Tag Archives: autumn

Oct25

Flannels For Fall OOTD

Posted on October 25, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! After the excitement of seeing The Wiz last last weekend, Johnny and I spent a lazy weekend together and it was just what we needed. I feel so much more rested after a few days of vegging out! With nothing on our agenda other than hanging out with family, I decided to style a look that was cool but oh so comfy with my new Lucky Brand flannel. I love how it turned out and it was warm enough to beat the fall chill in the air! Check it out and peep all of those Lil Red leaves:

Who? What? Wear?

Flannel: Lucky Brand, TJMaxx

Skinny Jeans: American Eagle Outfitters

Heeled Combat Boots: Forever 21

Cigarette Earrings: Punk N Junk

The hat was a gift from an ex’s family and I like it too much to throw it out lol

Flannels are such an amazing piece of clothing because they look good on everyone and are a staple that is synonymous with fall. As soon as the weather turns cool, it’s all flannels everywhere and I’m so not mad about it. So much so, that I bought the flannel you see above due to a mere accident. During my last TJs shopping trip, I needed a shirt to try on with a jacket, grabbed the first one I saw, and it just so happened to be said flannel. I wouldn’t have got it if it weren’t so darn cute but, obviously, that wasn’t the case!

I was excited to style this flannel and thought it would be fun to create a black and white ensemble to play off of its pattern. With this in mind, black skinny jeans were the go to choice and also my only choice anyways lol. I don’t own one single pair of blue jeans! While I enjoy wearing all of the beautiful jewel tones of fall, it felt nice to go back to my emo roots with the muted palette I was establishing. As soon as the base of this look was settled, I could definitely picture my teenage self rocking it haha.

Shoes and accessories were next and since this outfit essentially built itself, this was an easy decision. I knew I wanted to wear my “Bad Hair Day” beanie and went with my stark white heeled combat boots from Forever 21. I liked this for several reasons. Of course, it worked with the color palette. However, I loved how the hat and boots were the reverse of each other. The hat was black with white text and the shoes were white with black laces and heels. This really tied the look together and made it flow seamlessly from top to bottom.

Finally, it was jewelry time. I kept things minimal for jewelry because I didn’t want unnecessary bling muddling up the crispness of the outfit’s palette. I toyed around with a collar length necklace, but it wasn’t doing anything for me. So, I decided to wear a pair of statement earrings with a lot of length. I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure earrings that look like cigarettes definitely make a statement! 😀

As always, fall is my favorite season to dress for and I am loving my Flannels For Fall OOTD. This look gave a nod to so many different autumn essentials and is one that I will most certainly be wearing again!

What is your favorite fall staple? What warms you up on a chilly day? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct19

New Happily Grey Topper Jacket

Posted on October 19, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!!! This past Tuesday, I had an afternoon off and decided to do a little holiday shopping at TJMaxx. However, I am in the phase of my early Christmas shopping where I need a treat too and it turned into a shopping trip for me! Lol, when I got home with TJs bags in tow I told Johnny that “I did some shopping for XYZ” to which he said “And…?” My reply: “…And a little something for me too”. Haha, he knows me so well! But, obviously, I just couldn’t say no to this gorgeous topper jacket by Happily Grey:

I am a huge fan of topper jackets and I clutched my pearls when I saw this number by Happily Grey. Johnny and I love the 70s era of fashion and this jacket gave me all of those vibes. It was one of those pieces that I just knew was going home with me and I considered it a steal at just thirty dollars! I have a feeling that I will be rocking my find all fall and winter long. I own maybe two or so full on “winter jackets”, but I much prefer a topper instead. I like that it gives you the option of layering and that I’m not sweating bullets as soon as I get into a car with the heat on!

I was drawn to my new Happily Grey topper for many reasons, the first of which being the colors. Burnished gold is one of my favorite hues and the cream filigree detailing looked so rich and lux against it. I also live for a faux fur collar, which just added to the expensive aesthetic that this topper gave. The length was lovely too, hitting at the mid calf and I could already picture wearing it with my knee high winter boots. Pair it with cable knit tights and a knee length skirt or dress? Yes, please. 😀

I am so happy with this TJMaxx purchase and I already put it to great use. You can peep that soon in an upcoming OOTD that I created for seeing The Wiz at Playhouse Square. If you are in need of new cold weather duds, hit up TJs ASAP because it is all there for the taking. PS – their holiday decor is out too!

What is your preferred style of winter coat? Does your winter wardrobe need a refresh? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct9

Crochet For Days OOTD

Posted on October 9, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! It has been a minute since I shot an outfit because COVID and I am a little late to posting these pics because there was a lot of updates to discuss. But, I’m back at it baby and you can expect more fall looks regularly on my page. While I love my Crochet For Days OOTD, this was a classic case of “looking good, but can’t take a good picture to save my life”. Lol, these were taken the weekend before I went back to work and I still was experiencing fatigue something fierce. I was left with minimal pictures that I actually liked and an endless amount of bloopers SMH. They can’t all be winners, though, and that’s okay! Let’s get to it:

Who? What? Wear?

Crochet Sweater: Debut, TJMaxx

The jeans are Johnny’s and are from Hot Topic

Platform Loafers: ModCloth

The earrings are a hand me down from my sister and are from Francesca’s

Ever since buying my Debut crochet sweater from TJMaxx, I have been really eager to wear it. It was purchased at the end of July, however, and it has just been too hot in my neck of the woods to break it out. With the temperature in Akron shifting into fall mode, I was finally able to style a look based around it. What I love about this sweater other than everything is the shape. It’s baggy without being oversized and it’s perfect for cozying up or stepping out in. And, of course, the mishmash of colors used is nothing short of a delight!

To play off of the shape of the sweater, I decided to wear a pair of Johnny’s jeans instead of my own. I don’t own any boyfriend fit jeans so I went with husband fit lol. While I could have easily worn this sweater with skinny jeans, I wanted to embrace the bagginess of the sweater by wearing looser fitting denim. Not only were Johnny’s jeans insanely comfy, but they emphasized the relaxed vibe that I wanted to invoke. This is not the first time I have worn my husband’s jeans and it definitely won’t be the last. 😀

With the base of the outfit sorted, it was time for shoes and accessories. Since my clothes weren’t form fitting, adding height was essential to keep from being overwhelmed in the fabric. I went with my platform loafers from ModCloth for the assist. They are old as dirt, but they still serve me well and were a laid back option to keep things cohesive. And, with not much real estate available for jewelry, I chose a simple pair of flower dangle earrings and called it a look!

Despite not having much photo evidence of my Crochet For Days OOTD, it still turned out great. It gave me all of the comfy cozy vibes for fall and is a fit that I plan on rocking again. Stay tuned tomorrow for the blooper reel!

What is something that frustrates you about taking pictures? Can you relate to not being able to take a good pic even when you’re looking your best? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct6

New Mocha & Oxblood Nails

Posted on October 6, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Howdy!! When Johnny and I had COVID, I had a nail appointment that needed to be cancelled. The last thing I wanted was to make all of the fabulous techs and patrons of my favorite salon sick! As I lounged about doing a whole lot of nothing, the promise of a fill was the treat I needed to look forward to. My nails were so grown out and it was driving me nuts! This past Tuesday, I couldn’t wait to hit the salon after a quick shift at work and Shelley slayed on these Mocha & Oxblood nails:

I was feeling very uninspired the past few fills in terms of nail polish colors. Summer was winding down, but it wasn’t quite fall and it was hard to determine what I wanted to go with. Not this time, though! On Monday evening, I went out to a delicious Mexican dinner with my bestie, Lea. She had on the most lovely beige polish and that was all of the inspo I needed. This is not the first time that I have done a variation of nude and red polish, but it hits just right every time. It feels so chic for fall and I am living for that oxblood polish – it is gorgeous!

When I have a first thing in the morning appointment at Elysian Nails, I am SO fine with the fill taking longer because my work won’t start until later. In the middle of the day, however, I want a super speedy session so I can get back to whatever else is on my agenda for the day. Shelley is synonymous with super speedy fills and she knocked mine out in forty minutes. As always, it is most impressive and she completely rocked it. In under an hour, my grown out talons were a distant memory and I left the salon feeling like a million bucks. This is the first fill I have been excited about in a while and the color combo has me feeling like a fall queen.

Some pampering was exactly what I needed for a post COVID pick me up and your girl is officially back to feeling herself. It’s amazing what a mere hour at the salon can do!

What are your favorite fall colors? What color of nail polish do you have on? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct5

Quick & Easy Pumpkin Milkshake Recipe

Posted on October 5, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Howdy! The transition into fall is the perfect time to host guest bloggers on lifewithlilred. It is such fun to be inspired by the autumn traditions and joys of dear friends and readers and it adds that extra touch of (pumpkin) spice to my page. Speaking of pumpkins, today, we will be checking out a pumpkin milkshake recipe by Rachael from And Fierce. I have never tried a pumpkin milkshake before, but with a recipe that sounds this yummy, I think I’ll be giving it a shot! Take a look:

Quick & Easy Pumpkin Milkshake Recipe

Compliments of Rachael from And Fierce

One of our local restaurants we like to hit up at the end of their season will have a pumpkin milkshake. Earlier this month, I kept saying we have to go the last day and get one. We ran out of time and never went. After that, I decided I would make my own at home.

Simple and real ingredients but the result is perfection! So let’s go!!

Ingredients:

15 oz can of pure pumpkin

10-12 oz of vanilla ice cream (if you want more feel free to add more)

1/2 cup of milk

1/2 inch nob of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie seasoning

Salted caramel sauce

Real whipped cream

Directions:

Add your pumpkin, vanilla ice cream, peeled and grated ginger, milk, and pumpkin pie seasoning into a blender and mix it up.

Once blended, get a cup and squirt caramel on the sides of the inside of the cup. Squirt or dollop your real whipped cream and add more caramel sauce to the top.

Yeilds: Roughly 32 ounces

As you can see I split mine into three 16 ounce cups to share between myself, Atticus, and Winter.

These really hit the spot and are completely kid approved! I’m sure we will make these again!

Many thanks again to Rachael for sharing her gorgeous Halloween Wreath and Pumpkin Milkshake Recipe here on lifewithlilred. For more from this amazing blogger, check out her page and give her a follow on Instagram @kavebabe !!

What is your favorite fall flavor? Are you team pumpkin spice or apple? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct4

Easy Halloween Wreath

Posted on October 4, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! I love hosting guest bloggers on lifewithlilred, especially during the change of the seasons. It is so much fun to see how my friends and readers from all over the world welcome and celebrate different seasons and the holidays that come with it. I was SO excited to see this past week that one of my darling friends, Rachael, the mastermind behind the fabulous blog, And Fierce, responded to my guest bloggers call to action. She is so fantastic so do give her page some love! Today, we are going to check out an Easy Halloween Wreath that she created and check back in tomorrow for her recipe for pumpkin milkshakes. Yum! Let’s get to it:

Easy Halloween Wreath

Compliments of Rachael from And Fierce

As a Halloween lover, it is extremely hard not to buy everything in the store right when I see it. I think I speak for everyone when I say, it is easier to throw something in your cart and buy it than it is to curate something yourself. I made Winter’s first two Halloween costumes and this year I bought hers. I could’ve made it but I didn’t really have the patience for it this year.

So somehow I’ve had the time to make two Halloween wreaths??

Okay, so, what happened was, I had been slowly putting together sticks from our yard to make this wreath that I kind of came up with in my head. I was feeling myself because of how it turned out. I put in all the time to do it all and plan it out. But I guess it wasn’t as sturdy as I thought. It didn’t take long until it fell off the door. At that point, it was an easy fix. I laid it on the floor in the kitchen to fix later. But I waited too long, because Winter decided that she needed to walk through that area that no one ever walks through. So needless to say, the whole thing was trash at that point. I did take a few things from it to use again.

Here is what the first one looked like…

I do like the new one better though. It just feels a bit more lively for the season. I just love orange and black for Halloween too!

You could totally make this in a couple hours, if you are uninterrupted… *ahem* kids.

Supplies

12 inch Wreath Wire

2 spools of 6 inch Tulle, 25 yards (1 black, 1 orange)*

Felt Bat

Fake Black Peonies

Hot Glue Gun & Glue Sticks

Fishing Wire

Ribbon

Instructions:

First thing you want to do is get your tulle ready and cut. I just used the wire wreath as a guide and cut about 12 inch pieces. I cut the whole roll of each and used almost the whole spool.

Next, start adding the tulle to the wreath wire. I took a section of tulle and folded it the long way and then folded it again to loop it on the wire.

Notice the direction I did the tulle. I added it from the inside out, if that makes sense. This way it stayed better and it made it lay nice and flat.

I kept it simple by adding evenly to each section just so I didn’t get ahead of myself and have to go back and fix sections.

I then started to get into a groove and this is how I patterned the pieces to try and keep it all even.

After I continued and made each section the same, I went back and added tulle pieces where I felt it needed it. Or if you feel like you want yours to be fuller, go ahead and add more. *Also depending on how full you want it to look, you may need more tulle.

Once I got it looking how I wanted, I hot glued the leaves of the peonies. Then I added on the peonies. Next, I looped the fishing wire to add the bat to hang in the middle of the wreath. I also eyeballed the length and used hot glue and cut any excess.

I then took my ribbon and looped it through the top of the wreath, on the first wire. I just tied a tight knot and cut any excess.

I am obsessed! As you can see, I did copy my original wreath with the same feel, but this one is the mic drop. It’s so pretty and I’m so happy I have it hanging on my door!!

How amazing is that wreath?! Rachael absolutely rocked it! For more from this lovely guest blogger, give Rachael a follow on Instagram: @kavebabe, check out her blog, and visit lifewithlilred tomorrow for her pumpkin milkshake recipe. Thanks again, boo! ❤

Do you like to make your own seasonal decorations? What is your favorite holiday to decorate for? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep25

Fall Guest Bloggers Wanted!!

Posted on September 25, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hey!!! As you all know, Lil Red loves her some fall! Autumn is my happy time and I have been waiting all summer long for it. There is nothing like cool days, seeing the leaves change colors, and Halloween. Fall is the season when Johnny and I live our best lives and I know that we are not the only ones who share these sentiments. With the changing of seasons, I love to host guest bloggers series and I am opening the floor on lifewithlilred for anyone who wants to celebrate all fall everything!

If you are interested in being a guest blogger on lifewithlilred, all you need to do is shoot me an email with your ideas to: sarah.mush6794@gmail.com . I am looking for posts on favorite fall recipes, activities, outfits, makeup, and spooky Halloween fun. If your post idea doesn’t fall under these categories – send them my way anyway. 🙂 It is always such a blast to collaborate with other bloggers and make new friends. I am looking forward to hearing from all of you!! ❤ ❤ ❤ Much love. -Sarah

Sep23

Whatever The Weather OOTD Bloopers

Posted on September 23, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to the blooper reel from my Whatever The Weather OOTD! This past year, I have made it my goal to do weekly OOTDs and minus a few misses, I feel like I have been achieving it. I trudged through summer looks even though it’s not my favorite season to style for and now it is officially fall – AKA the best season for fashion ever. Although the weather doesn’t feel fully fall yet, I welcome a crisp morning any day of the week and have been creating outfits for fluctuating temperatures. Whatever The Weather, however, some pictures definitely don’t make the cut… Until they have their day in the sun during the blooper reel! Let’s check it out:

Something STANK

Don’t mind me doing the potty dance

Showing off my dazzling smile 🙂

WERKING that wind in the hair, baby

My signature, adoring “wtf” face to whatever it was that Johnny was saying ❤

To pop the foot or not… that is the question

… The answer is not -_-

Johnny and I had quite the adventure around TimberTop finding a place to take these stunning pictures. We went to the location seen here first and was greeted by a HUGE pile of dog crap because no one in TTop cleans up after their dogs and it’s so foul. So, we began to walk and ended up on a charming path that we didn’t even know existed. It was a wooded area and offered a view of the charming, dirty creek that runs through the apartment community, appropriately named Mud Creek lol. You can’t make this stuff up!!

This location was much more like it, but the lighting sucked butt so we continued on our quest for another OOTD spot. Then, we found a clearing that I thought might work, but it was a Red Herring. You guessed it – the lighting sucked butt there too! On the bright side, we did meet an adorable puppy named Kody – short for Kodiak – short for Kodiak The Maniac according to his owners. This was a huge plus, but we were still struggling to find a good spot to shoot at.

Finally, we went back the way we came and when we exited the woods it was a total “let there be light” moment. There was perfect lighting shining down on the super cool stone base of one of the apartment buildings. I think it looks so neat! We were derailed by dog poop, poor lighting, and a cute pup (which was a most welcome reprieve!) but we ended our trek victorious. The things I do for this blog! 😀

Whatever The Weather during the fall is thankfully always pretty good for a walk and did we ever for this shoot. Johnny was SO ready to go inside afterwards and so was I!!

What are some of the names of bodies of water in your area? Do any of them top MUD CREEK?! I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep21

Whatever The Weather OOTD

Posted on September 21, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! No matter the time of year, everyone in Ohio knows the weather to be temperamental at best. For the past several weeks, we have fluctuated between hot AF, breezy, and rainy days. Most mornings, I am freezing my nads off only to be having a hot flash by mid afternoon! For flip flop weather, the best thing that you can do when you get ready for the day is layer. Then, as the temperature changes, all you have to do is add or remove your layering pieces to your liking.

Last week, my Early Fall OOTD began the saga of the switching weather and we are going to continue on with that theme. At this current juncture, cardigans are my layering BFF. It’s not cold enough for a coat, but you definitely need something to keep you warm until the day heats up. Whatever The Weather, I know that I will be rocking all the fall fashion – my favorite! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Emerald Green Cardigan: Candie’s, Kohl’s

White Tank Top: Rachel Zoe, TJMaxx

Floral Pants: Nicole Miller, TJMaxx

Denim Platforms: Bamboo/Cape Robbin, TJMaxx

The necklace is handmade and was purchased at a vendor fair

The earrings are Lucky Brand and were a gift from my mom 🙂

Whenever I am styling an OOTD, I tend to start with one piece of clothing and build from there. In this case, I began from the bottom up in the pants department. Although I am forever partial to my black skinny jeans, I don’t want to wear them all of the time! I have many a patterned pants that deserve their day in the sort of sun and I decided to go with my floral pair by Nicole Miller. These pants were a strategic choice because they made styling SO easy. All I had to do was pull from colors that were featured in the pattern!

With something as bold as a patterned pant, it is wise to go simple for the rest of the look. Patterns on patterns can work, but they also can make for a haphazard appearance if not done properly. I don’t own anything patterned that would have even remotely gone well with my pants so I opted for a plain white tank by Rachel Zoe. Afterwards, I examined the pattern in the pants and pulled from the green in the leaves which helped me choose my emerald green cardi on top. Remember, the colors don’t have to be a perfect match – as long as they are from the same color family, you are golden.

(A little side note about the cardigan: It is old as dirt lol. I bought it when I was twenty I think? I needed business casual attire for a new job and felt oh so grown up in black slacks and the cardigan!)

Finally, it was time for accessories and shoes to complete the look. Since the top portion of my OOTD was completely plain, I added the gorgeous, feather adorned handmade necklace. It fit in beautifully with the earthy palette that I had established. Then, I put on turquoise Lucky Brand earrings to pull from the blue in the pants pattern. To create cohesion from head to toe, I went with my deep denim hued platforms to compliment the dark green on top and I was ready to go!

To end this Whatever The Weather OOTD, I will leave you with a little tongue twister we would warm up with when I did theater… Whether the weather is cold or whether the weather is hot, whatever the weather we’ll weather the weather, whether we like it or not. Try saying that five times fast!

What is your favorite jewel tone color? How do you rock patterned pants? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep18

Scary Fun Fall Activities

Posted on September 18, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!!! Fall is the happiest time of the year for me and Johnny. The weather suits our vampire selves beautifully and autumn is when we finally emerge outdoors after a hot summer. We do not do well in the heat whatsoever and it’s so nice to be able to comfortably step out and do ALL of the fall activities together! Below are some of the things that we definitely plan on doing the next few months as well as some ideas for more fall fun. Check it out:

Hikes:

There are countless gorgeous Metro Parks in Ohio and Johnny and I live by a ton of them. Within a ten mile radius of our apartment are at least ten different ones that I can think of off the top of my head! During the week, we are hoping to fit in one or two hikes after work on the days that I get home early. It is such a joy to take a stroll through the woods during a crisp day and admire the changing leaves! Maybe we’ll even try to complete the annual Fall Hiking Spree this year, which is something we always talk about but never do lol.

Drive-In Movies:

I have only been to a drive-in movie once in my life and it freaking sucked! It was a rainy day, the car was cramped, and I was beyond over it. Johnny, on the other hand, loves a good drive-in and we plan on hitting up the one we live somewhat close to in October. The drive-in will be hosting scary movie marathons with old school horror flicks, slashers, and campy classics. It sounds like a hoot and will be a nice change of pace from our at home scary movie viewings.

Scavenger Hunts:

I think it would be so much fun to have a Halloween scavenger hunt with our friends and I would love to organize one. Perhaps a walk or drive through neighborhoods scouring Halloween decor to cross off our list? Or even visiting one of the numerous Spirit Halloweens in our area building a goofy costume on a budget. We could end the hunt making our own concoctions of spooky themed cocktails OR apple cider mimosas which I am dying to try. They sound delish! 😀

Pumpkin Partay:

One thing that Johnny and I haven’t done together is carve pumpkins and that feels like a must this year. I would love to take an afternoon trip to a pumpkin patch, pick out the perfect carving pumpkins, and make some masterpieces. Granted, no one could really see them from our balcony but we can and that’s all that matters. Here’s to me not injuring myself because this will be my first go at jack-o-lanterns – we’ll see what happens haha.

Bonfires:

This past Christmas, I got my dad a fire pit and Johnny and I can’t wait to use it this fall! We even have the kits to make the fire different colors, which will be super neat. Last year, Johnny and I had a blast passing out candy during Trick-or-Treat and we plan on creating a spooky setup with the fire pit, Halloween music, and of course dressing up too. I am SO excited to go costume shopping, although I don’t know how I’ll beat dressing up as Johnny last year!

Johnny and I are ready to live our best lives this fall and how can we not with so many Scary Fun Activities on our agenda?! Fall fun, here we come!

What is your favorite fall activity? What are you going to be for Halloween this year? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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	lifewithlilred on Thxgiving OOTD Bloopers
	Simon on Thxgiving OOTD Bloopers