I’d like to welcome one of my favorite bloggers to the blog today! Meghan from Everyday Fashion and Finance has been a great inspiration as well as a big supporter when I first began my blog, and I am so honored that she offered to write a post for me! I could give you a very long description as to how her sense of style is impeccable and how her job as a CPA lends itself to her amazing finds, but I’ll let her tell you herself (she does a much better job, anyways!)
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Hello, Simply Whit fans! My name is Meghan, and I blog over at Everyday Fashion and Finance. I am so honored to be guest blogging for Whitley while she is galavanting in Germany. I am definitely envious of her trip – I love Germany! But, I cannot complain, because as I write this, I am sitting at my lake house with the patio door open and feeling the night time breeze.
Just a little about me – I am a licensed CPA and fashion enthusiast. My blog takes what I am passionate about and combines it with what I am knowledgeable about, and that gives you “Everyday Fashion and Finance.” It is a place for budget-friendly fashion finds and advice. My motto is that fashion and beauty should be fun and make us feel good without putting us into credit card debt! I know that Whitley agrees! We started our blogs around the same time, and it has been so much fun growing them together. One of the reasons that I love Whit’s blog is that she, too, is a girl on a budget and proof that you can create amazing outfits no matter what type of money you have to work with! She is a daily inspiration!
I have a couple of go-to rules when it comes to shopping on a budget and building your closet: the “price per wear rule” and the “70/30 rule.” Both rules help you decide when to splurge and when to save and result in a quality closet. Today, I thought I would show you some examples of how I have applied the “70/30 rule” in my daily outfits. You can read more about the “70/30 rule” on my blog, but the gist is that 70% of your closet should be classic pieces and 30% should be trendy pieces.
This outfit is almost entirely a save. As much as I am obsessed with neon right now, it is totally a trend. I try to save on trendy pieces since they have a shorter closet lifespan. In this outfit I am wearing a neon pink skirt from J.Crew Factory purchased during a 50% off sale, and a colorful statement necklace from Sira Mara. Oversized tortoise sunglasses are also trending. Since I have invested in a couple pairs of quality and classic sunglasses already, I chose to save with the Ava Tortie sunglasses from Anthropologie. They achieve that Karen Walker look without putting much of a dent in your wallet. I am also wearing a Gigglosophy bracelet (my go-to shop for trendy arm candy), and a Marc by Marc Jacobs watch. Clearly, my classic piece in this outfit is the watch. My watches get more wear than anything I own. They kick major booty in the “price per wear” department. Every girl should splurge on a fab watch when she is able!
This outfit is the perfect example of mixing high and low. Following the 70/30 rule, the classic pieces in this outfit are the blazer, denim and shoes. If you can only invest in a couple of things, a good pair of denim and a nice blazer should be on the list. A classic blazer is always worth the money, and although, this one is turquoise, it is not a hue that won’t be in style for years to come. Another place I splurged in this outfit is the black flats. There are few pairs of shoes that I consider “must-haves”, and a great pair of black flats is one of them. Definite place to spend a little more, if you can. I offset these items with a top from Old Navy and statement necklace and bracelet from Etsy. I am a firm believer that certain jewelry pieces fall in the 70% category and are worth the splurge, and the popular J.Crew pieces may stay in style for a couple of seasons; however, I still have a hard time justifying the purchase. As much as I love them, ultimately they are not classic. Given all the decent quality looks for less out there these days, I opt for the save. And when it comes to basic tees, I never splurge. Although “classic”, they never stick around with us for the long haul, regardless of the brand.
Since I first wrote about implementing the 70/30 rule, I have made some major progress in my own closet. 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.
Even if you are working on a limited budget, you can achieve a closet that meets the 70/30 rule gradually over time. Key pieces to set your sights on include:
- A quality pair of denim (not too skinny)
- A neutral or black handbag in a classic shape (satchel or cross body)
- A classic blazer than can go from day to night
- A pair of black flats with limited embellishment
- A pair of basic neutral heels
- A gold watch (not too oversized or “blingy”)
- A pair of stud earrings (think pearls, diamonds or something gold)
- A neutral trench coat
- A classic white button down
- A pencil skirt
So, do you think your closet meets the 70/30 rule? Do you have any tips for a girl on a budget trying to create a quality closet?
Thanks, again, Whitley, for letting me take over your blog while you’re away! It’s been fun!
Great tips Meghan! I would say that my closet is more like 60/40. 🙂 I go for fun pieces because they make me happy at the time. I'm with you on the price-per-wear. It definitely makes sense to invest in classic pieces that you'll wear often versus trendy pieces that you might wear for a season.
Lauren
Style of One's Own
Great tips Meghan! I would say that my closet is more like 60/40. 🙂 I go for fun pieces because they make me happy at the time. I'm with you on the price-per-wear. It definitely makes sense to invest in classic pieces that you'll wear often versus trendy pieces that you might wear for a season.
Lauren
Style of One's Own
Great tips Meghan! I would say that my closet is more like 60/40. 🙂 I go for fun pieces because they make me happy at the time. I'm with you on the price-per-wear. It definitely makes sense to invest in classic pieces that you'll wear often versus trendy pieces that you might wear for a season.
Lauren
Style of One's Own