Tag Archives: fashion

Night Out Fashion Tips For Every Location

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Night Out Fashion Tips For Every Location

Weekends are for letting loose and having fun after a long week at work. It’s a time to get together with friends and potentially meet new people. Of course, you’re more likely to feel great when you look your best, whether it’s at a trendy nightclub, rooftop lounge, or laid-back coffee shop. Here’s a style guide for what to wear to different weekend hot spots so you’re both confident and comfortable:

Think sleek and stylish as you consider what to grab from your closet to wear to the best nightclub San Diego downtown has seen. Figure hugging dresses, tailored jumpsuits, or fitted jeans with a top that’s a statement piece are all perfect choices for an evening at this popular weekend destination. Keep your footwear stylish while practical (although we all know that can be hard to find), as you’ll be heading to the dance floor. Keep it trendy but club-appropriate with wedged trainers or sturdy platforms, avoiding overly casual items like flip-flops.

Think chic yet comfortable for the outfit to wear here. Tailored shorts paired with a t-shirt, an oversized blazer, and a funky gold necklace make for a super cute OOTD. If the weather dips low during the night while you’re still there, you’ll be thankful for the warmth of the blazer. If it stays warm, depending on the time of year, simply take off it off! For shoes, stylish flats or loafers make sense for comfort as you curl up on cozy seating and chat the night away.

Coffee shops call for casual and cozy for the OOTD. Then add a bracelet or earrings to take it easily from daytime to night-appropriate for wherever the day takes you after your caffeine boost. The relaxed look can vary from a tank top with baggy jeans to leggings and an oversized sweater. Sneakers mix style and playfulness as you walk up to the counter to order a coffee. A crossbody bag is where you can keep your journal if you plan to write while at the coffee hangout, or a book for reading at your favorite spot.

Food markets are a wonderful place to explore new foods and meet new people. Casual dresses or shorts suit the atmosphere, as do sneakers or sandals, as they’re comfortable for walking from vendor to vendor. Take your sunglasses if it’s still light out, so you won’t have to squint to see which fresh options are at the stall in front of you. Wear layers, if possible, so you can stay warm if the air gets cooler as the hours go by.

When you dress appropriately for the venue, you’ll feel fabulous about the way you look, and that makes you more likely to have a blast. Cheers to a memorable weekend ahead!

Featured Image By: Polina Tankilevitch from Pexels

Let’s Get Weird OOTD

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Let’s Get Weird OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! This past weekend I was lucky enough to have seen Weird Al for the third time in concert and it was absolutely fabulous. The show was held as Blossom Music Center which is an outdoor venue and we had lovely warm weather for the show. So warm, in fact, that it felt like summertime so I needed the clothes to match as well as pay an extra special shout out to Weird Al himself. Like my dad, that man loves him an Hawaiian shirt! Huge props to my dad for letting me raid his closet for the perfect Hawaiian shirt to wear to the show, which he actually wore to my wedding lol! Check it out:

The shirt is my dad’s and I have no idea where he acquired it from!

Shorts: American Eagle Outfitters

Wedges: Charles By Charles David, TJMaxx

You can’t see the earrings but they were purchased forever ago from Target!

As I was saying, my dad lives for a good Hawaiian shirt and has an impressive collection. When I asked him if I could go shopping in his wardrobe, he was so flattered and I was excited to pick out one to wear to the show. He had several strong contenders, but the shirt he wore to my wedding has always been my favorite. I love the sentiment, bright colors, and pattern and it was like it was made to be worn to compliment my hair! Of course, I had to make some alterations to the shirt so I buttoned the second to the top button and tied the excess to turn it into a cute crop top. It worked out really well, if I do say so myself!

Pairing my borrowed top with shorts was an obvious choice so let’s move onto shoes and accessories. For shoes, I selected a wonderful pair of summer wedges by Charles By Charles David. My dad is named Charles so it was SO. Much. Charles. in this look! These wedges are old AF but they are just right with summer outfits and pretty much go with anything. Sadly, this is the last outfit that I will be wearing them with because they actually broke when we were walking back to my car after the show. This is the second time I have had a pair of shoes break at Blossom but at least these ones broke afterwards as opposed to before like the first time SMH. I didn’t want to be weighed down with accessories for the show so I put on a dangly pair of chain earrings and was ready to get weird! 😀

Wearing my dad’s Hawaiian shirt to the Weird Al concert made the show that much more fun. With a few simple alterations, you can make anything work in a pinch!

What kind of style do your parents have? Have any of your shoes ever broke while you were on the go? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Tap Into Fashion OOTD

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Tap Into Fashion OOTD

Hello! Johnny and I went on a fabulous Middle Class Fancy date night this past weekend. We went to Applebee’s and to the opening day to see Spinal Tap II in theaters. The Tap sequel has been a long time coming and we couldn’t have been more excited. We really come alive during a Middle Class Fancy night on the town! In honor of the great Nigel Tufnel, Johnny and I had to show out in matching tank tops that were worn in the first movie. Of course, I had to make it fashion! Check it out:

Skeleton Muscle Tank Top: Johnny purchased this off of Amazon as a T-shirt and cut off the sleeves

Jean Shorts: American Eagle Outfitters

Gemstone Fishnets: Urban Outfitters

Platform Boots: Dolls Kill

The chain earrings were purchased forever ago from Target

I am just as surprised as all of you that there is nothing from TJMaxx in this fit!

As Johnny and I already planned to match in our Nigel Tufnel best, my top was already pre decided. However, the trick was to make it look feminine as this was a men’s muscle tank and it felt like it. This top had zero shape whatsoever and was definitely not the most flattering. To combat the sack of potatoes silhouette, I knew that I wanted to serve sex appeal on the bottom half of the outfit. Once the styling of this look was complete, I felt so much better and was ready to work it for a Middle Class Fancy outing.

In the words of Nigel Tufnel, “what’s wrong with being sexy?” and merely pairing this top with shorts wasn’t enough. Rather than do the bare minimum, leave it to Lil Red to do the most! I always want the eyes to dance in every OOTD I style but it was even more necessary for this look as the top was downright frumpy lol. To add some bling and crank the sexy up to eleven, I wore a pair of gorgeous gemstone fishnet tights under the shorts. This was much more like it and allowed for a sleeker silhouette. What I really needed now was length.

For my shoes, I chose one of my favorite pairs of platform boots from Dolls Kill. They feature a vertebrae pattern and a high, high, high heel that gave me all the length I was looking for and then some. These platforms are ones you don’t simply walk in but strut and as soon as they were on I felt infinitely more confident. The muscle tank is something I would never normally wear and the additional styling provided me with the comfort that I was making it work anyways. With blingy tights and my tattoos on display, I put on a long pair of dangly chain earrings as no further accessories were needed. With that, I was ready for a big night out!

This Tap Into Fashion OOTD is a shining example that you can make any piece of clothing work if it is styled well. I went from feeling zero confidence to an eleven!

Have you seen Spinal Tap II yet? What was your favorite part? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Cute Cardi OOTD

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Cute Cardi OOTD

Hello! Johnny and I visited an amazing vintage store called The Bomb Shelter a few weekends ago and it was an absolute blast. You can peep my TikTok for a video tour for even more from our outing! The day we went was honestly a weird one. I wouldn’t say I sleep in like crazy over the weekend and the latest I am up is usually ten o’clock. However, I ended up sleeping until one forty in the afternoon that day! In my defense, I was coming off of a long week where I was feeling pretty crummy thanks to an ugh bug from my nieces. I guess I was more worn out than I thought because I felt like I woke up in a new year! Because I slept in till an ungodly hour, I needed to get ready quickly and put together a simple fall OOTD perfect for running errands and bopping around town. Check it out:

^^^ In case you couldn’t tell by the lack of pictures, I hated a majority of them lol. It was just one of those days!

Cardigan: American Eagle Outfitters, TJMaxx

Tank Top: Rachel Zoe, TJMaxx

Skinny Jeans: 1822 Denim, TJMaxx

Wedge Loafers: Steve Madden, Walmart

Heart Earrings: SugarFix By BaubleBar, Target

Fall fashion really speaks to me because it can be as elaborate or simple as you please and still look put together. You could elevate your look with cold weather accessories or throw on a cardigan and go. Obviously, I chose the latter! I am a huge fan of knitwear and just love the feeling of being snuggled up in something cozy. Currently in Ohio, the weather is in the eighties which I am so not there for. When I wore this look, it was actually quite chilly and I couldn’t wait to browse in my cardigan department after being separated for so long.

To keep things quick and cohesive, I went with a darling cardi by American Eagle Outfitters with a flash of red and white stripes. I purchased this almost a decade ago at TJMaxx and it costed a whopping thirteen dollars. Despite it being eight years old, it still looks brand new! I love the collegiate vibes and it was just right paired with a tighter fitting tank underneath and skinny jeans. It reminded me of outfits that I would wear when I was in college and always had to put together a little something something when I was on campus. Such a nice blast of nostalgia!

To wrap up this look, it was time for shoes and accessories. For shoes, I went for a super rad pair of wedge loafers by Steve Madden. I got these from Walmart and they were only twenty bucks which I thought was a total steal. They fit the color palette I was working with while providing a pop of color and the loafer style further enhanced the college cool aesthetic. These loafers are comfy AF and are probably the lowest heel of shoes that I own – it took me a minute to get used to the minuscule rise in elevation! To complete my fit, I put on a pair of dangly heart earrings to add some length to my neck as it was the only open real estate available. With that, I was ready for a shopping trip to The Bomb Shelter!

It has felt like summer in Ohio as of late and I have had to resort to wearing shorts and tees again. Can I have fall weather now for more OOTD fun or?!

What is your favorite cold weather accessory? Have you updated your wardrobe for cold weather? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

“New” Vintage Jewelry

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“New” Vintage Jewelry

Howdy! Yesterday you read about a fantastic weekend shopping trip Johnny and I took to one of the coolest stores I have ever been to, The Bomb Shelter. It was my first time going but certainly won’t be my last and I would LOVE to do a content shoot with all of their amazing retro kitchen settings. There were a few that really spoke to me and it would be such fun to put together a vintage chic look. Of course, I would accessorize with one of the pieces of jewelry that I just couldn’t say no to. I got both of these fab “new” necklaces for under twenty bucks which was a total score. Check it out:

After our stroll through the huge property that is The Bomb Shelter, it was time to check out the handful of records and gifts that Johnny selected. As luck would have it, the cash wrap was also where the jewelry was displayed and I obviously had to see what that was all about. As a heavily tattooed gal, I haven’t worn a lot of jewelry as of late because I like to let my ink do the talking in summer OOTDs. However, when fall rolls around is when I can break out my expansive jewelry collection again to add a pop to my looks when my tattoos are fully covered. Nothing transforms a chunky sweater or cardigan better than a statement necklace!

With fall fits on my mind, I wanted to find a little treat for myself to wear and went through the jewelry on display with a fine toothed comb. A lot of the jewelry at The Bomb Shelter was more on the costume side and that is not my style at all. However, a standing display housed more classic necklaces and that is what I gravitated to. The first thing that caught my eye was the simple wooden heart on a collar length chain. Hearts always remind me of my mom and I like to wear them as often as possible. The wood finish made me think of an acorn as well as the retro wooden paneling in my apartment and it was an instant yes. Granted, it was impossible for me to put on with my talons and kind of difficult for Johnny too but that’s show biz, baby, and he got it eventually lol. Great success!

My next purchase was a toss up as there were several necklaces that I liked but I didn’t want to go hog wild on accessories. I exercised self control, gave myself a limit of one more, and decided on the mid length necklace with chain tassels. I loved the burnt gold hue and the overall design but what really spoke to me was the chain. Yes, it was nice to be able to slip it over my head but that is beside the point. The chain of this necklace was delightfully reminiscent of that of a locket from my grandma that was home to a picture of her and my grandpa. It was perfect and I think I ended up with the two best pieces of jewelry on display. ❤

As the weather cools down, I can’t wait to begin fully accessorizing OOTDs again and I have a great place to start with my new old necklaces from The Bomb Shelter!

Do you have any vintage clothing or accessories? Where do you like to shop for retro finds? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Pajama Party OOTD

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Pajama Party OOTD

Hello! While I love clothes of all kinds, there is one aspect of dressing that I’m pretty negligent to and that would have to be pajamas. Don’t get me wrong, I adore the idea of cute pajama sets and have seen countless ones at TJMaxx that I would buy happily. I actually bought one cute shorts and cami PJ set that I got for our sweltering summer and that was even a stretch. Regardless of that one time purchase, I would rather spend my money on pretty pieces that everyone can see me in which is why I resort to old sweatpants to sleep in lol. I am pleased to report that my pajama collection has grown to TWO cute pajama sets because I simply couldn’t resist this darling pair that I got at 5 Below for a whole twelve bucks! Check it out:

Bite Me Pajama Set: 5 Below

Halloween was in full swing at 5 Below and it’s safe to say I went a little bit crazy lol. But, hey, Halloween is my time to shine AND shop and it has turned into a yearly tradition. At a store like 5 Below, it’s so easy to just grab whatever and add it to your cart because you are getting it on the cheap. This was how I felt when I snagged my new PJ set. They are perfectly spooky, totes adorbs, and I knew damn well I was not going to find a set like it at a lower price. I couldn’t wait to wear it over the long Labor Day weekend to curl up, watch scary movies, and veg out!

I proudly donned my pajamas on Saturday and felt like a little Halloween star. The fleece shorts and oversized tee were the epitome of comfort and felt so good to snuggle up in. In fact, I was wishing I had bought a few more of the sets at 5 Below for myself! Sadly, I made a major uh-oh when I had my new set on and I suppose I will chalk it up to being too comfortable. Johnny and I ordered Papa John’s and it couldn’t have come a moment too soon because I was verging on hanger.

With a loaded plate of pizza and garlic dipping sauce, I made my way back to my recliner, got myself cuddled up, and dug in. In my awkward sitting state that is great for lounging and not eating, my leg knocked my plate and the garlic sauce got ALL over my PJs that I was so proud of. Blessedly, it came out in the wash but it took a while to get the scent of garlic off of my legs or lingering in my nose. SMH!!!!

Like the true vampire I am, this garlic spill REALLY stung. I’m so glad these pajamas were good as new after a wash!!

What is a type of clothing that you rarely buy? Have you wrecked any of your clothing before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

OOTD Surprise

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OOTD Surprise

Hello! This past weekend was a glorious one because it was a three day weekend, baby! Very rarely do I take a holiday like Labor Day off but I went for it and I am so glad I did. Minus a visit with my sister and sweet nieces and a video chat with my blogging bestie, this was the first weekend Johnny and I had zero plans since our birthaversary at the beginning of June. All of the summer activities and get togethers were so lovely but we were long overdue for a few days of doing nothing. Of course, other than doing an OOTD shoot. A shoot that got cut short from the most adorable surprise! Check it out:

Johnny and I decided to walk through the path that goes behind some of the apartments in my community for this shoot as it features a lot of pretty greenery. It was the perfect place to post up and the picture taking commenced. Everything was going as normal until I heard a rustling behind me. I turned around and was able to see a cat bolt it into the foliage. I figured it was long gone and then it came back seconds later and I realized it wasn’t a cat at all but a KITTEN! Johnny and I named her Tiger and she was as friendly as can be. Stick a fork in that photo shoot because it was SO done lol.

As we were giving Tiger all the love, her darling calico kitten companion watched from the sidelines as well as the mama cat which we didn’t even notice was on the apartment side of the path the whole time. We must have spent a solid half an hour playing with Tiger and it was so hard to tear ourselves away. We were worried that they didn’t have a home and were blessedly able to confirm with someone who was walking to their apartment who the owner was and we confirmed with them too. Had they not had an owner and if we didn’t have bunnies, I think they would have been as good as ours!

This is the first and cutest time an OOTD shoot as ever not gone accordingly to plan and I am so not mad about it. Our little afternoon with Tiger is easily one of mine and Johnny’s favorite OOTD memories!

Have any of your blog posts or pictures not turned out the way you wanted? What happened? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

5 Below Haul

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5 Below Haul

Hello! My clients absolutely love shopping at 5 Below and I do too! I am always excited to check out what’s new on the cheap whenever we go and had a fabulous haul this past week. We ended up at good ol’ 5 B after a trip to Spirit Halloween was a total dud. Seriously, everything there was SO expensive and we were hard pressed to find anything cool that was below twenty bucks. So, 5 Below it was and we couldn’t have gone at a better time. They were just putting their Halloween collection out and I kid you not, they had so many of the exact same things that we just saw at Spirit Halloween. Everything at Spirit Halloween feels like a rip off when you know where to shop! I couldn’t resist going a little crazy and ended up with a big haul with treats for my nieces, myself, and Johnny too. Check it out:

This haul costed fifty dollars for ten items and you can’t beat that!

Johnny and I have never decorated for holidays because it is Halloween year round in our apartment and that’s just the way we like it. Whenever our happy time comes around, we are always happy to splurge a little on all of the Halloween goodies our favorite stores have to offer. And, in the case of this 5 Below haul, I actually needed to use a cart for the very first time because there were so many items I couldn’t say no to as soon as I walked in the door! 😀

The first thing that caught my eye was His and Hers skeleton plushies that are just so damn cute I can’t stand it. They reminded me of big versions of adorable Frankenstein and skeleton stuffies we got on vacation in the Poconos and I can’t wait to curl up with our newest additions and watch a scary movie. Whoever says adults can’t get plushies has never bought a plushie as an adult before and Johnny and I adore these comfort items. In comparison to the plushies at Spirit Halloween that were thirty dollars and up, these were a steal at five dollars apiece. BALLIN ON A BUDGET, BABY!

Next in my haul was a few candy treats. A few years ago on social media, I saw the Sour Patch Apple Harvest pack but could never find them anywhere in stores. It was a crying shame because apple candy is my favorite so I couldn’t believe my good fortune when I found them at 5 Below. So much so, that I had to get two bags of them lol. They are so delish and my favorite is the Apple Cider flavor. They are not as sour as I would like but they are still really tasty nonetheless. I also got a pack of Caramel Apple Peelerz which I have seen all over social media too so peep a TikTok on a taste test for those coming soon. 😀

After the first portion of 5 Below was thoroughly shopped through, it was onto the clothing department where I got a set of pajamas for me and a couple of shirts for Johnny. This summer, I purchased an adorable short and cami top PJ set from TJMaxx and have been living in them. They are the only pair of non sweatpants pajamas I have so I was excited to find another pair that costed twelve dollars in total. I’m so excited to slip into the bat adorned fleece shorts and oversized tee that says Bite Me on it lol. I actually have a tattoo of vampire fangs that say Bite Me on my shoulder as well as a robe with the same sentiments so this PJ set really spoke to me. 🙂

For Johnny’s treats, I was so excited to find a wicked cool Halloween shirt. I am a Texas Chainsaw Massacre girl, myself, but Johnny is a Michael Myers fan through and through and the original Halloween is his all time favorite. Also, peep that young Jamie Lee Curtis! Such a doll then and now. ❤ Another one of our favorite movies that has nothing to do with Halloween is School Of Rock and how amazing is that band tee?! Unfortunately, they didn’t have it in Johnny’s size so I got the next size up because I knew he would like it. He loved them both and wore his Halloween shirt to work the next day!

My last purchase in this haul was a fun craft for my nieces. I had plans for a visit over the weekend and wanted something we could do all together. One of their favorite activities is pottery paint kits so I got a darling set of pottery fruit planters for them to create a masterpiece. This set of three costed six dollars making them two bucks a pop and that is a steal. The girls are always so proud of their painted creations and I can’t wait to see their fantastically fruity works or art. ❤

Whether it is at TJMaxx, Marc’s, or 5 Below – your girl loves to discount shop. This haul was so good it’s scary and I am stoked to see what other Halloween goodies 5 Below has as the happiest season of all continues!

What is your favorite discount store? Have you had any great hauls recently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

How To Feel More Confident In Your Skin

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How To Feel More Confident In Your Skin

More often than not, most of us will feel insecure. It may not be intense insecurity, and it may not severely impact our daily lives, but we can feel it all the same. It might be not feeling that confident in our jobs or worrying about how we look when we’re out with friends. As much as it can be frustrating, it’s quite common. But that doesn’t mean that you have to accept it as normal and live that way forever. In fact, you can look to do something about it as soon as possible!

It’s easy to think that some people are confident and others aren’t, but that’s not strictly true. Confidence isn’t something you’re born with; it’s something that’s built. If you’d love to be able to feel more confident in your skin and say goodbye to your insecurities, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’re going to take a look at the best ways for you to feel more confident in who you are:

First of all, you may want to change the way you talk to yourself. If you’re used to being tough on yourself and beating yourself up in the way you think and speak about yourself, it’s going to really lower your confidence. When you’re more positive, it can help you to feel a lot more confident and happier in yourself.

It can also help to look after yourself a little better. It’s easy to think that self-care is just pampering and caring too much about your appearance, but it’s far from that. It can be relaxing, helping your mental health, and boosting your mood as well as your confidence. You may find that starting a self-care routine drastically changes how you feel.

You should also be proactive about feeling good in yourself. Buying new bras, taking yourself for a walk, or even having a little solo date night could help you to feel recharged and boost your mood. Treat yourself to something nice, grab a coffee from your favorite cafe, or simply take a pause when you feel like you could use a pick me up. When you find what works to boost your mood, you can keep turning back to it as often as you need.

You can also look to what you wear for a lot more confidence. You may find that if you’re wearing things that don’t make you feel good, getting excited about what you wear can change everything. Take yourself out shopping or order some options online. Once you find some pieces you love, you may feel a lot more confident in your skin. When you dress with clothes that fit well and enhance your best features, you are going to love what you see when you look in the mirror.

Embrace yourself, your quirks, and what makes you you. Doing so will always make you feel so much happier and confident in who you are!

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Fruit Salad OOTD Bloopers

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Fruit Salad OOTD Bloopers

Hello everyone and welcome to the Blooper Reel from my Fruit Salad OOTD! This little look was worn to a beautiful summer wedding and it was the absolute best time. This is only the second wedding Johnny and I have attended in the six years that we have been together and all I can say is that I hope all of our other friends get married soon. If they want to, of course! Johnny and I truly come alive at a function and this wedding was so top tier. It was such a joy to be surrounded by all of our friends and so much love! I don’t have much love for these yikes shots, though! Check it out:

My niece came over for a slumber party recently and we always wrap up the festivities by watching a movie and eating ice cream. It’s the best! We usually watch something animated but this time around she wanted to watch the second Descendants movie and honestly it was awesome lol. If you aren’t hip to it, The Descendants series are Disney Channel movies and feature a cast made up of the children of Disney princesses and villains. It’s such a fun idea and I LIVED for Disney Channel movies in my youth so I was pretty stoked to see some fairly recent ones. Although nothing will ever beat Life Sized! 😀

Back in my day, High School Musical was the breakout Disney Channel movie and The Descendants sequel really matched those vibes: Cute couple, set in a school, and the catchiest songs ever. I have legit had music from The Descendants stuck in my head for the past week and change and I’m not even mad about it. If you have littles that love the Disney movies and are old enough to watch it, I cannot recommend this series enough. It’s seriously just as much fun for the adults as it is for the kids. Throughout The Descendants there were so many throw away lines that referenced the animated films and it was such a delightful Easter egg hunt! I’m not going to lie, I just might have to watch the other movies by myself because they really are darling and such a comforting, creative blast of nostalgia. ❤

Going back in time with all things Disney and Disney Channel movies makes this auntie so happy and there is nothing better than unleashing your inner child every once in a while!

What was your favorite Disney movie? How about Disney Channel movie? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah