September 2014 Wardrobe Additions
J.Crew Factory Sweater: $40 (originally $74.50)
J.Crew Factory Sweatshirt: $38 (originally $59.50)
Zara Scarf (via Ebay): $13
Uniqlo Shirt (seen here): $30
J.Crew Factory Shirt: $12 (originally $59.50)
Madewell Sweater: $51 (originally $79.50)
Madewell Pants (seen here): $60 (originally $128)
Nordstrom Loafers (via Goodwill): $8
September Total = $150 (plus $102 in PayPal funds from Ebay sales)
$365 ($500 quarterly budget - $135 overspent) - $150 (September) = $215 left for October and November
Soooo... remember how I said last month how I needed to do a no-buy this month? (I called it "No Shop September" in my head, haha.) Well, obviously that didn't happen. However, I got pieces that were on my list (sweaters, white blouse, and burgundy pants), so there's that. The loafers I actually purchased in August but forgot to add to my budget. I'm quite excited for those because they were such a great thrift store find! (They actually are Nordstrom brand--pretty cool!) I should have tried harder on my no-buy, though, because I had quite a few unexpected expenses this month that made my bank account really sad.
The J.Crew Factory order is one I wasn't expecting to love, but I am so excited for every piece. I went into the store to do a price adjustment with my student discount, but it ended up being more trouble that it was worth. (I though they would take the discount off the price I paid online, but they processed it as a return and repurchased everything at the store price and then applied the discount; I ended up saving $10 instead of $25.) The sweatshirt is SO comfy, but it's not the best quality, which I'm super bummed about. I wore it once and the back is pilling pretty bad. However, I can't wait to wear the sweater! It's such a pretty color and so soft. I hope it holds up better than the sweatshirt.
The scarf is one I purchased from an Ebay seller in Hong Kong. I heard about them on Instagram so I decided to give it a shot since it was only $13. My scarf actually has the Zara tag on it, so I think that means it's real? I honestly don't know, though, since I've never purchased any other Zara items. The only downside is mine came with a couple of runs. I'll have to strategically hide those when I wear it.
I was on the fence when I first purchased the Uniqlo shirt because it isn't true white, and it's also a little bit on the large side. (There was also a really bad wrinkle in the collar that took forEVER to iron out.) After trying it on with a few of my tops and sweaters, though, I'm loving it. I hope you're prepared to see more outfits with it! ;)
The Madewell purchases were first featured here after I tried them on in store. After watching the prices for a couple of weeks, they both went on promo, so I stopped in store to pick them up and stack the student discount with the promos. (The weekend I went, the student discount was 20% instead of the usual 15%.) The pants weren't on sale in store, but if you don't already know, Madewell (and J.Crew) will match the online price in store. The pants were on promo for $99.50, and they were eligible for 30% off that price--plus I got the 20% student discount on top of all of that, making it a killer deal! I'm quite excited to wear them through the fall, winter, and spring. I'm also glad I grabbed the sweater when I did because it's sold out in that color online (though you can call and have them do a store search for you if you really want it!). They actually didn't have my size in stock at the store, so they called customer service and I placed it with them (and they honored the student discount). Yeah, Madewell is the best. ;)
It also was my birthday this month! My wonderful family and boyfriend gifted me Sam Edelman boots (upgrading from my current black boots), a cotton-cashmere Everlane sweater, and this Madewell necklace I've been eyeing. My boyfriend actually bought the necklace when we stopped in the store on opening day! I'm super excited for these pieces; I think they fit in perfectly with the vision I have for my wardrobe.
Regarding October, there's actually not that much on my radar right now. I actually feel like it won't be a spend-heavy month for me, which is something I haven't felt in a while. I just hope I don't get too stressed out with my giant school to-do list because that's when I tend to browse websites and place orders!
Linking up with Franish & my fellow budgeting bloggers