Tag Archives: basic staples

Fashion Staples Everyone Should Own

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Fashion Staples Everyone Should Own

Fashion staples are those timeless pieces that people have found useful to have in their wardrobe over and over again. These are the kind of clothes that let us dress for the occasion, the weather, and for our own sense of comfort and confidence. Here are the fashion staples every person should have in their collection. You never know where you might be invited or what your professional role might require you to wear, and these garments will see you through:

How many simple, casual, and plain tees do you own? One or two? Maybe ten or twenty? If it’s the latter, you can certainly skip this step! But if you’re the kind of person who finds these types of t-shirts boring and useless, you’ll still want to have some in your wardrobe. There will be occasions where you need them, and other tops won’t fit the bill. No matter what your personal preference is, it’s best to have two to three simple and casual tees in your wardrobe. They can be worn to compliment a bold patterned piece or you can elevate them to fit your personal style with accessories.

Additionally, to ensure your t-shirt has the right fit, you can check out these t shirts for some inspiration if you’re taller, as they’re specifically designed for tall men with extra length in the torso and sleeves to ensure a proper fit without riding up or feeling too short. Note the neutral shades that are featured as these will go with anything you pair them with. 

Jeans are wonderfully versatile clothing. You can wear them to most things, including work. However, they’re not always going to be appropriate. Sometimes you will need other sets of bottoms, whether it’s a pair of slacks, some cargo trousers, or capris. Even if you don’t wear trousers of any kind very often, these staples will still need to be on your shelves or hangers. Aside from jeans, make sure you’ve got at least two other types of bottom options in your wardrobe. You can have as many jeans as you like, in as many shades of denim as you fancy! Just leave some room for a few spare pieces you can fall back to when jeans won’t cut it.

A classic blouse or button down shirt and a good blazer are the perfect kind of corporate wear that’s good for turning up to work in. They don’t have to be plain either, if you don’t want them to be. We would recommend having a plain white shirt or blouse hanging up though, just in case you do need a basic like this when you’re first starting a job. As for the blazer, make sure you can comfortably button it and wear it round. Be sure to double check in the mirror how it creases around you as you move. We’ve all been in a scenario where we’ve had a blazer on and needed to lift our arms above our head, only for the lapels to stay there when we bring them back down!

When you own a cocktail dress and/or a suit or two, you’ve always got something quite fancy but not too over the top to wear. Now the next time you’re invited out to a dinner with some co-workers, you won’t have to turn them down simply because you’re not sure what to put on. Cocktail dresses and suits are usually considered to be ‘semi formal’ wear and they’re still sleek and stylish enough for most upmarket events. Indeed, you could even attend award shows and red carpets in these garments! But unless you’ve got the next Oscars firmly booked in your calendar, we recommend reserving them for more professional events and serious occasions.

When you have two sets of each, you’ll have a pair of shoes that will be appropriate no matter where you need to go. And trust us when we say that you cannot operate with just either alone. You need both parts of the shoe world on your side. It’s why you’ll want the smart shoes to be different styles from each other. A set of heels that can go with any outfit, for example, alongside a pair of flatter shoes that wouldn’t look out of place on the office floor. And then we come to the trainers. Unlike the smart shoes, you’ll want these to be the most comfortable, well-shaped trainers you can find. Once you’ve found your soul-pair, buy them in double! You’ll be wearing these more than the smart shoes, so you’re going to need a backup pair just in case.

Finally, no one should have a wardrobe that doesn’t have at least one long coat tucked away to the side. This is your traditional bit of outerwear that’s perfect for dreary and wet days, usually in the autumn, early winter, and sometimes in the spring. A coat like this will usually take the form of a trench coat, but you can go a bit fluffier and fancier here if you like. Whatever your style, there’s going to be a long form coat out there for you! As long as it’s down to your knees at the least, you’ll have a reliable overcoat to pop on for the days when you need a bit of weatherproofing all over but don’t want something too heavy.

With these classic staples in your wardrobe, you will be able to dress to impress for any occasion!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Summer Breeze OOTD

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Summer Breeze OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! Today, we are going to take a look at a cute little look that I wore for a cute little date day with my main squeeze. Whenever Johnny and I are stepping out over the weekend, trust and believe we are showing out. Throughout the work week, our uniforms consist of jeans and a T-shirt so we take every opportunity to get dressed up very seriously and I love that for us. I am so lucky to have a partner that enjoys fashion as much as I do! Take a peek at my Summer Breeze OOTD and let’s get to it:

Crop Top: Bozzolo, TJMaxx

Trapeze Pants: Patrons Of Peace, TJMaxx

Lace Up Heels: BCBG, TJMaxx

Cuff Bracelet: Aerie

Spike Earrings: These were a birthday gift from my Mother-In-Law! ❤

It was an insanely hot day for mine and Johnny’s Date Day and it took a fair bit of browsing in my wardrobe to decide what I wanted to wear. All I knew was that I was sick of wearing shorts, I didn’t feel like shaving my legs to wear a skirt, I don’t have a ton of sun dresses to pick from, and oh yeah – I wanted to be as cool and comfortable as possible too. It was a tall order! Then, my eyes locked in on my pair of tropical patterned trapeze pants by Patrons Of Peace and I knew we were in business.

For as gorgeous as these pantaloons are, I don’t break them out very often because I have like two shirts that would go with it lol. The pattern is so bold and it really does require a basic essential that is close to a perfect match to a color in the pants to pair with. All of my basic essentials are either a stark white or black and that simply wouldn’t do. Then, I remembered one of my newest TJMaxx purchases – a crochet cream colored crop top and I could definitely work with that! These two pieces together were easy breezy and so crazy comfy. It might look it, but these pants are not as heavy as they appear. They are made from the lightest fabric and it barely touches my legs. It’s almost as if I was wearing a maxi skirt and it was a great option to break free from the norm of summer basic staples!

Finally, it was onto shoes and accessories. Honestly, I feel like I could have worn any pair of shoes and it wouldn’t have made much of a difference. These pants totally have maxi skirt length and were mere inches away from the ground after my BCBG lace up heels were on and you could barely see them. #shortgirlproblems ! For jewelry, I put on the prettiest gold cuff bracelet that has a palm leaf etched into it from Aerie. It fit the vibe of this look so well! I kept things simple with my earrings and chose a dangly pair of silver spikes and I was ready to step out on the town with my boo thang! 😀

Listen, I am getting downright fed up with dressing for summer but this Summer Breeze OOTD was such a fun way to shake things up. Can it be fall now, or?!

What is your favorite pattern to wear? What are some of your summer wardrobe essentials? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Simple Summer OOTD

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Simple Summer OOTD

Howdy everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! Today we are going to take a look at a Simple Summer outfit I wore to cheer on Akron’s beloved minor league baseball team, the Rubberducks. My core four crew and I went to a game in April and had the absolute best time. It was, however, cold AF and we left early because we were all freezing our nads off. This time around was simply perfect. It wasn’t too hot or too cold – just right for a baseball game! I wasn’t trying to pull out the fashion stops for this outing, rather something simple and sweet. My boys and I get rowdy at the games and I wanted to be as comfortable as possible while constantly getting up on my feet and rooting for the home team. 😀 Check it out:

Tank Top: Rachel Zoe, TJMaxx

Jean Shorts: American Eagle Outfitters

Candy Button Platforms: B.A.I.T., Unique Vintage

Hoop Earrings: SugarFix By BaubleBar, Target

Sunglasses: Lucky Brand, TJMaxx

I wouldn’t say that dressing for summer is my time to be lazy, rather my time to be comfortable which results in simpler looks. I’m on a fair bit of medication and almost everything I take increases my susceptibility for heat related illnesses. I have never done great in the heat, but this takes it to the nth degree so I try to wear as little clothes as humanly possible while still being gained entrance to wherever I’m going lol. So, I decided to stick with the classics in this look and what is more classic than a sweet little tank top and jean shorts?!

Being comfy doesn’t have to mean frumpy and I love how form fitting the short and tank top combo was. If I’m going to be wearing basic essentials, I want my curves to be on full display to turn even the simplest pieces into Va Va Voom status. The tank top by Rachel Zoe gets a lot of use during the summertime and for good reason. I’m all about that V-neck, thick straps, and vertical ribbing! The shorts then added a dose of sass factor with their high waist and distressing. With the tank tucked in, it enhanced my silhouette even more to turn these classic staples on their heads.

Next, it was onto shoes and accessories and I knew exactly what I was going to wear. I purchased the darling Candy Button platforms for my Candy Queen Halloween costume last year. They were so fabulous but I was sad that I had to wait until the summertime to wear them again. The baseball game was just the occasion I needed to break them out and It. Was. Awesome. They added such a fun pop of color, were super easy to walk in, and everything I imagined wearing them again would be and so much more! For jewelry, I wanted to let my tattoos do the talking as they were out for god and everyone to see. A sparkly pair of pink, purple, and silver hoops were definitely the move and it allowed for candy cuteness from head to toe!

Did the Rubberducks win the game we attended because of this fit? I think YES! Duck em up!!!!!

What is your ideal temperature for an outdoor outing? How do you stay cool in the summer heat? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Cute & Comfy OOTD

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Cute & Comfy OOTD

Hello! This past Saturday, my bestie and her beau came over for a dinner party and a wonderful time was had by all. I made my world famous Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo taste alike and we ate like kings! As I was going to be cooking and hosting, I didn’t want a fussy OOTD that I was going to worry about getting dirty. So, I went the Cute & Comfy route so I could run around making preparations while still looking (And cooking!) my best. Check it out:

Color Block Hoodie: Mossimo, Target

Skinny Jeans: 1822 Denim, TJMaxx

Platform Boots: Free People, TJMaxx

Cigarette Earrings: Punk N Junk

The weather in good ol’ Akron, Ohio has been anything but good and it’s getting old lol. It has been rainy and cold and I have been basically living in hoodies to combat the chill and keep my hair dry. The cropped hoodie from Target I picked definitely wouldn’t have kept me toasty outdoors but it was just what I needed to be cooking in a hot kitchen. The material is nice and light, it provides some ventilation in the tummy (lol), and it’s just so darn cute! I absolutely adore the color block palette and it turned a basic staple into something with a bit more pizazz.

Black skinnies were the obvious move, so it was onto shoes and accessories next. Typically, I wear this hoodie with a funky, huge gold necklace that belonged to my grandma. However, I didn’t want the weight of it on me while I cooked so I opted for some funky earrings instead – long, dangly cigarettes! I got these from a local vendor when Johnny and I went to a Punk Rock Flea Market and I think they are the bees knees lol. They also always get a compliment whenever I wear them because they are so unique! For shoes, I picked a pair of platform boots by Free People that I just love, particularly because it reminds me of tying ice skates when I put them on. With that, I was ready to be the hostess with the mostest for out big evening in!

Cute & Comfy was the name of the game and this OOTD had it in spades. I can’t wait to have another dinner party soon!

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