Tag Archives: aeo

Feb28

Simple Stripes OOTD

Posted on February 28, 2024 by lifewithlilred

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! The weather in Akron, Ohio has been fluctuating back and forth faster than I can keep track of it. We go from thirty to fifty-five degrees in a day and I think it has been throwing everyone for a loop! With constantly changing temps, it really can be difficult to dress for this time of year. One day you’re bundled up and the next it feels like spring. Whatever the weather, I put together a Simple Stripes OOTD that is perfect for a warmer day, but can easily be worn underneath your favorite jacket during a cold spell. Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Striped Top: Modern Works, TJMaxx

High Waisted Skinny Jeans: American Eagle Outfitters

Snakeskin Pattern Boots: Vince Camuto, TJMaxx

I have no idea where the owl earrings are from lol

Earlier this month, I had a very successful shopping trip to TJMaxx with my mom. We had a blast and I have been so excited to wear all of my new clothes, including the striped top by Modern Works. Although this shirt isn’t as bold as some of my usual choices, I was immediately drawn to it. I loved the black stripes against the pearl white base, the shape is universally flattering, and it is SO freaking soft and comfortable. This is a top that can be worn as is when the weather permits or underneath a cozy jacket or cardigan when you need some extra warmth. It’s such a versatile piece and can be dressed up with a great pair of trousers or an A-line skirt for work or paired with jeans for an on the go ensemble.

As you can see for this weekend look, I went the play route and paired my Modern Works top with a pair of high waisted skinny jeans. I actually completely forgot my go to pair of skinnies from American Eagle were high waisted until this past Saturday lol. I tucked my top in slightly and was amazed by the revelation! I am normally not one for high waisted bottoms but, in this case, they made the look even better. It added that little extra something to the outfit and and it made such a classic silhouette, ideal for a classic, statement top.

Next on the agenda was shoes and accessories. Since I was working with a fully neutral palette, it basically gave me permission to wear whatever shoes I wanted. I chose a much beloved pair of Vince Camuto snakeskin pattern boots to help complete my look. The colors in these boots are so rich and I thought the cinnamon and chocolate hues looked stunning paired with the soft shade of the top. Finally, for earrings, I put on a pretty pair of gold and cream colored owls. This was all I needed to add some length to my neck as anything extra would have taken away from the minimal V-neck the top offered. With that, I was on my way!

I felt so chic in my Simple Stripes OOTD and this is an outfit that can be very easily replicated. Sometimes, a simple look is the best and I think this OOTD is a definite testament to that!

What do you normally wear for work? What do you like to wear for an outfit for play? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb22

Terrific Trench Coat OOTD

Posted on February 22, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred!! Thanks to a recent TJMaxx Haul, I got several gorgeous new pieces to freshen up my spring wardrobe. It’s amazing how just a few things can completely breathe new life into what you already have and I have been most inspired by my new goodies. You already saw an adorable V-Day button down featured in a look, but what I was most looking forward to was rocking my new trench coat by Solitaire. Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Floral Trench Coat: Solitaire, TJMaxx

White Button Down: H&M

Skinny Jeans: American Eagle Outfitters

Army Green Heeled Boots: BCBG, TJMaxx

*** The bumblebee earrings are from Target!

When I style outfits, I am normally building around one specific piece and that was the case with this OOTD. I find it is so much easier to create a look to compliment a staple item because it narrows down your options significantly. For this outfit, I had my new trench coat in mind and all that was left to do was build the remainder of the look. To start, I put on a stark white button down by H&M. I wasn’t too concerned about what I had on underneath because it was freaking freezing out so the coat was staying on. However, I wanted the top to pop despite this and the crisp white against the muted florals worked perfectly.

For jeans, I kept things simple with a pair of plain black skinnies. The coat already offered texture from the faux suede material and a pattern (Obvi!) so anything more on the bottom would look muddled. This is a good rule to follow to keep from a cluttered appearance. Although, let’s say that the coat was just the dusty pink with no pattern at all and the same material. Then, a patterned pant would be just right!

Next, it was onto shoes and accessories. I went with a pair of army green heeled combat boots by BCBG for this look. It gave me some much needed height since the coat was pretty lengthy in itself. And, of course, the color was similar enough to the patterns in the coat to give top to bottom cohesion. Jewelry was all that was left and I decided on a pair of bumblebee stud earrings. I tried on a dangly pair, but they took away from my neck and that was a no no since not a lot of skin was showing in this look. The bumblebees also matched with the flower garden vibe of the trench coat, which I thought was a cute touch!

I had been so eager to wear my new little number by Solitaire and it felt fantastic in my Terrific Trench Coat OOTD. I have a feeling I will be living in it this spring! 😀

What is your favorite season to dress for? Which season do you have difficulty dressing for? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov10

Cute At Comicon OOTD

Posted on November 10, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Helloooo everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! This past Saturday, I attended the Akron Comicon with my big bro, Andrew, and Johnny. We had an absolute blast and I cannot wait for next year’s Con. I have to admit, that I didn’t really know what to wear to this event. I don’t cosplay and I don’t have any clothing pertaining to a fandom except for a hoodie with Michael Scott on it. I also had no idea what the temperature would be like at Comicon – it was boiling at the Brick Convention! So, I just put together something cute and comfy with some help from my brother. The end result? Being told I look like a Pokemon gym leader so I think I won! Check it out:

^^^ It was hard to get lots of pics at Comicon because it was jam packed!

Who? What? Wear?

Black Clover T-shirt: This is my brother’s and it’s from Hot Topic

Distressed Skinny Jeans: American Eagle Outfitters

Fire Boots: Dolls Kill, Cape Robbin

Comicons are all about repping your favorite fandom and I was SO happy that Andrew let me borrow his Black Clover T-shirt to wear. Black Clover is one of my all time favorite animes and I have been dying for a new season! Although I didn’t see as much memorabilia from it as I would have liked, everyone sill definitely knew the show I was sporting on the T. Andrew pulled through in the clutch because I actually did have on my The Office hoodie at first, but I just wasn’t feeling it.

Knowing while I was at home that I could change into the Black Clover T when we picked up my brother helped me style the rest of the look. Since the T-shirt was going to be big on me, I went with my super distressed skinnies from American Eagle. There’s nothing wrong with a baggy T, but I wanted to be able to show some skin to break up the bulk of it. These jeans helped balance things out and offered a pleasing silhouette between the oversized top and super skinny bottoms.

Since this was my first Comicon, I had no idea about the size of the facility and really wasn’t trying to wear a crazy pair of heels. At the Brick Convention, I made that mistake and it was one I deeply regret because my dogs were barking by the end of the day! For cute and comfort’s sake, I chose my amazing boots from Dolls Kill by Cape Robbin. These boots are absolutely insane and I am SO there for it. They give me Elton John in an anime vibes and I can’t think of anything better than that! My boots are over the top and oversized and their bigger shape gave cohesion with the T-shirt. This outfit would have looked kind of silly with a pair of skinny heeled stilettos. Picture it in your head and you’ll see what I mean!

Akron Comicon was the best and I loved the outfit I put together. It was simple, but effective and I was getting compliments left and right. Here’s to many more years of Cons with my two favorite guys!

What is your favorite fandom? Do you have any merch from your favorite shows or movies? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul9

A Night At The Theater OOTD

Posted on July 9, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred!! Yesterday, you read my review for mine and Johnny’s date night viewing of Moulin Rouge at Playhouse Square. Today, we will be checking out what I wore for our Night At The Theater. Half of the fun of going to a show is getting dressed up! It’s a blast to not only get dolled up yourself, but to see what other people are rocking for their theater’s best. I LOVED the look that I put together so let’s get to it:

Who? What? Wear?

Floral Dress: ModCloth, Coconinno

Fringe Shawl: TJMaxx, Laundry

Black Heels: Show Story

Gold Earrings: American Eagle Outfitters

When I am styling OOTDs for Playhouse Square, it is important to me to create looks that are glam and unique. As I mentioned, a lot of the fun for me comes from styling and I want fits that make me stand out in the crowd of theatergoers. This particular outfit was a little ditty that I came up with in my head and it turned out exactly how I pictured it. I love when that happens! 😀

Let’s start with the dress. It’s actually kind of funny, I got this dress by Coconinno from ModCloth when my brother got married in 2015. This is the first time I have worn it since then and I am pleased to report that it still fit like a charm lol. Why haven’t I worn it in almost a decade, you might ask? I don’t know, honestly! It’s beautiful, of course, but I just never felt like I had another occasion to wear it for. So, it sat sentinel in my closet for years.

This dress wasn’t my first option, but I realized that I had exhausted all of the pieces that I would normally wear for a Playhouse outing. The remainder of the clothes I had to pick from were too casual for both the setting and a show like Moulin Rouge that examines the finer things in life. This dress was an afterthought and now I don’t know why I didn’t wear it sooner! The fit was divine and the big, gorgeous blooms in a jewel toned palette made me feel like the star of the show.

As I styled this outfit in my head, I knew that the dress itself wasn’t going to be enough. It was too hot for a jacket and my faux fur shawls were a been there done that accessory. The solution? The adorably charming fringe shawl by Laundry! I am obsessed with this piece from the flowery lace to the hanging tassels. Once it was on, it almost looked like it could have been part of the dress and that is what I was hoping for. Something that looked built in rather than simply placed on top.

Next on the agenda was shoes and I chose the heels by Show Story that I wore for mine and Johnny’s wedding. With so much wedding attire in one look, I should have put my veil on too! A dress like the one I was wearing was begging for a killer pair of pumps, which is a style that I don’t own any pairs in other than my wedding heels. These were the obvious and only choice and the vertebrae heel added the edge that is a necessary part of all of my looks.

Finally, it was time to accessorize and all I did was wear a small gold dangly pair of earrings from American Eagle Outfitters. There were several reasons for this minimal approach. 1) Long earrings or a necklace would have taken away from the neckline that was established. 2) The bold dress pattern and the fringe shawl served as accessories in themselves. 3) A lot of my tattoos were visible and I prefer for them to do the talking. With all of that in mind, why would I need anything more than a little touch of bling?

I have styled countless looks for Playhouse Square shows and this one is definitely in my top three. I felt awesome in it and my vision came to life perfectly. Keep it posted for bloopers and pics from the rest of our Moulin Rouge extravaganza coming soon!

What is your favorite occasion to dress for? What is the oldest piece of clothing you have in your closet? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul1

Summer Switch Up OOTD

Posted on July 1, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!!! I have grown SO weary of summer OOTDs as of late because a majority of my wardrobe is tailored towards my preferred cooler weather. While I have really liked all of the past looks that I have styled, none of them have wowed me and that, I don’t like. During my birthday gift card shopping spree at TJMaxx, I was desperate to find some summer clothes to switch things up. The fashion gods answered my plea with a gorgeous new swimsuit and the trapeze pants featured in this OOTD:

Who? What? Wear?

Crop Top: This was a hand me down from my sister and the jury is out on where she got it from!

Trapeze Pants: Patrons Of Peace, TJMaxx

Platform Heels: Bamboo/Cape Robbin, TJMaxx

Earrings: American Eagle Outfitters

Both bracelets are from American Eagle Outfitters

My Summer Switch Up OOTD was incredibly easy to style because it spoke for itself. A plain top in any of the colors from the trapeze pants would have worked perfectly. I don’t have too many clothes that are completely plain which was a must since the pants were so bold. I did, however, have a navy crop top so that was definitely the move!

The Patrons Of Peace pants are very exciting because there are an endless amount of styling possibilities that come with it. All you have to do is pull from one of the many colors in the pattern and go from there. Could you imagine these with a chic rose turtleneck or burnt orange cardigan come fall? Or just a stark white tank top during the summer would be lovely. This is exactly the type of thing I needed to breathe some new life into my summer wardrobe. And, now that I know what summer clothes can be, it makes me want to go shopping even more lol.

Since the base of the outfit was a snap to put together, shoes and accessories were next on the agenda. Platform heels were necessary because these pants would not have suited my five foot one frame without them. I chose my dark wash denim platforms by Bamboo/Cape Robbin with an embroidered flower heel. Unfortunately, the pants were too long to see them well in the pictures but I can assure you that they were very cute! Even when I wear heels, I never feel “tall” in them. But, in this case, I felt a mile long with the silhouette that was created and it felt… different. Haha, it was cool but I needed to adjust to the major altitude change once I was back in comfy clothes!

Finally, it was time to accessorize and I kept things minimal as per ushe with my summer OOTDs. Even if I didn’t have a ton of tattoos visible in this look, I still would have kept it light with accessories. The Patrons Of Peace pants were an accessory in themselves with the statement pattern! I went with a small pair of gold dangly earrings, a bangle, and a cuff bracelet and that was that. Within five minutes, my look was complete and I felt completely runway ready for the first time this summer. 😀

I am beyond thrilled with this look and I felt like a gajillion bucks in it. I guess dressing for summer isn’t so bad after all!

What is your favorite statement piece in your wardrobe? Have you refreshed your summer clothes? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun22

Going Gingham OOTD

Posted on June 22, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! The look that you are about to see is not what I originally planned on. What I had in mind for my weekly outfit was a gorgeous black and white high low skirt with a black Rachel Zoe tank top and slide on wedge heels. However, I couldn’t find the tank top I wanted to wear anywhere! I still have no idea where it could be, which upsets me deeply because it’s my favorite. To add salt to the wound, the only comparable top that I could have used had a deodorant stain on it. SMH.

I was, honestly, so close to throwing my hands up, saying “screw it”, and not shooting an outfit at all. But, where’s the fun in that?! After having a hissy fit in my mind, I decided to switch gears and create a look that’s perfect for 4th of July. Picnics, fireworks, and rooftop drinks anyone? Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Gingham Tie Back Top: Altar’d State

Distressed High Waisted Shorts: American Eagle Outfitters

Army Green Wedge Sandals: Guess, TJMaxx

Rain Cloud Earrings: These are a birthday gift from my bestie and are created by Janell & Co.

The gold bracelet is from American Eagle Outfitters and the bronze one is from the zoo I think lol.

While I was digging around in my dresser for the missing tank top, my eyes kept locking in on my tie back top from Altar’d State. It is such an adorable little number and screams summer fun. It has also not been featured on an OOTD post before. Once I came to the conclusion that The Case of The Missing Tank Top wasn’t going to be solved, I had to problem solve. And, with 4th of July just around the corner, the kerchief style top was an obvious choice. I guess I was onto something when it kept catching my eye during the search party!

I wish that I had tie back tops in every color and pattern imaginable. They look so sweet from the front, but daring as soon as your back is turned. The best thing about them, though, is that my back tattoos finally get their day in the sun! I remember when I first tried this shirt on in the dressing room and I was feeling my damn self. That feeling has never left and I felt so good as soon as I put it on. The palette, gingham, and delicate floral pattern create such a fun take on summer classics. And, although I was still feeling a bit disappointed that my original plan didn’t come to fruition, I was starting to perk up.

The tie back top was begging to be paired with blue jean shorts and instead of my usual mid rise, I went with a pair of high waisted shorts. This was most flattering because the shorts hit exactly where the crop in the top ended. TMI, but I was on the rag when I shot this look and was feeling bloated so a high rise was a simple fix. The distressing on the front also helped add some edge to the look against the cute as can be top.

With the base of the outfit settled, it was time for shoes and accessories. Normally, selecting shoes is something that I don’t even think about. This time around, however, was a bit of a struggle. The one pair that I would have loved to wear is broken beyond repair and I hang onto them because I refuse to throw them out. My collection of platforms wouldn’t work either because they all feature a high ankle strap. Finally, I decided on my army green heeled sandals by Guess. After putting them on, I don’t know why I didn’t choose them right from the jump. They didn’t interfere with my leg line and the green served as a cool and different neutral against the red and blue base.

Accessories were next on the agenda and I already knew which earrings I wanted to wear; My rain cloud pair from my BFF for my birthday! They are such a gorgeous statement piece and the movement they make is unmatched to anything else I own. I LERVE them so much! Since almost all of my tattoos were visible and the earrings were so bold, I put on a few bracelets and that was that!

I admit that even though I liked this outfit in its completion, I still wasn’t fully feeling myself. It wasn’t until Johnny’s jaw dropped when I walked down the stairs that I realized this outfit was a banger! He told me I looked like Daisy Duke and played the Dukes of Hazzard theme song on the guitar and I couldn’t have asked for anything better. And, yes, I was definitely feeling myself afterwards! 😀

Has any of your favorite clothes gone missing? Where did it turn up? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun14

Classic Summer OOTD

Posted on June 14, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD starring my brand new hair! I recently stepped off of the OOTD train for a few weeks due to my crazy life and also tired, but your girl is back and better than ever. Strange how new hair and new nails can do that. 😉 The pics you are about to see were taken after babysitting my nieces. I knew my best gal, Val, was going to want to play outside so I wanted to put together a Classic Summer look that was cute and comfortable for some fun in the sun.

This OOTD features summer staple pieces that almost everyone has in their wardrobe, making it very easy to recreate. Let’s get to it:

Who? What? Wear?

Tank Top: Rachel Zoe, TJMaxx

Denim Shorts: American Eagle Outfitters

Platform Sandals: ModCloth

Daisy Earrings: Forever 21

The silver bracelet is from American Eagle Outfitters

Styling OOTDs for summertime has taught me a lot about creating looks that are simple yet exciting for being on the go in the heat. This Classic Summer OOTD required minimal think work, but I still love the way it turned out and I felt like a million bucks in it! I had a few things in mind when I began scouring my wardrobe, the first being that I would most definitely be playing outside that afternoon. The second one being that I wanted a neutral palette to make my new hair and tattoos pop.

With these guidelines laid out, the pieces of the puzzle came together and I knew exactly what to do next. To start, I grabbed my white Rachel Zoe tank top. I got this tank in a set of two and they are, easily, the best that I have ever owned. They fit perfectly and hug my body in all of the right places. I love the V neck, which is a unique twist on a classic scoop neck tank. I am also a huge fan of the material, which is so soft and a bit thick – reminiscent of a super thin sweater rather than the rougher fabric of a regular old tank top.

A simple white tank is just begging to be paired with denim shorts. Originally, I tried on a pair of distressed, high waisted shorts from AEO but the fit just wasn’t meshing with the tank top. So, I swapped it out for a mid rise pair and that was much more like it! Yes, the base of this outfit is simple but it was doing everything that I envisioned by making my hair the star of the show. I also felt like Daisy Duke and it really doesn’t get much better than that! 😀

For shoes, I wore a pair of Nikes to run around the yard with Val in. Then, for pictures, I brought one of my favorite pairs of platform sandals from ModCloth. These shoes were SO ideal for this outfit because of the palette. The base of the pattern is orange, which brought cohesion from the top of my head to my toes. The other colors in the pattern are navy and white and that was just right with the other pieces in the outfit. And, note the low ankle strap, which still gave the illusion of length since it didn’t cut my leg line off at the upper ankle.

Next up was accessories and, like the rest of the outfit, I went the minimal route. Anything more would have been fighting against the base that had already been established. For earrings, I chose a super cute pair that looked like daisies. They had a stud shape, but because they were huge, there was still movement and I loved seeing them poking out from underneath my hair. Then, I slipped on a simple silver mini cuff bracelet and my look was complete!

This Classic Summer OOTD used summertime staples Lil Red’s way and it was a look that I felt amazing in. Keep it locked for the blooper reel from this post and lots more summer fashion here on lifewithlilred!

What is one of your summer wardrobe staples? What is the most important thing to you when styling summer looks? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May10

Summer Elder Emo OOTD

Posted on May 10, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! Although Johnny and I have countless clothes between the two of us in a rainbow of colors, we both definitely feel at our most comfortable in all black everything. My husband and I are what the kids would call “elder emos” and, honestly, that sounds about right considering that at almost 29 and 34 we haven’t outgrown it yet. Told you it wasn’t just a phase, mom and dad! 😀 While black might not be the coolest color to wear during warm spring days and summer, I still felt cool AF in this OOTD:

Who? What? Wear?

I am actually not sure what to call the top I have on lol, but it is from Forever 21!

Shorts: American Eagle Outfitters

Snakeskin Heeled Mules: Dolce Vita, TJMaxx

Cross Earrings: Target

Necklace: I bought this from a craft fair in Atlanta and it was made by John Deveer

All of the bracelets are from American Eagle Outfitters except for the turquoise one, which is from New Mexico

For the past week and change, it has been rainy and cold in Akron and I was SO over it. I felt like I was asleep all week with the constantly grey skies! There were a few days when the nonstop rain halted for a bit with moderate temps and seeing that sliver of sun felt like a heat wave. Is 28 too young to be having hot flashes? Haha, with a break in the BS weather, I wanted to feel like summer so I put together a look that I like to break out when it heats up. I’m surprised I haven’t shot this OOTD before but, hey, better late than never!

To begin my Summer Elder Emo OOTD, I went with my black top/dress thing from Forever 21. This top is almost eight years old and it remains one of my favorites to this day. I have never seen a top even remotely similar to this in close to a decade of being a shopaholic. It is so unique and a great top for summer because of how light and breezy it is. I love the solid crop top that begins going gauzy at just the right spot. When I bought this top, I wrote that I felt like a supermodel in it and I felt that way when I was taking pictures. This is why I try to take really good care of my clothes because I want to hold onto that runway ready feel for forever!

While this top is very cute with skinny jeans, I think it shines the most when paired with shorts. I chose my pair from American Eagle Outfitters and, as always, shout out to them for having the absolute BEST shorts and jeans selection. I am very partial to a midrise short and those are so hard to find in this day and age so it pleases me greatly that AEO still offers this option. Does anyone remember that award show when Angelina Jolie had that really high slit in her dress and she kept popping her leg out? Lol, that’s how I felt in this top and shorts combo and it was awesome! It was also a bonus to see a majority of my tattoos and letting all of the colors pop against the neutral palette.

When I think of an all black everything look, the first words that come to mind are sleek and sexy. Coincidentally, those words also come to mind when I think of snakeskin patterns so my Dolce Vita heeled mules were the obvious choice for shoes. I have a lot of snakeskin patterned shoes in a variety of palettes, but these will always be my A1s. I love the pointed toe, the heel length is just right, and grey snakeskin is my favorite. These heels created gorgeous length and I felt it from the top of my head to the tip of my pointed toes. 😀

With the base of the outfit settled, all that was left to do was accessorize. I didn’t want to go overboard with jewelry even though I could have with the palette that I had created. I wanted sleek and a hodgepodge of accessories would overcrowd the vibe I was going for. I added a pair of dangly gold cross earrings from Target for some movement and went very simple with the necklace. I adore the hand carved necklace I got at a craft fair and it enhanced the outfit without taking away from it. To wrap things up, I put on a few statement bracelets, including a beautiful turquoise one for a color pop and my OOTD was ready to go!

My Summer Elder Emo OOTD is a staple in my warm weather look book and I felt amazing in it. This is angsty girl summer to the T and I am so there for it!

Who is your favorite emo band? What is your go to summer color? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr11

Sweaters In Spring OOTD

Posted on April 11, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! Ohio is slowly but surely crossing the threshold from winter to spring and I am so there for it! While I am especially partial to warm spring days, I am okay with the chilly ones too as I live for light jacket weather. This time of the year is also fun to dress for because lighter fall pieces can be incorporated into OOTDs to combat the cold in. For my Sweaters In Spring look, I did just that and mixed a few cold weather staples into the mix for an adorable OOTD that can be easily replicated. Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Striped Sweater: Cynthia Rowley, TJMaxx

Jean Shorts: American Eagle Outfitters

Snakeskin Print Kitten Heels: Splendid, TJMaxx

Knee Highs: Target

Lightning Bolt Earrings: I got these at Universal Studios forever ago on vacation!

Spring weather in Ohio typically follows the pattern of a cold morning and a warmer afternoon and flip flopping temps can make it hard to decide what to wear! The day I took these pictures, I knew that I wouldn’t be outside other than walking to and from my car so I chose to throw caution to the wind and put on shorts even if it was cooler outside. Of course, the outfit needed a few modifications to make it fully weather appropriate and I was very okay with this; I am SO sick of wearing jeans!

For this Sweaters In Spring OOTD, I began building the look with my Cynthia Rowley striped sweater in mind. I absolutely LOVE this simple but sweet sweater and the red heart makes for an eye catching pop. It is so light but cozy and is such an ideal option for a crisp fall or spring day. This sweater is also a great layering piece because it is nice and form fitting; if it’s a bit too cold out, literally any style of jacket will work well on top of it.

Another reason for selecting my navy striped sweater was because I knew how cute it would pair up with denim shorts. This was a no brainer decision and I selected one of my go to pairs from American Eagle. These shorts feature a midrise fit, which I really appreciate because it is SO hard to find bottoms that aren’t high waisted. I also liked that this particular pair wasn’t distressed as I knew that I would have a few different patterns in this look and didn’t want it to be distracting.

Originally, I planned on wearing tights underneath my shorts but that idea fell short. I tried a few different pairs on, but it was doing nothing for me and I set my sights on knee highs instead. Although tights would have kept me slightly warmer, the knee highs were good enough and still covered up a majority of my legs lol. I have had the pair of argyle knee highs I selected for forever and they were a perfect pair with the navy sweater. The green and cobalt blue in the pattern also provided another little pop of color, which is always fun. 😀

For accessories, I chose to keep things minimal because there were three separate patterns in this look and they served as an accessory in themselves. Since I had an open crew neck on top, I put on a pair of dangly lightning bolt earrings to enhance my neck line. The shape added a playful touch of movement, which was needed as all of the other components of this look fit close to the body.

And, finally, I chose my kitten heel, pointed toe, snakeskin patterned booties by Splendid for the shoe department. These are one of my favorite pairs and they work so well for work or on the go. They looked so darling paired with the knee highs and were a unique addition that worked despite a drastic change in pattern and palette. This was okay, though! It is totally fine to stray from the motif of your look for the shoes; as long as the rest of your OOTD is cohesive, it will look like a decision you made rather than just throwing something on. 🙂

I felt ready to take on the day or at least page through a few novels in a bookstore in this scholarly sweet Sweaters In Spring OOTD! Keep it posted tomorrow for the blooper reel from this look! ❤

What is your favorite pattern to wear? Have you done any spring shopping recently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr4

Here (Sort Of) Comes The Sun OOTD

Posted on April 4, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! This past Saturday was an interesting one; Johnny wasn’t feeling well with a stomach bug so I was left to my own devices when it came time for OOTD pictures. The weather was gorgeous in the morning and was going to change drastically by noon so I knew that I would have to take advantage of the warmth and sun while I could. So, I set up my tripod on our apartment balcony and got to work. I’m glad I did, because a half hour or so after I was done, our power went out for the second weekend in a row due to a massive wind storm. SMH.

While I am pleased with how my tripod shots turned out, I can’t wait for next weekend when Johnny can take my pictures again! Check it out:

^^^ BTW that is not a “Don’t tread on me” flag we have hanging up – ours says “Don’t tread on my uterus”!!

Who? What? Wear?

Crochet Top: Rebellion Again, TJMaxx

Black Shorts: American Eagle Outfitters

Dove Detail Heels: ModCloth

Blue Flower Earrings: Bella Jack, TJMaxx

Ruler Bracelet: Big Blue Moma, Jenks Building

The giraffe cuff is from Target and the gold bracelets are both from American Eagle Outfitters

As always, wintertime in Ohio dragged ass and we still aren’t experiencing true springtime weather yet. I have desperately missed wearing shorts, skirts, and dresses so when the temperature was close to sixty degrees, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to wear warm weather clothes even for a little bit. This OOTD is one that I have been thinking about for a while to welcome the spring with and was super easy to style and can be very easily replicated.

I really enjoy styling fall and winter outfits because I love all of the possibilities that come with it and layering to my heart’s content. Spring and summer outfits definitely requires less think work on my part because you can pretty much just throw on a cute top, shorts, and go. I began styling this outfit with my Rebellion Again crochet top already chosen because I think it is such a perfect spring top. The creamy color, pretty pattern, fit, and scalloping all morph together beautifully to create a top that is great with shorts, patterned pants, or a skirt. I am also very fond of the peek a boo pop you can get with a brightly colored bra for a touch of sex appeal thrown into the mix with such a sweet top.

For shorts, I went with one of my favorite pairs from American Eagle Outfitters. AEO has never steered me wrong in the jeans and shorts department and I will die on the hill that they are the absolute best. My favorite thing about the shorts and jeans from AEO is that they fit so well without ever feeling too tight. I liked how these form fitting shorts paired with the breezy top. Although the top does offer movement, it is quite boxy and the shorts were able to create a defined shape that made me feel so confident!

I’m not going to lie, my toes were in dire need of some nail polish when I took these pictures so an open toed shoe was out of the question. This was fine, though, because I had my pair of ModCloth heels in mind and would have chosen them regardless of painted toes or not. These heels were one of the first things I bought from ModCloth over a decade ago and they are very beloved. While I would never pair a stiletto heel with shorts, these ones were just right with their rounded toe and thick mini heel. They are so comfortable and I feel like I could walk for miles in them! The bold blue on the heel and details also added some visual interest in a fairly minimal palette.

With the base of my OOTD settled, it was time to accessorize. To start, I put on one of my favorite pairs of earrings by Bella Jack. The dangly bluebell flowers are so darling and the color also matched perfectly with the pale base of the heels. Bare arms and legs left lots of open real estate for jewelry so I added a few statement bracelets and called it a day. My favorite one is the ruler bracelet that I got from the Jenks Building in Cuyahoga Falls. I had wanted something similar for forever so that was an awesome find!

Even if it was only momentarily, it felt so good to be in warm weather clothes for my Here (Sort Of) Comes The Sun OOTD! Keep it posted tomorrow for some bloopers and what I did and didn’t like about shooting with a tripod for the first time. See you then!

What is your favorite season to dress for? Are you going to do any spring shopping to update your wardrobe? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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