Budget Shmudget

So January...was a month. Hard to even know where to begin, but this was a bit of an updside-down, inside out month from hell. I got a promotion and work sort of exploded. There were many days that I worked from the time I got up all the way until I went to bed (one of the downsides of working from home), there were several business trips, there were endless conference calls. On average, I ate lunch about once a week. On top of that, I've had a different set of friends or family in town each week (group #4 arrives on Saturday!) and so I've been trying to squeeze in dinners, late night Shake Shack runs, fireworks viewings. It has been at times fun, at times frustrating, always exhausting. There hasn't been much of a break. I can't remember when I did laundry last. Most of my toiletries are in various 1 quart ziplock bags. My dog is feeling pretty neglected. I have consumed way too much Chipotle.

But, you did not come here for a laundry list of first world problems. Let's talk about pretty clothes and feel better!

So somehow in the midst of all of this busy-ness, I found a little release in the form of stress shopping (January sales + raise = oops). So the theme for this month is budget shmudget. Also, clearly, black and white.

Starting budget: $224 -- $200 monthly + $24 credit for one of my purchases last month (J. Crew sent the wrong color #sadface #andalsoafirstworldproblem)

clockwise from l to r:

Limited Striped Trench Coat ($64, on sale) -- I've been eyeing this all month as it is just one of those pieces that feels very "me". I love a good trench (and I don't currently have one), and the stripes are classic but interesting. I haven't received it yet, but I know I'll love it -- The Limited has consistently good quality, and I was happy to snag a 60% off/free shipping deal.

Kate Spade Lace Tee ($51, on sale) -- mine is from the outlet but it is virtually identical to this one. This is one of a few things that I'd fallen in love with at the KS outlet last month and I swung by early on New Year's Eve to find a very happy little 60% off sale. With dark jeans, this is my new weekend go-to outfit.

Banana Republic Geo Lace Ruffle Top ($30 on sale, used gift card) -- my weakness is super pretty, super feminine tops and this one fits the bill. Used a gift card I've had forever when this finally went on a nice sale.

Nordstrom Cashmere Poncho ($100, on sale) -- a super cozy working from home staple (that I can even wear on the few times I interact with other humans).

J. Crew Contrast Lace Floral Skirt ($50, on sale) -- I don't wear a ton of skirts but this one is so pretty, and perfect for work and play.

Gap 1969 Authentic Flare Jeans ($30, on sale) -- an impulse buy, I love a flare jean and these have just a little extra drama.

Kate Spade Striped Bow Shirt ($30, on sale) -- I mean...

Chelsea28 Sequin Pants ($54, on sale) -- this is my second pair of sequin pants in as many months. I guess my New Year's resolution was to have a very sparkly bottom half.

Not pictured:

Anthropologie First Snow Infinity Scarf (multi and dark red, $17 each) -- I really loved this scarf, I couldn't resist picking up two for a song.

Kate Spade Eryn Wool Coat, Navy ($200) -- I can't find a photo of this coat online and that is a damn shame. It. is. gorgeous. A classic navy single-breasted peacoat with an oversized feminine lapel, slightly puffed sleeves, a little sparkle in the form of gold hardware. Similar to this tomato red version. Oh, it is pretty. This is also from the KS outlet -- I'm rarely impressed by the bags, but the clothes can be quite good. I can't wait to wear it with a big blanket scarf and red mittens.

Total: $613 ($389 over budget)

I decided to start tracking my spending as a way to understand my shopping habits and hold myself accountable, but I knew I would have months that were...less than perfect. Next month I'm planning a shopping fast (last year I did it in January), and thus the Libra in me is OK with this kind of balance.

So two quick notes...

One, I'm linking up with Fran and the budget bloggers as usual, because they are bad influences and help me find more things to buy :)

Two, I'm going to be closing up shop here with this post. This blog has been so much fun, but I'm finding that spending so much time looking at and thinking about clothes has brought out a bit of a greedy grabby consumer side of myself. I don't have the income to support my inner shopping demon's habit. But! When one door closes, a window opens and that window will be...a new blog :) It will be a bit more broad in nature -- more food, decor, travel, and cultural stuff (and a little bit of fashion, of course). More details soon...

Gift Guide: My Baby Sister

This is a fun one...next up I'm shopping for my little sister (stepsister, technically). She's a recent college grad living it up in NYC. Basically me about 10 years ago.

WHO I'M SHOPPING FOR: my little sister

She's young and fun and trying to figure it all out: her style, her job, her love life, her master plan. She's got particular tastes and tons of opinions...but not nearly enough money to make it all happen.

WHO YOU'RE SHOPPING FOR: that crazy, carefree younger sister (cousin, friend, etc)...someone who is just getting on her feet...that junior colleague you've been mentoring...anyone who is young at heart!

Street Level Faux Leather Pocket Tote, $48

This tote bag is cool and practical and timeless. It's a nice upgrade from her usual bag and she'll wear it to death.

Lucy Shasta Sequin Leggings, $58

When you are 23, you should wear sequin leggings. It's just a law or something. These are fun but just a teeny bit toned down. I may be buying a pair for myself (because life doesn't end at 23...).

Broad City Tee, $30

Abbi and Ilana are her spirit animals, and now everyone will know it.

Why Not Me?, $15/Yes, Please, $10 /The Opposite of Lonliness, $9

This is a golden age of memoirs written by smart, funny, accomplished women. Give her a mini library of kickass female inspiration -- maybe one day she'll be publishing one of her own.

Have a Gneiss Day Coaster Set, $50

A sort of grown-up thing that's made infinitely more fun by the amazingly cheery and vibrant pink hue. 

Naked2 Basics Palette, $29

A perfect little palette of pretty, wearable shades. She probably has drawers full of Saturday night makeup, but she'll really appreciate having polished shades for work, brunch with her boyfriend's parents, and other glitter-free events.

Sephora Favorites Liquid Luxuries Sampler, $65

I adore this set from Sephora -- you get to gift mini versions of ten of the most popular fragrances, giving her a chance to try them out and find her new signature scent. Then she gets a voucher to redeem for a full-sized bottle of her favorite. This is perfect for someone who has outgrown sticky sweet scents endorsed by heartthrobs and is ready for her first adult fragrance.

Twinning Emoji Print, $32

A cheeky piece of art for her growing gallery wall. I love these watercolor prints of favorite emojis. You can also find hilarious (and inappropriate) artwork on Etsy -- a naughty needlepoint is always fun.

Zara Blanket, $50

Her favorite cozy plaid, this time in a version that she can wrap herself in for hot nights in with Netflix.

Trader Joe's Cookbook, $15

She's got her dinner delivery game down, but it would be good for her to master a couple of easy recipes. I love this cookbook, which is based exclusively on ingredients you can buy at Trader Joe's. It doesn't get any easier, cheaper, or tastier than this!

Rebecca Minkoff Ava Dome Stud Zip Wallet, $145

A chic, stylish wallet is always a great idea. Even if she doesn't have much to put inside, she'll just love pulling it out of her bag.

Fujifilm Smartphone Printer, $140

This photo printer is genius, perfect for the "pics or it didn't happen" generation. 

Moon Juice Beauty Dust, $65

She doesn't really need a lot of treatment products, so how about something fun to help her keep that youthful glow? This powder is packed with goodness and perfect for mixing into all kinds of tasty drinks.

And if you need a few extras...

You can never have enough pairs of earbuds, and this set is so pretty.

An inspirational water bottle to keep her chasing the dream.

These emoticon candies are silly but they actually sound pretty tasty.

A few pretty travel essentials (even if she's still doing the hostel thing).

This monogrammed keychain is preppy perfection.

Weekend To Do List

New look for my regular Sunday post -- still playing around with it, but I think it is a bit of an improvement, yes?

This weekend was a bit of a blur -- I spent most of it recovering from my business trip, which was kind of fun but also kind of miserable. My flight home was cancelled because of weather, so I had to scramble to get a hotel for the night, make sure my dog was taken care of, and get myself on a new flight. Unfortunately for me, the new flight left at 6am and the airport shuttle insisted on picking me up at 3:05am to get me there. I think I crawled into bed around midnight on Thursday, so that was great planning on my part.

That glamorous business travel life, for sure.

Anyway, here's how the last few days played out:

1. Exhibitioning

On my last day in NYC I got to check out The Hunger Games: The Exhibition, a very cool exhibit showcasing costumes and sets from The Hunger Games films. I like to stay a bit anonymous so I won't say too much, but my company had a big role in one of the most fun aspects of this exhibit, so it was fun to get to see it all in person.

The costumes were really stunning. Probably not at all fun to wear, but that's why Jennifer Lawrence and company get paid so well.

2. Eating my feelings

Friday was a long, rough day. It started with a 2:30am wakeup call, a long visit in JFK's chaotic T5 terminal (the line for security was 45 minutes long and it wasn't even 5am), and the WORST seat on the plane -- by the time I collected Audrey and was headed home, I felt like I'd been through an entire day...but it was still just 9:00am and I had a full 8 hour work day ahead of me. I decided I needed a little treat and zipped through the drive-thru for a Chick-fil-A chicken biscuit, one of the finest delicacies on this earth. I could eat 6 of these, but I limited myself to just one and enjoyed every morsel.

3. Window shopping

After placing a hefty Zara order earlier this month, I've been trying to reign in my spending. It doesn't help that Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale is around the corner and everyone and their mother is talking about it. I'll do a bigger post when the sale goes live to the public (because card members with early access are snapping up some of the good stuff, unfortunately!), but it has been fun to browse.

I am absolutely drooling over this gorgeous Chloe satchel, which seems to be sold out already. This Marc Jacobs hobo is similar to one that's been on my wishlist forever -- black is classic, but the bright tangelo color is fabulous. I love these studded pumps, though I don't need them at all. And this Kate Spade shirt dress is kind of sassy and fun (it has pockets!).

4. Getting the kinks out

As luck would have it, I had signed up for a Sunday morning Yin Yoga workshop focused on stretching hips and hamstrings -- as a runner these are always problem areas but after a few days of endless work meetings and cramped coach travel, all of my muscles felt tense and tied up. This 2 hour(!) class focused on holding poses for a 5-10 minutes each to reaaaaalllly loosen things up. I felt great afterwards, though the 2 hours seemed to pass a bit slowly. I guess time doesn't fly when you are gently torturing yourself.

5. Bingeing

I knew this weekend would end up being pretty chill (which you probably gathered when you saw that eating a fast food breakfast was a notable enough event to make my list...), so I was glad to have many episodes of Mad Men to entertain me. Oh, I do love this show.

I love whipping through the episodes, swallowing them in great big gulps, but there are moments that I wish I had watched in real time. Oh, the lawn mower episode! So horrific, so wonderful. And Joan is back -- I love her more with each season. And Pete Campbell is the worst! I want to talk to others about how weasel-y he is, but everyone else has moved on. Anyway, if you haven't watched it yet you should -- such a perfect summer series, I will certainly remember 2015 as the summer of Mad Men.

I might need to print out these paper dolls so I can try to infuse a bit of Joan, Betty, and Peggy into my wardrobe:

Hope your weekend was as fun and fabulous or as low-key and chill as you wanted it to be -- here's to a great week!

Wednesday Wishlist: Tell Me About it, Stud

We're just days away from summer and three carefree months of relaxed summer fashion: pretty florals, gauzy dresses, billowy pants. Not typically associated with summer: studs. This edgy look is always popular in the fall and winter, but right now I'm kind of digging pieces accented with a little heavy metal to add some attitude to my sweeter summer wardrobe.

House of Harlow Crystal Stud Earrings ($34) -- I adore these simple earrings with an art deco vibe -- I'd love to wear them with a slim tank and skinny leather pants. Sadly, I don't wear leather pants, but I will definitely wear them with a simple wrap dress at work or a billowy column dress on the weekends.

Linea Pelle Double Wrap Mixed Studded Bracelet ($25) -- you can add this to just about any outfit for the perfect little wink of edginess.

Express Pyramid and Pave Stud Earrings ($9) -- super affordable little basic studs that you'll wear for years.

Urban Expression Lula Stud Drawstring Handbag ($40) -- this adorable pouch is a little bit rocker and a little bit boho. I think it's the perfect bag for summer evening shenanigans. Carry all of your essentials without being totally weighed down.

Orciani Wallet ($101) -- here's an incredibly subtle way to work this trend. Every time you pull this out of your bag you'll flash just the right amount of badass-ness.

VC Signature Calada Studded Leather Slipons ($100) -- when you arrange the studs to look like flowers, you get a perfectly pretty and practical pair of summer shoes.

Society of Chic Stud Crop Top ($38) -- what can I say, Madonna was my first style icon. This could easily go costume-y or trashy, but I'd try keeping it simple with a floaty skirt and some simple flat sandals.

Wednesday Wishlist: Flat But Fierce

Have you been following the news out of the Cannes Film Festival this week? If not, here's a quick update: Naomi Watts and Lupita Nyong'o are stunning. Cate Blanchett, beyond perfection. Carol and Inside Out look amazing (for verrry different reasons). And then a weird thing happened.

A few days ago, we heard about some fantastic things that Salma Hayek and others said about women and sexism in Hollywood. Yay! And then this bit of what-the-fuckery: women are being turned away from the red carpet and film screenings for wearing flat shoes.

There are a million reasons why a woman would choose to wear flats: Maybe comfort is important. Maybe you already tower over your teeny male co-star and you're worried he'll throw a tantrum. Maybe they just look damn good.

Heels are great, but today I've got my eyes on some totally fierce and fabulous flats -- they're not all red carpet-worthy, but there are a few pretty pair that I might just bust out the next time I'm invited to attend the most glamorous film festival in the world (next year, I'm sure)...

BRIGHT

1. Duo Karin Court Shoe ($155) -- These sweet round-toe shoes have a 1-inch heel, so perhaps not technically going to get you kicked off the carpet at Cannes, but for me these are basically flats. I love the bow detail. These are a nice option if you've been eyeing classic Ferragamos but haven't saved up enough pennies just yet.

2. Tina Mandarin Orange Dip Dyed Ballet Flats ($199) -- orange is really one of my least favorite shades to wear, but I could have fun with a bright pop of it in these vibrant ballet flats.

3. a.n.a. Sicily Ballet Flats ($40) -- pink always makes me happy.

4. Zoe Flats ($179) -- yellow seems high-maintenance, but it is a surprisingly versatile color -- it mixes well with almost every color and is infinitely more fun than basic black or brown.

LOOK AT ME

1. Chiara Ferragni Lips Espadrille ($319) -- these silly glittery slip-ons would be the perfect thing to add a little fun to your Saturday-running-errands look.

2. ModCloth Chance Greeting Flats ($40) -- why not have a pair of shoes that puts you in an instant good mood?

3. ModCloth Stroke of Genius Flats ($35) -- I don't think I could pull these off, but I'd be happy to catch someone else rocking these.

4. Gap Snakeskin Flat ($25) -- these are so simple but sharp, I'm planning a million outfits in my head that would perfectly show them off.

PERFECTLY POINTY

1. Sole Society Molly Flats ($65) -- black and white stripes just the best.

2. Zara Glitter Pointed Ballet Flats ($20) -- these are a bit over the top, so I'd keep the rest of my look unfussy...maybe boyfriend jeans and a relaxed button down or a simple black shift. They come in a gold/silver combo and an icy blue ombre that Elsa would just love.

3. Loeffler Randall Quinnie Flat Pump ($300) -- just a very ladylike classic.

4. French Connection Doris Pointy Toe Flat ($110) --  want, want, want. Sofia Coppola would rock these on the red carpet and be the coolest girl in the room.

D'ORSAY

1. Halogen Kayla Pointy Toe Flat ($80) - I'm not really a huge fan of the d'orsay style, but the mix of camel and black leather in this shoe is super chic.

2. Ferragamo Prietta Jelly Flat ($255) -- probably the prettiest jelly shoes ever.

3. ModCloth Pretty Promenade Flat ($30) -- a basic little black shoe with a feminine twist.

4. Madewell Snake Spot D'Orsay Flat ($108) -- very drawn to these, even though they're not at all my typical style.