My Monthly Purchases: August 2013

Welcome to my first monthly purchase post! I decided to try a post like this because I always love reading these type of posts that my blogger friends do. If you'd like to see a few of the posts that inspired me, take a look at these by Here & Now and good life.

There is a formula you're "supposed" to use (4% of your take-home pay). Mine is adjusted a bit, but I try to keep my monthly damage to $140 (pre-tax because tax is dumb and varies anyway depending on where you shop).

When I decided to share my August buys, I had no idea I was going to blow my budget. So, this lovely blog reader is my budgeting fail.

Top: Banana Republic
Discounted from $50 to $12.50
Do you see the anchors and the reduced price? Explanation enough.

Blouse: Gap
Discounted from $54.95 to $10
This color is no longer available, but it is sold in another color. The material is really soft and it's hard to tell from the photo -  the pink is neon.

T-Shirt: H&M Kids
Regular price: $5.95
Yes, this is a pre-teens shirt. The picture is blurry but the LA is sparkly and has a faded city background in the heart. This is going to look great under a black blazer, I promise. I do not buy kids clothes unless I can make them work with adult things.

Martin Pants: Banana Republic Factory Store
Discounted from $79.99 to $16.99
These are no longer available on-line. I adore Banana Republic, especially the great deals at the factory store.

Gap: Coated legging biker jean
Discounted from $89.95 to $62.97 with 30% Friends and Family discount
I was aching for coated denim last winter and didn't get a pair. My dark denim legging jeans don't look great on me (hello pancake bum), and these are amazing replacements.

Additional buys with no photos:
Brown Leather belt: Gap. Discounted from $34.99 to $14.00
Four pair of trouser socks: Club Monaco. Discounted from $50 to $10
Mixed metal oversized stud earrings: Le Chateau. Discounted from $12 to $7
Orange mini skirt from Gap Factory Store: Discounted from $44.99 to $9.47

Adding up all of the above is $148.88. Almost bang-on! Yay!

But... then came the shoes.

Shoes: Nine West via The Shoe Company
Discounted from $130 to $59.99
I'm wearing a black dress to an upcoming wedding and really wanted a bright pair of shoes to add some color. I will never regret these gorgeous shoes. They are really comfy (as are my other Nine West platform heels) and will look great with jeans or dresses.

Shoes: Leopard print Keds

Discounted from $45 to $19.99 at The Shoe Company
I couldn't find these for sale anywhere on-line. They were the last pair at The Shoe Company so perhaps this particular style is no longer made.
I will get a ton of wear out of these. I love my fashion sneaks.

I also bought a pair of black flats from Winners: BCBGeneration discounted from $130 to $69.99. I wear black flats probably two or three times a week and my beloved Franco Sartos went to shoe heaven last week. The heel piece came off (thanks to rolling around in my office chair I think...) and they were looking too worn to pay to fix them. I simply can't deal with not owning black flats so that was a totally necessary buy. I was willing to pay even more for black flats, because I wear them so often, but I loved the style of the ones I bought and the price was right.

Total spending in August: $298.85

Way, way, way overbudget... but it was the first time this year I'd gone more than $20 over and I got $702.81 worth of clothes.

Do you stick to a budget? Did you find any fabulous deals in August?

XOXO
Glitterary Girl