Row 1: Bag* // Skirt // Oxfords (on sale)
Row 2: Turtleneck // Pumps* // Jacket*
Row 3: Flats // Sweater // Booties (c/o Dansko)
Row 4: OTK Boots // Scarf // Navy Pants // Orange Pants (on sale)
You might think in a month I called “Frocktober” I would have bought some dresses. You might be wrong. The point of Frocktober was to remix the dresses I already had, and then spend too much money on other things. Duh.
October’s Budget: $441
($150 starting budget + $20 unspent in September + $132 blog income minus taxes + $139 selling old clothes)
October’s Spending: $508
So I went over. But it’s fall and all the pretty things are out and I’m just a human woman with no children and access to the Internet. I saved up my Shopbop credits (they’re a blog sponsor) and put them to good use during a big sale this month and got a gorgeous Rebecca Minkoff bag, suede pumps, and an insanely cozy jacket. I did spend some of my own money, but what would have been $500 normally I got for only $170.
I had an unspent J.Crew birthday gift card that I also used during a sale to get more bang for my buck (I had my eye on those cap-toe Gemma flats for weeks). And how about those cream Clarks oxfords?! Not a style of shoe I get that often, but they were too cute and comfy to pass up and were only half the normal price at Nordstrom Rack. Clearly it was a shoe month – I had to make up for the lack of shoes in September, obvs.
And…OK…I have to admit something. I cheated. I’m a cheater, cheater, pumpkin-pants-buying cheater. I bought 4 pairs of pants at Ann Taylor (2 of them pictured above) and decided not to include them in my budget. Why? Because I’m a big fat cheater. But also because I really do need more work pants for the cold-weather months and I always have so much trouble finding ones that fit well (again because of the whole being a human woman thing). I hit the jackpot at AT during a 50% off sale, so I just went for it even though I had already spent my budget for the month. I hope you’ll forgive me. It’s OK as long as I admit to it, right? Just say yes. Thanks.
Want to see some other budgeting bloggers who probably didn’t cheat? Head to Franish!
The link for the jacket is going to the purse – I was curious about where the jacket was from.
Oh no, sorry! I will fix it later but it is BB Dakota’s “Jack” brand if that helps.
I totally understand cheating for the sake of work pants! I just found a pair from H&M that manage to fit me perfectly and are super comfortable, so I bought four pairs. I stand firmly by the mantra “if it fits, buy it in every color”. For me every color means two pairs of gray and two pairs of black, but it’s in keeping with the spirit of the idea 🙂
Lots of budgeting bloggers “cheat” compared to how I run my own budget (e.g. excluding taxes/shipping, adding extra income, excluding basics). I think the more important part is maintaining an awareness of one’s spending, and your budget posts do that. I’m happy to see that you’re honest and that you don’t always hit your target, because that’s realistic (certainly I blew my budget this month, due to a combination of factors).
I LOVE that yellow purse – so gorgeous and it goes so well with the rest of your wardrobe!
haha I totally understand the buying things even though you’re over budget, especially something as practical as pants for work 🙂
I really like your scarf and of course that Rebecca Minkoff bag – you got some great accessories this month!
Hope you’re having a good week 🙂
Away From The Blue Blog
That RM yellow bag! Love the tassel! Let me know how you like those AT pants. I’m obsessed with leggings and need a “nice” pair that washes well and doesn’t fade.