Let’s be real, when it comes to wisely spending my money I teeter on that budget life vs. quality over quantity.
I believe in quality that lasts over quantity when it comes to the pieces I buy, which is why I really don’t spend my money on places like Forever 21 or Target- not because I am above that… like at all. I had to close my eyes at the cute dresses at Target right now when I was there a couple days ago! But because when it comes to wisely spending my monthly budget for clothes to share with you guys I would rather share things I believe are truly worth your money that will last rather than cute dresses or tops that will be done for in 6 months. Make sense? If I had money to toss around, I would buy cute pieces that are going to die on me quickly. But, I actually believe in spending more so you have to buy less often. I certainly live on a budget, and thanks to my husband who is way better with money than I am, we know where every penny we have is going each month. But with my closet, I tend to have more expensive taste and with that also means I have a closet of quality items I truly LOVE and know I can walk in and put together a look in seconds that I will feel 100 in.
Things I rarely skimp on…
Jeans: I spend money on quality denim, then I know no matter what I pair them with it will look good and -most importantly- they will last. I have had the same go-to Madewell denim for two years, y’all. TWO YEARS. Worth the $130 I spent on them.
Shoes: I spend good money on anything versatile that I will get a lot of wear out of. For example, these wrap-up nude heels from Steve Madden have lasted me 3 years. Worth every $$ I spent on them.
Here is a very similar pair:
Basics: This white peplum tee from Landry Kate is a basic I can dress a million different ways, so though a bit more $$ for a white tee, it’s worth every dollar for you to get. I literally have worn in 3 completely different ways in the matter of a week before. You can see more of my “worth it” basics buys here.
When it comes to fun pieces, I will spend moderately on them if it’s something I can dress a variety of ways. This blush bomber jacket is an example of a piece I can dress up, like here with a peplum tee and heels, or down with my workout clothes on my way back from Pure Barre. But then on the flip side of cost, I just bought a very girly and frilly top specifically for Valentines Day that looks expensive but was only $27 from ASOS. I will wear it for more than just Valentines Day, I am sure, but it’s certainly not an every day item I would spend $$$ on.
My jacket is sold out, but here are similar ones and the top from ASOS:
You following my logic?
All in all, I am more inclined to have a wardrobe of 20 quality and versatile pieces I can interchange for 40+ outfits I LOVE rather than a closet stocked full of cheap pieces that will die out on me in 6 months. This past month I spent my budget on shoes, because I knew I needed some but I spent a week thinking through my outfits for the upcoming season and what’s in my closet in order to come to the conclusion I need a pair of flats and a pair of fancy sneakers I can dress up or down. Literally, A WEEK of thinking through my money and what different stores had to make the best choice for my budget without skimping on quality. I found a pair of flats that I would call moderately priced ($60) that look like a pair of $600 flats by Chloe. As for fancy sneakers I can dress up or down, I found these platform tennis shoes on sale for $35. (SAY WHAAAAA) Because they were on sale, I was able to do both. Bonus, if dropping $130 on a pair of jeans just isn’t in the books for you right now- I get it!- I found this pair of jeans to try out for you from Nordstrom for less than $50 that fit like a glove. They were SO surprising! SUCH a good buy for denim that feels like a million bucks. I cannot, however, speak yet to how long they last. Give me 6 months of wearing them and I will check back in for you on that.
My make-up routine- another thing I don’t skimp on:
xoxo, Han
All photos by Cottonwood Road Photography for The Cake by Hannah
Leave a Reply