Tag Archives: fun

Trends To Try This Summer

Standard
Trends To Try This Summer

2019’s Spring/Summer trends are all about female empowerment. Whether it’s bright, neon colors, chic biker shorts, or retro tie-dye, big name designers and high street brands have been sure to use their platforms to inspire, motivate, and champion women.

Longer skirts, fluid shapes, and comfortable tailoring were key elements of Givenchy’s, Burberry’s, and Valentino’s collections, with Loewe and The Row also showcasing flattering cuts and relaxed outerwear options. With an added emphasis on empowerment, designers are giving control back to the women wearing their clothes. S/S 2019 trends are adaptable, comfortable, and confidence-boosting, which means they’re a realistic option for everyone.

A wide selection of trends ensures great variety on the high street, so take a look at our top picks and choose which trends you’ll be trying this summer:

Beige is back:

Featured by Dior, Givenchy, and Max Mara, amongst others, beige is making a big comeback this season. If you think beige is boring, think again. Laying different shades, using different fabrics and incorporating pink-hued pastel beiges is a great way to stay on trend this summer.

Create a soft, feminine look with pink-toned beige in silk or tulle, or go for a more utilitarian, authoritarian style with a deeper beige, bordering on khaki. Teamed with Alias Mae boots or Dr Martens from Platypus shoes, it’s easy to create a unique, powerful style with this year’s top color.

Top Handle Bags:

Easy to carry and more functional than ever, top handle bags are bound to be a big hit this summer. The sheer number of variations in style, fabric, and texture ensure that you can find the perfect top handle bag for work, formal wear, or a simple day at the beach. Try a top handled leather piece for a city chic look or a woven bag for an easy-going, relaxed style.

trend1

Peep that purse!

Neon is in:

Loud, vibrant colors are a hit this summer and you can incorporate neon into any outfit effortlessly. While the current trend of 80’s glitz and glam gives you the perfect opportunity to rock a solid block neon dress, there are subtler ways of making a statement if the all over neon look is a little too much. Layer a thin neon sweater with a chic black blazer to keep on trend at work or opt for a neon dress in a soft fabric like lace to create the perfect evening outfit.

Get sporty:

Known as athleisure, sports-inspired chic is all over the place this summer. Cycling shorts may be the must-have item, but if you’re not sure you can get away with Lycra bicycle shorts at work, incorporate the latest sea, skate, and surf styles with shell tops, anklets, and a pair of sunnies. Team with a midi skirt and flats at work or opt for relaxed tie-dye if you’re off-duty.

Animal prints:

Leopard print has caught our eye again and many of this year’s must-have pieces feature this classic print. From full-length print dresses and button-down shirts to utility boots and handbags, leopard and python are the big animal prints for this season. Available in a variety of colors, they can be paired with an array of other pieces to create a classic, yet up-to-date, stylish look. Easy to incorporate into any outfit and suitable for any occasion, use animal prints to showcase your style and you can’t go wrong.

trend

Pexels Image

Make the most of this year’s trends:

Using the latest fashions and staying on trend is a great way to feel in control, stylish, and sophisticated. With great pieces available from designers and high street retailers, there’s bound to be a few new additions to your wardrobe this year for your chicest summer yet!

Featured Image By: Pexels

More Pictures & A Bonus OOTD

Standard
More Pictures & A Bonus OOTD

Hiii everyone and welcome to the viewing of the rest of the pics taken for me by my dear friend, Markus! I really am in love with these photos and I feel like they captured both the essence of myself and lifewithlilred perfectly. Him and I definitely plan on taking more pictures together soon so be on the lookout for them! But, for now, check the rest of these out:

markus_assignment3_corporate-54markus_assignment3_corporate-58markus_assignment3_corporate-81markus_assignment3_corporate-96markus_assignment3_corporate-98markus_assignment3_corporate-108

Who? What? Wear?

For the more beauty related photos that Markus took for his school project, I went with an OOTD that was a little sweeter. And, nothing says sweet to me more than gorgeous florals like the pattern in my True Destiny top. I got this shirt from TJ’s about a half a year ago and I love it so much. The colors are bright and the structured torso against the over the top puffy sleeves create a lot of visual interest. Normally, I am not a huge flower girl, but this shirt definitely made me change my mind about that!

But, because Lil Red is an edgy gal, I had to pepper a little spice into the look with my faux leather skinnies by Blank NYC. And, for some extra sassafras, the “Blah, blah, blah” word bubble heels a la Lust For Life were a must. I am obsessed with these message heels and have three pairs but I thought the blue ones would be nice with the colorful palette on top. I topped this look off with a hat from my brother and sister in law for Christmas and I was camera ready. 😀

How do you add edginess to your OOTDs? How would you describe your style? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Photo Shoot Fun

Standard
Photo Shoot Fun

Hi hi! As I sit in *my* apartment – my apartment! Ahh! I have been able to review the pictures that my friend, Markus, took of me a few weeks ago while enjoying my first cup of coffee from my handy dandy Keurig machine compliments of my mom and dad. You might remember my Life On The Edge OOTD from a couple of weeks ago that featured pictures from the shoot and now I have more to share with you. And, be sure to tune in tomorrow for even more shots of yours truly! Check it out:

markus_assignment3_corporate-35markus_assignment3_corporate-33markus_assignment3_corporate-39markus_assignment3_corporate-40markus_assignment3_corporate-41markus_assignment3_corporate-42markus_assignment3_corporate-52markus_assignment3_corporate-20markus_assignment3_corporate-7markus_assignment3_corporate-16

A few of these pictures were taken for Markus’s photography project at Tri-C, which just so happens to be my alma mater. And, then, he was kind enough to take some shots of me specifically for lifewithlilred. For the project, he had to shoot three different looks. One for a business, an emotional one, and one for beauty. And, he had to use lighting to express each one. I’m sure you can guess which ones were for the business style pictures! I’m actually really happy about those, because I’d like to make a webpage at some point for my work as a provider so they will be perfect for that endeavor.

I am so in love with the more blog related photos (And all of them, for that matter!). I especially like the one with the really dark red background because it reminds me so much of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, which is one of my favorite series. The photos with the lighter pink background are just pure bubblegum fun and I had a blast creating these outfits and hanging out with Markus for the afternoon to get them done! Stop by for more tomorrow! 😀

What is your favorite hobby? How do you make time to practice your craft? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mad Lib Hilarity

Standard
Mad Lib Hilarity

Hiii everyone! A few days ago at work, I was filling mad libs out with my client, her sister, and her seven year old niece and it was honestly the funniest thing of my life. And, because one of the pages that we filled out was blog related, I had to share it with all of you. Enjoy!

mad

Lololol, I really just can’t. Us girls were laughing our little behinds off but the one that we especially lost it on was “Aunt B shaped earrings”. That is what my client’s nieces affectionately call her so when the kiddo suggested that as the noun we were dying! On another note, mad libs are a great way to teach children new words, grammar, and parts of sentences so if you’re looking for a fun way for your kids to learn something new, then give it a try.

Thanks for stopping by, Sarah.com fans! 😉

What is something funny that happened to you today? How do you make teaching something new more fun? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Weekend Getaway Selfie Spam

Standard
Weekend Getaway Selfie Spam

Hi! A weekend trip wouldn’t be complete without some good old fashioned selfies, which I am about to bequeath onto all of you. I actually didn’t take any pictures of anything else besides the one seen below while in Georgia, because it was hard to take pictures at the Dogwood Festival when you couldn’t really take pictures of anything. So, I guess that means that you’re just gonna have to look at my MUG for this post. Whoops!

011460FD-D33A-4425-8C45-4568A7118D20647D15A7-45FF-4D41-B6FA-E345A3B647E53C36AE09-00EA-484E-BEE7-DB43F52059B5C19FC993-7F30-489E-A46E-E58BBE902AA1F205D41F-1CDB-4F9E-B979-FCA4A8314C75

During my flight home, I got to sit by the window seat and noticed something very adorable compliments of Spirit airlines: the wings on the plane say “Howdy”! It was so cute to me that it became the only not picture of me taken during the trip. And, also, peep that no makeup from my flight home – I was exhausted and had been up since 5:30 that morning. WOOF.

But, the crowning jewel of my selfie spam is my beautiful mother. She is the most darling little lady on the planet and, despite her “one look” for pictures that we joke about, she takes a mean selfie, too! I LOVE YOU, MOM. Thanks for spending the weekend with me! :*)

What are some of your tips for the perfect selfie? Do you take lots of pictures while you travel or not so much? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Honey, I’m Home!

Standard
Honey, I’m Home!

Howdy! This past weekend, I took a little trip with my mom to Atlanta, Georgia to visit my brother and sister in law. This was actually only my second time on an airplane, which was super exciting in itself! It was a whirlwind of a weekend beginning on Friday afternoon and arriving home around eleven in the morning on Monday. Despite being insanely tired, it was a fun trip and it was nice to spend some time with family before my big move this weekend. But, I am happy to be home so that I can continue to bring you the latest and greatest here on lifewithlilred. Keep it posted for more on my trip, coming soon!

Where is the best place to go for a weekend getaway? What is your preferred method of travel? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

April 2019 Funky Time Jams

Standard
April 2019 Funky Time Jams

Hiiii everyone! When I am making my schedule for work, I prefer to work two or three really long days so that I can have a few laid back ones during the work week. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love my schedule and am going to keep it that way. But, the eleven plus hour days can get exhausting. So, when I am driving from client to client, I use my time in the car with my music to refresh myself. And, that is what this month’s Funky Time Jams are all about – the songs that help me keep going during a long day:

^^^ And, as always, I have no rights to these songs or videos.

When I’m driving and I’m kind of tired, my soundtrack is all about music that I can sing along to. I turn the volume up and I put my air on and I just sing at the top of my lungs and it always manages to get me bright eyed and bushy tailed for the next person that I’m working with. That’s why all of the songs above are more fun ones than my normal all emo everything. Of course, if I’m having a bad day, then it is absolutely all emo everything, though lol.

All of the songs above are ones that I know by heart and they instantly make me dance and I end up feeling so rejuvenated afterwards. But, it’s definitely not hard to feel that way after playing a little Pharrell or Duran Duran! Eighties music is another must to help perk me up and my car dance parties are honestly what keeps me sane sometimes during my super busy weeks. The power of music!

What do you like to play to help get you through a long day? What kind of music do you listen to to get you in a fun mood? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Moving On Up: Five Below Haul Edition

Standard
Moving On Up: Five Below Haul Edition

Hello everyone! With my big move getting closer and closer with every passing day, the major hauling continues. We all know that I love to shop more than I love myself sometimes. And, I really think that because of this passion, the initial stressors of moving have faded away and it’s becoming more fun than anything. However, I am really trying to stick to my ballin on a budget lifestyle by choosing bargain and secondhand stores and being mindful of the best deals when shopping at Target or TJs.

So, it’s no surprise that I ended up at Five Below during my shopping extravaganza. And, I’m glad that I did, because I got all of the goodies seen below for under forty dollars! Check it out:

5b

An apartment wouldn’t be an apartment without two huge wine glasses that hold an entire bottle of wine in it! Lol, those were definitely a must. And, I loved the gallon glass dispenser so that I can make a big pitcher of cold tea or sangria during the summer months. I also chose two mini water fountains, one for my office and another to put on my TV stand for the ultimate relaxation experience… maybe while sipping from my holds one bottle of wine glass? 😀

While shopping, I also picked up the beautiful book “I Love You, Mommy” for my sister to read to my sweet niece, Valerie. I read it in the store and seriously almost cried seven times. The words are so touching and the pictures are gorgeous and I just know that Kristen is going to get a good cry out of it. In fact, I read some of the passages to my mom and cried so I highly recommend this one to literally anyone. It’s awesome!

And, finally, I grabbed some cute new ribbon hair ties to wear to the skating rink as well as my little sloth pal. One of my clients helped me pick him out to match the one that she got, so he will have a very special place in my apartment. ❤

Overall, this haul was really successful. I got some fun miscellaneous items that will make a big impact in my space and thirty-nine bucks for all of it was definitely the right price!

Where is your favorite bargain store to shop at? What other stores should I go apartment shopping at? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Duolingo Progress

Standard
Duolingo Progress

Hi! For those of you who don’t know, one of my favorite hobbies is learning new languages. I would say that I am fluent in French and, thanks to Duolingo, I have spent the past few months working on Spanish. I was going to just focus on those two languages for the time being but, then, I watched a fantastic film over the weekend called The Green Book and it was absolutely impossible to not start learning Italian afterwards!

Every day, I try to practice for at least thirty minutes between the three languages and it makes me feel so good. I love to learn and it feels awesome to gain a new skill as well as do something that makes me genuinely happy. I really do stand by the phrase that I loosely toss around on here that “knowledge is power”. Learning a new phrase in a language or a fact per day is empowering. You don’t have to be in school to continue your education and it makes it even better when you are teaching yourself.

I am so thankful for Duolingo, 1) because it’s completely free and 2) because it allows my skills to flourish. And, did I mention that it’s fun?! So much fun, that I think I will go practice my trifecta of languages now. 😀

Who else uses the Duolingo app? What languages are you learning? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Refresh The Parts Of Your Home That Fade First

Standard
Refresh The Parts Of Your Home That Fade First

It’s a sad feeling when the home you once loved and cherished is fading away, but it will no doubt get to the point sooner or later. New home or not, the general wear and tear that it faces will lead you to want something more. You might even consider moving homes to something a bit more modern but, even then, the cracks will begin to show eventually, and it could be one of the biggest regrets of your life. Because we know how easy it is to think that a new home will be one without problems but, in fact, they can sometimes have more!

So, when you do feel like your home is beginning to fade, you need to think about how you can perk it back up again and make it look like a million dollars. It’s easy enough to bring an aging home back to life, you just have to think about the parts of your home that are fading first and what you’re going to be able to do about it. Luckily for you, we’re on hand to help and we think these top tips will bring a fading home back to life.

The Windows & Doors:

If you think about how often you mess with all of the windows and doors in your home, it should come as no surprise to you that they’re going to be one of the first things that fades away. It’s so easy for them to become chipped or damaged, especially the fragile paint that you’ll usually find surrounding your windows. Vinyl windows are the best thing that you can bring into your home and they’re going to look so good compared to your old ones if you feel like they’re wasting away. Plus, having new windows and frames installed is only going to improve the green side of your home, meaning you might just notice those bills dropping a bit more than you thought!

The Interior Decor:

The interior decor is going to be something you hold very close to your heart. You have your own style and we’re not about to try and change that. But, we do think that it’s so important that you take some time to update it yearly. Wallpaper may last two years or so, but after that it just becomes outdated. And if you inspect it closely enough, you will notice the wear and tear. So keeping it fresh every single year is a must and you have to admit that redecorating isn’t that expensive and is so fun once you get into it. You’ll often find that fresh decor is all you’re going to need to spruce your home up.

The Vibe:

The vibe of your home was probably something electric when you first started out. You had so much going on, so much happiness, and there just would have been a buzz about it. But, now, things can easily change when you realize how hard owning a home is and how the novelty wears off after a few months. But, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t host monthly gatherings to keep a good vibe going in your home. As long as you surround it with fun, you will feel great!

With spring just around the corner, give your home a little makeover and watch it come back to life in full bloom.

Featured Image By: Pixabay