Tag Archives: ootd

Aug16

Punk Rock Flea OOTD

Posted on August 16, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Hello!! This past Saturday, Johnny and I had a fantastic date day. We attended the Punk Rock Flea Market at Lock 3 in downtown Akron and it was an absolute blast. Sadly, the event got rained out, but we made our rounds throughout the vendors and got back to our car just in the knick of time! We got so many cool goodies from amazing local artists, which you can see throughout this week. Today, let’s check out my OOTD for this neat event:

Who? What? Wear?

Tank Top: Rachel Zoe, TJMaxx

Skort: Almost Famous, TJMaxx

Bat Wing Platforms: Sugar Thrillz, Dolls Kill

Parasol: This was a Christmas gift from Amazon

Union Jack Purse: Charming Charlie’s

Sunglasses: Martha Stewart, TJMaxx

Rosary Necklace: This was a gift from my mom from Target

Black Cross Earrings: I think I got these at Target? Lol

On Saturday, it was humid as can be and I wanted to create an outfit that would keep me cool and comfortable. My original plans to wear one of my favorite plaid blazers got vetoed due to the weather, but I decided to keep the base of the outfit I was thinking the same. This was simply my tank top and skort and it was just right for the muggy afternoon. Since the base of this outfit was plain Jane, it was up to accessories to turn it into something worth blogging about!

For shoes, I went with my bat wing platforms from Dolls Kill and they were a huge hit. I got stopped by SO many people asking about them! Not only did these shoes add lots of extra height, but they were insanely comfortable as Johnny and I browsed through the flea market. The iridescent purple wings also gave a nice pop of color against the neutral base of this look.

Next up on my agenda was swapping out purses from my Betsey Johnson phone bag to my Union Jack one. I have a huge collection of purses and I have been enjoying changing them out with each OOTD I shoot. The Union Jack bag by Charming Charlie’s is one of my favorites and it was an obvious choice for a punk rock event. It definitely has some wear and tear to it as it’s almost nine years old, but that just adds to the aesthetic! 😀

As I was building this outfit, I knew that I wanted to use my black parasol to block out the sun. As a vampire on the go, this was very necessary! This parasol actually caused a bit of trouble because I couldn’t find it anywhere. I knew exactly where it should be and it just wasn’t. Oddly enough, it ended up being in Johnny’s car for some reason? Lol we must have spent fifteen or so minutes looking for it and I’m glad it was found because my look wouldn’t have been the same without it.

Finally, it was time for jewelry and I kept things minimal. While walking around in the heat, I didn’t want to be bogged down with a huge necklace or a ton of bracelets. So, I slipped on my rosary necklace from my mom which I love so very much and my black cross dangly earrings and called it. As always, less is more when it comes to a great look and because I had lots of other accessories already, the necklace and earrings were all I needed.

Tune in tomorrow for the blooper reel from my Punk Rock Flea OOTD and check in this week for all of our purchases. Fingers crossed that another event like this happens again soon because it was a HOOT!

Do you like to attend flea markets or vendor sales? What is the best thing you have bought secondhand? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug7

All Dolled Up OOTD Bloopers

Posted on August 7, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to the blooper reel from my All Dolled Up OOTD! I felt amazing in my interpretation of Lil Red Barbie and I had such a fun time seeing the movie. Taking OOTD shots, though? Surprisingly, not so much! It was hot as bejeezus when Johnny took my pictures, but it wasn’t as hot as these pictures you’re about to see. 😉 Can I have a modeling contract now, or? Lol, check it out:

Probably my reaction when Johnny said it was hot out. Groundbreaking!

Strutting my stuff and SERVING

Lol, I had such high hopes for pictures in this pose and they all turned out like this

Just out here catching flies in all of these shots!

Is my Barbie pose perfect or what?!

I LOOK GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Getting my phone and getting back in the air conditioning. Did I mention it was hot out?

Now, where was I? Oh, yes. It was hot as BEJEEZUS out during this shoot and it was miserable. We started taking some pictures by the greenery around our apartment complex and by the time we were done, Johnny and I were sweating bullets. It was freaking gross. To make matters worse, I hated every single picture we took at the first location. I don’t know if it was the heat or the fact that each picture sucked or the crappy lighting or a combination of all three. I just wasn’t feeling it and I was so mad because I knew I looked awesome and it wasn’t being captured!

After cooling off momentarily in the apartment, I decided that pictures would have to be taken on the balcony where I knew the lighting was reliable. I also wanted to get things done ASAP before my entire face melted off! Johnny was such a good sport about it, as always, and our conversations during part two of OOTD shots went a little something like this: “It’s hot”. “I know”. On the bright side, I did get shots I was happy with even though I sweated my fanny off and my hair frizzed like I just got electrocuted. Not so glamorous for a Barbie glam OOTD, but what can ya do?!

Rain, heat, or snow, you can always count on Lil Red for an OOTD post. I’m basically the postal service of bloggers, but I am ready for cool fall weather anytime now after this shoot!

Do you love the heat or are you a vampire like me? Can you relate to looking great but not being able to take a good picture? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug6

All Dolled Up OOTD

Posted on August 6, 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 see the Barbie movie this past weekend. It was such fun to unleash my inner Barbie and get All Dolled up! This was my first experience wearing pink since I don’t know how long and I thought it couldn’t have gone better. Is it my new favorite color? Hard no. But maybe a few more pretty in pink pieces wouldn’t hurt! Lol, let’s get to it:

Who? What? Wear?

Pink Dress: See You Monday, TJMaxx

Floral Platforms: Qupid, TJMaxx

Lego Earrings: AbbieDabbles

Candy Heart Necklace: Betsey Johnson, TJMaxx

Telephone Purse: Betsey Johnson, Macy’s

I have no idea where the sunglasses are from!

Getting ready for the Barbie movie was like the ultimate form of playing dress up. I knew the movie was going to be pure fun even before seeing it and I needed a look to match! The See You Monday bodycon dress made for a very easy OOTD because all I needed to do was put it on. However, Barbie dolls don’t just serve looks through clothing alone but with their accessories too. Because I wasn’t building a full outfit, accessorizing allowed my imagination to soar all the way to Barbie Land.

As I browsed the accessory department in my boutique room, there were four key pieces I wanted to focus on: A statement necklace, sunglasses, stud earrings, and a great purse. No Barbie doll is complete without them! With my parameters determined, all I needed to do was shop around! For my necklace, I chose an adorable candy heart style one by Betsey Johnson. This was a birthday gift from my sister and it added a rainbow pop of color and some sparkly bling. It was just right and complimented the negative space I was working with without overpowering it.

Next up was sunglasses and I already knew exactly what I wanted because I envisioned it when I tried my dress on at TJMaxx! For sunnies, I selected my white cat eye pair with a cute black bow in the corner. This was a nod to retro Barbie dolls and would also help set the stage for my purse that featured the same color palette. I loved how the stark white of the sunnies looked against the magenta dress! The Lego earrings were also a tip of the cap to old school Barbie dolls that just had simple studs in their ears. Of course, my simple studs involved Lego leaves with a ladybug on it – but they were a stud pair none of the less. 😀

When it came to accessorizing my All Dolled Up OOTD, I wanted pieces that were playful. The piece de resistance was my Betsey Johnson phone purse. You can actually plug the phone handle into your phone and talk on it and it doesn’t get more playful than that! Betsey Johnson accessories were the way to go for this look and her pieces remind me of real life Barbie accessories. They are so fun and charming and made me feel like a Barbie doll in the real world too.

The last thing to complete this look was a fabulous pair of heels and my floral platforms by Qupid were the winner. No flat feet for this Barbie girl! While I could have chose my Barbie pink platforms by Marc Fisher, I decided against it. Since my dress was only one color and two of my accessories were neutral, I could have worn a shoe with any pattern and it would have worked. The Qupid platforms had the playful flare I wanted and made me feel like Barbie from head to toe!

My All Dolled Up OOTD was an absolute blast to style and I felt fantastic in it. If a Barbie doll was ever made of Lil Red, I would hope that she would be in this look!

What did you wear to the Barbie movie? Do you have a lot of pink clothes? 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

Jul25

Dinner & A Show OOTD Bloopers

Posted on July 25, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Howdy everyone and welcome to the blooper reel from my Dinner & A Show OOTD! Because of this past year being absolutely INSANE, Johnny and I didn’t get the opportunity to go on many dates. Rather, we opted to staying in and having game nights. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good night in playing board and video games but there is something about a night out that just hits different!

With things thankfully slowing down in Lil Red’s world, going out on actual dates with Johnny is finally happening again. It is something that I missed so much and I relish every second of them. And, naturally, I have to look my absolute best as we continue on with our Date Night Revival:

That face you make when your husband lets you know he has to go to the bathroom for the millionth time

I LOOK GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Everybody in the Applebee’s parking lot say heyyyyyyyy

Taking pictures in the sunshine got me like

Serving sass and DELIVERING

Lol, wtf even?

I hate to get all sappy, but the past few date nights with Johnny have made me school girl giddy. The last date that I can recall going on before Moulin Rouge and Dinner & A Show was seeing Hadestown way back in February! Saying a night out was long overdue is a huge understatement and now that it’s happening, it feels like our first dates all over again. It’s freaking awesome and made such a simple night out feel like a massive event!

For future date nights, we plan on making the ultimate Middle Class Fancy circuit. We’re talking Olive Garden, we’re talking Red Lobster, O’Charley’s, and oh so much more. Johnny and I are not hard to please whatsoever and dining at a five star restaurant has no appeal to us. We want to go to all of the places that are reasonably priced, dress to the nines, and eat like kings. Our dinner at Applebee’s gave us an insatiable craving for the average things in life and I am eagerly anticipating all of the bread sticks at the OG. 😀

No matter where we go or what we do, Johnny and I always have a blast. When you bring the party just by arriving, it turns going to a chain restaurant into an amazing date. Here’s to Middle Class Fancy because it’s the best way to go!

What is your favorite chain restaurant? How do you get your Middle Class Fancy on? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul24

Dinner & A Show OOTD

Posted on July 24, 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 my date night look that I sported this past weekend. Johnny and I had a night on the town on Friday going to Applebee’s and seeing Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. It was a hoot! And, as always, we had to step out in our best to do date night right! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Aviator Print Button Down: Karl Lagerfeld, TJMaxx

Popsicle Print Scarf: BCBG, TJMaxx

Shorts: American Eagle Outfitters

Lace Up Heels: Juicy Couture, Kohl’s

Sunglasses: Sam Edelman, TJMaxx

The heart dangle earrings were purchased by my aunt at an estate sale!

The last date night Johnny and I went to was seeing Moulin Rouge at Playhouse Square. This was a situation that required actual fancy dress, but our dinner and a movie date night was all about Middle Class Fancy. Because of this, I decided to style a look that was fairly casual because there’s no point in settling in to watch a movie in something uncomfortable! I played around with several different options in my head before I settled on this OOTD and I love how it turned out. 😀

For this look, I was very inspired by my husband who can rock a bold button down like no other. I went with my Aviator print button down by Karl Lagerfeld for a few reasons. 1) It is the loudest button down I own and I still wanted this casual look to be a lot of fun. And 2) Johnny was sporting a black button down and mine was a perfect compliment to his:

Very nice!!!!!!

Black shorts were the obvious way to go with my white and black top and then it was time for accessories. To start, I tied my BCBG popsicle print scarf around my neck as another ode to my A1. A pattern on top of a pattern can be a tricky styling technique to pull off. However, this worked because 1) The additional pattern came from a smaller accessory. And 2) The base of the scarf was white and that blended well with the shirt. The only thing you’re really seeing is the pop of color with the pale pink trim and blue popsicles.

With the base of my outfit settled, I popped on a pair of small dangly earrings of a red heart. I didn’t want to go overboard with additional accessories because the patterns I had on served as an accessory in themselves. These earrings added the slightest touch of movement to compliment the breezy scarf and gave an adorable color burst when they hit the light just right.

For shoes, I went with my lace up wedges by Juicy Couture. These heels are old as dirt, but I love them so very much and they are one of my favorite pairs. I chose them because their color palette really did tie the look together from head to toe. The black laces, of course, paired with the sunglasses pattern. And, the creamy base was just right with the soft shades of the scarf. With that, I was ready to go!

My Dinner & A Show OOTD was all about being comfortably cute and it was exactly what I needed for our date night. It was also such fun to wear an outfit that meshed with Johnny’s so well. My lil style icon! ❤

What is your favorite date night location? What movie are you looking forward to seeing in theaters? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul15

Bathing Beauty OOTD Bloopers

Posted on July 15, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to the blooper reel from my Bathing Beauty OOTD! The fashion gods smiled on yours truly when I found my new swimsuit at TJMaxx. It’s crazy because even though I’ll only wear it a handful of times this summer, it is probably one of my favorite purchases of 2023. This buy was a decade late and although I plan on holding onto my Victoria’s Secret bikini for when I’m feeling saucy, I am more than okay with retiring it for now! I couldn’t wait to go to the pool to show off in my new suit and, obviously, I was looking my absolute best:

Howdy, partners

Looking terrified and for good reason – your favorite vampire doesn’t venture into the sun too often!

I LOOK GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please, sir, can I have my phone?

That face you make when you find out you’re out of storage on your phone 😮

The no toe monster is gonna get ya

Johnny always captures my essence beautifully

As most of you know, I have a quirk about me and that is that I refuse to get my hair wet. After about a decade or so of training my hair, I only get it washed when it is being dyed every ten to twelve weeks. The reasoning for this is simple: No washing keeps my hair looking freshly dyed longer and that is a sacrifice that I am more than willing to make. I genuinely can’t remember the last time I actually swam or washed my own hair in the shower.

You guys have no idea how much I would like to take a dip in the pool, but chlorine is something that I am not willing to put my hair through. So, I’m taking a stand. Oh yes, because I plan on buying a shower or swim cap lol. Will it look dorky? Of course. Do I care? Absolutely NOT! If sporting a shower cap is something that will make me feel comfortable taking a real swim, then it is one thousand percent worth it.

Johnny and I have formulated a plan and he is so much like me. We will both be taking a swim – me in my swim cap and him getting his hair wet. His hair needs redyed by his beloved in house stylist and if that weren’t the case, he wouldn’t get his hair wet either. Before I freshen up his box dye black, we will be hitting the pool and I’m excited!! We have never gone swimming together and we have each found a solution to our high maintenance hair attitudes that works for us. Johnny really does get me like no one else! ❤

You can catch me and Johnny at the pool looking fresh to death and I’m sure there will be some pictures so keep it locked. The world isn’t ready for shower cap Bathing Beauty Lil Red!

What is a quirk about you? Do you mind getting your hair wet? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul14

Bathing Beauty OOTD

Posted on July 14, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!!! After years (and I mean a literal decade) of having the same swimsuit, I finally found a new one during my last TJMaxx shopping trip. This find was a happy accident because the only reason that I looked at the picked over bathing suits was to say I tried. I never expected to find a swimsuit that was absolutely perfect for me, but here we are having an OOTD about it. I couldn’t wait to hit the pool to show off and, of course, take some pictures! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

One Piece Swimsuit: Gottex, TJMaxx

Wedge Heels: Charles By Charles David, TJMaxx

Sun Hat: Nicole Marciano, TJMaxx

Sunglasses: Circus By Sam Edelman, TJMaxx

I have a very expansive clothes, shoes, and accessories collection and bathing suits have never been included in that for a few reasons. 1) I don’t go to the pool too often so my old Victoria’s Secret suit always worked for me. 2) The suits I liked online were expensive. 3) I didn’t want the same swimsuit as anyone else if I were to purchase one in store. So, I just didn’t really bother and I was fine with that.

The swimsuits that I loved online all tended to have a vintage vibe with adorable skirts, ruffles, and patterns. However, I wasn’t about to spend over one hundred dollars for it and I resigned myself with the knowledge that finding something similar in store wouldn’t happen. I was beyond surprised to eat my words when I found my Gottex suit at TJMaxx because it had everything that I required. 1) It had a bra style top and thick supportive straps. 2) It was my favorite color. 3) It had that vintage feel that I wanted.

Trying it on in the fitting room was a nerve wracking experience because I was SO worried that it wouldn’t fit and it was the only one on the rack. After slipping it on and having GREAT SUCCESS, a million ideas to accessorize it began to form. I still have a few tricks up my sleeve for future pool shoots, but the look you see above is the first thing that came to mind. It turned out exactly how I pictured and Johnny told me I looked like Betty Boop so it doesn’t get better than that! 😀

For my Bathing Beauty OOTD, I started with my sun hat selection. Although I could have paired it with a black floppy hat for more cohesion, I decided against it. All of my black hats are felt and while that is great for fall looks, it just doesn’t say summer. I was already thinking of my “Bonjour” sun hat by Nicole Marciano and I stuck with it. Although it didn’t fully match the suit, I thought it still worked really well as the straw hue played beautifully against the white, purple, and turquoise detailing at the top of the suit.

My shoe selection was an easy choice to make and I went with my wedge sandals by Charles By Charles David. These wedges are fantastic for a trip to the pool and they are so comfortable. I could walk for forever in them! They also brought further cohesion from the top down with the sun hat I chose and the straw and cork wedge of the heel. Finally, one is never complete for going to the pool without a gigantic pair of sunnies. I put on my octagonal pair by Sam Edelman and I was ready to WERK!

I felt like a movie star lounging by the pool in my Bathing Beauty OOTD and I can’t wait to go again ASAP. Keep it posted for bloopers from this shoot as well as more pool looks coming soon!

How often do you buy a new swimsuit? Which era of style inspires you? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul11

A Night At The Theater OOTD Bloopers

Posted on July 11, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to the blooper reel from my Night At The Theater OOTD! Johnny and I had a wonderful date night seeing Moulin Rouge at Playhouse Square and it was a whirlwind event. We had to stop by my parents’ to get the tickets, make the fifty minute trek to the Taco Bell and the Funhouse where we kick started the night, and make it to Playhouse Square by seven when the doors to the theater opened. With so much to do and no time to waste, we had to take OOTD shots in record timing. In fact, it might have been one of my most successful shoots yet because there weren’t too many bloopers to choose from! Check it out:

That look of pre TBell anticipation

Willing our food to get done faster with my gaze. We were hungry!

Don’t mind my face, just mind how cool the fringe looks in this shot! 😀

I LOOK GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Finesse, style, poise. Straight working it.

I genuinely have no idea what warranted this reaction!! 😮

When I say we took rapid fire pictures outside of the Funhouse, it was the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. After we got our Taco Bell, we walked over to the bar to eat it there. However, one of my pre OOTD quirks is that I’d really rather not eat before I take pictures. No, this is not because of a weight thing as I could truly care less. This is just pure laziness on my part lol. Once my makeup is on and lipstick is applied, the last thing that I want to do is eat, do touch ups, wipe the remnants of lipstick off, and put it back on again. I mean I could… I just don’t want to! And, at the end of the day, Johnny and I would rather get pictures out of the way at the jump so I can be done working and enjoy the date.

I promised Johnny that our photo shoot would be and I quote “so, so fast” and I delivered results, baby! I think we might have taken two minutes worth of pictures and called it. In that time, I checked on progress once, adjusted a few things, checked on progress again, and was happy with what we had and that was good enough for me. It’s funny because in this speedy session, I was pleased with more pictures than I usually am with an upwards of ten minutes shoot. Hence, the lack of bloopers. What can I say, I guess I thrive when it’s crunch(wrap) time!

The moral of this story? I should start treating every OOTD shoot like Johnny and I are about to dig into Taco Bell. Hey, whatever works right?! 😀

What is a “lazy” quirk about you? What is something that you don’t like to do before taking pictures? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul9

A Night At The Theater OOTD

Posted on July 9, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred!! Yesterday, you read my review for mine and Johnny’s date night viewing of Moulin Rouge at Playhouse Square. Today, we will be checking out what I wore for our Night At The Theater. Half of the fun of going to a show is getting dressed up! It’s a blast to not only get dolled up yourself, but to see what other people are rocking for their theater’s best. I LOVED the look that I put together so let’s get to it:

Who? What? Wear?

Floral Dress: ModCloth, Coconinno

Fringe Shawl: TJMaxx, Laundry

Black Heels: Show Story

Gold Earrings: American Eagle Outfitters

When I am styling OOTDs for Playhouse Square, it is important to me to create looks that are glam and unique. As I mentioned, a lot of the fun for me comes from styling and I want fits that make me stand out in the crowd of theatergoers. This particular outfit was a little ditty that I came up with in my head and it turned out exactly how I pictured it. I love when that happens! 😀

Let’s start with the dress. It’s actually kind of funny, I got this dress by Coconinno from ModCloth when my brother got married in 2015. This is the first time I have worn it since then and I am pleased to report that it still fit like a charm lol. Why haven’t I worn it in almost a decade, you might ask? I don’t know, honestly! It’s beautiful, of course, but I just never felt like I had another occasion to wear it for. So, it sat sentinel in my closet for years.

This dress wasn’t my first option, but I realized that I had exhausted all of the pieces that I would normally wear for a Playhouse outing. The remainder of the clothes I had to pick from were too casual for both the setting and a show like Moulin Rouge that examines the finer things in life. This dress was an afterthought and now I don’t know why I didn’t wear it sooner! The fit was divine and the big, gorgeous blooms in a jewel toned palette made me feel like the star of the show.

As I styled this outfit in my head, I knew that the dress itself wasn’t going to be enough. It was too hot for a jacket and my faux fur shawls were a been there done that accessory. The solution? The adorably charming fringe shawl by Laundry! I am obsessed with this piece from the flowery lace to the hanging tassels. Once it was on, it almost looked like it could have been part of the dress and that is what I was hoping for. Something that looked built in rather than simply placed on top.

Next on the agenda was shoes and I chose the heels by Show Story that I wore for mine and Johnny’s wedding. With so much wedding attire in one look, I should have put my veil on too! A dress like the one I was wearing was begging for a killer pair of pumps, which is a style that I don’t own any pairs in other than my wedding heels. These were the obvious and only choice and the vertebrae heel added the edge that is a necessary part of all of my looks.

Finally, it was time to accessorize and all I did was wear a small gold dangly pair of earrings from American Eagle Outfitters. There were several reasons for this minimal approach. 1) Long earrings or a necklace would have taken away from the neckline that was established. 2) The bold dress pattern and the fringe shawl served as accessories in themselves. 3) A lot of my tattoos were visible and I prefer for them to do the talking. With all of that in mind, why would I need anything more than a little touch of bling?

I have styled countless looks for Playhouse Square shows and this one is definitely in my top three. I felt awesome in it and my vision came to life perfectly. Keep it posted for bloopers and pics from the rest of our Moulin Rouge extravaganza coming soon!

What is your favorite occasion to dress for? What is the oldest piece of clothing you have in your closet? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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