Tag Archives: fashion

Feb20

Monday Update: Spring Cleaning Edition

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Monday Update: Spring Cleaning Edition

Hiii everyone and happy Monday! The weather in Ohio has been insanely springy these past few days which is crazy, because our winters can be brutal. The sixty degrees and sunny weekend had me outside reading while listening to music, driving with the windows down, and taking my precious pups on long walks. The warm weather also resulted in a hard bite from the spring cleaning bug which left me with a much cleaner closet and desk which I am so happy about!

I didn’t really have any intention of spending my Sunday evening spring cleaning but I wanted to find a spot in my room to display my college degree, which is what began the process. I still haven’t found the perfect spot to put it but I did manage to clean off my desk and clear up some of the clutter in my closet so I guess my degree display can wait! Over the winter, my desk turned into more of an additional storage unit as opposed to an actual work space. Between multiple jobs and random odds and ends, my desk became the piece of furniture where paperwork, knick knacks, and whatever else I couldn’t find a specific space for in my room went.

The most obnoxious thing on my desk, though, was a cute container full of accessories like beanies, gloves, and bandanas that I had no idea where to house in my room. I knew that if I found a spot for them, that I would clear up a lot of additional space so I decided to create my own accessories drawer in my dresser. As I opened up the drawers and tried to figure out what I could condense into a shared space, I found hope in my very bottom drawer. I cleared it out and gave all of the items in it a new home, and then created this little nook for my clothing accessories:

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I’m admittedly not the best at DIY solutions for storage problems and decor but I was really happy with my idea for an accessories drawer. It definitely helped free up my desk top clutter and I was able to put all of my outfit extras into a space where they wouldn’t collect dust and are easily attainable. I was able to finally see accessories that I haven’t worn in forever that were shoved into the bottom of my original container, which was really satisfying and left me feeling like I just returned from the mall with all of these old but new goodies.

Hopefully, I find a suitable place to put my degree soon but I would still say that this cleaning sesh was a success!

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: Spring Cleaning Edition! What is the weather like in your neck of the woods today? Who has started some early spring cleaning for themselves already? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb19

Fashion From India To Singapore

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Fashion From India To Singapore

Hello hello and welcome to a poignant and thoughtful post by my friend Lakshmi from The Rink. Spring is always connected to transformation and new life. In this personal excerpt from Lakshmi, she discusses the metamorphosis of her personal style after she moved from India to Singapore. Miss Lakshmi has been featured here on lifewithlilred before and I absolutely love working with her. I encourage all of you to check out her page and get to know her because she is such a doll and a talented writer, to boot!

Fashion From India To Singapore

I used to live in a small city in the conservative South India and went on to the developed island nation of Singapore. There were so many differences that I saw…from the small things like food, the way they dress, and basically everything! A small introduction to Singapore is Mini-America – in terms of how the culture is. People from other countries come as immigrants, become citizens, and embrace their unique culture. It is true that there are lots of South Indian families, but somehow, they have adapted to Singapore in such a way that they had accepted a different more accommodating lifestyle. So, even though I could relate to them, it stopped to some extent. This changed in a matter of time. Why, my fashion sense actually evolved there!

Revealing Clothes: The first thing that I noticed was how the girls would flaunt their exposed skin! They felt free and not a soul leered at them or judged them for the way they dressed. I knew that it marked the beginning of my transformation from being a girl from a conservative city to a girl in the open world! Gradually, I started wearing shorts and letting the outside world know that my change had begun. I stopped caring about what others thought of me and my style and it was all about whether I liked the outfit or not. I had the choice to wear any outfit I liked. I had the choice to expose skin…It was crazy!

Styling Up The Daily Outfit: Back in my city, my daily outfit would be a round-neck shirt or a regular top with a pant or skirt. I never thought much of it and that was it. Other than the regular pair of earrings and a watch, I wore absolutely no accessories! I was never interested in accessorizing my outfits. However back then, I was no fool when it came to dressing at that point – my outfit would have always been well suited and matched. Nevertheless, it just improved when Singapore entered my life! I got a better insight into style by just looking at my Singaporean friends. They wore their accessories in a simple yet elegant fashion and it looked so chic. The proper jacket or a perfect belt sure does make a huge difference!

Keeping Up With The Trends: Speaking of accessories, I was in Singapore during the rise of choker chains. For a long time, I did debate on buying one and giving it a shot but I always felt that it was going to choke me to death! Hahaha! There was this one day when I felt like I had to experiment with this style and tried it on – it looked classic and it was like my neck’s guard and it really didn’t choke me. With instances like this, Singapore had soon become a place where I experimented with the styles and current trends. And guess what? I wasn’t alone in this endeavor – all my friends did this from time to time!

Singapore brought about great changes in my wardrobe, but the best part is that I always retained my love for Indian fashion (especially the Indian prints). This was also the period when Indian fashion designers rose to bigger and international platforms, and they started tweaking Indian clothes to accommodate western styles. The timing couldn’t have been better! Fashion from India to Singapore didn’t change me or my identity over the course of time – it became another dimension of my life.

THE RINK

^^^ Thank you so much again to Lakshmi for creating this post special for lifewithlilred! Please be sure to check out her page and give it some love! How has your sense of style developed over time? Can you relate to Lakshmi’s story at all? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

To close out my Think Spring guest bloggers series, the lovely Nida from Shopaholic Blogs will be featured on my page tomorrow!

Feb18

What DO I Wear?!?! Spring Has Sprung

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What DO I Wear?!?! Spring Has Sprung

Hi everyone and welcome to an OOTD post compliments of the darling K.M. from Ankhor You for my Think Spring guest bloggers series. This post is a branch out from her What DO I Wear?!?! segments on her blog so definitely check them out because they are all equally fabulous! K.M.’s Spring Has Sprung look will show you how to create the perfect ensemble for browsing botanical gardens, sipping coffee at an outdoor cafe, or simply hanging out with the girls once the warmer weather hits. Take a look:

What DO I Wear?!?! Spring Has Sprung

“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” ~  Coco Chanel

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Spring is one of my favorite times of year. It is the signal of the end of winter doldrums. The streets become busier as people, birds, and flowers alike come out of the cocoons they hibernated in, blossoming with a plethora of energy. In the city it seems almost over night that the abundance of food carts and street side cafes are introduced back onto the blocks, fully stocked with goodies for sale. The city is vibrant again. We are no longer hunched over protecting ourselves from the wind and bitter cold, but instead stealing away on our lunch breaks to the park, taking trips to the Botanic Gardens, or hanging out at Bryant Park on the weekends.

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Despite the new zest on life, Spring can still be brutal in New York. While the days might be getting longer and the sun stronger, Mother Nature still likes to play pesky mind games. Which is why despite wanting to shed the darker palette that makes my winter wardrobe, and don a cute sundress, I also don’t want to be freezing my Kim K derrière (!!!!! -Sarah) as I smell the flowers in Central Park.

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//Sunglasses and bag: Tory Burch// Sweater and shirt: Anthropology// Jeans: White House Black Market// Sandals: Aldo// 

When Sarah and I discussed ideas for this post I immediately went to an oldie but goodie. It is an oldie because jeans and a shirt are such a classic look and can be worn anywhere depending on how you style it. I have chosen to give it a bit of an update with some spring pizzazz, which incorporates the going strong trend of florals. Because let’s be real, spring is the perfect time to look like a flower pot, so I say go for it if you want to bust out those flowery prints! It also makes layering super easy, which is a must during this time of the year. It combines casualness with some glam making it perfect to transition from frolicking in the park to hitting the two for ones at night. Just add some cute cork wedges and you are ready to go.

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Now the Look:

Being a petite curvy gal, I am obsessed with White House Black Market’s jeans. They not only come in petite but a variety of styles making them flattering for everyone but especially those who have a little bit of a booty. This style is called the Skimmer Jean and is similar to the skinny jean. I love the dark wash, and the rips at the knees creates an edgier look. While I love a good dress, the jeans make it much easier to have some spring time fun, whether it is an impromptu yoga session in the grass, or playing a game of catch on the green in Bryant Park.

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I decided to pair my jeans with a floral blouse from Anthropology channeling one of the trends for Spring. This shirt is as comfy as it is feminine and chic. The chiffon fabric, delicate embroidery, and ruffled collar channel my inner skater girl making me feel poised and graceful, without feeling too buttoned up. It is that perfect combination of casual and glam.

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I am obsessed with this Primula cocoon sweater from Anthro’s 2016 fall collection. It feels like I am wrapped in a big cuddly yet fashionable snuggie and is perfect for those Spring days where Mother Nature doesn’t know whether to shine or be a downer. The wool blend isn’t at all itchy and the blush color adds that perfect touch of spring softness.

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I love going barefoot, especially in a park with my feet in the grass, so when it hits about fifty-five degrees, I throw the boots away and dive into flip flops as soon as I can. These sandals from Aldo are equally comfortable AND fashionable.

To finish the look, I decided to keep with the blush theme and added a SeaMilligan Design necklace and paired it with my Tory Burch sunglasses and tote bag. Last but not least, I added my lace cuff bracelet, another Anthropology treasure to close out the look.

^^^ Thank you so much again to K.M. for such a beautiful post! I loved your look and pictures as I’m sure all of my readers did! How do you still a spring ready look? What is one of your spring wardrobe staples? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Make sure to tune in tomorrow for a post by Lakshmi from The Rink!

Feb14

Get Ready With Me: Valentine’s Day Style

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Get Ready With Me: Valentine’s Day Style

Hello everyone and happy happy Valentine’s Day! Shout out to the couples celebrating today and also shout out to the single ladies (like me) who will be enjoying wine, chocolate, and chick flicks solo dolo! But hey, whether you’re in a relationship or not, there is one thing that I’m sure we can all agree on: Valentine’s Day is a day to get cute. It’s no matter if it’s just for yourself or for your significant other, V-Day is the day to pull out all of the girly fun stops that might not fly for you on the regular. We’re talking florals, lace, darling dresses, and accessories for days.

“But Sarah, you’re the farthest thing from girly when it comes to your style”, you might say? Yeah, I know but watch me put together the best of both worlds of rocker chic and totally sweet with this look:

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My Outfit:

  • Butterfly Moto Jacket: Nasty Gal, Signature Eight
  • Floral Dress: One Love Yoga & Boutique, Millibon
  • Dove Detailed Heels: ModCloth
  • Heart Shaped Sunnies: PacSun
  • Pearl Necklace: My grandma’s! ❤

When styling this look, I knew that I wanted to create something very feminine and pretty but I also wanted to give myself a bit of edge so that I would still feel like myself. I started the process with my burgundy floral Millibon dress and began to piece together a cohesive outfit from there. The butterfly moto jacket from Nasty Gal was a no brainer to throw over the dress. The olive hue of the jacket matched those in the dress perfectly but what sold me on it was the shape. To toughen up a sweet as pie dress, all you need to do is throw on your favorite motorcycle jacket and you’re off!

My dove detailed heels are from ModCloth and they are actually so worn that I can’t even tell what brand it is anymore! Anyways, I was toying with putting on one of my many pairs of black heels but my ModCloth pair just looked too cute to pass up on wearing them. How can you go wrong with something so darling on Valentine’s Day? My heart shaped sunnies seemed like the perfect way to go to add some cheeky fun to the look, but the accessory that I’m the most excited about is the pearls that you can see peeking out in the pictures. This strand of pearls belonged to my beloved grandma and it is my favorite piece of jewelry to wear with basically everything. Not only are the pearls timeless and beautiful, but I love knowing that my grandma is with me, especially when they’re fastened around my neck.

After assembling an outfit that I was pleased with, it was time for hair and makeup. As you can see, I went with a rocker chic pompadour to add that little extra something something to the look. Nothing makes me feel more glam rock than a hair to the heavens pompadour a la David Bowie and this is what kept me feeling like me while sporting such a pretty look. And, of course, there is no better time than Valentine’s Day for a set of ruby red lips to pucker up with. I’m sure all of you already know that I went with my favorite shade of Pure Red by NYX considering that’s literally all I wear!

Now, I realize that Valentine’s Day is the day for us accessorizers to get some new jewelry to add to our collection. Whether your new jewelry is a gift from your special someone or a total TREAT YOSELF splurge, I am sure that all of my darling readers will go gaga over the gorgeous jewelry from AUrate. This company specializes in the most fantastic gold accessories to add a touch of glam to your look and I just had to share two of my favorite pieces with you from their gold necklace collection. Take a look and proceed to drool:

^^^ SO. PRETTY!!

If you guys haven’t gathered by now, I love, love, LOVE pearls. The glamour, the elegance, the pure beauty – pearls just speak to me. That’s why I simply adore the Simple Pearl Necklace that AUrate offers. The single drop of a perfectly shaped pearl on a glistening gold chain? Woof! I’m sold.

And this wouldn’t be a signature lifewithlilred post if I didn’t go all heart eyes over a piece of clothing or accessory with my favorite color: black. Say hello to AUrate’s Black Diamond Choker. This piece is so totally in right now and nothing screams Lil Red more than an expertly crafted black diamond accessory. SO gorgeous! *insert heart eyes emoji*

Do check out the rest of the stunning gold necklace collection from AUrate and be sure to leave the page up on your computer as a little hint to your honey! 😉

So there you have it, a look perfect for date night, girls night, or a TREAT YOSELF day as seen in my Get Ready With Me: Valentine’s Day Style post! How do you sport the perfect Valentine’s Day look? What are you and your significant other doing to celebrate? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb12

Red Carpet Ready

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Hello everyone and happy Sunday! Tonight is the Grammy’s and you know what that means: a gathering of beautiful celebrities to celebrate sub par music! If you guys keep up to date on my Facebook page, you will know that I think the Grammy’s are kind of a joke. They didn’t always used to be that way to me, but over the years it just seems to have evolved into an award show for Top 40 hits that does little to celebrate the artists that are out there making music constantly without radio recognition. But, that’s just me. And despite not being the Grammy’s number one fan, I LOVE me a red carpet event because fashion.

Ahh, the red carpet. The glitz, the glamour, the style. I love it all. From ball gowns to barely there dresses, menswear and did he/she really just wear that? It all speaks to me. I have always been inspired by the fashion sense of some of my favorite celebrities so when I get to see them parade around on the red carpet right before my very eyes…AKA on the TV screen…it is such fun for me. Red carpet events give me a televised look book into what is hot this year and what is…ehhh – not so much.

The Grammy’s are an especially fun night in fashion because it is more down to earth than, say, the Oscars. Female celebrities will be seen breaking out the mini dresses and bright colors while the men can sport a more casual look and get away with it. In all honesty? After the red carpet, I usually turn the Grammy’s off. I know – shame on me. It’s just not my thing. However, you can catch me going gaga over the Oscars and Golden Globes anytime!

Anyways, after seeing all of the different clothes, styles, and choices that the red carpet brings, I am always left wondering how I would dress if I was given the opportunity to strut my stuff for the paparazzi. Well…for starters, I would need a gorgeous guy with his arm around my waist. Cue Jack White, please.

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(Image 1 from Mind Equals Blown. Image 2 from Music Of Business.)

Everyone who knows me knows that Jack White is my absolute dream man. I have his lyrics tattooed on my back, I have all of his albums from all of his bands and solo work, and I have loved him since childhood. Everything about him from his talent to staggering good looks is just perfect to me and it only makes sense to have a Grammy winner accompany me to the show!

A few things that I love about Mr. White are his strong opinions on everything from politics to The Black Keys. He knows himself well enough to be vocal about his likes and dislikes and, to me, that is so sexy. I have also really enjoyed watching his style develop over the years into what is now a very sharp and tailored red carpet persona. After the release of his 2014 album, Lazaretto (which also happens to be the song that I have lyrics tattooed from), you can see White venture away from his normal all black ensemble by incorporating patterned blazers into his look. One of which made its debut in the music video for Lazaretto.

So, how would I style my dream man, Jack White, for a night on the red carpet? It would look a little something like this:

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(Image 1 from Third Man Records. Image 2 from Most Stylish. Both blazers from Ali Express.)

When styling Jack White’s look, I was really inspired by both his album cover for Lazaretto as well as the music video for the song. I loved the deep teal suit that he sports on the album and thought that the Dolce & Gabbana suit seen above was a perfect match. However, I would have him ditch the top half of the suit for a black button down and one of the blazers (preferably the black and white one) in the pictures. This look would blend the worlds of the Lazaretto album cover and music video to a cool and cohesive red carpet look and I think that he would look just divine. All he needs to do is throw on one of his signature hats and he’s good to go!

It’s not like I picture Jack White in his underthings frequently (yeah right)…but what about his underthings? I would make sure that Mr. White is wearing the right undershirt as well as tightie whities (I had to) to prevent any red carpet mishaps. The last thing I want is my date picking at uncomfortable underoos all night! #embarassing So I would put my man in only the finest from Tommy John. Jack (since we’re on a first name basis) would be kept cool and comfortable in the Cool Cotton High V-Neck as well as the Second Skin Titanium Trunk seen below:

Now that I don’t have to worry about my date’s shirt untucking on the red carpet, what should I wear? Well, I’ve never been a glitzy, gown, glitter, and shimmer girl so you would be seeing me strutting down the runway in something menswear inspired. One of my all time favorite red carpet looks is from the 2015 Screen Actor’s Guild Awards a la Emma Stone. And I also love another Emma, as in Watson’s, take on menswear style so I would hope that I could find a happy marriage between the following looks:

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(Image 1 from US Magazine. Image 2 from Celebitchy)

Alright, you know what? I lied. Just give me Emma Stone’s outfit, please. It’s perfection. Just red carpet perfection that would be perfect for Lil Red. It is SO elegant, chic, sexy, and menswear and I really just can’t even. But…It’s missing something. A wacky pair of heels, methinks. So you would be seeing me on the runway in something like these blade runner babies because Lil Red doesn’t play it safe:

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(Shoes designed by Peter Popps.)

Now that Jack White and I are happily styled, happily dating and soon to be married, and very happily making out during the Grammy’s, all I have left for this post is a promo code for you lovelies! Ladies if you’re looking for the perfect Valentine’s Day prezzie for your man. And gentlemen, if you’re looking for the perfect look to don on Valentine’s Day for your special someone, look no further than Tommy John. All of your underthings necessities are covered with this 20% off your order promo code seen below. Now get to shopping!

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So there you have it, my Red Carpet Ready styling tips for when I have some daydreaming to do! Who do you think is going to win big at the Grammy’s tonight? Who is your red carpet dream date? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb9

Accessory Story: All Gold Everything Edition

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Accessory Story: All Gold Everything Edition

I treasure all of the moments that I shared with my late grandma equally but one thing that I particularly remember about her is her sense of style. My grandma (like me) loved to shop. She loved looking her best and she always wore outfits that were simple but elegant. I remember one time, we went to her favorite store, Talbots, and I helped her pick out a brand new winter wardrobe. Once the bill was tallied all she could do was laugh and say “I went hog wild!”

No outfit is complete without the right accessories, though, and this is something that my grandma was an expert in. She had the most divine jewelry and I kid you not, over one hundred hats!! I have such fond memories of playing dress up in grandma’s closet and jewelry box as a child while she played the piano or baked a delicious meal or sweet treats. After my grandma’s passing, a lot of her pieces of jewelry went to myself, my sister, and my mom (her daughter). Quite a few of her hats and floral maxi skirts also ended up in my collection, as well.

I have to say, I’m not the biggest accessory girl in the world. I literally wear the same earrings and necklace every day. But I am getting more adventurous with accessorizing my outfits after I looked at all of my necklaces, bracelets, rings, and earrings and realized that all of them were essentially going to waste. That was when I decided to add one of my grandma’s necklaces to an outfit that I was wearing and it became my new favorite:

About a week ago, my outfit consisted of my new Forever 21 cheetah print jersey, Nasty Gal patched moto jacket, Loft velvet black skinny jeans, a backwards baseball cap, and a killer pair of heels. But, it felt like I was missing something. I was trying to go for an urban chic look that day and all I could think about was how fabulous a big, chunky, gold necklace would be to complete the look. Then, I remembered that I already had one!

I snagged the drop dead gorgeous necklace seen above from my dresser and as soon as it was on, it instantly transformed the outfit. I wasn’t just trying to emulate an urban chic vibe, I was urban chic and it felt amazing. It’s funny to think that such a cool, almost tough girl feeling came from a necklace that belonged to my grandma (as seen in the featured image photo), who was the most sweet as pie, beautiful woman that I know. But hey, I think that she would be proud that I was wearing her jewelry in a way that helped enhance my personal style and was thinking of her the entire time that it was around my neck.

Since last week, I think I’ve worn my new favorite outfit at least three times and I still love it just as much as the first time that I wore it. I can’t wait to begin utilizing all of the wonderful accessories that I have from my grandma and the ones that I have accumulated over the years. I am so excited to see which piece of jewelry will transform one of my outfits next and am looking forward to sharing it with all of you!

These silly pictures of me and my sister are from my brother’s rehearsal dinner from his wedding but they give you an idea of what the necklace looks like on:

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So there you have it, my first Accessory Story: All Gold Everything Edition! What is your favorite accessory that you own? What is your favorite kind of accessory to wear? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb4

Mystery Post!

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Mystery Post!

Hi everyone and happy weekend! This week I’ll be working on a very fun post for a super chic company that I am so excited for. I can’t give away all of the details but I’ll give you guys a little hint with the picture below:

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What do you think the balloon says? Can you guess the theme of the Mystery Post? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb2

Forever 21 Purchases

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Forever 21 Purchases

Howdy! So as I mentioned in my last post, my previous trip to the mall this week allowed me the time to use up my Forever 21 Christmas gift cards. I was really excited about this because the spring clothing in the store was in full bloom and I couldn’t wait to add something pretty and new into my wardrobe. I don’t have a lot of clothes that I would classify as “spring” worthy. My niche really is in cold weather clothing so I was looking forward to adding something that isn’t a peacoat, moto jacket, or skinny jeans into my collection! Take a look at what I ended up with:

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^^^ So cute!

My new jersey and dress costed only thirty five dollars which I thought was a steal and the rest of my gift cards went towards a sweater that I purchased about a month ago. I was really happy that I was able to buy three things with my fifty dollars in gift card cash and barely had to pay anything out of my own pocket! It was really a Christmas gift that gave a lot to me!

I am SO thrilled with my leopard print baseball jersey because I have a confession to make…I secretly love leopard print…when it’s done right, of course. Leopard print is one of those animal patterns that walks the thin line of either looking chic and cool or totally tacky depending on the colors used and the style of the clothing. I personally stray away from any leopard print that uses brighter colors and appears to be more for wearing for a night out. That’s why I loved that this jersey used a darker shade of leopard and had some lettering and numbers on the front and back to break the pattern up. The boyish shape of the top also helped this leopard print go from a night in the club to urban and hip and I really just adore it.

I plan on wearing this top a lot this summer with a pair of black shorts, Nike sneakers, a backwards baseball cap (which I’ve grown increasingly fond of), and some chunky gold jewelry for a fun urban chic daytime look. Then, come evening time, I’ll trade in the Nikes for a pair of wedge heels for drinks with friends or a late afternoon of shopping at my favorite outdoor mall. This top will also look so cute with a long sleeved shirt layered underneath for a chillier spring or summer night.

And finally, I really love my new dress! I have been trying to incorporate clothing that I can wear for both work and play into my wardrobe and I’ve found that dresses are the best way to do this. They’re easy, pretty, and can be quickly transformed from work to play by simply removing your tights and changing your shoes. Normally, I’m not the biggest floral kind of girl but the colors used in this dress are ones that suit me so well. Dark shades like the navy, burgundy, and deep yellow used are ones that always pop nicely with my pale skin and red hair and always has such a lovely overall effect on my look for the day.

This button down dress was something that I was able to look at and know that there is a 99% chance that it will look nice on me but it still felt so good to have that “yes!” moment in the fitting room! This dress will be perfect for wearing to work with tights and a little heel and then for play I plan on ditching the tights, heightening the heel, and adding a big floppy sunhat into the mix.

Fifty dollars at Forever 21 went a long way for me and I was happy to have had such good luck during my last shopping trip because sometimes you don’t always get so lucky at F21! I can’t wait for the weather to warm up so I can wear my new purchases but, until then, it will be nice to daydream of a sunnier, super fashionable new season!

So there you have it, my newest Forever 21 Purchases! What are you most looking forward to wearing in the spring? What season is your wardrobe the most accommodating to? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb2

Zara Shopping Trip

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Zara Shopping Trip

Hey everyone and happy Thursday! So this Tuesday I made a trip to Beachwood mall which is about a thirty-five plus minute trek for me. Normally I wouldn’t venture this far to go to a mall but I needed to be in the area to get dinner with a friend who works close by. And, of course, I really really wanted to try my hand at shopping Zara for the first time! Beachwood is the only mall near me that has one and after browsing on their online store, I came to the realization that I would have to try their clothes on before making any purchases.

I’m not going to lie – I was nervous. Literally for every ten online reviews that I had read about shopping Zara in store and online, there were nine and a half negative ones. But, I swallowed my fear and entered the store anyways because there was a shirt that I wanted desperately that they had available. My first impression of the store was that it was HUGE! My second impression was that the clothes were all very cute. And my third impression was that the employees seemed kind of snotty.

When I had approached them about the shirt because when I called the store, I was told that it was in supply in their stock room, they acted like it was the biggest inconvenience in the world to get to the bottom of it for me. I then waited around for ten minutes or so and was basically instructed not to move until they figured things out but that didn’t stop me from awkwardly browsing my surroundings anyway. With every interaction that I had with an employee, I tried to be nothing but nice because who knows, maybe the whole store was having a bad day? Haha, whatever – it could happen!

Finally, I was approached with my shirt by a worker and after expressing my gratitude and making a little small talk the girl who I was primarily interacting with seemed to lighten up a little. Now, I’m sure you’re all wondering what this shirt looked like that I went through all the trouble to get and here it is:

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Ahhhh! It’s so cute! I am so excited to wear this top with my velvet skinny jeans from Loft or tucked into my mustard yellow H&M skirt for work. And for play, I plan on wearing this top over shorts with my pair of army green BCBG heels or with a thick pair of tights and knee high boots as the top is long enough to be worn as a dress if paired with the right bottoms. I LOVE IT and it was definitely worth the trip out there to finally have the top that I was lusting over online in my wardrobe.

After trying the top on and having the young lady who had helped me ring me out, the snottiness was gone. I don’t know if she was just one of those people who took a minute to warm up to someone or what but, to be frank, every employee in the store seemed to be one of those people. Lol, it wasn’t the worst customer service that I had ever encountered but it just seemed a bit off in a retail environment. Absolutely not saying that I expect employees to be shoving rainbows down my throat but it’s nice to interact with people who are pleasant and don’t mind helping you considering that’s what they’re there for!

I would definitely shop Zara in store again but I don’t know if I trust their online shopping experience enough to make purchases off of the world wide web. Seriously, Google their reviews and you’ll see what I mean because it sounds like a straight up horror story if you order from them online and, god forbid, the clothes doesn’t work for you. I didn’t have very high expectations of customer service walking in the store to begin with but at least it’s nice to know about it now so it isn’t a big surprise the next time I can make a trip out there.

While I was at the mall, I was also able to put the last of my Forever 21 gift cards to good use so be on the lookout for a post about my purchases from there, too!

So there you have it, my Zara Shopping Trip. It wasn’t the best but certainly not the worst either. What is your impression of shopping with Zara? Has anyone had a fabulous or totally awful experience? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan25

Mia Toro Luggage

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Mia Toro Luggage

Hiii everyone and happy Hump Day! So this past weekend my mom and I went on a quick trip to TJMaxx just to get out of the house for a little bit. To be frank, the store was not looking all that great because of the transition from cold to warm weather clothing and the end of season clearance sales. But, despite this, I was still able to walk away with two things that I simply love. This includes the gorgeous Mia Toro Paris themed luggage seen below which will be absolutely perfect for my future trip to Europe. Take a look:

I have had my eye on this darling rolling luggage for literal months now but never much cared to by it because it was priced at a steep one hundred smackers. And after about a month or so of the luggage being at the store, it was gone. In my head, I thought that that was that and I would just have to settle for something less cute once my European travels are a go. It turns out that, four months later, I was wrong.

My mom was actually the one who spotted the Mia Toro baggage sitting among all of the other travel accessories, so a major shout out to her! And, even better, the price was slashed to fifty-six bucks, which I thought was totally reasonable. To put it lightly, I was completely TICKLED that some way, some how my beautiful luggage found its way back to me and at a fraction of the cost, to boot!

Needless to say, the luggage was coming home with me and my mom was kind enough to treat me to it since it was originally supposed to be one of my Christmas presents before it vanished into thin air. I think that this rolling suitcase is the most precious thing on the planet and I love absolutely everything about it. The size, colors, and pattern – *muah* c’est magnifique!

Nothing will be better than rolling into the airport with my Mia Toro Paris themed luggage in tow as Lil Red goes Europe! Love. Love. Freaking LOVE. It truly was my lucky day during that trip to TJs because I was also able to snag my FAVORITE skin care item – the Destiny Boutique Charcoal Face Bar.

soap

If you ever encounter this beauty bar, then I really encourage you to get it. I have been using the same bar since the middle of OCTOBER and it is still going strong!! My skin has never looked better thanks to the cleansing power of charcoal and because of the bar’s gigantic size, I’m sure that I’ll still be working on the same one for another few months. I’m so happy to have found another one to put in back stock and at six bucks per bar, I consider it a super steal! GREAT SUCCESS!!

Obviously, I’m beyond obsessed with my Mia Toro Luggage and can’t believe how lucky I got during my last trip to TJMaxx! What is your favorite score from TJs? What are some must see locations in Europe that I should check out? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah