Tag Archives: aeo

Mar16

Peek A Boo Pop OOTD

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Peek A Boo Pop OOTD

Hello everyone!! Ohio went from a really mild winter with fairly high temps to freaking freezing these past two weeks. I thought spring was just around the corner and I’m beyond over it! Because the weather has been less than amazing, fall and winter clothes are still the move. However, I want warm weather so badly that I styled an outfit with a peek a boo pop for some summer fun. Remind me of this statement in a few months when I start complaining about how hot it is! Lol, check it out:

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Who? What? Wear?

Army Green Button Down: Beautiful Stories, TJMaxx

Embroidered Crop Top: Target

Skinny Jeans: American Eagle Outfitters

Heeled Boots: Free People, TJMaxx

Hoop Earrings: Argentino Vivo, TJMaxx

With summer on the mind but nowhere to be found, I wanted to create a look that would be appropriate for cold or warm weather with a few modifications. When the Beautiful Stories button down is buttoned up, you still get an adorable pop of the red violet crop. But could you imagine this outfit styled for the heat? All you need to do is keep the button down open and trade the jeans for shorts and BOOM – you have a perfectly summer OOTD. 😀

I have several army green button downs and decided to start building my outfit from there. I chose the Beautiful Stories one primarily for its shape. It is a standard cut and style whereas the other ones I have are either too long or or too bulky. Not only is the one I selected ideal for what I needed, but it really is gorgeous. The pattern on the back is so striking and the colors used closely mimic the orange and yellow on the crop top underneath.

When I picked out the Beautiful Stories button down, I instantly thought about my Bollywood inspired crop from Target. Everything about this combination worked in my favor. Purple and green are complementary colors so pairing them together was no issue and, of course, the colors in the patterns helped too. The crop top also had the wow factor I wanted once the button down was open. Sure, I could have worn a simple black crop underneath but where is the fun in that?!

Since I refuse to wear anything but black skinny jeans, we will move right onto accessories. For this look, I wanted to keep these to a minimum because the bold patterns on top served as an accessory in themselves. My Free People heeled boots spoke to me immediately as the winner in the shoe department. These are one of my faves and the cream base and tan heel paired beautifully with the color palette I was working with.

To complete the look, I put on my huge gold earrings by Argentino Vivo. These were such an amazing TJMaxx find and I love them so very much. The oversized style brought attention back to my face, which was needed as the tops were both fairly loud. And, obviously, the gold color was just right to enhance the patterns and jewel tones featured in this OOTD!

My Peek A Boo Pop OOTD is a look that is very easy to recreate, whether in the snow or sunshine. I can’t wait to rewear this outfit with summer modifications as soon as winter finally decides to be over!

What is the weather like where you live? What are you looking forward to as the seasons change? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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Mar1

Out & About OOTD

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Out & About OOTD

Hey! This past weekend, I did a whole lot of nothing and it is exactly what I needed. For the most part, I became one with my couch but, Johnny and I did have a few errands to run on Saturday. Since Saturday is our picture day anyways, I decided to keep things simple and put together a look for going out and about in. Our errands ended with Taco Bell for lunch so, as luck would have it, I even got to post up at a different brick wall! Check it out:

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Who? What? Wear?

Leopard Print Blazer: Christian Siriano, TJMaxx

The Room T-Shirt: Christmas gift from my sister

Distressed Jeans: American Eagle Outfitters

Heeled Boots: Olivia Miller, TJMaxx

Cross Earrings: EmLeigh’s and Mama B’s

Floppy Hat: Brandy Melville, PacSun

During the work week, you can always catch me in jeans and a hoodie because I don’t go out into the general public very much, if at all. So, during the weekend, it only feels appropriate to get dolled up even if it is just for going out and picking up some odds and ends. This is probably one of the most casual OOTDs that have been featured on lifewithlilred recently. However, I used a few tricks up my sleeves to elevate it from the basic base of jeans and a T.

When I am not working or hanging out at home, I rarely wear T-shirts. This is mainly because when Johnny and I do go out, we take OOTD shots and I’d rather have a cute top on. This past Saturday was different, though, because it was actually really nice out and a sweater or heavier jacket would have been much too warm. So, I decided to use the heat wave as an opportunity to create a walk through on how to make an errands outfit more special.

For my T, I went with one of my favorites from one of my favorite bad movies of all time: The Room. My sister gave it to me a few Christmases ago and I LOVE it. Since the base of this outfit was composed of All Black Everything essentials, I chose my distressed AEO jeans to add some visual interest. It was also my only option because a dog slobbered on my unripped pair when I was walking lol but that’s neither here nor there!

Once the jeans and T were selected, accessorizing was key. I knew that I needed a light jacket and had just the one in mind: My knit blazer by Christian Siriano. This blazer was just right in terms of the level of warmth I needed, but its main purpose was the leopard print. I consider animal print to be an accessory in itself and the blah base of this OOTD immediately got spiced up by simply slipping the blazer on.

Prior to styling this look, I was having a bad hair day and knew that I wanted to wear a hat. I tried on several less bold hats in my collection and ended up going with the one I tried on first: The Brandy Melville. This hat is old as the hills, but it adds so much drama to a look because of its shape and movement. And, if it covers up a bad hair day? Even better!

After the main base for my outfit was sorted, it was time for shoes and jewelry. I also wanted to focus on adding length for a nice, sleek silhouette. To accomplish this, I put on my heeled boots by Olivia Miller. These boots blended seamlessly into my jeans so as not to break up the leg line and the chunky chain added some bling. To better accentuate my neck with the hat on, I popped on a dangly pair of bejeweled cross earrings. The result? I felt way taller than 5’1 and much more stylish than how this outfit first started out!

To crank up the heat on an Out & About OOTD, accessorizing is key! Use patterns to your advantage, choose pieces with movement, opt for big and bold hats, sunglasses, and accessories… And, as always, a little bit of bling goes a long way. This look is very easy to recreate and you will turn anywhere you need to be into your own personal runway!

Do you dress up to run errands? Do you have a more casual or dressy style? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Nov3

Johnny For A Day OOTD

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Johnny For A Day OOTD

Hello! Johnny and I had a wonderful Halloween weekend and I hope that all of you did too! On Friday, we had a game night with one of our friends and on Saturday, Johnny and I got dressed up in our Halloween best to pass out candy in my parents’ neighborhood. We had so much fun seeing all of the adorable trick-or-treat costumes and definitely plan on being the delegated candy passer-outers next year too!

The trick-or-treaters weren’t the only ones with good costumes and, while I hinted that I was going to wear my wedding dress in a previous post, I decided to go a different route. I took one of my other suggestions and created a costume inspired by my husband, instead! I freaking LOVE how it turned out and everyone in our friend group thought that I nailed it too. GREAT SUCCESS! Check it out:

How It Started:

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How It’s Going:

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Who? What? Wear?

Ever since Johnny and I began dating, I have been inspired by his personal style that is part glam rock part emo kid. Seeing the amazing outfits that he would put together while playing a concert or just hanging out would put my heart in a tizzy! While I am a lucky lady to have such a fashion forward husband, I am even luckier because his clothes fit me lol. This is not the first time that I have worn one of his fabulous button downs in his collection and it certainly won’t be the last. 😀

For my Halloween costume, I embodied “concert Johnny” because he always follows the same formula for showtime OOTDs: Killer shoes, skinny jeans, flashy button down, and a scarf. This was probably the easiest OOTD that I have ever assembled because straying too far from what he wears for a concert would have defeated the point of the costume! He has also never worn the button down that I selected for a show before so I was honored to give it a test drive. My consensus: It works!

When I started styling this look, I originally had on one of his snakeskin patterned tops in a more muted shade. However, it just wasn’t popping enough since I wanted to go full glam rock. I tried on the red velvet button down with glittery polka dots next and I knew that it was the one. Also, if you look closely, you will notice that the buttons on it are little skull heads – so cool! This button down by Phix was also the perfect one to pair with Johnny’s black and white striped scarf. The White Stripes themed color palette looked rock concert ready and I could picture Johnny wearing it and looking fantastico.

Skinny jeans were a must for this Johnny inspired costume and, while he has never worn distressed jeans, I wanted to show a bit of skin since everything else was covered up. I probably wouldn’t have worn these AEO skinnies if it wasn’t such a nice night for trick-or-treat but it was warm enough that I got away with it. I also have to take advantage of showing off my tattoos before it gets too cold to do so!

Finally, it was time for shoes and I knew just the pair. Although they are a far cry from Johnny’s signature pointed toe Chelsea boots, I just had to break out my devil horn platforms from Dolls Kill. I wanted to add some obvious Halloween flare to this outfit and what better way to do that than with some costume ready platform boots?! They are so cheeky and fun with the horns and devil tail going up the heels. These boots also tied together the whole outfit beautifully. The red of the boots and the top are an almost perfect match and a little extra glitter never hurt anyone. ❤

I am so proud of how this costume turned out and Johnny was very impressed, albeit a little weirded out, that his wife was dressed just like him! Lol, tune in tomorrow for bonus pics from this look as well as how Johnny’s concert moves inspired all of the pictures we took!

What did you dress up as for Halloween? How did you celebrate Halloween? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr28

Summer In Spring OOTD

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Summer In Spring OOTD

Hello!! Ohio basically experienced all four seasons this past week but ended on a high note with summer like weather over the weekend. It went from snowing and freezing rain to low eighties and sunny, making for the perfect weather for some OOTD pictures! It felt so good to shed the chilly day layers and step out with Johnny in some shorts and a cute little top! Check it out:

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Who? What? Wear?

  • Tie Back Top: Japna, TJMaxx
  • Shorts: American Eagle Outfitters
  • Shawl: This was my grandma’s ❤
  • Wedges: Charles By Charles David, TJMaxx
  • Blue Snake Cuff: I got this at the zoo lol
  • Pink Snake Cuff: Betsey Johnson, TJMaxx
  • Hair Accessory: Hot Topic
  • Tooth Necklace: This is from Revival, a store no longer open in Akron
  • Parasol: PatCatan’s

For these pictures, Johnny and I headed to the Riverfront in Downtown Cuyahoga Falls. We were most economical because we snapped these shots while we were waiting for our takeout order of Mexican food! I probably only wore this outfit for about an hour in total before we went back home, put on comfy clothes, and watched Lord Of The Rings but it was so worth it!

This past week, my mom gave me the shawl that belonged to my grandma that she found while spring cleaning. I love it so much and knew that I wanted to wear it to take some pictures in, so wear it I did. I already had my Japna top in mind that I had been dying to break out since purchasing this winter and the shawl complimented it wonderfully. The two mixed textures provided lots of visual interest which gave this fairly simple outfit something special.

When it comes to shorts, I only wear those from American Eagle Outfitters. They are the absolute best and I was so excited to wear them for the first time since last summer. There’s something about the first warm weather outfit of the year that hits different, ya know? The AEO shorts are so comfortable and fit well without being suction cupped to your legs and they are ideal for a hot day.

With the base of the outfit sorted out, it was time to accessorize! My Charles By Charles David wedges are a favorite of mine come warm weather. I have pretty much worn them into the ground but I don’t care! These wedges go with everything and I could seriously walk all day in them without breaking my stride. I also like the mule shape which helps keep the line of my legs nice and long.

Since this outfit featured a little top and shorts, I wanted to fill out some of the empty spaces with jewelry. You can’t really tell in these pictures but my top has a muted snakeskin print so I kept with that theme by adding my jeweled snake cuffs. I am obsessed with bracelets like this and the blingy gemstones look gorgeous in sunlight! For another pop of color, I chose my tooth necklace from Revival because its length was just right and hits slightly above where my top starts to dip.

And, of course, I am that girl who is extra enough to carry a parasol with me! Part of it is for the fashion but it is also somewhat of a necessity. Everyone jokes that Johnny and I are vampires and it’s very true in the regards that we both burn horribly in the sun. You can almost always find me come summertime with a floppy hat on or a parasol in hand to provide some much needed extra shade!

I will forever be partial to dressing for the fall than to summer but I am loving this Summer In Spring OOTD. A couple of well placed accessories can go a long way in taking a basic outfit into something worth blogging about!

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

Dec3

Flight Of Fancy OOTD

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Flight Of Fancy OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD from my Thanksgiving weekend! This past Saturday, Johnny and I visited our favorite bar, the Cashmere Cricket, and then met up with my parents and niece for a Santa parade in downtown Cuyahoga Falls. As always, Johnny was kind enough to take some pics of yours truly – he’s a total blog husband! This is one of my favorite OOTDs that I’ve done in a long time so let’s get to it:

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Who? What? Wear?

I have been waiting for the right occasion to break out my feather collar and I thought that a day date with Johnny was the perfect time to do so. This OOTD is exciting to me because most of the pieces that are in this look are fairly old and just one accessory breathed new life into all of them. In fact, I totally forgot that I even owned the Express blazer that I purchased during a trip to Goodwill!

When I originally was styling this outfit, I had a simple black sweater on but it wasn’t doing anything for me. I decided a pop of color was needed and went with a white button down that I had bought at H&M forever ago. It has seriously been years since I have worn that shirt and it was just what this outfit needed against the all black palette.

Another thing that I struggled a bit with was finding the right coat to wear because it was friggen freezing that day! One of my heavy winter jackets did the feather collar no favors and I knew that I needed something thinner, despite the cold. Anything for fashion! It took a second trip back into my closet to discover the Express blazer and it was perfect for the sleek silhouette that I had envisioned.

Finally, all that was left were pants and shoes and what I went with was an obvious choice for an almost All Black Everything OOTD. With simple pieces and one outrageous accessory, I felt like a model when my husband was taking my pictures. It was also so nice to revisit one of the spots where we had our engagement photo shoot!

Once I was satisfied with the pics that Johnny took, we warmed up in the Cashmere Cricket while we waited for the parade to start. I enjoyed a delicious color changing martini called The Butterfly Effect and I definitely know what I’ll be ordering again the next time we go!

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Be sure to tune in tomorrow for bonus pictures from my Flight Of Fancy OOTD as well as more about the Santa parade!

How would you style my feather collar? Have you done any fun holiday activities? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct22

Show Your Bones OOTD

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Show Your Bones OOTD

Hi! I have been making great use out of my new iPhone for exactly why I wanted it in the first place – lots of OOTD posts. 😀 Today, we are going to check out a spooky OOTD perfect for Halloween that I sported this weekend for a date night with Johnny. Let’s get to it:

Who? What? Wear?

Over the weekend, I got certified in Medication Administration which was a nine to five class both Saturday and Sunday. The location of the training was a decent amount away from the homestead, so I thought that I would get a hotel nearby to make it easier on myself. The classes were very intense and the only thing getting me through the day towards the end of the Saturday lesson was a date night afterwards.

After class, Johnny took me to a delicious Italian dinner at Napoli’s. Then, we headed to an arcade bar called the Buzzbin to play some games. However, when we got there we learned that there were no longer any arcade games there. Johnny immediately hopped on the case and we ended up at Rack It Up, which was another arcade bar in the area. We must have played ski ball for close to an hour – it was a hoot!

Whenever my husband and I step out together, we love to show out in our emo’s best. With spooky season upon us, I couldn’t think of a better time to break out my hand me down skeleton sweater from Johnny. While it was too small for him, it fit me just right. 🙂 All Black Everything was an obvious must for this look and to keep the wearing your insides on your sleeve motif going, I wore my vertebrae platforms a la Dolls Kill. It has been a while since I have gotten to wear them and they reminded me so much of the heels that I wore for my wedding. :*)

Although my Show Your Bones OOTD is quite simple, it was so much fun to wear because it felt like Halloween came early! As a short gal, it is important to me to create the illusion of length in the outfits that I style and I felt ten feet tall in this one. Rest assured that no bones were broken in the making of this post! 😀

What are you going to be for Halloween? Where do you find the best spooky themed clothes? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep25

Jeans & A T OOTD

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Jeans & A T OOTD

Hello and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! After getting my hair done and having a wildly successful Fall Haul, I just had to take pictures this past weekend. I wanted to check out this new hiking trail nearby with my husband/photographer but we couldn’t find it to save our own lives. So, Johnny and I settled for taking pictures at Taco Bell instead lol. As we all know, T-Bell is my absolute favorite so this was just fine by me! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

When it comes to my OOTDs, the more extravagant the better. However, there’s some days where you just have to throw on jeans and a T and go. This outfit is one of the most minimal looks I have featured on my page but it packs a punch thanks to the accessories, super distressed jeans, and pops of color. It was a perfect look for running errands with Johnny because we always try and show out even if we are just making a Target run!

To add some interest to a simple jeans and T look, it is all about the accessories. I didn’t want to overpower the black and white palette that I had going so I relied on the extras in my OOTD to give small but effective pops of color. I started by putting on my platform heels which added a fun surprise with the flames on the heels. It also helped create the illusion of length as it blended seamlessly with my jeans.

I went with my Union Jack shades and purse to give a pattern to my OOTD without being overwhelming to the muted palette. These accessories provided visual interest that enhanced the look because the colors weren’t too bright and minimal enough that it didn’t put all of the focus on one piece of the outfit. To complete the look, I put on my favorite bracelet from Claire’s that has a chain which connects to a ring and walked out the door feeling my damn self.

By the end of my styling session, I felt like a million bucks and had an outfit that I was in love with even though it is a far cry from my norm. For some people, stepping out of their comfort zone means wearing a more bold piece. For me, it means toning things down and my Jeans & A T OOTD definitely did that! The accessories tied this look together but, let’s be honest, the outfit was already made with Britney Spears on my T-shirt. ❤

Tune in tomorrow for bonus pictures from this look as well as the funny story behind winding up at Taco Bell for a photo shoot! 😀

Who is your favorite pop star? How do you step out of your comfort zone in your outfits? 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

May30

American Eagle Outfitters Haul

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American Eagle Outfitters Haul

Hi!! When I went to Summit Mall a week or so ago for the first time in at least two years, I made the most of it with a huge haul from Altar’d State. I also needed new shorts in a bad way and there is only one store that I can trust will have what I am looking for every time: American Eagle Outfitters. But Sarah, it’s about to be summertime! Every store is selling shorts. Be that as it may, I am not a fan of high waisted shorts and AEO is one of the few stores I know of that still sells classic midrise shorts.

As always, AEO delivered and I found two new pairs of shorts that fit just how I like as well as a multi pack set of earrings for my wedding! Check it out:

I have exactly two high waisted pairs of jeans in my wardrobe and, believe you me, I was very surprised by those purchases! However, high rise shorts just do not work on my body type. I have muscular thighs, a butt, and hips with a small waist so what fits over my bottom half is HUGE on my waistline and leaves a lot to be desired in the fit department. Therefore, midrise shorts will always be the move for me.

I was so happy to find two pairs of excellent quality shorts at American Eagle that I know will last me for a good long while because I only had one pair of shorts before this shopping trip! My midrise AEO shorts fit me like a glove without being too tight and it’s nice to have a little variety between the black shorts and distressed dark denim. Both pairs will go with literally anything this summer which takes any guesswork out of styling so that I can get out and go for mine and Johnny’s next adventures!

Originally, I only planned on purchasing shorts at AEO – until I got to the cash register that is. At the cash wrap, I noticed their jewelry display and remembered that I needed some smaller earrings for my wedding. When I buy earrings, I only go for flashy dangly pairs so there was a definite lacking of no fuss earrings at my place! I like that the multi pack that I purchased had options in both silver and gold and I am excited to mix and match until I find the perfect combination for the big day.

It felt so good to do some actual shopping at Summit Mall as opposed to browsing online and I am incredibly happy with everything that I bought. Here’s to successful shopping trips to all!

What is your preferred rise for jeans and shorts? Do you prefer dangle or stud earrings? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May2

Who Wears Short Shorts?

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Who Wears Short Shorts?

Hi! One trend that I could never and will never get into is all high waisted everything. Don’t get me wrong, it looks super cute on some people, but me? Not so much. As a petite girl at 5’1, high waisted clothing makes me look really short and makes my ass look REALLY flat. Which is so not okay because, I hate to brag, but over a decade of figure skating has blessed me with a behind that is definitely above average. In conclusion, high waisted and I just don’t get along.

When this trend became popular five or so years ago, it has become increasingly difficult to find shorts that are a normal rise. It seems like every store that I go to only has high waisted shorts that honestly seem like a yeast infection waiting to happen because they go so far up into the nether regions. No thank you!

Before a recent trip to the mall, it felt like the odds were stacked against me in finding some shorts for summer that are a normal rise. I was kind of nervous, actually, because I haven’t bought shorts in forever so it needed to happen. The first boutique style store I went into was a bust. Literally all they had was high waisted shorts. And, just so no one could say I didn’t try, I even tried a pair on.

Spoiler Alert!

It was exactly what I expected it to be. My ass looked flat as a pancake and my torso and legs looked insanely stumpy. Not a good look. I was about to leave after the disappointing fitting room session in the boutique because I had already made purchases at other stores and figured that I could try again later. But, then, I decided to go to American Eagle Outfitters.

I have always really liked the way that AEO jeans fit me and I thought that they might have more options for shorts with a normal rise. And, my instinct was correct, because I was able to find two cute, normal rise shorts at buy one get one half off! Check it out:

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It was such a relief going into AEO and seeing an entire table of normal rise shorts, which I feel like never happens anymore. I was able to select from a bunch of different styles and colors and, for once, short shopping didn’t suck. These new shorties from American Eagle fit me just right, make me look fine from behind, and I don’t need to worry about having a permanent wedgie from a high rise. Score!

Do you prefer a normal, high, or mid rise when it comes to your clothes? What is a trend that you wish would go away or start up again? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah