Monday, November 30, 2015

November 2015 Purchases

I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving! My own was very restful. My fiancé and I stayed home, made delicious food, watched The Godfather, and shopped online. Speaking of shopping, this month was a pretty spendy one for me. Luckily I've been under budget all year, so I'm still on track for 2015. Anyway, here's what I bought in November.


J.Crew Nordic parka (navy XXS) - This coat is one of my most expensive purchases ever! That's okay though, because it's one of the warmest parkas available that's still relatively stylish and affordable. My only complaint is that it's very heavy, but overall I love it. (Check out my detailed review here.) Originally $450. Paid $450 + $152.91 off promo + 3% off ebates = $288.18.


Gap flannel shorts (green plaid XS) - Another pair of quality pajamas from Gap. I probably could have waited for these to go on deeper sale, but they're cute and I've already worn them a bunch. Originally $26.95. Paid $26.95 + 40% off + 6% off ebates = $15.20.

J.Crew perfect shirt in Stewart plaid (black 00) - I very rarely buy J.Crew at only 30% off (I consider that to be basically full price), but I was worried that I'd have major regrets if this beauty sold out. It runs small, but I took my usual size, which fit perfectly since I have a straight up and down figure. On a sidenote, I'm so glad J.Crew brought back the perfect shirts! That was one of my biggest complaints in the past few years. The boy shirts they sell just don't work for me. Anyway, I hope they keep this up. Originally $78. Paid $78 + 30% off + 5% off ebates = $51.87.

J.Crew Factory plaid popover shirt in flannel (poppy grove XXS) - A flannel shirt is on my fall/winter wishlist, and this Christmas-y one seems to fit the bill perfectly. I found it true to size, maybe a hair small. Similar to other J.Crew/Factory flannel tops, the flannel is thin but good for layering under sweaters. Originally $69.50. Paid $29.95 + 20% off + 4% off ebates = $23.00.


Urban Decay Naked palette - I've wanted this eyeshadow palette for the longest time but couldn't justify buying it when I already owned the Too Faced Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bar. Ultimately I decided to get it for myself as a reward for submitting my research paper, which was perfect timing since beauty.com was having a 20% off everything friends & family sale. Originally $54. Paid $54 + 20% off + 4% off ebates = $41.47.

Helmut Lang faint sleeveless jersey top (fuchsia P) - This top was my biggest score of the month. I found it in the clearance section of Nordstrom Rack earlier this month during their Clear the Rack sale. I really like the design, which is modest but interesting with the peekaboo cutouts. The fabric is very cool to the touch, which I think would be perfect in the warmer months. We'll see how much wear I actually get out of this top next summer, but luckily it's not too expensive that I'd have major regrets. Originally $265. Paid $29.90 + 25% off = $22.43.

J.Crew Cece metallic ballet flats (metallic platinum 6M) - I don't own the original Ceces, but I have tried them on a few times before. Despite no longer being made in Italy, these new Ceces feel pretty comparable in quality to me. They're a hair tighter in the toebox but still comfortable and true to size. I love the metallic platinum color, a beautiful blend of gold and silver. Originally $135. Paid $115 + 50% off + 5% off ebates = $54.63.

So the total for this month comes to...
RETAIL: $1078.45
SPENT: $496.78 (46.1% of MSRP)

My goal for the year is to spend less than $3000, which equates to $250 per month. Right now I'm at $3000 - $327.20 for 2015Q1 - $801.47 for 2015Q2 - $460.09 for 2015Q3 - $63.85 for October - $496.78 for November = $850.61 for December. My stretch goal is spend less than $2400 this year so that would leave $250.61 for December.


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Here are a few items that didn't work out for me:



1) J.Crew buffalo plaid scarf (ivory) - This scarf was very warm and thick, and the pattern was beautiful. Unfortunately it was also very itchy! I'm normally not sensitive to wool at all, but I couldn't handle how prickly this felt against my neck. Maybe that's just an issue with this colorway though, since one of the online reviews mentioned that the red/blue combo was very soft.

2) Woolrich patrol down parka (deep navy XS) - I really really really wanted this coat to work out.  I bought it for ~$260 on Black Friday from Amazon, and it's without a doubt the single warmest coat I've ever tried (90% goose down/10% goose feather, 650 fill power, real coyote fur trim). However, the torso was quite boxy, and the hood was too small for my big head. Comparing it against my J.Crew Nordic parka, it's much frumpier, which sort of defeats the purpose of me getting a new coat in the first place.

3) I returned the Sorel winter boots I bought last month. I kept having second thoughts about them, which is a surefire sign that they're not right for me. I decided that I wanted a pair of L.L. Bean boots after all, so I contacted L.L. Bean's customer service to ask for suggestions for smaller sized Bean boots. They recommended the kids' boots in size 4, which is supposed to be equivalent to a women's size 6. The kids' boots are rumored to run true to size as opposed to one size large like the women's boots. Unfortunately they're backordered until next April! Oh well, the waiting begins...

As always, I'm linking up with Franish and the other Budgeting BloggersHow did you do on your budget this month?

20 comments:

  1. Great scores! I love your shirts and the parka! I ordered some Bean boots last year and didn't get them until July. LOL. I haven't worn them yet though. They are lined in sheepskin and so they will be brought out when/if it snows around here (Oregon). Anyway, it will be worth the wait! I've always sort of wondered about the Sperry boots that JCrew sells. Have you seen them in real life?

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    1. Your boots sound cozy! Glad to hear it'll be worth the wait since I basically won't be able to wear mine until *next* winter... And hopefully the sizing is right, or else I'll have to reorder!

      I haven't tried on J.Crew's Sperry Shearwater boots, but I have tried on the Sperry Saltwater ones. Personally I felt like the quality of the Saltwater boots wasn't there, and they're just as expensive if not more so than L.L.Bean.

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  2. Cute plaids!! That coat looks awesomely warm and so it's definitely worth the price!

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  3. that coat is amazing - not only did you get such a great deal on it, but you will wear that coat forrreeevvverrrr.

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    1. Thanks! Now I'm really excited about the weather turning colder so I can bust it out! I'm also confident it's the one for me after having tried on a million other puffers.

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  4. That coat is a classic - totally worth the money! I'm really loving that Helmut Lang top though...amazing find!

    www.betweentheracks.com

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    1. Nordstrom Rack has the best stuff, and I got pretty lucky. Sometimes I spot awesome finds there but then have to pass because they're not in my size.

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  5. I still love the hood on the coat you got—the fur is ridiculously awesome (and huge)! I also adore the color of the Ceces you got. Perfect for the holidays!

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    1. I know! I'm completely in love with the hood too, especially the leonine fur trim. My mom says it's too over-the-top, but no such thing, right? ;)

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  6. I love the Stewart plaid shirt! And you were smart -- it is sold out (at least for now). I feel the same way -- a discount code on a full price item usually isn't low enough for me, but now I am feeling those pangs of regret. I see that a lot of my fave bloggers bought it, so I guess I'll get to see everyone else rocking it ;)

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    1. I'm pretty sure it'll pop back! Recently that's been happening a lot on J.Crew's website. Things "sell out" but then come back in all sizes the next day. Not sure what that's about. The top is really gorgeous though, not to be an enabler... ;)

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  7. Too bad about the Woolrich coat, but it does sound like the J. Crew down coat is a good choice, and you got a pretty good discount too. And yay for having a size option on the L.L. Bean boots, though eep, it is such a long wait to get them.

    I've only tried the solid-color J. Crew stretch perfect shirts, but they are actually a fairly ideal button-down fit for me, especially when I was in college. After college, the XS was no longer a perfect fit, but the S were a bit big... At least I don't actually have to wear button downs!

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    1. After having tried on a million other puffers, I can now confidently say that the J.Crew parka is the right coat for me. It really is too bad about the Woolrich coat though! It was great quality but just not what I was looking for.

      You were so smart to order your Bean boots months ago so that you can actually wear them this winter! Oh well, maybe next winter for me...

      I hate when I'm in between sizes. That happens to me fairly frequently with J.Crew slim fit sweaters, like the old Tippi. I actually wear casual button downs pretty frequently, so that's why I was upset when they discontinued my favorite 100% cotton Perfect shirts!

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  8. That parka looks amazing!! I love it and have been searching for an amazing parka for this winter!
    Sophie
    Smitten Sophie

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    1. I highly recommend it, especially on sale! Thanks for stopping by. It's nice to see another female engineer!

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  9. Love the plaid shirt picks! I used to wear them a lot until they were all replaced by my denim shirts heh... I should take them out again this winter!

    Julia || Closet de Jules || Recent Post - J.Crew Icon Trench Coat in Wool Cashmere

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    1. I also have two J.Crew chambray shirts that I wear all the time. Basically I'm just addicted to J.Crew button-downs. Thanks for stopping by!

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  10. I got the same J Crew plaid…you already know about my sizing woos with that one. But I would agree with, the 30% barely makes a dent with J Crew pricing, but this shirt was worth it. Ironically, I also ordered the J Crew plaid you grabbed! I had the same sizing issues but couldn't make that one work so I sent it back. Also have you had J Crew coats before. I'm in Boston so I'm wondering how warm they truly are?
    http://makingrestorations.blogspot.com

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    1. Haha our tastes are so similar! It's too bad that one didn't work out for you, but there will always be another one that fits perfectly down the line.

      Actually I own a bunch of J.Crew coats. Here's a post I wrote last year, cataloging all of them. I would say that none of the wool coats are *that* warm. The warmest one I own is the cocoon coat, which can maybe go down to 30 degrees (with a sweater underneath) but not much more. It also depends on your personal cold tolerance. I hate being cold, so it's possible to wear that coat in lower temps if you tend to run hotter.

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