Madewell Sandals: on sale for $50
Boden Striped Tee: $34
Madewell Flats: originally $118, on sale for $70
+ $45 worth of alterations for slimming a pair of dress pants at the ankle and raising a hem on a dress
= $200 for April
Quarterly budget: $57 in February + $225 in March + $200 in April = $482
Items received: this Boden skirt (seen here) + this Boden scarf
It was another month of trying on several different things, and only having a few work out. I ordered the madewell flats during a 30% off sale promotion after admiring them over a year. I really really like them, but it has rained almost every day this month (which is a large part of the reason that blogging has been so sparse), I've only had the chance to wear them twice. Once the April showers (hopefully) go away I'll get a chance to wear them a lot more. The sandals were a result of a shoe sale they were having, and knowing that I didn't really have a "staple" pair of sandals for the summer yet. I think they're actually a lot cuter in real life than they show on the website - a little less Jesus sandals, ya know? The Boden tee was something I ordered with my own money when I placed my order for the collaboration I did with them earlier this month. I've worn it and washed it several times now, and it's holding up great - no fading or fraying in sight.
In items that I wish had worked out but didn't territory is this eyelet dress and this eyelet top. While I don't ever advise using shopping as a coping mechanism, I was having a stressful couple of days, and J.Crew was having a sale, and they somehow showed up at my house, I don't know how, stop asking me about it.
Okay, in all sincerity, I had a bit of money left in my paypal account and told myself that I would only keep one, and only if I really really loved it. First up is the dress. I have found that over this year that I grab for dresses whenever I want to quickly put something on and have it still looked pull together. While boring, I really like black dresses because I find them easy to accessorize (usually either with cognac or red accessories) so while standard, it works for me. I also really prefer dresses with full short sleeves (no cap sleeves, not ever), so when I saw this one, and at 30% off, I figured I may as well give it a try. There are plenty of good things about this dress - the length is relatively appropriate (I'm not fearful of giving anyone a show with a little bending over), the fabric is thick, the cut is flattering, and the eyelet on top adds a cute detail. You can't see it in these horrible pictures (see Gigi's review here for better detail shots), but there is a line down the center of the torso that I don't totally love nor understand. The eyelet is a bit stiff, so while I think that would go away with wear and washing, it's not something I really like now. In the end, I decided that since I already have a short sleeved black dress in a very similar style (seen here from 2 years ago) that it wasn't worth the $100 to have something similar. If it ever comes out in a different color though, I think I will definitely give it a second shot because it would be great for both school and non-school events.
The second item was this eyelet top, which is way out of my normal price range for tops, but cranky Fran justified the purchase anyway. I figured if it was the perfect top, it would end up being worth all of the wear I got out of it. The top is thick, lined, and in a beautiful cranberry color. I knew going in that it would probably be pretty boxy on me, and I generally don't do boxy because I usually try to emphasize my waist more. I would say that it runs a little large, so if you are between sizes, I'd suggest going with your smaller size. In the end, if I half tuck it, I really REALLY like it, but for the price, I can't justify buying a shirt that only looks good one way. But because I do like it, I plan on keeping an eye on it, and will hopefully be able to buy it in a few months at a reduced cost (I'd prefer around $50).
So that wraps up another quarter of budgeting. For the next 3 months, I'm hoping to save my money up for the trips I'm going on this summer. I'm hoping to get to NYC, Boston, and Seattle, so I'd rather use the money on fun shopping trips in the city rather than online ordering things when I'm in a bad mood. I'd like a couple of cheaper sundresses (this one is adorable) just to throw on for lazy summer days, and a fun swimming suit cover up like this one for every afternoon I plan on spending at our little housing community pool. Only 3 weeks of school left!
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