Tag Archives: events

Last Minute Halloween Costume Ideas

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Last Minute Halloween Costume Ideas

Hello!! It’s Halloween weekend and if you are without a costume, then I feel it! I, myself, am store bought costumeless this year because I had literally no time to go shopping for one. However, I will be using one of my last minute ideas that we will be discussing today so it’s all good! If you need a costume for a party or passing out candy to trick-or-treaters, you might be surprised by what you can make from the pieces in your own closet. All you will need is some makeup to fully complete the look! Let’s get started:

Scarecrow:

If you have some ripped up blue jeans, a flannel, and a sturdy pair of work boots, then BOOM: You instantly have a scarecrow costume. For makeup, you can look up tutorials to do some patches on your face and hands for the full effect. You can also use the base of this costume to be a cowboy or cowgirl. Just swap the work boots for cowboy boots and add a hat and you’re ready for the rodeo. 😀

Decade Costumes:

Do you have a love for a certain time period with the clothes to match? Then you are all set! Decade costumes from the 70s, 80s, 90s, or whatever tickles your fancy are always a hit. You could put together the ultimate jazzercize costume or a look that’s worthy of the disco with flared pants, platforms, and a sleek button down. Easy peasy!

Undead Bride Or Groom:

When Johnny and I pass out trick-or-treat candy, I am just planning on wearing my black wedding dress and doing some undead makeup lol. No matter the color of your dress or suit, this is another quick fix if you are costumeless. If you aren’t keen on wearing your own wedding attire, secondhand shops tend to have a wide selection of weddingwear on the cheap.

Your SO Or Bestie:

Are you attending a party with your significant other or bestie? You can dress up as them! If I don’t feel like wearing my wedding dress, this is the route that I am going. All one needs to do is raid your costume inspiration’s wardrobe or find pieces that they would wear in your own. Since I already wear Johnny’s clothes constantly, it might be fun to style a look that he would wear when he’s playing a concert!

Sportswear:

Win the gold with your costume by dressing up as an athlete or just a super fan. If you have a passion for watching or playing sports and you have the gear to back it up, then this is the costume for you. Paint your face with your favorite team’s colors, get one of those hats that you can drink beer out of, and you are good to go!

Animal Attire:

Is dressing up as a cat, teddy bear, or bat the most original costume? Not by a long shot! However, it will have to do if you are crunched for time. You can pull a Karen from Mean Girls and be a mouse… duh! Either way, all you need is clothing the color of your animal, ears, potentially wings, and makeup and you will be ready for your Halloween plans.

Although I had a store bought costume in mind, I am a-okay with a makeshift one this year. Keep it posted to see what I end up dressing up as next week on lifewithlilred!

What are you dressing up as for Halloween? What are your Halloween plans? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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Libraries Rock!

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Libraries Rock!

Hello! I have had the absolute pleasure of taking my sweet niece, Val Gal, to a couple of story times at one of the many local libraries in our area. It is seriously the cutest thing on planet Earth and I love having some extra TT time! During story hour, the kids listen to stories (Obviously lol), sing songs, learn dances, and do a craft themed around their topic for the day. The teacher also peppers in tips for the parents or family to help improve language skills. I have never been to a library story hour before taking Val and I was SO impressed by the librarians running the program.

When I first started my job as an Independent Provider for people with special needs, I was working strictly in the evenings. Prior to this, I used to think that libraries were just for using the computers and getting books. However, they are so much more than that, which I learned from taking my clients to the numerous programs held at the libraries.

Every month, I would scour the Events pages for the libraries in the greater Akron area for programs my clients would enjoy. And, every time, I was blown away with what was being offered. We would attend vinyl record clubs, movie nights, crafts, an escape room, and even a murder mystery night! The best part? Everything was always free!

Libraries in my area offer everything from computer courses and sign language classes to cooking clubs and concerts. And, I’m sure that the libraries in your neck of the woods probably have a lot of similar experiences for your community. These places are, truly, a gift and I wanted to shine a light on it. Not only can you expand your knowledge but you can make friends in the process too. This is very evident every time Val meets a new pal at her story times. 🙂

If you are looking for activities to do with your children or with a group of friends as the weather gets colder, then head to your local library. You never know what amazing things you will find!

Have you ever attended any library programs before? What were they? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

All In Your Own Backyard

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All In Your Own Backyard

Hello!! When I first started working as an Independent Provider for people with special needs, I was mainly on the evening shift for purely social outings with my clients. For free and fun entertainment, we would often hit up the local libraries in the greater Akron area. Activities ranged from vinyl record clubs to art projects and murder mysteries and it was always a blast.

Now, I work in the mornings and afternoons and provide care under the umbrella of daily living skills. It has been a while since I scoured the library and community websites for outings and I, honestly, kind of forgot how amazing all of our local programs are until this summer. My family has certainly been making the most of them!

This past summer, people in my family have attended numerous events including a watercolor painting class and a Comicon style vendor fair. We have also loved taking my sweet niece to story time almost every week at the library. It is the most adorable little hour filled with books, songs, and crafts. My heart just melted when I took Val last week. ❤

Over last weekend, I experienced one of the best community events I have been to in a while with my dad and Val – the Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival. It was held at the Goodyear Heights Metro Park and featured awesome performances by various dance groups. We got to watch a jazz and ballet troop as well as the dancers from ArtSparks, which is a dance group made up of people with special needs. It was SO cool!

The main event of the night was a performance by Pilobolus, a world famous troop. However, we didn’t get to watch them because it was getting close to Valerie’s bedtime. All of the dancers we did see were spectacular but the best part of the night was when the kids in the audience got to take the stage. Val had a blast learning different ballet and jazz moves. She also unintentionally stole the show when she was showing off her newfound skills during another performance lol it was so funny. 😀

After Val learned some dance steps, she said that she would like to take dance classes and that’s what is so wonderful about all of these community programs. Not only do you get to meet new people but you also get to try your hand at new things for free or close to it. Similarly, my mom and I now paint in our free time after the ten dollar watercolor class we took.

Children, teenagers, and adults alike can all benefit from local programs – you just need to know where to look. Library websites, newspapers, and community pages can all point you in the right direction. If you are searching for new activities with minimal funding, then this is the way to go. Explore your community and have fun!

What community events do you like to attend? Have you learned a new skill or hobby recently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Housewarming/Birthaversary Party Success!

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Housewarming/Birthaversary Party Success!

Hello!! At the end of May, Johnny and I had a housewarming/birthaversary party to celebrate our big move. We also decided to clump it together with Johnny’s birthday on the first, our first wedding anniversary on the fourth, and my birthday on the seventh. It was such fun and we were so proud to show off all of our hard work on the new place to our friends and family.

In my humble opinion, the event was a GREAT SUCCESS and I thought that I would share some pro tips on get togethers now that it’s all said and done. I definitely learned a lot for next time:

Prepare & Prepare Some More:

I am the planner in mine and Johnny’s relationship and he is, easily, the more spontaneous one. Therefore, I insisted on hardcore party prep the entire week beforehand and I am so glad that I did. No one wants to be stuck with a monumental task the day before the big event. The week leading up to the party, we kicked our unpacking, cleaning, and rearranging into high gear. And, the night before, Johnny finally (!!!!) finished readying his domain of the game room and it turned out great.

Preparing the home is a given before a get together but don’t forget about food prep and table caps to display your dishes on! I spent a good amount of time planning a menu and making a shopping list so that we had everything we needed. The night before the party, I spent a solid four hours cooking everything that could be made ahead of time. Any food prep that you can do in advance should be taken advantage of because it can be such a time consuming task. Also, no one wants to be frazzled in the kitchen before guests start to arrive. I couldn’t imagine doing all of the food preparations that I did the day of!

Have Plenty Of Seating:

Johnny and I have two small love seats, a chaise lounge, and four chairs for the kitchen table and that is it when it comes to seating. We knew that this wouldn’t be enough and were lucky to have been able to borrow folding chairs from Johnny’s parents. I highly recommend having additional seating as a backup if what you already have is limited. Folding chairs can be borrowed, rented, or bought on the cheap at a secondhand store. You want your guests to be comfortable at your party and that means having the seating arrangements to back it up.

Stay On Top Of Cleaning:

As the host of a party, you are in charge of everything. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the excitement of the day but it will really help you to stay on top of cleaning throughout the party. When there were lulls between guests leaving and arriving, Johnny and I were cleaning up spills, taking the trash out, and making additional drinks. An overflowing garbage can is a disaster waiting to happen! Also, if you clean as you go during the day, then you won’t have a huge mess to take care of after everyone has went home.

Ice, Ice Baby:

Johnny and I don’t have the space in our freezer to account for bags of ice. If this is the case for you too, then buying a cooler for the event is the way to go. Johnny bought a cooler and ice the morning of the party and that worked out so well. The ice stayed frozen all day, we had somewhere to put canned drinks, and it took up a small amount of space. Plus, a cooler will come in handy afterwards for picnics and outdoor events!

Make Use Of Outdoor Areas:

If the weather is nice the day of your party, making use of outdoor areas will add additional space to the event. The new apartment has a great front balcony that was perfect for people to hang out on and get some air. Even if you don’t plan on using your outdoor space, opening windows and doors with a screen will help keep your indoor space from getting stuffy. As always, comfort for your guests is key.

At our old apartment, a party like the one we had simply would not have happened because we didn’t have the room for it. It was an absolute delight to be able to host our friends and family the way we have always wanted to. I already can’t wait to do it again on a smaller scale!

What are your party pro tips? Do you have any big events happening soon? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Unique Gift Ideas That Are Sure To Satisfy

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Unique Gift Ideas That Are Sure To Satisfy

Some people (Like me!) really enjoy buying gifts. On the other hand, there are quite a few who can see it as a chore, especially when you’re getting something for someone known to be difficult to buy for. In those cases, coming up with something can be a challenge. With a few alternative gift ideas, however, it doesn’t need to be so difficult.

Though you’ll still need to put a bit of effort into it, keeping a few ideas in mind could be more than enough to come up with the perfect gift idea, regardless of who you buy it for:

Musical Instrument:

Instruments are a tried and tested gift for anyone musically inclined. It’s more than worth looking into this and seeing if it’s an option. Taking this approach doesn’t need to be as daunting as it seems as there are more than affordable guitars to choose from. The same can be said for drums and other instruments. If you decide to test this method out, it could also be worth springing for some lessons so they can start playing relatively quickly.

Zen Garden Sculpture:

If your loved one has a garden and takes pride in its appearance, then you could help add onto it. A zen garden sculpture can be an appealing choice, as it shouldn’t take up much space and offers a sense of calm while being visually appealing. You’ll need to make sure that the sculpture fits in with the theme of their garden to make it the perfect addition. If you’re not a fan of a zen sculpture, it could be worth thinking about similar choices.

Personalized Picnic Table Wine Carrier:

If your friend or family member’s birthday happens in the summer, it could be worth choosing something based around that. With the weather being nicer, picnics will become more and more popular for a while. Why not help your loved one take their picnic game to the next level?

With a picnic table wine carrier, you can do precisely that. The good thing about this is that it can be versatile enough to use with various other drinks without any extra effort. Even if it’s not used for a picnic, it can be put to use around the home. It can be a simple and appealing wine rack, for example. If your giftee is a wine lover, it’s more than recommended.

While gift shopping, remember the following:

  • Focus on their interests
  • Practicality can sometimes be better-recommended
  • Listen to them and base your choice on topics they keep bringing up
  • Experiences can be a better option than belongings

Regardless of what you get them, they should be sure to love it because it was from you!

Featured Image By: QuinceCreative from Pixabay

How To Create A More Social Home

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How To Create A More Social Home

Your home is primarily a space for you and your family to relax and unwind. But it can also be more than that. It can be a space that your friends and extended family enjoy, too. Is there anything better than inviting your loved ones around for a few hours of fun? Not in our book. Of course, while you might want this to be the case, it’s not as if it will always just happen. You normally have to work to make your home social ready.

Fortunately, this isn’t overly difficult! In this post, we’ll run through some useful tips that will make your house the place to be for all of your guests:

Guest Rooms:

One of the issues surrounding inviting people over is that sometimes they come from a long way away. And once they’re over, they’ll be thinking about how they’re going to get home. You can get around this issue by creating a guest room in your house. This will allow your friends and family to spend the night whenever they want. Everyone relaxes and enjoys themselves much more if they’re not worrying about how they’re going to get back.

Conversation Spaces:

If you’re going to invite friends and family around, then you’ll want to create a space where conversation can flow. After all, that’s why you’ll be together! The issue is that many people’s homes aren’t all that conducive to conversation. For example, if your living room furniture is all pointing towards a television, then you’ll have inadvertently created a space that doesn’t lend itself to communication, rather entertainment. Instead, look at arranging your furniture so that they face each other. You’ll find that the conversation flows much more naturally.

Social Kitchens:

There will be times when you and your guests are in your living room. But if you’ve invited more than a couple of people over, then you’ll want to look elsewhere. In this day and age, the kitchen is the most popular social space in the house, and especially so if it’s an open plan kitchen. If you want to change your kitchen so that it’s more social ready, then take a look at the top rated remodelers near you. Open plan kitchens are perfect for those small casual gatherings, where people can stand and mingle.

In the Yard:

You’ll likely use your open plan kitchen for gatherings during the winter months. But in the summertime, it’s best to look at your yard. If you have some outdoor furniture, a BBQ, and a speaker, then you’ll have everything you need to spend many hours under the shining sun. You can go the extra mile by adding a fire pit (perfect for those slightly chilly evenings) and putting some outdoor children’s games, so that the whole family can get together to have a good time at your property!

Turn your home into a social hub with the tips above so that you are always in good company!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Using Events As A Powerful Business Tool

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Using Events As A Powerful Business Tool

As a business owner, you always need to concern yourself with how you are going to get your brand in front of others. What can you do to stand out from the crowd and make a real impression? Events are an opportunity for brands to show themselves in the best possible light. You want to make sure that you are networking effectively and giving off the real impression of what your business is all about.

There is a lot that needs to be considered here. You need to start marketing from the office before the event takes place. You also need to think about how you are going to follow up with excellent content after the event too. Soona is a great content creation platform for visual photographs and the like, so it’s worth checking out this Soona Photography review for more information so that you can make your event a massive success.

Of course, you need to consider the room itself when branding any sort of corporate event. You will want it to have excellent styling and to represent your brand well. To do this, you will need to incorporate your corporate color and you should make sure that you have posters and other forms of advertising hanging up, as well.

You will want to consider the venue that you select for the occasion. There are a lot of quirky venues, which are different from the norm. This gives you a unique way of marketing effectively and making a lasting impression. After all, this is the sort of thing that people are going to be talking about for a long time, which is exactly what you want.

In addition to the points that have been mentioned so far, think about the different ways that you can go that extra mile to make the guests feel special and hammer home the point that your business is a professional one. Little touches can go a long way in this regard, so it is something you should think about carefully. From the food you serve to the way the venue is decorated, think about what this says about your brand.

Of course, you may also want to spend a little bit of time online looking for ideas and inspiration. Social media is a great tool because you can learn about the things that people did wrong and the mistakes they made, as well as the things they got right. You can also use the likes of Pinterest and Instagram for image inspiration on how to make your venue look incredible too.

As you can see, there is a lot that needs to be considered when it comes to branding your business through events. We hope that the ideas we have mentioned above will be a great helping hand for you. Events can be powerful but only if you approach them correctly!

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Women’s Golf, Is It Time To Increase Its Popularity?

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Women’s Golf, Is It Time To Increase Its Popularity?

Golf club managers have a lot of questions about Millennials. However, we must not forget that there are still too few women in the field. According to our statistics, approximately 75% of the millions of golfers who use our software are male. This proportion is enormous! If women’s attendance equaled men’s, our bookings could increase by 47%. Golf is not a sport physically inaccessible to women so why are so few playing? Rather, the problem lies in the culture of the golf community itself and within the media. Changing your club culture is no easy task, but there are several steps you can take to gain the interest of women:

Organize camps and lessons for young women:

The earlier and the younger the players start playing, the better. Learning is through teaching and instruction. Setting up training camps for young women is the perfect way to get more girls to play golf, besides giving parents a break during summer vacation. During camp planning, take the time to find inspiring leaders. It is more motivating and interesting for young girls to refer to a female model. Your young golfers could be marked for life by the teaching of a strong and talented woman. If you have an interest in golf from a young age, then this hobby should certainly be nurtured.

Host an event to celebrate Women’s Golf Day:

If you didn’t know, Women’s Golf Day is an internationally successful initiative celebrating current and future golfers. The event is repeated every year in June. Normally, this celebration lasts about four hours and is divided into two: two hours are spent on golf and two more on networking. The first half can consist of playing a nine-hole game, taking lessons, doing practice sessions, showing new product demos, or just practicing on the driving range. After golf, participants are encouraged to socialize over a drink or a meal. In some cases, golf clubs invite speakers and promote business networking.

Golf clubs that have organized an event to celebrate Women’s Golf Day have said they have witnessed an increase in their female clientele. Some participants continued with the lessons, and others even bought an annual membership! There is certainly a shift in the sports industry when publicity is used to its advantage. The media are responsible for the success of many marketing campaigns, and with sports becoming a more intrinsic part of our lives, for fitness and pleasure, it is certainly important to look out online for all the newest news and information relating to women in the industry. It’s a great way to promote women’s sports proactively.

Get Fashionable:

Sports clothing has become much more fashionable recently. We appreciate the comfort and the style of sportswear, and it has been incorporated into our everyday life. When women play golf, there is no reason to say that they can’t look dazzling in their apparel. Ladies golf clothing is now better than ever. Golf fashion is timeless, elegant, and a real must-have on the golf course.

Hit the green with more girl power than ever with the tips above!

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Cool Crafts: Personalized Card Making

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Cool Crafts: Personalized Card Making

Creating cards and letter writing is a lost art. Taking the time to make something with care adds personality to your crafting, something that cannot be replicated when buying cards from a store. That’s actually where most of the fun comes in, making a card that is entirely unique and took incredible patience and skill. If you’re just teetering on the brink of getting started and buying the various equipment you need, then take a look at these examples where card making becomes the perfect craft:

A mark of professionalism:

What if you could make your business card yourself? If you had the freedom, what kind of design would you use? When it comes to card making, it’s not just the normal greeting cards that you will be able to make, but business cards too. Right from scratch, you can decide the material so when someone touches it, they get a unique sensation. A business card made out of foam, for example, is much more memorable than typical card stock. Being able to make your own 3D designs so again, anyone who is rubbing their finger over it gets a different feel. And, rather than the typical rectangle business card, how about curved edges? Any colors, fonts, dies and materials, the choice is yours.

A bespoke wedding:

Wedding cards are, perhaps, the most difficult to choose. It’s not like a birthday that comes around every year, weddings are once in a lifetime. People who have been invited to the wedding will often fret whether or not their card looks extravagant enough and does it warrant being saved by the couple. Usually the married couple will only choose a select few cards that they’re going to save for the rest of their life along with all of the other wedding day memories. To make your card worthy of being kept and valued, you’ll need to make it yourself using Sizzix dies. These dies are some of the most detailed in the crafting world and there are plenty of them to choose from. Characters, letters, houses, animals, patterns and jewelry designs, for starters.

For your wedding card, you may wish to use thinlit dies, which are intricate patterns that are used to cut out the frontal design of your card. This allows the cover to be see-through and show a bit of what’s inside without opening it. The festive repeats, floral, seasonal, and mystical dies would go great for celebrating a moment of love and happiness.

Celebrating a milestone:

Normally, people get into crafting because they want to make a brilliant birthday card, which is fine. But you can use your crafting skills to make a card that marks a special milestone. This could be something like giving your parents an anniversary card for their 20 years together. It might be giving your daughter a card for her promotion at work. A moment in time where an achievement of perseverance and struggle is documented, acknowledged, and celebrated is perfect for making a personalized card.

First, you need custom dies which you can very easily order online. But what kind of dies would you need? For a promotion, how about the logo of the company they work for? For an anniversary maybe a picture from the photo album? Anything that relates to the focal point can be made into a 3D design with a custom die. Next, you should use materials and colors that match the event. Again, you could use corporate colors for the promotion card or the favorite colors of the couple. Ribbons and flowers are a great addition to personalized cards as a change of material and adds depth to the card.

Making a children’s book:

Children will one day grow too old to be read bedtime stories but, while you have the chance, make them a personal bedtime story. You can make up your own characters and story line to reflect the kind of teachings you want them to learn. With using the dies, you can make a 3D book which has lots of opportunity for interactive storytelling. Popup books are popular because they have moving parts, so you might want to incorporate that into your crafting skills, as well.

Handcrafted cards are incredibly personal and will instantly be recognized for the hard work you have put in. Start crafting a card and make something special for someone you care about!

So, What Exactly IS Smart Casual?

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So, What Exactly IS Smart Casual?

Ever had one of those occasions where you simply don’t know how to dress for it? Maybe you’ve been invited to a party where you don’t know the people or the vibe or maybe you are going somewhere during the daytime and you don’t want to look overdressed. Although no one will mind if you are dressed a little bit differently (unless you’re in something totally outrageous, that is) it can make you feel awkward and self-conscious. At a social event, that is the absolute last thing you want as it can end up hindering your whole experience there.

But what do you do when you have no idea what kind of outfit is suitable for a specific occasion and you either can’t or don’t want to ask in advance? The best thing to do here is to go smart casual. The ‘smart cas’ look has been around for decades and isn’t always the easiest thing to get right as there is plenty of ambiguity over what constitutes ‘smart’ and what constitutes ‘casual’! The important thing is not to overthink it – as long as it’s not too sparkly, tight, or short you’re probably on the right track! So, with that in mind, here are some easy looks that mean you are ALWAYS dressed for the occasion:

A Dress: You might hear the word ‘dress’ and think immediately, that this is too formal for smart casual. But in reality, there are plenty of ways that you can rock a dress and still not look like you are taking yourself too seriously. Remember, that dresses come in all shapes and styles. A cute tea dress is demure while still being flirty – opt for something that kicks out from the waist, which is a cut that flatters pretty much every body type. Go for a floral print and pair it with some cute pumps for the daytime or with some heeled sandals for a fun evening look.

If you need to look a little more corporate in your smart casual ensemble, stick to muted colors such as grey and choose a classic shift dress. Pair with some knee high boots and a jacket. But remember, if your dress is already very tailored, soften the look with a waterfall jacket, or something else that is a bit less structured. All-over tailoring does, unfortunately, emphasize the ‘smart’ aspect of smart casual a little too much.

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You can’t go wrong with a pretty floral dress.

Top & Jeans: If you were ever looking for a classic smart-casual combination, it doesn’t come much better than the top and jeans pairing. The jeans are the staple piece for this outfit, so make sure that you invest in a pair that is clearly of good quality. It might mean spending a little more money but trust us – other people can spot cheap denim from a mile off. Skinny or slim-fit jeans are the most versatile and the more flattering on basically any figure, despite what social norms about slim fitting clothes are.

If you are a little more conscious of your stomach area, simply opt for a high-waisted pair that will nip you in at your waist. The top can pretty much be anything you like, but try to avoid cotton T-shirts and tank tops as they look a little too low-key. A lace or satin blouse is always a fail safe option. As far as footwear goes, try and judge the occasion as best as you can. Sometimes heels might be necessary, but other times you might even be able to get away with trainers – providing that they are something classic, like women’s Adidas originals.

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Cute boots are always a safe bet!

Co-ords: While it’s advisable not to don anything too outrageous for a smart casual event, that doesn’t mean that you can’t still have fun with some interesting pieces of fashion. We first saw the trend for the co-ord emerge early last year and it remains a useful item in the wardrobe of many women today. Remember that a co-ord is very different from a suit: you can get them in varying prints and colors, so don’t be afraid to go bold! Plus, you can ditch the traditional top and trouser combination for all kinds of different mismatches. Why not go for a wide leg, high waisted trouser paired with a crop top (this will make your legs go on for miles) or opt for a boxy shirt layered over a matching A-line skirt? Whatever you choose, your co-ord set is going to take all of the stress out of deciding what to wear!

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Hello, stilettos!

Featured Image By: Flickr