Office Style for Less with ShopAtHome.com

Happy Wednesday, friends! I have a fun guest post for you today! I have invited Brittany Anas from ShopAtHome to talk about how to look like a million bucks at the office without breaking the bank! You all know that I love to shop, but you also know that I love to shop smart. I don't like to pay full price, so I am always on the look out for ways to save. The problem is, I just don't have a lot of time to dig for deals. I am excited to have Brittany here today to share her tips! I hope you enjoy!

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How to look like a million bucks at the office – for much less than a week’s pay

By Brittany Anas

When I first started working for a daily newspaper, I asked an editor about the “office dress code.” The response? “Um, try to dress a little bit better than that guy.” That guy was the sports editor. Who was wearing flip-flops, a tank top and faded cargo shorts. 

Where were the fedoras? The guys wearing suspenders? My Hollywood-ized idea of what a newsroom looked like totally fell flat. 

You can definitely tell the difference between the newspaper reporters and the broadcast news reporters at the scene of any story. Seriously, while waiting around for a news conference once, I asked a broadcast news guy how he got his foundation to blend so nicely with his neckline. 

But no matter where you work – and even if the dress code is lax – it’s best to look like a polished professional and put your best face – and style – forward. (Read: More like broadcast, less like newsroom). 

As a higher education reporter, I keep my closet divided into two sections: outfits and shoes comfy enough to walk around campus in and that – hopefully – won’t get me called “ma’am” and more conservative dresses and suits that can take me to budget meetings, the state Capitol and the courthouse. 

Here’s a few ways you can look like a million bucks at work – without blowing your whole paycheck on your wardrobe. When you use ShopAtHome.com, you’ll get Cash Back on your online purchases at your favorite stores – and who doesn’t like an extra paycheck every now and then?

Creative office

Some rules still apply. No flip-flops, no letting your bra straps play peek-a-boo, no dressing like a sports editor. 

This fall, women’s shoes are borrowing styles from the boys, with masculine plaids juxtaposed with more feminine patent leather. I’m also spotting quilted patterns on everything from purses to pencil skirt pockets. (I found a white and black version from The Limited for $69.90 – plus Cash Back from ShopAtHome.com). Some of my fave stores for work clothes – The Limited, Ann Taylor and Banana Republic – often hold flash sales, discounting full-price apparel by up to 50 percent, but for a limited time only. When you install the ShopAtHome.com toolbar, you’ll be alerted to the sales, which you can couple with additional Cash Back. 

I also am loving a good, classic satchel for fall and found one that’s on sale for $29 at Dorothy Perkins. The black stone earrings (which could add a lil’ edge to any outfit) are on sale at Pink Mascara, a fun boutique that will give you 15 percent off your first purchase in exchange for your e-mail address, and where you can earn another 5 percent Cash Back from ShopAtHome.com.

Conservative office

To make your more conservative suits and dresses feel “in the moment,” invest in classic and neutral pieces and update them every year with more affordable accessories. I shopped Banana Republic and Ann Taylor (both stores that offer Cash Back at ShopAtHome.com) to find some fall accessories that will add an instant update to your dresses. Cardigans and new hosiery are also a great way to give an affordable boost to your work wardrobe.

The runways have been showing shades of green – and I love this hunter green satchel from Banana Republic. This scarf in neutral colors can add interest to a blazer and button-up combo or be tied to a purse to pop some pattern into your outfit. For offices with stricter dress codes, I like close-toed shoes and more delicate jewelry – like the deco-inspired necklace from Ann Taylor.

Brittany Anas writes for ShopAtHome.com (www.ShopAtHome.com)
Photos created using Polyvore

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She had me at "cash back." Who doesn't love that? 

I am always looking for inspiration to update my work wardrobe, and I am loving Brittany's picks for fall. I will definitely be doing some shopping with ShopAtHome! What about you? Shop our favorite stores, save money and earn cash back? No brainer for us budget fashionistas!

Thanks, Brittany, for sharing your tips with Everyday Fashion and Finance!

Creating a Budget You Can Stick To

The first rule to shopping on a budget is to create a budget. You can't shop on a budget if you don't actually have a budget. I know, you're thinking, "Duh, Meghan!" Well, I have always considered myself a girl on a budget, but there used to be a time when if asked what my shopping budget was, I couldn't give you a number. I know I am not alone.

I have talked before about a couple of my other budget shopping tips - the price per wear rule and the 70/30 rule.  But, today we are going to step back and briefly cover step number one - creating a budget.  I know for some of you the concept of working with numbers and money is scary or daunting, but it doesn't have to be. Creating a good budget that you can stick to can be easy!

1. Determine your fixed costs - Sit down with all of your monthly bills and figure out your monthly fixed costs going out the door. Fixed costs are items that don't vary month to month, like your mortgage/rent, car payment, insurance, utilities, etc. Microsoft Excel offers free budget templates that you can use to easily drop this information in, along with your monthly income (use your net pay), and start your budget.

2. Evaluate your spending - For at least one month, track every penny that you spend. This is the only way you will truly know how much you are spending. It will also help you create an accurate budget and maintain it. Without an accurate budget, you are much more likely to fail when it comes to sticking to it. This may seem like a lot of work, but it's not. If you are good with Excel, you can simply download your debit/credit card activity into Excel and group and sort items into categories. Even easier, use a money management website like Learnvest or Mint. I prefer Learnvest, but Mint is also great (I will be reviewing both in a later post). With both sites you simply link your account information, and it does all the work for you. I should also mention that they are FREE. You may think you know exactly where your money goes, but even those little purchases, like daily trips to Starbucks, add up over time. Tracking your spending and using a site like Learnvest or Mint allows you to determine where you can cut back in the following months and also gives you an accurate picture of how much you really need to budget for groceries, etc. Justin and I were shocked when we first started tracking our spending. The amount of money we spent on food and entertainment was ridiculous! We have since cut that in half, and I don't even really feel it!

3. Set goals for how much you can save each month - Now that you know your fixed and variable expenses, you need to prioritize your savings. The general rule of thumb is that you should save 10% of your gross pay; however, not everyone may be able to do that, so we need to just save what we can. Choose how you want to prioritize between saving for an emergency fund (six months to a year of expenses), retirement (if you do not have a plan provided by your employer), education (if you have children) and big purchases, such as a down payment on a house, a new car, a vacation or maybe that Tory Burch handbag you've had your eye on. Since you have been tracking your spending, you can also identify areas where you might be able to cut back in order to meet your savings goals.

4. Set up a complete budget - Now, you have all of the key pieces to set up your budget. You can do this using an Excel template or you can also do this using a money management site like Learnvest. Money management sites or software can get rid of some of the grief with their built-in budget-making tools. They create the budget for you!

5. Keep tracking - The best way to maintain your budget is to keep tracking your spending. Using a site like Learnvest or Mint makes it painless. By continuing to track your spending, you are making sure you are staying within your set guidelines. It is also interesting to see how your spending fluctuates each month, and it allows you to make proactive adjustments when necessary, rather than reactive.

6. Set up separate accounts - There are mixed opinions on this, but this is something that has really worked for Justin and me. We have a separate "Bill Pay" checking account where we transfer money to cover all of our fixed expenses each month, plus some cushion. All of our bills are automatically paid out of this account, and we never have to worry about not being able to cover them. We also have multiple savings accounts (such as a "Vacation Fund" and a "Lake House Fund"), where we move a set amount of money to each pay check to save for specific things. When we were engaged, we had the "Wedding Fund." Sure, we have to take some time moving money around each paycheck, but it makes it easy for us to stick to our budget and also appropriately save for practical AND fun things. Once all the appropriate funds are transferred to their accounts, what is left goes to our accounts that are linked to our debit cards (we each have our own), and that is our discretionary spending money! This method really works for us, and makes it easy to manage discretionary spending. Be sure to work with your bank to make sure you aren't paying additional fees for each account.

Tell me - do you have a budget that you maintain? Do you currently track your spending? 

What advice or tips do you have?

Linking up with Coffee Beans & Bobby Pins and FACE it Catalog

Guest Blogger - Renee from Style with a Story

Hello! I'm Renee, and I blog over at Style with a Story. I'm so happy to be guest blogging at Everyday Fashion and Finance while Meghan is having the time of her life in Ireland and Scotland (I'm so jealous!). I've been a huge fan of Meghan's blog since the first day. Like me, Meghan is a fashionista on a budget and has incredible tips on saving money, getting the look for less and recognizing splurge worthy classics. I love knowing that I'm not the only budget conscience fashionista out there...all of us gals on a budget need to stick together! I have found so many deals and steals from Meghan and others who share their secrets and finds:)

I always say that you don't have to spend a fortune to look like a million bucks- and I am a firm believer in that!

Recently, Meghan did a post on finding the J.Crew look for less at Old Navy. See this post for the details. I was amazed at what a great look-a-like Old Navy produced, but the best part was the price!

Regarding Meghan's price per wear rule, it was not worth it for me to spend $150 on the J.Crew Liberty shirt, but it was absolutely worth spending $25 at Old Navy!  I decided to steal rather than splurge on this item.

Here's how I styled it:

Outfit Details

Old Navy Floral Shirt // Gap Yellow Cardigan // J.Crew Jeans

Steve Madden Flats - sold out, but loving these // J.Crew Factory Pearls

J.Crew Factory Bracelet // Bakelite bangles from an old antique shop

Earrings - old, but similar style at J.Crew Factory

The 70/30 Rule

I have been evaluating my closet a lot lately. In December, I cleaned out my closet and got rid of items that I no longer wore or that no longer fit. I had bags upon bags of clothes. In hindsight, I should have put some of those items up on Poshmark and made some cash, but I was happy to donate it all. It really got me thinking though...when I clean out my closet those couple of times per year, I shouldn't have bags upon bags of things to get rid of.  Even though I have gotten better at shopping for myself and focusing more on classic and timeless items, I guess I still have some work to do.

On Monday, I shared with you my price per wear tip (see post here) for when you're faced with the "should I buy this?" dilemma (this applies to both the splurge and the steal, by the way).  Another rule I am trying to apply to my own closet is the 70/30 rule: 70% of your closet should be classic pieces and 30% should be trendy pieces. Try to save on trendy pieces because they have a short closet lifespan. Purchase these items for less at H&M, Target, Forever 21, Old Navy, Asos and Etsy (for jewelry). Splurge a little or go designer on classic pieces such as handbags, coats/blazers, regular denim, timeless sweaters, certain shoes and certain pieces of jewelry. My favorite places to splurge on classic pieces are J.Crew, Tory Burch, Kate Spade, Michael Kors, and Marc Jacobs. I also like to incorporate more affordable, yet still classic pieces from places like Loft, Banana Republic and Gap. Follow the sales, and you can most always get the classic investment pieces you want at a discount. And guess what? You will find that you wear those pieces the most and longer, bringing the price per wear down considerably and getting you the most bang for your buck!  I love how these rules interact!

Here are some of my favorite classic pieces worth the splurge:

 J.Crew Schoolboy Blazer / Banana Republic Fitted Shirt / J.Crew Tippi Sweater / J.Crew Pearl Necklace / J.Crew Pencil Skirt / Banana Republic Trench Coat / Tory Burch Boots / Kate Spade Gold Coast Meadow / Tory Burch Caroline Flats / Tory Burch Shelby Ballet Flat / Marc by Marc Jacobs Watch / Tory Burch Robinson Tote / J.Crew Pearl Studs

I still have some work to do to apply the 70/30 rule to my closet, but I think I am getting there. I try to be very conscious of this rule when shopping, while also applying the price per wear tactic. If only 30% of your closet consists of trendy items, then you're getting rid of less and saving money! Plus, you also have some great classic pieces that will stand the test of time. Pretty ideal for the girl on a budget, if you ask me.

What about you? Do you think your closet meets the 70/30 rule? Do you think you'll try to apply it? Let me know!

The J.Crew Look for Less, Part Three

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a great weekend! I have had a few requests for more J.Crew Look for Less posts and more Etsy finds, so this post will feature a little of each.  Going forward, I plan to make these once per month features. If you have not seen Part 1 and Part 2, be sure to check them out! I've also included one of my new go-to budget shopping tips below for when you are faced with the splurge vs. steal dilemma.

J.Crew Liberty Perfect Shirt in Margaret Annie Floral / Old Navy Lightweight Patterned Shirt

These two shirts are very, very similar in pattern and in color.  The big difference between the two is the PRICE. At the time of this post, the Old Navy shirt costs 84% less than the J.Crew version. Now, I know the J.Crew shirt is higher quality, but the quality of the Old Navy shirt is nice as well. The colors are vibrant, and the weight of the cotton is decent and not flimsy. If you're still undecided, one of my go-to budget shopping tips is to determine the price per wear. Think about how often you will wear the item. For instance, if the $150 J.Crew shirt is worn 20 times, then its price per wear is $7.50, which is pretty high. Is it worth it? Determining the price per wear is a new tactic for me. I think it's important to consider because we often focus only on the price of an item, which leads to impulse purchases because something "is such a good deal" or "so cheap." Our judgment is often clouded, and we don't consider how often we will actually wear the item, which then results in a closet filled with clothes barely worn. Been there, done that. For me, I know I wouldn't wear the J.Crew shirt enough to make the purchase worth it. I also know I'd probably layer it with sweaters and blazers, so purchasing the Old Navy version would work for me. 

Next up - I am sure many of you have seen the J.Crew pavé heart bracelet. A couple of weeks ago, reader Victoria B. emailed me with a version she found on Etsy for significantly less. Such a great find, so of course I wanted to blog about it! Shortly after that, my friend and fellow blogger, Renee at Style with a Story, posted a photo on Instagram of her look for less pavé heart bracelet that she recently purchased on Etsy for $100 less than the J.Crew version! As you know, I love to find a budget-friendly solution, and now, I've found two! Renee was kind enough to provide us with a review of her bracelet - see below.

(Left) J.Crew Pavé Heart Bracelet (photo credit: J.Crew)
(Right) HauteandSoul1 Gold Pavé Heart Bracelet via Etsy (photo credit: Instagram @reneestern)

"I was thrilled to receive my J.Crew look-a-like from the Etsy shop Haute and Soul1. It has five beautifully crafted pavé hearts on a chain link bracelet. The sparkles will be sure to catch everyone's eye!  It also includes a chain extender, so you can fit it to your wrist no matter the size. If you'd like the J.Crew look, but are living on a budget, this is the perfect solution!" --Renee, Style with a Story

You can check out Victoria's similar find at Apple of My Eye Jewelry on Etsy. Also, don't forget to check out Renee's blog, Style with a Story! It is one of my daily reads, and Renee has great style! Thank you, Renee, for the review!

What do you think of the looks for less above? Will you consider the price per wear when you're shopping?  It really works if you apply it. I challenge you to determine what your price per wear goal is and see if you can stick to it. Then, come back and tell me how it's going!

Have a great start to the week!

Recent Purchases and Introducing "The Shelf"

I have been stocking up for spring over the past couple of months (it's amazing how soon we start buying for spring) and noticed that my purchases seem to mostly fall within two color combinations: coral/mint and black/white. These colors are going to be undeniably popular for the upcoming season, but I have always gravitated towards coral and black and white, so it is no surprise that my spring wardrobe will feature these colors. Mint is a new color for me, but, like many others, I cannot get enough of it! I thought I would share with you some of my recent coral and mint purchases, as well as some other items I am loving and my new favorite online shopping tool that will help you save money. Yes, you read correctly - shopping tool and saving money in the same sentence! (Spoiler Alert!! There are a couple J.Crew final sale jewelry steals featured at the end of the post that will definitely be gone fast - don't miss them!!)

I got the majority of my recent purchases at 35% off or more. Of course, I get the emails from my favorite places, so I know when there are sales, but the challenge has always been finding all of the items I was interested once a great sale started. Then, I found The Shelf. The Shelf is one of those things that once you hear about it, you think, why didn't I think of that? It is a brilliant idea, really, but also such a simple concept. You tell The Shelf what items you want and what price you want to get them at, and it takes care of the rest. You can install a "Shelf-it" button on your browser to bookmark items to your "shelf" from any website, just like Pinterest, to keep track of things you like. The Shelf will provide you with item stats like current price, amount of savings, promo codes, and even a historical price chart. Even better, you can set up price alerts for them items you want at the price you are willing to pay. Maybe you don't want to get that crazy, so you can also just use The Shelf as a place to view all running promotions (filter by stores you care about) or just save all the items you like in one place.  You can also share your shelves with friends and family - perfect for birthday and Christmas gifts. Brilliant, right? Such a great tool for the budget fashionista!

Anyway, onto some of my recent purchases!

Recent Purchases - Coral and Mint

{1} Loft - Pink Flower Earrings - purchased 50% off
{2} Loft - Color Pop Super Skinny Jeans (in coral flame & sea glass) - purchased 50% off
and Target - Merona Lattice Print wallet (mint color sold in stores, not available online)
{3} J.Crew Factory Printed Pencil Skirt - vibrant coral print in store only - currently on sale for $30!
{4} Loft - Marisa Straight Leg Pants in Loft Scuba (in coral reef) - currently only $26.93!! (extra 40% off taken in cart)
{5} Old Navy Lightweight Graphic Sweater - purchased 20% off

Coral and Mint Items Currently on My Shelf

{1} Gap Two-tone Canvas Tote, {2} Gap Lasercut Belt, {3} Old Navy Tab-sleeve Tee Dress
{4} Kohl's Simply Vera Vera Wang Jet Simulated Crystal Drop Earrings
{5} J.Crew Factory Layered Bright Bead Necklace, {6} Piperlime Snake Wrap Bangle (on sale!!)
{7} Target Merona Mali Tassel Flat, {8} Forever 21 Essential Striped Georgette Shirt
{9} Target Xhilaration Mint Small Quilted Crossbody

J.Crew Final Sale Finds - Additional 30% off with Code STYLE30!

J.Crew Final Sale items are an additional 30% off right now with the code STYLE30.  I found these jewelry items, which are bound to go fast.  For J.Crew jewelry, these items are a steal! Especially the necklace.  Don't miss out!

{1} J.Crew Candy Shop Necklace - $69.99 with extra 30% off (original price $195)

 {2} J.Crew Enameled Frog Bracelet - $54.60 with extra 30% off (original price $98)

This was a pretty heavy post! I think I am loving coral and mint even more now! Now, if only spring could get here!  

Don't forget to check out The Shelf and watch for sales and promo codes to get the items you want and save money! That's what I am going to do!

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