february budget

Last year I started tracking my spending on clothing -- it seemed like a kind of a smart, grown-up thing to do. Around the same time I did a major closet clean-out/purge and discovered too many flammable looking Forever 21 pieces, pilled Target cardigans, and regrettable impulse purchases that were all gathering dust. I liked the idea of having some accountability to curb some of my mindless buying, so at the end of each month I survey my purchases and make sure that I'm sticking to my budget and making smart decisions. And here we are.

February was supposed to be a no shopping month for me, so how'd I do? Ehhhh...

I didn't make it. All was fine until about a week ago when I decided to make an exception and buy these sneakers that I fell madly in lurve with. I was planning to just wait until March, but all of a sudden they were selling out everywhere and I realized they wouldn't be around that long. I also realized I'd really be bummed to miss out on them. I mean, they're just sneakers, but I do have a habit of obsessing over the ones that got away. I spotted my size back in stock and a nice little President's Day promo code and just went for it. When I got to the checkout, there was also a pair of sunglasses in my cart from a previous session but I pretended not to notice and placed my order. So my purchases for this month are as follows:

Adidas Originals ($101) // Oversized Retro Sunglasses ($14)

monthly budget: $200 ($0 in February)

total: $115 ($85 under budget/$115 over budget)

The good news is that I love both purchases and know I will wear them both often (practically daily), so I'll consider it a success for thoughtful, mindful shopping. Small victories.

When you're not shopping for (most of) a month, you have lots of time for window shopping, which I did plenty of. All kinds of spring goodies are showing up in stores, and I have my eye on a few:

this lace shirt is a little off-beat but has some interesting potential // still digging the crazy pants // this perfect looking sweater is from the upcoming Lemaire collab with Uniqlo (love the half sleeves) // I love this inkblot floral, which seems less twee than most spring-y prints // black and white striped espadrilles with a little platform? sold // I've been a little wary of the cropped wide-leg jeans thing, but I'm digging this white pair // my very excellent sunglasses in tortoiseshell

Did you buy anything good this month? What do you have your eye on right now? Let me know!

I'm linking up with Fran and the budget bloggers, because those ladies always find great stuff...

PS -- wishing a special happy birthday to my brother (who does not read this blog) because he and all of the other leap babies get an actual birthday this year! If you are celebrating something special this Leap Day, check out the NYT's collection of treat yo self recipes (and do NOT check out the movie of the same name -- the delightful Amy Adams deserved better).

sneakerhead

I have a newish obsession with sneakers. Not the clunky ones I wear when I'm sweating and cursing on the treadmill, but the funky cool ones you can pass off as a valid footwear choice. They add a quirky twist to your real clothes and make leggings and a tee look like a legit outfit. In other words, a total closet MVP. I've convinced myself that I just love the way they look, but it's possible that in my 30s I just. can't. even. with shoes that pinch my toes and give me blisters. Either way: gimme.

For spring there are lots of neutrals and sweet pastels (Pastels? For spring? Groundbreaking.) I don't know how many pair of sneakers one girl needs, but these eight should be a good start:

top row:

Brooks is my brand of choice for running shoes, and I'm seriously in love with the pale pink and gold color combo of this casual pair.

I wouldn't mind if every pair of shoes had rose gold cap toes. 

Stella McCartney is one of those rare designers who actually makes activewear that you can be active in (sorry, Tory). I wouldn't run a marathon in these cute dusty pink sneakers, but they seem like they'd hold up to a long walk, a friendly tennis match, or one of those hateful "team-building" activities companies sometimes force people to participate in. (If your company does that, you should find a new job.)

I knew Zara would come through with a decent version of Loeffler Randall's coveted (and pricey) Rio trainers. Who knew neutrals could looks so sharp? I'm not usually a fan of such an obvious knock-off, but I'm also not a fan of paying $300 for sneakers, so....

bottom row:

Nike does a pretty great job of marrying form and function -- you could make these work for your Saturday morning run and your Saturday night fun.

New Balance is usually the brand of choice for fashionable sneaker lovers. I'm digging this pair because they are basically Cate Blanchett's stunning Givenchy dress (Oscars 2011) in sneaker form, which is weird but awesome. 

A pair of gray Sauconys is so classic, but the pops of pink and yellow add a little extra personality.

If obnoxiously loud gold sneakers are wrong, I don't want to be right.