$190 Summer Casual

$5 left.
Sunday afternoon, with the children in Kiki, Papa, and auntie k’s charge, we sped off for the outlets for our shopping trip. In the time since my birthday I had added in a little extra coin from the holidays and brought the total budget to $190.00. My plan was a new summer casual look to mix and match that could move from grocery store to playground to beach with ease. That summer WORK look, yeah, we’ll get there eventually. A job offer might be a good catalyst for that future trip. Armed with cash and a stack of coupons printed through the VIP program a friend recommended, we had a plan and the day began perfectly with a prime parking spot.

First Stop. Converse. I thought I was going for laceless until I tried them on and ultimately decided on ties instead. With a coupon and a sale I got

- black/navy pair of chucks for 14.99.

We browsed a few more stores that were so HOT that my shopping partner was considering a mutiny, so I moved us along to the big three; J. Crew, Banana, and Gap. They were my targets and I thought I would be able to do well mixing and matching from these three retailers. J.Crew; Land of the nothing under $40 price tag. With a budget and a plan for a new summer look, I wasn’t going to get very far saving 5 bucks on a pair of $60 pants. I was frustrated and Steve was confused because I wasn’t even pulling things off the racks. I asked him several times “what have you done to me?” I just couldn’t justify the $40 or more tags. There once was a girl who wouldn’t have thought twice, but those $40 tags add up quickly and the new kerri, the one influenced perhaps a bit too much over the years by her spendthrift husband, simply couldn’t handle it. So we moved on, thinking we could come back if nothing else panned out.

We arrived in the land of banana and with just an hour left to shop we aborted the mission for the Gap. I knew I had done well there in the past, that I could get a big bang for my buck, and Steve made an executive decision to skip Banana for now to head to what we hoped would be big savings at Gap. That 20% of $75 or more coupon was on my mind. Once inside I grabbed first and thought later, which just about blew my mind. I was anxious and unsure, but Steve helped find cute shoes, searched for sizes, pointed out cute dresses. I went into the dressing room with so much I almost couldn’t carry it all.

- Copper ballet flats, two keyhole tops, a wrap dress, a knit skirt, a denim a-line, a tank, three camisoles, a striped button down oxford and that elusive white cardigan all for 169.58
I’m pretty happy with my choices, feeling a bit of buyer’s remorse this morning, but very pleased with what I was able to find for my money. I feel confident that I can push my daughter on the swings, go out to dinner at the beach, get spit up on or wear connor's first pureed carrots, and attend many a bbq or baby shower all while feeling updated and fresh.

Go for it Beth!