Tag Archives: layering

Simply Fall OOTD

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Simply Fall OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! The first half of October was unseasonably warm and it has finally cooled down to my perfect, happy temperature. I live for a crisp fifty to sixty degree day. I love the chill in the air but primarily, I love the fashion lol. There is nothing better to me than cozying up in a cute coat and feeling the leaves crunch beneath my feet. I have been waiting to break out my lighter fall jackets for so long and have been eagerly anticipating ALL of the OOTD shoots. Like this one! Check it out:

Houndstooth Jacket: Philosophy, TJMaxx

Sweater: Shrinking Violet, TJMaxx

Coated Skinny Jeans: Seven Jeans, TJMaxx

Heeled Boots: Olivia Miller, TJMaxx

Pinocchio Necklace: This was purchased forever ago from TJMaxx!

I have no idea where the earrings are from!

The beauty of fall OOTDs is that you can turn something basic like jeans and a sweater into something elevated by simply putting on a jacket. It can transform an entire look and it makes dressing for fall oh so fun! Elevated simplicity was the name of the game for this fit and I started with my Shrinking Violet sweater. This sweater is as old as dirt. I actually bought it to wear during my first day of college at Tri-C. I just can’t part with it though because it is so perfect. It is nice and light and just right for pairing underneath a jacket. Remember, when you are layering you want to use a thinner item with a thicker one and it was exactly what I needed for my OOTD.

Next up was the pantaloons department and I wore my sweater tucked into a high waisted pair of coated skinny jeans. These jeans added a pop of texture and sheen while providing shape to my waist as the sweater isn’t the most form fitting. The All Black Everything palette with this combination allowed me to do whatever I wanted with my coat, shoes, and accessories. A monochrome base is never going to be boring when you add a splash of color or a bold pattern to it!

In the overflowing jacket section of my closet, I chose my deep red Philosophy coat with a houndstooth pattern. This little number is so fabulously fall and is one of those coats that you can just throw on and go. I am an avid fan of houndstooth anything and couldn’t believe my good fortune to find this coat at TJMaxx in one of my favorite colors and patterns. That red was popping against the base I had established and livened up this look with a classic fall hue.

Finally, it was onto shoes and accessories. For shoes, I went with one of my favorite pairs of heeled boots by Olivia Miller. These are my go to fall boots – I love the chunky platform shape and that chunky chain across the ankle! For once, I also decided to wear a necklace. In the summer, my tattoos are out in all their glory and no accessories are needed. Fall is a different story and allows me to access my jewelry collection once more. I chose a long necklace with Pinocchio on it and it swayed and moved with every step. To match the brassy hue of the necklace, I popped on a pair of deep gold cross earrings and was ready to go!

This Simply Fall OOTD was the first fully fall look of the season for me and I felt awesome in it. I can’t wait to style more looks for the best season of all!

What is your favorite season? What is your favorite season to dress for? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Whatever The Weather OOTD

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Whatever The Weather OOTD

Hello! No matter the time of year, everyone in Ohio knows the weather to be temperamental at best. For the past several weeks, we have fluctuated between hot AF, breezy, and rainy days. Most mornings, I am freezing my nads off only to be having a hot flash by mid afternoon! For flip flop weather, the best thing that you can do when you get ready for the day is layer. Then, as the temperature changes, all you have to do is add or remove your layering pieces to your liking.

Last week, my Early Fall OOTD began the saga of the switching weather and we are going to continue on with that theme. At this current juncture, cardigans are my layering BFF. It’s not cold enough for a coat, but you definitely need something to keep you warm until the day heats up. Whatever The Weather, I know that I will be rocking all the fall fashion – my favorite! Check it out:

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Who? What? Wear?

Emerald Green Cardigan: Candie’s, Kohl’s

White Tank Top: Rachel Zoe, TJMaxx

Floral Pants: Nicole Miller, TJMaxx

Denim Platforms: Bamboo/Cape Robbin, TJMaxx

The necklace is handmade and was purchased at a vendor fair

The earrings are Lucky Brand and were a gift from my mom 🙂

Whenever I am styling an OOTD, I tend to start with one piece of clothing and build from there. In this case, I began from the bottom up in the pants department. Although I am forever partial to my black skinny jeans, I don’t want to wear them all of the time! I have many a patterned pants that deserve their day in the sort of sun and I decided to go with my floral pair by Nicole Miller. These pants were a strategic choice because they made styling SO easy. All I had to do was pull from colors that were featured in the pattern!

With something as bold as a patterned pant, it is wise to go simple for the rest of the look. Patterns on patterns can work, but they also can make for a haphazard appearance if not done properly. I don’t own anything patterned that would have even remotely gone well with my pants so I opted for a plain white tank by Rachel Zoe. Afterwards, I examined the pattern in the pants and pulled from the green in the leaves which helped me choose my emerald green cardi on top. Remember, the colors don’t have to be a perfect match – as long as they are from the same color family, you are golden.

(A little side note about the cardigan: It is old as dirt lol. I bought it when I was twenty I think? I needed business casual attire for a new job and felt oh so grown up in black slacks and the cardigan!)

Finally, it was time for accessories and shoes to complete the look. Since the top portion of my OOTD was completely plain, I added the gorgeous, feather adorned handmade necklace. It fit in beautifully with the earthy palette that I had established. Then, I put on turquoise Lucky Brand earrings to pull from the blue in the pants pattern. To create cohesion from head to toe, I went with my deep denim hued platforms to compliment the dark green on top and I was ready to go!

To end this Whatever The Weather OOTD, I will leave you with a little tongue twister we would warm up with when I did theater… Whether the weather is cold or whether the weather is hot, whatever the weather we’ll weather the weather, whether we like it or not. Try saying that five times fast!

What is your favorite jewel tone color? How do you rock patterned pants? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Early Fall OOTD

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Early Fall OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred!! The weather in Ohio is slowly making its way towards fall like temps. The mornings and evenings are chilly, but it still is getting close to the eighties during the daytime. With this fluctuation between fall and summer temps it can be hard to decide what to wear. So, I decided to create an Early Fall OOTD to make the most of the weather, whether it is warm or cool! Check it out:

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Who? What? Wear?

Ivory Sweater: Jessica Simpson, TJMaxx

Floral Crop Top: Altar’d State

High Waisted Skinny Jeans: American Eagle Outfitters

Barbie Pink Platforms: Marc Fisher, TJMaxx

The bracelet ring is from Claire’s and I have no idea where the earrings are from lol

When I began styling my Early Fall OOTD, I already had my Jessica Simpson sweater in mind. It is brand new and I couldn’t wait to wear it! A sweet sweater or cozy cardigan is also an ideal way to go when creating an outfit for a questionable temperature. All you need to do is slip it off or on at your convenience! An important thing to note about this layering piece is to make sure what you have on underneath still forms a cohesive look in case you want to take it off. The rest of the OOTD still matters even if it’s covered up at first!

With the sweater already a must for my outfit, it was onto forming the rest of the base. I pulled from the creamy color of the sweater and chose a lavender crop top with white flowers from Altar’d State. This crop top is cute as can be and is a great piece to keep cool in once the day begins to warm up. Remember when you are layering that you never want two heavy pieces together – IE a thick sweater underneath a cardigan. All this does is create width. This crop top was just right for underneath my sweater because it laid comfortably without competing in color, shape, or style.

Since the top half of this look was oh so sweet with the soft colors and florals, I wanted to edge things up with the jeans. I went with my distressed high waisted skinnies from American Eagle Outfitters to help the cause. The high waist complimented the crop top and sweater alike because its waistline hit close to where both of the hemlines ended. The huge holes in these jeans also provided some extra ventilation in case the day started getting hot!

With the base of my Early Fall OOTD settled, it was time for shoes and accessories. For shoes, I put on my Marc Fisher platforms. I thought the Barbie pink heels paired with the lavender crop top looked darling. It also matched my nails beautifully! To complete the look, I chose a pair of dangly owl earrings and my ring bracelet. I didn’t feel the need for too many pieces of jewelry since my arms were covered by the sweater for most of the day. I also didn’t want to take away from that fabulous square neckline on the crop top!

The beginning of fall is the time to give those summer clothes a final hurrah and I consider that mission accomplished for my Early Fall OOTD. This blended look of seasons was exactly what I needed to keep me both warm and cool throughout the day!

When do you put your summer clothes away for the season? What is your favorite sweater or cardigan like? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

A Day At The Zoo OOTD

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A Day At The Zoo OOTD

Hello!! Last weekend, I was surprised with a text from my sister asking if I’d like to join her and my nieces at the Akron Zoo. Spending time with Kristen, Val Gal, and Raya is the absolute best so I jumped at the opportunity. It was also free admission for Community Day and you can’t beat that! We had a wonderful afternoon exploring the zoo and I had a blast spoiling my best girls with lots of treats. Of course, I couldn’t step out without showing out so I put together this little OOTD:

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Who? What? Wear?

My sister and nieces always look darling so ol’ TT had to match their energy! I purchased the Sincerely Jules vest during my last TJMaxx haul and had been dying to break it out. I think that it is such a fun and unique piece and is perfect for some fall outings. When I am building outfits, I tend to select one focal point item and continue on from there. Once you have a staple picked out, it is much easier to style a look around it, which was definitely the case with my vest.

For this OOTD, I chose to keep the color palette minimal with surprise pops of color, which I thought added a cool retro touch to the vest. Originally, I had my New Moon, Who Dis? T-shirt dress on under the vest but I was afraid that it might be too cold for bare arms. To rectify this, I simply added my Shrinking Violet sweater on underneath the dress and I am glad that I did – it was a beautiful but very brisk day!

As a side note, remember that when you are layering items, you have to be careful with the fit of the clothes. For example, the T-shirt dress was loose while the sweater was tighter fitting and that made it an ideal layering combination. Two form fitting pieces or two looser ones just doesn’t have the same effect so go for opposites in fit and you will be a layering master.

ANYWHO, with the base of my outfit settled, it was time to accessorize. My vest has a menswear fit and the dress didn’t offer a distinct shape so the obvious choice was to add a belt. Surprisingly, I only have one belt in my clothing collection and it worked just fine. The quirky apple clasp is so cheeky and cute while, most importantly, accentuating my waistline.

Tights were also a must and I went with my favorite Urban Outfitters fishnets. These gemstone tights are simply the best and I get compliments on them whenever I wear them. I also liked that they showed a bit of skin since the rest of my body was covered up. To continue with the embellished theme, I chose my Chase + Chloe loafers. The jewels on the tights flowed seamlessly into the studs and spikes on the shoes while also enhancing a more color blocked look.

I haven’t received so many compliments on an outfit in a while and your girl was feeling her damn self. As a whole, this OOTD is bold and screams “look at me”. But that’s not all there is to it. The closer you look, the more you see all of the unique touches that are essential to my personal style. From the corset style laces at the bottom of the dress to being able to see my tattoos through the fishnets, there was visual interest everywhere. Remember, you always want to make the eyes of whomever is looking at you dance and this OOTD achieved that to the T.

My Day At The Zoo was just what I needed to lift my spirits and how could it not? It’s a wonder what good company and good fashion can do for the soul! ❤

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

Altar’d State Haul

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Altar’d State Haul

Hello everyone! Tomorrow we will be wrapping up my Altar’d State Haul with a gorgeous black and white summer dress. And, today, we are going to be taking a look at a mini skirt of the same color palette that might look familiar to you because I got it in lavender too! Let’s get to it:

If you recall, I purchased a matching top for a paired set with the lavender skirt but, unfortunately, there was no crop top to be found for my white skirt. There was also no size small, either, so I opted for a medium instead. While it doesn’t fit as snugly as the small one in lavender, which makes it a true bodycon skirt, the medium still fits me comfortably with a little extra flounce to it. The additional wiggle room will make layering with the white skirt much easier come cooler weather with a tucked in shirt and tights.

Like all of the ladies in my family, when I find something I like that has multiple colors available, I tend to buy a few of them. It’s nice to have options in a piece that you already know you love, which is why I just had to buy my white floral skirt too! I know I am going to have such fun styling this skirt and it will be a totally different experience from the lavender one because of the size difference and not having an option for a matching top.

Sadly, I couldn’t find the top for a pair set in white on Altar’d State’s website but, for now, a black crop top, jean jacket, and a sweet pair of summer wedges will work just fine!

How do you keep your clothes looking brand new? Do you like to buy different colors in a much loved piece? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Pro Tips For A Spring Wardrobe Revamp

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Pro Tips For A Spring Wardrobe Revamp

Hello! I consider myself a seasonal shopper and enjoy upgrading my wardrobe with a few new pieces as the seasons change. Unfortunately, I wasn’t really able to show off my fall and winter TJMaxx haul in public because pandemic. However, with spring just around the corner and the promise of socially distanced outdoor hang outs, now is the time to give your wardrobe a boost so you can step out for the first time in ages in style. Consider the following tips as you revamp your wardrobe for spring:

Do Some Pre-Shopping:

Prior to browsing online, I always like to go through my closet and see what I already have before I add onto it. You can only have so many floral dresses and light jackets so evaluating what you have beforehand will allow you to purchase pieces that will stand out more in your wardrobe. I also do a lot of window shopping online before I commit to anything to get a feel of what trends and colors are going to be hot for the season. Mid February is a great time to do some pre-shopping, especially since full spring collections typically don’t drop until the end of the month or early March.

Set A Budget:

Once I have a good idea of what I will need from pre-shopping in my closet, I like to make a list of pieces that I would like as well as set a budget that I am comfortable with. Setting a budget is a wise thing to do before seasonal shopping because you don’t need a whole new wardrobe. Rather, just a few new pieces to freshen things up. You can leave a little wiggle room for a find that you simply can’t live without just don’t blow your entire budget on one extravagant purchase!

Keep Statement Accessories In Mind:

Spring is one of the best seasons to accessorize for and you can completely transform a look with one statement accessory. Accessory shopping tends to be cheaper than purchasing brand new clothes and if you like what you already have in your closet, then it is a great way to go for a wardrobe revamp. Think bold necklaces, patterned tights, floppy hats, floral fashion scarves, and pastel hued purses. Don’t forget a soft shawl or cardigan to layer with for chillier days.

Come Up With A Color Palette:

Warmer weather encourages a brighter color palette and while pre-shopping in your closet, it is also important to consider what colors your wardrobe is lacking. I, for example, prefer clothing in a darker color – so much so that I never really realized how much fun it is to experiment with clothing in pink, white, yellow, and green. Incorporating shades that you have never worn before or shy away from will quickly revamp your wardrobe so come up with your own spring palette and give it a try. The worst that can happen is you not liking it!

Updating your wardrobe never has to break your bank – especially if you follow the tips above. Set your budget, snag some statement pieces and, like the beautiful flowers of spring, your wardrobe will blossom too!

Which colors are in your spring palette? What is your favorite season to shop for? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Spice Up Your Look With These Fashion Tips

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Spice Up Your Look With These Fashion Tips

When you pick your outfit in the morning – you get a chance to think, for just one moment, what you would like to say to the world. First impressions are everything, right? Well, the first thing we see is the clothes on each other’s backs. If fashion is a language, then it speaks to each and every one of us individually. Trends come in and out of the limelight, but the potential for great style (to use, reuse, and repurpose trends) exists in everyone. There are many styles and fashion choices out there and each style is valid.

If you want to wear a T-shirt and ripped jeans every day, then that’s your style! If you like to wear dresses and skirts with a flowy blouse, go for it! Regardless of who makes your clothes or where they came from, you can take any outfit from lukewarm to sizzling with these easy fashion tips:

Color:

There’s a sensual pull to the darker side like blacks, grays, or browns but nothing beats a gorgeous pop of color to pull the eye here and there! Consider the season: pretty pastels in the spring, bright, vivid colors in the summer sunshine, the warm and down-to-earth tones of autumn, and the cool, frosty colors of winter.

Depending on the season, you can really make a splash with the color palette of your wardrobe. Nothing says fashion quite like an understanding of how your wardrobe fluctuates with the season, shorts and billowing tops in the summer, boots and scarves under the falling leaves in autumn.

When you’re piecing together your outfit for the day, think of the components of your closet that can really set off an outfit. A warm lattice scarf can take an outfit from blah to Pinterest worthy in a second. If you don’t trust your eye, Pinterest and fashion magazines are a great place to glean inspiration for your future outfits. Don’t focus on the models – only on the clothes that draw your eye!

Layers:

When it comes to layering, you need to keep color, texture, proportion, and style in mind. Maybe you are a Chummy Tees T-shirt and jeans type of person, and the only time you’ve layered anything is deciding which jacket to throw on over your casual outfit. This is a great place to start!

A comfy flannel thrown over a simple outfit or tied around the waist suddenly makes you look like a trend-setter. Layering in fashion is an art form, and you want to keep the outfit balanced. If you layer too much, with too many contrasting pieces, then your outfit is sure to look busier than Times Square at rush hour. Try to have fun with the different styles in your closet.

It’s important to also determine your color palette before you begin. Black and white, gold and burgundy, or camel and blue are great palettes to begin with. It entirely depends on the look you want to achieve – comfy chic, edgy glam, Audrey Hepburn, or bohemian are some styles to consider when glancing through your wardrobe.

Once you have your colors, determine your textures. Maybe you want to accentuate that silk scarf you bought or the knit gloves jammed in the back of your drawer. These textures combined with a simply layered outfit and a little forethought are sure to catch the attention of just about anyone.

Match your accessories:

Who doesn’t love a color coordinated outfit? Accessories are everything when it comes to style. If you can pair an outfit with some matching sunglasses, an exquisite bracelet, a skinny belt, or a one-of-a-kind Etsy accessory – do it. This will make your outfit stand out, even if it’s just a small trip to the store.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re also living in a day and age of face mask fashion! You can’t go wrong with a little bit of glam or an accessory made from recycled materials (if you’re a green fashion-forward individual). The possibilities are endless when it comes to all of the accessories at your disposal!

Fun socks:

Have you ever been delighted to see a pair of funky and fun socks poking out from your friend or colleagues’ shoes? A pair of cute, checkered socks or maybe some dancing penguins is enough to brighten your day!

A pair of fun socks is a quirky way to make an outfit stand out in the crowd, especially if your pants are tailored just enough to show a balanced amount of fabric. It’s your choice to show off exactly what you want; a tuck, fold, or stretch can go a long way with something as simple as socks.

Statement pieces:

You might have some outrageous pieces of clothes floating around your closet that have made you wonder if you’ll ever take it off the hanger. Perhaps you’ve wondered if you’re bold enough to pull off this particular piece of clothing or you’ve been waiting for the right time to bust it out. If you have found yourself in this predicament, you have found yourself a statement piece!

A statement piece could be anything from a glamorous faux fur coat to a pair of red cowboy boots and they are important pieces to have in your closet. Your statement pieces might take up some room on your clothes rack, but they can be the perfect way to elevate an outfit. A funky sweater or a unique patterned jacket can add personality and flare to your look. A statement piece is your way to be playful, tastefully bold, or sexy. The choice is yours!

Wear what makes you comfortable, happy. and confident, and don’t let anyone tell you anything differently. Your fashion belongs to you alone. ❤

Featured Image By: Pexels

Fall Is In The Air OOTD

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Fall Is In The Air OOTD

Hi! Today, I would like to present a very special OOTD article with pictures compliments of my dear friend, Markus, who has graced lifewithlilred in two previous posts. With autumn in full swing in good ol’ Ohio, we decided that it was high time to hit up Hinkley Park and have some fall fun by exploring the beautiful grounds and having a photo shoot adventure. Working with Markus is always a blast and he gives me exactly what I’m looking for every time.

With this look, I wanted to create a classic fall outfit that is perfect for wandering around the last few farmer’s markets of the season or taking a stroll downtown with the fallen leaves and branches crunching beneath your feet. This look seen below is quite simple but the bold chartreuse sweater with the stark white contrast creates a statement and an outfit that will be easy for all of you to replicate. Take a look:

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Who? What? Wear?

What I love the most about styling outfits for fall is all of the possibilities that come with it. From creating visual interest through layering as well as all of the cute cold weather accessories, my closet literally runneth over with options to keep myself warm and chic all fall long. To some, layering is a scary feat but practice makes perfect and when done right, it takes a fairly simple look into a head turning ensemble. Now, let Lil Red get you right.

The key to good layering comes with a close evaluation of two things. 1) The heaviness of the piece. And 2) The material that it is made out of. You never want to layer two items of equal thickness with each other, because it makes for a very bulky silhouette. Rather, you take something with contrasting levels of warmth to keep yourself from looking like a marshmallow.

For example, the Cynthia Rowley sweater that I chose is of medium heaviness. It is definitely thicker but I wouldn’t call it a chunky sweater because it still provides some degree of a shape. Knowing this, I opted for a thinner jacket to tie the look together. The tan Lucky Brand topper jacket paired marvelously with the bold hue of my sweater and it was fitted enough that any slouchiness on the bottom layer was camouflaged. It was also an optimal coat to use because, while it was quite chilly the morning of the shoot, it warmed up as the sun came out and it was easy to slip off once it became unnecessary.

Another important thing to remember when layering is the material of the pieces you are going to use. You don’t want to wear the same material for each layering piece because that will also lead to a heavy look that isn’t the most flattering. It is better to create texture with your look so, instead of pairing a coat with a sweatshirt style fabric over my sweater, I opted for the sleek faux fur topper jacket. The slinky material over the sturdier fabric of the sweater gave me a lovely shape, provided visual interest, and kept me warm just through effective layering.

One final word about layering is to not forget about your bottom half to prevent looking too top heavy. I always prefer a skinny jean, anyways, but it is definitely the way to go when layering. You also want to sport a killer pair of shoes (Flaming platforms, perhaps?!) so that your look doesn’t just stop at your top half. You want your entire OOTD to be cohesive and that’s sometimes easy to forget when you’re focused on layering!

I love my Fall Is In The Air OOTD and styling your own Lil Red inspired look will be a snap. Choose your favorite bold sweater, a thinner jacket on top, your skinniest pair of jeans, and an awesome pair of chunky boots and you’re all set!

What are some of your tips and tricks when it comes to layering? How do you rock a statement sweater? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

New Kyodan Sleeveless Hoodie

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New Kyodan Sleeveless Hoodie

Hello! I had a really lovely Saturday this past weekend. My mom, sister, and I went out to lunch and then we went shopping at TJMaxx and HomeGoods. We had a lot of fun and it proved to be a fruitful trip to TJs. For the past month or so, I have been trying to incorporate some more tops into my wardrobe and I finally have had some success. The second top can be seen tomorrow. But, for now, check out this New Kyodan Sleeveless Hoodie that I am obsessed with:

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  • Original Price: $42
  • TJMaxx Price: $20

Athletic apparel that can double as normal clothing is very in as of late. And it’s sure hard to escape seeing all of the work out garb when New Year’s Resolutions are still being pushed in stores. I have wanted a tank top hoodie for a while now, but haven’t been able to find just the right one.

I normally don’t go for anything too plain while shopping but, in this instance, that was exactly what I needed. I wanted the sleeveless hoodie to layer well over different tops and that wouldn’t happen if it was a loud pattern or color. I always prefer black clothing and, in this case, I super preferred black clothing because this half priced Kyodan tank hoodie is perfect.

I am so excited to be able to throw this over a tank, crop top, or T-shirt. But, I am really looking forward to pairing this over classic button downs or long sleeved shirts for a comfy cool look that is still work appropriate. I like that this hoodie doesn’t look like I’m about to go for a work out while wearing it, but I definitely could if I wanted to! Either way, it is sure to look just sporting wherever I go. See what I did there?! 😉

How would you style a tank hoodie? How do you mix athletic gear into your every day outfits? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah