June Budget Update

Thursday, June 30, 2016

Happy last day of June! Not sure when this happened, but as summer is my favorite season I'm just trying to soak in every minute of it! I was in NYC for work on Tuesday and Wednesday and got back late last night. I'm working from home today before heading to the airport to embark on my Fourth of July weekend adventure! Follow along on Instagram and Snapchat (@lauraaimevous) to see where I'm headed and get glimpses of all the fun...it's going to be crazy!

Anyways, today I wanted to check in and provide my June budget update! It's the close of Q2 and I went a little crazy this month...but let's see the damage below for ourselves.

little_white_dress

If you missed it, I wrote in this post about my monthly budget here where I have laid out a quarterly budget of $800.

Here is how the year is panning out so far:

January: $0 (I went a month without shopping, one of my 101 in 1001 goals!)
February: $392
March: $517
Total Q1: $909 (overspent in Q1 by $109)

April: $134.25
May: $266
Amount left for June: $400

See all 2016 additions to my wardrobe here
june_clothes_budget_update

June Purchases:

Halogen Knot Front Tee: $34, on sale for $24



JOA Lattice Embroidered Midi-Dress: $108, on sale for $65


From my Stitch Fix box (not pictured above, but see my full try-on and review here)

Show Me Your MUMU Kelsie Dress: $98

Margaret M Lea Printed Short: $68

Total Spent: $475

Total Left for June:$400 - overspent by $75

Even though I went over this month I'm ok with it because I was under in other areas of my budget. Additionally, I'd like to note that I decided if I need to buy clothing for work events or special events (like weddings) I'm going to exclude that from my wardrobe budget posts (for example I went to a gala in NYC for work this month and bought a blazer, but I'm not including that here). I also am not going to include any undergarments or other "necessities" in this budget. Mostly because while I really love creating this post and reading other's budget posts, I don't want feel that I need to quite include these items. 

Anyways, I'm really excited about the pieces I got this month. I'm going to try to spend less in July since I'm going to France at the end of August so I know I'll want to shop there/get some items for that trip. One thing I want is a cute one-piece so I'll be on the lookout for one at a reasonable price point, please share any suggestions if you have them!

How did you do this month? 

Linking up with Fran.

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Le Cat Cafe Philadelphia

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Hey everyone! Happy Tuesday! Today I have a fun little post for you all which is pretty photo heavy. So if it wasn't already obvious on the blog I'm a bit of a cat person (see this post and this post), not that I don't love dogs, but I love how curious, graceful, and playful cats can be. I first heard about the Cat Cafes in Japan a little while ago (and when I go to Japan next year I CANNOT WAIT to explore some) but I knew that there weren't many open in the United States. 
le_cat_Cafe_philadelphia
le_cat_Cafe_philadelphia
le_cat_Cafe_philadelphia
Then in 2014 when I was in Lima, Peru I happened upon a Cat Park in Miraflores neighborhood (seriously so fun, check it out if you're in Lima, it's called John F. Kennedy Park). I got my fix of meeting cute, friendly cats, but I still wished we had something in our city. Dog parks are so common, why not something for cats?
le_cat_Cafe_philadelphia
le_cat_Cafe_philadelphia
Then I heard the first cat cafe, Le Cat Cafe, was opening in Philadelphia this past March! I was so excited, Alex and I literally couldn't wait to go! Since I was in and out of town all spring for work we didn't get around to going right away. However, since we had a pretty relaxed schedule this past weekend we decided to head up to the cat cafe on Sunday. 
le_cat_Cafe_philadelphia
le_cat_Cafe_philadelphia
All the cats are provided by Green Street Rescue and are available for adoption. You can pay for either an hour or half hour of playtime with the kitties. Each playtime also includes one Keurig beverage and you can purchase more drinks and cat treats for a small donation. 
le_cat_Cafe_philadelphia
le_cat_Cafe_philadelphia
The cafe also offers yoga on Mondays and pilates on Sundays with the kitties! I think I'm going to need to go back to try that out! Every cat was so friendly and there were plenty of toys available to interact with the cats. 
le_cat_Cafe_philadelphia
le_cat_Cafe_philadelphia
le_cat_Cafe_philadelphia
We thoroughly enjoyed our hour of playing with all the cats, it literally flew by! We even chatted with the staff about the stories of some of the rescued cats. For example, we learned the cat of the week 'Big Daddy' was actually rescued from Puerto Rico by the owner of the cafe while she was on vacation. 
le_cat_Cafe_philadelphia
le_cat_Cafe_philadelphia
le_cat_Cafe_philadelphia
Isn't it just cuteness overload? If you're in the Philadelphia area I highly recommend checking out the cafe, it's for a great cause and it's a fun way to spend an hour! 

Have you been to a cat cafe, would you go to one?

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Little White Dress

Monday, June 27, 2016

Hey everyone! How were your weekends? Like I said in my post on Friday, I didn't really have any concrete plans this weekend, and that turned out to be amazing! On Saturday, Alex and I decided to drive up to Carousel Lavender Farm to explore after getting the idea from Chelsea's summer bucket list on her blog! While we were there I couldn't pass up the amazing photo opportunities for the blog...and I also had just happened to receive this adorable little white dress (a summer staple) in the mail!


If you are in the Philadelphia or Bucks County area I highly recommend the drive out to the farm! It's open on Saturdays and Sundays in the summer and it's free! There other people on the grounds taking photos, painting pictures, and enjoying the day. It's really a nice place to spend your time in the summer. After taking these photos we also had to check out the store on site, especially since I LOVE the smell of lavender. I bought a lavender cucumber candle which smells amazing! I've never heard of that combination before but it seriously smells so good.

After exploring the farm we headed to nearby Lambertville, New Jersey for lunch at Lilly's on the Canal (one of my favorite spots) and ice cream at oWowcow Creamery. It was really the perfect Saturday afternoon with the perfect weather.

And a little note on this outfit. This dress is just PERFECT. I've been looking for a go-to little white dress for summer and I saw Jess wear this on her blog a few weeks ago. It's the perfect length and I love the the lace details. I paired this dress with my suede red Franco Sarto platform espadrilles (so comfortable and on trend for summer) and my favorite turquoise tassel earrings. I guess I was kind of going for the 'red white and blue' look with this outfit, Fourth of July is just around the corner!

What did you do this weekend? Do you have a go-to little white dress?



P.S. There's still time to enter my giveaway for a veggie spiralizer! Enter to win right here!

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June Budget Update

Sunday, June 26, 2016


TGIF + Recent Instas

Friday, June 24, 2016

Happy Friday friends! I am pretty excited for this weekend, mainly because I have no big plans. Tonight Alex and I are planning on seeing a movie and then we're going to go out to the suburbs tomorrow for a little fresh air. Sunday I planned a brunch with me and my dad in the city, but other than that I'm just planning on relaxing. 

Anyways, I thought it might be fun to share some of my recent Instagrams today and share some life updates! For those of you that don't follow along on my Instagram account (and you should) you might have missed some of my recent travels!

Brookgreen_Gardens_Alley_Oaks
Alley of Oaks in Brookgreen Gardens. I went here with my friend Catharine's family last weekend on my little mini-vacation to South Carolina! If you're in the Myrtle Beach area it's worth checking out Brookgreen Gardens, it's beautiful huge statue garden and botanical garden. The grounds are expertly manicured and it really is breathtaking. 
Palmetto_trees_Brookgreen_Gardens

Myrtle_Beach_Sunbathing
Soaking up some sun on Myrtle Beach. This beach hat I borrowed from Catharine and unfortunately is years old and I don't even know where to begin finding it online. But I did just order this cute beach hat for other upcoming beach trips and it's so cute and only $26! 
Summer_time_Pineapple_Floaty
Hanging out at the lazy river at the hotel. Could every day be this good? But honestly, it was amazing I found a really cheap flight direct from Philly to Myrtle Beach airport and didn't even have to take a day off work to go down! I love taking spontaneous weekend trips, and I really love getting to see my Tulane friends that live far away! My bikini is from Triangl and Catharine purchased the pineapple float (but here's a similar one).
Night_out_Myrtle_Beach
Catharine and I twinning for a night out on the boardwalk. Sometimes it's fun to dress up and go out! We enjoyed cheap drinks, a ferris wheel ride, a live country cover band (even though I usually don't listen to country music, it was fitting at the beach), and lots of seafood!
Oysters_Myrtle_Beach
$1 Oysters on the boardwalk! These were amazing, if I could eat oysters everyday I probably would! 
Popsicle_cocktail_Loopy_Doopy_Rooftop_Bar
When I was in NYC for a few days last week for work I met up with some friends after work for drinks at the Loopy Doopy Rooftop Bar on the roof of the Conrad Hotel in TriBeCa. Even though the drinks were insanely expensive ($27 including tip...which they automatically include in the price) the drink was delicious. It was a fun experience, not sure if I'd go back but when in Rome...
Pittsburgh_City_Bridges
A couple of weeks ago Alex and I went to Pittsburgh for a family party. It isn't called The City of Bridges for nothing!

Duquesne_Incline_Views_Pittsburgh
If you're ever in Pittsburgh I recommend going up the Duquesne Incline. It had the best views of the city!
PNC_Park_Pittsburgh
Another fun thing to do while in Pittsburgh is check out a Pirates game at PNC park. It's right on the water and has great city views. 


What have you been up to lately? Any travel coming up on the horizon? I hope everyone has a great weekend!

P.S. If you haven't already, head over right here to enter to win a veggie spiralizer from Elaine Cronin, Pampered Chef!

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My First Stitch Fix Try-On and Review

Wednesday, June 22, 2016


Happy Wednesday friends! We're halfway to the weekend and fully into the summer season! It's been a pretty chill week so far, I'm working from home all week and have no plans this weekend, which is an amazing feeling. I'm trying to use this week to catch-up in between two insanely busy weeks and loving every relaxing minute! 

Anyways, today I'm doing something a little different on the blog. In my 101 in 1001 list I mentioned that I wanted to try a clothing subscription service like Stitch Fix. Well, since I had some money in my June clothing budget I decided it would be fun to try out the service for myself receive my first box. 

First off, for those of you that don't know this is how Stitch Fix works (for those of you familiar with the process, you can skip this part):

1// First fill out your style profile. They will ask you about your sizing, style preference, budget, etc. I really liked how detailed this quiz is because I was able to let them know how tall I am, what colors I usually don't wear, and other random things which will help them pick better pieces for me. You can even link a fashion board on Pinterest for them to get a better sense of your style.

2// Schedule your fix! You will be charged a $20 styling fee but that amount will come off of any clothing items you decide to keep! You can also choose to sign up for monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly fixes! I choose to not subscribe so I can just ask for a fix whenever I feel I'd like to try something different. It's whatever works best for your style and budget! You can also leave your stylist a note when you schedule your fix, letting them know about upcoming events (I told them about my vacations planned for the summer), if there's something you don't want (I asked them to only send clothing and no blue jeans), or anything else! 

3// When you fix arrives try everything on and decide what you like! It's great because you can see if the pieces work with other things in your closet. Also you can have some time to try them on in the comfort of your own home. If you decide to keep all 5 items you will receive 25% off your entire fix!

4// Check out online and send back any unwanted items in a prepaid mailing envelope, it's so easy! Additionally, Stitch Fix includes styling cards which will give you different ideas for ways to wear the pieces!

If you're interested in trying Stitch Fix I'd love if you'd use one of my referral links so I can get credit...and keep getting fixes to review for you all :). 

Anyways, on to what I received in my first box! I let my stylist know about my upcoming trips to Nantucket and France and let her know that I'd like at least one piece I could wear to work. I also pinned a lot on my Pinterest board with ideas so she could get a sense of my style. I really like everything she picked out, seriously I would wear all of it. Alex even commented saying everything is something he could see me wearing. 

1. Brixton Ivy Levi Ponte Dress - $68 - size large - returned

Stitch_Fix_Brixton_Ivy_Striped_Dress
Stitch_Fix_Brixton_Ivy_Striped_Dress
Bixon_Ivy_Levi_Ponte_Dress_Stitch_Fix
I really liked this dress, it was my favorite piece when I opened my box. However, the top part was a little too large around the armpits/bust so I decided to send it back. Maybe a medium would have worked better for me, but then it might have been too short. Still, a really cute piece and pick from my stylist!

2. Show Me Your MUMU - Kelsie Dress - size large - $98 - kept

Show_Me_Your_MUMU_Kelsie_Dress_Stitch_Fix
Show_Me_Your_MUMU_Kelsie_Dress_Stitch_Fix
Show_Me_Your_MUMU_Kelsie_Dress_Stitch_Fix

Being a sucker for all things blue and white I pretty much immediately knew I was going to keep this. It's so breezy and comfortable that I know I'll throw it on to go out to eat or hang out with friends on the weekend. I also like the length of it, just above my knees! Alex initially didn't love this one, but when we took these pictures he said it grew on him too!

3. Loveappella - Elroy Angled Button Knit Top - $54 - size large - returned

Loveappella_Striped_Knit_Top_Stitch_Fix
Loveappella_Striped_Knit_Top_Stitch_Fix
Striped tops are my jam guys. This top was incredibly soft and fit really nicely. It's Alex's favorite piece from my box too. The only reason I decided to send it back it because I already have a pretty similar striped blue and white top so I figured I'd rather spend my money on pieces that are more unique for my closet. 

4. Margaret M - Lea Printed Short - size large - $68 - kept

Margaret_M_Printed_Shorts_Stitch_Fix
Margaret_M_Printed_Shorts_Stitch_Fix
Margaret_M_Printed_Shorts_Stitch_Fix

Ok, so these are the true winners of the box. I wasn't so sure when I pulled them out but when I put them on, it was love. They are SO COMFORTABLE. And flattering. A win in my book. They just pull on and feel great. I know I'll be wearing these Fourth of July weekend and beyond. I also love how they pair with a striped top, so I'm definitely going to be recreating this look with a shirt from my closet.

5. Eden Society - Cales Collarless Knit Blazer - size large - $98 - returned
Eden_Society_Striped_Blazer_Stitch_Fix
Eden_Society_Striped_Blazer_Stitch_Fix

I really like this blazer and it's totally my style. I could honestly really use this in my wardrobe for work. The only reason I'm not keeping it is because the arms are a little short on me and I'd have to have it altered. The material is almost like a thick fancy sweatshirt material, but in a professional way (if that makes sense). I hope I get more pieces like this in any future fixes I schedule because I really do like it, my arms are just really hard to fit!

So that's it for fix number one! What do you think of the pieces I received? What would you keep from this fix? Also, if you've tried Stitch Fix before let me know how you've liked the experience! I'm thinking of scheduling another fix this summer, it's just so much fun!

Again, if you'd like to try Stitch Fix for yourself here is my referral link which would be awesome if you used it to sign up!

P.S. If you missed yesterday's post, I'm giving away a really nice veggie spiralizer, head over and enter to win here!

Follow along with Laura on Bloglovin, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, & Twitter

 
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