Category Archives: Fashion

Sep23

Fall Haul: Stella Luce Snake Print Trench Coat Edition

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Fall Haul: Stella Luce Snake Print Trench Coat Edition

Howdy and welcome to the final edition of my Fall Haul from TJMaxx! Today, we are going to be discussing an amazing snake print trench style coat by Stella Luce and I am obsessed. Johnny and I are both extremely partial to animal print clothing and he loves anything cheetah print while I am fond of all things snakeskin. I fell in love with this trench coat as soon as I saw it hanging on an end cap and I cannot wait for the weather to cool down so I can wear it all of the time! Check it out:

Between my husband and I, we have snake patterned clothing and shoes in a variety of colors including blue, grey, red, white, and brown. The majority of my snake print pieces in my wardrobe are shoes and purses so I was very excited to find a coat in my most beloved pattern. While cheetah print is fun, snakeskin is oh so sophisticated and sexy and I always find myself drawn to it time and time again.

Johnny and I have been looking forward to fall since it ended last year because it is our favorite season to dress for. We love sweaters, boots, and coats and if we could we would be dressing for fall all year round. This Stella Luce number is going to be a staple for my fall wardrobe and it will be perfect for work or play. I can picture myself throwing this on and heading to work in the morning or dressing it up for a date day with Johnny.

I live for styling unique outfits and because this coat is such a bold piece, it really doesn’t need much. Skinny jeans, a light long sleeved shirt, heeled boots, and a floppy hat paired with this coat will elevate simple pieces into an OOTD worth blogging about. And, as soon as the cold weather hits: Don’t mind if I do! 😀

What is your favorite animal print? What are you looking forward to this fall? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep22

Fall Haul: T-Shirt Time Edition

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Fall Haul: T-Shirt Time Edition

Hi! I wouldn’t say that I wear T-shirts super often but ever since Johnny and I purchased matching Impractical Jokers Ts, I have been much more willing to incorporate them into my wardrobe. During our shopping trip to TJMaxx, I found two T-shirts that I absolutely could not pass up and I’m sure you can all see why:

Step Brothers is, hands down, my favorite comedy movie EVER and I can’t go a day without quoting it at some point. When Johnny and I were browsing through the men’s section at TJs, this Catalina Wine Mixer T went into my hands as soon as I saw it. This T-shirt speaks to me on nothing short of a spiritual level and I am proud to represent Dale and Brennan! I also cannot wait to snuggle up in my Step Brothers blanket while wearing it:

When I am not sporting my Catalina Wine Mixer T, it will be all about Queen B! Britney Spears has been both mine and my sister’s favorite pop star since we were little. Like many, our hearts broke over the abuse that she suffered under her conservatorship and we want nothing but the best for her. Britney has inspired my sis and I our entire lives and the oversized T I purchased is a tip of my cap to her excellence, talent, and character. We love you, Britney, and have been rooting for you then, now, and always! ❤

Be sure to tune in tomorrow for the last of my Fall Haul and keep it posted for an OOTD to introduce some of my purchases as well as my brand new hairdo!

Who is your favorite pop star? What is your favorite comedy movie? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep21

Fall Haul: For The Lols Hoodie Edition

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Fall Haul: For The Lols Hoodie Edition

Hi!! Johnny and I had to laugh at my Fall Haul from TJMaxx because it was a combination of purchases a teenage boy and a fashionista would make. My haul included lots of amazing business casual and cool weather clothing as well as a few oversized T-shirts (Which you will see tomorrow) and this hilarious hoodie from the men’s section a la The Office. Check it out:

FIRST THINGS FIRST: I will never forgive Netflix for no longer having The Office and Parks & Recreation on their lineup. Johnny and I would watch The Office literally every night before going to bed and we miss it terribly! We also refuse to get the NBC streaming service because we already have way too many. SMH.

SECOND THINGS SECOND: I freaking love this hoodie, lol. As soon as Johnny pointed it out to me, I just had to have it because it is so funny to me. While this is definitely not a hoodie that I can sport at work, it is one that I will be wearing at every opportunity I get. I am usually not one for “silly” purchases as I would rather spend my money on other things but how could I say no to Michael Scott? And, yes, that is what she said!

I bought this hoodie in a men’s small and it fits great as it is slightly longer than being cropped. It will be perfect with my new high waisted jeans from American Eagle and it is So. Freaking. Comfy. Whether wearing it while running errands or lounging about at home, I plan on living in it this fall. I also have a feeling that my Johnny will be borrowing it too! ❤

What is your preferred streaming service? What is your favorite episode of The Office? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep20

Fall Haul: Banana Republic Top Edition

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Fall Haul: Banana Republic Top Edition

Hi! The change of the seasons is prime time to go shopping to give your wardrobe an update. Upgrading your wardrobe for the different weather ahead doesn’t have to mean buying a closet full of clothing, rather, just a handful of pieces to make your old things feel new again. For my Fall Haul from TJMaxx, I had two upgrades in mind: Both my fall and business casual clothes.

Today, we will be discussing a Banana Republic spaghetti strap top. While it isn’t ideal for cold weather in any way shape or form, it will be perfect underneath a cardigan when I’m at work! Check it out:

This past trip to TJMaxx was my first time shopping there with Johnny and it was nothing short of an absolute delight. He is an angel for sitting patiently while I tried clothes on and gave a fashion show…. again, and again, and again lol! After a few trips to the fitting room, I wasn’t completely satisfied with what I had picked out in terms of work appropriate clothing. Luckily, I found this floral patterned Banana Republic top while making my final rounds throughout the store. 😀

Although this cami style top will be the best for play during spring and summer, it will serve me well underneath one of my emerald green or mustard yellow cardigans at work. I have never owned anything by Banana Republic before and I considered this top a steal for just ten dollars! I love the shape because it is fun and flirty without being too revealing. My favorite part, though, is the colors. The primary colors of red, yellow, and blue with sweet pops of pink and green against the white background make for the prettiest palette!

Tops like this are great for creating a unique outfit because there are so many different colors to play with. You could match your cardigan to one of the flower colors as mentioned before. OR you could sport a bold pair of shoes to make the colors pop. Red or yellow heeled booties, anyone? Love it!

Have you had a Fall Haul recently? What did you get? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Sep19

Fall Haul: Ruby Moon Cardigan Edition

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Fall Haul: Ruby Moon Cardigan Edition

Hi! This past weekend I had a trip to my favorite place in the world (TJMaxx) with my favorite guy in the world (Johnny) and it was the best!! This was my first TJMaxx trip with my husband and it was a great success for me and him too. I walked away with lots of new fall and business casual clothes and Johnny got three new Halloween themed button downs. They are awesome! Let’s get started with my Fall Haul by checking out this cheetah print cardigan by Ruby Moon:

For my new job, I work at an actual center and wanted to branch out with more business casual clothes that are still a lot of fun. Both Johnny and I love animal print and when I saw this cardi, I knew right away that it was going to be a keeper. Printed cardigans are a great way to spice up your work wardrobe and I think that I will be living in this one because I am always freezing at the center!

Despite its length, this Ruby Moon cardigan still has a really flattering fit as it is tighter in the arms and torso. As someone who is barely over five foot one, this is important because it is not chunky enough to be overwhelming and offers some shape to it. I can picture myself wearing it for work or play and I like that because I want my clothing to be worn everywhere and not just on the job.

Dressing for fall is all about layering and cardigans or flannels are the best way to accomplish that. Fall outfits are my absolute favorite and I can’t wait to wear this cardi with my new skinny jeans, a basic cami top, and heeled ankle booties! 😀

How do you upgrade your wardrobe during the season change? How do you dress for work? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Sep10

Jean Queen

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Jean Queen

Hi! This past weekend, Johnny and I had a super cute day date to the mall because I needed new jeans in a bad way. While I am partial to clothes shopping at TJMaxx, the jeans and shorts from American Eagle are simply the best so heading to Summit Mall was the move.

I love AEO for their pants selection because they tend to always have a regular rise option, which is ideal for me because I am not a fan of high waisted anything. Naturally, this time they didn’t have one regular rise pair of jeans so I had to step out of my comfort zone with a “super high rise” skinny:

Now, you might find yourselves asking why I went with a super high rise pair if I hate high waisted so much and, honestly, I didn’t even plan on trying these on. I’m glad I gave them a shot, though, because they weren’t that bad. The rise on AEO’s super high rise hit about an inch below my belly button and I can live with that. Anything higher would have been a definite no go because it is not the most flattering style on me.

Mine and Johnny’s motto is that you can never have enough black skinny jeans and that is literally all we wear! I went with a nondistressed pair, which will be great for work. But, I am most excited for the distressed pair I purchased with rips all the way up to the mid thigh. Shockingly enough, I can’t say that I have ever owned a distressed pair of jeans before because I have never found an option that I liked enough. I have a feeling that I will be wearing them all of the time… In fact, I have them on right now! 😀

Super high or regular rise, American Eagle is the most when it comes to jeans. They also had some fabulous fall clothes for all of you back to school shoppers out there!

What is your preferred jean rise? Which store has the best jean selection? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug12

1,000 Post Countdown Giveaway

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1,000 Post Countdown Giveaway

Hello!! I am thirty-six days away from a 1,000 day streak of writing on lifewithlilred and I cannot begin to tell all of you how excited I am! There will be a giveaway once I have achieved my 1,000 streak status but I thought I would offer a bonus one too. This giveaway will be limited to the United States, however, the grand finale giveaway will be world wide.

If you all recall, I had an extremely unfortunate online shopping experience with Wildly Untamed Boutique when it came to ordering shoes for my wedding. Because of their ridiculous return policy, I was not able to return a pair of heels that I ordered which didn’t fit to a United States location. I would have spent hundreds returning them to China, which was more than I originally spent to begin with.

The heels that didn’t fit have been sitting untouched in my apartment since they arrived in May and while I could try selling them, I would prefer for them to go to a fellow fashionista, instead. So, if you are a shoe lover and are a size six and a half, then I have got a giveaway for you! Check it out:

6DFEBD2B-1A91-4842-ABF1-FE8F7F66488EFA2DA815-F067-455C-8B28-8BED0BDE05FBDF181D06-E340-46B5-8F55-E488BB922E84FEBDF187-75F4-4C50-B814-7A580F0B8E37

Giveaway Rules:

  1. Follow lifewithlilred
  2. Like this post
  3. Share this post to your blog
  4. Bonus entry if you share this to your social media
  5. Leave me a comment letting me know you completed the first three or all four tasks! And, as mentioned before, you must be a United States resident.

Despite the not so great experience I had with purchasing my wedding shoes off of Wildly Untamed Boutique, there is no denying that these heels are gorgeous. This giveaway will close out after one week so get those entries in ASAP. Best of luck! ❤

What is your favorite store to shop for shoes at? What does your favorite pair of shoes look like? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Jul25

Flower Power OOTD

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Flower Power OOTD

Hello! One of my favorite hang outs in July was when mine and Johnny’s friend, Shannon, stayed with us for a weekend. Shannon is an excellent photographer and made the trip from Marietta to photograph Johnny’s band, The Outside Voices, when they played at Musica in Akron. He was also kind enough to snap some shots of yours truly after the show was over! Take a look at some exclusive pics from my Flower Power OOTD:

Who? What? Wear?

My Flower Power OOTD was one that I felt insanely confident in and it feels so good to get all done up and go out with my husband after a long year and change indoors. When Johnny plays shows inside or out in the summertime, it is usually really hot so I like to sport something that is both cool and comfortable while still being cute, of course! This look featured all of the three Cs to the T and I had myself a little superstar moment being photographed at the concert venue.

What I love about this OOTD is its testament to my Summer Wardrobe Refresh. I stand firm in saying that you only need a few new pieces with each season change to keep your wardrobe looking and feeling new. My Flower Power outfit is a perfect example of this because while the skirt is brand new, the top and shoes are both at least six or more years old! Just one new piece in this OOTD had two over half a decade old items feeling like I was wearing them for the first time because they were styled in such a different way.

Another thing that I really enjoy about the Flower Power look is the monochrome palette. No abrupt pops of color in the black and white clothing meant for a long, lean silhouette and I felt ten feet tall rather than five foot one! While no one appreciates a good pop of color more than Lil Red, a minimal color palette like the one seen above can be just as effective.

Something I always mention in OOTD posts is styling a look that makes the eyes dance. This can be achieved by playing with color and accessories. In the Flower Power outfit’s case, however, it came from showing some skin in just the right places. From the peep toe heels to the peek a boo top, this look had enough going on so that one main area wasn’t the focal point of the entire outfit. I like to think people’s eyes were doing the Tango when I stepped out in my Flower Power OOTD!

What is the oldest item you have in your wardrobe? How do you refresh your wardrobe with the season changes? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul14

A Walk In The Park OOTD

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A Walk In The Park OOTD

Hi! I had an amazing afternoon this past Friday visiting the Kingwood Center Gardens in Mansfield, Ohio with my family. I went with my parents, brother, and other brother and his family and, despite the rain, we had a blast exploring the beautiful botanical gardens together. Today, we are going to take a look at a summery little OOTD that wasn’t the most appropriate for the rainy day but what can ya do? Lol! Be sure to tune back in tomorrow for pictures of the Kingwood Center Gardens property – you will be blown away. Now, let’s get to it:

Who? What? Wear?

Prior to my shopping trip at Summit Mall with my friend, Danielle, I had seen Facebook ads for a website called Cider that featured adorable knit tops. I was really hoping to find something similar during my outing and Dry Goods delivered with the Thread & Supply knit tank. This top just screams “fun in the sun” to me and I thought that it would be the perfect option for a stroll in the botanical gardens.

As always, I think the shorts from American Eagle are just the tops and I love their mid rise fit. I liked how the Thread & Supply tank covered up the extra length on the waist of these shorts as it provided for a long, lean silhouette. To further exaggerate the illusion of length (I am only 5’1!), I opted for my slide on wedges from TJMaxx. Ankle strapless shoes allowed for the straight line to continue all the way down to my feet without an abrupt break in it.

As you all know, summer is my least favorite season to dress for because I prefer the variety in the clothing for cooler weather. My Walk In The Park OOTD was quite simple, which is something I normally shy away from. But, I have to say, I felt like a million bucks in this look. My knit tank from Dry Goods is, easily, one of my favorite summer tops and it made me feel like the sun was shining, despite the rainy day.

It wasn’t supposed to rain when we went to the Kingwood Center Gardens but I guess Mother Nature needed a good cry. Had I known that there was going to be inclement weather, a hoodie would have been the move, for sure. I really enjoyed being able to work this outfit, though, and my mood all day was as bright as a summer day to have such wonderful quality time with my family! ❤

What is your favorite season to dress for? What is one of your summer wardrobe staples? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul5

Celebrity Pink Shorts

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Celebrity Pink Shorts

Hi! Today, we are going to be wrapping up my clothing haul from TJMaxx by discussing some shorts by Celebrity Pink. Then, tomorrow, it is onto all things skin care, makeup, and a whole lot of Face Mask Festivities so keep checking back in for more of the latest and greatest. 😀

When my mom and I had our TJMaxx trip, I was really hoping to find a new laundry hamper as well as another pair of shorts. My old hamper has been falling apart from the bottom and I only have two shorts from American Eagle that I had just been alternating every day lol. Needless to say, I definitely needed another pair! I asked the TJMaxx gods and I received with a woven wood hamper and a pair of Celebrity Pink shorts. (#blessed) Now, let’s get to it:

During my shopping, I found the TJMaxx shorts selection to be lackluster at best and struggled to find anything in my size and a mid rise. For those of you who don’t know, high waisted shorts just aren’t my thing and it is so difficult to find a regular pair of mid rise anything in a sea of high waisted. When I had all but given up, I found my Celebrity Pink shorts tucked away on the rolling rack and hoped for success because it was the only pair that I thought might work.

I was so relieved once I tried these shorts on and they fit like a glove, especially because of the junior’s sizing. My Celebrity Pink shorts hit slightly above my natural waist and were short without feeling overly revealing and I couldn’t have asked for anything better. I was also a huge fan of the medium wash of the shorts too since my only two other pairs are black and dark wash. Variety is the spice of life, as they say. 😀

I love everything about my new shorts but the coolest part is that they are made out of recycled fibers from plastic water bottles! I didn’t even notice this on the tag until I was taking blog pics at home and thought that was the neatest thing. Celebrity Pink delivered on the “Honey” style shorts and they are eco-friendly, to boot. GREAT SUCCESS!

What are some other eco-friendly brands? What is your preferred rise for shorts and pants? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah