Tag Archives: fashion

Dec22

Merry & Bright OOTD Bloopers

Posted on December 22, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Hello everyone and welcome to the blooper reel from my Merry & Bright OOTD! This past weekend, Johnny and I took some charming couples shots and OOTD pics of us rocking a sweater from the Misny Merch holiday collection. Working with Tim Misny is, easily, the coolest thing that my blog has ever done for me other than meeting all of my amazing blogging besties. He is an absolute hoot and it is such fun to create content with him! Unfortunately, Tim wasn’t with us when Johnny and I took pics, but we did have the next best thing: A Tim Misny pillow and a whole lot of bloopers. Check it out:

Rocking that stank face

I LOOK GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Trying to pop my foot: A saga in four parts…

This is NOT going well. Lol the look of pure terror!

How did it come to this?!?!

Laughing it off and pretending this epic failure didn’t just happen

Not much else to do but get my phone and give up. Maybe next OOTD I can get that foot poppin!

I have often been asked since I started to work with Tim Misny how it even happened in the first place. To better explain, let me create a timeline for you…

May: Tim announced the launch of Misny Merch along with a contest to snap a pic rocking your purchase for a chance to meet him at Misnyland. I told my dad about it and he bought me some swag for my birthday.

A Few Days Later: I shot this OOTD and entered the contest. I later learned that I won!!

November: The Misnyland party got pushed back from a summer BBQ to a fall celebration. Johnny and I went together and nearing the end of the party, I asked Tim if he had time for a quick interview. This “quick” Q & A turned into a half hour long conversation and we only ended our gab sesh because he had to bid farewell to the party guests. We did, however, exchange our contact info with the promise of working together again.

Here & Now: Since the party, Tim and I have been in frequent contact and ended up shooting a holiday video to show off the Misny Merch. You can peep the video on my Facebook page (Sarah Mushenheim) or his (Tim Misny). We have grand plans for all of the content including creating a podcast together, tons of videos, and lots of photo shoots!

This newfound friendship with Tim has been a whirlwind and Johnny and I enjoy our time with him so very much. All I can say is, if you ever have an opportunity put in front of you: Go for it! I was SO nervous to ask Tim for a chat at the party, but I did and everything is coming up Misny and lifewithlilred. I can’t wait to see what we come up with next!

What opportunities has your blog given you? What is something that you were nervous about but did anyways? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

PS: Remember that all proceeds from a Misny Merch purchase goes towards supporting the Cleveland City Mission!

Dec21

Merry & Bright OOTD

Posted on December 21, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Howdy!! Johnny and I took some couples holiday photos which you saw yesterday to show off some new Misny Merch. My husband simply worked it and our Tim Misny pillow and holiday sweaters didn’t look too bad either! Wearing our Santa suit Tim sweaters together was a hoot. This was my first time wearing a holiday themed piece of clothing since I was little and I couldn’t have picked a better one to break the over two decade long hiatus. While taking couples photos was my primary goal from this shoot, I had to take a few OOTD shots too! May I present, my Merry & Bright OOTD:

Who? What? Wear?

Holiday Sweater: Misny Merch

Skinny Jeans: American Eagle Outfitters

Red Heeled Boots: Bamboo, TJMaxx

Red Heart Earrings: SugarFix by Baublebar, Target

Whenever I am styling an OOTD, I always start out by identifying a key piece to create a look around. While it is fun to go shopping in my wardrobe boutique, it can be overwhelming to have all of those options! My Merry & Bright OOTD was an incredibly easy one to style because the Tim Misny holiday sweater was the outfit’s focal point. Not only is the image on the sweater bold, but it is huge too and that was my sign to keep the rest of the look simple. Additional touches like a necklace or cold weather accessories would have instantly formed a cluttered appearance, which is not the way to go when you want to showcase one particular item.

Next on the agenda was jeans and to maintain the “simple is best” approach, I put on my plain black skinnies. Originally, I had on my pair of coated Seven Jeans and it was an instant no no. The sheen of them against the muted sweater didn’t look cohesive in the slightest. It was more like two separate pieces working against each other rather than being complimentary. Instead of trying on more pairs with distressing or patterns, I went with my old standby and am glad I did!

Finally, it was onto shoes and accessories. Since the sweater was green and featured a holiday motif, I decided to go red with the finishing touches. For shoes, I selected a darling pair of heeled boots by Bamboo. The pointed toe and bright hue are so sassy and added some fun attitude to the outfit. These boots also feature an amazing surprise, which you can see in the second to last photo. I love the tassel zipper! Last on the agenda was earrings and I chose a dangly pair of red hearts. These helped create some length to my neck since everything else was covered up and tied the look together from head to toe.

If you are loving the Tim Misny holiday sweater, you can purchase it at Misny Merch and help support the Cleveland City Mission. Keep it locked for the blooper reel tomorrow!

What is your favorite charity to support? What do you plan on wearing to celebrate the holidays? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec20

Happy Holidays To You

Posted on December 20, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!!! Johnny and I have been having a blast rocking all of our new Misny Merch and we just had to take some couples pictures this weekend to show it off. Misny Merch is truly the gift that keeps on giving. For starters, you will look freaking awesome in it but, most importantly, all proceeds from each purchase goes towards supporting the Cleveland City Mission. You can shop all things Misny Merch here and help battle homelessness in Cleveland with your order! Here are some of my favorite shots with my favorite person and a very special guest:

Unfortunately, our friend Tim Misny couldn’t be with us for this photo shoot. However, we got the next best things! A Tim Misny pillow and holiday sweaters!! Nothing says “merry and bright” like Tim in a Santa suit and I honestly think that Johnny and I will be wearing our sweaters year round. They are SO comfortable and are warm without feeling like you are in your own personal sweat lodge. There is nothing worse than a stuffy sweater and this one by Misny Merch is the definition of “just right”. Whether you wear it on the go or simply to lounge in, this is a piece from the holiday collection that you don’t want to miss!

It’s always fun to play dress up in all of our Misny swag, but the funnest thing was taking pictures with Johnny. As a doting blog husband, he takes my OOTD shots almost every weekend. lifewithlilred would not be the same without all of his help! While we do take selfies fairly often or, rather, I take selfies and Johnny makes a stank face, we don’t have a lot of “nice” pictures together. I was so happy to be able to take these holiday shots with my main squeeze and I treasure them so much. These holiday shots sum up our very loving and very goofy relationship to the T. Showcasing our new Misny Merch was the perfect cherry on top. ❤

Happy Holidays To You from me, Johnny, and Ohio’s own Tim Misny. We hope you have the most amazing time celebrating with your loved ones and basking in the holiday spirit!

Do you have any “ugly” holiday sweaters? What is your favorite merch line by a celebrity? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec19

Hats Off: Misny Merch Edition

Posted on December 19, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hi darlings!! It has been forever since we’ve had a new edition of Hats Off because I haven’t bought a new hat in… Well, forever. That changes today, though, because we have a few hats from the Misny Merch collection to check out! Ohio’s favorite local celebrity, Tim Misny, is the man and it was such a joy to create content with him. We had so much fun showing off the Misny Merch line in its entirety and shining a light on the Cleveland City Mission. All proceeds from merch purchases directly benefit this amazing charity that helps battle homelessness in Cleveland. Tim is a huge supporter of the Cleveland City Mission and I tip my new Misny Merch hats to all of those who give their time and love to those who need it at the CCM. Let’s take a look at this swag!

During the fall and winter, I feel like I am constantly rocking a beanie. They are such a classic cold weather staple and it’s just too easy to throw one on in the morning and call it a day. My go to beanie features the phrase “bad hair day” and, yes, it does cover up my crazy hair from first waking up but also assists in my pure laziness lol. During the work week, I am either up at three or four thirty AM and the last thing I am concerned about is the state of my hair in the wee hours of the morn! I am LOVING my new Misny Merch beanies because they are really similar in style to my bad hair day one and offer an infinitely cooler tagline: A variation of Tim’s signature catchphrase, “I’ll make them pay”.

Another fun item from the Misny Merch line are the baseball caps that say “Misny To The Max”. I think the slogan is absolutely hilarious and I also have this cap in black too. In fact, I wore it in the OOTD I styled to win the contest that put me into Tim’s orbit. Everything that Tim does, trust and believe he does it to the max. Whether that be helping the Cleveland City Mission, taking on a personal injury case, or even decorating Misnyland – he’d rather go big or go home. These hats are a fabulous reminder to do everything to the max and see what happens. It applies to me firsthand. If I didn’t have a “to the max” attitude, then I never would have secured the interview that made me and Tim instant besties!!

Live your life to the max and good things will come your way. Live your life in a “Misny To The Max” baseball cap and you’ll look cool while doing it. Buy yours today at Misny Merch and support the Cleveland City Mission!!

How do you live your life to the max? What is your favorite style of hat? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec16

Sweet Surprises: Lovely Ladybugs Edition

Posted on December 16, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Sweet Surprises: Lovely Ladybugs Edition

Hey darlings!! Tuesday was a banner day for your girl because I got Santa Mail from my sweet Kate of Live In The Nautical AND from the beautiful Carlie of Bombshell. These lovely ladies have been my blogging besties since lifewithlilred started all the way back in 2014. In this almost decade tenure of being in the blogosphere, I have had the joy of collaborating and becoming friends with Carlie and she is nothing short of a delight. She is cool, crafty, and the spooky match to my spooky soul. Carlie gifted me with the most adorable pair of earrings that I have ever seen and I just had to share them with all of you:

When I saw my package from Carlie, the vampire goddess herself, I tore it open like a rabid animal. In the packing envelope, I found a little red box and that was already perfect in and of itself. As my blog tagline goes, Life is better in red, and that applies to jewelry boxes too! After smiling to myself about Carlie’s perfect gift box choice, I opened the lid and was delighted with my findings. These delicate gold ladybug earrings are so precious and they warmed my little heart. I absolutely love ladybugs and I love them even more when they are gold and have pink rhinestones! 😀

Being a blogger is awesome because writing is my passion. What makes it the awesomest, however, is all of the wonderful people I have been able to connect with through lifewithlilred. Carlie lives in California and I would have never met her otherwise. Through my page, we became fast friends via text and FaceTime and meeting her was like meeting my blogging big sis. Every day, I am SO thankful to the blogosphere for bringing such amazing friends like Carlie and Kate into my life. And, of course, all of you too. ❤ ❤ ❤

My girl Carlie is an absolute queen and you can keep up to date with all of her fabulousness by giving her a follow on Instagram: @carliemichelle66 . Thank you for my earrings, doll – love you!!! ❤

Have you met any friends through blogging? What is something cool that your blog has done for you? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec14

Sweet Surprises: Early Christmas Gift Edition

Posted on December 14, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Sweet Surprises: Early Christmas Gift Edition

Hello!!! I had a pretty difficult day at my job as an Independent Provider this past Monday and it hit me really hard. It is always the worst when I have to let go of long term clients, but that is just what had to happen and I was beside myself. It was a rain cloud on this past week for sure, but a rainbow appeared on Wednesday morning when one of my clients decided to give me their family Christmas gift early. Oddly enough, I was actually thinking of bringing their gifts in that very day! This was, hands down, one of the most beautiful, thoughtful gifts I have ever received and reminded me why working in the field is still exactly where I needed to be. Maybe that family decided I could use a pick me up that day and it worked like a charm. Check it out:

The inside of the sun and moon patterned bracelet says “You were made to make a difference” and the inside of the plain one says “You make the world a better place”.

Guys, when I tell you I was ugly crying when I unwrapped my presents – I mean I was ugly crying. I adore the mini cuff message bracelets so very much and have at least six of them in my collection. The very first one I got was from my mom when I was a teenager and it sparked a love of them ever since. My clients’ family had no idea about this and I was flabbergasted when I opened them up and simply verklempt when I read the sweet sentiments inside. The messages that these bracelets held were exactly what I needed and given to me exactly when I needed them. It was so unbelievably special to me and once the waterworks started, there was no stopping it.

I love my job so much and always will, even on hard days. But, I think anyone who works in the care field wonders from time to time if they are ever actually making a difference – especially after a bad day. These bracelets were the confirmation I needed that, yes, I am changing the lives of the people I serve and, yes, the world is a better place because of it. It was humbling and beautiful to see this written plainly across the bracelets I received. This gift was so comforting because it told me that I am still doing everything right by my clients and people who I will have the pleasure of helping in the future. I just renewed my certification as a provider and I can’t wait to see where my next three years in the field takes me!

This is the literal first time that I have cried over a gift and I will treasure these bracelets until the end of my days. It was given to me by a family who is so special to me and I take pride in the fact that I am special to them too. ❤

Have you ever got emotional over a gift? What is the best gift you have ever received? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec11

Medieval Times OOTD Bloopers

Posted on December 11, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to the blooper reel from my Medieval Times OOTD!! I so enjoyed visiting The Green Dragon Inn board game bar this past weekend and am already itching to go back. It was, hands down, the coolest place in Akron that I have ever visited and I am still amazed that this gem is just a hop, skip, and a jump from me. Sadly, the lighting in the bar itself wasn’t conducive to taking OOTD shots so I had to resort to snapping pics outside. Aside from my fantastic faces, there are two glaring bloopers in these shots so take a look and let’s discuss further:

The sassiest village person from a video game. “Doth said WHAT?!”

Lol I genuinely have no idea what’s going on here

The hood is coming up so it’s time to embark on an adventure

…Is the hood even on??

AYYYY psyche it is!!!!

I LOOK DOUBLE GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Did you find the bloopers I was talking about?? If you guessed “the huge wad of chewing gum on the ground” and “my sunglasses stem pointing directly at my crotch” then you are a winner!! Lmao, I have no idea how I didn’t notice these two glaring issues while I was taking these pictures, but omg was I annoyed when I was looking through them later and realized it. With something as obvious and out of place as these particular problems, I was SO close to calling this OOTD a wash. Then, I had a brain blast…

I began looking for apps where I could edit these photos and remove the rogue gum and glasses stem. However, I ran into the problem of having to pay for every app I was interested in and I just wasn’t about to do that. Cheap? Yes. Petty? Always. After lots of searching, I finally found an object removal app that was free, but it was the jankiest process known to mankind. Getting rid of the gum and glasses stem on this app called “Fixit” or something of the like took a long time of trial and error. It was a very finicky, touchy app but that’s what you get when you don’t want to pay for something. On the bright side, I only had a few photos to edit from the original post and left the blooper shots as is because, let’s be real, it’s a hell of a blooper!

The Green Dragon, gum, and glasses oh my! These pictures were definitely my wake up call to do a better check of myself and surroundings before Johnny starts snapping away!

What is your favorite photo editor app? Is there a board game bar 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

Dec7

Medieval Times OOTD

Posted on December 7, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! As you read yesterday, I visited a board game bar this past weekend called The Green Dragon Inn. It is my new favorite place in Akron and was decorated like a Medieval tavern. I am still amazed that this gorgeous space exists not even twenty minutes away from me! It took a minute, but I had the perfect cardigan in mind to wear for this outing and I love the look that I created with it. Let’s take a gander and discuss further:

Who? What? Wear?

Chain Pattern Cardigan: MaxSport LA, TJMaxx

Cami Top: mittoshop, French Rooster

Skinny Jeans: American Eagle Outfitters

Heeled Boots: Candie’s, Kohl’s

The earrings were a gift from my aunt and the necklace is from the Goodwill!

I had seen pictures of The Green Dragon Inn before our outing and wanted to style an atmospheric look to mesh with the wonderful setting. The initial planning phase of my Medieval Times OOTD had me going through multiple different options. I was thinking faux fur for a while, but I literally just created an OOTD with a faux fur accent and knew I had to pivot. As I continued to rack my brains, I remembered a fabulous longer cardigan by MaxSport LA and couldn’t believe I didn’t think of it right away!

I loved this cardigan for my visit to The Green Dragon for several reasons. The pattern, first and foremost, was ideal for the setting. The regal color palette of black, red, and gold felt like a nod to way back when and the chain pattern reminded me of a suit of armor. The shape of this cardigan also helped match the vibe as it fit more like a robe and had a hood. This little MaxSport number had me feeling like a video game character come to life and that is exactly what I wanted.

Since the cardigan was so bold and offered a lot of length, I kept the rest of the look sleek and simple. This was the best way to go because another pattern or even texture had the potential to overpower this outfit in the worst way. For my top, I chose one of my go to camis from French Rooster to add a feminine touch with the lace and show some skin as I was almost completely covered up. Prior to settling for a pair of plain black skinnies, I actually had on my coated pair by Seven Jeans. However, their sheen really clashed with the soft cloth motif that I was already working with on top and swapped them out. See, sleek and simple was definitely the way to go!

Finally, it was onto shoes and accessories. For my shoes, I put on a pair of heeled thigh high boots by Candie’s. These boots are old as dirt, but they are one of my favorite pairs and I felt like they embodied the “video game character IRL” aesthetic I was building. Granted, an adventurer probably wouldn’t wear heels, but you all get the point. Jewelry was next and I knew I wanted to incorporate a necklace so I selected a small pair of ruby red dangly hearts to keep from jewelry overload. For my necklace, I went with an amazing pendant I found from the Goodwill as a teen. You can’t tell, but it features a portrait of George Washington crossing the Delaware River lol. This pendant or amulet, if you will, tied my look together and I was ready to enter into the realm of The Green Dragon. 😀

A bit of trial and error went into styling my Medieval Times OOTD, but it was well worth the effort. I wanted to create a character look to wear to The Green Dragon Inn and I think I nailed it!

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

Dec3

Thanksgiving Pt. 2 OOTD Bloopers

Posted on December 3, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Helloooo everyone and welcome to the blooper reel from my Thanksgiving Pt. 2 OOTD! For Thanksgiving, I had four days off in total and it was absolutely magnificent. I cannot remember the last time I had that much time off in a row – probably not since we vacationed in the Poconos over two years ago! It was basically a Thanksgiving miracle, but it was SO hard to get back to work come Monday. I feel like I went through most of the week half asleep lol. During this OOTD shoot, however, I was wide awake because holy shit was it cold haha check it out:

What an amazing action shot, amiright?

Just leaning on my imaginary friend

I LOVE WHEN MY HAIR STICKS UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I LOOK GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Serving straight up sass appeal

Maybe I was half asleep in these pics seeing as how I can’t keep my eyes open

WTF is this, guys? lol YIKES

Back in the day when I was ice skating a lot, I would say that I had a very high tolerance to cold weather. I was so used to it that it never really phased me. Fast forward to when I have not skated in forever and any semblance of tolerance to the cold has flown out the window. Whatever the weather, I will never stop shooting OOTD content. Having said that, these Thanksgiving photo shoots were freaking miserable! Not only was the temperature frigid, but it was windy as all get out and made things so much worse. It was the kind of cold that literally just goes right through you.

Speaking of being cold, it is forever freezing in my apartment compliments of my sweet husband. ❤ Johnny runs hot both in looks and temperature wise. Myself, on the other hand, am a huge freeze baby. We are constantly turning our thermostat up and down, much to each other’s displeasure. While I never back down from a challenge, I have admitted defeat in the Great Thermostat Battle of 2023 because I cannot win! That’s not to say that the cold apartment doesn’t have its perks because there is one… I put my freezing hands and feet on Johnny and lovingly remind him that he is doing it to himself. How adorable are we? 😉

I don’t miss the scorching days of summer, but I would be elated if I could transport to a 70s and sunny location right about now. I guess I’ll make do with make believe as I wrap myself in yet another blanket SMH!

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

Dec2

Thanksgiving Pt. 2 OOTD

Posted on December 2, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! You guys already saw the look I created for Thanksgiving day at my mom and dad’s and today we’re going to take a gander at what I wore to celebrate with Johnny’s family. We spent a wonderful day with Johnny’s mom, dad, and aunt the day after Thanksgiving. We had a delicious meal, played lots of goofy games like Quiplash, and had an absolute blast. For Thanksgiving Pt. 2, I wanted to style an OOTD that was cute, of course, but comfy too. Your girl was in a food coma from the day before lol! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Cheetah Print Cardigan: Ruby Moon, TJMaxx

Black Sweater: Shrinking Violet, TJMaxx

Coated Skinny Jeans: Seven Jeans, TJMaxx

Red Heeled Boots: Bamboo, TJMaxx

Coin Necklace: Mia Fiore, TJMaxx

I have no idea where the cross earrings are from!

Whenever I think of “cute and comfy” for cold weather clothing, my mind instantly conjures up cardigans. I love me a cardigan SO much and have quite the collection in every style and knit imaginable. Cardis are a fun piece of clothing because they are truly a dress up or dress down piece. An outfit featuring a cardigan can be as casual or as dressy as you make it and I chose my cheetah print cardi by Ruby Moon to get my OOTD started. Like my husband, I am very fond of animal print and the cheetah pattern of this cardigan just hit different. The jet black pattern against the wheat colored base felt chic and added a touch of sophistication to such a classic comfort piece.

Once I had selected my cardigan, the rest of the outfit was super easy to build from there. It was FREEZING on Thanksgiving Day and it was just as cold on Friday too. To stay warm, I put on a black sweater by Shrinking Violet. This was the perfect layering piece for underneath my cardi because it was thin and form fitting. Remember when layering that two thicker pieces on top of each other is a major no no unless you like looking like a marshmallow! I also liked that this sweater was completely plain so it let the cheetah print do all of the talking.

Next, it was time to visit the pants department and I knew just what I needed: My coated black skinnies by Seven Jeans. These actually feature a snakeskin pattern but you would never know unless you are really looking for it. However, it wasn’t the pattern I was interested in for these jeans but the texture. With two knit pieces on top, I wanted to add some visual interest on the bottom and my Seven Jeans gave the sheen to break things up. This was another way to keep my OOTD feeling chic even though I was purely dressing for comfort.

Finally, it was onto shoes and accessories. For jewelry, I had a nice blank canvas from the plain Shrinking Violet sweater so I could get away with a chunky necklace that had some length. I went for a stunning necklace by Mia Fiore that featured a bright gold chain and an antique coin as the pendant. I also put on a pair of long dangly cross earrings to offer some extra length to my neck since it was rather covered up. Since the base of this outfit was completely neutral, I knew that I could have some fun with the shoes. I chose my pointed toe, cherry red heeled boots by Bamboo and it gave a fabulous pop of color. With that, I was ready to go eat even more Thanksgiving food! 😀

I styled two completely different looks this Thanksgiving and I love how both of them turned out. For Thanksgiving Pt. 2, I wanted to style a look that would never let you know I was dressing to be comfy and I think I succeeded!

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

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