Tag Archives: coats

Simply Fall OOTD

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Simply Fall OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! The first half of October was unseasonably warm and it has finally cooled down to my perfect, happy temperature. I live for a crisp fifty to sixty degree day. I love the chill in the air but primarily, I love the fashion lol. There is nothing better to me than cozying up in a cute coat and feeling the leaves crunch beneath my feet. I have been waiting to break out my lighter fall jackets for so long and have been eagerly anticipating ALL of the OOTD shoots. Like this one! Check it out:

Houndstooth Jacket: Philosophy, TJMaxx

Sweater: Shrinking Violet, TJMaxx

Coated Skinny Jeans: Seven Jeans, TJMaxx

Heeled Boots: Olivia Miller, TJMaxx

Pinocchio Necklace: This was purchased forever ago from TJMaxx!

I have no idea where the earrings are from!

The beauty of fall OOTDs is that you can turn something basic like jeans and a sweater into something elevated by simply putting on a jacket. It can transform an entire look and it makes dressing for fall oh so fun! Elevated simplicity was the name of the game for this fit and I started with my Shrinking Violet sweater. This sweater is as old as dirt. I actually bought it to wear during my first day of college at Tri-C. I just can’t part with it though because it is so perfect. It is nice and light and just right for pairing underneath a jacket. Remember, when you are layering you want to use a thinner item with a thicker one and it was exactly what I needed for my OOTD.

Next up was the pantaloons department and I wore my sweater tucked into a high waisted pair of coated skinny jeans. These jeans added a pop of texture and sheen while providing shape to my waist as the sweater isn’t the most form fitting. The All Black Everything palette with this combination allowed me to do whatever I wanted with my coat, shoes, and accessories. A monochrome base is never going to be boring when you add a splash of color or a bold pattern to it!

In the overflowing jacket section of my closet, I chose my deep red Philosophy coat with a houndstooth pattern. This little number is so fabulously fall and is one of those coats that you can just throw on and go. I am an avid fan of houndstooth anything and couldn’t believe my good fortune to find this coat at TJMaxx in one of my favorite colors and patterns. That red was popping against the base I had established and livened up this look with a classic fall hue.

Finally, it was onto shoes and accessories. For shoes, I went with one of my favorite pairs of heeled boots by Olivia Miller. These are my go to fall boots – I love the chunky platform shape and that chunky chain across the ankle! For once, I also decided to wear a necklace. In the summer, my tattoos are out in all their glory and no accessories are needed. Fall is a different story and allows me to access my jewelry collection once more. I chose a long necklace with Pinocchio on it and it swayed and moved with every step. To match the brassy hue of the necklace, I popped on a pair of deep gold cross earrings and was ready to go!

This Simply Fall OOTD was the first fully fall look of the season for me and I felt awesome in it. I can’t wait to style more looks for the best season of all!

What is your favorite season? 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

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

Pattern Pop OOTD

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Pattern Pop OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! We have had an incredibly mild November in good ol’ Akron, Ohio and I’m honestly pretty annoyed by it lol. I just want to wear my cold weather clothes consistently without having a heatstroke, damnit! This past weekend after several warm days, the temperature took a slight drop and I was SO excited to break out one of my favorite statement jackets. It was short lived because we have had sixty plus degree days since, but it was great while it lasted! Check it out:

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Snakeskin Print Trench Coat: Stella Luce, TJMaxx

Black Sweater: Shrinking Violet, TJMaxx

Skinny Jeans: 1822 Denim, TJMaxx

Platform Boots: Olivia Miller, TJMaxx

I’m pretty sure the teardrop earrings are from Target!

As you all know, I am a jacket fanatic. While I do have a lot of heavier options that I love, my main preference is a light trench coat or topper jacket. They are very appealing to me from a lazy perspective because they aren’t thick enough to be too warm so you don’t necessarily have to take them off once you reach your destination. Meaning that you could literally wear the worst outfit ever underneath and no one would know! The snakeskin trench by Stella Luce is perfect for this because its warmth factor is that of a slightly thick cardigan making it ideal for all purpose wear. Even if it wasn’t, I wouldn’t want to take it off because it’s such an eye catching statement.

When you have a piece as bold as a full fledged snakeskin print trench coat, the rest of the outfit basically builds itself. Could you imagine pairing this coat with anything other than basic essentials? Me either! It would form a cacophonous outfit rather than a cohesive one. So, I slipped on my go tos for underneath. Black skinnies were a given as well as a black sweater too. The sweater by Shrinking Violet was just what I needed to wear below the trench coat because it is incredibly thin. It works so well for layering purposes and I highly recommend finding simple staples to come in with the assist when you are styling a look featuring a statement item.

Finally, it was time for shoes and accessories. As the trench coat hits below my mid calf, a shoe with a pattern was simply not an option. Once again, we want cohesiveness not cacophony! I chose my platform boots by Olivia Miller to keep the color palette intact and offer a pop outside of the snakeskin pattern with the huge silver chains. With no open real estate for bracelets or necklaces, I put on one of my favorite teardrop pairs of jet black dangly gemstones. They allowed for further elongation of the neck, which was important to play up since minimal skin was shown in this look. With that, I was ready to take on the day!

Since I haven’t been able to dip into my coat collection as much as I would like, I was in love with this Pattern Pop OOTD. There is nothing better than wearing one of your all time favorite things!

What is your favorite pattern? What is your favorite style of jacket? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Must Have Fall Wardrobe Staples

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Must Have Fall Wardrobe Staples

For many, myself included, fall is the most beloved season of all. The weather, holidays, activities, and changing leaves make for a beautiful and fun time of the year. And, oh yeah, the fashion isn’t bad either! Fall fashion is a blast and provides an opportunity for a killer OOTD every time you walk out the door. Layering pieces and cold weather accessories are all must haves in a solid fall wardrobe arsenal. Here are a few that will keep you OOTD ready all season long:

Statement Jacket:

When it comes to fall clothing, priority number one should be a fantastic statement jacket. A good coat or jacket can turn the most basic outfit into something blog worthy by simply slipping it on. There is a coat for every style and occasion and it is one of my favorite pieces to indulge in when shopping. Feeling edgy? Try a moto jacket! Classically cute? A topper jacket or trench coat is your new best friend. Comfy cozy? A soft cardigan jacket will be perfect for wrapping yourself in.

For layering purposes, remember to follow this golden rule: You never want to layer two bulky or tight articles of clothing on top of each other. If you have a looser fitting coat, a thick sweater underneath is fine. On the other hand, a tight fitting moto jacket should be paired with a thinner top or sweater underneath to keep the proportions of the outfit in check.

Boots, Baby:

Put your summer sandals and wedges away because boot season is in full swing! Like a good jacket, a bold pair of shoes can instantly transform an outfit. Look for heeled boots to wear during an outing and some cool combat boots to sport during a fall hike. To add some extra visual interest, you can try patterns like snakeskin, cheetah print, or floral. Hardware embellished boots with chains or studs are also sure to be a hit!

Cold Weather Accessories:

There are three must have cold weather accessories to not only keep you nice and warm but oh so fashionable: Scarves, hats, and gloves. These pieces will help tie your fall OOTDs together and are a great way to spice up your wardrobe without breaking the bank. When it comes to these accessories, the possibilities are endless! Do you want mittens or fingerless gloves? An infinity scarf or a pashmina? How about a floppy or cloche hat? Regardless of what you choose, you will be toasty and always ready for a photo op.

Cardigans/Sweaters:

For maximum comfort, warmth, and style, a gorgeous cardigan or sweater is the way to go! You can keep things simple with a plain one in fall hues like burnt orange, mustard yellow, and forest green. Or you can take things to the next level with patterns like polka dots, Halloween themes, or thick stripes. For many a fall OOTD, comfy cozy is the name of the game. Snap a pic in your fall sweater or cardi with a Pumpkin Spice Latte in hand and you just broke Instagram!

It doesn’t take much to revamp your fall wardrobe – just a few of the pieces above will suffice. Now, go werk those fall fits and hit the apple orchard!

What is your favorite piece of fall clothing? How do you upgrade your wardrobe as the seasons change? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

A New Day, A New Jacket

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A New Day, A New Jacket

Hi everyone and happy Thursday! Boy, does it feel great to be back on lifewithlilred after my vacation in Asheville, North Carolina. Thanks again to all of my fabulous Falling For Fall guest bloggers for holding it down while I was away! ❤

The fall is a very dark time for me. With all of the gorgeous cool weather clothing, shoes, and accessories that the stores have to offer, I turn into a woman possessed. I forget my name, where I am, and the fact that I don’t need any more clothes and go credit card crazy. I JUST CAN’T HELP MYSELF. If you guys pay an ounce of attention to my page, you’ll know that cool weather clothing makes up a solid ninety percent of my wardrobe. I love it all. Ahem:

  • Peacoats
  • Flannels
  • Sweaters
  • Skinny jeans
  • Thick tights
  • Moto jackets
  • Trench coats
  • Knee high boots
  • Thigh high boots
  • Ankle booties
  • Combat boots
  • Hats
  • Gloves
  • Scarves
  • Layering ALL THE THINGS
  • Sadly, the list goes on.

With this list in mind, it’s easy to see how I lose my bearings literally EVERY TIME I step foot in a store that sells clothing. It’s my cross to bear, I suppose, but hey – it could be worse!

The splendor of fall clothing, aside from the gorgeous jewel tone hues, is that if you style it properly, you can get away with wearing some of the pieces year round. Fall clothing gives you options. To me, there is nothing better than buying something that I can get away with wearing during most weather conditions (with the exception of heavier coats and sweaters). I always consider the Cost Per Wear (CPW) with everything that I buy, and year round appropriate clothing dwindles the CPW down significantly. You guys know by now that I try to get the most bang for my buck, which is why my wardrobe gravitates so heavily towards all autumn everything.

Blah, blah, blah – Just get to what you bought already, right? Sigh. Okay. Enough trying to justify my spending. I dug my grave and now I must lie in it, but first, let me show you my new jacket from Target’s brand, A New Day:

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Have you ever had a spiritual connection with a piece of clothing? You know, that feeling of “I could buy this right now and not even bother trying it on”?  I had that feeling when my eyes landed on this magnificent knee length A New Day coat. And, I have to tell you guys, I was nervous. To me, this jacket looks expensive as far as Target goes. Come winter, their coats can reach up to eighty dollars. And, despite my love for this beauty, I would not be comfortable spending that much for it. So, imagine my relief when I took a peek at the price tag and saw that it was half of that – forty bucks. Yeah, I can swing that.

The jewel tones, the length, the possibility for layering, and the warmth level between light and medium, ON TOP of a forty dollar price tag made this jacket such a steal. Frankly, I couldn’t believe it, because it really just seemed too good to be true. But the heart wants what the heart wants, and that purchase price sealed the deal. I ripped my moto jacket off, set my purse on the ground, and got the coat on all in under five seconds. It then took a literal glance of myself in the mirror to verify that this jacket was mine.

I absolutely LOVE the colors of this coat. The deep navy, violet, and mustard yellow are all shades that look stunning against my red hair and pasty pale skin. It makes everything that makes me, me pop. But what really got me about this A New Day piece is the shape of it. It has that shabby chic college professor vibe to it and I just love that. It’s just the smallest pinch oversized which gives the coat such gorgeous movement as well as the option to layer a thick sweater underneath it during the winter.

And, finally, this jacket will last me from the beginning of fall until it warms up in the spring because of its relative lightness. This piece is perfect. It’s the epitome of what fall clothing is all about and why I love dressing for the season so much. And also why I basically wrote a love letter to my new jacket in this post.

A New Day provided me with A New Jacket and I can’t thank the brand enough for it! I never knew what true love was until now and whatever. What do you love about fall clothing? How would you style this coat? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Thrift Shop Fun At Blue!

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Thrift Shop Fun At Blue!

Helloooo everyone and Happy Mother’s Day to all of the beautiful mamacitas out there!! In one of the local newspapers that gets delivered to my house there was an article recently about Blue, a Goodwill “boutique” in downtown Kent, Ohio. The article mentioned that Blue only carried new and next to new name brand clothing such as Banana Republic, Nine West, Doc Martin, and Guess to name a few. Naturally after reading the article about the Goodwill company’s attempt at a more high end thrifting experience, my mom and I decided that we would love to go on a shopping trip and look around. Yesterday evening we got into the mom-mobile and made our way to Kent to pop some tags at the thrift shop. It took a stop at the gas station for directions to find Blue, because we were driving around aimlessly with no luck for about ten minutes but thankfully we found it after some much needed help from the sweet employee – and let me tell you, I’m so glad we did! Blue Boutique was tucked away in the heart of downtown Kent, and walking into it seriously felt like walking into any other store in the area. It felt clean and crisp, it was well decorated, and most importantly there was an amazing selection of clothes and accessories to look through. When I read the newspaper article about Blue, I felt pretty ambivalent about the shop being described as a boutique, but after taking a quick scan of the store, that’s truly what it was. It had amazing full wall murals of The Beatles, comfy ottomans, vintage-esque mirrors placed strategically throughout the store, cute little knickknacks showcased on table displays, and fun music playing on the speakers. While exploring the boutique and searching through the clothing racks, I was amazed at how “un-Goodwill” the store felt. Blue was so spacious, unlike a normal Goodwill where all of the clothes are jam packed together in endless aisles and clothing racks. But most importantly, the clothing at Blue really didn’t feel like it was second hand. You know how when you go thrifting you can almost always tell that the clothing you’re shopping through has been really worn, is stained, or has an unpleasant odor? Blue was nothing like that. The clothing felt brand new (some of them still had the original tags on it), there were no visible stains, and none of the clothes had a distinctive smell to it. Don’t get me wrong, I love thrifting as much as the next hipster, but it was nice to be in a Goodwill environment that felt like I was in a high end boutique. While chatting with one of the employees, she told me that Blue is very picky about the clothing that they take into their store, and I have the purchases to prove it! Take a look at my fabulous new finds:

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Here’s the usual breakdown of my “new” second hand jackets from Blue:

  • Lace blazer: Esley, purchased for $15
  • Emerald green peacoat: Nine West, purchased for $15

Love, love, love! My Esley blazer actually still has the original tags on it, and I’m seriously so thrilled about finding this little beauty! I’ve been in need of a sharp new blazer for ages now, and I finally found one. This little lace number fits like a glove and is a fresh, edgy take on a staple piece. I plan on wearing it to my brother’s graduation this upcoming weekend. And please don’t even get me started on my Nine West peacoat! I’m seriously so obsessed with this coat it isn’t even funny. For one, emerald green is my absolute favorite color to wear. For two, minus the too long sleeves that my mom is hemming, the coat fits perfectly. For three, a Nine West number for fifteen dollars?! Yes, please! And most importantly, for four, this beautiful peacoat reminds me and my family of my beloved late grandma. Every thing about this coat from the color to the classic shape just screams “Grandma Rita” – the most gorgeous, classic Hollywood woman in the entire world. When an item invokes that type of emotion on you, you just have to bite the bullet and make the purchase, and I’m beyond excited to welcome such a timeless piece into my wardrobe.

hey girl

Thanks, Ryan. ^^^

I’LL WEAR YOUR GRANDDAD’S CLOTHES. I LOOK INCREDIBLE….Oh…you’re back already?…Uhmm…Hey. 😉

I hope all of you guys have a lovely Sunday and a terrific Mother’s Day! What was one of your best thrift store finds? Is there a Blue-like boutique in your neck of the woods that you shop at? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah