I've really come to like the fit of many of their pants.  The super dark wash makes them feel more like dress pants than jeans and therefore they've been added to my work wardrobe rotation for the remainder of the school year.

J.Crew Factory Airspun Baseball Sweater - $27 (purchased with gift card)

Image via J.Crew Factory

I've been really liking baseball tees lately and have found some cute styling ideas on Pinterest.  I love the tomboyish look paired with girly details.  I felt a little guilty getting this right after buying the other striped sweater from Loft, but I liked the stripes a bit better than the solid versions and this one was cheaper.

J.Crew Factory Bar Stripe Tee - $24 (purchased with gift card)

Image via J.Crew Factory

I've had my eye on this tee since the retail version came out last year, but kept missing out on it.  I was happy to finally get it.  I love that it's casual, but a little bit more than just a basic tee.

Old Navy Eyelet Shift Dress - $0.32

Image via Old Navy

This is what happens when you stack a sale, plus Stuff & Save, plus a reward coupon on top of one another...  You get a super cute dress for $0.32!  This one is very flattering and was one of my Easter dresses!

Charlotte Russe Necklace - $5
CR has had some really nice necklaces recently and ran a $5 statement necklace sale right before Easter.  I may not have necessarily needed this one, but I had a hard time passing up a great necklace at a great price.

Merona Wedge Sandals - $18

Image via Target

Target has been running some great sales with coupons and Cartwheel and the best part is that they all stack on top of one another.  I bought these to go with my Easter dress (that I bought at Loft last month) and some of my other summer dresses.

Target Earrings - $0 (after coupon)

When I bought the sandals I was a couple dollars short of being able to use a $5 off apparel and accessory coupon.  Combined with Cartwheel, I got these for free and still saved a few extra bucks off of the sandals.

Sam & Libby Chelsea Bow Flats - $30

How cute are these?!?  I love flats and even more loved the idea of adding navy bow flats to my shoe collection.  I love that they're comfy and good quality at a decent price!  I may be buying more colors!

Mossimo Lakitia Sandals - $10

Target was running a BOGO 50% sale on all shoes, so when I bought the flats I knew it was a good time to snatch up some new sandals.  I love that these are black AND brown!  They're probably going to be in heavy rotation this summer!

Total = $141.32

This doesn't include my Sephora makeup purchases after my 100 day makeup and nail polish shopping ban, but that is coming in another post.  (I also spent a gift card on some of those purchases.)  I did fairly well staying on budget with clothes and accessories this month.  I don't feel like I buy shoes very often, so to get 3 pairs is kind of crazy for me!  I threw out and Goodwill'ed a lot of shoes last month, so I didn't feel too guilty about upgrading my collection.

May Budget Plan:
May brings the end of the school year, so I don't really have much need to think about work clothes for a couple months.  I'm hoping to find some cute warm weather items, but really don't have any specific items on my "must have" list right now.  I have a few weddings coming up, so I may treat myself to some new shoes or accessories for those events.

How did you do with your budget this month?

Don't forget to link up at Franish to check out the other Budgeting Bloggers!

Fashion Friday: Pick Yourself Up & Get Dressed!

Bright colors always boost my mood!

I'm trying to get back into regular posts, but for some reason that's been easier said than done.  I don't get on my computer a whole lot at home these days, so that kinda makes me forget about blogging.

Anyway, I think some of my favorite posts are Fashion Friday, so that's probably what you're going to be getting from me for the next month or so until school ends!

Getting dressed is probably one of my favorite parts of my day...  Sometimes knowing that I've got a cute outfit waiting for me is what gets me excited about my day.  It's really not in a shallow "I want to look better than everyone else." way, but rather it's something that I'm doing for me. 

Stripes, florals, and bubble necklaces...  Oh my!

I'm going to be completely honest and tell you all that picking out my outfits has become something really important to me, more so in the past few months than before.  Here's why...

Not to get too sappy and girly dramatic on you, but I dated a guy that I teach with during the first half of the school year.  But, that relationship ended right before Christmas break...  As much as I wanted to curl up in sweats and hate the world after that breakup, as I faced going back to work after our long Christmas break, I found myself wanting to look good.  Really good.  I've always liked putting together outfits and looking cute, but it kind of took on a new meaning in January.  I've known quite a few girls who give up on themselves after a breakup...  No makeup, sweats, ice cream tub in tow, but that wasn't me.  I was determined not to be that girl.

I love adding a little sparkle with my accessories!

 Part of it is to maybe rub it in his face and show him what he gave up (just being completely honest), part of it is the show him that I'm not giving up on myself, but a big part of it is for me...  It's something that I can do to help me feel good again and bring back some self esteem.  Seeing your ex 5 days a week is definitely motivation to look good, but even those other 2 days when I don't have to see him I still want to look polished and put together.  For me.


Even if you're not dealing with breakups and having to see your ex everyday, it's important to remember that sometimes making that extra effort to look nice is all it takes to boost you mood.  I joked with my principal on the first day of state testing that it didn't matter how awful the testing was, I loved my new outfit that day and wasn't going to let computer problems ruin my mood.  I'd rather have a crumby day and look nice than have a crumby day and look crumby as well.

My first day back to school outfit.  I looked HOT!

You don't have to look like a supermodel 24-7, but making that teensy bit of effort to look pulled-together or add a little lip gloss may be just what it takes to boost your mood a little bit.  Even just adding a cute necklace or a scarf can take an outfit up a notch.  It's part of what makes being a girl a little bit more fun! :)

Without further ado...  Here's a peek at some of my recent outfits (that I look the time to document)!

Showing my K-State pride in style.

Taking a break from my neon to show my softer side.

I love a good jewelry bargain!  Accessories can totally make your outfit!

My "assessment day" outfit...  The tests may have been crap, but I was going to look good no matter what!

My favorite necklace!

I developed a new love for dresses and boots this past winter.

My new favorite dress from Loft.

And a favorite new pin...

Budgeting Bloggers ~ March

Hey friends!  It's that time again!

J.Crew Merino Boyfriend Sweater - $36

I have to admit that I've purchased 3 of these sweaters since the fall (as well as the "side panel" version, which really it almost exactly the same fit).  I'm in love with the slouchy sweater and skinny jeans look right now.  When this one went on an extra 40% off, I decided to grab it since it's fairly lightweight and a neon coral color that transitions into spring.

J.Crew Factory Printed Pencil Skirt - $19 (after gift card)

Image via J.Crew Factory

I've professed a few times how I don't do pencil skirts...  Well, I saw this one in the store last month and thought, "I've lost some weight.  I love this pattern.  What the heck, I'll give it a try!"  I really liked it, but didn't get it.  I still found myself thinking about it each time I saw a sale e-mail pop up and so I decided to take the plunge and get my first pencil skirt!  I may have started something bad for my budget...

Navy Crochet Toms (via Zulily) - $36

I had a friend introduce me to Zulily this month when she called to ask how I liked my other crochet Toms.  (Yes, I have these in black and silver.)  When she told me the price, I had her send me an invite.  I'm not sure I'll do a ton of shopping on there, but I was super excited to snatch these up at a good price, since I've wanted to add the navy to my collection since last year.  These are some of my favorite spring and summer shoes and are perfect for those days when your pedicure isn't quite in tip-top shape.

Banana Republic Tipped Long Cardigan - $37

Image via Banana Republic

My gray v-neck cardigan was in desperate need of replacement.  It was pretty shabby and had definitely lived a good life.  Sure, I have other gray cardis, but for me this is a wardrobe staple.

Loft Dress - $42

Image via Loft

Loft has definitely become a favorite store since it opened in town last fall...  It's a great store for cute "teacher clothes" that can still transition easily to the weekend.  Even better, they always seem to be running awesome sales like 40% off!  I love dresses like this!

Loft Stretch Lace Tee - $30

Image via Loft

I've been trying to make less impulse buys and let myself think about purchases before making them.  I tried this one on the same day I bought the dress, but didn't make the purchase at first.  I ended up going back the next day for it.  (I don't know if living 5 minutes from the shopping center is a good thing or a bad thing...)  My warm weather work wardrobe is kind of lacking, so I decided this was a good addition.  Even with the 40% discount I think it was a little pricey, but I'm glad I've added it to my wardrobe as it goes well with skirts, dress pants, and jeans.

Loft Scalloped Neck Cotton Sweater - $36 & $24

If you can't tell, I really like brights and neons, so this sweater is a little out of my current element.  I tried it on Loft trip #2 after eyeing it the day before.  It's so soft, pretty, feminine and is different from most of my other sweaters.

And then a few days later I went back and bought the light gray one on clearance.  I have a habit of buying things in multiple colors.

Express Essential Cami (x2) - $10
I've been on a major cami and layering kick again recently and have fallen back in love with these camis from Express.  The quality is really good and they're some of the few that I've found that fit my body the right way.  (I have issues with the built-in bras being too small and the body being too big.)  I was lucky enough to score these with a $15 off coupon while they were already 40% off!  They normally retail for $19.50 each, so to get 2 for $10 (navy and light gray) was awesome.

Target Belt - $5 (after gift card)

I tried on this ADORABLE dress at American Eagle, but was super disappointed when it was too short...  If something is short on me, you know it's really short.  Anyway, I loved the embroidery detail and colors and so I was excited to find this belt at Target.  I think it's going to be good for spicing up some of my basic dresses during the spring and summer.

Michael Kors Purse - $180

I've been itching to get a new purse for some time now and struck out when I hit the outlets last month...  Coach didn't strike me to have anything I had to have and Michael Kors seemed to still be fairly pricey for the outlet.  I've been on a basic purse kick for a few years and wanted something that was classy, but still fun.  When I saw this beauty at TJ Maxx I knew she had to be mine.  In good taste, though, I waited a day to think it over and make sure that I wanted to make this investment.  Let's just say the next morning the thought of going to get my new baby from the store got me out of bed.  Sometimes being patient is well worth the wait!  (PS ~ The original MK tag showed a retail price of $368!)

Total = $455

Yikes!  Even if you take out the purse (which was from my tax refund "fun money") I was still well over my $150 monthly budget.  This may be a lame cop out, but I had A LOT of extra income this month from a grant program I am in for school and the 40+ hours I worked at my part-time job over spring break.  A girl is allowed to treat herself, right!?!  This is also one of those months where I look back at what I bought and really love everything I picked up.  I may not have scored amazing dirt-cheap deals, but I feel like everything I bought was well worth the money.  Well, I certainly did, but rest assured I won't do this very often and a good chunk of that extra money went to other things (like a new desk / workspace) and into savings.

April Shopping Plan:

Since my spending was *cough cough* a bit high for March I plan on trying to stick closer to my budget for April.  I'm allowed to start buying makeup and nail polish again in April and also plan on updating some of my shoe collection.  (I did a MAJOR closet clean out over spring break and really weeded through my shoe collection!)

Head over to Fran's blog to see how all of the other budgeting bloggers did this month and join in on the party!