closet clean-up: from cluttered to loved

Once I found out in February that I would have to move for school, I slowly started cleaning out my closet. I've lived in Madison for seven years now, and have lived in four different houses. Each time we moved, I just grabbed everything I owned and took it with me to the next place a few streets away. This move though, across several states and by myself, would require me greatly reduce the items I own.

I had clothes in three different places - my main closet that had all of my normal clothes, some coats in our coat closet, and my handful of dresses (which I couldn't wear to work) were in a shared closet in our bedroom - our place has a lot of closets! I started out by pulling all of the "big ticket" items that I knew I could sell on eBay - a few purses, a North Face jacket, and a few J.Crew / Banana Republic items. I'm a pretty beginner eBay seller so I don't have a ton of tips and tricks. I do a lot that is recommended here, and I almost always use the eBay app as you can take pictures, upload, and have a listing within just a few minutes from your phone.

Once those items were gone, I started going through the clothes that I regularly look at. I pulled out the pieces I knew I hadn't worn in years, and put them aside. I tried selling some on poshmark and on here, but those took more effort than it paid out. I basically worked through my closet a little bit at a time. Every time I by passed something and couldn't remember the last time I ever wore it, it went into the pile. About once a month, I would take a pile of clothing to Plato's Closet - a consignment store geared mostly towards teenagers. My experiences were fine there - I've made about $100 from selling clothes there, but I felt because they were so geared toward teens that a lot of my nicer items that just didn't fit were passed because they were "too mature". The items they didn't take I handed down to my mom and sister, and whatever they didn't want, they donated to St. Vinnies.

That was what I did up until this past weekend. I move on Friday, so this last closet clean out was really necessary to get rid of the last unnecessary pieces. I had already packed up all of my blazers, remaining bottoms, skirts, and shoes which hadn't been pulled. My family is shipping those boxes to me at the end of the week as I just didn't have enough room in my car. Next, I went through all of my tops. I pulled each one out of the closet and put it on. If I felt uncomfortable in it, if it fit me wrong, or if I knew I was just never going to wear it again, into the pile it went. I'm only packing the pieces I really wear. As hard as it was to let go of a bunch of relatively nice jeans, tees, and sweaters, I knew I hadn't worn them in so long, and with my restrictive dress code, I knew they weren't going to be worn in the future either. I tried one last time to take a few things to the consignment stores, made about $25, and took everything else directly to Goodwill. I set a side a few things again for my mom and sister, but the rest will find a new home with something who will appreciate them.

When I look at my closet now, and even during the cleaning out process, I felt so much better about getting dressed. I didn't feel guilt looking at all the clothes I spent money on, but didn't wear. My choices were limited, but I liked everything, so I never had "I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR" moments. Since I started working with a budget, I feel like I've been a lot smarter about what I buy, so I'm hoping that in a year/four years from now, I won't be in this same situation. I need to make smart buying decisions, buy items off of my holes in my closet list, and not just buy on a whim. I want to find the balance of buying staple pieces versus more "fun" pieces - maybe do 3/4 of my budget towards purchasing items I will get a ton of wear, and then the rest towards statement/fun pieces? Since I will be living off student loans that I receive twice a year, instead of paychecks I receive twice a month, I may do what Kimmie and Jess do, and have a yearly budget and work with it that way. I'll definitely share what I decide to do!

I can't wait to show you guys by new closet next week! It's going to be beautiful :)

My tips for cleaning out your own closet - no moving 10 hours away necessary! :

+ Pull everything (EVERYTHING) out of your closet, and try each piece on. If it doesn't fit NOW, get rid of it (or if it may fit again for sure, put it into storage)

+  If you haven't worn it within the last year, ask yourself why. Does it just fit wrong? Donate or sell. Not your style anymore? Pass along to friends or donate. Needs alterations? Put into the alterations pile and actually do them.

+ Be prepared to make "the hard" decisions. Yes, it sucks that you spend x number of dollars on that sweater/pant/skirt/shoe....but what good is it doing you in your closet if you haven't worn it in years? Either store it in case it comes back into fashion, pass it along to family members/friends, sell it, or donate it. You'll feel better not looking at it every single time you open your closet.

+ Reorganize your closet so you can see your clothes better. I currently organize by color, but when I move, I'm going to organize by type - blazers, cardigans, sweaters, tees. Seeing your clothes in a different way may inspire you to wear it a different way.

medical school wardrobe: dress code

Having worked in a very, very casual work environment means that I've had a lot of freedom with what I can wear everyday (except for the safety restrictions of needing to wear pants, flat shoes, and a lab coat). With school starting at the very end of July, my closet needs a some additions that I previously didn't have much use for. My school does have a dress code for any time we are on campus (including lecture and studying in the library) - it's as follows:

A clean and well-cared-for appearance should be maintained. Women are required to wear 

appropriate dresses of reasonable length or slacks with appropriate blouses. Halter tops, midriff tops, strapless or backless tops or dresses; sundresses, crop pants, capri pants and miniskirts are not permitted. Revealing or tight, form-fitting clothing is unacceptable. Women’s hair must be neat and trimmed at all times, avoiding extreme styles or colors. Excessive body piercing is not acceptable. Women are required to wear shoes or sandals with socks or stockings. Shorts, jeans, T-shirts and sandals with bare feet are not permitted.

So - halter tops, midriff tops, strapless or backless dresses, and mini skirt are not going to be a problem for me. I don't even own any of those things! It seems that ankle pants may be considered cropped pants, which is really unfortunate as I consider ankle pants to be dress pants. The other thing is that when wearing dresses or skirts, I'll need to wear tights. I was a dancer for 14 years, so tights for me are like a death sentence (but partially because I just think of shiny shiny tights). The dress code is what it is, so there isn't much use in complaining about it. Instead I'm going to shop for it!

On my 25th birthday I made a list of 30 things I want to do before I turn 30. One of those items was to own a Chanel bag. I started a savings account where for every paycheck, $25 is automatically transferred into it so I could walk into a Chanel store on my 30th birthday and purchase a bag without any guilt. Unfortunately for my handbag collection, my life has gone in a different direction and I now have different priorities. Since I won't have a paycheck for another 4 years, I am going to cash out that account out and use it to buy my clothes for school. By the time I quit my job in the middle of June, I'll have about $500.

So what do I think I need? I plan on finding the following things:

+ Dress pants: I have never been comfortable in dress pants - they always fit wrong, are too short or too long, and always itchy. I would like to buy a pair of black pants and a pair of dark grey pants. I plan on purchasing them larger and longer and then have them tailored to be exactly what I want. Ideally I would like a pair for heels and a pair for flats - maybe I'll find a great deal on pants I really like and then be able to have both.

+ Skirts: Since I haven't worn many skirts (or really any), I don't really know what I'm looking for here. A black skirt that fits correctly is something I shouldn't be able to mess up too much so again I plan on finding one that either fits comfortably off the rack (doubtful) or find something that can be tailored to what I feel comfortable in. A printed version would be fun too. I did purchase this Banana Republic skirt a few weeks ago when it was on sale for $40, but I feel the certain color of blue and the pattern is kind of limiting (what do you do in the winter?) so I returned it. I did like the fit though so I will make sure to try on more skirts at Banana Republic 

+ Cardigans: I'm told our building is pretty chilly, so cardigans for easy layering will be necessary. I realized looking through my closet that I don't have many cardigans. I'd like a few solid colored cardigans that fit well and can easily be mixed and matched with different shirts and bottoms.

+ Printed Blouses: I have a few solid blouses but very few printed (besides my new awesome cat printed blouse). I think a few printed blouses will be easy to mix and match with the solid cardigans and won't be something I have to think a lot about in the morning.

+ Dresses: A few solid dresses that can either be worn alone (preferable with tee-shirt sleeves or long sleeves) or with cardigans/blazers will be something that will be great to have for the warm months and then later to be layered in the winter. I purchased this Gap dress (seen here) this week during the friends and family event - I think it'll be a staple that can go with many different cardigans/blazers.

+ Black Heels: I've mentioned this before, but I don't own any closed toed black heels, and I don't own any heels that I can wear for more than like 20 minutes. A pair with a stable heel (even though my mom hates the thicker heels!) that allows me to walk and be comfortable will be a must.

+ Nude Flats: Goes with everything! Especially with...

+ Tights: ugh. I'm hoping to find a few very thin pairs for the summer and then transition into sweater or fleece lined tights in the fall/winter. Any recommendations for a tall (5'9'') girl?

So. That's the plan. I don't really plan on purchasing many of these things right now unless I happen upon them (like the Gap dress). I will keep a running total in each month's budget recap for the items that are specifically purchased for school. I don't plan on spending all of this money before school starts but I do want a majority of them so I don't have to worry about it once all the studying starts. 

I'd love to hear if you've had to work with a similar dress code, and what ended up being staples for you.

I want to make smart purchases when buying these clothes, so there will be lots of trips to the mall and tailor to make sure I get exactly what I want. Is my search for these items something you guys care to hear about or would you rather just know the end result? I don't want to bore you about finding the perfect black heel...unless you're into it.

taxed

Are you guys sick of me talking about school starting in 5 months? Me either...

But...with school starting and only working for another 4.5 months, I am really working on tucking money away. I'm putting my entire work bonus, a certain percentage of each paycheck, and the money I make from this blog into savings. I am also putting all but $250 of my tax return into savings. With those $250 I was planning on purchasing a few items from "the list". Last Friday I ordered this blazer as it was a color I was looking for, I wear my blue version all the time, and I knew what size I thought I needed. Well I received it today and it just didn't work - it was a little too tight in the shoulders and it felt too short. I think the 2% spandex in my blue version makes enough of a difference in fit that it just wasn't worth the money to keep.

So while I was returning the blazer, the sales associate convinced me I needed to look at the sale section (it took a bunch of convincing...). Another one of my items on my list is a pencil skirt. They had a lot of the black #2 pencil skirts on sale, so I tried a few on. I tried on my normal skirt/pants size, but it didn't even close. I went up one size, and it still didn't look right. Several ladies said that they sometimes have to size up two sizes. I think that's important to remember - it's not about the number on the tag but how it fits. I walked away without a skirt even though the price was good because the size they had in store wasn't going to work. I don't think I'm ready to put a bunch of money down on something I can't wear right now anyway.

What I can wear right now and in the future is this cute striped shirt, so it did come home with me :)

Shirt: Gap*

Blouse: J. Crew Factory {save | exact}

Jeans: Gap  {similar}

Scarf: c/o The Posh'mina

Boots: Steve Madden  {save | splurge}

Watch: Boccia

*I found this shirt hiding in my closet this weekend. I'm certain the last time I wore this shirt was in this picture, taken at a house party my sophomore year of college. so classy.

Linking up with wiww and Bri's Third Thursday Threads (POLKA DOTS!)

20ish days in, and no one has realized that I'm re-wearing something every day. Either I'm really good at TOPIO (not as likely) or people at work aren't paying attention (most likely).

booted

After our little snow storm yesterday I felt it was necessary to give the hussy ankles a break and actually wear boots. These boots are about 3 years old and now are definitely starting to show their wear - as I was playing around in the snow this afternoon with the pups I felt one foot getting wet...because there's a tiny hole in the boot.

Dang it. I have worn these pretty much to the ground though (it seems to be a theme in my current closet) so finding a new pair of boots is pretty important. I think instead of just brown boots I'm going to look for some two-tone boots (like this or this pair). My mom just bought a pair of gorgeous Frye two-tones shoes so I'm hoping to find something similar in my price range. 

Shirt: J. Crew Factory  {save | exact}
Vest: J. Crew  {similar}
Scarf: H&M
Jeans: American Eagle  {exact on sale}
Boots: Steve Madden  {save | splurge}
Earrings: Tiffany & Co.  {exact}
Watch: Fossil  {similar}

linking up with Plane Pretty's Sunday Style!

january budget

1. Gap Pants (seen here): on sale for $18
2. Thrifted Cardigan: $2
3. J. Crew Belt (seen here): on sale for $12
4. Thrifted Black Blazer: $4
5. Thrifted Ralph Lauren Sweater: $4
6. J.Crew Factory Popover(seen here): on sale for $32
7. Old Navy Dress: on sale + rewards for $9
8. Gap Belt (seen here): on sale for $7
9. Target Scarf (seen here): on sale for $5
10. Thrifted Gap Sweater: $4
11. Target Scarf (seen here): $10
12. Forever 21 Necklace (seen here): $9
13. Forever 21 Scarf: $9


= $125






So am I cheap, or just a smart consumer? I felt like I bought so much this month, but I ended up $25 under budget and still bought quite a bit. I think thrifting and good sales this month made quite a difference. I don't have any regrets about the purchases I made - I didn't buy any of it just because it was on sale so we'll just decide that I'm a smart buyer ;)

I filled a few holes with the black blazer and red sweater, which I'm very excited about. The black blazer I purchased is very similar to the one in the picture above - it's a bit more casual which works well for my current lifestyle but I know that in the future I'll need a more structured black blazer as well. The grey Target scarf is something I've wanted for a while - it was originally $15, then on sale for $10 but I still didn't buy it until it was on super clearance for $4.50. Before I started a budget, I would have purchased the scarf at full price because come on, it's only $15, who cares! But thinking about what percentage of my budget is used up with just a simple scarf made me reconsider if it's something I needed/liked enough to spend that much money on. Budgetting has definitely made me less of a impulse shopper which means I'm buying clothes I know I'll actually wear.

Next month's plan is to find a replacement pair of black skinny jeans since my favorite black jeans are now forever out of commission (they finally completely ripped). I also hope to find a nice pair of dark brown boots - I think February should be a good month for boot sales! I think these pairs (1, 2, and especially 3) are some great contenders!

How did you do this month? Link up with other budgeting bloggers below! Please make sure you link back so other bloggers can participate and so your readers can be inspired by everyone.

holes in my closet: pieces for 2013

I tend to buy pieces I know I will get a lot of wear out of, especially in my day to day working life. Obviously this is great for my closet since I buy things I'll actually use, but there are times when I wish I had pieces but I just don't ever buy them because I know they won't get a lot of wear - except in those situations I always wish I had them. So for the next months instead of buying another button up shirt or sweater, I'm going to use some of each month's budget to buy the following pieces. I'm going to take the time to buy pieces that I truly love and that fit correctly so I don't have to buy the same kind of item several times until I find the right one. These are the pieces I'll be looking for and why:

+ Suede Boots: I mentioned last week that I think I can wear more skirts and dresses to work as long as I wear tights and boots to keep my legs covered. I own two pairs of boots, my dark grey Steve Madden boots and my light brown Frye boots, but neither of them are necessarily dressy enough. I loved this outfit on Kate Middleton and although suede boots aren't necessarily practical for a snow storm, I think they would look great for work and social occasions. I think this will probably be the major purchase in January.

+ Nude Heels: So far we have 7 save the dates on our fridge for this coming summer, so there are going to be a lot of dress up occasions this year. I don't own any nude heels (or many heels in general) and so a nice (and hopefully comfortable) pair of nude heels will get a lot of wear this summer. I probably won't purchase a pair until the spring.

+ Wool Skirts: I don't own many skirts, but I think a few pairs of wool (for now) skirts would be great for dressier outfits at work and (hopefully) for school in the future. I've heard great things about the skirts at J. Crew so I'll probably try to find some at the outlet store.

+ Hunter Rain Boots: My dogs got to my last pair of Target rain boots, and between the slush we have now and the rain in the spring, a pair of nice rain boots will get plenty of wear. I plan on buying mine on eBay and hope to spend no more than $60. And don't worry, I'll only wear them when the weather calls for it ;)

+ Black Blazer: I get so much wear out of my navy blazer that it only makes sense to buy a similar piece in a different color. I was especially inspired by Kultur & Stil's post about all of her outfits with her black blazer. I'm going to be in Chicago in early February so I plan to stop at Topshop to try this blazer on.

+ Dark Brown Riding Boots: I love my lighter brown boots, but sometimes I wish they were a bit darker. I may wait until the end of the winter to look for a pair just because I'm hoping they'll be cheaper then.

+ Black Pumps: I don't have a pair of black heels that are actually comfortable or that I can walk in for more than 5 minutes. I'm pretty sure as a 25 year old woman that that is pretty much unacceptable. I need a pair of closed toed heels that I can wear for at least a few hours.

+ Dark Wash Jeans: I've been wearing a lot of skinny jeans lately (something I really thought I would never wear - seriously, 2 years ago I swore up and down I would never wear them) partially because they are so comfortable and mostly because I only have 1 pair of bootcut jeans I like. I would like to find that perfect fitting bootcut pair of jeans. Wishful thinking or actually a possibility? ;)

So that's the plan. Are there pieces you're on the look out for? Are you the kind of person who needs a game plan for shopping? I didn't think I would be, but I think this will help with the "buy investment closet pieces" thing I'm trying to work on.

Holes in my Closet: Black Cardigan

I've been going through and reorganizing my closet lately, and it has led me to evaluate what clothes I wear a lot, and which ones I don't. I wear cardigans and blazers all the time, so I also noticed what I'm lacking in those areas. I've been meaning to get a black cardigan for a while, but most that I find are too short on me. I stopped by at Old Navy this weekend to see if I could find a certain dress, and found this cardigan instead. With a 30% off coupon, it only cost me $13. It's not an investment piece in price, but it is something my closet was lacking.

In a few days for this month's Budgeting Bloggers I'll talk about a few other holes in my closet I'm hoping to fill in the coming months.

Cardigan: Old Navy  {exact}
T-Shirt: Gap
Scarf: DIY
Jeans: American Eagle  {exact}
Belt: Old Navy
Shoes: Tory Burch  {exact}
Nails: Revlon Grey Suede
Watch: Boccia
Ring: hand-me-down from my mom

Have you noticed any holes in your closets? Is  there anything you've been looking for recently?












Congrats to Rosy for winning the Tube Bracelet Giveaway! Thank you to everyone that entered!