Alrighty, the consensus last month was … mostly pro-recaps, which I took for encouragement, so y’all are getting another monthly update. And it is a doozy. I mean, more so than an average month. A real doozy, then.

Truth time: I wrote last month’s update before the actual, you know, month end – which is very proactive of me, but also far too optimistic, it turns out. May had one last purchase in store for me. An expensive one. Naturally. It comes with a story, so grab the beverage of your choice and settle in. But before I get to that story, let’s get the less important stuff out of the way first. Counting May’s late extravagance, I bought 6 things this month for a total of $480 (original retail approx. $2,673). (Yeah, I know that’s some funky, multi-month accounting, but let’s roll with it).

The also-rans this month were a couple of cute impulse buys. I was supposed to be on a month-long shopping ban, but hahahaha!

I also bought a necklace and a pair of earrings at RW&Co for $19 in a 2-for-1 deal. Sorry, I can’t find pics online, but trust they are cute. And I got this top as a “just because” gift from my husband. (I think it happened the week I had the plague. Or, you know, a nasty cold. Hyperbole, shmyperbole!)

OK, story time.

Remember that Marc Jacobs Blake bag I kept nattering about? This one:

Yeah, I couldn’t find it on eBay, in the right colour or for the right price. Instead, I found this bag:

It was a total fluke. I have exactly one seller saved in my favourites folder on eBay, and for some reason it’s the Seattle Goodwill. I don’t even know why, because I’ve never bought anything from them before. I was actually looking for another seller I thought I had saved in my list (I hadn’t because my name is Adina and I’m technological incompetent), and decided to browse their listings instead. And that’s when I saw the Fitzrovia.

I didn’t know it was called that, of course. The listing was super generic, and it took a day’s worth of kids’ naps to track down the details. The bag is from 2007, and it was a one-season deal. Inside, it’s laid out in pretty much the same way as the Blake, which means it has awesome bag feng shui (according to moi, anyway). The detailing is gorgeous … as it should be, considering the bag originally retailed for somewhere around $1,800. Oh-em-gee. The eBay listing had a starting bid price of US$250. I bid, 100% convinced I would get out-bid. And … I wasn’t.

I mean, I’m still in disbelief over that.

The bag arrived, and it is a real beauty. Almost mint condition. (Who donates stuff like this to Goodwill? Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad they do; I just … don’t get it.) Mine is a rich, chocolate brown (not black, as pictured). It’s the perfect size and style for work, but I have a feeling you’ll be seeing it on this here blog sooner rather than September.

(PSA: it almost goes without saying, but always do your homework when buying designer bags on eBay, even from reputable sellers. In my case, the Fitzrovia is not one of Mulberry’s more famous designs, so the likelihood of it being knocked-off is lower than, say, for the Alexa … but you never know. I did my due diligence prior to bidding, and you should too. There are tons of great resources for that on the web, starting with The Purse Forum.)

Oh, and that last item? Remember my other MbMJ obsession? Yep, she is fiiiiiiinally mine.

She also came with a story, but it’ll have to wait for another post. (I forgot to add the graphic, but the bag was $119, shipped, on eBay).

This month, I thought it might be fun to also show you what I didn’t buy (and tell you why). (Yes, I sometimes don’t buy things. Admit it, you didn’t see that coming.) And you can tell me that I make really terrible buying decisions. Or amazing ones. Varying mileage and all that.

I adored the print, but 100% polyester … no, thanks. I’m surprised this originally retailed for over $200. Really, Ted Baker?

Loved the print (see a theme developing here?) but the fit was weird. And I freaking hate elasticized hems. I would love to get my hands on the schoolboy blazer in this print.

This Joe Fresh skirt was super cute, but … I guess I wasn’t feeling it for $29. It was just ever so slightly too puffy on me, and I wasn’t sure I’d get a ton of wear out of a white skirt. Worst of all, it was a little bit too sheer for my taste. But the eyelet detail on the hem was lovely. Sigh!

This Gap shirt dress was on sale, and quite lovely. Too bad I happened to see it early in the month when I was still serious about that shopping ban. To be honest, if I didn’t already have this shirt dress (and if the armholes of the Gap one weren’t oddly ginormous), I would have probably bought it, shopping ban or no. It looked pretty cute:

What did your June shopping look like? Linking up with Franish and the other budgeting bloggers, so if you’re in the mood for more shopping voyeurism, head on over there.