Showing posts with label blogger on a budget. Show all posts

Blogger on a Budget : Fall Investment Pieces

It's coming... I know it's still 98 degrees outside... But, hashtag fall will be here before you know it! Now is the time to get your fall wardrobe capsule (full post on my capsule wardrobe to come) in check! I suggest investing in a few items if you do not already have them in your closet. An 'investment' piece, to me, is one that costs over $100 and is a high quality. These items will last you several years (if not longer), so they are worth the extra money if you can get some good wear out of them.


1. Tall Leather Boots : I've decided that it is time in my life to really spend more money on shoes. Sure the target shoe isles are filled with designer dupes that cost less than $30, but how long are those going to last you? And most likely, they are not as comfortable as the full price, designer brands. When it comes to leather shoes like booties and tall boots, I say go big or go home. I own this pair of tall leather boots that I've had for almost 3 years now and they have held up so well! I have worn them through cold weather, snow and rain (make sure to spray them with this leather protectant first!) and they are still looking sharp! I also love how soft the leather is and the minimal heel makes them extra comfy. These boots also come in a wider calf version if you need a little extra room in that area.


2. Booties : I was really hoping to get a new pair of transitional booties this year. I ordered this pair during the Nordstom anniversary sale, but later got the email that they were on back order until October. I wanted a pair that I could wear a little sooner, so I decided to cancel my order. I'm currently trying to decide between this pair and this pair. How do you feel about an open toe bootie? How late in the season is it appropriate to have an open toe shoe? I'm really not sure, but I love the look!

3. Rain/all weather boots : Yes, I'm talking Hunter boots! Love them or hate them, these babies are my go to when it's raining, snowing, sleeting, etc. And in Ohio that is most of the time in the fall and winter. I have the matte navy original tall boots and I'm thinking about investing in another pair and leaning towards the glossy red (to represent my Buckeyes, of course). I also got a pair of these sock inserts last year which is a game changer during the snowy months of winter!


4. Distressed, dark wash skinny jeans - This pair has been on my wish list for a while, but I am most likely purchasing this pair soon. I just haven't been able to pull the trigger on a pair of jeans over $100 since I'm still hopeful about loosing the last 5-10ish pounds post baby (can I still blame it on the baby weight after a year?). I'm not sure how much longer I can hold out though, because this pair looks like it is the perfect stretch, wash and has the perfectly placed, modest rips. Since I'm a mom (and cough cough... over 30), I'm not really into the overly distressed denim. I'm afraid one of my babies' fingers might get caught up in all those rips!

5. Dark wash skinny jeans - You can't go wrong with a good pair of dark wash skinny jeans aka the most flattering pair of denim you own. I purchased this high waisted pair during the Nordstrom Anniversary sale and I LOVE them! They have the perfect amount of stretch and the high waist just helps to suck everything in on top. No muffin top or pulling up your jeans every minute, these babies stay in place! I highly recommend them!


6. Thick, quality black leggings - I'm not talking your skimpy little see through cheapos... You need to invest in a thick, high quality pair of leggings to get you through fall and winter! I consider these an investment piece even though they are under $100 (as in half that!), because you can buy a pair of black leggings for much less, but they do not have the quality like this brand. I've had this pair of leggings for 3 years (I actually own 3 pairs now!) and I LOVE them! I suggest getting the high waisted style which are great for post pregnancy or just to keep everything snug up top! These leggings do not fall down and are not see through. Yes, they are 'athletic' leggings, but I still wear them with normal tunics, sweaters, tee shirts, etc. And they are great to wear with tall boots, booties or sneakers!


7. Neutral tone handbag - I've been wanting a new neutral tone handbag for a while now and I'm so glad I decided to splurge on this bag during the Nordstrom Anniversary sale last month. It is such a pretty color, like a blush/beige, and it goes with everything I wear. I love the size because it can hold everything I need (it even fits my mac book air!) and comes with a detachable cross body strap, which is convenient if I'm wearing it while out and about with the boys.

What wardrobe pieces have you invested in for fall?

Shop the post:

Blogger on a Budget | A New Series + 2 of the BIGGEST Sales of the year!

(above outfit details and links on this post)

Hey guys! I decided to start a new series on this bliggity blog of mine all about shopping on a budget. Yes, I post photos and links of recently bought items on my instagram and on the blog, but what you may not know or realize is that I actually have a shopping BUDGET. That's right... I'm not just spending my money on clothes and accessories all willy nilly, ok?!

So, I'm sure you're wondering how I come up with an amount to spend on clothes and accessories? Bill and I have a monthly budget that we like to stick to. He is all about the Dave Ramsey way of paying off all debt and having a safety net in the savings account. So, monthly budgeting is a necessity to work towards saving and being debt free. We obviously make sure all the necessities of life are paid for first, then add a specific amount towards savings and paying down debt. What's left over we divide up to all the 'extras' like eating out, entertainment, clothes and extra misc things we need to buy for the month. We are also working towards saving to complete some house projects in the near future, so that is my motivation to save vs. spend.

My monthly budget is typically around $200 - $300 (that's including buying for the boys), but I like to stick near the $200 mark so I can contribute to our savings account as well. You might be thinking, 'Wow! That's a lot!' or 'Wow! I spend way more than that per month on clothes!' just depending on your own personal spending habits, but I wanted to be honest and tell you so that I can 1. hold myself accountable for that specific budget, and 2. So that you understand how I shop and am able to save money by shopping online AND looking out for deals/sales.

First off, let's talk SALES. It is a great time of year to take advantage of a bunch of sales going on in the online apparel/accessories world. I wouldn't be a true 'style blogger' if I didn't let you know about the TWO BIGGEST SALES OF THE YEAR that are happening this month:


1. AMAZON PRIME DAY: starts at 9pm on July 10th (that's right, today) for prime members. If you are not a prime member, now is your time to sign up! I seriously use Amazon prime probably once per week to order things for myself and our family. It is the bomb dot com (literally).

I shop on amazon for literally everything. Makeup, clothes (like this top), toys for the boys, diapers, these meal prep containers (my most recent purchase). If you are a busy mom, or just busy in general, having a prime membership is completely worth the money. You get free 2-day shipping on so many items. There are also so many other benefits of being a prime member like photo storage, movies and tv shows, the list goes on.



2. NORDSTROM ANNIVERSARY SALE 2017 (July 21st - August 6th) is another very popular sale of the year! So many designer brand (and affordable brand) NEW items marked down for a limited time. This is a special sale because after the sale ends, they items go back up to retail price. It is a great time to stock up on those basic or high end must haves for fall and winter (so you won't be kicking yourself for not getting them when the temps drop). If you follow any other fashion related blog, I'm sure they've already mentioned this sale!

If you have a Nordstrom credit or debit card, you are able to gain early access on July 13th - 20th, before the general public (non-card holders) are able to shop the sale items. I have a Nordstrom debit card, so I am so excited to see what will be on sale in a few days! You can sign up for a Nordstrom card here.

You can get the first look at some of the items that will be offered in the sale here: NORDSTROM ANNIVERSARY SALE 2017 CATALOG: FIRST LOOK.

SO, my first tip on how to shop on a budget is to know what sales are happening and when. Then, make sure to save your money and shop during these big sales.

I just made an amazon purchase a few days ago because I wanted to make sure we had a few items for our upcoming family vacation. So, I don't have anything in my amazon shopping cart at the moment, but I will be browsing the deals they are offering tonight!

I'm excited to have early access to the Nordstrom Anniversary sale this year again since I have a Nordstrom debit card. We leave for our family vacation on Friday, so I'm not sure I'll be able to get to the actual store to try anything on on Thursday, but I will definitely keep you posted with what I find online! I'm planning on adding a 'Nordstrom Sale Favorites' tab at the top menu of my blog sometime this week, so make sure to check back for updated items I add to my wish list.

Are you planning to shop either of these sales? 

February Wish List
























So, Bill and I went over our financial goals for 2015 and beyond. We have decided we want to move into a larger home by early 2017 and we would like to be able to pay a substantial down payment (like 20%). That means putting this lady's shopping on a monthly budget and throwing all our extra money into savings. 

Next month will start the dreaded 'shopping allowance'. To be honest, I'm kind of excited to start the saving process. It really makes me think twice about buying clothes and accessories that are not high quality. I want to start getting more 'bang for my buck' so to speak. Obviously, my allowance will not allow me to get all the pieces above... Which are your favorites?

I'm leaning towards getting a good pair of leggings (and get out of these maternity leggings I've been wearing everyday... yikes! I really have no excuse for that). I like the Zella ones for more comfort/activity, but am really leaning towards the Yummie ones because they look like they will help smooth out the post-baby problem areas. I want to hold off buying any jeans until I'm down to my goal weight, so I will wait to buy the paige denim jeans. I'm loving the blanket cape and the shirttail hem sweater... Decisions, decisions!!

Let me know what you think!

I'm linking up with Natalie and Annie for Thoughts for Thursday...

Blogger on a Budget

I posted my Fall Fashion Wishlist a few weeks ago and I have been craving some fall wardrobe staples ever since. We are trying not to splurge for the rest of the year to save some $$ for baby Rumple's arrival. 

Instead of spending hundreds of $$'s at Nordstrom (which I could easily do in a heartbeat... don't tempt me!), I decided to see what I could find at Old Navy. I didn't want to buy any more maternity wear, so I was really looking for some longer shirts, blouses and sweaters to wear with my maternity leggings and jeans. 

I found some great fall fashion staples that were a much more reasonable price than their Nordstrom counterpart...


Left: Nordstrom (Ace Delivery - sold out | similar) $68
Right: Old Navy $25







Left: Tory Burch black quilted flats $235 (major splurge!)
Right: Old Navy black quilted flats $25



Right: Old Navy leopard infinity scarf $9

I also picked up a few long, tunic type blouses to wear with leggings and my maternity jeans:


{ v neck drapey tee I got in black and blue! | Long sleeve scoop neck tee }

I love these pieces for layering and they are each under $20!

I think for the month of October, I will be on a shopping freeze (baby items only), so I'm hoping these pieces get me through the the next month. I really need to start getting more creative with my wardrobe.

Have you found any great fall staple pieces for less? 

Have you entered in the Lattice & Ivy Giveaway? You have 3 more days to enter!