recap: june

I've been in a work outfit rut lately and was looking back through my own archives (I knoooow--it's like how Maddie likes watching videos of herself) and really liked reading the monthly recaps I used to do.  So, let's get out the blogging gloves and recap June-ish.  In the middle of July though.


[wearing]
A lot of COS to work, a few fancy dresses to fun work events, and a lot of weekend sneakers.  (Dress on the right is from Asos)

[buying]
I just can't hop on the off-the-shoulder trend and it seems to be everywhere this year, so I've been focusing on my shoesdrobe.

Cole Haan leather sneakers
I wear these constantly because they have a super minimal profile and I can pretend that I'm wearing sneakers with a dress on purpose for my commute rather than looking like a devote powerwalker.

Mossimo Satin Slides
These are a recent acquisition and one hundred percent a product of them being displayed en route to the baby shampoo aisle.  So far they are comfortable enough for medium walks (less than a mile roundtrip) and are a comical combination of throwback to middle school sport slides and grandma-tastic satin slippers.

Madewell "Leila" suede sandals
I wanted a pair of sandals that were more work-ish than beach-ish, so this was my attempt.  So far they are not super comfy and it bothers me that the straps don't stay exactly parallel.

[reading]
Edward Tufte's Envisioning Information
I'm heading up the design side of new workplace standards for a very organized client at work, so I'm  brushing up on my graphic presentation skills.

Sophie Kinsella's My (Not So) Perfect Life
I'm just starting this based on a review over on the Cedar Park Blog and it has promise as a light read.

Amy Cuddy's Presence
I was assigned the goal of being louder within the giant office I work at, so I'm working on it (by using the most sciencey, TED talk-ish book I could find.)

[planning]
For a beach week at the beginning of August and a wedding trip Missouri in September.  Bring on the beach towels and dancing shoes!  (Sidenote: how great is it when your friends that have been dating for forever finally get married?)

recap: junebug

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Oh hiiii!  I was pretty much missing from the internet in June and I am a-okay with that.  It was huge month at work for all sorts of reasons and as I eluded to in one of the only things I posted this month, I was in a wardrobe rut.  I just needed a lil bit of shopping to get things back on track.  Really, just a big Navy Banana (that's oldnavygapbananarepublic) to make everything better.  Some black pants, a white jacket, and some patterned fun later I am feeling much better about the mix-and-match ability of my wardrobe.




[buying] 
1. old navy patterned soft pants in black diamond.  
Loungey, soft, and leave-the-house-able.  $18 via oldnavy.com

2. old navy relaxed slub knit tank.
Summer.  Yes.  $12 via oldnavy.com

3. banana republic biker blazer.
I've had to retire a few of my jackets I bought two-ish years ago when I discovered my love of tailored jackets to dress comfy clothes up for work.  $83 via bananarepublic.com

4. banana republic black soft pants.
That little dolphin hem sold me on these.  And they might just be getting me out of my work clothes rut.  Yay!  I might have my eye on the patterned version too. $36 via bananarepublic.com

5. 3.1 phillip lim orchid gold knot dress.
The boy's office has a giant fancy party every July, so I ordered these next two dresses in preparation.  This one I have dubbed the "Goldman Sach."  Har, har, har.  $78 via thredup.com (but I used a bunch of credits I had been hoarding.)

6. michael michael kors black ruched dress.
If I chicken out and don't wear that amazing gold dress, I'll probably show up in this safety net dress.  $28 via thredup.com (also purchased with credits.)

June total: $149.

recap: may

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Welp, I didn't end up finding either of the workish pieces that I mentioned last month, but I ended up with a random assortment of semi-fun pieces.  My goal for the next few months is to really focus on the professional pieces that my closet is lacking.  Less comfy clothes, more tailored things.

1. old navy striped cotton tunic. Summer, stripes, and yes.  $12 online.

2. j.crew factory jodphur gigi pants.  I already have a pair of these, so when I spotted them on super sale I decided to stock up.  $19 online.

3. j.crew factory print sheath dress.  I've already worn this dress to work a few times and is definitely one of those amazingly easy-to-style summer pieces.  $56 online.

4. old navy patterned espadrilles.  Fun print, but not comfy yet.  We'll see if breaking them in helps.    $11 online.

5. franco sarto heath flats.  I've been leaving a pair of black flats at work, so I wanted a second pair for when I'm not at work.  This leather pair was an easy lunchtime shopping decision.  $50 via nordstrom rack.

6. (not pictured, but worn here and here.) vince camuto cam shoes.  I almost forgot about these guys because I bought them at the end of last month, but they are ridiculously comfortable and make me feel much cooler than I actually am.  $99 via DSW.

Total: $248.

recap: april

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We're still spending most of our non-work time on housey projects, but it's finally slowing down a bit now that things are semi-settled.  We're picking up some furniture that has been in storage at my parents' house next weekend and we ordered the most beautiful lounge chair last week.  Eeep!  I feel like we've been waiting and scheming for years to live in the type of space that works with the aesthetic that we want.  You would not believe how excited I was about just having white walls.  Not beige.  Or cream.  But the brightest, whitest white.  It's soooo good.

[buying]
I have a few things on my worky-professionalish clothing list, but I couldn't manage to find quite the right pieces.  Who knew it would be so hard to find a white longer-length dress shirt that doesn't get super wrinkley?  Or gray skinny dress pants with pockets and the perfect amount of tweediness?  Don't worry though, I've got plenty of lunchtime shopping excursions on the docket for May!

1. old navy graphic boyfriend tee.  We drive a whole lot on I-94, so I thought it would be funny to have a specific tee shirt designated for these roadtrips.  Yeah, I know I just bought a shirt with a giant number seven on it a minute ago, but this is totally different!  It's pink!  And highway-themed!  And it was $4 via oldnavy.com.

2. nike tr4 sneakers.  I walk pretty much eeeerwhere now (my Fitbit likes me so much more!), so my grubby fluorescent orange sneakers weren't really cutting it.  I'm still not entirely convinced by this dress+sneakers trend, but I'm still going to be rocking it twice a day going to and from work.  $53 via Kohl's.

3. forever21 bar pendant and longline tassle necklace (not pictured).  Cheap thrills.  There's really no other explanation for these two layering-friendly necklaces.  $11.

4. banana republic larkin tote in rose blush.  I've had my eye on this bag for a few months and finally the discount codes, rewards points, and sales all aligned so that I could scoop it up and girl-ify all the black I've been wearing lately.  $72 via bananarepublic.com.

April total: $140.
And, per usual, you should probably hop on over and see what Fran is up to this month.

recap: march

[committing]
To a giant mortgage!  We closed on our little slice of giant windows this month after seeing it in early February and falling pretty hard for the idea of a corner unit in a highrise.  We also discovered that I'm apparently a fierce negotiator--it must be all those HGTV real estate shows that I've watched over the years!  You can see more little pieces of the place (and our refinished floors) over on my Instagram feed.



[buying] 
1. Forever21 Frond Print Crop Top.  $14.90.  One day we're talking about going to Pitchfork again this Summer and the next thing I know I'm ordering a novelty-print crop top.  Who am I?  Anyway, it pairs quite well with a blazer over this dress for work.

2. Loft Windowpane Bi-Stretch Ankle Pants.  $47.70.  I was looking for some solid black ankle pants, but ended up liking these a lot more.  And then Adina showed up in my Instagram feed wearing them the same day that they showed up in my mail, so obviously I made the right decision on these.

3. Vince Coated Gray Jeans.  $0 after credits on ThredUp.  I've been ruthless with my closet cleanouts over the last year and I've been trading in my shopping mistakes for some upgrades to my basics on ThredUp.

4. Joie Black Silk Tunic-ish.  $37.73 after credits on ThredUp.  I think this was originally sold as a dress because it's in that length zone between strangely-long-shirt and slightly-too-short-dress.  I've decided it's a top and really like it with skinny pants of all sorts.  And it totally has voluminous sleeves that help me take my bat impression to the next level.

5. Charles by Charles David Cage Sandals.  $89.99 via Nordstrom Rack.  I went shopping at lunch and this happened.  I was looking for black pants and ended up with some fun shoes that won't be seasonally appropriate for quite awhile.

March total: $191.

And get nosy with a bunch of other blogger's budgets over yonder.

recap: last march, and the one before that, and that, and that.

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The benefit to taking photos of what you've been wearing for YEARS is that you get to see how much less wonky you dress now then you did back then.  Score.  So, let's go a little adventure with the Ghost of March Outfits Past.

2014
I still wear pretty much all these pieces on a regular basis.  I'm excited for it to warm up a smidge more so that brown coat in the far left photo can make some more appearances.

  2013
Let's talk about brightly-colored pants for a second.  I think those red ones might be the loudest pants I've ever owned.

  2012 
We lived right by Lake Michigan this year, so my photos were definitely the prettiest.  It was also warm really early that year, so that explains the exposed knees.


2011
Comfy grad student Dotty looked pretty cool.  And my gray game was strong even five years ago.

recap: february

[going]
Between a big work deadline and snowstorms, I pretty much hibernated for the entire month of January.  This month I bit the bullet, put on an extra scarf, and was actually social again.  Huzzah!  And the bonus was that I got to meet all our friend's babies that were born in January.  #allthebabies


[buying] 



banana republic "one-button soft blazer" The online reviews on this one are mixed because, well, the fabric isn't that soft and the shoulders are structured.  It probably should have been called something other than "soft."  Anyway, I have been looking for a longer blazer in a non-suit-ish fabric that's still structured, so this was just what I wanted.  I have tried on a whole bunch of drapey/flowy ones and they just end up looking too casual. $90 with promo codes.

babaton "lenny" blanket cardigan.  It's cold.  And this fancy scarf-like layer is making Winter a wee bit better. $75 on sale.

banana republic "7" graphic tee.  I totally ordered this online because I thought it would look good under that black blazer.  And it looks like any other slouchy gray tee does under a structured jacket.  (It's awesome.) $14 with promo codes.

February total: $179.
And check out other blogger budgets over on Franish's blog.

[wearing]
I've pretty much got two outfit options these days: stretchy pants+slouchy sweater (like in this outfit post) or fleece-lined tights+dress+warm layer (like in this outfit post).  #winterproblems

recap: january

[working]
A bunch this month.  I had my first BIG deadline this week since I started my new job last June.  I'm not good at dealing with grouchy people or working late, but I powered through it.  And the project will be so pretty when it's done in September!
[shopping] 

Light gray cocoon coat from J.Crew Factory.  It's still winter and a new coat mid-season makes everything better. (posted here) $68 (on super duper clearance).

Jodphur Gigi pants from J.Crew Factory.  I already have the dotted version of these boot-friendly leggings-like pants and I've already worn these pants a bunch of times. (posted here)
$47.

Cos jacquard jumper dress.  Oh, gradients, you get me every time.  $51.

Loft marled shift dress (via ThredUp).  I sent in a cleanout bag in December, so I've been scrolling through the dresses category to use up my credit.  $27 (but not really since I used credit).

January total: $166.  

and get nosy with a bunch of other blogger's budgets over yonder.

recap: 2014 closet rockstars

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I did a post like this one last December and it was neat to see which pieces stood out as my favorites for the year.  As you might have guessed, it's all neutrals this year.  To be fair though, all my favorites from 2013 were neutrals too.


[basic black dress]
(J.Crew, purchased in June)
(Outfit posts from left: one, two, three, and four)


[big print cardigan]
(Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent, purchased in March)
(Outfit posts from left: one, two, three, and four)


[light gray jeans]
(Old Navy, purchased in April)
(Outfit posts from left: one, two, three, and four)


[grid overlay dress]
(Y.A.S. via Asos, purchased in August)
(Outfit posts from left: one, two, and three)

recap: december

[going]
To three different art museums: The Art Institute of Chicago (easy one since we're members and eat lunch there at least once a week), The MCA (best place to see what artsy people's children look like), and The Broad Museum in East Lansing (since we were nearby to go to the movies).

[watching]
A whole lot of Peaky Blinders on Netflix.  And apparently trying on hats and talking in terrible Irish accents as a result.

[buying]
Presents.  (Obviously.)  And a few things for me along the way:

A new batch of necklaces from Forever21 (including this drop-chain choker).  Even though I've cut way back on my cheap shopping this year, I am still terrible at losing/breaking jewelry, so it's best to keep my purchases on the cheap side.  Total: $45.

Calf-hair ankle boots from Gap.  These are a replacement for my black short boots (seen in this old post) that are not looking so good anymore.  $58.

Printed velour dress from Zara.  It looks like your grandma's couch.  And that couch is awesome.  $35.

Purple coated "Verdugo" jeans by Paige Premium Denim (similar, but way brighter purple).  Somehow I chose shiny purple jeans over gray ones.  Go figure.  $89.

December total: $227.
and get nosy with a bunch of other blogger's budgets over hurrrr.

recap: november

[buying] 
one: eileen fisher silk tank via thredup: $60.
two: loft daisy chain infinity colorblock scarf: $21.
three: loft zip sweatshirt jacket: $59.
four: loft drop print henley shell: $33.
five: madewell perfect silk tunic: $67.

November total: $240.
and get nosy with a bunch of other blogger's budgets over hurrrr.

I had work-pants-that-can-be-worn-with-winter-boots and comfy-jackets-that-look-a-little-professional on my shopping list this month and I did much better with the latter.  I found a great jacket to replace my cream and gray quilted motos from grad school.  (You can see the cream one in it's heyday back in this post and gray in this old post).  And then I bought three tops because I'm a sucker for a good pattern and a mossy olive green.

recap: september

[wearing]

full posts: one, two, and three.
Holy black dresses, Batman!  Sometimes I wonder if in five or ten years I'll pare my wardrobe down to ten awesome black dresses and just buy new shoes.  I'm not sure I could go without my grays though.

[buying]
just fab "quinna" flats: $16.  My collection of fun flats is definitely on the decline and these flats have a surprisingly well-padded footbed for the price.  And the straps are adorable.

j.crew "harper" scalloped flats: $96.  I've been waiting for these pretties to be included in a sale, so I jumped at 25% and ordered the most practical color.  They are quite pointy-toed and make a heel-like noise when you walk which makes them feel quite fancy.

victoria's secret strappy longline swimsuit top: $32.  We're going to the Left Coast next month and my random collection of Target clearance swimwear was looking a bit sad.  Now I'm just wondering why I didn't order the matching bottoms.

victoria's secret shawl-collar cardigan: $50.  The light gray version of this cardigan (seen here) is like wearing a socially-acceptable blanket, so the marled version was an obvious choice for my fall wardrobe this year.

september total: $194.
and get nosy with a bunch of other blogger's budgets over hurrrr.


[receiving]
sheinside white boyfriend ponte blazer: currently $26.  (worn here and here)  I've been wanting to replace my white blazer that is looking a bit dingy, so I picked out this slouchy one for a collaboration with sheinside.

vince cropped sweater via thredup: priced at $47.  I had a bunch of credit that was going to expire and this with-tags sweater popped up in my saved searches just in time.  It's quite cropped and has a slight 90s/Clueless vibe, but the soft light grayness might be enough to make up for that.

shoemint loafers via thredup: priced at $40.  These pinch my toes.  And smell kinda funny.  We'll see if they work with tights or not.

recap: august

[buying]
i was looking back at what i bought last august and gray flats and workout tanks seem to be a recurring theme around here.  #sopredicatable

rebecca taylor leo combo pullover: $119 via nordstrom rack.  this fall i am totes ready for sweater season.  (seen here)

gap suede loafers in gray: $30 via gap.com.  i haven't worn these yet because it keeps raining and i don't want them to get muddy, but they are going to be besties with my gray jeans.  i just know it.

gapfit double-layer scoop back tank: $25 via gap.com.  hot yoga in the summer is no joke.

Y.A.S. cube dress with mesh overlay: $81 via asos.com.  i ordered this as a potential birthday dress (i've got a big birthday coming up in october) and it's a bit more tee-shirt-ish than i thought.  so it's not THE one, but a fun dress for my "architects only wear black" collection.

p.s. have you met franish?  want to see what a bunch of other bloggers bought this month?  yup yup?  head on over there then.

recap: july

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i feel like i should probably mention my new-ish job since it's been the catalyst for a bunch of other big life changes.  i got new headshots taken and the photographer made me look the perfect combination of friendly and professional.  the one below didn't make the marketing cut, but i still like it a lot.  and the big, big, big news is that i finished all my licensing exams!  i can finally call myself an architect without any qualifiers!  yay!  i've been slowly chipping away at the seven sections for the last two and a half years with some breaks for various projects/trips/weddings, so it seems like it was so long ago that i started on them.  i met my goal that i set back in undergrad of finishing before my thirtieth bithday (it's coming up in october) and i celebrated with cupcakes of all sorts.  i even got to eat leftover cupcakes for breakfast with my whole family earlier this month.  and my nieces were just as excited about this as i was.

[buying]
one: zara marble-effect trousers: $60.  these are totes my new favorites (evidence here and here) and are perfect for my new office environment where everyone looks so darn cool all the time.  except for when they're covered in fleece blankies because it gets really cold, but under all the fleece they're dressed in super cool duds.
two: labworks quilted pullover top: $20.  i haven't worn this yet, but it is definitely a new silhouette for me.  i'm thinking it will make its debut on friday with some gray jeans.
three: merona ponte pencil skirt: $12.  ponte, gray, pockets.  that's the comfy skirt trifecta right there.

july total: $92.  june was kinda buy-everything-shoppy-time, so this is good.
and get nosy with a bunch of other blogger's budgets over hurrrr.

[reading]
novels!  yay!  i'm finally not spending all my free time doing practice exams, so i'm back reading books that aren't about efficient mechanical systems or construction contracts.  i'm working my way through anne and heidi's book suggestions and it's been fantastic.  

dotty, kinda a big deal, and june shoppies

seriously, june bug, where did you go?  i even disappeared from this here lil blog for the last week!  oh, nose!  how will my sister know what i've been wearing to work?!?  

anywho, i started a new job (eep!) which is a gigantic change that i have been quietly plotting/scheming/negotiating for months.  seriously, mooooonths!  this also meant that i quit my old job and that turned out to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad two weeks.  but, it's over and maybe someday i'll give you all the reasons why you should never work for meanies.  (spoiler alert: the number one reason is that they're mean.)  

what's happening is that pretty much all my usual routines are totally different.  i don't really know how to explain it, but basically i switched from driving to walking and from a small firm to a big firm.  also, i can wear jeans whenever i want.  (eep again!)  and so i bought a bunch of new dresses.  yeah, because that makes sense.  i haven't done a budget recap in quite awhile, so i thought i'd better document my month of ridiculous shopping.  i have somewhat of a disclaimer/post-rationalization though.  first of all, in april and may i didn't buy much.  i was really busy at work and just didn't find much that i liked.  secondly, my job switcheroo included the payout of a chunk of vacation time that i could never get scheduling approval for.  this resulted in a treat yo self (yes, tom and donna style) type of situation since christmas break never happened last year.  

one: madewell sketchpoint tee dress, $98.  (seen in this post)  it's a giant sweatshirt.
two: madewell transport tote in english saddle, $168.  (seen in this post)  it's a train-commuting champ.
three: madewell morningside shiftdress in leopard sketch, $128.  (instagram'd on my first day)  it has very friendly spots.  and pockets!

four: banana republic ikat shirtdress, $66.  (seen in this post)  it's a big print and that's a big deal for me.
five: gap two-band sandals, $37.  (seen in this post)  they're crazy comfy.
six: gapfit breath mesh panel tee, $19.  it's a post-yoga-and-i-want-a-giant-frappucino kind of tee. seven: j.crew camille dress in black, $84.  it's a grownup work dress.  and it plays quite nicely with big necklaces.
eight: j.crew linen tee in amazing, $28.  fantastic and amazing are pretty much my favorite words, so this had to happen.
nine: zara asymmetric neckline dress, $60.  it's a thinking ahead purchase for a fancy pants cocktail party we're going to in a few weeks.

oh, hey!  peek into other blogger's budgets over hurrrrr.

recap: march purchases

i must admit that i'm pretty happy to be done with march.  the weather was cold and gray, my projects at work have all been in terribly mundane phases, and my yoga sculpt class (weights+95 degrees+a happy baby or two at the end) has been making me feel particularly noodle-armed and coreless.  anywho, i was really happy with my closet acquisitions this month and i've got some shoes (from this wishlist) that should be arriving this week.  so yeah, here's to april!  i'm rooting for some sunshine...or at least no more snow.



[left to right-ish]
twelfth street by cynthia vincent cardigan (via ebay, $129) i posted about this cardigan last fall, but there was no way i could justify spending that much on yet another leather-sleeved piece of clothing.  six months and an ebay alert later, the white version is now my go-to cardigan.  it's replacing my old acrylic-blend patterned cardigan from forever21 that has seen better days.

banana republic star jacquard scarf (bought online, $25)

banana republic monogram pleated cuffed ankle pants (bought online, $53) it took a few tries to get the sizing right on these pants to get the perfect amount of slouch, but now i can check replacing these old zara pants off my shopping list.

diane von furstenberg zipper collar tunic and club monaco open-back sweater (via thredup, $3 with credits) i had some stored up referral credits and bag credits, so i ordered a few pricey-ish pieces from some of my favorite brands.

[below]
j.crew triangles sweatshirt (bought online, $50, but it's much cheaper now)

and as usual, check on fraaaaaaaanish for some budgeting blogger goodness.

budget: february

remember when i made a bunch of big pronouncements at the beginning of the year?  (the post is way back here)  it's basically the same old "quality over quantity" deal-e-o, but i put some strict restrictions on myself to cut out the cheapies entirely.  so far i have not broken my rules at all!  i also might have started going in the grocery entrance at target which has stopped clearance shoes from ending up in my shopping cart mysteriously.  this month, i added three new things to my closet and sent a ginormous bag to thredup (join here or read my review back here), with a second one half full already.  there need to be a lot more net loss months to get my wardrobe where i want it to be, but this is a good start fo sho.

february's three adds:

zara parka with detachable lining, $139.  i usually wait for zara's big sales, but this was totes worth it.

zara velour blazer with faux leather detail, $89.  i wear blazers A LOT and this might be the third zara one in my closet.

marc by marc jacobs classic q lil ukita bag.  (gift)  those are some serious made up words for a crossbody bag with a foldover flap.  i'm totes in heart with this bag though.  my black satchel was getting kinda sad, so this is my new everyday bag.

p.s.
if you're nosy like me and like to see what other bloggers are spending, hop over to franish's budgeting bloggers.  you are welcome.