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Budget? What budget?? - giving online ordering another go

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I am afraid just the thought of budgeting has driven me over the edge, much like a dieter bingeing on a forbidden food!! I am one week into the year and have eaten up $140 ($150 if I buy the satin shorts today) of the 2 month $250 budget. That leaves me essentially SYC for the rest of Jan. if I want to have any money left to play around with in Feb.
But it's not all bad news. I actually filled wardrobe holes instead of buying willy nilly. But I am having to do it all online since I don't have quality in-store options close by. I am becoming one of those 'serial returners' because hardly anything fits, even though I find with the mail order I'm more likely to make allowances for 'almost' in fit. I have to decide if both my boyfriend shorts and Athleta black casual skirt are true keepers or just almosts. I finally went ahead and ordered both a regular and petite top from BR to decide once and for all which I am. This means I know one of them will have to be returned but how else am I going to avoid fit issues in future orders? Sigh - this online fit stuff can be a drag.

Anyway, if they are all keepers I will have filled these holes:

nude bra for strappy summer tanks
white quality v neck ss tee
slouchy boyfriend denim shorts
v neck pullover sweater
black casual seamed pencil skirt
black casual cargo style skirt

Shopping

21 replies

Latest reply was from Mo

Steph

Veteran

I, too, am a serial returner and I often order several sizes or colors of the same item. However, I'm lucky because I have so many stores near me, so I tend to purchase online and then return to the store (which also saves me return shipping costs).

Everything you purchased sounds really useful, so I wouldn't feel guilty at all. (This is exactly why budgeting won't work for me!) Looking forward to you posting pictures when everything arrives.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Follow up: Fit on the boyfriend shorts - cute slouchy or just big? Please be honest.

(ps this is NOT the quality white tee - it is *why* I have a white tee on order!)

Thanks!

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Steph

Veteran

To me, they look okay from the front but are too big in the back. I know that this is an issue with boyfriend shorts in general, so I'm not sure if they are supposed to look that way, but I would prefer something that looks better in the backside.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Thanks Steph. I feel the same but wonder if maybe the denim will soften up and then hang better rather than stick out like cardboard, you know? I am wearing them around the house today to see . . .

kellygirl

Veteran

I don't think they do you justice. I'm not crazy about the cuffing on the bottom--the leg opening looks too big for your slim legs and the big pockets combined with the oversized fit makes you look wider than you are. I think you could definitely do better.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

thanks for your honest feedback Kelly. I am torn. I know this is supposed to be my size since I own a few jeans by this same company and that makes me wonder if I just need to get used to the oversized fit. But then I see exactly what you and Steph see in the mirror and I don't care for the way the hems sit across my legs. Perhaps they are just way too long? Here's the model in them:

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Isabel

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Hi there MO, regarding the budget...the strategy for our budgets ( monthly ) don't match real life. I don't know about you, but except for "my monthly" gift and bills, nothing else works monthly. So I think that it is smart to get what you need or what will make your wardrobe work even if it doesn't match your monthly financial schedule.

Regarding the returns : I think that these stores are expect it. That is why so many charge shipping and returns. These are very often pure profit centers for companies. I am rarely a returner when I store buy, but I often order several sizes in something when I web order. After a while, you will get a really good feeling of what looks good and which brands fit. For example, after many unsuccessful orders from Boden, I now will only buy a sweater from them. Nothing else from them really works on me.

BTW - I agree that the shorts don't do you justice. Don't spend you budget on this !!!!!!

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Isabel, thanks for the input. I am trying to do a clothing budget for the first time ever and am finding my way as I go. I do tend to shop in spurts and as we all know, sometimes things you've been looking for for a while can all appear at once lol. I will try and stay within my 2 month allotment. I think the seamed black skirt is going back ($35) and if I can't get the shorts to work they will be, too ($69). That will put me almost back to square one lol!

And here is one last attempt with the shorts (yes, I can be stubborn sometimes). I rolled them up one more time to better resemble where they hit the model. I like it much better, but is it enough to make them keepers?

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Kim

Veteran

Waayyyyy better rolled up Mo. I'd keep them now, but I wouldn't have before. Funny how one little thing can make such a difference!

I have a pair of ripped up jeans that I am going to turn into boyfriend shorts this summer now, based on yours!

kellygirl

Veteran

A few turn of the hem makes a world of difference! They look much better now. Still on the fence though. Hope others will chime in.

catgirl

Veteran

Mo, these are right up my alley! I am still a firm believer that not everything has to look just so, and sometimes I just like the attitude that certain clothes give off and impart to me. I would put these in that category, allthough I'd just do cut-off Levis!

Isabel

Veteran

I agree that they look much better. What is about them that you want to make work ? What else do you want to buy ? Could the $35 really add to the buying of something else that is fab and more useful ? If the answer is yes, then return. Otherwise, they would be worth keeping to me.

Anonymous

Much better rolled up more but now the roll is rather thick looking, but maybe that's the boyfriend look.

Isabel

Veteran

Mo, just one more thing that worked well for me : if there is something more expensive that you want to work toward, I would suggest putting aside some money out of your clothing budget every month toward it - even $20 a month adds up to $240 at the end of the year for something special. I did that and added to it any "extra" and I was able to buy my Michelle watch one time and another time a very nice, somewhat expensive bag.

Good Luck !!!!

taylor

Veteran

I never have any luck with budgets...!

I like the 2nd photo of the shorts rolled...fits the leg better!

Refugee

Veteran

If you want the cuff to fit just a bit more closely to your leg, I have something that has worked for me. Before you turn the first roll, take a slight vertical pinch of fabric at the bottom hem and fold it over flat against your leg. Hold this in place as you do the first couple of turns. Does that make sense? You may have to try it a couple of times to get the right amount of fabric in the fold.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Thanks, everyone. I think Una put it well with wanting a certain vibe from the fit of them. I know perhaps sleeker shorts would be more figure flattering but I've certainly already done that to death lol. I would like to wear these with cage wedges when I find the right pair, but for now I'll wear my espadrilles and usual sandals. I also think the rolled hem is a bit thick and may look into hemming these an inch or two. But all in all, I think they are keepers now that I can see the shorter hem works better on my leg.
As for the budget, I decided to do it in 2 month installments to allow for ebb and flow in purchases. I just didn't expect such a big flow so quickly I will be returning the skirt and I don't think I'll be picking up the satin bermudas afterall, so I am back to a reasonable level. I'm thinking if I can hold out the rest of the budget for when I find those perfect wedges.

catgirl

Veteran

Mo, this is how I felt about the stupid acid-green pants. I liked the attitude they projected with the boots and poses, sort of like a "tough-girl-in-your-face" sassiness. It was a very visceral reaction. And I totally get these shorts too (though they are not at all comparable to the pants).

You know, I wore slouchy hip-slung pants back when they were not cool, mostly because I liked the boyish feeling of them and not having my midriff squeezed. I bought them in the boy's section. I got a lot of flak from people telling me I looked like a skateboarder or whatever, but I didn't care, because I FELT cool wearing them. And it made sense now that I think about it, since I have no defined waist or booty, so boy pants actually suit me better.

Going with what you love is part of what makes you YOU!

Aida

Veteran

They certainly look better rolled up, but I think part of what makes the fit on the model so good is the fact that she's in 4" heels; I'd suggest trying them in a pair of heels, just to compare. If you make the roll a bit messier, that may also help.

Isabel

Veteran

Mo, this really is the final thing : if you get paid every week, there will 4 months where you get 5 paychecks and if you get paid every other week, then two months of the year you will get 3 paychecks. I used to get paid every other week, so when the months came that I got paid 3 paychecks, I would take half and put it toward my clothing budget and save the other half.

I will now stop stalking this thread !

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Hee hee Isabel, you crack me up! The reality is that right now my budget is 'our' budget, meaning the BF is working and I am not. Back home I work 2 jobs so we take turns earnign our keep. We have plenty to spend but I want to discipline my spending. I have always sort of nickel and dimed my wardrobe together and so now I plan to spend about as much, but smarter