Tag Archives: fashion

May16

Wedding Dress Delight

Posted on May 16, 2021 by lifewithlilred

Hello! My nontraditional wedding dress was ordered online and I am in love! The best part about my wedding dress, however, was the time I got to spend with my mom in the process of getting it just right. Because Johnny and I are having such a small ceremony, there really wasn’t much planning involved that our loved ones could participate in. So, it was really important to me to have my mom and sister there for the things that didn’t require Johnny and I just sitting in our apartment talking lol.

My sister came with me for my makeup test run and it was wonderful to have her company and expertise. For my wedding dress, my mom came with me to every appointment at a local dry cleaner who also specializes in alterations. From getting my initial measurements taken to the actual alteration session and a final try on when picking it up, JANE was there for it all. This was incredibly special to me and it was really exciting for us both to see the end results of what we had been imagining for my dress all along.

The alteration aspect of my wedding dress is absolutely perfect in every way and I can’t wait to show all of you what it started from to how it turned out after Johnny and I are married, of course! However, there is still a fair amount of work to do because my dress is covered in completely heinous disk sequins that need removed. Had I realized that the sequins were a thing, I would have requested to not have them in my customization notes but they blended into the dress in the picture and were not visible. -_-

Lucky for me, the sequins can be removed easily but it is a very time consuming task! Over the weekends and on my days where I arrive home early from work, I plan on setting aside at least twenty minutes each evening until my dress is sequin free. In my first go at it, I was able to take off at least fifty sequins and the front bodice is already almost halfway done.

My mom will not see my dress in its sequin free glory until the actual wedding and I cannot wait to see her reaction to it because I know it’s going to be even better than she remembers! And I am always going to remember our time spent together to get my wedding dress prepared for my big day. ❤

What are some special memories from your wedding? What alterations did your wedding apparel need? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May13

4 Clothing Items Every Packing List Needs

Posted on May 13, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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4 Clothing Items Every Packing List Needs

Everybody enjoys a good trip. However, selecting the ideal clothing items to take on your vaca without filling up several suitcases can be a daunting task. Although the pieces of clothing you pack for a trip are determined by the location and the season in which you travel, there are a few must-haves that you should include in your suitcase every time you are packing for a getaway:

Tops:

It is essential to include a couple of casual shirts for effortless outfits, despite your destination. Personalized t shirts work well with both skirts and pants, and they are unlikely to take up a lot of space in your suitcase.

Another travel must-have is a lightweight sweater. They are versatile because they can work well from day to night, ensuring that you are warm enough in cold conditions and comfortable when the weather gets hot. Make sure that you also throw in a couple of versatile blouses that you can wear on a special occasion during the trip, such as late-night rooftop drinks or an evening out.

Shoes:

The shoes you bring while traveling can determine your ability to explore the location of your trip. It is, therefore, essential to select wisely while packing. Carry a pair of chic sneakers when you travel to a destination where you are likely to walk a lot. Sporty sandals are a great alternative if you are exploring a warm area. Although they are currently not the trendiest item, they look good with anything from dresses, jeans or midi skirts, and are ridiculously comfortable.

If you plan on having a few dinners or brunches during your trip, it is advisable to carry a pair of walkable and comfortable block heels to pair with your sundress or some low wedges. Consider selecting the shoes in nude for additional versatility.

Bottoms:

Jeans can always work well as the ideal bottoms wherever you go. Carry a lightweight stretchy piece for optimal comfort and versatility. Remember that you might be sitting and walking a lot as you travel, and non-stretch jeans might make your experience more tiring and less enjoyable.

A great alternative to jeans is a chic midi skirt which you can wear with sneakers during the day or sandals, boots, or heels at night. It is also easy to layer to make it suitable for all seasons. Select a neutral color that can work well with various colors and prints of tops.

Another excellent option for bottoms is leggings, especially if your trip involves a lot of activity. Pack ones with a sleek look and comfortable material. Black leggings can allow for more versatility, and they are great to wear when you are traveling by air.

Some Comfortable Underwear:

While some lace panties or thongs may be the everyday preference that makes you feel confident and sexy, it is advisable to opt for cotton underwear as you travel. Cotton is a soft and highly absorbent material that can easily absorb sweat in warm conditions and keep you warm enough when it is cold. Carry enough pieces to sustain you throughout the trip so you don’t run out!

Packing for a trip can be exciting yet daunting. Include the above essential clothing items before you throw in some of your wardrobe favorites for the trip!

Featured Image By: Pexels

May8

The Tiniest T-Shirt

Posted on May 8, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! Johnny and I had SO much fun online shopping for our wedding outfits and we cannot wait for our big day! Of course, our shopping wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t find a rock n’ roll inspired outfit for our niece and little flower girl, Valerie, and her TT went all out for it. Thanks to the Etsy shop, Pinehart, I was able to order her the tiniest Rolling Stones T-shirt which I was having a lot of difficulty finding. The Rolling Stones is Johnny’s favorite band and we had to have Miss Val represent! Check it out:

^^^ Is that not the cutest thing you’ve seen in your life?!

Pinehart had an amazing selection of shirts and patterns to pick from in sizes ranging from infants all the way up to men’s and women’s. In fact, Johnny is so jealous of his niece’s new shirt that I’m going to have to order one for him too! I was highly impressed with the quality of this little T-shirt as the material is thick and sturdy and I have no fear of the logo peeling off, either. It is printed on there so well and that was a concern of mine because we all have had an experience where a logo on a shirt seems to be crackly or flimsy enough that you could just take it off yourself.

I paid under twenty dollars for this tiny top and I considered it such a steal. Pinehart even sent me a coupon for ten percent off all of my future purchases which is so generous and much appreciated because I plan on being a repeat customer so Johnny can get another Rolling Stones T-shirt to add to his massive collection. I swear, he could wear a different Rolling Stones T every day of the week!

Prior to being engaged, I have never really shopped on Etsy before and have now made several purchases through the site. I have been blown away by the quality, prices, and fast shipping of all of my orders and am looking forward to finding even more favorite Etsy shops in the future. 😀

What is your favorite Etsy shop? If you have an Etsy shop, feel free to leave your link in the comments too. I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May3

Lil Red Loves… Wedding Online Shopping

Posted on May 3, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Hi everyone! All of my purchases for my wedding OOTD were done online and I have been so impressed with everything. It is also such fun to have gifts from me to me show up in the mail several times a week, lol. While I won’t be giving away any details about my look for my wedding in this post, I will be commending all of the wonderful websites and Etsy shops that I bought through. Let’s get to it:

VermeerJewelry:

My engagement ring was purchased from the Etsy shop, VermeerJewelry, and I am continuously blown away every time I look at my hand! I have never seen a more perfect ring in all of my life and the craftsmanship of the carved pearl and sterling silver band is nothing short of breathtaking. The ring arrived quickly and was affordable while still being drop dead beautiful. I would happily purchase from this Etsy shop again… In fact, there are a few pieces that I have my eye on! Highly recommend.

Momaeker:

My wedding veil from the Etsy shop, Momaeker, arrived recently and it is stunning! I felt like a blushing bride just from slipping it on momentarily while I was in leggings and a T-shirt. The veil is like nothing I have ever seen before and I think the same will go for a lot of people! My purchase was made and shipped promptly, which was much appreciated and I think any bride to be would be lucky to wear one of Momaeker’s fabulous creations.

Wildly Untamed Boutique:

If you have been keeping up to date on my blog, then you will know that I am obsessed with Wildly Untamed Boutique and their AMAZING customer service. Shockingly, it took me a decent amount of time to find the perfect pair of wedding heels but once I saw my incredibly unique purchase on Wildly Untamed Boutique, I knew I had to look no further. Saying that my heels are different is a severe understatement and I definitely plan on shopping with Wildly Untamed Boutique again. You just can’t beat their crazy cool selection and the help from customer service if needed.

EricDress:

The wedding dress that I ordered through EricDress is the first and only wedding dress I have ever tried on and it is so beautiful. As we all know, a traditional wedding dress is just not for Lil Red and my custom order was made quickly according to my measurements and arrived with ample time to make some necessary tweaks. Their selection is also really affordable. I can picture myself shopping with EricDress for my next special occasion and have a feeling that my reception dress will be ordered from there!

When it comes to our wedding apparel, Johnny and I both wanted pieces that make a statement without breaking the bank. I truly believe I found that from each of the sites I bought through and give all four of the above the Lil Red Stamp Of Approval. I cannot wait for my big day so I can finally show everything off. 🙂

What is your favorite Etsy shop? Can you guess what I purchased through any of the above websites? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May2

NiiDor Adhesive Strapless Bra Review

Posted on May 2, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Hi! My wedding dress boasts a beautiful open back and while I am so excited to show off all of my tattoos, I must admit that it was a bit of a struggle finding an adhesive bra that worked for me. In fact, I almost had the dress customized to close up the back so I could wear a bra comfortably because I need the extra support. The back was just too pretty to make that sacrifice, though! After looking over countless “best adhesive bra” lists online, I settled for the well reviewed NiiDor Adhesive Strapless Bra that I purchased on Amazon:

While I am, overall, pretty impressed with this adhesive bra, I feel like it’s important to review it honestly so you don’t run into any of the issues I had if you are on the market for a backless bra. Before placing my NiiDor order, I read through a plethora of Amazon reviews and the resounding theme was that the adhesive bra fit true to size. However, this was simply not the case for me by a long shot.

I ordered the Niidor bra in my actual size and one size up and, to my surprise, both of them were too small and I had to return them and reorder it in two sizes up. The one size up did fit better but it wasn’t big enough to provide the lift that I desired for the “charming cleavage” that the box promises. The two sizes up was a much more comfortable fit but my fear is that the lift will loosen up after a few hours of wear. To help with that issue, I ordered some nipple pasties that not only provide additional coverage but extra lift with transparent tape.

I am sure that there are many occasions when the NiiDor adhesive bra fit someone perfectly but I definitely encourage buying an additional bra in a size up – especially if you need it for an event. I am just glad that I ordered these bras a good amount of time before my wedding so I had the option for trial and error!

What is the best adhesive bra you have tried? What are your experiences with the NiiDor bra if you have used it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr27

Accessory Story: Little Red Riding Hood Pin Edition

Posted on April 27, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Accessory Story: Little Red Riding Hood Pin Edition

Hello! Have you ever ordered something online and realized after the fact that you forgot to put in a coupon code? It is the literal worst and as a seasoned online shopper, I am ashamed to say that that is exactly what happened to yours truly when I ordered my wedding heels. While making my purchase on Wildly Untamed Boutique I was so excited that I didn’t even realize the website was running a ten percent off promotion and didn’t find out until a few hours later when I just had to see my shoes again.

I reached out to Wildly Untamed Boutique’s customer service to see if there was anything that they could do since it was so shortly after the order was placed. I wasn’t expecting much because it was my mistake and I would have completely understood. So, imagine my surprise and total appreciation when they offered me a free item because the price couldn’t be adjusted!

I got to choose between a pair of stud earrings or a Little Red Riding Hood inspired pin. While the lipstick kiss studs were adorable, I much prefer dangly earrings and went with this super unique brooch, instead. I’m obsessed!

I am not a stud earring wearer and I’m actually not a pin wearer, either. However, this fairy tale themed brooch was just way too cool to pass up. I have never seen anything like it before and am already picturing all of the different ways to incorporate it into my outfits. This pin definitely makes a statement and is a wonderful tip of the cap to my love of the slightly macabre.

I had never heard of Wildly Untamed Boutique before until their ads began appearing on my Facebook newsfeed. I always remember being tempted by all of the beautiful clothes and shoes and have many a screenshot saved for potential future purchases. After a long time of window shopping, I decided to check their site out while wedding shoe shopping and I am so glad I did!

Not only was Wildly Untamed Boutique’s customer service impeccable but their selection will leave you with a wish list a mile long. I know for a fact that my wedding heels will not be the last purchase I make on their site and, in the meantime, I will be pinning my brooch to all of the button downs and light jackets this spring. 🙂

What is your favorite fairy tale? What is the best or worst customer service you have had? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr14

Lil Red’s Outstanding Customer Service Award

Posted on April 14, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Lil Red’s Outstanding Customer Service Award

Hello! I have not been actual shopping since before the pandemic began and have turned to online shopping for everything I need – skin care, groceries, you name it. This also includes all of my purchases for my wedding apparel. Customer service while online shopping can be a mixed bag but Wildly Untamed Boutique went above and beyond to help me and I truly appreciate that.

I have been getting ads for Wildly Untamed Boutique on Facebook for months now and would constantly find myself drooling over their unique shoes. I decided to check their site out to see if I could find a pair of heels for my wedding and had great success. I can’t say anything about my totally nontraditional wedding look but I will tell you all that the heels are red! Johnny and I both agreed that the pair I selected was definitely “the one” and I quickly placed my order.

After my shopping, I spent the entire evening thinking about my purchase and I just had to see them again. I pulled up Wildly Untamed Boutique’s site on my iPod and my stomach dropped. I don’t know how I didn’t notice it when ordering on the computer but they had a ten percent off a purchase promotion running and I was disappointed to have not been able to use it. We all know Lil Red loves a deal!

I emailed their customer service right away to explain the situation and by the end of the week I had a reply from a member of their team. While they couldn’t alter the price of my order, they offered me a free item of my choosing from a selection they sent and I couldn’t believe their kindness! They also gave me the sweetest congratulations for my big day.

I, honestly, wasn’t expecting anything to happen when I emailed Wildly Untamed Boutique and that would have been one hundred percent okay because the mistake was my fault. However, they surpassed what I even expected and I appreciate that so much. I ended up selecting an absolutely gorgeous Little Red Riding Hood inspired pin and I cannot wait to see my little gift and shoes in real life.

Like I said before, customer service with online shopping can be a mixed bag and I actually just had a really crummy experience with Amazon’s customer service. A real person from Wildly Untamed Boutique helped me as opposed to automated replies in a chat box and, while I already planned on doing more shopping on their site regardless, that just sealed the deal.

I am proud to bestow the Lil Red’s Outstanding Customer Service Award to Wildly Untamed Boutique and highly recommend their site. They have some of the most unique, beautiful designs that I have ever seen and I think all of my fellow fashionistas will be just as smitten as I am!

What is the best customer service experience you have had? How about the worst? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr10

Dresses, Shoes, & Veils – Oh My!

Posted on April 10, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! When it comes to planning our wedding, Johnny and I are basically all done and will work on preparations for a reception when it is safer to have a party (By the way, Office Anything has awesome reception desks that you can decorate to your liking to welcome guests at your next party!). Like I said in previous posts, we are having a very small ceremony so we really don’t have too much to plan for! That doesn’t mean that we aren’t taking our wardrobe incredibly seriously, though.

While I am still waiting for my dress that I ordered to get here, Johnny’s wedding clothes have already arrived and his look is perfect. Because this is a nontraditional wedding in every sense of the word, Johnny and I both know what each other will be wearing. In fact, we helped each other pick everything out and he was so sweet to always sit by me and give his opinions on the endless pages of veils, shoes, and dresses that I had pulled up. We not only assisted in what we would be wearing but our rings too. For a nontraditional couple, we obviously couldn’t do with basic rings. We went the custom route with each other’s help and you can find a one of a kind ring for you with a simple search of “custom wedding rings melbourne” or for your local area.

Like any bride to be, I’d be a liar if I said that I wasn’t a little worried about what I will be wearing. However, with Johnny’s help, I feel so confident that everything I ordered will look great and I truly believe that because of his reassurance. When it comes to any type of clothing, Johnny and I have very specific tastes and we each know right away whether we like something or not. We are also excellent at shopping for each other so it’s hard to second guess something that I found that we both think would be ideal for our big day.

I loved being able to online wedding shop with my fiance as well as show our findings to my mom for her opinions too! I am really looking forward to all of my pieces arriving so I can see the vision that we came up with come to life and be one step closer to getting married. ❤

Where did you shop for your wedding? What were your wedding colors? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr3

Day To Stage OOTD

Posted on April 3, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a first on lifewithlilred: An OOTD exclusively for men as modeled by my fiance, Johnny. You might remember his rock n’ roll aesthetic from our Engagement OOTDs and this past Saturday, he agreed to let me take his pictures. Once we returned home from our day date, Johnny treated me to a private concert on our balcony from all of our 1950s favorites and Hank Williams. We were outside all evening enjoying the weather, music, and each other’s company and it provided me with the perfect opportunity to photograph my beau.

You can hear Johnny playing lead guitar in The Outside Voices or you can go old school and listen to his former band Johnny And The Apple Stompers. But, in the meantime, check out his Day To Stage OOTD:

Who? What? Wear?

Maroon Moto Jacket: AFTF Basic
Western Button Down: Clip-ity Clop
Jeans: Hot Topic
Scarf: Phix
Boots: ASOS
Sunglasses: Empyre brand
Coffin Ring: Etsy – This is actually his engagement ring but it is too big so he has it on a different finger lol

Now, you all know a lot about my personal style but you don’t know much about Johnny’s save for a few pictures. So, I thought we would start with a little fashion bio for him before we talk about his look:

Johnny and I each have a pretty big clothing collection and pre-pandemic, we would normally go to Goodwill whenever he felt like he needed new clothes. Through his secondhand shopping, Johnny has clothes in both men’s and women’s from years past and loves to experiment with fashion, especially when his band would play. Johnny typically rocks a more muted palette but that doesn’t mean that he isn’t all about animal print, polka dots, and fringe.

In COVID times, we have both not been actual shopping once and online shopping has reigned supreme. Because Johnny has such a specific style, he couldn’t just peruse TJMaxx’s website like his missus, and discovered his two new favorite sites: Straight To Hell and Phix. He has gotten a few sweaters from Straight To Hell but is particularly fond of their leatherware. Phix, on the other hand, has the most fabulous It Brit fashions and Johnny has several shirts from there which he can’t wait to break out when it’s finally safe for The Outside Voices to perform.

Whether he looks fresh from the 70s, like the lead guitarist in a punk band, or a country star, my fiance will serve you a look every time. Like I’ve said countless times before, I adore his fashion so let’s talk about it some more!

This OOTD is a pretty standard out and about look for Johnny and he wore this while we had our day date to a few different game stores and the patio of our favorite bar. His outfits always inspire me and I love going out with him and showing off our statement looks. The base of his OOTDs is always and forever black skinny jeans so Johnny likes to opt for a louder shirt, bold shoes, and accessories to elevate the outfit, as you can see in the pics above.

The Day To Stage OOTD is all about the finishing touches because without the jacket, scarf, and pointed toe shoes – it’s really just jeans and a button down! Making it very easy to recreate on your own. This outfit features all of Johnny’s favorite things both fashion and music wise. The western inspired shirt nods to his love of old country, the moto jacket adds rock n’ roll flare, and the scarf and boots give the perfect touch of glam. Peep the lightning bolt detailing on the shoes:

Johnny gave me a few different options of what he could wear and we both agreed on this OOTD. As always, Johnny was a joy to photograph and his look was perfect for our day date turned concert. This is what the sky looked like by the time we went inside:

^^^ So Pretty!

There is nothing better to me than having fashion fun with my fiance and I am so excited for more menswear OOTDs in the future!

What is your favorite genre of music? Where is your favorite place to secondhand shop? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar26

So Bright I Need Shades OOTD

Posted on March 26, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Hi!! I am having such fun with my Reimagine Your Wardrobe series and am so thankful to my fiance, Johnny, for taking pictures of my OOTDs during my weekly shopping trips in my closet. It is so easy to wear the same, most loved items again and again and I, for one, am definitely guilty of it. This fashion series has challenged me to think outside of the box and try new things and in this outfit’s case that meant wearing a pair of high waisted jeans and not pairing it with a shirt to cover the waistline up. For those of you who don’t know – I am not a fan of high waisted anything so this was a big step for me! Take a look:

Who? What? Wear?

Aviator Patterned Button Down: Karl Lagerfeld, TJMaxx
Coated Snakeskin Patterned High Waisted Jeans: Seven, TJMaxx
Snakeskin Patterned Stiletto Heeled Mules: Dolce Vita, TJMaxx
Bejeweled Cheetah Necklace: Natasha, TJMaxx

When I get asked about my issue with high rise, I always reply that I just don’t think it looks good on me. I am barely over 5’1 and have a larger bust so high waisted pants make for a less than flattering silhouette on my body type. I feel like they make me look wide and even shorter than I already am. So why did I buy a pair of high waisted pants? Well, I really like snakeskin patterned anything and coated jeans are my favorite. Despite the high rise of my Seven jeans, they still fit well so when I wear them I just put on a longer top.

Like I said, it was a big step for me to wear these jeans with a tucked in top and while this OOTD is fairly simple, I felt like I was taking a huge risk! I absolutely adore button down shirts and have wanted to shoot an outfit featuring one for a while. Despite the days being much clearer in Ohio, it is still a bit chilly and my look was perfectly appropriate for the weather and I would definitely wear it again.

I have quite a collection of button downs with a few select ones that get worn a lot more than others. Which is exactly why I wanted to wear my Karl Lagerfeld top because it doesn’t get as much love. After shooting these pictures, however, I have no idea why I don’t sport this shirt all of the time! My most educated guess is that the button down is quite long so it doesn’t tuck in nicely to shorts and I usually don’t wear them tucked in with jeans.

I tried my aviator adorned top with a few different bottoms until I officially settled on my high waisted Sevens but I still wasn’t particularly sold on it. I knew that the button down had to be tucked in if I wanted to wear it, which meant that I needed to be careful about which shoes I selected.

Because my jeans were high rise, I had to find a pair of shoes that would really elongate the look which is why I went with my stiletto heeled mules. The high heel added length while the shape and pattern meshed beautifully with the jeans, making my legs look way longer than they actually are. Finally, I was completely sold on the look and couldn’t help but thinking “so that’s how you style high rise pants” lol.

Once the base of my outfit was complete, it was time to accessorize. I didn’t want to overwhelm my OOTD with lots of jewelry because its silhouette was so sleek. Too many accessories would break up the long lines that I spent so long trying to achieve but I knew I needed something to pop against the neutral color palette.

I stuck with my tried and true method of accessorizing a button down which is placing a necklace shorter in length with a bold pendant smack dab in the middle underneath the collar. Not seeing the necklace’s chain kept with the straight line silhouette that I was going for and the statement pendant almost looks like it could be built into the shirt. And, of course, no outfit is complete without my engagement ring now!

It’s one thing to try out a color or pattern that you don’t often wear but an entirely different shape of clothing is a whole different ball game. I completely stepped out of my comfort zone with this outfit and this is the first time I have ever worn a pair of high waisted pants while actually showing that they are high rise! I feel proud of myself for trying something new and I don’t think I will be shying away from high rise anymore because I felt awesome in this look. 🙂

What is your preferred rise for jeans? How do you take fashion risks? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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