Believe it or not I made it through March without spending a dime. I had to make up for it in April though. I really went to town purchasing 5 pairs of shoes among  a bunch of other things. The best part is that I stayed within my budget of $296 ($100 from April and the rest has been rolled over from March and February).  I also didn't buy anything in May which is making for a healthy budget for June.  The good news is that I found some amazing deals including two pairs of pants for $6 bucks and a bathing suit (both top and bottom) for $6 bucks. Here is what I got.

Clothes

White Blazer from Loft. Retail Price: $109.99. I paid $9.99. A savings of 91%

I have a rule about wearing dresses and skirts out to bars and clubs so I wanted to find some fancy pants that I could wear this spring. I found two pairs of skinnies at H & M for $3 dollars each. Retail Price is $12.95 which is still a good deal but the money I saved can go towards a glass of wine.

I am in desperate need of some work out gear. I am that girl that wears old sweats and t-shirts to the gym. Needing to up my game I found two pairs of Avis Yoga Pants. Retail price for each was $34.00. I paid $10.20 for each which is a savings of 70%.

I first discovered Uniqlo on a trip to Tokyo back in 2006 and I have been addicted ever since. When they came to the states soon thereafter I was beyond excited. So of course I cannot walk by a Uniqlo without going in. This time around a found a great deal on two cotton dresses that are great for the summer. Retail price was 29.90. I paid 12.90 for each for a savings of 57%. I have already wore them both  several times which means I have definitely gotten my money’s worth.  During that trip I also scored a pair of off white skinny cords. Now I know it is way to hot to wear cords right now however at $5.90 which is 85% off the retail price of $39.90 I could not leave them  in the store. Also they are going to be great come the fall.

Finally I scored a bikini top and two bikini bottoms which set me back only $9.00. Total retail for all pieces would have been 27.85 which is still great but I will take the 67% savings and put it towards my next vacation.

Shoes

So I bought 5 pairs of shoes in April. I know it sounds a bit extreme but I got some really great deals. The first pair I found were coach sandals. I found them on consignment for 19.99.

Brown Coach Sandals. Retail price $128.99. I paid $19.99. Savings of 84%

I bought three pairs of sandals at Aldos in Nude, Black and Brown. Retail price for each was $60.00. I paid between $9.99 and $14.99 for each pair. This is a savings of 75% to 83%.

I think I own about 4 pairs of flats and I know realize why. I picked up a pair of Aldo Brown Pointy Flats. Retail Price $50.00. I paid $12.49. Savings of 75% Great deal but sadly after wearing them a few hours I have deemed them uncomfortable. I just cannot do flats.

Other

Some other items that I bought in April was a black cross body bag and a few scarves.

I have been on the hunt for a black cross body bag and I finally found one that I have been wearing non stop since I have bought it (Going on about two months). The bag from coach retails for $168.00 but I paid 59.32 which is a savings of 65%.

I also picked up three scarves at a local discount store which set me back 6.97. With scarves (on the low end) costing around $10 I see this as a savings of 77%

21 Number of items purchased.
$899.44 How much others have paid.
$217.82 How much I paid.
Average Savings: 76%
$178.62 Money left over to add to June’s Budget (This includes the $100 allowance for May)


I have a ton of goals this year that I am very excited about but in order to reach them I have decided that I need to downsize and simplify my life a bit. I am known for being a shopaholic and although I never buy retail and find great deals things add up. The other day I had a Carrie (a la SATC) moment when I looked in my closet and realized that I could probably put a down payment on a house with the amount of money I have spent on clothes and shoes over the last few years.  I decided to hold myself accountable for my shopping by (1) putting myself on a budget; (2) following a 1 in 2 out rule and (3) keeping track of my purchases.  I started out with a budget of 382 bucks this months. That sounds like a lot however most of it was Christmas gifts and credits that I had from returns I made on purchases in December. Here is what I ended up spending my money on this month.  

Of course I could not go a month without buying shoes. I bought 2 1/2.  That is not bad considering. 

I also purchased a ring not pictured here.  The ring retails at 65.99. I paid 35.31. That is a 46% savings. 

So here are my numbers for the month:


5 dresses
3 pairs of shoes (or 2 1/2)
1 ring
732.31 How much others have spent (Retail prices)
179.25 How much I spent
76% How much I saved over retail
203.17 What I will have to roll over for the month of February

Today I am linking up with:

While in Amsterdam we spent a lot of time walking around, taking in the sights and visiting the museums. We also did a little bit of drinking and partying but this is not that type of blog so we will leave those stories for later. One of our favorites stops was the Heineken Museum. I really thought it was going to be cheesy and boring but I actually had a good time. (Maybe the beer that we were drinking had something to do with that).  

I have been fighting the monochromatic trend for a while. It just seems like something that I am going to regret in the future. I ended up succumbing to the trend by accident. It was a very early and dark morning and I could not find my trusty black work blazer for the life of me so I grabbed the first thing I could find and this is what I ended up with. Guess what? I kinda like it. Let's talk about the pieces. The sweater is actually from Forever 21. I used to hate Forever 21 and swore against it. It is still not my fave store to shop but sometimes I am surprised by what they have to offer so it has made it to my approved list. The pants are Theory and can I tell you how I got these pants for $20 bucks. Yup.. They were on clearance for $39 at Lord & Taylor plus an extra 50% off.  You will be surprised what you can find in the clearance rack with a bit of patience. I am pretty sure this outfit cost me about $50 head to toe not including the jewelry. You know I love me a deal. 

Shop the Look:
Sweater: Forever 21. Similar here or here
Top: No Brand. Sorta Kinda Similar here or here
Pants: Theory. Similar here or here
Shoes: Guess. Similar here or here

Today i am linking up with Style Elixir. 

Recently I had an opportunity to visit Amsterdam for the very first time.  When I was packing for my trip I had a hard time trying to figure out what to wear. I have never been to Amsterdam and wanted to be comfy and stylish but not over the top. I decided to keep things casual with a pair of flat Prada boots (that I bought for about $200 at the Saks semi-annual sale this past summer) and my Yankee fitted.  This was my uniform for pretty much my entire trip through Europe. 

Even though I didn't go into it too much one of my New Year's goals is to simplify my life and that includes my wardrobe.  I have way too much crap and instead of making my life easier it is making things harder. I find myself spending hours staring at my closet only to reach for the same black skinnies and knee high boots that I wear everyday. Now I am wondering why do I have all this stuff if I am not even wearing it.  Because of this I am now following a 1 in 2 out rule. For every item of clothing I buy I must donate at least 2 items. So far it has been a challenge but I am going to keep at it for as long as I can.  Not only will it help to me simplify and refine my wardrobe but hopefully someone can benefit from all the barely worn stuff that is just sitting in my closet collecting dust. How are your New Year's goals coming along? What actions are you taking to stick to your goals? 

Shop the Look
Jacket Uniqlo available here. Similar here or here
Scarf No Brand. Similar here or here
Jeans Levis available here. Similar here or here
Boots Prada. Similar here or here. 

We are almost half way through January and I am already getting further and further away from my new years' resolution of buying less shoes. (I have already purchases three pairs.. eekk). For almost a year now I have been looking for a pair of silver pumps and although I had my eye on the ones above from Jimmy Choo I could not reach deep enough in my pocket to spend $600  on a pair of shoes that in my opinion are a bit trendy. I finally found them at the Jimmy Choo outlet in Woodbury and even at half price after trying them on I still could not bring myself to buy them. I decided to try to find an option under $50 that were still a decent quality but were not going to break my budget. Here are a few options that I found. Which ones are your favorite? 

Its award season which is always an exciting time of year for me. I love to see what everyone is wearing on the red carpet so then I can come up with the challenge of trying to find a similar look on a "Poor in a Private Plane" budget. Also with two weddings this year I am hoping for some inspiration to put together some great looks. Last year I posted about a dress that I found  on Asos and was very similar to a dress thatI Amanda Seyfried wore at the Golden Globes. Although I have not documented it I have worn this dress so much over the course of the last year and cannot wait to pull it out again. I even got a version in pink. In celebration of award season I had to share this again. Over the course of the next few weeks I will be sharing more looks and shopping posts inspired by red carpet looks. Stay tuned. 

Image

Shop the Look:
Dress: Asos. Similar here 
Shoes: Christian Louboutin Similar here or here

Today I am linking up with: Fashion Informant and Style Elixir

I really wanted to post some outfit pics this week but the combination of cold and lack of camera left me with less than desirable shots. I decided to post them anyway. We have been experiencing single digit temps for the last few days and that coupled with a fair amount of snow makes it really hard to want to leave the house let alone get dressed. I get so frustrated when every outfit I want to wear is not weather appropriate. Thankfully over the course of the last few years I have invested in cords in all colors. They are warm and definitely give me that pop of color when I am in a bit of a winter style rut. BTW I paid about 15 bucks for these cords from lacoste about two years ago. Definitely a great deal in my book. 

Get the look: 
Pants Lacoste. Similar here or here.
Sweater Necessary Clothing. Similar here or here.
Shoes Christian Louboutin. Similar here or here. 

Having grown up in NYC and not to far from Chinatown I have witnessed the evolution of the counterfeit designer handbag market. When I was in high school me and my friends would head down to Chinatown with about $20 bucks and come back home with the latest Louis Vuitton that we would use to carry our school books on Monday morning. We thought we were sooo cool. Fast forward a few years later (wink) and boy do I know a lot better.  

Recently 20/20 featured a segment on what they called Super Fakes which are fake handbags that can go for upwards of $1200 and look so real that even the experts could be tricked. Now before you rush to Chinatown to score a super fake something everyone should know is that regardless of how good a fake is the purchase of counterfeit goods have been known to support organized crime and other illegal activity. This is the number 1 reason why you will not catch me purchasing a counterfeit handbag EVER. I may be poor in a private plane but I refuse to support illegal activity.   Outside of waiting for Saks semi-annual sale I have found a way to get that real designer bag at a not so designer price. 

Tip 1: Shop Consignment
Consignment stores are gaining more and more popularity and are a great place to find designer goods at not so designer prices.  Grant it you will still pay for the quality but not nearly as much as you would if you went to Saks.  Before buying at a consignment store do your research. Find out about the authentication process as well as any authenticity guarantees they may offer. You can usually find new or gently used pieces anywhere from 20-70% retail.  Some of my favorites in New York City are Second Time Around and Roundabout Resale .

Tip 2: Shop Online
But be very very careful. I am deathly afraid of shopping for designer goods on ebay however there are some reputable sellers out there. Just do your research so you don't end up paying good money for a fake.  My favorite online consignment shop is Yoogi's Closet. 

Tip 3: Shop your friend of a friend of a friend's closet. 
You will be surprise what you may find if you ask around. If you have your eye on a comment handbag such as a LV Speedy for example do not be afraid to ask around. You may find a friend of a friend that has one that she doesn't use anymore and can use the extra cash. 

Tip 4: Hit up Grandma's Closet
Grandma was once young and hip (or might very well still be) so you will be surprised what kind of gems are hidden in her closet. One of my friends came home with some vintage chanel last time she was home. SCORE. You never know. 

Here in NYC and the northeast we are headed into the most brutal months of the winter. The bitter cold combined with the snow, wind and rain makes for a very unpleasant time in NYC. Mind you this is coming from someone that loves the cold and a little bit of snow. This weather always puts me in a bit of a style rut so I decided to find some pieces under $50 that will help to keep me warm and stylish at the same time.