Heyyy there and a happy Tuesday evening to all of you! So yesterday my sister, Kristen, texted me with an ominous picture of a cardboard box saying that she got me a present. I was so curious about what she gifted me with and as soon as she was home I ripped the box open to find this gorgeous new mirror:
Kristen told me that when she saw this while out shopping she just “had to” get it for me…She knows me all too well! I have a deep love for all things Egyptian – if you’re familiar with my site then you’ll know I have a big Isis tattoo piece on my side. So needless to say, I was simply thrilled when I saw this unique home decor piece! I decided to hang my mirror above my jewelry department in my closet boutique so I have a perfect view of what necklace and earrings to wear with each outfit. You can see the new home for my mirror in my featured image photo.
I am so thankful for all of the amazing treats and gifts that Kristen surprises me with. I’m thankful for the times when we lay in bed snuggling or are going out and about to run errands. I’m thankful for any time that we spend together because I know that it’s time spent with my best friend. I hate to brag, but I really do have the best sister ever! ❤
I hope all of you are having a wonderful rest of your day and make sure you tune in for Woman Crush Wednesday: Anne Hathaway Edition tomorrow! Who else has a sibling that’s your best friend? Does anyone else have a love for Egyptian everything? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Helloooo everyone and welcome to the newest edition of If The Shoe Fits – Vera Wang style! If you’re familiar with lifewithlilred in the slightest, then you’ll know that I talk about these shoes a lot. My Vera Wang black lace up wedges are the epitome of “old faithful”. As you can see by the following pics, they’ve had a bit of wear and tear to them BUT they’re still fabulous! Let’s discuss:
Like many of my shoes in my wardrobe boutique, my Vera Wang’s are from Kohl’s. But unlike many of the pieces in my footwear collection, these babies have been with me for years – well over five, I believe. I’ve had a lot of amazing moments in these shoes and some not so good ones, but no matter the mood at least I know that my wedges looked awesome every time! Now let’s talk about the story behind my OFFF (Old Faithful Fabulous Friend):
So if my Vera’s are five-ish years old, then that means that I was sweet sixteen when I got them. I can picture young Lil Red ambling through the Kohl’s shoe department right now. What attracted my sixteen year old self to these shoes? What made my teenage self say “these are the ones that I’m going to love and cherish until the end of time”? Knowing that my attitude about personal style has been the same since I could dress myself, I’m guessing I loved these wedges because they were unique. I know for a fact that I didn’t have any pairs like it in my collection at the time, so I knew that I had to have it. Like everything in my closet, these Vera’s had the edgy rocker vibe that I yearn for in whatever I buy and I knew that I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t purchase them and become their new mother immediately. #motheroftheyear
Once my Vera Wang’s were safely in my possession, they became my go to shoes for everything. School, concerts, hanging out with friends, work, running errands, dates, going grocery shopping, going to auditions – literally anything you could imagine a sixteen year old doing, I was probably doing it in these wedges….Uhhh….Anyways, they were my favorite and they are still my favorite to this day. I feel invincible when I wear these shoes. Depending on what I style them with I can go from feeling sexy and dangerous to feminine and sweet in a matter of seconds. There’s seriously nothing better than having pieces in your wardrobe that give you such versatile emotions and styling options.
I wore my Vera’s every chance I could get and I wore them with every outfit you can imagine. Girly dresses, not so girly dresses, body con skirts, mini skirts, midi skirts, maxi skirts, short shorts, normal shorts, skinny jeans, leggings, slouchy but sexy pants – you name it, I’ve worn my wedges with it. There’s no denying the beauty of the shoes but they are also SO functional as well. The height of them is just right – it gives whatever you’re wearing that little extra oomph, but they’re not so high that you’re tottering around like a baby deer when you’re being a woman on the go. #perfection
What truly breaks my heart about these shoes is that they’re getting old. My darling Vera’s are becoming broken down and flimsy so I wear them very rarely now. These shoes have been my fashion lifeline for five years and counting now and I don’t think that I could ever part with them. Not only do my wedges hold a special place on my feet but they’ve left a permanent foot print on my heart as well. I’ll never forget all of the crazy times I’ve had in my beauties and I know that until the right time comes to wear my worn down wedges again, they will be holding sentinel on my shoe wall with an ever watchful eye on their beloved owner. ❤
So there you have it, the newest issue of If The Shoe Fits – Vera Wang Edition! Does anyone have a relationship to a pair of shoes similar to that of mine and my Vera Wang’s? What is your most loved pair of shoes? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Helloooo everyone and welcome to the newest Monday Update: Follow Up Edition. I’m writing this update to bring you all of the news on events that I’ve mentioned in previous posts, so let’s get to it so I can keep all of you lovelies up to date on the life of Lil Red!
In last week’s Monday Update, I mentioned that I had an audition for a play called The Boys Next Door, and unfortunately I did not get a part – but I knew I wasn’t going to. Allow me to explain. The play features only one female character so the competition was going to be stiff to begin with, but frankly, I wasn’t even considered competition. I rolled into the audition only to be surrounded by men aged forty-five and up who were trying out for the show. With most of these guys doubling my age, it’s obvious why I didn’t get a part, especially when the female character is a love interest. I’m all for an odd couple, but a pairing of a twenty-something along with someone pushing fifty just wouldn’t look right.
Despite the realization that I wasn’t going to get the part as soon as I walked into the theater, I still gave it my best shot and did very well. I made the director and the auditioners laugh and I really do think that I made a lasting impression. I’m glad that I’ve never been one to throw in the towel during situations like that because my audition was very strong, so maybe I’ll come to the director’s mind when he’s working on a show with a more suitable character for me. If a staggering age gap was not an evident issue, I think I would have been a little disappointed over not getting the part. Lucky for me, I had nothing to be sad about because I knew from the get go that being cast for the show was impossible. Regardless, it was a great experience and an awesome little audition to get me back into the spirit of entering back into the theater circuit!
If you’re familiar with my site, then you’ll know that it was my best friend, Lea’s, birthday this past week! My darling girl turned the big 2-1, so we went barhopping in Kent, Ohio to celebrate. We had the best time doing shots and throwing back fruity drinks to our hearts content. Lea had a great twenty-first birthday outing, therefore, I had a great time too. All I wanted was for her twenty-first birthday celebration to be better than mine and we definitely exceeded that goal! Take a look at how cute we are:
In other news, I have a really special post in the archives that will be published hopefully within the week featuring a ukulele strumming duo, Recipe of Life. The sweet girls of ROL, Shelby and Ariel, are a force to be reckoned with straight out of Stow, Ohio and I can’t wait for you guys to hear them! Their music is the epitome of beachy fun, so make sure you keep your eyes and ears pealed for it!
Annnnnd to conclude this Monday Update filled with exciting follow ups, I can tell you that things with my boyfriend, Kyle, are just dandy! 🙂
^^^ This basically sums up how I’m feeling, minus the cocaine. 😉
So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: Follow Up Edition! How was everyone’s weekend? What are you most looking forward to this week? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Heyyy everyone and TGIF! About a month or so ago, I wrote an article about my desire to play all of the over 8,000 songs on my iPod the entire way through on shuffle. (See: “iTunes Shuffle Challenge”) Unfortunately, I only made it to song 1,000. I seriously couldn’t handle not being able to hear my go to jams whenever I wanted, so thanks to a few of my favorite songs, the score is as follows:
Sarah: 0
iTunes Shuffle Challenge: 7496833058
Now it’s time to share with you the funky time jams that made the iTunes Shuffle Challenge triumph over Lil Red:
Wild For The Night – A$AP Rocky (ft. Skrillix, Birdy Nam Nam): Yes, the lyrics in this song are vulgar to the point that it’s almost shameful. No, I don’t care. This song is my fucking jam. Whenever I’m in the mood to blast rap music at the highest volume possible in the Little Red Love Machine (which is very often), this is my first choice. It’s so damn catchy and I have the biggest, weirdest crush on A$AP Rocky. Ain’t no shame in my game. 😉 #ihatemyself
One Time – K-Os: Oh yes, I looooove me some K-Os and “One Time” is one of my all time favorites by him. This track is so sexy it’s unreal and it’s another one of Lil Red’s go to driving jams. If you haven’t noticed already, a common theme in this post is that these songs are all ones that I like to drive to. Sue me for it. By the time I got about a month into the iTunes Shuffle Challenge, I was so over not being able to hear my favorite driving songs. Everyone has those certain tracks that put them in the best mood while driving and it was very difficult to live without them. But I digress. K-Os came out with a new album recently and I’m very excited to give it a listen…Also, give “One Time” a try. It’s the tits.
Wake Up – AWOLNATION: Obviously AWOLNATION is going to be on this list considering how much I freaking love them. (See: “AWOLNATION Concert” and “Man Crush Monday: Aaron Bruno Edition) AWOL is one of my favorite bands to drive to because their music is so fast paced and upbeat. Around song 500 on my Shuffle Challenge “Like People, Like Plastic” played and I freaked out with happiness and then spiraled into a depression because I couldn’t rock out to any more of their music. It seriously killed me. #neardeathexperiences
That Black Bat Licorice – Jack White: Once again, obviously my main man, Jack White, is going to be on this list. (See: “Man Crush Monday: Jack White Edition) I love playing anything and everything with Mr. White in it, so consider this part of the list an all inclusive blurb for all of Jack White’s past and present bands. Such a beautiful, talented, hunka hunk of burning love. I also really like the music video for this song!
Avocado, Baby – Los Campesinos!: I like this song a lot. Like a lot a lot. I’ve been a Los Campesinos! fan for years and this track is no exception. It’s cool, it’s catchy, and I play it in the Little Red Love Machine at least ten times per week. #MVP
Don’t Save Me – HAIM: Whenever I’m feeling sassy, which is very often, I loves me some HAIM. I’m a big fan of their entire album Days Are Gone and “Don’t Save Me” is probably one of my favorite tracks. I like to play HAIM when I’m in need of a heaping helping of girl power and best believe I’m singing poorly the entire time. Oh, what I wouldn’t do to be a member of that sisterhood (of the traveling pants).
Burnin’ Up – Jonas Brothers: Hahaha…haha…ha. JUDGE ME FOR IT!!! Whenever I’m driving with my sister, this is one of the songs that we like to belt at the top of our lungs. For that reason, “Burnin’ Up” was an accomplice to my iTunes Shuffle Challenge failure. You guys have no idea how hard it was to tell my big sis that she couldn’t play our JoBros anthem because I couldn’t stray away from my shuffle streak. I made a lot of musical sacrifices for the Shuffle Challenge, and not playing “Burnin’ Up” was one of the most difficult ones I had to make. #truestory
So there you have it, the tunes that turned my iTunes Shuffle Challenge into an Epic Failure. What are some of your go to driving songs? How many songs do you have on your iPod and do you think you could succeed at a Shuffle Challenge of your own? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Hellooooo everyone and welcome to another edition of If The Shoe Fits – Elle style! These are my go to Barbie shoes and a wonderful addition to my wardrobe boutique, so take a look at some more pics and then let’s discuss!
As you guys have gathered by now, I’m a big fan of shopping at Kohl’s. Many shoes in my collection have been purchased from there, including my floral print Elle heels. The first thought that came to mind when I saw these pretty babies was “Barbie” and my second thought was “I want them”. Frankly, I was shocked by my desire for the Elle’s…usually I prefer a much chunkier heel, but these were just so darn cute! I tried them on and they fit incredibly well, plus I felt like a real life fashion doll as I ambled about the shoe department, so I had to buy them, right? RIGHT!
My pair of floral heels was the first shoe that I can vividly remember thinking “I need to post these on my Facebook”. I just felt this insatiable need to show them off, so as soon as I got them home I took a picture and posted them to my page with the caption “Barbie heels <3”. One might say that my Elle’s were what ignited a love for discussing all things fashion on social media. From then on, I reveled in posting pics of my latest footwear finds and I became a subject of envy for many a gal with a passion for shoes!
Not only are these heels a source of inspiration, but they also have brought some humor into my life as well. The day after I bought my Elle’s, I decided to wear them to the mall to break them in…BIG mistake. The back of the shoes were rubbing in a way that was most uncomfortable and within twenty minutes my poor feet were bright red. With a cut forming on the back of my ankle, I knew that something needed to be done. With nothing but relieving my aching feetsies on my mind, I found the nearest bench and sat my sorry ass down. I began to dig through my purse for something, ANYTHING, that I could put in my shoe to ease the friction between the heel itself and my heel. Chapstick? No. Wallet? Negatory. Five receipts from Taco Bell? DONE. Pleased with my TBell tidings, I proceeded to stuff my shoes with the receipts and continued my shopping trip with heels full of paper proof of my love for burritos and happy feet. ❤
Now I’m not usually one to go full on girly girl with my style, but I feel like you just have to with these heels! I love wearing my Elle’s with sweet skirts and dresses paired with soft cardigans and jewelry. If you’re going to girl out, what better way to do it than with a pair of floral print Barbie heels? (Seriously, if you have a better way to do it, then I wanna know, damnit.)
So there you have it, this week’s newest issue of If The Shoe Fits – Elle Edition! Now I need your help! What shoe should I write about next? Your choices are between INC knee high riding boots or Guess army green heeled combat boots. I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Helloooo everyone and happy Hump Day! Welcome to a new edition of Woman Crush Wednesday – Helena Bonham Carter style! I am such a big fan of the stunning Miss Helena…and so is my dad, for that matter – but that’s neither here nor there. ANYWAYS, enjoy this video of one of my favorite Sweeney Todd songs starring our lovely vixen herself and then let’s discuss:
Dear Helena Bonham Carter,
Ohhhhh sweet sweet Helena, I just adore you. You truly are such a phenomenal actress and it is such a joy to watch you light up the big screen. No matter what your role is, you always seem to steal the show. What I find so inspiring about you is that you never shy away from the weird and macabre but you embrace it with so much gusto that it makes “normal” people look like the weird ones. You’re an oddball, and I mean that in the most loving way possible. All of your cute little quirks are so endearing though because they are so relateable to so many people, myself included. You are unique and proud and it makes me want to scream Sweeney Todd lyrics at the top of my lungs from my bedroom window. Not only are you insanely talented and an amazing role model, but can we please talk about your staggering good looks? Hubba hubba, woman. Your off screen looks are killer and no matter what you look like in movies I always find myself weirdly attracted to you. Btw, I’m sorry to hear about your break up with your long time love, Tim Burton, but on the bright side – that means that you and I can get married! Hurray! I LOVE YOU!!!!
^^^ Oh. My. God. I am so helplessly obsessed with that black and white picture. GORGEOUS!
So there you have it, this weeks Woman Crush Wednesday: Helena Bonham Carter Edition. Who is everyone’s #WCW this week? What is your favorite character that my woman crush has played? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Hellooooo everyone and happy Tuesday! Tomorrow is a very special day because it’s my darling best friend, Lea’s, 21st birthday! Lea and I have been waiting to be 21 together since our friendship began over seven years ago and now that moment is almost here! Some of my all time favorite memories have been with my sweet girl, so take a look at some cute pics and then enjoy a BFF love letter from yours truly:
Dear Lea,
Happy birthday, my pretty princess! Words can’t even describe how lucky I am to have you as my best friend. From our humble beginnings as little high school freshmen to our full on adventures as freshly turned twenty-one year olds, growing up with you by my side has been something I’m forever grateful for. I’ll never forget this one time when we were both having boy problems a year or so ago and I called you in tears. I came over to your house, we got ice cream, and we laid in bed for hours complaining about how much boys suck. But then something really cool happened – our whining turned into laughter. After we had our fill of chocolate ice cream and moping we got super silly and ended up having a blast. The fact that we can turn a not so great situation into us laughing until we cry really says a lot about our friendship. (That it’s perfect…just like us!)
Throughout our BFF saga, you have instilled such a joy for life in me that I didn’t know was possible. I am so confident that our friendship will only continue to grow and blossom and I can’t wait to see what our futures have in store for us. You are the epitome of beautiful inside and out. Not only do you have such a gorgeous heart but you’re also a real stunner too! Lucky me! 😉 I love you so much Lea, and I hope you have the best birthday in the world because you deserve nothing less! Love, Sarah ❤
I hope everyone is having an awesome day so far! Do any of you have a birthday coming up? What was your favorite birthday celebration? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! And make sure you send Miss Lea some birthday shout outs! Much love. -Sarah
Helloooo everyone and welcome to a new edition of Man Crush Monday – Alan Rickman style! I know what you guys are thinking, “but Sarah, he’s old”. Well my response to that is: I just can’t help myself, he’s a babe! Take a look at this lovely duet compliments of Mr. Rickman and Johnny Depp in Sweeney Todd and then let’s discuss my #MCM:
Dear Alan Rickman,
Oh Mr. Rickman, you handsome, brooding, baritoned man you! I am so weirdly and shamelessly attracted to you and I apologize to no one. After a Harry Potter kick with my boyfriend where we watched every single movie within a week, my passion for you was rekindled and the fire in my loins burns deep. (AYYY!) Your performance as Professor Severus Snape in the Harry Potter films was truly one for the ages. You fit the description of Professor Snape in the books so perfectly and you added on to the character with touches that were uniquely your own. No one could have played the part any better. Your acting throughout the Harry Potter films made me laugh and cry hysterically. Every time I watch the scene of your death in the final HP film, I cry like a baby – lord have mercy on a gal. And please don’t even get me started on your performance in Sweeney Todd because I could babble about your baritone for days. So instead of blathering about your sexy deep singing voice, I’ll just blather about your sexy good looks! Hubba hubba, sir. Like a fine wine, you get better with age and I’m so excited to see what your career has in store for you next. I LOVE YOU!!!!!
^^^ What a beautiful, beautiful man. BE STILL MY HEART! ❤
So there you have it, this weeks Man Crush Monday: Alan Rickman Edition! Who is your #MCM this week? What is your favorite creative endeavor by my man crush? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Hey everyone and happy Sunday! It’s time to debut a new segment on http://www.lifewithlilred.com, which is appropriately entitled “It’s In The Bag” for obvious reasons! If there’s one thing that I know every girl loves, it’s a great statement purse, and now I’m here to discuss some of my personal favorites from my wardrobe boutique with all of you! Take another look at my go to handbag and then let’s discuss:
I’m very particular about all of the pieces in my closet and purses are no exception. All of my purchases have to have just the right touches of edgy rocker chic and nothing does it better than this fab find from Charming Charlie! For those of you who are unfamiliar with CC, it’s a huge accessories store – we’re talking purses, jewelry, hats, scarves, clothing, the whole shebang. I don’t venture into Charming Charlie very often, but when I do, I always manage to find some fun new goodies!
I found my British Invasion purse during a shopping trip to Crocker Park, a gorgeous outdoor mall in Westlake, Ohio. Crocker Park offers a huge Charming Charlie that has so much cuteness it’s almost overwhelming. My (ex)friend and I entered the store and the first thing that caught my eye was my studded bag baby. Usually I’m not one to go completely gaga over a purse but I just couldn’t help myself – this one was special. I plucked the bag from the display and power walked my sweet tookus to the closest mirror possible and it truly was perfect. It felt so right flung over my shoulder or clutched in my protective hands. I remember that I was wearing all black that day (as usual) and the bag simply popped against my blank canvas of an outfit. It had to be mine.
Not only is this purse stylish but it’s also very functional, which is something that’s very important to me. When I’m in need of a new bag, the size has to be just right. I don’t want anything too big, like a hobo bag, and I can’t do anything too small either, like a clutch. My ideal purse has to have enough room to fit my wallet, car keys, cigarettes, lighter, lipstick, and any other odds and ends that I might need. My British Invasion purse fits everything comfortably and still offers additional room if I need to throw anything else in. Despite the Lil Red Approved size, I still manage to have difficulty finding my things in there…Go figure. -_-
In all honesty, I’m not a girl who’s one for designer anything, especially when it comes to purses. I’d prefer to find a unique piece that I know not everyone will have and most importantly, I prefer to find it with a reasonable price tag attached. I scored my Charming Charlie British Invasion purse for thirty dollars and to me, this is such a steal. I like to use the “cost per wear” method and the amount of times that I’ve used my bag baby has paid for itself a hundred times over. This purse is sharp, sleek, and so damn cool! I get compliments on it wherever I go and I feel awesome strutting about with its beautiful little self casually hanging over my shoulder. It’s in the bag. ❤
So there you have it, the first edition of It’s In The Bag – British Invasion Edition. Now I need your help! What purse should I write about next? Your choices are between my Betsey Johnson telephone purse or my Target animal skull satchel. I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Heyyy everyone and happy Saturday! Welcome to another edition of If The Shoe Fits – Vince Camuto style! With the fall season upon us, I thought it was the perfect time to write about my favorite cold weather booties! Take a look at some more pics of my pretty babies and then let’s discuss the story behind my Vince Camuto’s:
^^^ LOVE!
Once upon a time on Valentine’s Day of 2015, Lil Red got dumped by a guy who she liked a whole lot. I was so crushed and my heart was heavy with sadness. So what did I do? I went shopping! My mom and I hit up TJMaxx for a fuck Valentine’s Day shopping spree and I became the proud owner of my fabulous Vince Camuto booties. As I browsed through the shoe department, my eyes locked on the booties and I grabbed them immediately. They had everything that I love so very much – black, buckles, and a pointed toe. What more could a girl ask for?…Other than a date on Valentine’s Day. -___- #FML
It’s not like I’m bitter or anything……Where was I? Oh yes, so I grabbed the booties and hauled ass to the nearest bench so I could give the Vinny C’s a try and they were absolutely stellar. They fit comfortably, they looked sleek, and most importantly they made me feel a little better. Not only was I in sad girl shoe heaven BUT I was also in ballin on a budget heaven as well because I got my shoes on a marked down price of twenty-nine dolla holla. Such a steal! (And in case you weren’t aware, sad girl shoe heaven and ballin on a budget heaven are two distinctively different places.)
A lot of people argue that it’s unhealthy to have a shopping spree when they’re upset…I SAY OTHERWISE! Seriously, the only thing that made me happy during that stupid lousy holiday was buying my Vince Camuto’s. Pathetic? Maybe. Worth it? Totally. My mental health was saved by a gorgeous pair of chic, sharp, and sassy as hell ankle boots. They made me feel like I could take on the world…and the gallon of ice cream waiting for me in the freezer, but that’s neither here nor there. What I’m trying to say, is that this sexy staple shoe provided me with a confidence boost that I so desperately needed that day. They made me want to get dolled up and shoot a big fuck you text to the worst guy ever. So once again, I say: If you’re emotional, shop away!!
As I mentioned earlier, my Vince Camuto’s are my go to fall shoe. I love pairing them with my black skinnies and wearing them with a cute pair of short shorts with tights underneath. These booties scream “woman on the go” to me, so obviously they’re my default shoe to wear around campus at Tri-C. The combination of a pointed toe with edgy gold buckles is cool in such an effortless way, so it’s easy to see why I turn to these babies for all of my fall footwear needs!
So there you have it, the newest issue of If The Shoe Fits – Vince Camuto Edition! Has anyone had a shopping situation similar to the one I described? What fall shoe are you most excited to break out this season? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
