june budget

1. Gap Swiss Dot Henley [seen here] - originally $55, on sale/discount for $33: I purchased this shirt as a way to get free shipping, but also because I was a little bit interested in after seeing it hanging in stores. I really liked it when I first tried it on, and when I wore it a few days ago, but then throughout the day I was getting a bit annoyed with it - it fits me well in the shoulders/arms but is way too loose in the waist. I think I'm going to take in the sides like I have with my chambray popover and polka dot popover so it gives a bit more definition, something someone with my figure desperately needs.

2. Target Sandals [seen here] - $20

3. Old Navy shorts - on sale for $7, with giftcard $0

4. Tabita Skirt via eBay [seen here] - $20

5. J.Crew Factory Shorts [seen here]: on sale for $20

6. Old Navy shorts [seen here]- on sale for $7, with gift card $5: rounding out the shorts purchases of the month as inspired by Whitney.

7. Gap Dress - on sale/promotion for $33: This was the dress I purchased with my set aside money for a dress I can wear for several different occasions so really it's $0 in the budget. I ended up getting it online for half the price it was going for in stores. I wore it to a birthday party this past weekend but I was constantly tugging at the slip inside - it barely covered my butt so I always felt like I was showing the good China even though everything was covered. I think I need to invest in a good slip anyway, so this is a perfect reason to get one.

Not pictured: Gap Outlet shorts ($20), J.Crew Factory Skirt ($20), Banana Factory Top ($20), Gap Outlet Sandals ($10), Forever 21 Scarf ($10), Thrifted Red Skirt ($4), Thrifted J.Crew Blazer ($4)

= $178 - $80 sold = $98 overall


Although I've spent half of the month not at work, and therefore more time with opportunities to go spend money, I did very well this month when it comes to my budget! There are several reasons for that - I felt I needed to hold on to my money a little tighter now that I don't have any income until I receive my student loan money in August, I did a ton of window shopping but not much felt good on, and I was lucky enough to receive a few nice pieces from sponsors and through Everlane credits that that "need" of wanting something new went away.

For July I plan on rolling over that extra money as I will be in Seattle for the first part of the month and plan on doing some shopping/damage with Kimmie, Bri, and Katrina. I don't have many items I'm really on the hunt for (except I'm still waiting for my black pants for school to come back in my size at Banana Republic) so I'll just go into it with an open mind although I would like to add a special piece or two now that I'm pretty set on basics. I also have my $100 giftcard I won from the Chippmunk contest (huge congrats to Kimmie for winning the grand prize! Of course I would have loved to win, but Kimmie is on such a tight budget every year that I know she'll get a ton of use out of it, plus having a close friend win is almost just as good) that I choose to get from J.Crew so I can specifically order this blazer that I've been eyeing for months now! You know what it'll look good with? EVERYTHING

;)

Anyway, how did it all go down for you this month? Great? Poorly? WHAT BUDGET?! Link up below with the other budgeting bloggers! Please make sure you link back to this post so that your readers can find other great bloggers to read and follow.

on dressing for the blog

 

I've been blogging for a little over a year now. I've always wanted the blog to help me figure out my sense of style and how I want the pieces in my closet to come together, but I didn't want to change my style for the blog. Especially over the last year, I never put on outfits because I knew I was going to take pictures, but I took pictures because I (mostly) liked what I was wearing. Seeing my outfits every day has made me realize what I like, what I don't like, and what I think I want to look like. I don't buy trends just to be trendy, and I don't buy clothing just because it would be good for the blog. I buy something because I like it and because I believe it fits into my life and with the items in my closet. Some outfits make it on the here, some don't, and that's okay. Because I dress for my life and "for me", it makes it a lot easier to get dressed because there's no pressure.

Except yesterday. 

I was lucky to be asked by 2 Girls, 2 Cities to take part in their monthly challenge, which this month happens to be neon. Bri's Third Thursday Thread link up this month is also neon, and she even jokingly called me out and told me I had to take part in it. YOU GUYS. You know how I feel about neon, but it seems it's a trend that just won't quit and it seems to be coming from all angles. So yesterday I stood in front of my closet trying to figure out what to wear for both challenges and for a day in Chicago. I probably spent 45 minutes trying to figure out what to wear. I own very little "neon" - in quotes because I don't even really have anything true neon, just brighter than normal. I tried a brighter orange tee with my new black and white skirt. I tried my Old Navy striped top. I tried looking through my donate box of clothing to see if I couldn't dig something out to wear. It was so frustrating because I wasn't comfortable in anything I put on. I didn't want to look like a try-hard down in Chicago, I didn't want to be wear something I didn't like, and I didn't want to be super boring. Eventually I convinced myself that these shorts were relatively bright enough but then I didn't know what to wear with it. I didn't want to wear another tee because I didn't want it to appear on the blog like all I own is white or black t-shirts. I didn't want to wear my teal sandals because I just showed those on the blog in the previous post. I didn't know what kind of jewelry would look best in pictures.

on the blog. in pictures. on the internet. for other people.

And eventually I reminded myself that I dress for my life, and not for the blog. So I put on the outfit I felt the most comfortable in, drove down to Chicago, and had a great afternoon walking around Wicker Park getting a sun burn, thrift shopping, and enjoying an evening of guacamole making and tipsy gossiping. 

and it was wonderful and no one cared what I was wearing :)

Tee: Everlane

Shorts: J.Crew Factory [exact]

Shoes: Target [similar]

Watch: Target [similar]

Bracelet: c/o Apple of My Eye Jewelry [exact]