Tag Archives: haul

Monday Update: Zara Haul Edition

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Monday Update: Zara Haul Edition

Guys. I did something bad……

I spent way too much money at Zara yesterday. But before you all sharpen the pitchforks and yell at me for giving in to my shopping addiction – LET ME EXPLAIN!!! My mom, sister, and I had a GAO (Girls’ Afternoon Out) and ventured out to Beachwood Mall, which is about a thirty-five minute trek for us. This mall is freaking amazing. It’s home to Zara, Lush, a HUGE Forever 21, H&M, Saks, Nordstrom, and the list goes on. So, not only were we in exotic new territory that we never get to go to, BUT Zara was having an incredible sale. You can’t not stock up at your favorite store when you don’t get to go very often, right? RIGHT?!

And stock up, I did. This week will be dedicated to my gorgeous new wardrobe additions compliments of my all on sale Zara Haul. We’ll start with the newest update to my business casual attire with this darling little number seen below:

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Zara button downs give me life and, coincidentally, quirky button downs make up a majority of my business cashe collection. So, obviously, I HAD TO BUY IT!! I snagged this lady bug beauty for twenty bucks. I’m not sure of the original price on this shirt, but the last button down I purchased from Zara was fifty smackers, so I consider this a steal!

This oversized button down is wonderful because it’s versatile. It’s long enough to be worn as a dress with a thick pair of tights underneath and a belted middle or over top of super skinny jeans tucked or untucked for a whimsical work look. I love wearing my other Zara button down as a dress, especially in this summer heat. However, both of these tops look totally darling tucked into pants or a skirt, as well.

Accessories are key when it comes to styling a business casual ensemble, so opt for a chunky necklace, a statement ring or two, and some killer heels to make you queen of the office!

This week on lifewithlilred will be an ode to all things Zara, starting with my Monday Update: Zara Haul Edition! Tune in tomorrow to see another one of my on sale snags. What is your favorite store to shop at? Who else goes a bit credit card happy when their favorite store is far away? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

P.S.: I bought some goodies at Lush for the first time so be on the lookout for some Bath Bomb Blitz posts in the future! 😀

Anti Bath Bomb Blitz

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Anti Bath Bomb Blitz

Hi everyone and happy Sunday! The last of my TJMaxx haul ends on a bit of a sour note because the other bath bomb that I got sucked on ice. When I got the three dolla holla Chocolate Kisses bath bomb by the UK brand, Bomb Cosmetics, I thought that I was in for a treat. Even through the wrapper, the product smelled delicious and I thought that my bath water would turn into a frothy, aromatic delight. Boy, was I wrong. Check it out:

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When I put this bath bomb into the water, it initially smelled SO good. It was like opening a bag of Hershey Kisses and breathing it in before eating every single one of them. Unfortunately, after the two or so minutes that it took the bath bomb to fizz out, the smell disappeared completely. Major bummer.

The chocolatey aroma that I was left without would have almost been okay if anything cool happened to my bath water, but that wasn’t the case, either. The color didn’t change at all and the illusion of chocolate sprinkles seen in the last picture makes the water look more dirty than inviting. Whomp freaking WHOMP. -___-

I can’t say that I’m too upset about this bath bomb disappointment because I was still excited to try it and it was only a whole three dollars. BUT, if I do see more Bomb Cosmetics products at TJ’s, I don’t plan on wasting my money again. Are their other bath bombs better? Maybe. But I wouldn’t risk trying it again when my Chocolate Kisses one failed so miserably.

Although my haul ends with an Anti Bath Bomb Blitz, I still had a blast shopping and trying out my new goodies thanks to TJMaxx! Which bath bomb brand do you prefer? What is the coolest bath bomb that you have ever used? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

If The Shoe Fits: Lust For Life Edition

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If The Shoe Fits: Lust For Life Edition

Hellooo everyone and welcome to the rest of my TJMaxx shoe haul in this edition of If The She Fits! And also, TGIF! You guys already know about my undying love for TJ’s so take a look at these two new beauties by Lust For Life and let’s discuss:

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I have been looking for heels with writing on them for what feels like a lifetime. The lettered shoes of my dreams always seem to be in flat or sandal form and we all know that Lil Red does not do flat feet. So when I saw both of these pretty *heeled* babies online, only getting one of them just wasn’t an option.

These ad-lib chunky heels give me life. Cher from Clueless is my spirit animal so when I saw the black pair with her signature phrase on them, they were as good as mine. And the royal blue “Blah Blah Blahs” are a fun change up from my normal all black everything preference. Frankly, if there were more different colors available, I probably would have bought those, too. Color me freaking obsessed.

The fact that my shoes can literally do the talking now is something that I am so in love with. I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for shirts with weird or funny slogans on them so having some sass on my shoes is a godsend. A godsend, I tell ya! These heels were a bit more expensive than what I usually pay at twenty-nine dollars a pop, but with the abundance of love that I felt for them, they were well worth the price. They both look and feel well made and their structure is sturdy, so I know that I will have them for a long time! (And, let’s be real, I’d have them for a long time anyways because I’m a total clothing hoarder! #smh)

My new Lust For Life heels are literally everything that I wanted from a worded shoe and I couldn’t be happier. Although they costed a little more than I would have liked, TJMaxx pulled through once again for their most dedicated shopper. ❤

So there you have it, the last of my TJMaxx shoe haul in this issue of If The Shoe Fits: Lust For Life Edition! Who else is rocking the worded shoe trend this summer? Where do you find the best shoes at? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

If The Shoe Fits: Made Edition

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If The Shoe Fits: Made Edition

Hellooo everyone and welcome to a new edition of If The Shoe Fits! As you guys know, I have a bit of a TJMaxx shopping addiction. I’m not ashamed of it, but actually rather proud. It feels SO good having a wardrobe full of beautiful clothes, shoes, and accessories that I didn’t pay full price for. I love the look of shock that I get when I’m wearing a TJ’s piece and people ask me where I got it from. I am a Maxxinista through and through and I wouldn’t want it any other way!

Now, back in the day, TJ’s didn’t have an online website. But, times have changed, and now they offer the full shopping experience from the comfort of your home. I may or may not have had a three pair shoe haul thanks to their amazing selection, But, like I said, I’m not ashamed. In fact, I DID have a three pair shoe haul and it was GLORIOUS. Check out these rad new shoes by Made brand that I got for twenty bucks:

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For the most part when it comes to my wardrobe, I prefer an all black everything approach. So, obviously these babies were no exception. I LOVE these shoes. And, better yet, I LOVE the price. Seriously, how can you say no to them when they’re only twenty dollars?!

I think that these heels are badass. The Velcro straps bring a really cool and unexpected twist, while the zigzag black and yellow offers a pop of visual interest to the shoe. These bad boys are so comfortable and the Velcro makes putting them on such a breeze! It brought me back to the Velcro shoes of my youth, but way more fashionable, of course! 😉

I cannot wait to wear these shoes with literally all of the things and they are sure to add an edgy touch to all of my outfits. This shoe haul would not have been possible without one of my darling blogging babes, Kate, from Ankhor You. I freaking love that girl and even though we’re states away from each other, we turned online shopping into a group activity. Thanks to communicating in three different mediums of Facebook messenger, text, and phone calls, Kate verified my choices as fabulous and gave me all of the motivation to hit that “order” button and throw caution to the wind! In conclusion, GO READ HER BLOG! ❤

So there you have it, the newest issue of If The Shoe Fits: Made Edition! Be sure to tune in tomorrow to check out the rest of my TJMaxx shoe haul! Where do you score the best shoes? Who else is a fellow Maxxinista? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Bath Bomb Blitz

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Bath Bomb Blitz

Hi everyone and happy Tuesday. Okay, so Lil Red Fun Fact: Before Saturday, I never have used a bath bomb. “But Sarah, how is that possible,” you might ask? Because nowhere near me sells them, that’s why!! The closest Lush to yours truly is about 45 minutes away and I’m not going to drive all the way out there for some bath products. But, believe me ladies, I see you with your bath bomb posts and I’d be a liar if I didn’t say that I was jealous AF. That’s why I was SO excited when TJMaxx had bath bombs available in their beauty section like THIS ONE:

As you all know, I am obsessed with all things charcoal. Body washes, facial cleansers, scrubs, masks, I love it all. I don’t have “problem” skin, which is what most people associate charcoal products with. BUT feeling squeaky clean is really important to me as a beauty enthusiast and a pretty hardcore germophobe, and nothing makes me feel that way quite like charcoal goodies. That’s why I was really excited when I saw this here charcoal bath bomb by Aromafields because I didn’t even know that that was a thing! But everything is a thing so I guess a charcoal infused bath bomb isn’t as crazy as it sounds!! Okay, whatever, I know I’m rambling so just look at the water, will ya?

#allblackeverything

Okay, if you’re not a long term emo kid like myself, you might be slightly disturbed by my pitch black bath water. But, rest assured, I had the time of my life. Splish splash, Lil Red was taking a bath and it was AMAZING. The water smelled minty cool and easing myself into a tub filled to the brim with black water is the stuff straight out of my emo fantasies. So, yeah, this bath bomb was totes worth the four buck price tag.

Literal tiny beads of charcoal floated in the water that you could scoop up with your hands and rub on your skin. It was seriously like having a face mask for your whole body. My skin felt tingly and cleansed. AND taking a soak in my bathtub filled with black water that looked like the perfect setting for an AFI music video was simply magical, to say the least. :*)

My ONLY complaint about this Aromafields bath bomb was that it was a real pain in my kiester to clean up once the water drained. There was a charcoal film covering the entire bath tub that I legit had to scrub to remove. It wasn’t a “let me wipe the tub really quick” affair but more like a “I need elbow grease that only a carnival strong man can provide” to remove this stain. Your girl put in work, honey. And a word to the wise is to use a towel that you aren’t fond of while cleaning your tub because mine looked like I took it to the underside of my WHIP when I was through. And something tells me that the belly of the Little Red Love Machine would STILL have given me a cleaner towel than the bath bomb residue did. SMH!!!!

This was my first bath bomb experience, so I have nothing else to base my judgements off of, but I really enjoyed myself! I’m excited to try the chocolate scented bath bomb as seen in my featured image photo next and will be sure to let all of you know how it goes! Where do you get your bath bombs from? Is Lush worth the hype? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Monday Update: TJMaxx Haul Edition

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Monday Update: TJMaxx Haul Edition

Hi everyone and happy Monday!! I hope that everyone had a super fun and fabulous weekend! So these past few days, I was a little naughty and went way too hard at TJMaxx. As you guys know, that store is my number one fave. It seems like I never fail to find something that I love there. Whether it be new shoes, beauty products, clothes, or purses, TJ’s always treats me just right! This week, we’ll take an in depth look at my haul (Because, believe me, there’s a lot!) starting with this sassy little skirt that I got for a whole EIGHT DOLLARS. Check it out:

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This fun jean skirt is Buffalo by David Bitton brand and the original price tag had it marked at seventy dollars. And once again, I GOT IT FOR EIGHT! I’ve been on the hunt for a cute jean dress or skirt for a while now but have never found anything that spoke to me on a spiritual level. This skirt is flattering, flirty, and totally fabulous and my only regret is that I didn’t find it sooner.

I love that this dark denim skirt features a zipper down the front instead of the normal buttons that have been littering the stores lately. The fit and flare shape is just right in providing a curve hugging silhouette while still offering a light touch of girly sweetness from the flared bottom. The golden stitching throughout the skirt also adds some extra pizzazz, which makes this little number feel fresh out of the 70’s. Freaking obsessed.

There is nothing better than purchasing a darling new piece to add to your wardrobe for under ten dollars. And knowing that I saved sixty-two smackers on this skirt makes the find even sweeter. I can’t wait to pair this high waisted number with crop tops, tucked in button downs, and a jean jacket for a sassy update on the Denim Tuxedo. And, of course, platform heels with this retro baby is a must!

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: TJMaxx Haul Edition! Spend your week here at lifewithlilred while I talk beauty and fashion compliments of my favorite store! Who else is totally TJ’s obsessed? What is your favorite store to shop at? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Bollywood Style Target Haul

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Bollywood Style Target Haul

Hi everyone and happy Hump Day! I had a shockingly really nice day yesterday – I got a lot of work done and managed to squeeze in a Target shopping trip, which instantly turned the day from pleasant to fantastic! Oh, Target. The store notorious for people going there to get one thing and leaving with a cart full of so called “necessities”. AKA, my life every time I walk through those sliding doors.

I don’t think people realize just how much Target has improved in this past decade because honestly, their clothing and accessories used to suck eggs. But now, I can’t remember the last time I went into Target without trying something on in the dressing room or modeling a new pair of shades in their accessory shop. But hey, it could be worse. I could be going into Target and leaving with nothing! 😉

For the most part, I’ve been really impressed with Target’s summer line of clothing and yesterday was no exception. I was taken aback by the taste of Bollywood style that some of the pieces invoked and as soon as I saw them, they were basically as good as mine. I absolutely ADORE Bollywood inspired clothing. The jewel tones, the fine attention to detail, the flow, and flare. UGH. I love it all. Take a look at my latest indulgences and let’s discuss:

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As you guys know, ten out of ten times, I’m going to prefer black clothing. But, when I venture into color, jewel tones are where it’s at. My pasty pale complexion is such a blessing because it allows me to wear the deep, dazzling colors that I love. Emerald green, cobalt, mustard yellow, shocking magenta, and deep shades of wine. My skin tone turns into a blinding fifty shades of pale and enhances the color of the clothing tenfold. That is why I was so attracted to my new maxi dress and bralette top.

I’ve been on the prowl for a maxi dress since the weather began to warm up because I don’t own one. I have some fun high low dresses but no straight up, down to the floor maxis. I’ve tried on a few and some were nice but none of them spoke to me on a spiritual level. Then, I found this mustard yellow gown yesterday and yes, it moved me.

Mustard yellow is my color. Granted, it hasn’t always been that way, though. Before I began dying my hair red and was still wearing my hair in its natural shade of medium brown, mustard yellow looked ghastly on me. It was so sad because I wanted it to look good on me so badly but it was just very blah. Fast forward to when I became a red headed vixen (ayyy!) and it became all mustard yellow everything. Many people have told me that mustard yellow really is a red head’s best color and they are so right. I have never met a red head, real or fake, that that color hasn’t looked good on. It truly is an anomaly how simply changing your hair color can open up a whole new clothing color palette to you, but I am so not complaining. #blessed

In summary, this dress is fabulous. The way the fabric crimps, the silhouette, the color, the detailing in the bodice, the emphasized waist line. Holy moly. I love when I see pieces of clothing that I just know will look good on me and that’s how I felt about both of my new purchases. Sometimes, I find that maxi dresses can really overpower a petite gal, such as myself. But not this one. The way that it was designed with the slit down the bottom middle, the embellished bust, and the detailing on the waist line was genius because it broke the dress up. It turned what could have been a dress that looked like a potato sack into a gown with a distinctive top and bottom, which makes the eye dance around because there’s more to look at than a floor length window curtain. #greatsuccess

And, lord god have mercy, don’t even get me started on my new bralette. I love, love, love, love, LOVE this top. Crop tops are my number one BFF in my wardrobe when it comes to showing off my tattoo arsenal because five of my six are on my side and back. And best believe with my latest tattoo addition, that I’ve been wanting all of the crop tops to show it off!

This top is just stunning. The muted magenta color, the embroidery, the mirror decal embellishments. Omg. Just pure, modern, Bollywood fun. The best thing about this bralette is the possibilities that come with styling it. You could wear it with a:

  • Maxi skirt
  • High waisted/normal shorts
  • Jeans
  • Harem pants
  • Underneath a blazer/cardigan

I mean, seriously, the possibilities are endless. I feel like I am going to have so much fun incorporating this top into my outfits and I already have so many ideas in mind! When my MAN comes up at the end of the month for my birthday, I plan on wearing this with black shorts, my black, oversized boyfriend blazer, and my olive green platform heels for a sexy cool summer look. Dress to impress much?

Target hit the nail on the head with these pieces and I am so happy to have them in my collection as we head into the summer months ahead. My wardrobe is not the most accommodating to summer clothing because I thrive when I’m styling things for the cooler fall, winter, and early spring. It’s going to be fun to try something new and go into summer not feeling like I don’t have anything to wear!

So there you have it, my Bollywood Style Target Haul! How do you style a bralette into your outfits? What style of dress do you prefer for summer (maxi, mini, midi?)? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mini Makeup Haul

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Mini Makeup Haul

Hello everyone and happy Hump Day! To conclude my Target Haul appreciation posts, I am here to talk to you about two gorgeous new makeups that I purchased this past weekend. I’ll be honest with you guys, I am not a big makeup girl. I stick with what I know and I legit paint my face the same way every day – which my sister LOVES to dog on me about. So I thought that I would take a step out of my comfort zone with a beautiful emerald green eyeliner by Maybelline. But I am a creature of habit, so back into my comfort zone I went with a lovely new red lipstick by L’oreal, which I am so obsessed with! Take a look and let’s discuss:

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My Purchases:

  • Maybelline Glossy Emerald eyeliner #608
  • L’oreal Ruby Flame lipstick #317

As I’ve mentioned about a million times on lifewithlilred, fifty shades of green is my color. With pasty pale skin, bright red hair, and hazel eyes that frequently change color to green or golden yellow, green is one of the colors that always looks good on me. When I worked at The Body Shop, I was definitely more adventurous with my makeup and I can remember using deep green eyeshadows as eyeliner and loving the way that it looked. So I thought that I would revisit that and attempt something different than my normal gold eyeshadow with a bright emerald liner…

The only problem is, is that I freaking suck at applying eyeliner to my top lids so this is definitely going to be a trial and error type of thing! But hey, we’ll see what happens and maybe then my sister will get off of my back for wearing the exact same makeup every day of my life, lol smh.

Now, as for my new L’oreal lipstick – I LOVE it. I have been on the hunt for a red lipstick with glitter in it for the past month and am so happy with this shade in Ruby Flame. When I took my sister shopping at Sephora for her birthday at the beginning of April, I tried my luck there for a lipstick shade that I liked but nothing spoke to me on a spiritual level. Not only did I hate everything that I tried there, but I wasn’t too keen on spending over twenty dollars for a lipstick, anyways.

I wasn’t expecting to find a glitter red that I loved for a whole seven bucks at Target! I had originally seen this L’oreal shade at the drugstore when I was killing time in between meetings for work and I really liked it but didn’t buy it. But, I made note of it for future purchasing purposes and I am really glad that I did! Ruby Flame is exactly what I’ve been searching for. A gorgeous shade of red, a light overlay of fairy dust, and a reputable brand that wasn’t going to break my bank. I am SO pleased with this find and cannot wait to use it on my next night out!

My Mini Makeup Haul at Target left me with a revamped version of a tried and true favorite in L’oreal’s Ruby Flame lipstick and a *gasp* not gold eyeshadow with Maybelline’s Glossy Emerald eyeliner. I’m looking forward to giving both of these new makeups a try and we’ll see what happens! How do you step outside of your makeup comfort zone? What is your go to shade for eyeshadows and liners? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Cropped Hoodie Cuteness

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Cropped Hoodie Cuteness

Hiii everyone and happy Tuesday!! The Target Haul appreciation posts continue, as I was able to work in some very fun new pieces into my wardrobe thanks to going to Target twice this weekend (lol). One type of clothing that I am SO into is the crop top. I was working at PacSun when the crop top began to become a thing again in 2014 or so, so my closet is jam packed with all of the itty bitty tops imaginable.

Not only do I love the way that crop tops look on me but I LOVE that they show off my tattoos. Because I’m getting a new tattoo on my side on the 20th, I really wanted to find a new crop top to wear when I introduce it to the world. And GOOD NEWS – I found one! Take a look and let’s discuss:

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On day one of shopping at Target this weekend, I saw this cropped hoodie and I thought that it was really cute but I didn’t bother trying it on. On day two of shopping at Target this weekend, I STILL thought that this cropped hoodie was really cute so I tried it on. #redundancy 😉

If there’s one thing that Lil Red loves, it’s urban wear. I love jerseys, joggers, backwards ball caps, and tomboy cool everything. This cropped hoodie screams urban chic to me and that is one of my favorite looks to style so, of course, I ended up buying this bad boy. This was one of those pieces that I knew I was going to like as soon as I tried it on and I was obviously right!

Not only is my new side tattoo going to look so pretty against the grey scale with a pop of red color palette but the wardrobe possibilities are endless. I am most looking forward to pairing this cropped hoodie with a pair of black short shorts, a backwards ball cap, a chunky gold chain, and my pair of floral print or tye-dye Nikes. That look will be ideal for outdoor drinks on my deck with friends or some day time running around. To Target, perhaps?!

The Cropped Hoodie Cuteness is so real with this top and the seventeen dollar holler price tag was another added bonus! Who else is a crop top fan? What style of shirt is your fave? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

New Dress Success

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New Dress Success

Hi everyone and happy Monday! I had a super fabulous Target haul this weekend and as your typical basic gal named Sarah, I went shopping there BOTH Saturday and Sunday haha smh. So this week, you guys will be hearing a lot about my purchases for a super reasonable price and if you love what I got, you can hit up your local Target and we can be twinsies. Ayyyy.

ANYWAYS, I had a really bad hankering these past few weeks to buy all of the things. As the seasons change, I always feel like my shopping is justified so that I can work in new weather-appropriate pieces into my wardrobe. At Target, I was on the hunt for some fun in the sun clothes like maxi dresses, skirts, and cute little mini dresses. But, with Sarah being Sarah, of course I ended up with a black and white Wednesday Adams dress, instead. Lol, take a look and let’s discuss:

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^^^ SO CUTE!

This dress is from Victoria Beckham’s recent line that she created for Target. To be frank, it looks like it didn’t do all that well because everything from the collection was marked down. But hey, it worked in my favor and I am so not complaining! I got this pretty little number for a whole twenty-five bucks, which I thought was such a steal.

I’ll be honest, I was pretty nervous trying this dress on because all they had was extra smalls and larges and I just wanted it to work SO badly. I am in that unfortunate spot between extra small and small. It really just depends on the clothing being tried on and from what store so depending on where I am, I can fit comfortably into either size.

While in the fitting room, I just had to take a deep breath and slip into the dress and thank freaking GAWD it fit! I wouldn’t say that the dress was a body con style by any means but it definitely laid closely to my body, which was just great because I never think to wear seamless panties when I’m shopping. So here I am in the dressing room with this gorgeous dress on and the literal WORST underoo seam lines ever. Lol, thank goodness that the Victoria’s Secret seamless panties work wonders for that awkward misfortune. -_-

I have always wanted a dress that looks like my new one from the Victoria Beckham line but I was never overly impressed with any of the ones that I’ve tried on in the past. I’ve noticed that this style of dress seems to be made baggier instead of form fitting and that just doesn’t work for my body type. The fact that this dress shows off my figure instead of trying to hide it is so fabulous to me. And the cute little rabbit decals on the collar had me sold the moment that I saw it.

This dress is going to be absolutely perfect for date nights or evenings out with the girls at a classy (not college student infested!) bar. I can’t wait to pair my new dress with a really fun pair of heels to offset the black and white palette, a red lip, pompadour hair, and a moto jacket for those chilly nights. Hello, sweet rocker chic!

My New Dress Success may not have been exactly what I set out for while shopping but, regardless, I am SO happy about it! You can shop the Victoria Beckham collection both in stores and online if you love this pretty baby as much as I do! How do you style a date night look? What is the best style of dress for your body type? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah