balance your wardobe with your wallet

I admit it... this month I went a little shopping crazy. Although I have started a new rule for myself, I've decided to set a clothing budget so that I don't overspend with these awesome seasonal deals. (My new rule is a piece of clothing out of my closet for every new piece I buy). Although shopping the clearance racks, using coupons, and waiting for sales will get you more for your money, it's important to actually set a budget for yourself because you can still overspend. There are tons of reasons for setting a budget for yourself in general, but I think probably one of the most important reasons to set a monthly limit on fashion is that it eliminates buyers remorse. Having a finite amount of money to spend on clothing will also force you to make purchases that are necessary and that you really love.

Before you can set your spending limit, you need to figure out how much money you net monthly and how much your reoccurring expenses are. Once you have subtracted your expense from your monthly earning, see if you have a reasonable amount of money to be shopping :) Make sure to evaluate this against your financial goals, what you consider valuable to spend your money on (i.e. traveling), and your shopping habits. Most financial advisers recommend allocating about 4-6% of your salary to clothing because this is a necessity, but for me realistically it's about 10% my salary split seasonally.

The most important thing about setting a budget is keeping it! You will be happier with your purchase and your wallet will be happier. Here are some tips:

• Keep yourself accountable by logging your purchases or using something like mint.com
• Just because you have a budget doesn't mean you have to use all of it. If you have leftover, carry it over to your next shopping trip or put it in your savings account
• Return overages or take it out of the next shopping budget

trick or treat

Halloween is probably my favorite holiday ... I know it's weird, but I always have SO much fun thinking of a costume and putting it together. Halloween is the only holiday where everyone not matter what age is allowed to dress up and be someone else. It's a holiday where you can laugh at yourself, be a little more sexy then you usually are, and show off your creativity. Since college, I've been making my own costumes. Sometimes I construct the whole thing and other times I'll use real clothing pieces to put to together my costume. Here are some tips for the costume hunt if you haven't figure yours out yet:

• Make a list of Halloween costume ideas throughout the year
• I usually know my costume at least a few months in advance, this way I can slowly hunt for things I'll need
• Don't leave your costume making to the last minute
• This is easier said than done because I usually wait for the week before to actually make my costume (although I'll make sure to buy materials earlier), but your Halloween week will be a lot less stressful if you make your costume in advance
• Use old clothing from your wardrobe
• This goes back to using items you already have in your closet. Why buy something new when you can reuse? Also if you know your costume early, you can keep items that you would have donated to use for scraps or as the base of your costume
• Avoid any 'trend' costume
• On Halloween, you want to be a little original. And this is especially important to keep in mind if you won't be making you costume. How embarrassing is it when you walk into a bar to see 10 other people wearing the same thing?
• Be original and don't repeat costumes
• Although I have my favorite costumes, I don't repeat them for many years. It fun to try to think of a new idea every year, but if I'm in a crunch I can always fall back on a favorite. 
• Get creative and team up with friends for a bigger impact!
• It's a lot of fun to do group costumes with friends (and easier to find them when you're out)
• You can stick to one overall theme or a set of characters. Some ideas that my friends and I have done are Super Heroes or the Wizard of Oz

Below are some of my favorite costumes and how much they cost. Let me know  if you need any help with your costume this year because I love this stuff :)

Poison Ivy, $30
H&M: Body Suit $10, Green Tights $5; Party City: Red Hair Piece $2, Red Hairspray $2
 Michael's: Ivy Leaves $6, Hot Glue $5, 

The Cowardly Lion, $35
Forever2: Fur Vest $30, Party City: Lion "courage" pin $5
brown leggings $0, ears $0 (made them with paper and cotton balls)
I love this vest and wear it all the time!

Mime, $47
Hot Topic:Tutu $15; Target: Gloves $2,  Beret $15, T-shirt $10;
Party City: Face Paint $5, Vest $0
this one cost more than usual, but I still wear the beret and shirt

Men's Fall Essentials

I was recently asked to post something for the guys out there. Ask and you shall receive! Although my shopping tips also apply to men, I figure I'd give some guy style tips. Guys are lucky because their style doesn't change too dramatically through the years. So it's important that they buy quality items since they'll be most likely wearing them for a while. The wardrobe must haves for Fall that can carry any guy into Winter are a vest, a sports coat, a boot, a classic sweater, and of course denim! Below you'll see some affordable finds and styling tips. Be warned this is a lengthier post than usual, but well worth the read. And ladies out there if your guy doesn't have any of these essentials, they are a great buy for birthday and holiday gifts :)

The Vest
A vest can be incredibly versatile and provides the perfect amount of warmth for the Fall. It's fun to spice up how you wear a vest by throwing it over a blazer or using it as a light jacket for your work attire. Below is an inventive way to wear a vest, brought to you by GQ.

Vest, $170 by Club Monaco. Sports jacket, $950 by Gant by Michael Bastian. Shirt, $175 by Todd Snyder. Tie, $115 by Ralph Lauren Black Label. Pants, $143 by Vanishing Elephant. Belt by J.Crew. Watch by Audemars Piguet.

Here are some more affordable vests. I suggest buy a simple black vest since it goes with everything, but if you buy another make it a darker color like tan, burgundy, hunter green, or navy. Avoid very bright colors as  these colors don't transcend through the years as well.

Old Navy Frost Free Vest in Roasted Chestnut, on sale for $20

GAP Wool Puffer Vest, $79.95

Ecko Untld Vest, $39.95 at Macy's

H&M Hooded Vest, $49.95

The Sports Coat
Tweed, Wool, Camel hair, Houndstooth, Herringbone. These are course, thick, heavy fabrics and weaves meant to keep the elements away.You can dress a classic blazer down by throwing a hoodie underneath it or dress if up for the office. I love how JCrew styles their sports coats, but unless you can find them on sale they aren't the most affordable.

Great Fall color and look!

JCrew Ludlow Sports Coat in Wool Tweed, $328

JCrew Ludlow Sport Coat in Herringbone Wool, $328

Here's the same look for less! The most import thing to remember about a blazer or sport coat is the fit. Typically the more reasonably priced ones don't always have a great fit, so what I recommend is spending the extra money and getting it tailored. Trust me it will make your blazer look like it cost twice as much.

Zara Herringbone Blazer, $189

H&M Tweed Blazer, $49.95

The Boot
A nice boot is necessary for any guy's wardrobe during the colder months. This is an item that you should splurge on. Purchasing a good quality leather is key because it'll handle the weather better and last longer. Also don't be afraid to get your boots heeled. For about $15 you can practically have a new shoe! When looking for the right boot look for something that you can wear to work and casually. This way you get the most use out of your purchase.  Here are some of my favorite boots this season which can all be found at Nordstrom.

John Varvatos Star Barret Boot, $275 

Bed Stu Bryden Boot, $110

Kickers Edgo Chukka Boot, $165

• 
  

Bed Stu Palazzo Boot, $210

Penguin Jerry Jeff Boot, $168

Kenneth Cole Reaction Hit Man Boot $137.95

The Classic Sweater
Another splurge item is a classic sweater. I personally think every guy should have at least one cashmere sweater. They are soft, warm, and never go out of style. I recommend going for a simple cut and color when buying cashmere. Stick to a V-Neck or a Crew Neck in navy or heather grey. These classic colors can always be spiced up with a colored shirt or tee underneath and are appropriate for work and a night out. When buying cashmere keep in mind that cashmere comes in different quality, so you get what you pay for. A cashmere sweater for about $100 won't be the softest, whitest hair from the goat, but for most people it'll do just fine. Below are some examples... and if you can't take the plunge to buy such an expensive sweater try a cashmere blend, which is still nice.

H&M Cable Knit Cashmere Sweater, $99

Vince Cashmere V-Neck, $295 (Nordstrom)

JCrew Cashmere Sweatshirt, $288

Denim

Jeans are the staple of a guy's closet. You wear them year round, so you should invest in a good pair. I'm not going to suggest a brand because everyone has their favorites, but you should own a well fitting pair in a dark wash and a grey. This will let you do tons of combinations. Here are some examples from Zara.

Grey Jeans, $59.90

Dark Wash Denim, $79.90

Don't be afraid to mix up you denim as well. For the last few season, demin shirts have been popular for both men and women. They are a lot more versatile than you think and look great paired with unconventional items like a suit (seen below), but if you are weary of committing to a demin shirt you can also go for a nice indigo colors button up. This will give you the same effect, but it more work appropriate.

Tuxedo, $4,300 by Dior Homme. Shirt, $510 by Brunello Cucinelli. Pocket square by J.Lindeberg. Watch by Cartier.

Salt Valley Chambray Western Shirt, $54 (Urban Outfitters)

Zara Distressed Denim Shirt, $59.90

Zara Tailored Shirt, $59.90

offline and in line

Like most of you out there, I am a HUGE fan of online shopping. In fact the majority of my shopping is done online. But... and this is a BIG BUT... you need to know to when you'll actually find a better deal in stores. When stores have additional discounts on clearance items, you will almost always find a better deal at the physical store as opposed to online. This is because the store have a greater need to get merch off the floor than the warehouse does. Here's a great example for you.

J Crew has an awesome sale going on right now! It's an additional 30% off the clearance items (I should have waited a day because when I went it was only 25%). I searched through the sale online for some items that I wanted. This way when I hit the store, I wouldn't be overwhelmed by the selection and could use my time more efficiently. I found this super fun work skirt online, seen below for $89.99 with an extra 25% off. 

When I went to the store not only did I find the same skirt, but it was a fraction of the price. I got it for $29.99 with an extra 25% off... pretty good no? Total Savings: $105 off the original price and $45 off the online sale price. This skirt is great for spring and summer, plus it's a nice way to add a pop of color to the beginning of fall. Here's how I wore it ... sorry for the blurry pics I was in a bit of a hurry!

Benetton Sweater, $15 (originally $75)
J Crew Skirt, $22.49 (originally $128)
Ann Taylor Flats, $40 (originally $128)

Snakeskin, patten leather, and cap toe ... what's not to love?

A&E necklace, $4.99 (originally $25)
Michele Sport Sail watch gift (but it was an amazing TJ Maxx find!)

1 week, 1 carry on, 12 outfits

September was a crazy month for me! I was packing my apartment up, getting ready for a week in Europe, and actually moving/organizing... but finally all of that is done and I'm back in action :)

I figured for my first post back I would begin with some packing tips. I know this isn't my usual fashion tips and savings, but with the holidays right around the corner, I figured I'd share some of my organizing knowledge. When I travel I hate checking my bag. I think it goes back to four years ago when I had a lot of great clothes stolen from my checked luggage. My bags got lost in transit (surprise, surprise!) and when I finally got them, it was as if someone had shopped through what I had packed and stolen what they liked... ever since then I've been a carry-on type of girl.

Packing Tips

• Buy cheap luggage: Cheap luggage will deter people from stealing items or your whole bag (this is more important for international travel), but regardless your bags get thrown around a bunch so why bother having something expensive? Mine is a snazzy zebra carry on from TJ Maxx, $30.
• Pack outfits: When you are trying to pack light you need to ensure you pack outfits. If you use basic pieces you can actually mix and match what you have to create even more looks! My usual rule is two outfits a day: one for the morning and one for the evening. Once you have selected your outfits fold and stack as you would wear them. I usually throw in a few extra tops in case it's colder or warmer than I expected. I was headed to Europe for a wedding so I had to pack a variety of clothes. In total I packed 8 outfits, 3 extra tops, 3 dresses, 3 pairs of shoes, a clutch, pjs, a swimsuit and cover up, and a small gift in my carry on!

4 pairs of jeans, 2 maxi skirts, leather leggings, leggings, 12 tops

• Fold your undies: I know this may sound weird, but you actually save a ton of space if you fold your underwear. This way it stays organized and you know what you brought. After I fold the underwear, I use them to stuff my bras so they don't loose their shape.

Fold your bras in half and stuff them with
 your undies to save their shape

• Fill every crevasse in your bag while packing: Yes this is obvious, but don't leave holes of space. This means stuff socks, stockings, or belts in your shoes and vary the positioning of clothes in your bag so there aren't big holes in the center or corners.

Put the toes of your pumps into your heels to prevent squishing

Use the side zippers for belts and such.
Also place items your will infrequently wear on the bottom of the bag.
For me this is all the dresses I will wear for the wedding.

layer your tops and flip the jeans opposite ways to make an even layer

put big flat piece on the top to smooth everything out and give you a clean space for your toiletries

• Open your expander to zip the bag and then close the expander: This helps you close the bag more easily and take pushes down your clothes without you having to sit on your bag :)

Size Matters

A lot of my friends go into a store, grab clothes in their usual size, try it on, and leave without buying anything because "it just didn't fit right". This can be very frustrating and somewhat demoralizing, but what they need to keep in mind is that companies have changed the size of clothes for marketing purposes or what it has become known as, vanity sizing. If a women wears a smaller size somewhere, they will most likely buy more clothes at that store. An 8 isn't an 8 everywhere because every designer or store cuts their sizes a little differently. Look at the graph below that proves this. Do you know that my sizes vary from a 0-8 when I go shopping? At Ann Taylor I'm a 0, a 2 at JCrew, and a 4 at BCBG and so forth. But at H&M I can be anywhere from a 2 to an 8 depending what I buy. Don't think that just because you're shopping at the same store, dress sizes can't vary. MEN: This isn't as big of a problem for you since your clothes come measured in inches, but the cut of a S, M, L and even some dress shirts really vary. Especially in more European cut stores like Benetton.

So here's my TIP: Don't be scared to try on lots of sizes. Soon you'll be able to figure out what size you are based on the store and the cut. My rule of thumb for ladies is to try on a size down and a size up at first. This lets you know where you stand. Also don't be afraid to tailor something if it's worth it... obviously not something from H&M, but quality items that will be worn often (like a suit or dress) are completely worth it.

Taken from the NY Times

Copy Cat

Fall fashion has hit the stores. So what does this mean? Lots and lots of catalogs at my doorstep tempting me to shop! As I was flipping through the JCrew catalog, I saw this cute work outfit and thought to myself... I can totally make this same look for a tenth of the price. So I raided my closet and made out pretty well. As seasons change, I love to stock up on structured basics in classic, solid colors. They are a nice staple for your closet and you can mix and match them more easily. I especially think that every working woman needs to have at least a few blazers: black, tan or brown, and one pop of color (pink, red, green). This can dress up any outfit (even a cheap tee and khakis as seen below). Another tip for my working ladies... buy CHEAP flats! If you are like me, you probably where them so much that they get worn out fast. I never spend more the $30 for a pair of flats... even my designer ones :) Below is my copy cat JCrew outfit... Please let me know if you see any outfits that you'd like to mimic of a low cost. I'll try my best!

The Original JCrew Outfit: Blazer - $350, Cropped Pant - $89.50, Striped Tee - $90, and Patent Flats - $188 .. bringing the total outfit cost to $717.50! 

The Copy Cat: Ann Taylor Blazer - $50 (originally $200), H&M Cropped Pant - $14.50, H&M Striped Tee - $12, and Forever 21 Patent Flats - $10 .. bringing my total outfit cost to $86.50! I'll take a $631 savings any day :)