Tag Archives: dresses

Dec24

TJMaxx Haul: MaxSport LA Dress Edition

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TJMaxx Haul: MaxSport LA Dress Edition

Hi! Other than the new clothes, the best part about shopping at TJMaxx is the prices, of course. I revel in a good deal and there is nothing better to me than getting name brand prices for the low low. Like the MaxSport LA dress that we will be discussing today, for example. The suggested price on its original tag was two hundred and forty dollars and I paid ten bucks for it on clearance. Talk about an amazing score! Check it out:

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During my online shopping, I saw my new dress and wasn’t so sure about it. I really liked its pattern and balloon sleeves but the tent shape was questionable for me because I prefer something a bit more form fitting. However, when I saw it’s ultra marked down price, I thought that it couldn’t hurt to add it to the cart. If it worked, I got a new dress for a crazy cheap price. If not, no harm no foul and I could return it.

While I do love online shopping more than words can say, I tend to go with “safer” options so I don’t have to go through the hassle of making returns. So, I pick clothes and accessories in shapes and styles that I know will look good on me. Ordering this dress was a caution to the wind buy because I was so uncertain of it. In store shopping gives you the luxury to experiment with styles and adjust sizes. Online? Not so much.

Nevertheless, I was really excited to try this dress on and was so pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it. The tent shape, which I was the most ambivalent about was sweet rather than oversized and combined with the pattern, it felt like the perfect nod to all things retro. I cannot wait to pair my MaxSport number with my knee high floral boots from ModCloth for a three seasons student teacher chic look in the fall, winter, and spring!

Due to the pandemic, a majority of my shopping has turned online. This dress encouraged me to branch out of my “safe” styles when scouring my favorite sites and I am itching for my next haul to throw caution to the wind some more!

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

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May29

Altar’d State Haul Finale

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Altar’d State Haul Finale

Hello everyone and welcome to the finale of my Altar’d State Haul! Today, we are going to wrap things up by talking about a lovely black and white floral print summer dress. This is a purchase I am particularly proud of because, normally, I wouldn’t have even bothered trying this dress on. Take a look at some pics and read on to find out more:

The first thing that I noticed when I saw this dress on display after how much I liked it, of course, was that a bra would be incredibly visible. As a bustier gal, a bra is absolutely necessary for me to feel comfortable but it would ruin the silhouette of the crossback straps and the plunging V of the back of the dress. As mentioned above, I would usually acknowledge how cute a dress like this is on previous shopping trips and then move on to something I could wear a bra in. So imagine my surprise when I took this dress from the rack to try it on in Altar’d State.

Chalk it up to my quickly upcoming wedding (!!!!!!) but my self confidence has been sky high lately and it feels awesome because of how much I have struggled with it in the past. So, instead of feeling disappointed when I saw this dress because I used to think I “couldn’t” wear it, I tried it on anyways. I thought to myself that I could make it work, especially with the adhesive strapless bras that I got for my wedding and almost jumped for joy in the fitting room once I had it on and loved it so much.

It could be the novelty of trying something so new to me but I think that this dress is just the most. The uneven hem is so charming and flowy and it reminds me of fairies. The pattern is also so beautiful to me and it feels like there’s a surprise on the dress everywhere you look from the peekaboo keyhole on the back to the crossback straps. I hate to toot my own horn but I was feeling my DAMN self in it.

I felt amazing in my new dress and even better about the fact that I took a risk and tried something different. This is the first time I have ever considered an option other than my standard, supportive bra when buying something and I know it has to do with my very improved self image. I can’t wait to go shopping again so I can try more new shapes and styles that I didn’t think were possible for me to wear before! ❤

How do you take fashion risks? What makes you feel confident? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Apr10

Dresses, Shoes, & Veils – Oh My!

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Dresses, Shoes, & Veils – Oh My!

Hello! When it comes to planning our wedding, Johnny and I are basically all done and will work on preparations for a reception when it is safer to have a party (By the way, Office Anything has awesome reception desks that you can decorate to your liking to welcome guests at your next party!). Like I said in previous posts, we are having a very small ceremony so we really don’t have too much to plan for! That doesn’t mean that we aren’t taking our wardrobe incredibly seriously, though.

While I am still waiting for my dress that I ordered to get here, Johnny’s wedding clothes have already arrived and his look is perfect. Because this is a nontraditional wedding in every sense of the word, Johnny and I both know what each other will be wearing. In fact, we helped each other pick everything out and he was so sweet to always sit by me and give his opinions on the endless pages of veils, shoes, and dresses that I had pulled up.

Like any bride to be, I’d be a liar if I said that I wasn’t a little worried about what I will be wearing. However, with Johnny’s help, I feel so confident that everything I ordered will look great and I truly believe that because of his reassurance. When it comes to any type of clothing, Johnny and I have very specific tastes and we each know right away whether we like something or not. We are also excellent at shopping for each other so it’s hard to second guess something that I found that we both think would be ideal for our big day.

I loved being able to online wedding shop with my fiance as well as show our findings to my mom for her opinions too! I am really looking forward to all of my pieces arriving so I can see the vision that we came up with come to life and be one step closer to getting married. ❤

Where did you shop for your wedding? What were your wedding colors? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr5

A Super Happy Day

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A Super Happy Day

Hi! This is a very exciting time for Lil Red because of my upcoming wedding. Johnny and I are going to be having a very small ceremony with only immediate family but that doesn’t mean that we still don’t have a lot to do. While there are a bunch of odds and ends to tend to, our primary concern was what we were going to wear! Lol, as soon as we announced our engagement, the resounding theme of so many of our friends was how excited they were to see our weddingwear and, judging by what Johnny and I selected, I think we are going to deliver!

This past Monday, my mom went with me to a local tailor to get my measurements for the dress that I planned on ordering. Despite it being a literal less than five minute visit at the shop, I was still very excited to have that time with my mom because there will be no huge wedding to plan. I never really dreamed of a big wedding, rather, I was more looking forward to the time I would spend with my mom during the preparations.

To get my measurements, I was actually wearing one of my mom’s tops because I only had a hoodie on that day and wanted the numbers to be precise. While waiting for her to arrive in the parking lot, I just had to snap a few selfies, even with no makeup, because I was feeling so happy! I can definitely tell in these pictures:

Once I returned home from my outing with my mom and Johnny got home from work, we both ordered our weddingwear and I can’t wait for both of our outfits to arrive. I can’t tell you guys anything about it because the looks are a surprise but, just know, it will be far from traditional! I wouldn’t want it any other way. ❤

What did you wear for your wedding? What was your ceremony/reception like? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Mar13

Always Meant To Wear OOTD

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Always Meant To Wear OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a new OOTD compliments of my Reimagine Your Wardrobe series! About two times a year, I try to do a closet purge and I am, usually, pretty good about donating items that haven’t been worn or have sizing issues. However, I’d be a liar if I didn’t say that I definitely have a few pieces in my wardrobe that I have hung onto despite qualifying to be donated because I’ve always meant to wear it!

The Reimagine Your Wardrobe series is all about making your clothing feel brand new again and the dress that my OOTD is centered around is actually brand new – I have never worn it! That is not for a lack of wanting to, though. Take a look at my Always Meant To Wear OOTD and find out more:

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^^^ Johnny insisted that a small fraction of our record collection be featured in a picture because of my retro inspired outfit!

Who? What? Wear?

I am ashamed to say that this dress has been sitting unworn in my closet since 2018 because every time I wanted to wear it, it just didn’t fit quite right because I had gained some weight since purchasing it. Even though it is a golden rule of closet maintenance to donate items that don’t fit you well, I just couldn’t part with my BCBG dress because I knew in my heart of hearts that some day I would wear it and it would be magnificent!

As soon as I formed my idea for the Reimagine Your Wardrobe OOTD series, this is actually the first outfit that came to mind – provided the dress fit, of course. I have always loved this dress and it fit the criteria of incorporating my older clothing into my current outfits perfectly. I was so nervous to try it on for the first time in over a year due to the pandemic and I was really happy that it fit even better than it did when I first bought it. It looked and felt exactly how I imagined it to when I added it into my shopping cart and it was an amazing confidence boost.

My Always Meant To Wear OOTD was inspired not only by my new fashion series but the documentary on the history of rock n’ roll that Johnny and I watched recently. Johnny is a musician and we are constantly talking and learning about as well as listening to music in our apartment. The documentary we finished was incredibly entertaining and informative and I enjoyed seeing all of the different fashions of each decade.

In fact, this OOTD has been styled in my head for over a month already because I came up with it in the middle of one of the documentary episodes we were watching. The shape of this dress is super 1960s while the floral built in button down offers 70s vibes and colors. Then, I fast forwarded it into modern day with my “Who Cares?” speech bubble heels, big hoop earrings, and a mauve matte lip.

Although it will be a while until I have an occasion to rock this OOTD in public with because pandemic, I am so glad to know that it is now a viable option. My self confidence was sky high even though I was just hanging out in my apartment and it was so fun, as always, to have Johnny’s help taking my pictures. He is the absolute best and is such a good sport about snapping a million shots for me! ❤

What is your favorite decade for music? How about for fashion? I want to hear from all about you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar7

What I Wear To Feel Like A Goddess

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What I Wear To Feel Like A Goddess

Hi! I have always enjoyed having guest bloggers on my page because I love interacting with new people in the blogging community. I was so happy when Libby of The Goddess Attainable answered one of my call to actions and in a short time, we have had numerous collaborations. Yesterday, you got to see my Goddess Style OOTD and today we are going to check out Libby’s! Let’s take a look:

What I Wear To Feel Like A Goddess:

This is another lifewithlilred inspired post, and I have to say, Lil Red moved me slightly out of my comfort zone for this one – which is why it’s a perfect Goddess Attainable topic. The life of a goddess is not about remaining static and staying stuck (although of course, that’s always part of life, so don’t panic if you’re feeling stuck), but rather taking chances, embracing opportunities for growth, and essentially, risking making a complete ass of yourself.

Lil Red suggested we each write a post about an outfit that makes us feel like a goddess and, even though I love fashion, I love my style, and I love putting lots of Aphrodite energy into my appearance. I have to say that since quarantine began (almost exactly a year ago), I feel like I have forgotten how to dress myself. I truly have not strayed from the pajama bottom, cotton top, snuggly socks, oversized wool cardigan since probably April 2020. I call this look my Quarantine Uniform and it has served me well. I work from home and I can’t really rationalize stuffing myself into jeans or any kind of cute outfit if I’m just home all day with no one around but my partner (who luckily, happens to think I look adorable in just about anything, including my QU).

The Dress:

I almost never wear dresses. You know why? Because I feel INCREDIBLY feminine, beautiful, powerful, and vulnerable in them, and that’s a difficult way for me to feel in my day to day life (pre-quarantine commuting, working, running around, tasking, etc.). When I put on a dress, I instantly feel like a different woman, and truly do feel like a legit goddess. Dresses are sensuous and drift across my flesh like a wispy, spring-scented breeze. Dresses don’t hold anything in and, for the most part, allow for lots of FLOW. Dresses are essentially portals to goddess galaxies which is why I chose the following:

The Awkward Photo Shoot:

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So, something about me is, I’m pretty super confident about my looks, but get me in front of a camera and ask me to be comfortable…nope…I wilt like a flower in August and just can’t get comfortable. The dress made me feel 100% like a goddess. Getting photographed in the dress made me feel like an ass. But, this is me, The Goddess Attainable, with all of my highs and lows for you to see, and I’m happy to share. Okay, maybe not happy, but willing 🙂

The Accessories:

Another super important subject that I always consider when I’m putting together a look and constructing a goddess outfit, are the accessories. I’m a details girl, and the kind of jewelry I choose is just as important as everything else. I love my accessories and these are the ones that I chose for this look…

Left: Gold hoop earrings that are tarnished and scuffed from keeping them in my jewelry dish and not wearing them for over a year. Middle: The opening at my cleavage was just a bit too open so I cinched it with one of my pearl earrings (love the makeshift accessories!). Right: One of my favorite rings I got from I don’t know where, but do you see how the blue in the stone compliments the blue in the dress?!

Thanks so much lifewithlilred for proposing this joint goddess-bonding article. This was actually super fun and I appreciate the opportunity to explore a bit more of my vulnerabilities, my insecurities, my quirks, and my true beauty. No matter our brand of woman, I think taking the time to explore our femininity and our appearance is a super spiritual act, and yet grounded in the sensuous body. This activity tagged all of the chakras for me (from root to crown) and I feel so complete after writing this post. I seriously can’t wait to do another one of these with you! Tag, I’m it!

Thank you so much again to Libby for sharing her goddess outfit with all of us! Please be sure to check out her page and give it some love. 🙂

What do you wear to feel like a goddess? What is your favorite piece of clothing? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb29

New Hayden Los Angeles Maxi Dress

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New Hayden Los Angeles Maxi Dress

Hello! These past two days you got to see the gorgeous jewelry that I got from EmLeigh’s and Mama B’s in Marietta, Ohio. Now, it’s time to introduce all of you to the lovely new pieces that I added to my wardrobe for surprisingly cheap (I think I paid forty dollars for three things). It was honestly one of the best shopping experiences I’ve had in a while. Exploring a new store in a new city with the love of my life was such a treat and I cannot wait to wear all of my purchases, like the one below:

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I have recently been trying to add more dresses to my collection because all of the ones in my closet are old as dirt. There are some that I still have kept around from my PacSun days over five years ago and they definitely look it. So, I was very happy to find this pretty little floral number for a whole fifteen dollars, because my dress hunt has been quite unsuccessful until now.

I absolutely love the white piping on this dress, the buttons going all the way down the front, and the way the colorful flowers pop against the navy base. The one hundred percent polyester material keeps the dress lightweight and breathable despite its length and, depending on how it’s styled, it could easily be worn for at least three seasons.

Of course, I’ll be wearing my new dress in its true form of, well, a dress. But, in the fitting room at EmLeigh’s and Mama B’s, I undid the buttons and had it on as a duster over my jeans and cami, which also looked very cute. I can picture myself wearing this dress belted with a killer pair of heels but I also predict that I’ll be throwing it on as a duster to spice up a more basic outfit very often!

How do you style maxi dresses? Is there anything that you’re trying to add more of to your wardrobe? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb18

Picking The Best Bridesmaid Dress For Your Wedding Party

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Picking The Best Bridesmaid Dress For Your Wedding Party

Hello everyone!! A few months ago, I was asked to be a bridesmaid in my best friend, Lea’s, wedding. I am so excited for her big day in October and this month, we are going to David’s Bridal to do some shopping for the bridesmaid dresses. Ah, the bridesmaid dress. Notorious for making some girls look heinous and others phenomenal. This creates massive eye sores in the photographs and just might make your BFFs bitter for years to come. So, to avoid these complications, here is a quick guide to making sure all of your bridal party looks amazing on your big day:

Universally Flattering Color:

Choosing a universally flattering color for your bridesmaid dresses is probably the most important thing you can do to ensure that all of your ladies are looking fly. Now is not the time to bust out the hot pinks, lime greens, or highlighter yellows. Rather, stick with soft hues, which will make the bridesmaids not have to work hard to pull it off.

Pale pinks are an especially pretty option and is just about as universally flattering as it gets. If you’re having a wedding later in the year and want something a bit darker, navy blue and oxblood are also safe choices to implement!

Universally Flattering Shape:

The next key thing that you can do to keep your bridesmaids looking their best is to use a universally flattering shape for the dress. I promise, your bridesmaids aren’t going to outshine you and you will still look like the HBIC of your girl gang. But, I can also promise that none of the ladies in your girl gang want to be stuck in a dumpy dress all day.

The beauty of your girl gang is that all of them are made up of different shapes and sizes. If you are not having your bridesmaids wear dresses in a different style but same color, then it is imperative that the shape you pick makes each girl feel comfortable. I find that maxi or tea length dresses are especially flattering because those tend to not be skin tight, which is not everyone’s cup of tea! Keep things flowy but elegant for the best results on each bridesmaid’s body.

Different Dress, Same Color:

If you are going this route for your bridesmaids, make sure that you provide a guide line for the lengths you would prefer them in. It’s going to look very awkward in your pictures if there’s one girl in a mini dress among the rest of your bridesmaids in something longer. If you let your expectations be known to your girls, they can still pick out a dress more specific to their body type while being mindful of your vision for your wedding.

Same Dress All Around:

If you want all of your bridesmaids in uniform dresses, that’s your prerogative and neither way is wrong. However, let your bridesmaids have some fun by choosing their own shoes or accessories to wear with the dress. This will keep your bridesmaids feeling spicy without straying from the path of what you have in mind. And, what girl doesn’t love shoe shopping?!

Use the tips above to keep all of your bridesmaids looking like the belle of the ball on your big day!

What is the best bridesmaid dress you have ever worn? How about the worst? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb1

New Moon Who Dis? T-Shirt Dress

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New Moon Who Dis? T-Shirt Dress

Hi! My boyfriend and I were recently at Hot Topic in the mall so he could pick up some new jeans and I ended up with an adorable little number, myself. Was I expecting to find a new T-shirt dress that I am obsessed with for half off? No, absolutely not. Which made this find so much sweeter that it has left me saying “New me, who dis?” to everyone I come in contact with! Lol, check it out:

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Normally, I am not a huge fan of slogan T-shirts but this one was so cute I just couldn’t help myself. I love the funny phrase with all of the phases of the moon, the slouchy oversized fit, and the corset ties at the bottom. After trying it on, I knew that I was going to buy it but when it rang up for twelve dollars I wanted to buy ten more! 😀

I cannot wait for the weather to warm up so I can wear my new dress without tights on underneath because I already have my dream OOTD in mind. I’m thinking this dress, my black thigh high boots, a funky moto jacket, and bold gold jewelry for an All Black Everything ensemble sure to turn heads.

I like how this dress can be styled casually for running errands but I am particularly fond of the urban edge that it invokes with the right accessories. I always have loved the look of a little dress with super tall boots and an oversized tote bag. It creates sexy legs for days, perfect for cat walking to all of your destinations!

How would you style this T-Shirt dress? How do you get “New me, who dis?” level confidence? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec16

Thrifting With Zip

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Thrifting With Zip

Howdy! As you all know, I have grown very fond of secondhand shopping this past year and am all about the Goodwill. This love for thrifting developed while shopping for my apartment and now I cannot resist the urge to check out the local thrifts to see what treasures I can find.

So, when another beautiful blogger, pen named Zip, contacted me about her amazing thrift store finds, I couldn’t say no to featuring them on my page. Let’s take a look and, as always, if you’re interested in guest posting on lifewithlilred, shoot me an email at: sarah.mush6794@gmail.com!

Thrifting With Zip

1.) Snake Skin Short Jacket: The thing I love most about this jacket would be the snakelike design and the dark edgy look it gives off. I would probably pair this with a simple all black casual look with some high fall boots.
*Lil Red approves and recommends sporting a deep red or purple lipstick for the ultimate vampy cool look!
2.) Black & White Marble Blazer: Hence the name I picked out on this fashion find, lol. It was eye-catching the moment I saw it, and the best part is that I got this gem for free from a local thrift shop. I guess it’s true when they say that the best finds in life are free! Anyways, I really love this blazer and the old-school 90’s vibe it gives me. Plus, its a diverse fashion piece which I can wear in many ways. And, did I mention it has pockets?!
3.) Multicolor Sweater Dress: This was probably my favorite thrift find this year! The colors really make your eyes pop and it’s such a bold statement. It’s also reversible, so I can wear it both sides, which is pretty cool. Personally, I LOVE the colored side and the “look at me” vibes it gives off. I would wear this dress with some bad-ass, suede thigh high boots.

About The Author: I am Oprah “Zip” Bradford, but I’m known to most by my pen name Zip. I am just a normal ole gal from the small town of Covington, Louisiana. I am the author of ten books, a full time blogger, the creator of the empowerment platforms OprahZipBradford.com, The Come-Up, and the upcoming book “The Single Woman’s Plug”. I also created the hashtag #ZipPost on Facebook which spreads my empowerment messages around the world.

Contact Zip At:

Thanks again to Zip for guest posting on lifewithlilred! What is your favorite secondhand store? What is your favorite treasure you’ve found thrifting? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah