Here are two dress styles that have been repeated season after season, and for good reason. They fit well, feel comfortable, and look good.  

• Nicole Miller Stretch Linen Sleeveless Tucked Dress: I used to think that Theory made the best sleeveless sheath dresses, but after I bought this dress in turquoise a few years ago, Nicole Miller deserves the accolade. It’s made of thick stretchy linen-viscose-spandex that drapes against the body without too much cling. The front and back tuck and ruching details make it more interesting, and forgiving, than a plain sheath. A great length! It’s available at Nordstrom in navy. 
• Rachel Pally Plus Size Knee-Length Printed Caftan Dress: Over the years, this dress has been available in solids and patterns. I’m blown away each time one of my plus size clients pops it on. Bohemian Elegance. Petites will need to have the length shortened because between the shape of the sleeves and the volume on the skirt, it is “a lot of dress”. But the back tie reins in the volume, while the cropped long sleeve and V-neckline add structure to the silhouette. Easy, breezy with just the right amount of chic tailoring. 

Both frocks can be dressed up or down with the right support act. I like to wear this sheath dress with a bomber jacket at the moment. It’s been a fun way to refresh its style.

In the first post in the series on style and budget, I covered how to find that magic budgetary number that usually falls between three and ten percent of your family’s annual net income. But what should fall into your wardrobe budget? And how do you divide up your budget among all of your wardrobe wants?

My own budget tended toward the higher side (seven percent), even though my wardrobe is complete. That’s because I include clothing for our family of four in the budget, and also because I decided that if an item is part of my appearance, it gets lumped into the wardrobe budget — whether it’s facials, make-up, sunscreen or hair. You might decide to break your budget into different categories, and that’s fine too!

Here is a set of wardrobe budget categories that can serve as a starting point. The order reflects my views on relative priorities. 

1. Clothing, Footwear and Accessories

The bulk of my budget is set aside for clothing, footwear, handbags, belts, scarves and the occasional pair of earrings, bracelet or necklace. My goal is to update my wardrobe seasonally by incorporating trends that appeal (a navy dress, full skirt and pantsuit are on my current list). This is the fun component of my budget, full of items I’m excited to shop for, and it makes up about 60 percent of the total.

2. Hair 

My hair is next in my priority list. If my hair doesn’t look good, I don’t look good, and nothing I wear can change that! With my wardrobe complete, this stage of my style journey is about fine-tuning and adjusting to incorporate trends I admire. It’s fun to evolve my cut and color. So, I include a trip to the salon for cut and color every six weeks (don’t forget to include tips in your budget!). I include “hair” in my wardrobe budget, but you could easily pop this item into “health” or “grooming”.

3. Eyewear

If you wear glasses (or “specs”, as Angie says), they are a key accessory. If I wore specs, they would be right at the top of the list with my hair. After all, specs are on your face every day! I wear contacts, and I do not include these in my wardrobe budget only because they do not feel like a style item. Instead, they go into “health/medical” expenses. 

4. Grooming 

Grooming appointments have a place in my wardrobe budget too, although a few notches lower than hair. Manicures, pedicures, facials, waxes — they’re all part of the style package. I budget for a monthly manicure, a bimonthly pedicure and the occasional eyebrow wax. However, in a pinch, I can do my own nails. As I get older, I might explore microdermabrasion, Botox and regular massages. Angie budgets for monthly facials outside of her monthly wardrobe budget, and I’m also thinking about making “grooming” a separate budget all of its own!

5. Beauty Products 

These products are fun to buy, and wow, can they ever add up! I include them in my wardrobe budget because they are an essential part of my daily appearance, but you might put them into a separate category, such as “health and beauty”. Even as someone who only purchases the basics, I find myself spending $100 every few months for facial lotion with a good SPF, eye cream, mascara, foundation, lipstick or blush. If you love beauty products, the sky could be the limit on the possible expense in this category. 

6. Alterations

To me, alterations are part of the cost of the wardrobe item, and I would love to hear if you budget for alterations the same way. If I can’t wear a leather jacket without shortening the sleeves, then I add the alteration cost as part of the item’s total cost when purchasing. Part of the reason I decided to get a Nordstrom Card was the fact that they included $200 in alterations annually as part of the deal!

7. Wardrobe Basics

Wardrobe basics are things like underwear, bras, camisoles, sleepwear, loungewear, socks and hosiery, all of which have a place in my wardrobe budget, and I try to purchase them on sale each summer at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. They are a relatively small line item, so I don’t mind including them in my wardrobe budget. I know that others, Angie included, don’t include wardrobe basics in a wardrobe budget. 

8. Gear 

Are you a runner? Swimmer? Camper or hiker? Then your gear will get a workout each year, and it’s smart to include it as a separate component of your budget. I practice yoga and run, and each year, I plan for a new pair of running shoes, a couple sports bras and two new yoga tanks and pants. Every other year, I budget for a new swimsuit and cover-up. Like wardrobe basics, gear isn’t a large line item, but I’ve found that having a new outfit can do wonders for my workout motivation! If you decide to pop “wardrobe basics” into a separate budget, you might also include “gear”.

What goes into your wardrobe budget? How do you prioritize amongst the components?

If you fancy a fun evening watching innovative designs glide down the runway, join Greg and me on Saturday night (April 13th) at the New York Fashion Academy in Ballard, Seattle. Students enrolled in the NYFA’s Certificate Program of Mastery in Fashion Design and Construction will be presenting their 9th annual fashion show. The students are responsible for “garment design and construction, model selection, hair and make-up styling, music, choreography, and all other elements of the show”.

Here are the ten designers who will be showing collections:

• Cory Ellen Boberg 
• Rachel Farquharson 
• Melody Hirsch 
• Marcella Kelly 
• Joe Madsen 
• Tom Ordonio 
• Marisa Rockett 
• Janis Sanders 
• Jen Tominaga 
• Erin Weathers

The show will be held at the New York Fashion Academy, 5201 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle. You can purchase tickets at the door, or at brownpapertickets ahead of time. We’re excited to support local talent and will be there with camera and iPhone in hand.

The short answer is YES! And by boots I mean booties, shooties, mid-calf boots and knee-high boots. When to stop wearing boots comes up on our forum every year, and each time I suggest the same thing: weather permitting and if you’re comfortable with the coverage, wear any style of boot year round. Gone are the days when there are cut off points that define when it is and when it isn’t stylish to wear boots. 

In fact, mid-calf boots, booties and shooties have become as fashionable and on trend to wear in Spring and Summer as the quintessential sandal. Especially with shorts, short shorts and minis in warmer temperatures. Over the last few years, retailers have been selling women’s boots year round because there is a market for it. These are new stock Spring and Summer boots and not remnants of Winter collections on deep discount. Spring boots, and Summer boots for that matter, make sense for four important reasons, which I’ll recap here: 

• Spring and Summers can be chilly, making boots a practical solution.
• Everyone has a different inner thermostat.
• Inside temperatures can be frigid.
• Boots are comfortable.

That said, there are ways to make outfits with boots look more Spring-like so that your style feels refreshed going from Winter into Spring. 

• Wear boots with bare legs, or achieve the bare leg look with nude hose.
• Wear light coloured boots in shades of white, dove grey or taupe.
• Wear bright, pastel or metallic boots.
• Wear perforated styles, peep-toe boots, or boots with cutout detailing.
• Wear boots with white clothing, either on the top or bottom, or both.
• Wear booties with skirts and dresses that have shorter hemlines.
• Wear boots or booties with shorts.

Here in Seattle it’s cool enough to wear boots virtually year round. I end up doing so for nine months of the year. I wear light coloured, knee-high boots and booties in the Spring with trousers, jeans, skirts, long shorts and dresses to keep my feet warm and comfortable. I wear them with or without nude hose when exposing my legs. I try not to wear boots at all in June, July and August, just to change things up. But I often wish I were wearing them indoors in arctic air conditioning. 

Over to you. Do you wear boots in the Spring?