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.
If it makes you feel any better, I have abandoned my blog for the last six months and am just thinking about going back to it (actually no, don’t think about that). Your bag karma has been pretty amazing this month, I can’t wait to see them in action! I have been coveting some of the other J. Crew/ Liberty stuff in that print, you may be the motivator for me to get back on Ebay… They had it in a button-down that was really tempting. I never used to liked prints like that, but now the more I see Liberty prints the more I love them. But I completely agree on elastic waists in shirts for adults! I had to do a basics restock earlier this month when I realized my work clothes were borderline housecleaning clothes, I have suddenly had really good luck at Loft lately and they are pretty good about having sales.
Oh, I wish we had LOFT up here (or Ann Taylor). I’ve got some pieces on eBay and consignment, and I really like them. Fingers crossed they colonize our wilderness soon.
P.S. Bag karma … love it!
Ha, Ann Taylor is kind of too fancy for me but if you ever fall in love with something from Loft let me know and. I will see how much it is to mail it up there 😉 they are looking very J. Crew-lite lately and the prices are very reasonable.
I bow down to your eBay purse game…that Mulberry bag is gorgeous, and what a steal!
Thank you! But, honestly, I don’t have much game … just blind luck. This one’s definitely a keeper, though!
I also bow down to your ebay purse game (what a perfect way to say it, Gabby!). Those bags are both gorgeous, and worth breaking the shopping ban over.
The shopping ban got started because of those bags, hah! The downside of finding something awesome at the very beginning of the month (or, erm, the tail end of the previous month) is that you have a loooooong time to exercise shopping restraint. Never was my forte 😉
My June shopping ban also wasn’t at all a shopping ban. Oops. But i mean, who really cares? I made the rule for no real reason, so I can break it if I want! You got some cute stuff!!
Thanks!! I’m the worst with shopping bans. The wooooooorst.
And I’m really sorry about your comments … somehow they got caught up in the spam filter. I have no idea?! I think I rescued them all, but I do apologize – I’ve never had this problem before. I feel pretty terrible about it, and I do hope you will read (and comment!) again 🙂
Don’t feel too bad! Spam filters are weird sometimes. I’ll definitely stick with you!
I LOVE the handbags you got via eBay! This is a good reminder that even though being outbid on things all the time is frustrating, it can be totally worth it. Also, I think you NEED that yellow shirt dress from the Gap… hopefully it is still available 😉
I love eBay. Yeah, it can be frustrating at times (especially since I don’t live in the US, so I get hosed on shipping fees), but it can be a goldmine of awesome finds … and deals!
I think that shirt dress is long gone. Le sigh. It’s probably for the better, I’m not sure if shirt dresses are my most flattering silhouette…
I think I like finding out what you didn’t buy just as much as seeing what you bought! I like to see the process to see how you weed out what comes home with you and what doesn’t. Often, stuff comes home with me that shouldn’t, so I need to figure out how to stop them coming home in the first place! I also need to figure out the items which become the surprise workhorses of my wardrobe so I can look for them on purpose instead of being pleasantly surprised.
Thanks lady! And I hear you – I wish I could predict that better myself. Although, so far this year, my batting average is pretty good 😉
Wow, so beyond jealous of your designer bag scores! I see why Seattle Goodwill never has anything good in store.. they’re busy selling it on eBay! 😉
Yeah, I’m glad my local thrift stores don’t sell on eBay … I’d be a little bummed out if all the good stuff never made it into the stores at all.
I’d definitely keep an eye on the Seattle Goodwill’s eBay store – from what I’ve seen, they get tons of designer items, decently priced.
You are an ebay wizard! I really like reading what you did not buy and why – super insightful! I’m inspired to maybe include that information with my budget next month! I’ll be sure to mention that I got the idea from you 🙂
Thanks lady! I’m always interested in the shopping choices other people make, so I thought it might be interesting to others to include the flip side of my shopping budget, as it were.