Tag Archives: maxxinista

Apr14

Pop Of Pink OOTD

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Pop Of Pink OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! I am finally back and better than ever on my OOTD game and it has been so much fun to put together photos for the ol’ blog and videos for my new TikTok. I have been trying to shoot at least once a week as per my blogging goal and it feels great to be achieving that after falling off the wagon for a bit. Take a look see at my fashion creation from this past week and be sure to check out the video too on TikTok – @lilred6794 !! Now, let’s get to it:

Who? What? Wear?

Button Down Top: Lauren Conrad, Kohl’s

Skinny Jeans: 1822 Denim, TJMaxx

Platform Heels: Marc Fisher, TJMaxx

Purse: Anne Klein, TJMaxx

Sunglasses: Lucky Brand, TJMaxx

I’m pretty sure the earrings are from Target!

As I was going through my mental Rolodex of spring clothing, I locked in on the adorable embroidered button down by Lauren Conrad. This shirt is old AF but I still remember the high of that purchase from Kohl’s fondly because it was on clearance for five dollars. You can’t beat that!! This top is spring to the T. I love the gauzy material that provides so much pretty movement and the embroidered birds and flowers are the perfect spring pattern. The pink in the flowers also provided me with the ideal pastel hue to pull from as I accessorized the look.

Brand new black skinny jeans by 1822 Denim were definitely the move for this look so it was onto shoes and accessories. As per my pop of color selection, I paired this fit with a darling pair of Barbie pink platforms by Mark Fisher. These heels are sweet as can be and I am always so excited to bust out the platforms again as they are my favorite style of shoe for spring and summer. In terms of jewelry, I didn’t want to crowd the look so I simply put on a pair of dangly crosses. I completed this fit by slinging my beautiful Anne Klein purse (A Christmas gift from my in laws!) over my arm. Even though all of the pinks in this look aren’t a perfect match, that’s okay. They were close enough and that was good enough for me for this fit that is just right for a spring day!

This Pop Of Pink OOTD is a simple spring look that can be easily replicated and my flowy LC shirt from the archives had me feeling like a Spring Fling Queen!

What are you looking forward to wearing as the weather warms up? What are some of your blogging goals? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr11

Double Date OOTD

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Double Date OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! This past Friday, Johnny and I enjoyed a fabulous Double Date with my bestie and her boyfriend. We hit up our favorite Mexican restaurant and a wonderful time was had by all. Of course, I had to put together a fun little fit for the occasion. It was simple and nothing major but I loved how it turned out! Take a look:

Who? What? Wear?

Moto Jacket: Silence + Noise, this was a hand me down from my sister!

Tank Top: Rachel Zoe, TJMaxx

Skinny Jeans: 1822 Denim, TJMaxx

Boots: Formentini, TJMaxx

Earrings: Bella Jack, TJMaxx

Sunglasses: Lucky Brand, TJMaxx

As a forever emo kid, I always have All Black Everything OOTDs on my mind and that was what I was in the mood for for our night on the town. It was a fairly nice evening that only required a light jacket and the first thing that came to mind was a hand me down moto jacket from my sister. Funnily enough, Johnny wanted to wear it that night too because he claims it’s “his” but I got to it first! What’s that old saying about the early bird and the moto jacket again?

From there, all that was left to do was complete the base of the look with obvious choices. I put on one of my favorite tank tops by Rachel Zoe that I recently got reunited with during a bout of spring cleaning. I truly thought I lost it and it feels so good to wear it again! Then, I got to break out a fresh new pair of black skinny jeans by 1822 Denim. I have to get at least one new pair per year because I can’t stand when they fade and was ecstatic to find one in my go to brand during a quick trip to TJMaxx. They are crispy AF and you KNOW I was feeling my damn self! 😀

Finally, it was onto shoes and accessories. I popped on a gorgeous pair of translucent blue flower earrings by Bella Jack for some whimsical movement and a bit of color, albeit a muted one! I also couldn’t wait to bust out my new pair of Lucky Brand sunglasses which were perfectly cool with this fit. To complete the look, I went for a pair of statement boots by Formentini. These added such incredible length and the stone hue was no harm no foul with a fully neutral base. Trust and believe I was strutting in these babies because these boots were made to show out!

With that, I was ready for the best night with all of my favorites! Stay tuned for the Blooper Reel and peep more from this look on my TikTok – @lilred6794 !!

Do you and your SO share clothes? Do you get hand me down clothing from anyone? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr10

New Stunner Shades

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New Stunner Shades

Hello!! I love treating myself to a new pair of sunglasses every once in a while because it’s a cheap and fun way to change things up. However, I feel like there comes a point every year when all of my sunglasses are on the fritz. They might be crooked, scratched, or straight up broken but the damage to each pair always seems to happen really closely to each other, leaving me with crappy back up sunnies as a replacement. This just so happened to be the case recently so I made a quick stop at TJMaxx to purchase a few new pairs with the rest of my Christmas gift cards. Check them out:

^^^ The first pair is Lucky Brand and the second pair is by House of Harlow. Also one time the dumpster behind me was on fire and it was crazy!

Over the years, I have experimented in sunglasses in every possible shape, style, and color. From aviators and cat eyes to gigantic hater blockers in all shades of the rainbow, chances are I have been there done that. So when I am looking for new sunnies, I am on the hunt for something that is totally different. I definitely think I found that with my two newest additions! These two pairs totaled to twenty dollars and they are, easily, some of the best I purchased in recent memory.

I was very excited to find some Lucky Brand sunglasses because it’s one of my all time favorite brands and these circular frames are spot on. Circular sunnies are a style that I like a lot but they tend to be more miss than a hit. The frames are usually pretty small and it does me no favors. The Lucky Brand pair might not be a true circle in shape but it is close enough and the size is just right. Not too big, not too small and I love the quirky bridge of the nose. I have been wearing them every day since I got them last week and I just feel so cool every time I put them on. 😀

Next up is the unique pair by House of Harlow, another brand that I am a huge fan of. You can’t go wrong with they grayscale tortoiseshell but what I was especially drawn to was the shape. Like I said, I want different and this connected bridge was something I have never seen before. As soon as this pair was on, they were off immediately because they were instant winners. Now, here’s to hoping that these two pairs never break because I am obsessed!

I made great use of my holiday gift cards to TJMaxx this year and my new sunnies were the perfect treat to spend the remainder on. You can’t beat two beloved brands for twenty bucks!

Do you buy new sunglasses often? What is your favorite style of sunnies? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr9

Florals For Spring OOTD

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Florals For Spring OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new flowery OOTD here on lifewithlilred! In the eternal words of the great Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada “Florals for spring? … Groundbreaking”. But, hey, it wouldn’t be spring without beautiful flowers blooming outside and on clothing too! I wouldn’t say I’m a huge floral pattern girl, however, I fell immediately in love with the statement trench coat you are about to see and that love has only strengthened since bringing it home lol. Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Floral Trench Coat: Solitaire, TJMaxx

Black Sweater: Shrinking Violet, TJMaxx

Coated Skinny Jeans: Seven Jeans, TJMaxx

Platform Boots: Olivia Miller, TJMaxx

Hoop Earrings: Argentino Vivo, TJMaxx

OOTDs that revolve around a statement piece essentially build themselves. When I think of “statement” clothing, I think of something so bold and eye catching that it really doesn’t need anything else. With clothes like that, the goal isn’t so much building an outfit but simply enhancing your established focal point. In my OOTD’s case, the trench coat by Solitaire was the star and I wanted it to shine fully.

As you can see, there were several colors that I could have pulled from in the trench coat BUT I didn’t want to go the matching route. There were so many pretty shades and I wanted the focus to be on all of them rather than one specific hue. So, I gave the trench coat a fully neutral backdrop with an All Black Everything ensemble underneath. That way, the coat did the talking and the outfit would still make sense if I took the trench off. I definitely don’t think this outfit would have had such a sleek end result if multiple different colors were fighting for attention.

With the base of the OOTD good to go, it was time for shoes and accessories. For shoes, I chose my favorite pair of platform boots by Olivia Miller. I loved that the chains added a blingy surprise as the faux suede coat is quite muted in terms of color and texture. To play into that pop of silver, I added on a long necklace with a thin silver chain. Then, I pulled from the sage green in the trench coat and popped on a pair of dark green hoops by Argentino Vivo and was on my way with a spring in my step!

Florals For Spring might not be groundbreaking but they are a beloved staple and I love my take on it!

What is your favorite piece of statement clothing in your closet? What is a pattern that you like for spring that isn’t floral? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar31

March 2025 Finishes

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March 2025 Finishes

Oh hey! It’s the last day of March and, I’ve got to say, it has been a pretty good month for your favorite lil blogger. And the fact that spring is… springing makes everything that much better! Before we dive head first into April showers to bring May flowers, it’s time to discuss my beauty finishes for the month. I’ve also got to say, they were pretty good too! Check it out:

Would I Use Again?

Evoluderm Vitamin C Micellar Water: NO

Envy Hyaluronic Acid & Ceramides Cleanser: NO

Bath & Body Works Winter Candy Apple Lotion: YES

Vital Beauty Cooling Eye Gel: YES

Clinical Works Hyaluronic Acid Face Cream: YES!!

Why/Why Not?

Evoluderm Micellar Water: During a TJMaxx skin care haul, I purchased a full bottle and travel size pack of the Evoluderm Vitamin C micellar water. I used up the travel size one last month, didn’t care for it, and completing the full size bottle solidified my “whomp whomp” sentiments. I noticed no positive changes in my skin with the different formula and makeup removal was more difficult. I have tried countless variations of traditional micellar water and always find myself wanting to return to my old standby. I am glad I can get back to the classic Evoluderm micellar water now that this dud is done!

Envy Cleanser: I have been using the Hyaluronic Acid & Ceramides cleanser by Envy every day for the past three months and change. I am SO happy to be done with it because I was less than impressed. Despite the fact that is lathered well and there was a lot of bang for the buck since a little went a long way, the results just weren’t there. It also had more of a cream texture which, in my opinion, is far less refreshing than my go to foaming cleansers. This is definitely a product that can be skipped on.

Clinical Works Moisturizer: Now, this Hyaluronic Acid moisturizer by Clinical Works was a winner and I so wish I had more! It took me five weeks of twice daily use to finish the big jar and I could absolutely see a difference in my skin. It looked bright, dewy, and was simply glowing. My skin felt soft and smooth and it looked it, too. This pleasing somewhere in between a gel and cream texture would be perfect for late spring and summer use and I am keeping my fingers, toes, and eyes crossed that I can find more at TJMaxx. Highly recommend!

Even though there were a few losers in the mix, this batch of empties was a GREAT SUCCESS because I truly couldn’t wait to be done with some of these long term products. I hope I have better luck with their replacements!

Which products did you finish up this month? What are your thoughts on any of the above products if you have used them before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar30

Dress + Pants OOTD

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Dress + Pants OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! Dressing for spring in Ohio is truly like a box of chocolates lol. It could be frigid cold in the morning and then the temperature will skyrocket by mid afternoon. It might be freaking freezing all day or feel like a glimpse of summertime weather. In conclusion, it’s basically a big question mark when you’re deciding what to wear. Of course, come springtime, my heart says wear ALL the dresses and my brain says to hold that thought and consider other options. But why can’t I have both? I present to you, the Dress + Pants combo:

Who? What? Wear?

Dress: Zara

Coated Skinny Jeans: Seven Jeans, TJMaxx

Word Bubble Heels: LFL, TJMaxx

I’m pretty sure the cross earrings are from Claire’s!

I have a confession to make… Despite having this dress by Zara for upwards of eight years, this is the first time I ever wore it. Why, you might ask? Believe you me when I say, this dress is see through. The top is fine and I don’t mind a peek a boo of a bra. However, the bottom half has evaded me because you’re screwed either way with the panties or commando route. Typically, I never keep a piece of clothing that I haven’t worn for as long as this dress. But I vowed that at some point eventually, I would figure it out and it turns out all I needed was pants lol.

Before we talk about the build of this OOTD, can we please talk about this dress? I find it to be so striking and it felt SO good to finally be able to wear it! The silky material, the stark white with the black flower sketches, and those corset sides? Forget about it! I also just love the flowy sleeves that taper into a tight cuff at the wrists. This dress is full of surprises everywhere you look and is an ideal option to welcome springtime.

Although there is a lot to look at in regards to the Zara dress, the beauty of it is that it’s still a fully neutral piece. Meaning? I could have some fun with the rest of the outfit, no harm no foul. I decided to play into the sheen of the dress by pairing it with a gorgeous pair of coated skinnies by Seven Jeans. These two like elements flowed seamlessly together and that was most helpful in creating the illusion of length.

For shoes, I chose a funky pair of word bubble heels by LFL which were perfect with the black and white palette established. These heels are the definition of quirky cute and allowed for a surprise pop of red toenail polish. Between all of the different textures and patterns in this look, jewelry wasn’t necessary and would only clutter what I find to be a very sleek and chic fit. So, I popped on a pair of dangly crosses and was ready to take some pictures feeling so sweetly spring – Lil Red’s way!

The mystery of what to wear with my Zara dress was solved with one killer Dress + Pants OOTD. I am obsessed with this combo and cannot wait to bust it out again!

Do you have any clothes that you have no idea what to wear with? Do you have any clothes that go with everything? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar28

The Best Dress OOTD Bloopers

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The Best Dress OOTD Bloopers

Hello everyone and welcome to the Blooper Reel from my Best Dress OOTD! In case you haven’t noticed, I have had a lot of fun creating content as of late and it is a very nice place to be. One of my goals at the beginning of the year was to shoot at least one OOTD per week. I was doing excellent for months, until I wasn’t. Honestly, I was really depressed for the past several weeks and it made it hard to do much of anything once the weekend rolled around. I am feeling much better now (I promise, I’ll explain eventually!) and it has been a gift to step back into the content game bright eyed and bushy tailed. Even when the content isn’t all that great:

Always Tripping: A Memoir by Me

Dear Diary, Mood: Apathetic (Please someone tell me they got that reference!)

No, I did not just eat a lemon before taking this picture

Also no, I have no idea what I was looking at that excited me so much

I’ve never seen Titanic but I think I’m doing a pretty good job of recreating the one boat scene lol

STILL Tripping: A Memoir by Me

You know, I don’t think I realized how depressed I was in the situation I was in. Now that I am out of it, I can scroll through my mental Rolodex of going through the motions every day for months on end, constantly feeling sad or irritated, and letting literally everything I enjoy doing fall by the wayside. IE: Cooking, content creating, outings with Johnny and friends. After doing that for so long, I kid you not, it felt incredibly weird to start feeling good again and seemingly instantly once I said enough.

As soon as I took control back, it was like a ten billion pound weight was lifted off my shoulders and I almost felt “naughty” for inviting happiness back. You know what I have to say? *Pardon my French* but F that. I did what was best for me and deserve to revel in it and that meant having FUN. And, fun for me is getting dressed up and shooting content. So, that is what I did and have been doing and it has been amazing! Creating posts just for me and my little corner of the internet fills me with so much pride and I feel like my old self has returned. In fact, I feel the most inspired now than I have been for months and it is exciting to have all of these ideas zooming around my head again. I can’t wait to make all of them happen!

Lil Red is getting her groove back and you can too! Tend to your mental health and be good to yourself because when you are back – you’re back, baby!

What do you like to do for fun? What is your favorite kind of content to create? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar27

The Best Dress OOTD

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The Best Dress OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! This look is the second one that I shot all by myself on my tripod. I had every intention of doing some shooting outside, then I walked outside, froze my buns off, and promptly returned into my apartment cocoon lol. As I scoured chez moi for a Plan B, I decided to make use of Johnny’s guitar corner to show off one of my favorite dresses. This was a bit of a process because the lighting did not want to behave whatsoever so I was making adjustments here there and everywhere. I did end up with a few good shots, though! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Dress: BCBG, TJMaxx

Word Bubble Heels: LFL, TJMaxx

As you can see, there really wasn’t much to this OOTD but I still think it packs a punch! I fell in love with this dress by BCBG as soon as I saw it during an online shopping stint with TJMaxx. I didn’t think I could possibly love it more until I tried it on! Once I looked in the mirror, this little number skyrocketed to one of my all time favorites because it is so different than anything else I own and the concern I did have went right out the window. As a girl with a bigger chest, I was worried that the black cutout portion of the dress would be “too much” and that’s something that definitely makes me feel uncomfortable. However, the funky 70’s print button down part of the dress balanced it out. Instead of having the key focal point be smack dab on my chest, there was a surprise pattern and it allowed the eyes to dance rather than settle.

In conclusion, this dress is perfect lol. I am genuinely enamored by the button down pattern and would so love to have it in a dress or shirt too. Not to mention how striking of an hourglass silhouette it creates. Can you say va va voom?! This dress makes me feel so confident and when you have something on that makes you feel that good, you really don’t need anything else. So, I popped on a pair of super fun word bubble heels by Lust For Life, a dangly pair of cross earrings, and was ready to model in front of a bunch of instruments that I have no idea how to play!

The Best Dress, indeed! Peep my TikTok (lilred6794) for more from this look and stay tuned for the Blooper Reel too! ❤

Do you have an outfit that makes you feel really confident? What is it like? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar24

Floral Flounce OOTD

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Floral Flounce OOTD

Howdy everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! I had a surprise day off on Monday and I fancied shooting some content with my tripod. I had every intention of going outside to take some OOTD shots, then I stepped foot outside and it was cold AF. Lol, so I went to the limited “blank” spaces in my apartment and in the words of Tim Gunn a la Project Runway – I made it work! Check out this super cute look that is so perfect for spring:

Who? What? Wear?

Bubble Sleeve Top: True Destiny, TJMaxx

Bubble Skirt: A New Day, Target

Heeled Mules: Betsey Johnson, TJMaxx

Lego Stud Earrings: AbbieDabbles

I have been enamored with the bubble skirt that I purchased from Target for Valentine’s Day as soon as I laid eyes on it in the store. A bubble skirt is something that I have wanted for forever and it has exceeded all of my expectations. It is just so fun, flouncy, and transforms any look with such a unique shape and lots of movement. I love that this is a piece that can be worn year round and I have every intention of doing so – starting with this look. My Floral Flounce OOTD is one that I styled in my head and I am pleased to report that it turned out exactly how I wanted it to. GREAT SUCCESS!

As the bubble skirt was a shoe-in for this fit, the question was simply what to pair it with. I had just the top in mind – a darling little bubble sleeve number by True Destiny. This top is an instant showstopper. From the vivid floral pattern to the fitted torso that explodes into huge bubble sleeves, there is no doubt about it being a statement piece. Regardless of the pretty pattern popping against the black skirt, I was more interested in the True Destiny top for the fit. As a rule of thumb for myself, I don’t like pairing two like items together – IE: Two bubble fit pieces. However, the fitted torso gave an excellent buffer between the bubble skirt and sleeves and prevented a giant marshmallow effect. 😀

Next, it was onto shoes and accessories. To keep with a nice and lean leg line, I opted for a quirky pair of mules by Betsey Johnson. These mules are jam packed with sweet surprises like the flower brooches and striped heels. As the black skirt was a buffer between the bold top, it was no harm no foul to incorporate additional patterns on the heels. Between all of different dynamic aspects of this look, jewelry wasn’t necessary in the slightest. I popped on a pair of stud earrings made from Lego bricks and was ready to take pictures in my kitchen lol.

This Floral Flounce OOTD is FUN from top to bottom and I am in love with everything about it. I can’t wait to wear it out!

Have you updated your wardrobe for spring? What are some of your own fashion rules? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar13

Pearlessence Argan + Vitamin E Facial Oil Review

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Pearlessence Argan + Vitamin E Facial Oil Review

Hello! This past winter, I decided to dabble in facial oils when shopping skin care. Ohio winters are absolutely frigid and I figured some extra hydration to combat dry skin couldn’t hurt. The first facial oil I tried was by CleanBeauty and it was not it, whatsoever. It was incredibly heavy and literally just sat on my face all day. I was so happy when I completed the bottle! After that epic failure, I just wanted to use the other facial oil that I purchased, one by Pearlessence, and be done with it. I am currently using their Argan + Vitamin E Facial Oil and it’s actually not so bad! Let’s discuss:

In comparison to the last facial oil I used, the Pearlessence one is nowhere near as heavy. Yes, it still feels like an oil lol but it doesn’t feel suffocating on the skin. And, with a thin enough layer, it absorbs somewhat and that is another huge plus. My skin definitely feels nourished after using it and looks bright and awake. The question is, would I use a facial oil again after this one? The answer: HARD NO!

Trying facial oils was something that sounded like a great idea at the time and it made sense as I prepped my skin care supply for winter. Despite the Pearlessence oil being significantly lighter than its predecessor, I still can’t stand the way it feels lol. At the end of the day, it only absorbs somewhat and I despise the greasy feeling of something like that on my skin. That’s exactly why I only put lotion on before I’m about to fall asleep! The moral of the story? If you aren’t experiencing significant dryness, stick to your normal serum instead. Regardless of the freezing winter temperatures and biting wind, my skin just wasn’t at a level that would benefit from a facial oil. I can’t wait to start using regular serums again. 😀

If you are on the market for a less intense facial oil, the Pearlessence Argan + Vitamin E is pretty good. But, if you’re not – this is certainly a product you can skip on!

Do you change your skin care with the seasons? What kind of skin care do you use for warm weather? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah