December 2015 Clothing Budget
32Degrees black jacket via Costco (sold out): $20
Marc New York cold gear tight via Costco: $17
High rise printed compression leggings via Old Navy: $6.11
Splits59 nova performance capri leggings c/o Shopbop: $0 after credit
Lukka Lux stellar tank via Wantable Fitness Edit (exact): $0 after credit (review coming soon!)
Toesox via Amazon: $0 after gift card
Tech shorts via Under Armour: $15
Lanston tri-blend gathered tank dress via Shopbop (sold out): $25
Sequin trim sweatshirt via J.Crew Factory (sold out): $23
Marled rib express london tunic sweater via Express: $20
Long sleeve plaid knit cardigan via SheIn: $30
Red v-neck sweater via Old Navy: $11.98
Long sleeve v-neck tee (black and white) via Old Navy: $12 total
Short sleeve v-neck tee (gray and white) via Old Navy: $12 total
Quilted zip vest via Old Navy: $12
Not pictured/worth mentioning:
-Believe it or not, I won a sweepstakes that included a $200 Lululemon gift card. Whaaat?! I don’t normally shop there, so it was fun to pick out this jacket, this tank top and this sports bra. To be fair, I spent $9 out of pocket.
-I received a gift card to Athleta from my brother-in-law (so thoughtful!) and took advantage of their semi-annual sale going on now and got this tech headband, a Fastest Track tank (I own a couple long sleeves and LOVE them), and decided to give this dress a try. Love the cut and very remixable!
-I also got some crazy cash back on my purchases by using Splender, including 6% cash back at Shopbop and Athleta, and 8% back at Old Navy. (If you are new to Splender, sign up and get a $5 bonus when make a purchase of $50 or more.)
Thoughts on this month:
Guys, I seriously hesitated to post my budget this month after seeing the boatload of purchases I made. Sheesh. But, I’ve discovered that after doing this monthly budgeting on the blog for a few years, it really keeps me accountable and gives me a nice visual of where my money went. (And if you are curious on how to set a clothing budget and stick to it, check out Fran’s blog post today…she nailed it!)
So here’s a little background/justification on these items:
Row 1: All about the activewear. Working from home full-time, I almost exclusively wear workout gear all day. It’s comfortable, and I am ready to go for a quick lunch-time run or workout DVD without having to change. The jacket and leggings from Costco were great deals and are SUPER warm…although I plan to put them to the test for the SnOw Fun Run in a couple weeks in Lake Geneva! And I desperately needed to upgrade my barre socks as they’ve lost their grip over the past couple years so I decided to try the Toesox brand.
Row 2: Can be summed up as randoms. I took advantage of Shopbop’s clearance sale and grabbed this gathered tank dress (to be fair, I had been eyeing one for a while and returned one from Nordstrom months ago and was on the hunt. Glad I sized up!) The sequin sweatshirt was a fun addition to my wardrobe since it’s casual but has a pop of fun (which I totally plan to wear for NYE). The pink sweater was a random find while we were waiting to get photos with Santa. I tried it on and it hung on me SO well that I had to get it. Lastly, the plaid cardigan has been on my wishlist for a while..goes well with a basic black tee underneath, or dressed up with pants/skirt too!
Row 3: The “I can’t resist Old Navy sales, coupons and cash back offers” row. I grabbed a gorgeous v-neck sweater and stock up on some staples in terms of short and long sleeved tees. And since I am on a HUGE vest kick, I added this festive plaid print one to my cart. Hey, can’t beat the prices!
-All purchases were covered by blog income (woo hoo!), but this mentality will change in 2016 as I plan to use any blog income to savings and other household expenses. See more below on my goals for next year…
Reflections on three years of clothing budgets:
I’ve been doing a clothing budget for three years now (wow!) and it has really helped me be mindful of my spending. Besides helping me “come clean” each month and share my purchases on my blog, budgeting been invaluable in terms of helping me define what my style really is. As I look back on my past monthly spending recaps, I feel like each year gets better and better.
Year one was all about “buying all the things,” or spending money on the trendy items that other bloggers had, or buying items that were a great deal because they were on sale, etc. In other words- lots of volume.
Year two, I resolved to purchase much less (in fact, I went to the extreme and told myself I could only purchase one item a month, with a few exceptions). I stuck to it for a few months and was more mindful of what I was buying…and then I got pregnant and my rules went out the window because I had to buy maternity clothes for work, etc.
For year three, I purchased with much more intention, focusing less on quantity and more on quality-made items. I tried to stick to classic styles in my color palette (neutrals plus an accent color or two, and few patterns so I could remix more). Plus, now that I am a Mom and am working from home full-time, my style has changed drastically from when I was working in both nonprofit and corporate America these past years. If I look back at my photo collages of purchases, I’ve probably returned or sold (via eBay, consignment store, etc.) about 30-40% of those items…maybe more? Yikes!
Goals for 2016:
That said, going into 2016, I feel like I have a firm grasp on what my style is and what I need for my lifestyle. I really want to focus on the finances of budgeting so I resolve to spend a flat amount for the year. I can spend as much (or as little) as I want throughout the year, but I am only allocating $600 (which equates to $50 a month), which is a huge cut from past years. But, I feel that it is realistic and attainable based on what I already own, what I think I’ll need, and my savings goals. Any blog income I make will first go towards other household expenses and savings (you know- those adult things like retirement, emergency fund, college savings for Bryce and savings for a new house at some point down the road.) Now that I’m a mom, I feel like I have a new perspective. I don’t want to be spending as much as I did. Sure, I love shopping, building my wardrobe and finding great deals, and that doesn’t mean I plan to stop by any means…but I am going to be making purchases with much more intention in 2016. Hoping this plan for 2016 will go well so I can invest in quality pieces that fit my style…and my budget!
To view my past clothing budgets over the last three years, check out this page.
What did you get this month? Tell me about your thoughts on the past year and goals for 2016! This stuff is so interesting to me so I’m all ears!
Linking up with Franish | Fizz and Frosting | Fashionably Employed | I do DeClaire | Style Elixir | Walking in Memphis in High Heels | The Pleated Poppy | Tucker Up | Mix & Match Fashion | Work Clothes I Suppose | Doused in Pink |Curly Crafty Mom
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I’ve been thinking about decreasing my budget as well. I am fortunate to get free items here and there and I don’t think I need to be spending all that money just to buy things. I am looking forward to seeing how your new budget works for you!
Exactly! If I want new things, I hope my free items/Shopbop moolah will help, or I can look to do more clothing swaps with friends/bloggers! And I really just want to remix my closet more and use all these pins I made with outfit inspiration…there are so many outfits I can make with what I already have!
I think part of my crazy spending for a good part of the year was that I finally settled into my more casual dress code and needed some items for that. Plus, losing weight made a huge difference in how much of my previous stuff fit! Not so fun to wear jeans that are too big, you know?
But, like you, I think I’m pretty much set now with knowing what I actually need and what is just something I think is pretty. I really, REALLY want to pay off my credit cards. I’m a bit in awe of your blog income, too! Impressive!
Amen! Totally agree on losing weight/dressing for your workplace- those two things majorly affected my spend this year. I think moving forward, I need to remix what I have. I mean, I have Pinterest boards dedicated to it– just have to work my closet– it’s all there!
And yes- I think the financial savings aspect of it will be a huge motivator, knowing such a large chunk of change that would otherwise go to clothes is going to more worthwhile stuff. I’ve been lucky to have some awesome sponsored opportunities– just trying to make sure I don’t get stressed out doing too much and make sure it’s a good fit and is interesting for folks too…it’s a delicate balance :-)