April 2015 Purchases

Considering how busy I was all month, I shopped a lot during April. I mostly blame Lilly for Target and a family wedding that I attended. I won't recap the insanity surrounding the release of the Lilly x Target collection, but rest assured, it was intense. While the release could have been handled better, the goods delivered. In my opinion, this was one of the best Target collaborations thus far in terms of quality and value. Anyway, without further ado, here are this month's keepers.

Lilly Pulitzer for Target shift dress (upstream 2) - This was the only shift dress in the collection that I managed to get my hands on. The quality is actually pretty amazing for the price. The dress is made of a thick cotton material that feels almost quilted. Also the fit is spot on with the dress hugging me like a glove. Love. Originally $38. Paid $38 + 2% off ebates = $37.24.

Lilly Pulitzer for Target crochet tank top (white XS) - This is my favorite Lilly for Target piece. I've been wanting a white lace top for so long, but most of the options I found only had lace on the front. This top features a crocheted lace shell over a white cotton underlayer. It's a little loose in the torso but not too boxy. I like that it's not sheer, which is very rare for white tops. Originally $32. Paid $32 + 2% off ebates = $31.36.

Lilly Pulitzer for Target strapless maxi dress (nosie posey XS) - I wasn't expecting this maxi to be a keeper, but I love the print, and it fits surprisingly small. The length is perfect on my 5' 4" frame. Originally $34. Paid $34 + 2% off ebates = $33.32.

Lilly Pulitzer for Target challis pompom shorts (upstream XS) - These pompom shorts are adorable and pair perfectly with the crochet tank top (as seen in the collection lookbook). They also make great lounge shorts. Originally $24. Paid $24 + 2% off ebates = $23.52.

Gap 1969 Resolution true skinny jeans (medium vintage 26) - All of the pants I bought last month were dark colored, which is great for 9 months out of the year but feel somewhat out of place during the summer. I thought it would be nice to switch things up with a medium blue pair. They're a little high-waisted, which I like. Also they seem to run small, so I went up a size. Originally $69.95. Paid $69.95 + 40% off online + 4% off ebates = $40.29.

Tailoring for my thrifted Ann Taylor dress - As I mentioned in my last post, I thrifted a raw silk Ann Taylor dress for $5 a few years ago, and the recent wedding I attended was the perfect opportunity to wear it. Since the dress was a little baggy on me, I decided to have it tailored. This was the first time I had ever gotten anything tailored, so I had no reference for how the alteration would be done or how much it would cost. The dress had a back zip, so the tailor just took in the extra fabric there and reinserted the zipper, which ended up costing $25 (cheaper than I expected).

Halogen leather wallet on a chain (platinum) - In the course of outfit planning for the wedding, I realized I could really use a small metallic clutch in my bag collection. I was looking for one with a chain that could hold my phone, and this little number from Nordstrom suited my needs perfectly. The platinum saffiano leather is gorgeous, and the bag is much prettier in person than online. In addition to weddings, it could also work for a night out on the town. Originally $98. Paid $58.80 + 6% off ebates = $55.27.

Too Faced semi sweet chocolate bar - Earlier this month, Sephora had a sale for Beauty Insiders. I've been interested in learning more about beauty products and makeup in general, so I thought I would experiment with some new eye products, like a neutral eyeshadow palette. After much research, I decided to pick up one of the Too Faced chocolate bars. I chose the semi sweet version, because there were more dark brown shades in it than the original chocolate bar, which has more light brown shades. Of course both smell mouthwateringly like chocolate. Originally $49. Paid $49 + 10% off at Sephora + 4% off ebates = $42.34.

Sephora Collection retractable waterproof eyeliner (black) - Another thing I was interested in getting from Sephora was a pencil/crayon eyeliner. I haven't used this yet, but it seems like it'll get the job done. The only other eyeliner I own is this liquid one, which I really like for drawing a cat eye. Originally $13. Paid $13 + 10% off at Sephora + 4% off ebates = $11.23.

So this month's total comes to:
RETAIL: $382.95
SPENT: $299.57 (78.2% of MSRP)

My goal for the year is to spend less than $3000, which translates roughly to $250 per month. Right now I'm at $3000 - $327.20 for 2015Q1 - $299.57 = $2373.23, which translates to an average of $296.65 per month for the next 8 months.

As always, I'm linking up with Franish and the other Budgeting Bloggers!

How did you do on your budget this month?

Life Lately

Sorry about being MIA around the blog for most of April. It's just been one thing after another here for the last couple weeks. Two weekends ago, Engineer W and I went to Florida to attend a family wedding. I was just a guest, but he was a groomsmen, so there were lots of events to attend and general running around. The wedding itself went off without a hitch with only a few minor hitches, and it was good to see family members that we otherwise don't see very often.

The ceremony was held outdoors at a serene little park. Unfortunately, it drizzled the whole time, so all of the guests and the wedding party got rained on. Of course, it could have been much worse. Originally the weather forecast predicted thunderstorms, and the chairs were arranged under a cluster of tall trees! Luckily no T-storms arrived, but it was still no fun to sit through 30 minutes of spritzing. The moment they were pronounced man and wife, everyone rushed to get under the nearby tent where the reception was set up.

Here's a picture of what we wore to the wedding. There wasn't really a specified dress code, so I went with casual garden attire. It was the perfect opportunity to wear this raw silk floral Ann Taylor dress that I thrifted from Goodwill a few years ago for $5. It was a little baggy, so I took it to the tailor the week before the wedding and had them reinsert the back zipper for $25. I also wore my "special occasion" metallic Vivs, which got a lot of compliments. The groomsmen were allowed to wear their own suits (as long as they were navy or grey), but the couple got them all matching french cuff shirts and bowties.

Please excuse my hair. The humidity took its toll.

A few days after we got back from the wedding, I came down with a nasty cold. In fact, it was probably one of the worst colds I've had in the last five years. My throat really hurt, I had a horrible wracking cough, and there was even a low-grade fever. It basically took me out of commission until last Wednesday when I finally started to feel better. Since I was out sick for so long, now I've fallen quite behind on research and need to play catch up.

In the midst of my terrible cold was the Lilly Pulitzer for Target launch. In retrospect, I shouldn't have stayed up for the online launch since I was already sick (I had a relapse the next day), but I had been looking forward to the collection for months, and I didn't want to let a cold get in my way. I was able to score much of my wishlist before the website crashed, but the shift dresses were mostly sold out by then. I was bummed about that but was too sick to brave the 8:00am crowds myself the next day, so Engineer W offered to go instead. Sadly, his luck wasn't much better. A huge mob of women descended on the dresses and left only empty racks in their wake.

This was the only thing he snagged in-store. I was just happy that he managed to get anything.

Anyway, so that's what I've been up to this month. How was your April (and your Lilly for Target experience)?

Lilly Pulitzer for Target Wishlist

I'm a big fan of Target designer collaborations. I've been following them since Jason Wu for Target in 2012. Since then, I've taken part in the frenzy surrounding each release numerous times. Even though some of the collections have been poorly executed, I still look forward to each new one!

Target's latest collaboration is with Lilly Pulitzer, who's primarily known for her colorful resort wear. It's going to be released on Sunday, April 19, 2015, and I can't wait to check out some of the stuff in person! I browsed the newly released lookbook, and I see quite a few things I like. In particular, I'm interested in the nosie posey and upstream prints. Here's my wishlist.

(top) Button down shirt in nosie posey, $24; Crochet tank top in white, $32; (bottom) Challis pom pom shorts in upstream, $24

(top) Shift dress in nosie posey, $38 (online only); Challis romper in happy place, $34; (bottom) Shift dress in upstream, $38; Strapless maxi dress in nosie posey, $34

(top) Embroidered clutch in gold, $24; Espadrilles in upstream, $24 (online only); (bottom) Embroidered clutch in nosie posey, $24; Seahorse necklace in gold, $24

Reversible decorative pillow in nosie posey/boardwalk cafe, $25; Ceramic mugs with gold caddy (set of 4), $30

Since I don't have an extra $375 just lying around, I need to narrow down my list a bit more before the actual release. For example, do I really need 3 dresses and 2 clutches? On the other hand, I must have the button-down, crochet tank, and pom pom shorts!

Are you excited about Lilly Pulitzer for Target? What's on your wishlist?