1. Banana Republic navy polka dot skirt, $50 (similar)
2. Forever 21 seafoam dress, $20 (similar and similar)
3. H&M pink ruffle bikini, $25 (similar)
4. LOFT pink stone ring. $11
5. Forever 21 coral shirt, $10
6. Forever 21 yellow belt, $5
7. Nine West pink pumps, $35 (might exchange for these instead)
Grand Total = $156
I did something yesterday that I never do: I emotional shopped. I usually approach fashion and shopping from a very Type A, practical standpoint. But yesterday I finally understood the term "retail therapy"! Thankfully, I still made pretty good choices. Here's why I bought these items:
1. I have been swooning over this navy skirt for months now, so I finally bit the bullet and bought it. A little splurge that I think will be worth the investment.
2. Impulse buy that I'm obsessed with. This dress will work for going out, and on the beach. Great versatility and a great price too.
3. I probably don't need a new swimsuit, but who can resist the urge at the start of the season, especially at this price point? Will be perfect for my trip to Miami in March.
4. Loooooove this ring. I took the tag off and started wearing it right away. Will be wearing daily.
5. This shirt looks almost identical to one I turned down at Banana a couple years ago (and still wish I hadn't). It will look great with white jeans for lunch or to an amusement park.
6. This belt is super-similar to one Banana has right now, and I love it with my new polka dot skirt.
7. I've had pink pumps on my wish list for about a year now. Still not convinced these are "the one" (might exchange for these instead).
I saw tons of other stuff that I loved, but didn't buy (yet!). I love all of these pieces, and I'm pretty sure the aztec skirt and pink pants from the middle row are coming home with me soon.
1. LOFT camp shirt, $44.50
2. Limited emerald dress, $108
3. Gap striped shirt, $49.50
4. LOFT tomato red cardigan, $44.50
5. Express tribal skirt, $59.90
6. Limited baby pink pants, $74.90
7. Banana Republic color-blocked pumps, $120
8. New York & Co colorblock skirt, $42.95
9. Forever 21 mustard skirt, $17.80
10. Limited color-block skirt, $69.90
11. Express striped dress, $79.90
i bought that navy polka dot pencil skirt on monday! and i have a similar mustard colored belt... i see pairings in their future!
ReplyDeleteI have been eyeing those pumps too.
ReplyDeleteyou always share some economical and saving money high class fashion outfits. I loved that stuff also. thanks for sharing, their prices are very low if compared with other seller.
ReplyDeleteGreat dress and great ring! Love them! Love the aztek skirt too, Zara has made one too!
ReplyDeleteI purchased (and returned) the Limited color-block skirt. It's not worth the money. The fabric is very stiff, so it doesn't lay right on the body or have the movement quality you would expect.
ReplyDeleteThese are some great finds!
ReplyDeleteI think it would be a crime not to but that aztec skirt ;)
ReplyDeleteGreat finds... I think you can walk away guilt-free even if it was emotional shopping (I hope everything is okay, by the way). I remember when that red striped top was at Banana last spring. I almost bought it, too. I may have to piggy back your hard work and buy the Forever 21 shirt. (Thanks for doing the leg work for me!) :)
ReplyDeleteOMG I wanttt that skirt from Express! It's fabulous!!!!
ReplyDeleteThat polka dot skirt is SO cute! I love the pink bikini too but I won't be wearing one for months, sigh. I have so many spring items on my wish list, it's a problem. I have to shop in small doses so I don't go broke :)
ReplyDelete-Sharon
The Tiny Heart
How would you style it? I think it's so cute but that I could only come up with a few ways to wear it.
ReplyDeleteGood to know! Thanks JD!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I will check out Zara too!
ReplyDeleteI agree Wendy! :-)
ReplyDeleteMary, the length looks very short so it would definitely be a night out kind of skirt. I could see it with flat gold sandals and a loose tank or t-shirt during the day though too!
ReplyDeleteI love my Nine West pink Andriana pumps! I wear them all the time, like in this post: http://www.fashionatforty.blogspot.com/2012/02/valentines-day-outfit.html
ReplyDeleteNiki
I saw that navy and white striped dress at Express this weekend and I love it!! I really like halter dresses and that one is so nautical!
ReplyDeleteI'm DYING for that skirt--- I am obsessed with polka dots this year. Just bought navy with white polka dot Converse sneakers for white jeans this Summer!
ReplyDeleteFYI, the LOFT tomato red cardigan isn't as high quality as you would think for LOFT. I found the exact same color cardigan at H&M but the buttons are not tortoise shell. It was $19.95.
ReplyDeleteFun items! I'm loving polka dots & brights right now.
ReplyDeleteThanks J!
ReplyDeleteAh, thanks for the heads up, I really like that one but I may reconsider...
ReplyDeleteI like the "other option" shoes..the Michael Antonio ones! I like the style a little bit more than the Nine West ones :-) Also, NW ones look suede? Which doesn't always look right in the summer..considering getting the MA ones myself! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteLove the pink shoes, you have to keep them. Also, love the things on your future purchases list. Excited to see three of them from the limited as I do work there. Tried the dress on and thought it was very boxy and matronly, would love to see how you would style it. I was in love with the pink pants when we got them in but unfortunately for me they didn't fit right.
ReplyDeleteYour shopping posts are my favorite - look forward to them every month! That aztec skirt is awesome, and Iove the ring too!
ReplyDeleteeeks love al the things you got!
ReplyDeleteI love your items! I'm pretty much the worst emotional shopper ever... Good mood, bad mood, whatever! Some people eat when they're in an emotional mood. I just hit the mall! It looks like you picked up some good picks and didn't spent an astronomical amount of money. Well done, J! :)
ReplyDeleteI like the pink shoes you have the best, rather than the other pair. I think you could wear those professionally (depending on the setting) as well as for run, whereas the patent leather ones are not work appropriate at all.
ReplyDeleteI have a question about the BR skirt. I saw it in stores, but passed it up b/c I was afraid I'd get runs in the stiching of the polkadots. What do you tink?
*for fun, oops!
ReplyDeleteI have been eying the polka dot skirt for so long... I am excited to see all the ways you style it! I might just have to cave and get it now :)
ReplyDeleteThank you! When I'm in a bad mood I either watch TV or workout. :-) Although the wheels came off a bit on this trip, I think I came out okay! Could have been much worse!!
ReplyDeleteI bought the Gap striped shirt when they had a huge sale during presidents day! Love!!! Banana also had a ton on sale that I got for almost 45-55% with all the discounts. Love spring shopping.
ReplyDeleteBetsy - excellent point. My "work" occasions are fashion oriented so I can totally get away with the patent ones. All of you in corporate offices, however, would have a hard time emulating!
ReplyDeleteInteresting thought on the BR skirt! I guess I could see that happening. And if you wore it enough, there might be wear and tear showing on the bum. I believe the Ny & Co skirt is just a print (the polka dots are a color, not a thread) so that could be the better way to go if you are going to wear the skirt often!
Excellent points Brittany, thank you!!
ReplyDeleteGood to know, thank you! I am definitely on the hunt for a tomato red cardigan, but maybe not that particular one!
ReplyDeleteThanks Liz! And I love that you remember that BR shirt too. :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm in love with that polka dot skirt from BR. I'm eager to see how you style it. I just got a $10 reward card and was thinking about trying that one, but usually skirts like that don't work on me. It's always worth a try! It's such a cute pattern!
ReplyDeleteThat swimsuit is AMAZING! The polka-dot skirt is adorable. I might have to get one for work! :) And those shoes? Woooaaahh girl!? I LOVE! You have some serious talent.
ReplyDelete-Anna
theconfessionsofanewlywed.blogspot.com
I just bought the blue & white striped dress you at looking at but in the green/navy and it is so perfect! I would definitely recommend buying it although I would wait until a sale/coupon since i got mine with a percentage off & a coupon so it was half price. definitely worth the money!
ReplyDeleteJ, I noticed that you buy from F21 a lot, I used to as well but I got frustrated at the low quality of the clothes. They would pill or fall apart after just a few washes. Of course, this was 5-7 years ago, has the clothing quality at f21 improved since then?
ReplyDeleteI agree with others - seeing what you buy is my second favorite part of your blog (first being what you wear, of course). I am super jealous if you get the pink Limited pants - I tried them on and they were so tight on my calves it just looked so goofy. I saw in an ad by the Limited that they are coming out with a similar shirt to the Loft's pink camp shirt. I want either/both! Happy shopping!!
ReplyDeleteI was just looking at that emerald dress the other day! I need it to be at least 50% off, though.
ReplyDeletehttp://stylishsass.blogspot.com
Everything in stores and online was 40% off this weekend! I'm sure they will do another promo soon.
ReplyDeleteMy mouth drops open when I read your monthly shopping posts! How do you spend so little & yet always look so cute?
ReplyDeleteFollowing fashion blogs has been terrible for my budget. I never pay full price for anything, but your deals beat mine; and how do you buy so few items each month?! Amazing.
Teach me.
Please.
Lol
Shy
Erin, I actually stopped shopping at F21 almost a year ago! :-) I was emotional shopping this week, lol, so not my usual behavior. That said, all cheap clothes are definitely not created alike, and like with any store there are certain items I would and wouldn't buy. At Forever 21, I would buy belts, t-shirts, dresses and tops, and I wouldn't buy blazers, shoes, or jeans. Of course there are always exceptions to these rules, but F21 is one of my favorite places for belts + t-shirts and they seem to hold up for a very long time.
ReplyDeleteDresses and tops you should choose wisely. You will notice I said that this dress will work for both the beach and going out. If I spent $70 on a similar dress at Express, I wouldn't feel comfy wearing it on the beach, only going out. But since it was only $20, I will likely get more use out of it, b/c I will feel free to wear it any old time. So there are definite advantages to shopping there, it just depends on what you are looking for!
great choices. i LOVE blush, aqua and polka dots.
ReplyDeleteI bought some these hot pink pumps from Target for $30. I love them!! http://sites.target.com/site/en/spot/mobile_product_detail.jsp?tcin=13779731
ReplyDeleteThank you Shy! Two things to consider: a lot of the clothes i wear/post outfits with, I've had for 3-6 years. So even if you only spend a couple hundred dollars a month, that adds up to a lot of clothes eventually. I also get a number of c/o items (meaning they were free) each month that you'll see (clearly marked) on the blog from time to time! I turn down free stuff frequently and only accept a few items every month so that it's still very realistic. You can definitely, definitely look chic on a small budget!
ReplyDeleteOh, also super jealous that you found the Banana Republic store. I live pretty far away from a real store - the skirt sold out online so fast - and once I finally made my way, they were all sold out except for size 0 and 12.
ReplyDeleteNo way! I'm always amazed at the regional differences and how fast some things sell out in other states. My store had tons. Did you know that they will ship you items from other stores? Shipping is free if you have the card, otherwise you just pay like you would to order online! I've used that service tons of times.
ReplyDeletei love that polka dot skirt, unfortunately, we sold out of it so quickly that i never got a chance to buy!
ReplyDeleteI *like* Michael Antonio's Fuchsia (Synthetic) Patent Pumps, but............ (IF I couldn't buy BOTH pairs of pumps, but had to personally choose between the two pairs)............ I *r.e.a.l.l.y. like* your Nine West Pink Suede Pumps more, i.e., for these five reasons:
ReplyDelete#1) The Nine West pumps are~~(I think: ??)~~leather; whereas the Michael Antonio pumps are synthetic.
#2) Nine West's particular SHADE of pink suede is just so incredibly *feminine*!!
#3) When vibrantly-colored shoes have either a "suede finish"; or a smooth velvet composition............ (i.e., instead of a smooth-leather or a patent-leather finish)............ the shoes then seem to be just a little bit more more elegant, because suede or velvet shoe surfaces make vibrant colors deeper, "RICHER", and more saturated, you know!!
#4) Although suede shoes used to be exclusively for Fall & Winter, that "rule" almost seems to be passe' now, too............ (e.g., just as many now wear their *wide-ribbed, heavyweight* corduroy pants, skirts, and/or blazers in the Fall &
Winter; THEN their very *fine-ribbed, lightweight* corduroy clothing in the Spring & Summer)!!
#5) In the *sixteen* (excluding shoes) pictures that you posted in this entry, WAY-more than a few of the pictured items would genuinely look *g.o.r.g.e.o.u.s.* with Nine West's Pink Suede Pumps............ i.e., either by complementing the color(s) of the items; OR by bold color-blocking with the items!!
You're so-darn-skilled at shopping, J., that EVEN when you do emotional shopping............ your internal, "Smart Shopper Cruise-Control"............ just must take OVER, or somethin', though, (haha)!!
I love this list Rosanna! Thanks for doing some of my thinking for me! :-) And yes I think all those years of shopping experience came in handy while I was on cruise control!
ReplyDeleteLOVE the aztec skirt!!! I love aztec print in general. They had these gorgeousss sequin aztec mini's at All Saints but they're astronomically expensive. I'm glad to see out brands are catching on to the trend!
ReplyDeletei've been eyeing that tomato red cardigan and ring for a few weeks as well! haven't gone ahead and made a purchase quite yet :) i might need to head to loft soon. that ring was 20 bucks only a few days ago!
ReplyDeleteI'd probably end up going for a loose white shirt or a denim shirt to make it more casual.x
ReplyDeleteMaybe I'm going mad but I thought you already had a skirt very similar to the aztec one? Sure it was your blog that made me want one.
ReplyDeleteIgnore me. I just spotted the date on this post. I should probably go to bed (its almost 1am) rather than write nonsense on your blog. Sorry x
ReplyDelete