Tag Archives: fashion

Jul14

New Rachel Zoe Handkerchief Top

Posted on July 14, 2024 by lifewithlilred

Hello! I had a lovely outing with myself during my break on Tuesday doing some shopping at TJMaxx with a birthday gift card. It was definitely hard going back to work after some time off so it was the perfect little treat! During this shopping trip, I lucked out with two new clearance finds that I am loving. You saw the fabulous sweater dress yesterday and, today, we are going to be looking at an adorable little number by Rachel Zoe. It features all of my favorite things – A chartreuse color, fun bling, and a handkerchief cut which is one of my go tos. This top was thirteen dollars and is a small price to pay for a top that truly screams summer in all of its citrusy glory. Check it out:

Unless I am shopping for something very specific, I let the garments do the talking at TJMaxx. When I am browsing, I am looking simply for what catches my eye. It could be a quirky pattern or color or an interesting cut or material, my only requirement is that it makes me do a double take. As I perused the clearance racks, I noticed something sparkly and realized that the bright orange and yellow gemstones were the “sleeves” to a top. I was instantly intrigued and was even more so when I saw what the bling was holding up – a little chartreuse masterpiece. AND the only one in store, thank you very much. 😀

Literally just looking at this top made me happy because it is the answer to the question “what if sunshine was a shirt?” It is bright, poppy, and as if lemon lime soda became a handkerchief top. I have quite a few different options of this style in my wardrobe, but none quite like this. And, yes, it is all because of the gem spaghetti straps! It adds such a playful touch to a more revealing top and, in my opinion, makes it sweet rather than too sexy. The sheen of the fabric against the bling bling is a dazzling display and I feel SO lucky to have found it. I cannot wait to wear it ASAP with jean shorts or a sassy black and white bodycon skirt (Chunky platforms are a given!)!

Although I am by no means a fan of summer, this new top might help the cause a bit. I don’t think anyone, myself included, could wear it and not want to have some fun in the sun!

What catches your eye when you’re shopping? What is your favorite color to wear? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul13

New Heartloom Sweater Dress

Posted on July 13, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! For my thirtieth birthday, my parents gave me the most perfect prezzie – a TJMaxx gift card! It has been burning a hole in my pocket since and I finally got the chance to spend it during a low key afternoon this past week. While I love to shop at TJs at the turn of each season, I also love to shop during the in between too. Who am I kidding? I love to shop there all of the time! But, during this interim period of “still summer but not quite back to school” is when they bring out the more unique pieces that might not have sold well before. You can really find some clearance treasures during these non-peak shopping times and I definitely did! I am obsessed with this new sweater dress by Heartloom that I got marked down for twenty dollars. I can’t wait to wear it to the next Misnyland picnic I’ll be working! Check it out:

During mine and Johnny’s Fourth of July staycation, we had a Date Day and went vintage shopping and antiquing. I walked away with some fabulous new accessories, but no clothes. However, the clothes we saw deeply inspired me and I still find myself thinking about some of the amazing pieces a week later! As I browsed the “anything goes” clearance section, I literally clutched my pearls when I stumbled upon this sweater dress by Heartloom. It was the only one in store, happened to be in my size, and looked like it was straight out of a 1970s fashion magazine. I was totally and completely sold and I hadn’t even tried it on yet.

I simply adore this dress because it is just so different and retro. It turned a classic sweater dress on its head with the short sleeves, huge buttons, and funky raised pattern. And can we please talk about how the color palette looks like every kitchen appliance from the 70s?! SO fun. As soon as this dress was on, it was a certified winner and I was delighted to find something new to wear to the upcoming picnic event. I plan on sporting this dress with a gorgeous pair of pebble grey knee high boots and some statement earrings for a modern take on vintage staples. Crossing an OOTD off my to do list: Check. 😀

A TJMaxx gift card is the way to my heart and all I have to say is – thanks for the new dress mom and dad! You’re the best! ❤

When is your favorite time of the year to shop? What era of fashion inspires you? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul11

Date Day OOTD Bloopers

Posted on July 11, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hellooo beautiful people and welcome to the Blooper Reel from my Date Day OOTD! Johnny and I had some absolutely glorious time off for Fourth of July and it was such a treat. During a normal workweek, we only ever make plans for the weekend. In one week, it was like we squeezed a month’s worth of weekends in and we had a blast! It was so nice to enjoy the summer weather and it was perfect last week. It was never overly hot which is exactly what your favorite vampire couple needs. On Tuesday afternoon we took a stroll through an outdoor shopping center and, of course, I needed to find a brick wall to post in front of for some OOTD shots. And, yes, bloopers too:

JUST STANDING HERE!

Something STANK

Lol, just going to leave this one here!

Foot popping Expectations VS Reality. An expose in four parts:

^^^ The face of sheer concentration lol.

It is a very rare occasion that I call off of work because, first and foremost, I freaking love my jobs and secondly, I am self employed. The whole no PTO thing can be a massive pain! A lament I’ve had this summer is how awesome life would be if we still got a summer vacation lol. Could you imagine three months of nonstop fun?! It would be a dream! Then, Johnny blessedly had a week and change off for the holiday and I knew that it was my big chance for a summer staycation too. I worked a few shifts as well as online, but a majority of our time was spent with our version of fun in the sun.

We did a little bit of this and a little bit of that during our staycay. There was shopping, mini golf, running around the park like crazy people with our nieces, and catching up with our friends. We had some delicious meals out and I had time to cook a delicious meal myself! When we weren’t out and about, Johnny and I spent a lot of time in our game room that he has been working so hard on. We listened to records, played cards and Scrabble, or just sat and talked. It was a novelty to hang out somewhere other than our living room and we were still able to monitor our mischievous little bunnies for maximum safety! ❤

I loved every minute of my staycay with Johnny and am so glad we had the opportunity to have done so. I was able to turn my summer blahs into boo-yeahs and can’t wait for more adventures!

What is something fun you have done this summer? Where is your dream vacation location? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul10

Date Day OOTD

Posted on July 10, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! Today, we are going to take a look at what I wore for a Date Day with Johnny during our Fourth of July staycation. It really was a fantastic week of time off for Johnny and partial time off for me. We definitely struggled going back to work when it was all said and done, but that’s a small price to pay for all of the memories we made and fun we had. Every day was something new during our staycation and one of my favorite parts was date day, for sure. I love getting dolled up and stepping out with my main squeeze and this was my look for strolling around an outdoor shopping area:

Who? What? Wear?

Flower Embroidered Top: Love On A Hanger, TJMaxx

Jean Shorts: American Eagle Outfitters

Embroidered Platforms: Sbicca, ModCloth

Forest Green Floppy Hat: Gypsy Warrior, PacSun

I have no clue where the daisy earrings came from lol

My main issue with dressing for the summertime is because summer fashion bores me! I live for styling layered looks during the cold weather and my wardrobe is very tailored to the fall and winter. What I do love about summer weather is that I can show off my tattoos because they spend a majority of the year covered up. Every time summer rolls around I find myself amazed by all of the ink that I genuinely forgot I had. Out of sight, out of mind right?! I consider my tattoos to be accessories and with so many on my person, I always find it’s best to keep my summer outfits simple. Anything more is honestly visually overwhelming!

With simplicity in mind, I went for one of my favorite warm weather tops by Love On A Hanger. It screams classic summer vibes and there are just so many fun things about it. The cut, the embroidery, and the peplum all work together so well and it is one of my go to tops. To keep with the classic aesthetic, I paired it with some cute denim shorts from American Eagle Outfitters. With this top, there is truly not a better way to go and makes for a look that could be recreated so easily from your own wardrobe. Adorable and attainable. 😀

For shoes, I went with a pair of denim embroidered platforms and that helped create cohesiveness from top to bottom. I also adore the stud detailing on them! Because this OOTD flowed beautifully thanks to the established palette, I knew I could add in some extra touches and get away with it. As a pop of color and bonus protection from the sunshine, I put on a forest green floppy hat by Gypsy Warrior. I love a floppy hat so very much and this one helped elevate the look into something more special. As a final surprise, I popped on a darling pair of huge daisy stud earrings and I was ready for my date!

This Date Day OOTD kept me comfortable in the heat while still making me feel my best. Amazing moments deserve amazing outfits!

What is your perfect date day? How do you stay cool in the summertime? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul9

A Signature Antiques Accessories

Posted on July 9, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! Johnny and I enjoyed some amazing time off for the Fourth of July week. It was much needed and we were able to jam pack our schedule full of outings and pencil in some time to relax too. One of my favorite things we did during our staycation was a Date Day this past Tuesday. We went shopping in Downtown Cuyahoga Falls AKA the Riverfront and then had drinks and a snack at the Cashmere Cricket. It is our favorite bar because it’s awesome lol and it’s where we had our first date! It was a perfect day and I loved being able to check out all of the fantastic vintage and antique shops along the Riverfront. The best one was, hands down, A Signature Antiques. If I had all of the money in the world, I would have bought everything! Alas, I don’t but I couldn’t leave without the following:

The first thing that really caught my eye in A Signature was the stunning black choker necklace with chains and dangling jewels. It was displayed on a mannequin head and I literally clutched my pearls when I saw it. I love choker necklaces but I have never found one that I fell in love with. There was a point a few years ago when they were a HUGE trend. However (And I hate to say this!), I always thought the simple style chokers looked a bit basic. I definitely needed to find one with extravagance and my “new” vintage choker checks all the boxes. It is my favorite color, has so much drama, and makes a stunning addition to my jewelry collection. I cannot wait to plan an OOTD with it as the focal point. 😀

My next purchase was a pair of adorable, blinged out butterfly sunglasses. They remind me SO much of the 90s (Aging myself here!) and the online fashion dolls that you could customize outfits for. I think these sunglasses are just the tops. The shape and decorative crystals are so bold but there is something about them that feels classic and chic. They literally make me feel like a 90s/early 2K pop star and it truly doesn’t get any better than that! I am also really looking forward to styling an OOTD with these stunner shades. I’m thinking baggy jeans and a tiny little crop top for sure!!

These new accessories totally fall under the “treat yourself” category and they are lovely staycation souvenirs from the best date day! ❤

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

Jul4

Summer Stripes OOTD

Posted on July 4, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! As you might know, I am not fond of summertime at all. I can’t stand hot weather, I don’t like dressing for hot weather, and being an adult means no summer vacations lol. I am truly a spring and fall kind of gal in terms of style and my preferred climate so when I am styling looks for summer, my primary concern is comfort. And, of course, I want the OOTD to be cute too! The fit we are about to take a look at was something I put together for when a few friends came by this past Saturday. Surprisingly, it was a rather breezy day and that was much more like it! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Striped Top: Modern Works, TJMaxx

Jean Shorts: American Eagle Outfitters

Heeled Mules: Dolce Vita, TJMaxx

I think the earrings are from Target!

One of my favorite recent purchases from TJMaxx is definitely my adorable striped top by Modern Works. Despite its long sleeves, the material is nice and cool and can be worn during all seasons if the weather suits. The weather on Saturday was still warm but it was windy so I knew I could get away with it and went for it. I love how classic this top is and it could certainly be worn for work or play. I bought this top during the wintertime and always thought that it would be great for a summertime fit so I was excited to break it out. I often find that simple is best when it comes to summer outfits and this top was exactly what I needed.

As I styled a summer outfit in my head during a winter TJMaxx trip, I imagined the Modern Works top being tucked into black shorts so that was next on my agenda. As per ushe, the shorts from American Eagle Outfitters can’t be beat. They are so comfy, fit like a glove, and I have yet to find a brand that is comparable. It is always fun for me to finally get to wear outfits that have been planned for a while and have them turn out how I want. I was right on track for that and all that was left were shoes and accessories.

For shoes, I slipped on a pair of snakeskin heeled mules by Dolce Vita. I absolutely love these little babies. Snakeskin is my absolute favorite animal print and I can’t get enough of that sassy pointed toe! These heels added length and a fun pop against a low key OOTD. As no open real estate was available for a necklace or bracelets, I turned to earrings instead. I chose a lovely pair of dangly black gemstones that gave some movement and a touch of bling. With that, I was ready to rock and roll in my way preplanned OOTD!

My Summer Stripes OOTD checked all of the boxes for my summertime wear requirements: Cute, comfy, cool. Maybe dressing for summer isn’t always all bad!

What is your favorite season to dress for? What is summer weather like in your neck of the woods? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun27

Off To The Studio OOTD

Posted on June 27, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! This past Friday was a super awesome one for work because I got to go to the Q104 radio station in Cleveland to shoot content for my boss, Tim Misny. I have never been to a radio station before and it was really exciting! When I am at a content shoot as a social media manager, I always want to look my best and be fashionable while still wearing something work appropriate. This look was definitely too warm for the ninety plus degree day, but it was just right in the nice and cool studio that we surprised the morning hosts, Bill and Alyssa, at! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Floral Print Blazer: Scotch & Soda, TJMaxx

Cami Top: mittoshop, French Rooster

Mini Skort: Almost Famous, TJMaxx

Kitten Heels: Nine West, TJMaxx

The earrings were a gift from my mother-in-law!

Whenever I think of work appropriate staples, my mind instantly goes to blazers. They are such a classic piece and can be worn in any color or pattern while still looking professional. This is where I began building my outfit and I went with my pajama top inspired blazer by Scotch & Soda. I love this blazer and find the color palette to be most flattering. I also chose it for practicality’s sake. It is, easily, the lightest blazer that I have and I think I would have melted in anything heavier during the uber hot day!

Once I settled on a blazer, the rest of the outfit came to me in a vision. In the name of keeping cool, I wanted to do a skirt and top combo. As this was an OOTD for work, shorts were out of the question. So, I chose the next best thing – a skort! Paired with the blazer, it really did look more skirt than shorts and that was perfect. All I needed was a top and my black lace cami from French Rooster was the obvious choice. With the bold patterned blazer, it was best to keep the rest of the clothing plain Jane for a sharp and cohesive look.

With the base of the outfit ready to rock and roll, it was time for shoes and accessories. I knew exactly what shoes I wanted to wear and slipped on my pair of Nine West kitten heels. They are just so cute with the pointed toe and blinged out band! Sweet little touches like that and the lace on my cami added visual interest to the OOTD without going overboard. Sometimes, when it comes to work fits, less is more and a few well placed pops can go a long way. For earrings, I went with my new favorite pair of silver earrings from my mother-in-law. As I said, less is more and a necklace would have looked way too jumbled against the blazer pattern. With that, I was ready to rock the airwaves at Q104!

I loved my Off To The Studio OOTD and thought it combined professional with personality perfectly. Try saying that five times fast!

What is your work clothes style? What is your go to professional staple? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun14

Thirty, Flirty, & Thriving OOTD

Posted on June 14, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! This past Friday was my thirtieth birthday! Although I still don’t know how to feel about it, I am sure that I had a great time celebrating. I wanted to keep it simple for my big day and requested a dinner at the Olive Garden and to go straight home after to settle into my new decade. A birthday date night with my main squeeze was the perfect occasion to get dolled up and I knew exactly what I wanted to wear – the outfit I built during my last TJMaxx shopping trip! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Cropped Sweater Vest: Industry Republic Clothing, TJMaxx

Tennis Skirt: Kyodan, TJMaxx

Lace Up Heels: Juicy Couture, Kohl’s

Silver Earrings: These were a birthday gift from my mother in law!

The last time I was at TJMaxx was during an outing with my mom and it was a delight. The Maxxinista gods truly smiled on me because I got everything that I was hoping for: A skin care restock and an outfit to wear to the next Misnyland picnic that I will be officially working at. For this summertime event, I wanted to find something cute, comfortable, and appropriate to sport as the brand new social media manager for Tim Misny. And, of course, it had to be unique enough that I could stand out and still feel like myself. I think this OOTD fits what I was looking for to the T.

During my rounds through the clothing department at TJMaxx, I was coming up with a big fat goose egg. Then, I clocked an adorable cropped sweater vest by Industry Republic Clothing and knew I could work with that. This knit vest is so ideal for summertime. It’s nice and light and the soft, creamy color will certainly keep me cool as opposed to my usual All Black Everything. This vest is the perfect combo of work appropriate while still being fun with the too cute flower details. But what to pair it with?

As I continued browsing the clothes, I was keeping my fingers crossed for a skirt to wear with the vest for an OOTD that looked more like a set. Once again, I was coming up empty. Then, as luck would have it, I found my new Kyodan tennis skirt displayed at the very front of the store. In that moment, I knew I had an outfit and all that was left to do was try it on. As I expected, this skirt was a dream match to the sweater vest. And… It has shorts underneath it!!! This was something I didn’t realize until I tried it on and that was a huge score. The last thing I wanted was anyone at the event getting a peek at my underthings if a breeze picked up! This skirt has divine movement with the gauzy, pleated fabric and added some edge to such a sweet top.

With the base of my outfit settled, shoes and accessories were next. For my shoes, I went with a gorgeous pair of lace up heels by Juicy Couture. These little babies are as old as dirt, but I still love them as if I got them yesterday. The cream color and black shoe laces gave cohesion to the established palette and the chunky heel is supportive so I can flit around the picnic and shoot content in comfort. Finally, I added a lovely pair of silver dagger earrings that I got for my birthday and my outfit was complete!

I absolutely love how my Thirty, Flirty, & Thriving OOTD turned out! I am also so glad that I decided to sport it for my birthday date night so Johnny could take my pictures. He will not be attending the picnic I am working and I knew I would be a mess by the time I got home lol. Work smarter, not harder!

Have you updated your wardrobe for summer? What are some of your summer staples? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May30

Elton Inspired OOTD

Posted on May 30, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred – finally! Today, we are going to take a look at what I wore to the Elton John Brunch, which you can read about in yesterday’s post. For this event, Johnny, his mom, and I ventured to The Flats in Cleveland to see an Elton John impersonator at the Music Box Supper Club. It was such a hoot and, of course, I couldn’t attend an Elton John themed afternoon without a flashy outfit. And, I am pleased to report that Tommy Lee Thompson (the performer) very much approved! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Glitter Star Button Down: This is Johnny’s and it’s from Phix

LA Don’t ❤ U Tank Top: Kid Dangerous, PacSun

Skinny Jeans: 1822 Denim, TJMaxx

On Fire Boots: Cape Robbin, Dolls Kill

I am extremely lucky to have a husband with fantastic fashion sense and rather than begin this look in my own wardrobe, I turned to Johnny’s. Johnny has several amazing button downs from a UK website called Phix, each one better than the next. Although all the options were good, there was only one that truly screamed “Elton John”: The red velvet with silver glitter stars. I absolutely LOVE this button down and it was exactly what I needed. Not only did it have the flash appeal worthy of an Elton John tribute performance, but it was cool and comfy too – a rarity with velvet clothing. From this shirt alone, the outfit basically built itself…

I had no intentions of buttoning the button down on the off chance that I would get too warm at the show. If that were to happen, I could simply slip it off. So, I paired it with a tank top by Kid Dangerous from my old stomping grounds of PacSun. In case you couldn’t tell from that statement alone – this tank is as old as dirt, but it will always remain one of my favorites. The cheeky slogan of “LA Don’t ❤ U” gets me every time and added some humor while adhering to the color palette with the bold red heart. The only thing to do with this top combination was to pull on a pair of black skinnies and it was on to shoes and accessories.

For jewelry, I kept things simple with a small pair of gold dangly earrings. There wasn’t a lot of open real estate to add jewelry to begin with and, even if there was, I wouldn’t have added anything. With a shirt full of glitter, there’s no need for bling! Besides, the piece de resistance of this OOTD was the fire boots. I don’t get to break these Cape Robbin babies out often, but whenever I do, they are a huge hit. In fact, our Elton John for the day lamented on not being a women’s size six so we could share! Like the button down, these boots are Elton John to the T and they were the perfect way to wrap up this look.

It was almost as fun to get dressed for the Elton John Brunch as it was to attend it. I definitely think I won in the outfit department for the day… Well, maybe a close second because Tommy Lee Thompson took the cake!

Which celebrity’s style do you admire? Which celebrity’s wardrobe do you wish you had? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May26

New Industry Republic Clothing Sweater Vest

Posted on May 26, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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New Industry Republic Clothing Sweater Vest

Hello!! Who all remembers the store Charlotte Russe? Talk about a throwback, right?! When I was a teenager, that store was my jam and my absolute favorite thing I ever got was a sweater vest. It was tight fitting, cobalt blue, and had black houndstooth print. It was SO cute and nobody could tell me nothin when I had it on. Since then, I have tried on several similar sweater vests (Try saying that five times fast!) and none of them ever did anything for me. There was always just something off about them, whether it be fit, shape, or pattern. Until now, that is! Check out this fab new Industry Republic Clothing sweater vest that I got during my last TJMaxx shopping trip:

I purchased my vest for twenty dollars and it was originally sixty-eight. SCORE!

While perusing the clothing department, I saw a whole lot of nothing lol. This was quite the rarity because I can usually find something that is worth trying on. The racks of clothing were all featuring loud summer prints, awkward fits, and the dreaded tie in the front of shirts that I detest. Then, I locked eyes with my new sweater vest on an end cap and knew I could work with it. Although it didn’t have bold colors or patterns, it was remarkably similar in fit to my old A1 vest from Charlotte Russe and that was good enough for me. After some more shopping, I found the tennis skirt that you saw in yesterday’s post and we were back in business!

This sweater vest is just too cute. I love the creamy color, the flower details, and the soft knit. I was a bit fearful that this vest would be too warm for summertime, but it was actually nice and light. It can also double as a cold weather piece if you wear a tight fitting sweater underneath. When paired with the Kyodan tennis skirt, it was magic and made for such a flirty and fun OOTD. I had been hoping to find a new outfit for the next Misnyland picnic and I got exactly that. I am also so happy to find some new pieces to shake up my summer wardrobe because, as you know, it is my least favorite season to dress for. Maybe these fresh new finds will make me change my mind. 🙂

Although I have never played tennis, I can’t wait to wear my on the court with a fashion twist inspired outfit. Both the skirt and vests were awesome finds!

What was your favorite store to shop at as a teenager? What is your favorite store to shop at now? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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