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

My Monthly Purchases: April 2014 Part 2

Yes, I bought so much this month that I divided it into two posts! Part 1 was purchases that I bought with birthday money and gift cards I had received (thank you!)

Part 2 is the "out of pocket" money I spent. I promise this post is shorter than part 1!

Skirt: H&M
Discounted from $20 to $15 (I used a $5 H&M Conscious coupon, read about this program here)
I have a black pencil skirt and a black fitted mini skirt, but I wanted another one that could be dressed up or down. It's listed for $30 on-line, not sure why. I bought mine in-store in Vancouver.

Cardigan: Zara
Regular Price $43
If you are petite and small-framed, check out Zara's boys section for boyfriend-styled blazers and cardigans! This one is so soft and comfy, and I know I'm going to wear it until it falls apart.

Shirt: Old Navy 
Discounted from $28 to $15
I have blue chambray in two colors, and grey is a great alternative! In case you haven't noticed, grey goes with almost everything. When searching for this item on-line, I realized this is in fact a men's shirt. I bought it in the women's section.... and I don't care. The last oxford shirt I bought from Club Monaco was from the guys' section.  The pockets should have clued me in!

Tee: Old Navy
Free with Supercash in combination with the shirt above. Spend $25 and get $10 off.
There's not that much at Old Navy right now that interests me, so I decided to play it safe and get a plain white tee. It can never hurt to have a few in different styles in one's closet.

Pants: Forever 21
Regular price: $30
These were a little out of my comfort zone, but I fell in love with a pair of wide legged pants at Topshop that did NOT work with my body. This pair was the closest I could find to that look. I need to wear them with wedge sandals or heels because of the length, but the vertical panels (this must be too wide to be called a stripe...) make my legs look crazy long Truth being, they are actually crazy short.

Shoes: DKNY via Marshall's
Discounted from $75 to $40
Marshall's opened a few weeks ago and I made a visit on day three after opening. The selection was picked over as the crowds were insane, but I nabbed these cute flats.

Value of items: $214
Price I paid: $143
I saved 33%.

That leaves me with $357 to spend for this season. I'm going to see if I can stay well under budget, considering all I bought with my birthday money.

Thanks for reading!

XOXO
Glitterary Girl

My Monthly Purchases: April 2014 Part 1

Brace yourselves for a lengthy read. I decided to do my monthly budget in two posts, starting with the free stuff. My goal is to spend under $500 per season on clothing/shoes. Each season is three months long.

Birthday money, combined with a trip to Vancouver, made for a busy shopping month.

I'll start off with all of the free stuff. These items do not count towards my budget.

Sneakers: Converse via The Bay
Discounted from $65 to $42
I have been aching for these sneakers since I saw them on-line earlier this year. I ordered these and the rose-gold metallic ones. I told myself I was only allowed to keep one pair and these were the winner. It was actually an easy choice as the rose-gold ones weren't that pretty in real life.

Navy bucket bag: Old Navy (no longer available on-line but they are still in store as of last week)
Discounted from $30 to $17.50
I really wanted a bucket bag, but didn't want to pay a lot for one as I'm saving my "bag budget" for a new black handbag when we go to Vegas. This was a perfect choice to make me feel like I have a new spring bag, without spending a lot. The (fake) leather looks surprisingly supple.

Sneakers: Peter Pilotto for Target
Discounted from $30 to $9

Slip on sneaks are having a moment right now and these are certainly a fun version. Once it gets a bit warmer, I'll style them with my chambray dress. I wore these to the mall on the weekend and three people stopped me to ask me where I got them.

Scarves: Gap (no longer available on-line)
Discounted from $65 to $12 for both.
I couldn't pass these up. One is a winter snood, powder blue and heavy knit. The other one is an oatmeal infinity scarf with neon orange stripes.

Tee: Smart Set (no longer available on-line)
Discounted from $29 to $11
One can never have enough simple black shirts. This one has faux leather sleeves and the material is nice and thick. Worn here.

Tee: Smart Set
Discounted from $25 to $7.50
Cardigan: H&M
Regular price: $18
I love lightweight cardigans, especially at the office. This tee was one of my picks for the Opposites Attract feature I did for Halifax Shopping Centre. Graphic tees are always a favourite of mine as they can be dressed up or down. See how I styled these new buys on the streets of Vancouver recently.

Shirt: Joe Fresh (no longer available on-line)
Discounted from $29 to $15
A slightly sheer animal print blouse with various blue shades. I think this will look great with denim or navy dress pants. I'm also excited to see how it looks with the below jeans.

Jeans: Joe Fresh
Discounted from $19 to $10
I've been looking for comfortable white denim for a long time. White denim can be scary if the cut or stretch factor is off, but these were flattering... and ten bucks!

Belt: Joe Fresh (no longer available on-line)
Discounted from $25 to $3
Fun animal print belt for a steal!

Top: Joe Fresh
Regular price $19
I love lacy tops in neutral colors. I have a much heavier sweater that is the same shade and I wear it a lot on summer nights.

Top: J Crew
Discounted from $128 to $18
This is a girly shirt with contrasting sporty stripes down the arms, reminiscent of Adidas jackets from days gone by.

I used part of my birthday money on a fabulous experience at the Bay in Vancouver. Topshop at the Bay has a FREE personal shopping service! R and I were in there getting him some new things for the wedding we attended, and I decided to come back the next day for some pampering. My stylist was Kenneth, and he was really fun and very quickly got a sense of my style. He had about eight outfits pulled for me when I arrived, and I had large private dressing area to myself for the appointment. It was really fun to try on the things he chose for me, and I came away with three key pieces that I love! If you're in Toronto or Vancouver, I HIGHLY recommend this service. Topshop can be really overwhelming and it's a great way to zone in. I could have bought so much more - really had to restrain myself.

Pants: Topshop
Regular price $72
I told Kenneth I wanted "dressy track pants" and he knew exactly what I was looking for. These are high-waisted, have a strong waistband that stays put, and I can alter where they hit length-wise with the elastic ankle.

Sandals: Topshop
Regular price: $50
OK, I have a hard time believing these are only $50. They are classy, have a really cute turn-lock closure, and the heel height is perfect for work or play.

Skirt: Topshop
Regular price: $44
I couldn't leave this, it was far too fun. I'm on a hunt for a powder blue top to wear with it, but it looks great with black, white, grey, and pink too.

Not a fan of the shoes they paired this skirt with...

See, I told you this was an extensive read! Watch for part two later this week where I'll share what I spent of my own money... not much more, I promise.

XOXO
Glitterary Girl

My Monthly Purchases: March 2014

I had some gift card spending to do this month. I'm not really sure how to handle gift cards/gift money in relation to my clothing budget. When I'm gifted an article of actual clothing, I don't count it towards my budget obviously, so I'm inclined to think that gift card purchases shouldn't count. Ladies who budget, what do you do with gift cards?

Gift Card Purchases

Pants: Ralph Lauren via Winners
Discounted from $100 to $30 (free using gift card)
Black work pants were on my wish list. I'm not sure how I managed to get through the winter with only one pair in my closet, but I often wished for a second pair. They're in the wash, so no photo.

Tank: Diesel via Winners
Discounted from approx. $150 to $25
Winners has been getting some decent stuff in stock lately in their new "Contemporary" section. I have a "love from afar" relationship with Diesel as I refuse to pay full price for it but really love the brand.  Winners has an annoying habit of peeling off the brand's actual price tag (but they often miss it). Their "comparable to" tag is often way lower than the original price. For example, the "comparable to" tag on this tank is $40. Now, I know that you can't get a Diesel shoelace for $40, but they peeled off the original tag. So I went online and found something comparable listed for $150 at the Bay, which sounds more like Diesel's (over) pricing. Wouldn't it make sense for Winners to want to show the actual retail price? I don't get it. You'll all be proud of me for not giving in to the pink leather vest I wore for a solid ten minutes in the fitting room. It was still $130 (marked down from $700 - they forgot to get rid of the original tag ), but I actually do want a new brown leather jacket which would see far more wear than a pink leather vest, no matter how pretty it was.

Skirt: Banana Republic (no longer available on-line)
Discounted from $110 to $49 (free using gift card c/o Halifax Shopping Centre for doing an Opposites Attract feature for them)
I love love love this skirt and was eyeing it from the second I saw it on-line. I was hoarding my HSC gift card, waiting for the perfect item to spend it on. This was it! I haven't worn it yet, but I do want to get at least one wear out of it with black tights before the weather changes.

Earrings: Silpada
Regular price $34 (free with birthday money)
I am supposed to be on a jewelry buying ban for awhile but I don't actually own anything in turquoise and I thought these were really cute. I love the look of white clothes and turquoise accessories in the summer.



T-shirt: Smart Set
Discounted from $16 to $10 (free with birthday money)
This was an impulse buy a few days before St Patrick's Day, but a good bright piece that looks great with black, white, or navy. I wore it with black pants and a black cardigan for St Patrick's Day at the office, but failed to get a photo.

Mine is kelly green

Amount spent in gift cards/gift money: $148
Value $402

My Own Money Purchases

Sweater: Jacob (no longer available on-line)
Discounted from $50 to $7.50
I love the look of this slouchy v-neck. I can wear it over button-ups or over a dress. I promise I'll steam it before I wear it!

Dress: Old Navy
Discounted from $33 to $25
This dress is a blank canvas for styling, and I think I will get a lot of wear out of it in the spring and next fall too. A good piece for transitioning seasons.



Shirt: Club Monaco
Regular price $64.50
It is SO HARD to find a great white oxford shirt. Thank you Club Monaco salesgirl for leading me to the men's section! I bought this in men's XS and it is wonderful! Not too thin, long enough to cover my bottom should I want to wear it with structured leggings, and no gaping buttons at chest level!

Dress: Sarah Stevenson for Target
Regular Price $35
I did a blog post on this dress already. I can't wait to wear it with my denim jacket!


Skirt: Peter Pilotto for Target
Discounted from $35 to $17.50
This was one of the pieces I said I'd go back for if it went on clearance, which it did.

Total spent: $149.50
Total value:  $217.50
I saved 31%

It's time to look at my seasonal spending which I've budgeted at $500 every three months.
January = $154
February = $193
March = $150

Grand total for first quarter of 2014: $497

Next month includes a trip to Vancouver and undoubtedly some new clothes will be bought. Good thing I have gift cards and birthday money to spend!

XOXO
Glitterary Girl

My Monthly Purchases: January 2014

January is a very interesting month for shopping as a LOT of winter merchandise goes on sale. Weirdly, there is spring stuff in all the stores now even though it's crazy to think about spring yet here in Halifax.

Black Cardigan. Vera Moda from Envy
Discounted from $35 to $17.50
I can't find a photo of this or a link to buy on-line. My other black cardigan had been worn to death and needed replacing. This is a pretty basic medium-weight button up cardigan with long sleeves and was on  my list of things I needed to get.

Jeans from Gap Factory Store
Discounted from $65 to $18
These are super-comfy and I love the vertical stripes. I've been feeling blah about my existing jeans, so decided to do something about it this month

Jeans. Rock & Republic from Crimson Clover (consignment)
$30
I don't even want to venture a guess as to how much these would have cost the original owner. The brand went bankrupt in 2010 and was sold to Kohl's where you can get budget versions of the jeans. The original ones went for prices as high as $400. Yes, I have had them hemmed since this photo was taken.

AND

Vest from Joe Fresh
Discounted from $40 to $15
Replacing my old black puffer vest. The red version of this is still available on-line.

Pants from Reitmans
Discounted from $50 to $5
No longer available on-line.
These are actually pretty cute for $5. They are black with a tiny gold pattern throughout. I've worn them to work already.

Scarf from Dynamite
Discounted from $23 to $8
I've had an obsession this winter with plaid scarves and this was the perfect price to justify buying another one.

Blazer from Dynamite
Discounted from $47 to $12
No longer available on-line
I haven't worn this yet because I have to de-wrinkle it. I have quite the collection of blazers now. This will be great all year round as it's a bright white. I'll snap a pic soon!

Sweater from Dynamite
Discounted from $50 to $18
Long enough to wear with leggings! This color was missing from my closet as well. I'm getting really lazy with outfit shots... I wore this a few weeks ago to a wedding show and should have taken a pic.

Hat from Le Chateau
Discounted from $30 to $10
A seriously cute hat!

Stevie Necklace from Stella & Dot (image found on e-bay)
$20 (was $94 new)
My Stella & Dot stylist Erica was purging her inventory and sold me this lovely piece.

Total spent this month: $153.50
Total value of items: $484 (with more for the R&R jeans...)
Saved 68% 

A few dollars over budget (and I knew that before I bought the necklace, but how could I say no) but I'm happy with my deals. February brings shopping excitement in the form of a new Target collaboration. I will try to keep my spending to a minimum this month as we are headed to Vancouver in April (yay!) and I'm sure I'll find some things to buy there.

XOXO
Glitterary Girl

My Monthly Purchases: December 2013

One of my favorite things about my blog in 2013 was the addition of the monthly purchases post. It makes me somewhat accountable for what I buy, considering I'm trying to stick to a monthly budget.

Early December tends to be a slow shopping time for me, while later in the month, Boxing Day sales usually seduce me. I bought some items from Zara on-line, but sadly they weren't suitable and I had to return them (transparent plaid pants... really?). Thankfully, returns are free from Zara!

Suede gloves from H&M (no longer available on-line)
Discounted from $29.95 to $7
These were just too cute to leave for the price! They fit me (size small) which is rare because my hands are tiny. Most of my mittens and gloves are neutral colors so these are a great addition, and our winter has been brutal already, hence the need for fun outerwear to keep me sane.

Sparkle Skirt from Joe Fresh (no longer available on-line)
Regular price $29
For the past few years, I have been eyeing the holiday collections from Joe Fresh and I almost bought a sparkle skirt last year. This year, I knew I'd be going to dinner and a concert for New Year's Eve and didn't want to be in a fancy dress so the obvious choice was a sparkly skirt that I could dress down with a plain top.

Black top from Joe Fresh (no longer available on-line)
Discounted from $19 to $6.94
A week after I bought my sparkle skirt, I saw this top on clearance and decided it was the perfect pairing. The scoop neck dips lower in the back. I was in far to big of a rush on NYE to get a blog photo, so at some point when I have time to get a bit glam, I will put on my NYE outfit and post it. I'll do a countdown and everything...but no confetti.

Black shirt from H&M
Regular price $12.95
I have way too many black shirts but I really liked the sleeves on this one. It's very cute and I'm surprised the price was so low.


Everything below was bought with money saved on a price adjustment on a Christmas gift! 

Plaid shirt from Old Navy  (no longer available on-line)
Discounted from $28 to $14
A plaid shirt was on my list of items to snag after Christmas, as the one I already own has been through the dryer too many times and the buttons are starting to gape. I love the bright colors in this one! Navy and green is one of my favorite color combos.

Chelsea boots from Old Navy
Discounted from $37 to $18.50
This purchase was meant to be. I was walking through Old Navy, mentally complaining about how the desert boots I was wearing were hurting my feet, and I saw these on for half price. To the donation bin you go, desert boots.



Black and white merino wool sweater from Club Monaco
Discounted from $90 to $30
A white sweater was also on my wish list. I was planning on getting plain white but I really liked the softness of this one, and while it might not be quite as versatile as plain white, it will get a lot of wear.

Two layering shirts from Smart Set (black and gray)
Discounted from $29 for 2, to $6 each
A decent selection of layering shirts are a must for me, and these ones are really soft and comfortable. Very basic, you don't need to see.

Sweatshirt from Smart Set (no longer available on-line)
Discounted from $35 to $18
I already have a lighter grey sweatshirt but I couldn't resist the faux leather detailing on this one. I hope the sweatshirt trend sticks around... so comfy and so fun with a statement necklace.

Total purchases for the month: $148
Total value of the items: $310
Saved 48%

Net spending (minus the Christmas money): $55 

I've crunched the numbers for the year and my grand total of spending on clothing was $2093. My goal expenditures was $1700, so I was several hundred dollars over. Considering the amount of clothing I bought this year, this actually seems like a decent price! Especially considering there are ten pairs of shoes included in that figure!

How did you do with your expenditures in 2013?

XOXO
Glitterary Girl

My Monthly Purchases: October 2013

Welcome to my once a month breakdown of the clothing items I bought, while trying to keep my budget in mind. My disclaimer for the month is that I had a trip to Toronto thrown in... my budget does not apply the once or twice a year I go on a "shopping trip".

I tried really hard to not buy much until Toronto, but then there was a sale at Smart Set and a few pieces I had my eye on were on mega-sale.

Bracelet: Le Chateau
Discounted from $15.00 to $5.95
I like skulls.

Skirt: Smart Set
Discounted from $35.00 to $12.00
I bought this in black with a grey panel. Great length for work!



Discounted from $35.00 to $9.00Pants: Smart Set (no longer available on website)
R calls these my police pants. I guess he has a point.

Top: Smart Set
Discounted from $39.00 to $6.00
I love this basic top that I can wear to work or on the weekend. It was basically free :)



Shoes: Gap (no longer available on website)
Discounted from $39.95 to $12.00
I went through a big camo phase circa 2005 and have been waiting for it to come back. These loafers are cute and add just a touch of the print to a casual outfit.

T-Shirt: Zara
Regular Price: $19.90
I can't get enough of graphic print tees lately. This one made up for the fact that I missed Fashion Week in Toronto (okay, not really....)


Boots: Aldo
Regular price $100.00
I was so picky about black boots this year. I tried on a ton in Toronto and then ended up picking these basics from Aldo here in Halifax.



Other items with no photos (sorry, you'll see them in blog posts later!)
Forever 21 jewelery : $21.00 (regular price)
Forever 21 pink tank top: Discounted from $3.80 to $1.80
J Crew Navy v-neck sweater: Discounted from $54.00 to $32.00
Cole Haan black belted puffer coat from Holt Renfrew H2: Discounted from $395.00 to $198.00
Target blue studded flats: Discounted from $18.00 to $10.00
H&M: Blue sleeveless blouse: Discounted from $17.95 to $5.00
H&M: Navy blue trousers with zipper details at the waist: $29.95 (regular price)
H&M: Army green faux leather leggings: $9.95 (regular price)
H&M: Patterned ankle length trousers: Discounted from $29.95 to $7.50
Old Navy: Bow earrings: Discounted from $7.00 to $4.90

Total purchases for the month: $484.05
Total value of items: $870.45

I checked some big items off my list this month, including a winter coat that is warm but still fashionable for wearing to work, black ankle boots, and a basic navy sweater.

I'm going to make every effort to keep my spending to a minimum for November and December.

Did you score any big deals this month?

XOXO
Glitterary Girl

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