My fashion-related shopping for the month included some necessities, some things that I planned out, and a few things that were arguably impulse purchases (though all of those were things that I had wanted at some point). I've discussed why I don't set a concrete budget for myself while still keeping close track of my overall budget and limiting my fashion (and beauty) spending based on my other needs. Lo and behold, budget-related circumstances changed this month. My interview-related travels did not require anything more expensive than a train ticket and then I got the job! This allowed me to move funds out of the interview travel category. Some of the freed-up funds will go towards shopping.
I might have made some of my spending choices out of a desire to celebrate, and that might also be seen in some of next month's decisions. It isn't necessarily the best thing to celebrate one's achievements by shopping, but as long as one is careful, I don't think there's any real harm.
I am proud of how well I have done with beauty-related purchases. The concealer was the first thing I bought at Sephora this year (an improvement over this time last year). While I still purchase many skincare items because of my complicated routine, each thing I bought was an identified "need."
Fashion - (TOTAL: $376.72)
- Two-Pack of H&M Tights - $17.95 - I couldn't find black fleece-lined tights anywhere and my old pair was in poor condition. These count as a "need." They're not fleece-lined, but were the thickest pair available at H&M at the time.
- Uniqlo Cotton Cashmere Tunic - $39.90 - I had wanted a gray sweater, but could have waited until next year.
- Uniqlo Striped Tunic - $29.90 - A St. James-like striped shirt is something I've wanted for a long time. However, I can't really say that I was thinking about buying one anytime soon until I saw this top while shopping for the sweater.
- Equipment Silk Shirt - $66.00 - One of the things from The RealReal. I had a 20% off coupon that dropped the price to $60, but I needed to pay rather outlandishly high shipping costs ($11.95!) which I averaged out between the two items.
- Diane von Furstenberg Wrap Dress - $66.00 - Same as above.
- Skagen Freja Watch - $69.99 -This was a very well planned out purchase and among the things I knew I wanted to buy this year under the rules of my shopping fast. This was a sale price on what I believe is an older style. The current price for new Frejas is $125.
- J. Crew Crystal Snowflake Necklace - $46.99 - Purchased on Ebay. I wanted this necklace a few months ago when it was on sale from J. Crew for a similar price, but never pulled the trigger. I looked for it on Ebay on impulse and was lucky(?) enough to find it.
- Pearl Stud Earrings - $39.99 - Purchased on Amazon at a greater discount than is available now. This was a replacement and slight upgrade for something that broke.
Beauty
- Nars Creamy Concealer in Mustard - Replacement for something that ran out.
- Innisfree It's Real Squeeze Mask Squeeze Mask 15 Sheets - My skin was acting up the week before my interviews and I wanted to go back to these masks because I knew for sure that they wouldn't exacerbate irritation. They're available for a good price on Amazon.
- Missha First Treatment Essence - Bought during one of those 40% sales (strictly speaking, 30% sale plus 10% cash back) as a back-up for when my current bottle runs out.
- Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Science Activator Ampoule - Same as above.
Linking up with Franish and other Budgeting Bloggers, which you can find here.
Congrats on the new job! And that watch is so lovely - a great celebratory gift to yourself :)
ReplyDeleteOf course, the first thing I saw in your photo was the striped shirt, which I need like I need a hole in my head. But Uniqlo makes great stuff. And actually, that reminds me that I have a friend who works for the company that owns them...I really need her to hook me up with a discount.
It is quite nice - a good moderately heavy-weight cotton that likely resembles (though is at least a bit thinner than) St. James and other St. James like shirts. Sadly, I don't think the S or XS is available online or at the Uniqlo brick and mortar store I went to! I'm somewhat between sizes for Uniqlo, so sizing up to an M for a slouchier fit is normally an option for me. I like that the stripes don't cover the whole shirt because horizontal stripes can be a bit weird on my figure.
DeleteBeautiful DVF dress! I don't know if I should take the plunge and try to get one. That statement necklace is gorgeous too.
ReplyDeleteThe dress is really nice. The silk jersey ones are interesting - the texture doesn't feel like silk, which was a bit of a surprise. I've seen a decent number of dresses on RealReal or Thredup for about 75-100 base price with the option for discount codes on top of that, which is great! It can be hard to find one in a specific size or a more universally appealing print, but I like colors so this one was a good choice for me.
DeleteCongratulations on the job! That's fantastic news. I'm envious of your DVF wrap - $66 is a steal, even with the shipping! Those pearls are gorgeous as well :)
ReplyDeleteThanks! I was interviewing for a super-specialized fellowship-type position and it took almost a full year, 100+ applications, and several interviews before one panned out, and I am just so relieved. I was also lucky enough to find something that will be in commuting distance of NYC so it turned out super-well for my needs.
DeleteI've been looking for a classic watch just like your Skagen! Where did you get it so cheap?
ReplyDeleteSadly, the one I bought (from Skagen's official website) is no longer available. I think it might have been a discontinued style (mother of pearl textured face instead of a smooth white face) and the base price was 99.99 rather than 125.99. I think it might be good to keep an eye on Skagen's website and Amazon for discounted styles.
DeleteMyHabit actually had a sale on Skagen watches a week or two after I bought mine, and maybe the sale event will come back at some future time!