Tag Archives: japna

Aug16

Concert Cutie OOTD

Posted on August 16, 2025 by lifewithlilred

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! Today, we are going to take a look at what I wore to see Dirty Honey and The Struts at the House Of Blues. This was my birthday gift from Johnny and it was the absolute best time! Both bands were so incredible live and it was a blast to dance the night away with my main squeeze. As these bands are super glam, I had to pull out all of the stops for this OOTD and I LOVE how it turned out! Peep these pics and let’s discuss:

Who? What? Wear?

Kerchief Top: Japna, TJMaxx

Mini Skort: Kyodan, TJMaxx

Union Jack Platforms: Y.R.U., Dolls Kill

Lightening Bolt Earrings: These were actually purchased in a gift shop during a family vacation to Universal Studios!

In the case of this Concert Cutie OOTD, I started styling from the bottom up. I knew damn well that I was going to wear my Union Jack platforms to tip my hat to The Struts as they hail from across the pond. I wanted these amazing boots to have the spotlight so the pieces I chose were meant to accentuate and that meant going for a minimal color palette. I had a semblance of an idea of what I was going to wear, but I decided to go to TJMaxx during my break at work on the day of the concert to see if I could kick things up a notch.

Johnny suggested a mini skirt and I thought that was a fine idea, indeed. My hunt for the perfect mini skirt was futile until I remembered that one of my favorite skirts was not found in the normal clothing departments of TJs. It was from the athleisure department! Just as soon as I had this brain blast, I found the school girl style mini skort by Kyodan and I knew we were in business. In the fitting room, the full outfit came to me in a vision and I couldn’t wait to put it altogether.

For the top, I kept with the muted palette with a darling snakeskin pattern kerchief top by Japna. This little number is SO sassy and sexy and it’s easily one of my favorite styles of tops to wear. Very rarely do I get to show off the tattoos on my back and that’s a shame because they are all so cool (Let’s be real, though, ALL of my tattoos are cool!). Kerchief tops were truly the answer to my prayers and I loved my Japna top paired with the stark white mini skort. It was also a great opportunity to play with texture as the top featured a gorgeous sheen against the more subdued material of the skort. The platforms in their glittery glory introduced a new texture too which allowed for the eyes to dance as much as I danced my ass off that night. ❤

Finally, it was onto shoes and accessories. A little fun fact about these platforms is that they are the reason that Johnny and I went on our first date. I had recently posted pictures of myself wearing them and he shot me a message asking if they were made in a Chelsea style. My heart swooned over the fact that a guy was in my inbox talking fashion instead of initiating a one night stand. We ended up going on a date that very night and have been inseparable ever since! With the boots pre-selected, I popped on a pair of bright purple lightening bolt earrings for a pop of color and was ready for the show!

This OOTD was just as fun to wear as it was to style. A perfect night needs a perfect outfit!

Have you been to any concerts recently? When was the last time you got dolled up? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep25

Date Day OOTD

Posted on September 25, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! Yesterday we discussed a lovely little Date Day from this past weekend and no date day would be complete without a killer outfit. During the work week, Johnny and I do the bare minimum when it comes to getting ready for work. When we have plans over the weekend, however, it’s a totally different story! Both of us are incredibly passionate about fashion so when we step out, we always do so in our Sunday best. Here is what I wore for our out and about adventure:

Who? What? Wear?

Flutter Sleeve Top: Japna, TJMaxx

Distressed Skinny Jeans: American Eagle Outfitters

Two Toned Loafers: Steve Madden, Walmart

Mustard Yellow Purse: Chillx By LeMiel, TJMaxx

While my heart is screaming fall, the weather in Ohio has yet to catch up and we are still experiencing summer like temperatures. This is not ideal for Johnny and me because 1) We hate hot weather. And 2) As soon as September hits I fall back into the routine of wearing jeans again, stop shaving my legs, and have no desire for anyone else to see the old woolly mammoths should I wear shorts lol. The name of the game for this weather is ventilation – staying cool and breezy despite not wearing fully summer appropriate clothes. With that in mind, I knew exactly what to do to keep myself comfortable and I most definitely was all day!

For starters, I slipped on a darling little number by Japna for the top. Other than green being one of my favorite colors to wear, this shirt was chosen more for practicality’s sake. The material is so light, the back is slightly open, and the cropped style matched the word of the day of ventilation. And, of course, I just can’t get enough of those flutter sleeves! They provided the most amazing movement every time the wind picked up and I felt like a butterfly taking off… Most of the time, anyways. You’ll see what I mean in the blooper reel so peep that coming soon. 😀

For pantaloons, I chose my all time favorite pair of distressed skinnies from American Eagle Outfitters. Talk about ventilation, am I right?! The holes on the thighs of these jeans are massive, so much so that it almost did feel like wearing shorts. Although these jeans are pretty old, they still have retained their jet black original appearance because I avoid washing them like the plague – the last thing they need is more holes! Because the black denim was still nice and crispy, it helped compliment the same color striping on the top even more.

Finally, it was onto shoes and accessories. Now, normally, I am not a matchy matchy kind of gal. However, I had to make an exception in this case because the two toned Steve Madden loafers were just too perfect to not wear with this look. Was the green on the soles of the loafers a perfect match to the top? No, and that’s okay because they were close enough and still formed top to bottom cohesion. For accessories, I selected a few bracelets and my signature pair of dangly black cross earrings and I was ready to step out with my honey!

I felt dynamite in my Date Day OOTD and I loved how it turned out. A great day deserves a great outfit too!

What is your favorite pattern to wear? How about your favorite color to wear? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug17

Concert Cutie OOTD

Posted on August 17, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! A few weeks ago I attended a concert at Blossom Music Center with my sister to see one of our favorite bands, AFI. We had an absolute blast and it was the most perfect sister’s night out! I didn’t have time to take outfit pics before we went to the show and by the time we got there, it was already going in full swing. Even if it weren’t, I was a sweaty mess after making the long trek to the venue from our parking spot so it was no harm no foul. I did love what I wore, though, so I wanted to make sure Johnny snapped some pics over the weekend to show all of you. Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Handkerchief Top: Japna, TJMaxx

Boyfriend Jeans: Banjara, TJMaxx

Platform Heels: Olivia Miller, Walmart

Skeleton Hand Earrings: These were a Christmas gift from my bestie!

For the AFI concert, I wanted to put together an All Black Everything OOTD which only seemed appropriate considering I am the textbook definition of an “elder emo”. This look was kind of up in the air because a show at Blossom is tricky to dress for as it is an outdoor venue. There is a lot of walking involved and you never know what the weather is going to do on a summer evening. I decided that jeans and a top would be a good compromise, especially if there was a chill in the air. But, I wanted to stay cool enough because I knew I would be dancing my ass off so my handkerchief top by Japna was the way to go. Yes, it’s cute AF but it also allowed for ventilation as I got my groove on. And, of course, I’ll take any chance I can get to show off my tattoos!

In the pantaloons department, I selected my boyfriend jeans by Banjara. I simply adore the relaxed fit, distressing, and the huge rhinestones for a bedazzled pop. The more roomy style was also much appreciated as my sister and I hustled and bustled through the venue and it was nice to be wearing something that wasn’t clinging to my skin. I loved the silhouette created by the tight top and baggier jeans because it added some visual interest to make the eyes dance. This was further accentuated by the difference in texture of the silky top and denim jeans.

At the concert, I actually ended up wearing a pair of Nike tennies. The last time my sister and I went to a show at Blossom, the platforms I had on ended up breaking on our way to the venue. I was SO not trying to repeat that again! These pics were shot at home, however, so I could wear whatever shoes I wanted and couldn’t wait to break out my new pastel pink platforms by Olivia Miller. The unexpected sweet as sugar hue made for such a fun touch! Finally, it was onto earrings and I popped on a pair of dangly skeleton hands from my bestie. With that, I was concert ready – albeit several days after the fact!

I felt like a star in my Concert Cutie OOTD and it was just right for a summer evening out. I stayed cool and comfortable the whole time and had the best time with my big sis!

What was the last concert you went to? What is your favorite concert venue in your neck of the woods? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug8

Cute Jumpsuit OOTD

Posted on August 8, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! Johnny and I went on some fantastic outings this past weekend and we had the best time. Whenever we can go on a date together is a special occasion and I always want to look the part for it. Amazing company and a great outfit can turn the most ordinary date like a dinner out into something extraordinary. Johnny and I really do revel in a night out and just like me, he dresses to impress too! For date night, I put together a little look with an adorable jumpsuit. Oddly enough, Johnny had a dream the night before that we went on a date to a concert and I wore a jumpsuit. We are so in sync, even in our dreams! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Jumpsuit: Japna, TJMaxx

Floral Platforms: Qupid, TJMaxx

Butterfly Sunglasses: A Signature Antiques

Pink Snake Cuff Bracelet: Betsey Johnson

Blue Snake Cuff Bracelet: I got this at the zoo forever ago lol

The large gold cuff is from Aerie and the stud earrings are from PacSun – both purchased when I was in high school!!

One style of clothing that I absolutely love is the jumpsuit. They are such a simple piece but so effective in creating a stand out outfit. The only problem with jumpsuits are that they are definitely made with people over five foot one in mind! I cannot tell you the amount of jumpsuits I have tried on at TJMaxx that were perfect – minus the fact that about one foot in leg length would have to be removed. It was certainly a stroke of good luck when I found the Japna jumpsuit seen above that I could just make work with an uber tall pair of platforms!

For mine and Johnny’s date night, we were going to do dinner and a movie. I’m not sure why I instantly thought of my jumpsuit (Maybe it was from Johnny’s dream!), but I thought it would be a comfortable option for reclining in a movie theater after a meal. We didn’t end up going to the movie after the fact of the outfit being styled and I stuck with it anyways. The canvas hued linen screams summer and I can’t get enough of the stitch details and bustier button up top. It is truly a summer staple and exactly what I needed for a balmy evening on the town.

Since the top and bottom of this OOTD were accounted for, it was time for shoes and accessories. For shoes, I went with a pair of pink floral print platforms by Qupid. These were a must for the added height and gave a sweet peek-a-boo pop of pink with every step. For accessories, I chose a pair of stud earrings because I didn’t want a dangly pair to overshadow the length of my neck. When you are a petite gal, you always have to think about accentuating your length – especially when you’re in something with a lot of fabric like a jumpsuit. Rather than necklaces or earrings, I accessorized with some funky cuff bracelets and was ready for a date night with my main squeeze!

This Cute Jumpsuit OOTD was a cinch to style and a joy to wear. I was literally in the outfit of Johnny’s dreams and it had him doing a quadruple take. I’ll take it!

What is your favorite summer wardrobe staple? What is your perfect date night outfit? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul30

Brick By Brick OOTD

Posted on July 30, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! Today, we are going to take a look at what I wore to the Brick Convention. An event centered around Lego means fun, fun, fun and I wanted an outfit to match. And, yes, the look you are about to see is delightfully reminiscent of my Simply Sassy OOTD – thanks for noticing lol. But, hey, if it’s not broken don’t fix it! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Snakeskin Tie Back Top: Japna, TJMaxx

Paint Splatter Pants: Premise, TJMaxx

Speech Bubble Heels: LFL, TJMaxx

Cuff/Chain Bracelet: Allsaints, TJMaxx

I have no idea where the earrings are from and the other bracelet is from Claire’s!

When I began styling my Brick By Brick OOTD, I had a few things that needed to be accomplished. The look had to be comfortable because we would be doing a lot of walking. And, of course, it had to be cute! I wanted something punchy and exciting to match the joy of Lego and my first thought went to my paint splatter pants by Premise. They gave all of the Jason Pollock vibes and I liked that they had a nod to an art form because Lego builds are art in themselves.

With the selection of the Premise pants, the rest of the OOTD was really easy to style because I don’t own much that would work with them. While patterned pants are a ton of fun, they can also be somewhat of a hindrance. Everything you own isn’t going to go with them as if they were a pair of blue jeans. With minimal options, I went with my snakeskin patterned tie back top by Japna. I was well aware that this was very similar to a previously styled look and I was okay with that, especially because the pattern on pattern gave a nice visual interest boost.

With the base of the outfit quickly settled, it was time for shoes and accessories. For shoes, I chose one of my many LFL speech bubble heels with the sentiments of “Blah, blah, blah”. These electric blue heels have such a wow factor and the cheeky phrase added that touch of playfulness I wanted. Not only did they fit the look, but they were also very comfortable and I could have walked around all day in them. Maybe not on the gravel we had to walk on to get to the convention, but definitely flat surfaces. 😀

Finally, it was time for accessories. To add some movement, I selected dangly earrings with turquoise crosses. I couldn’t tell you where I got them, but I love them lol. It was also a welcome pop of color around my face since the established palette was black and white. Then, I slipped on a few statement bracelets and I was SO ready to get my brick on!

Although I might not be a master at Lego builds, I am a formidable OOTD builder. This look was perfect for the Brick Convention and I know so – I was getting compliments left and right!

What is something that you are good at? What are some of your favorite Lego memories? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May4

Simply Sassy OOTD

Posted on May 4, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to the second look of my double OOTD week! My weekends have been less than relaxing for a while now and I knew I wouldn’t have had the time to do an OOTD shoot this past Saturday. So, I decided to change things up when I had a light workload last Thursday morning by doing my hair and makeup and taking pictures once I got home. This worked out really well for me and I am going to try to stick to that schedule to give me one less thing to worry about once the weekend rolls around.

The second outfit I shot didn’t come out as accordingly to plan as the first one did, but that’s okay because I ended up loving it! This look was put together on the fly and sometimes that’s the best way to go. Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Snakeskin Tie Back Top: Japna, TJMaxx

Retro Straight Leg Pants: Sincerely Jules, TJMaxx

Speech Bubble Heels: LFL, TJMaxx

Gold Hoop Earrings: Argentino Vivo, TJMaxx

Additional accessories are from Claire’s, American Eagle Outfitters, and Target

My original plan for this outfit was to style something to wear to the Cleveland botanical gardens, which I would love to go to this summer. My bestie, Cliff, let me borrow one of my favorite button down tops of his that featured jewel tone dried flowers for the pattern and I was excited to wear it. However, it just wasn’t happening once it was on. My husband is tall, but Cliff is even taller and I was swimming in his shirt no matter what I did to try and make it better. Since the look I had in mind crumbled to pieces, I ended up winging it!

I still wanted to wear my slacks by Sincerely Jules since they are brand new and began building my outfit from there. These pants are very different than anything I own and I think that’s why I like them so much, despite their simplicity. They fit perfectly and hug my body in all of the right places without being too tight. After surveying myself in the mirror with them on, I decided that they could work for a date night rather than a date day and the rest of the look came easily once I had an occasion in mind.

The Sincerely Jules pants were an ideal neutral and it gave me free reign to pair them with pretty much whatever. To invoke some date night sex appeal, I chose my snakeskin patterned tie back top by Japna. When I tried my pants on in the fitting room, I definitely pictured them more for work and daytime wear. It wasn’t until I put the top on that I realized they could be used for a night out too because I thought I looked slammin! I loved how my tattoos popped against the palette I created and the peek a boo cutouts at the waist and back added that date night flare that I was looking for.

For shoes, I chose an adorable pair of speech bubble heels by LFL for an extra dose of sass. These shoes are just pure fun and further enhanced the night on the town vibe. The pants also covered up the low-ish ankle strap on the heels to give me a seamless leg line and add some length. As much as I love these shoes, I rarely get to wear them because the ankle strap can be problematic so this was a nice bonus for me! They also introduced a new texture among the sheen of the top and cloth pants and we all know that mixing textures appropriately is a great way to make the eyes dance!

After the base of my OOTD was settled, it was time to accessorize. I didn’t want to go overboard with jewelry since a fair amount of my tattoos were visible so I kept things simple. I went with my favorite pair of Argentino Vivo hoops to add some movement as the clothing was more form fitting. Then, I put on a few statement rings and bracelets for a blingy pop without being distracting and called it a day. 😀

Although this is not what I had in mind at all for my second outfit, I am beyond happy with how my Simply Sassy OOTD turned out! I felt so good and confident in this look and I can definitely picture myself wearing it for a night out with Johnny!

Do you plan outfits or wing them? What was something that you thought would look really good and didn’t end up working? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr25

New Japna Jumpsuit

Posted on April 25, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! Last Tuesday, I enjoyed some much needed retail therapy and had a blast finally spending my Christmas gift cards from TJMaxx. I mainly needed odds and ends like birthday gifts and skin care, but I did manage to find two new pieces of spring clothing that I am loving. Today, we are going to take a closer look at an amazing jumpsuit I found by Japna – the last one on the rack! 😀 Let’s get to it:

I have been a huge fan of the jumpsuit theory for forever. However, in practice as a shorter gal, it has always left me disappointed. At barely over 5’1, ninety-nine percent of the jumpsuits that I have tried left me swimming in them. The other one percent featured other no go’s like random cutouts or a plunging neckline, which does nothing for me either. I had all but given up on finding a jumpsuit that would suit me best, but patience is virtue because this one by Japna is perfect.

What first drew me to this jumpsuit when I saw it was the color. While I often rock bold shades, this piece was bold enough in its shape alone and the crisp linen hue wouldn’t battle against all of my tattoos but enhance them. I also was liking the bustier style top with the gathered back because that style tends to agree with me. On the rack, this jumpsuit had everything that I was looking for, but the true test would come in the fitting room. This could be the best jumpsuit in the world and that would mean nothing if the length was dragging a foot below my feet!

As you probably already guessed because I purchased this jumpsuit, the length was not an issue whatsoever. In bare feet, it fell right at the ground and that is nothing that a killer pair of platforms can’t fix! The shape on my body was also exactly what I was hoping for. The more form fitting top against the breezy pants still offered definition, which is very important because it established a silhouette without having to resort to a belt at the waist.

Another major bonus of this jumpsuit is the extra slip of fabric falling from the waist to the lower thigh, respectively. This was great because I have tried on several jumpsuits that didn’t offer that and the visible panty lines were out of control. I was actually pretty worried about this before I tried it on because you could potentially see undies under the light colored fabric. Happily, this was not a problem and my new jumpsuit checked off every single one of my requirements. It’s like it was made for me!

I cannot wait to wear this fun little number ASAP and I think that it will be one of my staples this spring and summer. I love the ease of this jumpsuit because you basically just have to slip it on and go. Pair with platforms and a huge floppy hat and you have yourself an OOTD, baby! Keep it posted for more from my TJMaxx Haul tomorrow! 🙂

How do you feel about jumpsuits? What is a style of clothing that you love but haven’t had any luck finding? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb7

TJMaxx Winter Haul: Japna Tie Back Top

Posted on February 7, 2022 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome back to my TJMaxx Winter Haul! Today, we are going to be discussing a top by Japna that is, admittedly, not appropriate for winter at all but I can’t wait to rock it come warm weather. This new top is identical in shape to one of my favorite purchases from Altar’d State so I knew that it would be a winner when I saw it. And, if it wasn’t, it would have been no harm no foul because it was only seven bucks on clearance! Check it out:

When first trying on a top like my new Japna one during my Altar’d State haul, I wasn’t so sure about it:

My main fear about this kerchief style top was that it would be too much skin, too much bra strap, and that it wouldn’t be flattering in the slightest. So, imagine my surprise when I was in the Altar’d State fitting room and it worked perfectly. The tie back covered up the back of my bra completely, it wasn’t too revealing in the midriff, and best of all – it showcased all of the tattoos on my back that never get seen.

This top was one of my absolute faves to wear last summer and I have been on the hunt for more like it ever since. I never had any luck finding a similar top until my past TJMaxx haul and I was So. Freaking. Excited. about it. Not only was it the same shape but it was black and snakeskin patterned which made it EVEN BETTER! 😀

As you all know, I love snakeskin anything and everything so I felt like I won the lottery when I found this little Japna number for under ten bucks. As soon as warm weather hits, it is so on and I might just alternate between it and my Altar’d State top all summer long. Not really, but I am pretty stoked about it lol.

Pairing my Japna top with my black shorts from American Eagle Outfitters and my new Barbie pink platforms (Which you will see soon!) will definitely be the move. To accessorize, multiple bracelets, huge sunglasses, and a big tote bag are a must. Can it be summer now or?

What is your favorite animal print? What is your ideal summertime outfit? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul7

Green With Envy Japna Top

Posted on July 7, 2018 by lifewithlilred

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Hi everyone and happy weekend! After shopping beauty during my last TJMaxx haul, it was all about trying to find a pretty new top to wear for Fourth Of July festivities. Out of the buttload of looks that I tried on, I finally settled on this gorgeous deep green peek a boo top by Japna. Take a look:

I. Freaking. LOVE this little number. From the forest green color and the black and white vertical stripes to the flutter sleeves and peek a boo back – this top is totally perfect. And, how cute is the above the booty bow that tightens and loosens the shirt? The answer is: VERY. 😀

Fifty shades of green is my absolute favorite color to wear. It looks amazing with my pale skin and red hair and it definitely is one of my go to colors that isn’t black. I also am a huge fan of the little skin surprise on the back to show off all of my tattoos. The flutter sleeves add a touch of sweet to the sex appeal of this crop top and the overall look is very flattering. And, you can’t beat a thirteen dollar price tag!

What is your favorite color to wear? How would you style this top? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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