June 2018 Purchases

Every month, I break down my clothing expenses and share them. My quarterly budget is $550. This amount can be rolled into the next quarter if it's not all spent. My goal is to keep my out of pocket expenses within $2200 a year. Gifts and gift cards don't count towards my budget. Since I've been keeping a budget, I'm much more careful with what I buy, and I will return stuff at the end of the month if I'm not crazy about it after hanging it in my closet.

June is usually a bigger spending month for me because of the summer sales. I had $315 available to spend this month to end the quarter. 

Top: Eclipse
Reg $35, on sale for $24  ($15 now!)
I was on a mission this month to buy a few tops for nights out. This was one of them, and I wore it to a birthday party followed by a night out at The Lower Deck.

Tank: Dynamite
Reg $23, on sale for $15
This was another "going out shirt" that I wore to Cider Fest.

Tee: H&M
Reg $15, on sale for $7

A more casual going out shirt or weekend shirt. This was part of the Anna Glover collection.

Pants: H&M
Reg $20
I was really drawn to these pants when I saw them, but didn't think they would look for me as elastic waist things generally don't. But they were surprisingly cute! They look great with black or white tops.

Tee: H&M
Reg $15, on sale for $7
It's not summer without nautical stripes! I wore this on a boat (of course). I can't seem to find it on-line...

Dress: Gap
Reg $65, on sale for $25
I love the soft and stretchy material of this dress. I wore it to work already with a cardigan.

Tee: TNA at Aritzia
Reg $25, on sale for $20
TNA tees are so soft. I bought this color during the clientele sale specifically to wear on Canada Day.

Cardigan: Wilfred Free at Aritzia
Reg $65, on sale for $52
Another clientele sale find. This is my third Zlata cardi. I can't believe I held out so long to buy the black one.

Shirt: The Group by Babaton at Aritzia
Reg $55, on sale for $32
This was on sale after the clientele sale. It's a great basic that can be worn year-round.

Pants: Banana Republic (no longer available on-line)
Reg $110, on sale for $27
Sloan pants are my favourite! I love the buttons on the bottom. I think I have five pairs of pants in this color now..... I'm OK with it.

Tee: Zara (no longer available on-line)
Reg $26, on sale for $18
This was from the kids section and looks good with high-waisted bottoms (including the H&M pants above) . I love basic white and cream tops for the summer. Fun fact: this was part of a $500 Zara on-line order and this was the only thing I kept!

Original Value of Items: $454
Price I paid: $242
I saved $47%

I'm rolling $73 on as I didn't spend my limit for last quarter. The summer sales continue into July, which is fun because it's actually warm enough now to wear summer clothes. I hope to still have a decent amount left to spend for Toronto in August. We're booked to stay across from the Vaughan Mills mall. There is nothing in particular I have my eye on for July, but I do have a sizeable Gap on-line order on the way, which might eat away some of my budget. The Zara summer sale is going on right now and there are a few things I have my eye on that I might grab if the price drops again.

XOXO
Glitterary Girl

May 2018 Purchases

Every month, I break down my clothing expenses and share them. My quarterly budget is $550. This amount can be rolled into the next quarter if it's not all spent. My goal is to keep my out of pocket expenses within $2200 a year. Gifts and gift cards don't count towards my budget. Since I've been keeping a budget, I'm much more careful with what I buy, and I will return stuff at the end of the month if I'm not crazy about it after hanging it in my closet.

May is a month I try not to spend much, knowing the summer sales are in June.

Top: Zara (no longer available online)
Reg $50, on sale for $30
As soon as I saw this top, I immediately thought of Christmas parties. A strange time of year to buy Christmas party attire, but here it is.

Shirt: Dynamite (no longer available online)
Reg $30, on sale for $12
I admit that I bought this because I was bored. It’s fine for work, but I only like it open with a tee underneath.

Pants: Banana Republic (no longer available online)
Reg $124, on sale for $23
I feel like I have a lot of blue work pants but these were so cute and look at the price.

Tee: Gap Factory
Reg $23, on sale for $10
I’ve been obsessed with pink this season, so when I found this camo print (another favorite) I had to have it.

Sneakers: Converse via Marshall’s (link to same at Little Burgundy)
Reg $105, on sale for $40
Adding to the Converse collection is never a bad thing. I’m in love with these and I haven’t worn them yet.

Tee: Cable & Gauge via Marshall’s
Reg $24, on sale for $17
I can wear this casually with jeans or shorts or under a blazer or cardigan for work.

Original value of items: $356
Price I paid: $132
I saved 63%

Late June is one of my favorite shopping times of the year. It’s when the summer stuff goes on sale, but there is still tons of time to wear it. I’ve got high hopes for Aritzia and American Eagle this year. I may even but in a Topshop order via The Bay. I have $315 left to spend. If I don't spend it, there is a Toronto trip on the horizon where I'm sure it will be spoken for!

XOXO
Glitterary Girl

My Monthly Purchases: February 2017

Every month, I break down my clothing expenses and share them. My quarterly budget is $500. This amount can be rolled into the next quarter if it's not all spent. My goal is to keep my out of pocket expenses within $2000 a year. Gifts and gift cards don't count towards my budget. Since I've been keeping a budget, I'm much more careful with what I buy, and I will return stuff at the end of the month if I'm not crazy about it after hanging it in my closet.

I spent a lot this month for someone who said she wasn't going to spend anything. No regrets! I got some great pieces for a steal.

Scarf: Wilfred Free via Aritzia (still available in alternate color)
Reg $75, on sale for $30
I was so drawn to the colors of this scarf as it has an array of neutrals and goes with all of my winter coats. It's really good quality and so warm.

Hat: TNA via Aritzia
Reg $35, on sale for $15
I'm so obsessed with baseball hats from Aritzia. They fit my small head. The other two I have are dark, and I wanted a light one to take to Palm Springs.

Top: Old Navy
Reg $25, on sale for $12
I have a lot of neutrals in my wardrobe, which can make packing for somewhere sunny and warm seem a little boring. This pink top this fun and will still mix well into pieces I already own. I love the detail around the neckline.

Top: Dynamite
Reg $35, on sale for $20
This was an impulse buy, but a sound one. I was going out and wanted a new shirt, but I made sure I bought one that was also going to be something I could wear to work or on the weekend casually.

Jeans: 7 For All Mankind via Designer Outlet (175 Horseshoe Lake Drive, Halifax)
Reg $178, on sale for $20
Do I need to explain this, really? I'm obsessed with army green and these were basically free. I already wore them to work and they are so comfortable. They are a size too big, but it just makes them slightly less fitted.

Shorts: Levis via Marshall's
Reg $70, on sale for $25
I wanted a pair of patched shorts, and was looking for a darker wash, but when I tried these on I couldn't leave the store without them.

Not included in the budget is a pair of bikini bottoms from Old Navy that can be worn with three of the bikini tops I already own.

Original value of items:  $418
Price I paid: $122
I saved  71%

I have $362 to spend for March (technically). I do have some leeway though.  I can always "borrow" from next quarter. There's also a birthday present to be bought. We'll see what Palm Springs has to offer. The dollar is gross right now, so that will certainly factor into my shopping decisions. I'm most excited to visit the Desert Hills Premium Outlets. I'd love to find a new coin purse and new black jeans because my beloved Madewell ones kicked the bucket (not impressed as they were only a year old...)

Be sure to check back in early April to see what I scooped up in California!

XOXO
Glitterary Girl

Restaurant on Repeat

R and I couldn't resist hitting up The Cheesecake Factory on our very first evening in Scottsdale. We hunt down these restaurants everywhere they exist and usually eat there more than once a trip! See below for why we always want to eat here. 

Does it get any better than Oreo cheesecake? No.

 Details

Top: Dynamite

Skirt: American Eagle Outfitters

Belt: H&M

Sandals: Aldo (RIP, these old sandals didn't make it home after expiring at the end of my shopping day)

Clutch: Coach

How pretty does this nighttime scene look? I want all of the palm trees for our yard.

XOXO
Glitterary Girl

Celebrating Moms

Brunch, roses, quality time? Count me in! I was lucky to get spend Mothers' Day with my mom and mom-in-law.

It started off with some yummy food (brunch is becoming a wonderful tradition) and ended with some much needed outside time. It was a gorgeous day - sunny and 23 - to wander around the golf course and stop in to some open house condos.

Getting dressed was a flurry... I actually didn't have anything picked out to wear until the morning of!
Luckily, my tried and true formula (blazer, top, jeans) seemed to do the trick.

Details

Blazer: Ann Taylor

Jeans: Joe Fresh

Top: Dynamite

Shoes: BCBGeneration

Necklace: Forever 21

Bag: Kate Spade

I might have to get another pair of white jeans, maybe distressed ones. I can't seem to stop reaching for these! 

XOXO

Glitterary Girl

My Monthly Purchases: December 2014

Here are my clothing purchases for the last month of 2014! It was really quiet shopping month, style-wise. I bought some non-clothing stuff after Christmas from Sephora. Seriously, Sephora is the funnest place on Black Friday and Boxing Day. I'll review some of the stuff I purchased soon.

Skirt: Dynamite
Discounted from $30 to $8
The lighting in the store made this seem really thin and and potentially see-through, but once I got it home in normal lighting it was fine. I can see myself wearing this year-round. I love the zipper details. I wore this on Christmas Eve.

Vest: Club Monaco
Discounted from $198 to $80
My current faux fur vest needs replacing. It's too short, hitting me in the wrong spot and creating (highlighting?) unflattering bulges. We can't have that, can we. This version is sleek and a good 6 inches longer. It's also dressier. I haven't worn it yet, but I will soon! The website says it's black, but it's actually a really dark green. Gotta love Club sales. The day I bought it, all sale was an extra 50% off.

Bag: Smart Set (no photo and no longer available on-line)
Discounted from $30 to $9
I needed a new bag for taking stuff back and forth to work. My books/magazines and snacks don't fit in my handbag. I was using a navy blue Body Shop tote, but I needed something a little classier. I have a really nice Kenneth Cole bag too but it's too nice to sit on the floor at work, so I save that for when I take the computer to Starbucks to blog (and I always put it on a chair).

Vest: Gap (no photo and no longer available on-line)
Discounted from $70 to $12.50
This was sitting all alone, the only size left - a denim vest smushed between some full-sleeved denim jackets. I really wanted a denim vest last summer but didn't find one for a good price. It's a medium-wash and slightly distressed. Should look fabulous layered over a sundress in the spring.

That is it for December! I also bought a pair of boots from Aldo, but ended up returning them.

Value of Items: $328
What I Paid: $110

I saved 66%

I under-spent this quarter by $25, which will roll forward to next quarter.

Next week, I'll calculate how I did with my spending for the year and share some of my favourite purchases.

XOXO
Glitterary Girl

New Traditions

The holiday season came and went really quickly! This was a year for change for R and I as we tweaked some of our lifelong Christmas traditions to create some new customs of our own. There was still a lot of family time involved, but there was also more "us" time, as we spent Christmas eve and morning together - a first for us even though this was our fifth Christmas as a couple.

Apologies for horrific lighting... the good camera was "all the way upstairs". The full-length photos were so shadowy I couldn't even bear to post them. I wore this on Christmas Eve.

Details

Top: Joe Fresh

Skirt: Dynamite

Booties: c/o Nine West

Tights: American Apparel

Bracelet: Banana Republic

Did you have any changes to your usual holiday this year?

XOXO
Glitterary Girl

Sprinkles and Staircases

It was my second trip to Vegas- you'd think I'd know better. I brought two pair of high heels and wore them for a combined total of about two hours. Heels that can stand the test of a Halifax night out will not usually stand up to a Vegas night out - no matter how great they are. Flats are always the answer unless cabs are involved. These became my "dress shoes" - LOL. At least they're leather.

Details

Blazer: Ann Taylor

Shirt: Dynamite

Jeans: Gap

Sneakers: Converse

Bag: Danier

Bracelet: Stella & Dot

Another thing that was a bit of a waste of suitcase space was my Canon camera. I did use it a bit, but it's too big to take out to dinner and for walking the Strip, so most of my outfit shots are with my phone's camera (i.e - crappy quality). We had some wedding photos taken on these stairs - can't wait to see them!

Las Vegas now has a Sprinkles - the same cupcake store that is famous in LA. On our last night we had chocolate cake from our reception venue and then bought cupcakes to have for breakfast the next day. 

R's was chocolate (no surprise) and I tried the double cinnamon. It was delicious!

XOXO

Glitterary Girl

Quasi-cape

While I love the look of a cozy cape, being petite can make capes a really hard style to pull off. Every single one I've tried on swallows me whole.

Luckily, giant scarves can act like capes and are a great alternative for those of us vertically challenged.

Details

Scarf: Dynamite

Jacket: Mac and Jac

Jeans: Calvin Klein

Boots: Aldo

Bag: c/o Nine West

Sunnies: Coach

These photos were taken in New Brunswick the about a week before we left for Vegas. Next week I'll share some more Vegas style shots. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. We're still up to our ears in boxes!

XOXO

Glitterary Girl

My Monthly Purchases: September 2014

What a fabulous September it has been! It was packed with social activities (a lot of them wedding-related) and it's been sunny and quite warm most days.

I haven't really switched gears to fall yet - I'm still in the transitional phase. Most of my fall clothes are still packed away and I haven't even pulled out my boots. Tights have not been on my radar either... though one of these years I may crack and buy leg warmers... I think I could possibly pull them off if high boots were involved. Maybe I can stave off true cold weather until after we return from Vegas - fingers crossed!

Here's a rundown of what I bought this month. I'm linked with Franish, so head over and see what everyone else snagged!

Dress: Banana Republic
Discounted from $175 to $50
Do I need another LBD - probably not. It fit so well and was so cute... I'll be bringing this to Vegas for sure! This is listing on-line right now for much more than I paid for it in-store.

Earrings: Beck & Boosh
Discounted from $12 to $7
I finally had a chance to check out the Beck & Boosh kiosk at Mic Mac Mall. I've been eyeing these ladies on social media for quite some time. Their jewellery is so cute, unique, and affordable. Check out their website!

Tee: Target
Regular Price: $17
See my full post on this purchase here.

Shirt: Dynamite
Discounted from $40 to $28
This one one of the options I bought for the first part of my bachelorette party.  I meant to return the shirt I didn't wear, but I really liked it. I like the length of it - perfect for leggings or jeggings.

Shirt: Dynamite
Discounted from $30 to $21
I ended up wearing this to the earlier events of my bachelorette party - see the look here. It was really comfortable and I love the faux leather detail on the back.

Scarf: H&M
Used an H&M Conscious coupon. Regular $13. I got it for $8
I love the dark orange of this scarf and it's the only thing I've bought that's "fall-ish". I'm excited to pair it with my denim jacket.

Belt: Forever 21(not available on-line)
Discounted from $7 to $5
I purchased a beige waist belt to go with a sheath dress I bought last month.

Vest: Smart Set (not available on-line)
Discounted from $60 to $12
I've been wanting either a leather or denim vest for some time now. This is super soft faux leather and I can think of so may ways to style it.

Scarf: H&M (not available on-line)
Discounted from $13 to $7
My old black scarf has seen better days, so I bought a new one.

Value of Items: $367
Price I Paid: $155
I saved 58%

The end of September officially marks the last day of the third quarter. I spent $414 this quarter, leaving me under budget again (yay!), thereby allowing me to spend more in Vegas! If I add the fourth quarter budget ($500) to the money I had left over from earlier months (about $150), then I can spend $650 for the rest of the year... or  can buy barstools for the new house. We'll see where the money ends up!

XOXO
Glitterary Girl

Wedding Wednesday: The Bachelorette Party

I could barely contain my excitement! It started on Thursday afternoon, when one of the girls at work brought a giant bouquet of flowers to me at my desk. I had no clue who they were from, so I ripped open the card. I had to read it three times before I understood what it meant.

From my maid of honour and best friend, who by-the-way, lives in Ontario, the card said she was sorry to have missed my shower a few weeks ago (which I will do a post on soon, I promise!) but the only reason she didn't come was because she'd already planned to be in town for my bachelorette party... which I knew nothing about! So it was a surprise up until two days before the event! Perfect!

I spent Friday night painting my nails and toes, packing a bag, and deciding what to wear.

Saturday afternoon, I was whisked away (after giving giant hugs to my MOH/BFF) to an incredible hotel suite with a giant private balcony,  a harbour view, and two kitchens!

The first event was a wine and chocolate pairing at Obladee. We had two white wines and a red wine to pair with three different types of chocolate. Our wine guy was very knowledgable and taught us how to swirl and sniff and search for "notes" in our wine.

After the wine and chocolate we went back to the hotel, where there was a ton of food and drinks to be indulged in! MOH/BFF completely outdid herself with all the preparations. She should probably moonlight as a caterer.

We played a few laid-back games, I had many stories told about me, and the girls dressed me up in lovely accessories!

Details

Dress: Dynamite

Shoes: Nine West

Accessories: From the imaginations of my beautiful friends

Next, we went to Taboo for VIP bottle service. Drinks and dancing ensued. It was a wonderful chance to get together with some of my absolute favourite girls and have a night that rivalled any night I've ever had on the town. I seriously had the most fun I could ever imagine having and I was so touched that my friends (especially MOH/BFF) put that much effort into making sure I had a great time.

Even my drink had an accessory.

Hope you've enjoyed the post! We're four weeks away from tying the knot!

XOXO
Glitterary Girl

All About the Booties

You know that feeling when you really want a pair of shoes to be as comfy on the run as they seemed to be in the store? I was so happy that these booties passed the real world test!

Suede often scares me because scuffs tend to be easier to see (and harder to hide) than leather, but these fit me so perfect, I had to have them. My feet are really narrow and these are slim enough that my feet feel perfectly hugged.

I was too excited when Nine West invited me to see their new store at Mic Mac Mall! This is the third pair of Nine West shoes for me, and they are is my absolute go-to brand for shoes that are hot and functional. A big thank you to the staff who put up with me trying on probably ten pairs of shoes before I made up my mind!

Details

Tank: Dynamite

Jeans: Gap

Booties: c/o Nine West Shoe Studio - Mic Mac Mall

Bracelet: Stella & Dot

I wore this to the afternoon portion of my amazing bachelorette party, a wine and chocolate tasting at Obladee. The rest of the details will be in a later post. I haven't had that much fun in a really long time. My fabulous maid of honour, group of friends, and family worked so hard to make it a perfect night for me. I was completely overwhelmed with all the love.

XOXO
Glitterary Girl