Keep on Purging

I got rid of a lot of things before I moved, and I have gotten rid of a couple of things even since then.  My apartment is uncluttered and I have exactly what I need.

Except for my clothes.

I admit it, I am a lazy girl when it comes to laundry.  I don't mind putting it in the washer, I get annoyed when I have to put it in the dryer but I do it, but when it comes to putting it away, I get a big F.  My method is usually to take all the clean clothes and pile them up on a chair.  Then I take what I need, and file it back away into the dirty clothes basket.  Clothing items that are 'gently used' like jeans or sweaters, etc, often get thrown artfully over a different chair and the process repeats itself.

For the first time in a very long time, all of my clothes were washed.  Why would I want to move dirty laundry?  Well, having all my clothes actually clean and in front of me begging to be organized in my much larger closet forced me to come to terms with exactly how many clothes I actually have.  I posted this status update on facebook a little while back: I'm officially admitting I have a problem. I've been putting away clothes for three days now and I still have a pile on my couch and in the truck of my car. There is no end in sight. I have five identical charcoal v-neck t-shirts.  This prompted a friend of mine to call me a hoarder.

I know she meant it in jest, but it actually upset me a bit.  Here I've been feeling all smug because my new place is nice and organized and uncluttered, but what I've actually been doing is shoving things I don't want to deal with into the back of the closet.  I've made progress finding a place for everything in my new apartment--except the clothes.

I have been trying to pare down my closet to the essentials for some time now.  I'm pretty pound of the fact that I can look into my closet and know that I've worn a lot of the items in the last year and have had many for years as well.  But there are some things I have trouble dealing with.

1. The dressy outfits a.k.a the ones you wear to weddings.  
I have a cadre of sundresses that get a lot of use during the summer months, but I also have quite a few 'nice' dresses that barely get worn.  When you attend a wedding, you of course are usually photographed, and I don't want to wear the same dress to every wedding I go to.  Thankfully, I don't have any weddings to attend this year, but I do always get annoyed that guys can just buy one suit and wear it for years while I have to accumulate an expensive and rarely-used wardrobe.  I do have some dresses that I've had for years, and still like, but even then, it seems like a bit of a waste to have them hanging in my closet when I never know if I'll need them again.

2. The Suit
I do not wear a suit to work--never have, nor am I ever likely to.  When I was in grad school, I bought a suit for job interviews, but I actually never even wore it for one.  I finally had to admit that it was just too small and unlikely to ever fit me again, so I freecycled it.  But now people keep telling me that I need another suit.  Obviously, having one on standby is probably a good thing, but suits are also expensive and if I never wore the last one I had, what are the odds I'll actually need the new one?  When I finally pulled it out of my closet, it was actually dusty!  I don't know that could happen to clothes!

3. The clothes that go with a life I don't live
I've always struggled with this one.  You see something in the store, it's beautiful, but you have no occasion to wear it.  I used to just wear them anyway--I was the girl in grad school showing up in smart casual when my classmates were in pajamas, but for biking to work and frequently crawling around on the floor while at work (more than I'd like to admit), it just doesn't make sense to have some of these clothes.  I've been hanging onto a skirt from Banana Republic for literally three years.  

Occasionally, I try it on, remember how much I like it, and then don't wear it.  Ugh!

My new plan is to be aggressive with the closet.  Thankfully, the layout should make it such that I can actually see what I own and therefore am less likely to buy things I already have, but I also vow to keep up with my laundry and pare things down a little further.  Yes, I have five identical charcoal v-necks, but I will not buy any more!

It Pays For Itself

This is a phrase that I've heard many people use and that I've used myself, but for some reason, the other day, I started thinking about what it actually means.

Example: When I thought this, I was just leaving yoga class.  I do Bikram yoga, which is hot yoga, so when I leave the studio, I am a sweaty mess.  I need shoes to wear to and from class that can get bathed in my particular sweaty musk.  In the summer, it's flip-flops, but once it started getting cold, I was a bit concerned about what to do.

Thankfully, a couple years ago, I bought the faux Uggs that Old Navy sells i.e. Adoraboots:

Mine are sparkly silver

They are certainly ugly, and I would never normally wear them out of the house, but it turns out, they are super handy for the yoga.

Digression

I have been on the quest for a decent pair of house slippers for years.  Perhaps it's because I'm picky that I haven't been able to find any, but my criterea are:

1. Non-skid sole--we have hardwood floors and I would prefer not to slip and slide around on them.
2. Some kind of back-- I do not care for any backless footwear, even my flip flops are slingback.
3. Both of these goals are just a way of saying that I want slippers I feel comfortable in rather than shoes that make me feel like I'm going to fall either out of them or because of them.

Apparently ALL slippers are fuzzy on the bottom and have no back.  I've been looking for literally years.  So I was quite excited when I found these adoraboots, but quite dismayed when I realized that instead of just keeping my feet warm, they made my feet HOT.  Like sweaty hot--gross hot.

So they went into the back of my closet until I realized that they worked for going to yoga.

Why is this story so long, you may wonder.  Well, I was leaving yoga the other night,  looked down at my ugly footwear and thought, these slippers have really paid for themselves.  Then I wondered what I meant by that, and what that expression actually means at all.

It's good that I found a use for something I bought that would have otherwise cluttered up my closet until landing at the thrift store, but does that really mean they've paid for themselves?  Is this just a little phrase that we tell ourselves to justify purchases that otherwise seem out of bounds or extravagant?

For instance, how many times do you have to wear a sweater before it pays for itself?  If the sweater is $30, would you have to wear it 15 times before you would say it was worth it?  Are we saying that renting the sweater for $2 a wear would be a reasonable investment?

I can see this phrase working in certain situations, for instance if you're currently driving a regular car and switch to a hybrid, you could look at the gas savings as the car paying for itself because it is literally saving you money that you can put toward buying the car.

Are there other situations where this works, or is it usually just an excuse to buy something?  Was it moronic for me to think this about my faux Uggs, or was I actually onto something?

The Quest For Black Boots

To quote the inimitable Cher Horowitz from Clueless, "you've seen how picky I am about my shoes, and they only go on my feet."  I have been looking for a pair of black boots for about eight months, and I think I finally found them.

I am very particular about footwear, in particular boots, for a number of reasons that I will now list:

• I need boots that are both comfortable AND stylish, which is pretty hard to find--what the hell, bootmakers?
• I need boots that can be worn with skirt and jeans and look fabulous with both
• I have huge calves because I'm a runner and because of genetics, so I have a hard time finding boots I can actually zip up--forget about wearing them over jeans, I will probably never be able to do that.
• I hate those boots that have a weird shape and make your foot look like a duckbill

Cute boot but looks like a duckbill

To date, I have ordered and tried on nearly every pair of black boots Endless.com has to offer.  I'm half expecting them to just cut me off because I'm wasting so much of their money on shipping costs and not keeping anything.  Even last night, BF asked me, "how many pairs of boots do you actually own?"  The answer is two--one pair of brown boots, and my cowboy boots.  Even though literally 30 pairs of black boots have come into my house in the last eight months, I have not kept a single pair.

Then, I got an email from Ebates telling me that Endless.com was having a sale plus 13% Ebates cash back, and I realized that this is the perfect time of year to buy boots.

So what do you think, blogosphere?  They're dressy, but not too dressy; they have a wide shaft; there's a little heel, but I can still walk to work in them; and they're by Clarks who make decent, long-lasting shoes.  Victory is mine!!

With luck, these will be the boots I'm wearing for the next five years!

I Did The Math

I got my first paycheck from new job on Thursday, so today I actually figured out what my take-home pay is going to be (though I didn't factor in 401k deductions, cause I haven't set that up yet).  With dental, medical and union dues deducted, I am making $200 less per month than I was making with the two jobs.  Thank god I didn't go on a celebratory shopping binge (except for those beautiful boots).  But, I'm saving about $120/ week on gas, so I'm still coming out ahead.

Since starting this new job, we've been going more frequently to the nearby market, which is more expensive than my usual grocery store--at least it seems like it is.  I haven't done a receipt comparison, so I may just still be reeling from the increase in the cost of food, but I feel like we've been spending a TON on groceries lately.  The silver lining to this turn of events, is that they have the vegetables that I've been looking for for the past six months!

This is a rather silly story, but a while back, Steamfresh vegetables came out with a Chef's Favorite's line of frozen vegetables.  Since I consume a lot of frozen vegetables, I got very excited about this, and grabbed one of each.  I absolutely fell in love with the Lightly Seasoned Garlic Baby Peas and Mushrooms, but then I could never find it again.  They didn't have it at the Stop & Shop where I originally purchased it, and I looked all over Rhode Island and Massachusetts (the part of Massachusetts that's near Rhode Island), and could not find this stuff anywhere.

Elusive Vegetables

Finally, in desperation, I sent an email to the Bird's Eye company to ask where I could find the magical blend of vegetables, and they gave me a list of stores (within an hour of me sending the email--that's good customer service!).  I visited two on the list, and neither had what I wanted.  So, imagine how happy I was to find them in fancy, nearby grocery store last night!  I seriously am so relieved, you have no idea, but now I'm scared that they won't be as good as I remember.  I bought four bags.  I'll let you know.

Switching gears.

Purchase disclosure: I am keeping that coat from Old Navy.  It makes me look awfully silly since it comes to mid-calf, but I'd rather look silly while warm than stylishly freeze to death.

I also placed an order with Athleta (again).  I don't know what the hell it is about that site!  It's not my style, but I think I'm subconsciously emulating a girl I went to elementary school with who is really sporty and wears sportyish casual clothes and looks totally cute and put together all the time.  Except I don't live the kind of life that requires sportyish casual clothes!  Anyway, I bought a pair of running tights where the model was skiing, and they promise to be quite warm (if overpriced).  I'll try them out, and return them if I don't like them (don't worry, Athleta lets you do that--and I'll wash them).

This model is clearly warm and toasty--and overpriced
tights are still cheaper than a gym membership

Other than that possibly ridiculous purchase, my biggest expenses of the past week have been groceries, household staples from Target and gas.  I'm keeping myself in line!

The Lull Between Paychecks

That was almost me

I don't know if I'm the only person this happens to, but I've found that when I'm not earning money, I seem to forget the value of a dollar.  This is yet another reason that I remain glad my mother never submitted my photo to that Punky Brewster Look-alike contest where you win a starring role on the show-- I would have burned through those earnings in less than a year and would likely be living in a gutter right now.

For example, when I first moved to Rhode Island, five years ago, it took me six weeks to find a job.  That was pretty awesome as it gave me six weeks to go exploring, make new friends and acclimate to my new home, but it also gave me time to burn through almost all of the money that I had spent a year and a half saving.

Without having a paycheck to look at weekly or bi-weekly (hopefully never monthly, that would be really hard), I allow myself to fantasize that I have larger sums of money than I do. I forget that take-home pay is significantly less because of all those pesky taxes, and I forget how long it takes to save up money.  When I have that number in front of me, I can just do the math and not go overboard with my spending.  It's much easier for me to color within the lines than to go all free-form, man.

So I am presently in that lull between paychecks again, and I'm not sure exactly when I'll have some more money coming in.  It could be as much as three weeks, so now more than ever, I need to be sensible.  Also, I'm flying without a budget for the first time in four years, so everything is chaos!

So, for the next few weeks, I'm operating on a system of full disclosure.  I will be documenting every extraneous penny, and I charge you, blogosphere, with keeping me in line and calling shenanigans, should I need it.

My first order of disclosure, is to show you the awesome new boots I bought myself as an "I got an awesome job and need proper footwear for walking to work" present.  And I'm done buying myself presents, that can get out of hand really quickly.

I never thought I'd be a cowboy boots gal, but these are gorgeous!  That's it though, no more extras, focus on the task at hand which is learning how to do my new job and not just buying new clothes for this new life I imagine that I have.

Addicted to Esty

Why does it seem like these things always come in waves?  A friend of mine, posted on facebook that she and her mother were going to start selling headscarves on Etsy.  I checked out her page, and it turns out her stuff is AWESOME, so I totally bought one, then another one.

Then, my beautiful and stylish friend Melissa posted a picture of herself wearing the most fabulous Steampunk Houndstooth scarf I've ever seen.

Gorgeous!

So yeah.  The Etsy shop where she got this: Flutter, was having a 70% off sale and I'm not made of stone!  So I bought two (I told you, I always buy two of things), but they're totally cheap and unique, and, as Melissa pointed out--Made in the USA!  In fact, when I ordered my headscarf from my friend Rayna, she even sent me a personal message on facebook.  I mention all this because it reminds me a bit of when I was in San Diego at the zoo.

The San Diego Zoo is world famous (they put that on all the signs, so it must be true), and it is wildly overpriced.  It was $40 to get in.  That's $40 for everyone--very young, very old, students, doesn't matter.  That $40 gets you a whole day's worth of animal viewing including pandas that were actually awake, and the chance to have a chat with knowledgeable zoo keepers (I asked if the pandas actually have sex, or if they have to artificially inseminate them, which seems like a weird question until you learn that the pandas at San Diego Zoo are the ONLY pandas in zoos anywhere in the world who actually have sex with each other.  Pandas are so weird--adorable, but weird).  Plus, on everything in the zoo that was for sale, they included the line "More than 85 percent of every dollar you give will go toward the San Diego Zoo's wildlife conservation efforts."  So those wildly overpriced socks that I bought will help conserve wild spaces and save endangered species!  Worth it!

I think Etsy appeals to a person's charitable side, albeit in a less overt way.  If I buy another headscarf, I'm not only getting a gorgeous, hand-made product that will make me look good, I'm supporting Rayna and her  mom instead of some greedy corporate machine like Wal-Mart or something.  It's like the new push for Small-Business Saturday, which now follows Black Friday.

The trick is, to not let this line of thinking lure me into spending more money on stuff I don't need just because buying it makes me feel good.  It's still shopping, after all.  For my xmas shopping this year, I'm going to do what I normally do, and that is start at Craftland. Craftland is a treasure trove of home-made crafty goods that are actually awesome (not like the home-made ceramics statuettes my Aunt Betty used to make and give as gifts), like this t-shirt I bought last year:

Everything is made by local artists, there's an incredible variety of stuff and it's just fun to go there.  Plus, I always secretly hope that I'll be walking around in a fabulous scarf or accessory of some kind, and someone will come up to me and say, "that scarf you're wearing, I made it, I'm glad you like it". That never happens at Old Navy.

October Wrap-up and November Goals

Sad but true

Remember last month when I said that I was going to run 100 miles in the month of October?  Well, it was a good month.  I smashed my goal of 100 miles and actually ran 114, which is an average of 28.5 per month--the most I've ever run!  Like a fine wine, I am getting better with age.

In addition to being awesome at sport, I was also pretty awesome about not buying clothes, despite encountering temptation seemingly every day.  I stuck it out (except for those pants)!  I feel good, either way.

I kind of failed at my weekly remixing, but I'll keep that up on a semi regular basis--I promise.  I feel like the remixing is making me a bit aware of how bland my wardrobe is, and it makes me anxious that I'm going to subliminally use that as an excuse to shop.  My life and the lives of those who have to look at me would all be greatly improved by the addition of new skirts and colorful tights to my wardrobe, no?  Then I remind myself that I'm running out of hangers, which brings me to a November and life goal.

Goal 1: One in/ one out.

I am not buying any more hangers.  I am not.  Presently, I don't actually know if I have enough for the clothes I own, because through the wearing/ washing rotation things get moved around.  So I'm putting my foot down to myself that I may not buy anything new unless I'm prepared to get rid of something else.  If I don't have anything I want to get rid of, then I must have all I need, right?  Note: I'm not going to count all the closet culling as an excuse to go buy new duds--promise!

I just got notice that my car insurance is due in December (why do I always forget!?!?!), so I have to spend more money than I would like on that.

Goal 2: Scrabble together enough money for six months of car insurance.

If you pay them twice a year instead of every month, you save money.  In my case, about $60.  That's enough for a cute dress from Modcloth, which makes the twice-a-year pain totally worth it.

Goal 3: Put any and all extra cash toward student loans and IRA.

I'm never going to pay off my student loans, because even if I gave them everything I could, the amount is just too high.  Plus, I have the added bonus that when I finally find a full time job, it will be at a qualified non-profit which entitles me to loan forgiveness after ten years.  What I would like, however, is to pay off as much of that stupid interest as I can.  Every dollar I pay toward interest is also a dollar that is tax-deductible, so this can be my end-of-year push for a nice-sized tax deduction.

For the IRA, since it's a Roth IRA, I can only put in $5000 per year at most.  I'm nowhere near that, but should get as close as I comfortably can so I can take advantage of that compound interest!

Kind of Amazing

I don't know why, but every time I really focus on paying down my credit cards, I'm always amazed how simply spending less and making larger payments seems to decimate those huge numbers.  Of course, when I say huge number, I mean something like $1,000 as opposed to $10,000, but I've been in that boat too (and it took waaaaay longer to pay that off, but I was still buying lots of stuff, so I think we've found our pattern).

For example, this month, the month of No Clothes Buying, I started out with an uncomfortably high balance on my Amex and on my Old Navy Card.  I'm pleased to say that I just authorized a payment to Old Navy that will pay that card off in full, and leave me a little $10 cushion for when I need a little clothing pick-me-up.  It's like a built-in coupon.  I know it's kind of stupid to keep a credit balance in an account that doesn't earn interest, but it's such a paltry amount that it doesn't really matter anyway.

Also, and this may just be me, but my brain sees that extra $10 as a kind of gift card, which means that it's something I don't want to squander, which means I tend to think twice as hard about what to spend it on.  It's bizarre, but it works.  I suggest you try it.

For my Amex, I started out the month with a $1,000+ balance due to all of those electronics I had to buy in a short amount of time.  After closing my smartypig account and redirecting those funds to Amex, plus using a bit more money from savings plus paychecks, I'm pleased to report that that balance is shrinking rapidly as well, despite the fact that I'm still using that card to buy gas and other necessities.

So yes, the month of October is working out quite well, but I am saddened that I won't be able to add more to my IRA and send an extra payment to my student loan folks--next month!

I have one confession to make RE: Not Buying Clothes.  I did buy a pair of pants from Target---BUT--- let me explain myself.

1. These are pants that I already own in another color, and I've had those for about six months.  Therefore, I know that they're going to last, and that I like the way they fit over time--that's worth jumping on when the opportunity presents itself.
2. I got them hella on sale.  They were the Target Daily Deal, already marked down to $15 and I had a $5 coupon, plus I got free shipping.  That means I got $10 pants that I know I'm going to like and wear often.  
3. I returned a skirt to ModCloth that I had paid $55 for, so technically I un-spent money on clothes this month despite buying the pants.  I know that's not in keeping with the spirit of not buying, but I couldn't pass up such a swell deal on clothes that I know fit well, hold up, and match a lot of my wardrobe.

I feel slight shame, but I'm still pretty please with how I've resisted (most) temptation.  I also went to Target the other day and discovered that they have a cardigan in the most perfect shade of red that I've been looking for for years!  Plus purple!  But I walked away!  Look at how strong I am!

Nine days left....

Cheaper to Buy Quality?

For a couple years, I've been operating on the principle that by paying a little more for clothes that last upfront, you actually do better than by buying a bunch of cheap clothes that don't wear well. My wardrobe is "classic" enough that my clothes don't (or shouldn't) go out of style, and I'm constantly trying to practice the art of accessorizing. The problem is, I'm still broke enough that even when I invest in good quality pieces, it seems like they still don't last.

I fear I'm being duped by the price tag, and am paying more for equally shoddy clothes.  Perhaps I'm just too fickle to not replace my wardrobe seasonally, but I keep going into the store thinking I need to get a pair of classic dark gray pants, and then the next year, I need new grey pants again.

I do have clothes that I've had for years. The pair of jeans I recently discovered have a hole in the crotch, I've been wearing those for years--long enough to wear a hole in the crotch. So I don't feel like those were a waste of money, I actually wore them out, but there are so many other clothes that I either wear once, then wash and they fit weird, or that just don't hold up like good clothes should, that I feel like I'd be better off just not thinking of clothes as investments.

For example, I do a lot of shopping at Old Navy, and Old Navy clothes have become much better made over the years, but when I became a professional (read: grownup, I guess), I decided to invest in what I thought were good quality clothes that would build my professional wardrobe and I upgraded to Banana Republic. I have very little patience for shopping, and this seemed like a logical next step. Trouble is, these clothes really are not holding up well at all.  Most are dry-clean only, so I haven't even washed them, but they just start to pill and stretch out funny and just don't look as good as something I paid that much for should look.

My new beef is with Victoria's Secret, however, and I am legitimately curious how often other gals replace their bras.  I feel like if I spend $60 for a Biofit® bra, it should last me at least three years.  Turns out, not so much.  Am I just paying for the name?  Does all that space age, NASA technology not really mean anything?  It seems like by the end of a year, the straps are completely stretched out, in fact everything's stretched out.  If my modest chest can wreck a bra in a year, what are the poor, bustier ladies dealing with !?!?!?

Yesterday I went to Target and bought two new bras.  I know I'm not supposed to be spending money on clothes, but I don't count this as clothes.  I got two bras for $30 as opposed to one for $60 and I'm pleased as can be.  In fact, I'm wearing one as I write this and it's the most comfortable bra I've worn recently--and it only cost $14.99!

I'm legitimately torn about this.  Even when shopping at cheaper stores, I do examine the material, seams and other construction elements to see if the item will fall apart after one wearing, but sometimes it's just impossible to know.  Then again, I could be using this as an excuse to buy new things all the time, but I don't think I am.  Has anyone else found a high-end brand that seems to hold up well?  Am I just not going high enough?

Day Ten!

I did a search for ugly clothes--don't want to be tempted!

I don't want to get ahead of myself, but it is officially Day 10 of the month of October, which means it's also Day 10 of me not buying any clothes!  I'm doing it, people!  Just 21 more days to go.

I have to say, what really did it for me was that trip to the mall the day before this challenge started.  Not only did I have a run in with an ugly human being at New York & Company, but I went to Old Navy--with a $10 gift certificate-- and just didn't see anything I wanted at all.  All of the knits looked cheap and 80's (not in a good way), and it seems that cropped sweaters are coming back? Ew ew ew ew ew ew ew--not a fan.

In keeping with my stated guidelines for this challenge, I have stopped checking modcloth daily (and just leaving it open and hitting refresh), I unsubscribed from all emails that want to sell me clothes, and I unliked Old Navy on facebook.

I honestly feel really good--kind of how I imagine a colon cleanse would feel.  I keep going into my closet and discovering new clothes as well.  Just a minute ago, I was culling out some of the free race t-shirts I've gotten over the years but never/ rarely worn, and I found two long sleeved white layering t's that are so old they're discoloring and rotting at the seams.  Why do I have those?  Why keep them?!?!?!  Probably the poor don't even want them, but I'll throw them in the donation bag anyway.  Woot woot!

And now for something completely different.  Today is Columbus Day, which is  ridiculous holiday that I didn't even realize people still celebrated until I moved to Rhode Island.  Apparently, instead of Columbus Day, South Dakotans celebrate Native American day--good job SD.  But because of this horribly offensive and ill-informed day, I get a wee bit o holiday pay, and a day off, so I can't complain about that.

What a dick

Remix: Round Four

This is not quite a full remix, more a tribute to the power of accessories.

This is one of my favorite outfits.  I'm obsessed with horizontal stripes lately, and I think this is a lovely, classic, slightly Parisian look that I am in very real danger of overdoing.  Usually, I pair this emsemble with a red cardigan and call it good, this time I decided to work in an accessory that I've had for a while but haven't worn yet.

Fabulous blue tights!

Every damn morning I go for a run and I see Brown University and RISD students walking around in kick-ass bright tights.  I've had these blue tights for a while, but could just not figure out how to make them work.  I'd try them on with various outfits, but it always ended up looking silly.  Then I worried that I'm too old for bright tights and that this trend has passed me by!  Then I calm down, and try to figure something else out (it's a process)  I'm pretty pleased with the way this turned out, I have to say.

Once I get to work, I'll need to cover up since it's always cold there, so I jettisoned my bright red cardigan for a more subdued gunmetal and added a kicky scarf:

What do you think?  Also, anyone have any other ideas for the bright blue tights, or am I just completely overthinking things?

Taking Steps

As stated in my monthly goals post, I am not going to buy new clothes for the month of October.  Long time readers of this blog may remember that when I make blanket statements like, for instance, February is a No-Buy month, I fail miserably and quickly.  No why bother making these grand pronouncements?  I've got plans, people.

Like any addiction, I'm taking this one day at a time and implementing rules:

1. No checking Modcloth's website several times a day like it's a gossip blog.
2. Unsubscribe from Old Navy emails
3. Whenever I feel the urge to purchase, I will turn instead to my closet FULL of clothes, and remix an outfit.
4. Whenever I feel the urge to approach a store, I will remember "The Ugly Incident" from this past Sunday when I went to the mall to return something to Old Navy (return!), and oh so innocently went into New York & Company just to see what was up.

The Ugly Incident:
New York & Company had a giant sign up in their doorway pronouncing that every shopper who entered the store on that day would get a scratch off card.  Scratching off the card reveals the percentage of savings you get on one item--up to 60%.  I was having a chat with the girl handing out cards when an older woman approached, and completely interrupted us.

"So if this is already 60% off and I get 60% off from you, then this is basically free?"

The sales associate reminded her that she could save up to 60% off, but would have to scratch off the card to find out her savings.

"Oh, so you lied then."

The woman went right from interrupting us, to accusing this poor girl of lying in less than 30 seconds--and she's obviously stupid if she thinks two 60% off coupons means you get 120% off.  I wanted to yell at her, but it wasn't my fight (and the sales associate was doing pretty well without me---go you!).

For the rest of the month, I will remember that stores are full of ugly people and I don't want to be around them.  I purposely went to the mall on a Sunday because I hoped that I would come out irritated and turned off--and it worked!

This also fits in well with my other two goals.  In order to run 100 miles this month, I have to do a lot of running which renders me too tired to shop.  Also, goal number two, Don't be such a spaz, means that I'll be using my downtime in rewarding  and fulfilling ways and will not need to shop to fill a void.  Win/win, everyone's a winner.

Remix: Round Three

I got this dress for $4 at Target about two years ago.

Because it was hella on clearance, I had to take a size large, which is just a wee bit too big, but since it's all loose and flowy, it doesn't matter too much.

I just loved this detail too much to pass it up.  The problem is that this dress has pretty much no coverage on top, and because of the deeps V, I can't even wear a strapless bra with it, meaning I have to go braless.  I do not go braless.  Because of that, this has become my "lying around the house" dress, which works, but seems like a waste since it is so cute.  Now, I am going to try out that whole using a dress as a skirt thing, and I think this is an ideal first candidate.

First I tried wearing the skirt with a navy button-down over it:

Not bad.  The issue here is that because the dress is so large, the belt really pinches it making those gathers which I do not care for. I tried it first with a tighter belt, which was a huge problem, so I also had to settle for the belt with the cut-out shape in the front, which doesn't really disguise the shirt knot that well--that belt had a lot to contain.  Overall, I do not care for it.

I swapped out the button-down for a tank top and cardigan.  The cardigan serves both the purpose of keeping me warm, but also hiding some of the bunching around the waist.  End result:

Much better, I think.  The tank top is thinner, so I feel less bulky overall, and the cardigan handily disguises many of the weird wrinkles.  Add in my pair of brown boots, and we've got some hippie librarian chic!

What do you guys think?

Remix: Round One

I know that Fashion Instruction Legends Stacey and Clinton always urge people to buy pieces that they can then mix and match, but I find that I keep getting hung up what I think of as the One Outfit Thing.  The one outfit thing is where my brain says: That skirt, you wear it with that top, maybe that other one, but no other.  This results in me not only buying the same clothes over and over, but also wearing the same thing all the time.  I have a full closet, so there's no reason for this to happen.  I also have a tendency to just wear the stuff on the top of the pile, and neglect the clothes a couple layers down, but I blame my closet's poor design for this as well as my own laziness.

Does this happen to anyone else?

This fall, I am going to make a serious effort to remix my wardrobe and trick my brain into thinking that I have more clothes than I do.  Hopefully, this will make my existing wardrobe more fun for me and I'll stop buying new outfits.  I'm also quickly realizing that with fall semester comes the "everyone wants a piece of Andria" time of year.  School is starting, which means that I have to teach a whole lotta classes at job #2, and job #1 is going to start giving computer classes in October, which I will also be teaching.  This means extra running around, and extra standing in front of large groups of people, for which I'd like to look good.

I'm going to spend some time trying on outfits, and, in the spirit of Cher Horowitz from the movie Clueless, I'm going to take pictures of them so I remember what I did.  It would be nice to be the type of girl who just opens the closet door and yanks out the perfect outfit, but I have to admit, time has proven that I am not that girl.

For my first trick, I re-evaluated my navy skirt.  I bought it because it's a classic piece, has a great shape, and because it goes with everything.  What I failed to remember is the part about it going with everything!  The first time I wore it, I paired it with a lighter blue sweater, and the result was apparently so pleasing to me that I haven't worn it with any other top since.

Last week I set out to change that.

This is my standard outfit when I wear this skirt:

Cute, right?

Totally comfortable and cute, I'm just sick of wearing it.

Here's the remix:

White polka dots on a dark brown shirt because,
brown goes with navy!  It took me a while to
figure that out, sadly.

This outfit is a double remix because that brown shirt was languishing in my closet, unworn, due to the fact that it had some serious ruffling going on in the front.  It was just too much ruffle.  Then, when I looked at it, I realized that the edges of the ruffle were unfinished, that means I can cut off the offending ruffle without ruining the shirt!  So I did!  Now I have a shirt that I like and will actually wear, and this outfit inspired a man in a tracksuit to say "I like your style."

The goal is to remix at least one outfit per week.  Let's see how I do.  I wish a had a mannequin...

Curse of the Activewear

Fitness is a fashion show--just like life!

I buy a lot of clothes.  I buy too many clothes, and I admit that here often.  I'm working on it, I swear I am, but my brain keeps foiling my plans!

I know that I don't need more skirts.  I know that though I would like more dresses, I don't need them.  And I know that with a little ingenuity, I can create new outfits with the clothes that I already have without spending a penny.  I know all of this.

But then there's the activewear.

When I was in high school, I used to work out in old, worn-out t-shirts.  I had no problem with that because I was either working out in my basement to a Denise Austin aerobics video, or I was in a 6am step aerobics class with a bunch of 40-year-olds.  I had a cute little outfit I wore for physical education class (where I never actually exerted myself enough to sweat), but otherwise I just didn't need much.

Fast forward to the present day, and I'm going to run a 5k next Sunday, and my 9th half marathon the Sunday after that.  I log about 20-25 miles per week depending on my work schedule, so that means that unless I want to do laundry every day (I don't want to do laundry every day), I need to have a good rotation of activewear.  I also now realize the value of having well-made active wear, which means that the old t-shirts don't cut it anymore.

I need clothes that wick so it's not too heavy when I start sweating; I need clothes that don't chafe me (or at least chafe me less); I need clothes that fit well, are long enough, and don't ride up my hips; I need clothes for hot humid summer days and freezing cold winter days.  Basically, it's a lot of stuff that I need.

I've got a good collection going.  I can usually wash my running clothes every other week, depending on how many days I've run.  The problem now is, I would actually like to look cute as well as high-performance, and Old Navy has gotten into the activewear game in a big way.

I used to just go to Target, buy whatever Champion had on sale, and call it good. It's well-made, inexpensive, it  works.  But they don't really have any fun colors so I was wearing nothing but black all the time, which also makes it potentially easier to get hit by a car.  Old Navy, on the other hand, realizes that I not only want to look like a pretty girl instead of a goth girl, but they've come up with a line of running tops that make me look thinner by having built in panels that hold in my fat bits and make me look like I have a waist!  Turns out, I love feeling pretty when I run--who knew?

Tiny Pocket!

Not only do they make me look thinner, but they have tiny pockets where I can stash my running treats and/or lip gloss!  Gah!  At first I bought one of these tops, but then I loved it so much that everything else I already own looks like crap.  Oh, I need some lip gloss!  Nope I'm wearing that crappy, old top that doesn't have a pocket!  I hate my life!  This is what goes on in my head.  So I bought two more, and a jacket, and another pair of shorts.  I also bought a pair of pants, but I'm going to return those. I look like an Old Navy commercial every time I go running, and I will seriously evangelize this activewear to anyone who has the misfortune to ask me about it.


Once again, it seems that this hobby of mine is draining my finances dry.  Yeah I save by not having a gym membership, but perhaps I'm just using "health" and "fitness" as an excuse to buy outfits.

I Think the Insanity Has Stopped...?

I've always found this woman annoying,
while at the same time envying her cheekbones.

I've been hiding from you, my personal finance blog.  I've been hiding my head in the sand of too much online shopping, but I think I've finally come back to earth (just in time to mix metaphors).  I just made a to-do list and it includes:

1. Bring ModCloth returns to Post Office
2. Affix label to other return box from Modcloth and ship
3. Bring Athleta returns to UPS
4. Bring Old Navy return to Old Navy store.
5. Go to grocery store and buy eggs

Frankly, I'm sick of returning things, but I also want my money back for the clothes I don't want to keep, so I have to make all these stops.  Turns out that online shopping can be just as exhausting as going to stores!  Plus, I found out that stupid Athleta lets you print out a "free" return label, but then charges you $6 to return things by mail.  Unfair, I say!

Serves me right for thinking my life is active enough to require a skort.  I don't golf, I don't play tennis, I don't need this skort even though it is purple.  I'm a librarian!  It's a sedentary profession!  The $6 is a penalty fee for my own silliness.

Deep cleansing breath.

My work bender is winding to a close, which should give me more free time, which should make me less petulant and which will give me time to root through my closet and come up with outfit combinations for the falltime.  I need to find a healthier way to act out when I feel like I'm working too much.  Anyone have any suggestions?

Moneywise Monday: Window Shopping--Without the Windows

As I've mentioned before, I tend to buy too many clothes.  What's unusual about my clothes-buying problem (I admit, I have a problem), is that I actually kind of hate shopping.  It gives me a headache most of the time, but sometimes--every now and then, it makes me feel important.  It's kind of like when I used to watch The West Wing in the mornings while having coffee before work.  All I wanted after watching it, was to have a job where I had to walk fast through hallways having smart-sounding conversations.

Give me the file and try to keep up--this is important!

Sadly, at the time, I was working in a call center and was actively discouraged from walking around in an important manner as it prevented me from actually taking calls.  That's another story for another day.

The point is, that sometimes going to stores makes me feel smart and like a gal about town who knows what she wants, and other times it makes me want to curl up in the corner and go to sleep.  Online shopping doesn't make me want to go to sleep, in fact, it's always very cathartic, which is what gets me into trouble.

Fabulous gal about town--this is what I aspire to

I also have a tendency to buy clothes for a life I don't lead.  This has been a problem for years, so I've often seemed oddly over dressed.  Example: When I was in grad school working in my MFA in writing, we had most of our classes from 6:30-9pm.  After class, we would go drinking, because we're writers and that's what writers do. Writers, and grad students, also tend to keep odd hours and frequently look disheveled.  One night I strolled  into class in a nice button-down with a cute sweater, fab pants and killer heels.  My friend MK, who was wearing ripped jeans and a Jem t-shirt, asked "why are you so dressed up?"

I responded with, "Oh, you got a haircut!  It's cute."

And then she told me that she had gotten gum in her hair, left it there for three days, and the stylist had to cut it out.

Why not look fab to go get a coffee?

So I looked a little out of place.

In my current profession, I have to wear clothes that keep me warm in the air-conditioning, are not sexy (because I get hit on by gross old men all the time), and sensible shoes (because I walk all over a building with concrete floors all day).  Naturally, I then buy too many cute dresses that are just a little too sexy for the workplace and are better suited to fancy art gallery events or the theatre.  I tell myself that they will come in handy in "X" situation, but since I work four nights a week, that situation never comes up, and they languish in the closet.

What I've started to do to combat this is ordering things and then returning them.  Sorry, merchants, but this is a way for me to get my fix without going broke.  I spend enough that I get free shipping, try on the clothes in the privacy of my own home, and then return the bulk of them.  Sometimes I wear them around the house for a bit before deciding that they're not for me, or before I can talk myself out of them.  I thrill to see the refunds appear on my credit card statement, and I get the added bonus of kind of cleaning out my closet but actually getting paid for it (in the form of a refund of my own money)!  Of course, I keep the things I really like, but since I'm not in a I'm at a store, must make a decision in this harshly-lit dressing room mode, I actually make better decisions because I feel more in control.

It's all very strange, but it's working pretty well for me.  Anyone else come up with methods to save money on  that one thing you always seem to overspend on?

Not Frugal, Moronic

Hateful capris from Old Navy

This summer, I've been on a quest for a pair of khaki capri pants.  These will be an excellent addition to my wardrobe because:

1. They go with pretty much everything
2. They travel well
3. I can wear them to work

Two bases covered--work and leisure, which means if I can find a decent pair of khaki capris, those who spend a lot of time with me are bound to get very sick of looking at them.  Problem is, I can't find any.

To be fair, I haven't looked super, super hard, but I have sought out all the usual (for me) suspects: Gap, Old Navy, New York & Company, and I looked at H&M and Forever 21.  I've had no luck at all.  The only store that even had khaki capris was Old Navy, and both styles were so terrible I wrote a strongly-worded letter of complaint.  To sum up: they created a muffin top where there had been no muffin top before, and were so low-rise that I could not wear them for fear of booty-flashing.  I am not a large woman, there is no reason to spend money on capris that make me look lumpy and horrible, so I returned them and attacked with my words.

Since that unfortunate incident, I haven't even seen khaki capris pants in stores.  Apparently this year it's all about the walking short.  I already have a pair of those and I can't wear them to work!  I may have to give up the dream.

Then, in one of the frugality blogs I read, someone posted that you can get the above Old Navy khaki capris for a mere $8 instead of $29.99!  I immediately went to the site to figure out how to get these savings.  Then I stopped myself and remembered that these are the worst pants I've ever encountered, and even at $8, they will ruin my life.

Crisis averted, but I certainly feel alarmed.

Is my love of savings so significant that I frequently buy things just for the discount?  Is that why I'm bringing four+ bags of clothes to The Salvation Army this summer?

I'm glad I caught myself, but I wonder if my focused approach to shopping could be fine-tuned even further.  I hate going to stores, but often fall into the online trap.  Anyone have any strategies for how to better deal with these temptations?

Basic Mending

I'm not going to lie, mending is tedious and I kind of hate it BUT mending is a great way to extend the life of your clothes, keep them looking good, and avoid paying other people to do what you can with just a bit of patience. Also, you can do your mending in front of the tv, or while listening to music, audio books, podcasts, etc., and I suggest you do.

I love sewing, I honestly do. I'm not very good at it, but I can whip out a wrap skirt or a pillow in no time flat. I'm not talking about learning a while new skill or creating something from scratch when I say mending, which is exactly why anyone can do this. It's easy, you usually don't need a sewing machine, and like I said, you won't have to pay someone else to do it or replace your clothes.

Everyone, I'm sure, has bought something once upon a time and said "If this just had this, or didn't have that, it would be perfect" "Or, these pants are just a little too long, but I can't pass them up." Then you wear your imperfect garment and realize that it's not as great as you thought, or your too-long pants drag in puddles and look disgusting after a few short months. All of this can be avoided, and it's not even that hard. The fact is that people are shaped drastically differently, and clothing manufacturers cannot design for every body shape/size. If they did, our clothes would cost a lot more. Thankfully, I don't have any crazy unique body issues, just a few quirks, so I've figured out how to fix my own clothes to fit me better.

You do not need a sewing machine to do basic mending, just a few cheap supplies.

Supplies:

Neutral colored thread--I recommend a spool of black, navy, and tan. These are colors that will blend in with most clothes, but if you need different thread, just buy some. A spool of the high-quality stuff only costs $1.50 and it will last forever. I've been sewing since 7th grade and now have a sewing kit I inherited from my grandma, and I've never used up a whole spool of thread.

Good scissors-- If you're just cutting thread, don't buy good scissors; if you want to start hemming clothes, taking things in, etc., buy good scissors. Yes, they can be expensive, but not nearly as expensive as replacing a pair of pants you ruined by hacking at them with your 3-for-$10 scissors from Target. Buy good scissors, and dedicate them to sewing.

Fabric Glue-- Fabric glue is the greatest thing ever. It works perfectly for tiny fixes and tears, you can use it to seal fraying ends, it helps your cuffs sag less--basically it's just the greatest thing ever. Because it's designed for fabric, you can expect it to last through many washings and it's cheap.

Pins--Essential to make your cuffs straight when hemming pants or skirts.

Iron--Essential to make hems look professional and not like something you did while watching Gilmore Girls (even if you totally did). The point of hemming your pants is to tell the world "Hey, my pants/skirt are just the right length for me, I must be magical." Not, "I hemmed my pants--check it out!" I hate ironing too, but you have to do it.

Seam Rippers Rule!

Needles-- Buy a packet of needles, and put them back when you're done using them, or buy a pincushion to keep your needles in. Whatever you do, keep track of those things because you will lose them--I promise, and then you will find them later with either your butt or your foot.

Seam Ripper--This little guy will quickly become your best friend.  Seam rippers cost between $.84 and $2, I suggest you go for the higher end one, but maybe get a little one too.  Seam rippers do exactly what their name says--the rip out seams.  If you try to rip out a seam without a seam ripper, you run the risk of tearing, or of cutting a hole in your own clothes (I've done it).

Up next: Hemming!

Full Disclosure

It's April 15th, and I'm already over $100 over my clothing allowance for the month. I actually doubled my budget because I knew I wouldn't be able to resist new spring clothes, but I've still blown that to hell. I'm alternating between feeling guilty, and being dismissive, but mostly leaning toward guilt.

Right now, I have two large bags of clothes that I'm going to donate to the Salvation Army, and I need to do another pass through my closet. How can I justify spending so much on clothes when I'm getting rid of so many too? Is it that the clothes I buy are poorly made? That my style keeps changing? I'm just fickle?

Maybe I was unrealistic when I set my clothing budget in the first place, but I just really feel like I either buy a lot of clothes, or I buy the wrong clothes, or something's just generally amiss. It's too perplexing.

Does anyone else have a budget category where you consistently overspend? Any suggestions on how to deal with it? The obvious one is to just stop buying so much stuff, but I can't seem to do that.

Most of the clothing that I'm getting rid of either doesn't fit properly, or is a bit worn, but I feel (like in the case of the brown pants) that I should have known better than to buy them in the first place.

Sigh, grumble.