Adventures of a Frugalista
10Sep/112

MISSION: Hooded Raincoat

We recently experienced a mini-monsoon season here in Virginia, which emphasized again my need for a good raincoat. I have two jackets that I intended to be for the rain, but they're both lined (one with fleece, one with faux fur), which greatly reduces their usability in 70-degree weather. I also have two peacoats, but they're wool, which doesn't smell too great when it gets wet as well as having the same overly warm problem, and they lack hoods. My hooded coats include several winter coats, but again, they're not too useful when it's 70 degrees out. Finally, my husband and I own a whole heck of a lot of umbrellas, but I never use them because they tend to be more trouble than they're worth: the wind will yank them or blow them inside out, they can only fit one of us under them, etc.

So, my mission: Find a hooded, unlined, waterproof raincoat that can be worn with sweats to walk the dog or with cute clothes to go out with friends. I'd prefer for it to be a bit longer, maybe mid-butt or so, than the typical top-of-the-hip coat length. Finally, I want it to cost $50 or less, preferably $25 or less.

I'll let you know how it goes. I have no idea how soon I'll find one, but I'm hoping I get one before the next big rain!

Some of the rain coats I'm using for inspiration:

North Face K

North Face's K in White, ~$180

Marmot Precip

Marmot's Precip in Black, ~$100

LL Bean West End

LL Bean's West End in Sage, ~$140

Marmot Sassy

Marmot's Sassy in Granite, ~$200

North Face Grace

North Face's Grace in Black, ~$200

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16Aug/114

HAUL: Juliana’s Wardrobe Possibilities

My sister Juliana recently asked me to help her get pretty much a whole new, coordinated wardrobe. (Read the details of the mission here.) She set me a budget of $100, but I know she likes to be able to pick from choices, plus it's hard to know exactly what will work for another person, so I went over budget, knowing that many items would be returned.

All in all, I spent just around $300 for 36 items, providing a plethora of wardrobe options.

The Goods

Tank

White tank top

Tank

White tank top

Tank

Black tank top

Tank

Blue layered tank

Tank

Teal tank top



Tank

Purple tank top

T-shirt

Purple T-shirt

T-shirt

Lilac T-shirt

T-shirt

Lavender T-shirt

T-shirt

Gray T-shirt



T-shirt

Black T-shirt

T-shirt

Black T-shirt

T-shirt

Black T-shirt

T-shirt

Black T-shirt



T-shirt

Turquoise T-shirt

T-shirt

Teal T-shirt

Shirt

White half-sleeves

Shirt

Teal long-sleeves (rear)



Shirt

Gray long-sleeves

Shirt

Black long-sleeves

Dress

Black & gray dress

Dress

Striped dress

Dress

Purple dress



Sweater

White sweater

Sweater

White sweater

Sweater

Gray sweater

Sweater

Gray sweater

Vest

Gray vest



Sweater

Black sweater

Sweater

Black sweater

Sweater

Black sweater

Sandals

Rose sandals



Shorts

Khaki shorts

Shorts

Gray shorts

Shorts

Black shorts

Flip-flops

Flip-flops



Read on for all the details on prices and stores.

18Jul/112

MISSION: New Wardrobe for $100

My younger sister, Juliana, has spent the past semester in China with a limited wardrobe. (After all, it had to fit in suitcases to go over there.) Some 7+ months of Chinese smog, travel on crowded mass transit, and frequent use has destroyed her wardrobe, and her baggage allowance on her flights home is practically nil. Therefore, she's tossing pretty much her whole China wardrobe, and is in need of a whole new one for the upcoming school year, her last in grad school.

Her basic requirements are as follows:

  • All the pieces should work together — "I'm tired of not being able to figure out what matches what."
  • Basic color scheme of black, white/cream, gray, and dark purple
  • Total expense of approximately $100

The items she'd like to have in her new wardrobe:

  • 2 tank tops — preferably scoop necks with thick straps, not spaghetti straps
  • 1 or 2 basic short sleeve T-shirts
  • 1 or 2 basic elbow-length or long-sleeve T-shirts
  • 2 sweaters — "simple casual knit-type"
  • 1 pair of "nice-ish" mid-thigh or knee-length shorts
  • 1 or 2 pairs of coordinating flip-flops, not white

It's a tall order, but I think I can manage it. I wouldn't be known as my family's personal shopper if I couldn't!

Check back for updates on Juliana's new wardrobe.

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