Tag Archives: edgy

New (Short!) Black & Champagne Nails

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New (Short!) Black & Champagne Nails

Hiii everyone! Yep, you read it right. I got my nails cut down on this past fill! *Gasp* ! My claws were getting long, even for me, so I decided to get them cut nice and short so that I could grow them out again. And, shockingly, I quite like them! They’re not as long as I would like but, for the time being, they are cute as hell. I call them my emo Barbie nails. Take a look and let’s discuss:

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The first change that I made besides for the obvious, is that I went to a different salon for this service. My normal stomping grounds, Empress Nails, was getting too damn expensive for me so I went with LT Nails, instead, and will continue going there. It wasn’t the best fill I’ve ever had, but it was thirty dollars cheaper than my last one, so you do the math. I’ll take a not as good experience and a cheaper price over high class pampering and breaking my bank any day.

Although I didn’t necessarily enjoy my time at LT, I think that the tech that I went to was just having an off day. I have been to this salon before and was really satisfied every time except for this one, so I’m not going to hold is against them. And, I do like the way my nails turned out. It took some getting used to, because they are way shorter than normal. But, once they grow out a little, they will be perfect. For now, though, I am loving these dainty, edgy claws! :*)

Have you ever changed salons after going somewhere consistently? What was your reasoning? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sugar & Spice OOTD

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Sugar & Spice OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a new OOTD post here on lifewithlilred! Today, we are going to talk about how to style a Sugar & Spice look that combines all things edgy with a little bit of sweetness to it. This post is also very special, because my boyfriend took all of these pictures! I have so much fun creating camera ready looks and taking pictures with my MAN, and it makes for an amazing date – no credit cards or cash required! Take a look:

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Who? What? Wear?

Whenever I am styling an outfit, I normally always go the edgy route with it. It’s rare that you will see me in something purely girly, like a dress without a moto jacket over top of it! But, combining Sugar & Spice gives you a look with dimension and a lot of visual break up to make one’s eyes dance when they look at you. It also keeps an outfit looking like me, which is of utmost importance.

To start with this look, I went with one of my favorite tops from Kohl’s. This Rock & Republic number has literally been sitting, untouched in my closet for years and I have finally realized its glory after all of this time. I love the crosses, jewels, and safety pins adorning it and the touch of glitter on the sleeves and around the bottom adds some unexpected sweetness. With a top that’s relatively busy, you don’t need anything for your bottoms except a pair of solid colored shorts or jeans. So, I went with my Hollister short shorts from TJ’s to continue with the black motif on top.

Now, for some sugar. To add some visual interest to this OOTD, I paired a gorgeous pair of Bonetti Giordano knee highs with one of my favorite pairs of heels. Because everything in my outfit is neutral, the bright floral colors on the knee highs didn’t look costumey and flowed really well with the ensemble. I loved how the heather grey socks looked against the cream Juicy Couture heels, and it all counterbalanced the black top and shorts for a striking but cohesive overall look.

And, finally, we need accessories to complete the OOTD. I chose to use one of my favorite purses from Charming Charlie’s as the statement accessory and then kept everything else pretty simple. With a loud British flag with studs outlining it, you don’t need much more! So, I opted for a big pair of Loft sunnies attached to a belt loop and my long gold chain earrings along with a pair with black crosses at the end of each chain. Any more accessories than that would have felt like too much for this look, especially with the bleak color palette. When in doubt, always go for the less is more option!

I really enjoyed styling and wearing this outfit. It made me feel so confident, and you can’t ask for more than that when creating a killer OOTD!

How would you style a Sugar & Spice look? What are some of your go to accessories? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

New Black & Purple Glitter Nails

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New Black & Purple Glitter Nails

Hello one and all and happy Hump Day! Last week, I was able to enjoy some pampering at Empress Nails for a much needed fill. I headed to the salon right after work and it was so nice to conclude the day with getting my claws taken care of. They are looking very saucy this time around with a glitter grape purple accent nail and a little glitter on my ring finger for good measure. Take a look:

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For my accent nail, I originally just had the glitter color picked out. But, my nail tech, Steve, informed me that the shade would be too sheer, even though it had a purple hue to it. So, he picked out the gorgeous grape color seen above. At first, I was iffy about it. But, once the glitter was on, I was so in love. So much so, that I wouldn’t mind getting all of my nails that color! To finish the fill, we added some galaxy style glitter to my ring finger for funsies, which made these nails my favorite that I’ve gotten in a long time. 🙂

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

Cool In Karl Lagerfeld

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Cool In Karl Lagerfeld

Howdy! Everyone who knows anything about fashion knows about Karl Lagerfeld, the amazing head of Chanel, Fendi, and his self titled brands. Karl is an icon, and part of what makes him so are his signature aviator sunglasses, which he wouldn’t be caught dead without. So what better way to give an ode to the man behind the shades, than with a sharp white button down literally covered in them? Take a look:

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I nabbed this ah-may-zing shirt at TJMaxx as they were putting it on the rack for thirty dollars and I am so in love. Not only does this shirt give an extra pop of stark white to my wardrobe, which I’ve been working on adding, but it makes me feel devastatingly chic to own this top that feels so completely Karl. Am I a person who is overly concerned about labels? Not really. But, my god, does it feel good to have something with Karl Lagerfeld’s name on the tag. And I can definitely swing thirty dollars instead of the ninety dollar price point that I found on his website.

I am SO looking forward to pairing this top with black skinny jeans, black ankle booties, and a moto jacket so that the bright white top can really shine against All Black Everything. And, of course, a red lip is a total necessity for this look. This button down is great for a cheeky look for work and is an instant hit for all things play. I am freaking obsessed. And, yes, aviator sunglasses are absolutely required.

I feel so helplessly Cool In Karl Lagerfeld and I am ready to take on the day without taking off my sunnies as an ode to the gorgeous fashion mastermind. Who is a designer that you go gaga for? How do you score designer duds for a deal? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Collar Coolness: Modena Edition

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Collar Coolness: Modena Edition

Heyoooo. So last weekend at TJMaxx I got the literal coolest faux fur collars that I am totally obsessed with. When I was in New York for the Bloggers Conference with Kate from Ankhor You, we went to Anthropologie to do some browsing. In the store, they had an emerald green faux fur collar that I loved, but the price was something that I hated. However, I vowed to find a similar item for a much more reasonable price and I did in this fifteen dollar Modena collar (Holler!). Take a look and let’s discuss:

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^^^ Looooove.

I am so happy with this TJMaxx find that I really can’t even. I love wearing my clothes in different ways and this detached collar allows me to do that with literally any top, jacket, cardigan, or dress that I own. I simply just have to put it around my shoulders and then BOOM I have a seemingly brand new item – just add faux fur!

When I was at TJs, I tried this collar on with the moto jacket seen above and it looked so cute that I just had to use it for my example photo. This combination is actually one of my favorites, because the collar looks like it was made for the jacket. I love all shades of green when it comes to my clothing and accessories and this piece is no exception. The funky dark green looks amazing against my red hair and pale skin and it always seems to make those features pop even more – which is a total plus!

I am always trying to find new and innovative ways to style my clothes and this Modena faux fur collar just made that a whole lot easier. Some of my older wardrobe pieces are going to feel brand new again and I can’t wait to begin working my new collar into my outfits.

BUT WAIT!

THERE’S MORE!

Because I totally got another collar in a luscious mauvey grey by St. Tropez and it is also fabulous, so do tune in tomorrow for that! How would you style this chic green collar? How do you incorporate faux fur into your wardrobe? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Faux Fur Fabulous

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Faux Fur Fabulous

Hello everyone and happy Thursday! Once upon a time, I bought a faux fur vest from TJMaxx three years ago. I actually think that it was right before I started college in 2014. It was deep purple, black, and freaking amazing…And I returned it. I had high hopes of strutting around campus with my new statement making vest, but I didn’t have the confidence to pull it off. I was too nervous in my decision to begin school and leave a world of working retail behind, and didn’t want to stand out more than I already thought I did in my head.

Bad. Decision. Horrible decision. See, this is why I don’t return anything anymore, lol. I still think about that vest, the outfits that could have been, and the confidence that I have now to be able to wear it and feel fierce in it. SMH. Ever since remembering my fallen faux fur vest, I have been on the hunt to find a replacement for a wardrobe staple that my clothing collection lacks.

Unfortunately, I have never been able to find a worthy replica to replace my grave mistake of a returned vest. The midnight sky colored fabulousness has never been seen of again and, of course, it’s difficult to find faux fur vests in any other time but the fall. During a recent trip to TJMaxx, I found a gorgeous, unique blue ombre vest that I really like. BUT, rest assured, that it will never come close to my “one that got away”. Take a look:

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This Thread & Supply brand vest was the only one of its kind that I saw at TJMaxx and, lucky for me, it was in my size (Obviously!)! Blue is a color that I don’t wear very often, although I do have a bit of navy in my wardrobe color palette. However, I loved the cream to midnight blue hues in this vest and it was like nothing that I have ever seen before, which is a major selling point for me, as you all know!

I’m really eager to put this piece to use in my wardrobe because I’ve never owned a faux fur vest before (Aside from the one that I owned for one day, lol.). Of course, you can go the classic route of wearing a faux fur vest with a great pair of skinnies and ankle booties. But, I’m more looking forward to styling this vest with maxi dresses and skirts, as well as mini and midi dresses with thick tights for the fall season.

Despite being forever in mourning for my vest that could have been but never was, I’m happy with this Thread & Supply purchase. The unexpected color palette puts a fun twist on a classic piece, and it will be exciting to experiment with styling something that I’ve never worn before. BUT, I already know that if I find the right black faux fur vest or one in a different, funky color, that it will more than likely be coming home with me, as well!

Vests are a great item to invest in for wearing year round. This one will surely be making an appearance in my looks next summer for a sassy, glam OOTD with short shorts and platform heels. The possibilities are truly endless when it comes to adding a chic, rocker vibe to any outfit with a faux fur vest and I’m so happy to finally be able to have one to play with! 😀

So there you have it, a little touch of Faux Fur Fabulous! Do you have a similar story to a piece of clothing like my “one that got away” vest? How do you incorporate a faux fur vest into your outfits? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

If The Shoe Fits: Candies Edition

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If The Shoe Fits: Candies Edition

Helloooo everyone and TGIF! As you all know from yesterday’s post, the arrival of autumn spells out big trouble for my bank account. A recent trip to Kohl’s and Target with my beloved mother left my wallet a little less fat but my wardrobe all of the better for it. Take a look at my new boots from the brand Candies, which Kohl’s offers, and let’s discuss:

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First of all, in my defense – I haven’t bought myself a non ankle or combat style boot in literal years. The last time I bought actual knee high boots was on Valentine’s Day in 2015, so this purchase was a long time coming. Why, you might ask? The answer for a long hiatus between boot purchases, is that I actually have a really difficult time finding “actual” boots that I like. Why, you might ask? It’s not like I have a problem buying anything else! Lol, sigh. Let me explain. Ahem:

  1. I have expensive taste. Sue me for it. The boots that I do happen to like are usually close to or above one hundred dollars. As much as I love shoes, I’m not comfortable spending that much.
  2. This is a really personal preference when it comes to footwear, but I absolutely despise rubber soles on shoes. I’m well aware that many of the shoes featured on my If The Shoe Fits series has them and, believe me, I’m not thrilled about it. But rubber soles on boots are a bit of an eyesore for me, and I refuse to purchase ones with them.

In my perfect world, literally every heel or sole on a shoe would be covered with cloth or made with funky material like wood, cork, or see through plastic. However, I know that this is just not feasible, because rubber soles on boots during inclement weather is a nonnegotiable staple for obvious reasons. I realize that, but it doesn’t mean that I have to like it! Therefore, I’ve always avoided buying, and even looking at boots to purchase because it’s just too damn hard to find what I like for a price that I’m comfortable paying.

(This is the part where the world pauses for a second, because the boot world as I know it is about to change forever.)

Pre Mind Blown Monologue: I love the shoe department at Kohl’s. I would say that about forty percent of my shoes are from there, forty percent are from TJMaxx, and the remaining twenty percent is from other various locations. I think that Kohl’s has a fantastic selection of brands and styles and the prices are, for the most part, extremely reasonable thanks to sales and coupons. While browsing through the shoe selection, I wasn’t really anticipating buying anything until…

MIND BLOWN.

My leisurely amble through the shoe department led me to my new boots from Candies. Guys…It really was love at first sight. These boots had EVERYTHING that’s important to me in my “Buying Boots Guidelines”:

  • Must be black
  • Must be at least knee high (These go up to the lower part of my thigh.)
  • Must be made from non-animal materials (These are pseudo-suede and man made.)
  • Must be heeled
  • Must not have a rubber sole

These Candies boots checked off literally every single thing on my Buying Boots Guidelines. Not only that, but I got these babies that were originally about one hundred dollars for sixty bucks. Fifty to sixty dollars is my cut off point when it comes to buying anything, but I prefer to stay well under that. However, because I own a whole two other pairs of boots, one pair that is two and a half years old and another that is four years old, I was okay with spending up to my price limit. This doesn’t happen very often, but it really has been a while since I found a pair of boots worth buying and I realize that around sixty dollars is very decent for a new pair of such high quality.

What I love about these boots, aside from the jet black color, CLOTH COVERED HEEL, and cruelty free material, is the length. I’ve never owned an above the knee pair of boots before and, I say this very rarely, but these boots made me feel sexy. These babies hit solidly at my lower thigh but are shorter than mid-thigh. I’ve always wanted a high, heeled pair of boots but never found one that I liked so much until now.

These boots made me feel good. Sexy is a look that is never a priority when it comes to how I dress but, man, I felt it in these shoes and it was definitely a new feeling – but I liked it. I was wearing a mustard yellow maxi dress and a moto jacket when I tried these on and I loved how I looked. These boots were edgy and cool but they gave off a glam and sultry vibe because of their length and, I don’t know…I felt good in them.

Another plus to these boots is their shape. They’re form fitting without being skin tight, but they have just enough slouch to give them edge as opposed to more sex appeal. Had they not had that extra give, I don’t know how comfortable I would have been in them.

Of course I’m looking forward to pairing these with one of my many black skinny jeans from my black skinny jeans collection for a sleek silhouette, but I never thought to pair boots like these with a maxi dress. I absolutely loved it and I genuinely can’t wait to style these with maxi and knee length dresses in the fall. And a cool moto or distressed jean jacket is a definite must with these bad boys, too!

I realize that I just wrote a freaking novella on these boots but I just couldn’t help it. I’m really happy with this purchase and they are going to look absolutely stunning with my new coat from yesterday’s post, to boot! (AYYY, see what I did there?!) 😉

So there you have it, the newest issue of If The Shoe Fits: Candies Edition! How would you style these boots? What are your own guidelines for boot shopping? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

If The Shoe Fits: Guess Edition

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If The Shoe Fits: Guess Edition

Hi everyone and happy weekend! So in Lil Red’s world, summer time is all about the heels. Platforms, wedges, pumps, heeled sneakers and sandals, the works. But when it comes to fall, I say bring on the boots! Thigh high, knee high, ankle booties, riding boots, combat boots, ALL BOOTS EVERYTHING. With fall fast approaching, a recent trip to TJMaxx helped me kick start my excitement for my favorite season with these gorgeous Guess combat boots. Take a look:

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Literally as soon as I saw these boots, I knew that they were coming home with me. When it comes to my boots, especially combat ones, the more punk rock the better. These forty dollar glorious Guess boots have everything that I love in footwear: The color black, badass buckles, and stud detailing. The more that I stared longingly at my boots, the more I fell in deep, passionate love with them. They are perfect.

Besides for being obsessed with everything about my new darlings, I definitely was loving the price, too. To get a pair of really nice combat boots from such a reputable brand like Guess for forty dollars was such a steal, to me. Honestly, a higher price would have made me stop and really think about purchasing them, so the forty dollar price point was perfect for me. Anything higher would have more than likely been a no go but I still felt like I was getting an amazing deal for them. There was no original price tag on my boots but the TJs “Compare at” price was sixty-four dollars, which I have a hard time believing because they look way more expensive than that, in my humble opinion!

But the best part about these shoes is all of the styling possibilities that come with it. I plan on taking my boots to a whole new level of Anarchy Cool with one of my favorite shirts from Zara, seen here, the blackest, skinniest jeans that I can find, a deep red lip, tousled hair, and chunky chain jewelry for a look fresh out of England’s old school punk scene. I CAN’T WAIT.

Like I said, fall is all about the boots, and I can’t wait to ring in the season with my newest pair in this issue of If The Shoe Fits: Guess Edition! What is your favorite style of boots? How do you style combat boots into your fall wardrobe? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Zara Haul: Anarchy In The UK Edition

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Zara Haul: Anarchy In The UK Edition

Helloooo one and all and welcome to some more Zara goodness compliments of going way too hard at the mall last weekend! I have two more fabulous pieces of clothing to share with you guys today and tomorrow to conclude my series of buying literally all of the things. We explored my love of army green yesterday and now we’re going to revisit that same love in this here shirt dress a la GI Jane. Take a look:

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I’m sure that after seeing the back of this badass button down, the title for this post makes a bit more sense!

One thing that I really am a fan of when it comes to clothing is random images and ironic/edgy/silly slogans. Obviously, this wayyy oversized shirt dress sports a pretty edgy nod to all things anarchy cool and I am nothing short of obsessed. The old school London punk scene gives me life, and I can so picture this shirt being worn by a filthy, pierced up, punked out boy or girl. Paying tribute to a music and lifestyle scene that speaks to me through my appearance and clothing is something that I never pass up the opportunity on, so clearly, this button down was a must buy.

The length of this trench coat/shirt/dress is what sold me on this purchase, asides from the color and the rule breaker adorned back. I love, love, love long pieces of clothing so the fact that this piece goes down to my mid-calves was a definite game changer. People typically think that us short girls (I’m 5’1) can’t wear long/oversized items but that’s not true. You just have to know how to style them and give yourself length in other ways. Which brings me to the next segment on how to wear this bad boy, because the options really are limitless:

  • Over a pair of shorts and a crop top or bralette with a pair of combat boots or oxfords
  • As an actual dress with a huge belted middle and chunky heels
  • Over skin tight leather jeans/leggings
  • As an overcoat on top of a frilly frock

And bear in mind that accessories are key:

  • Oversized gold jewelry
  • A fistful of rings (preferably ones that you wear on two fingers to give the illusion of fashionable brass knuckles)
  • Frilly socks sticking out of your oxfords/heels/combat boots
  • Black nails
  • Gigantic hobo bag
  • A bold attitude

Best believe that I’ll be having a blast incorporating this new statement piece into my outfits! 😀

So there you have it, the next wardrobe addition of my Zara Haul: Anarchy In The UK Edition! What do your clothes say about you? How would you style this top? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

P.S.: The last mark down price visible on the tag before my purchase price of forty dollars was seventy dollars. I am not sure of the original price.

Zara Haul: Moto Madness Edition

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Zara Haul: Moto Madness Edition

Yeah, I know what you guys are thinking after reading the title. “Sarah, you have like three moto jackets already. Do you really need more?” THE ANSWER IS YES, YES I DO!!! Zara motorcycle jackets make me feel some type of way in the best way ever. I would never, ever buy one of them for full price because they range from about one hundred and fifty dollars plus. But forty dollars for my new jacket? I can swing that. Take a look:

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I am a punk rocker at heart. I love the music, the scene, and especially the style. Badass clothing speaks to me on a spiritual level so you can see why this jacket was a must buy for me. The last marked down price on this moto baby before forty dollars was one hundred and thirty. Knowing what an amazing deal it was and how much I loved this jacket after trying it on helped me justify the buy. I am a total jacket junkie and not adding this piece of pure badassery to my collection would have truly broken my heart. And we can’t have that!

The studs? The sleek black? The removable hood? The Zippers? The pockets? The weighted yet fitted shape? Hello! This jacket is perfect. The moto jackets that I have before adding this one to my hoard are moto in shape but more fashion in style. This Zara piece, to me, is a “true” motorcycle jacket and I couldn’t be more obsessed with it if I tried.

I’ve mentioned before that I prefer shopping in store at Zara rather than online and the sizing in this jacket is a prime example of why. I am 90% of the time an extra small in Zara’s tops, blouses, and dresses and the remaining 10% of the time, a small. However, I purchased this jacket in a medium. The small fit, but layering with it would have been impossible so medium was the way to go for when fall and winter hit. But, had I followed my normal clothing size shopping online at Zara, the exchanging and reordering of this jacket would have been a big fat pain in the booty-boo.

Saying that I’m so excited to incorporate this jacket into my outfits is the understatement of the century because I have a feeling that I’m going to be wearing it constantly. Over dresses? Check. Maxi skirts? Sure. Moto jacket/short shorts combo that I’ve grown increasingly fond of? You know it. Skinny jeans and ankle booties? Obvs. Hello, new statement jacket. I love you.

So there you have it, the next part in my Zara Haul series: Moto Madness Edition! Who else is a jacket junkie? What is your favorite piece of cold weather clothing? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah