Tag Archives: ootd

Aug18

Back To School TJMaxx Haul

Posted on August 18, 2015 by lifewithlilred

Heyyy everyone and happy Tuesday! This past Sunday I went back to school shopping for a fabulous new outfit for my first day back at Tri-C and I was very successful!! Check out these cute new finds and then let’s discuss:

Sweater, Shrinking Violet
Blazer vest, Spacegirlz

TJ’s had tons of adorable fall clothing and I seriously wanted it all! I went shopping with the intention of getting a new pair of black skinnies so I don’t have to wear the same two pairs constantly but I left with two new black tops instead. I’ll have to make a trip to H&M for some skinnies shopping, which I’m so okay with! I’m very happy with both of the items that I got. The Shrinking Violet sweater is going to be perfect as a layering piece or worn alone with some funky jewelry. I plan on wearing it underneath the poncho that I got from Loft (see “Loft Haul” article for more!) and pairing it over a dress with some nice thick tights. I’ve wanted a simple and chic black sweater for ages so I’m really glad I finally found one that’s worthy of being in my closet boutique!

I’ve always loved the idea of blazer vests and my Spacegirlz find couldn’t be better! In the TJ’s fitting room I put the vest over my Shrinking Violet sweater with some black skinnies for good measure. Unfortunately, the jeans fit so weird in the crotch and I just couldn’t deal! Despite the crotch issues, the look was exactly what I wanted for my back to school outfit. It was sharp and edgy but it still looked smart and elegant, so it was the best of both worlds.The way the Spacegirlz vest fit was exquisite as well. It was somewhat loose and hung in a way that was so effortlessly cool and the fact that it’s knee length and sleeveless is an unexpected twist on a classic staple. Needless to say, I’m in love. My All Black Everything back to school outfit will be accessorized with my favorite black Vera Wang lace up wedges, some loud gold jewelry, and a red lip to tie it all together, of course! 😉

So there you have it, my Back To School TJMaxx Haul! What is everyone rocking on their first day of classes? Where is the best place to find some back to school shopping deals? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May20

Beautiful, Fabulous, Perfect Day!

Posted on May 20, 2015 by lifewithlilred

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Helloooo everyone and happy Hump Day! So I was laying in bed reading Still Alice (so far so good, btw!), but I had such a terrific day yesterday that I decided to put down the book and tell you guys all about it. Not gonna lie, my day started out really rocky. I had a not so good appointment with my psychologist that ended with me walking out of the session halfway through. I was pretty much fuming as I left the building and got in the Little Red Love Machine, but my mood instantly did a 180 as soon as I reached my destination point post appointment. I was lucky enough to be able to squeeze in best friend time with my two favorite girls, Kate and Lea, so after my shit show of a session I headed straight to Lea’s for some coffee and girl talk. We hit up Dunkin and made a quick trip to the nearby mall so I could snag a free panty from Victoria’s Secret AND a free lotion from Bath & Body Works…who doesn’t love free?! After my little errand we went back to Lea’s for some much needed girl talk. We made plans for the next craft we make together and my birthday outing, vented about all of our recent turmoils, and had plenty of time to be our usual goofy girl selves. Literally within thirty seconds of first seeing Lea, my mood improved and I was so thankful for it. I needed our best friend time so bad, and I cherish it like no other. Before our time together came to a close, her twin brother BILL (!!!) took a million batrillion pictures of us – some cute, some candid, some completely awful BUT I loved them all! Here’s our favorite one together, and then a picture of me doing god knows what that Lea and I actually happen to adore, haha take a look: (All photo credit goes to…BILL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

^^^ Lol I LOVE US!!!!

My shitty day turned fabulous continued after I left Lea’s for some best friend time with my other darling, Kate. As soon as I arrived at her house, I learned that we were heading to Target (our favorite!) for some bar cart supplies. We left with a drink shaker kit and some porcupine shaped salt and pepper shakers…they were completely necessary. Once we arrived back at home base, Kate made us the most amazing vodka cranberries I’ve ever had and then we headed to the great outdoors to hijack Boggle from her parent’s house so we could get our drink AND education on in the sunshine. Kate and I both share a deep love for word games, so it was wonderful to have a worthy opponent! Halfway through our extravaganza we decided to finally take the fifty foot trip down the street to this really precious chocolate shop to get some snacks and a chocolate bribe for Kate’s mom so that we could borrow her fancy camera for some photo shoot fun. The chocolate was delicious, the bribe worked, another drink was made, more Boggle was played, and a photo shoot was had. Take a look at Kate’s amazing shots! (All photo credit goes to the incredibly talented Kate Powell!)

^^^^ SO gorgeous! Before I discuss these pictures further, here’s the usual break down of my OOTD:

Rust orange dress: Urban Outfitters, Kimchi Blue (This is the dress I got at the Urban in Wisconsin during my trip this weekend! So obsessed. Thanks mom! <3)
Bomber jacket: This actually belongs to Kate, but she got it at Target!
Black zip up wedges: Kohl’s, Apt. 9
Panama hat: PacSun, Gypsy Warrior

Honestly, there’s really not much to say about these pics other than the fact that I’m in love with them. And most importantly, this is literally Kate’s second time picking up her mother’s professional camera. What even? Kate has this super human ability to excel at everything that she tries and clearly photography is no exception! These photos are actually the first of many that she’s shown me, because we seriously took a ton – so make sure you keep it posted for more of our photo shoot!

As you can see from Kate’s pics, she managed to light a fire in the fire pit just hanging out in the back yard area of her apartment complex, so naturally we substituted our vodka cranberries for beer, took more pictures, and played more Boggle around the fire. (Due to Kate’s ability to light wood on fire with a candle lighter, I’m convinced that she’d be able to survive Naked And Afraid…she’s a woman of many talents!) Once it started getting chilly outside, we brought our sweet asses back into the apartment for some crafting, Papa John’s pizza, and a viewing of our Netflix favorite…The Ladies Man. A more perfect day could not be asked for. Both hang outs with my two girlies were so special to me in their own unique ways, and I’m so thankful to have two chickas that can shake my bad mood in an instant. Lil Red is one lucky bitch. ❤

I hope all of you guys have a fabulous Wednesday! Who watched the season finale of Dancing With The Stars last night? Are you happy that Rumor won? (I know I am!) I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May8

Ohio Weather Update: Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot Edition!

Posted on May 8, 2015 by lifewithlilred

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Ohio Weather Update: Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot Edition!

Heyyyy everyone! So as you can see by my featured image, it’s super hot in good ol’ CFalls, Ohio right now. It’s our first summer like day of the year, so what better way to celebrate than by having a little Popsicle party?! Take a look:

My mom got these super delicious jelly bean flavored Popsicles from the grocery store and I’m pretty obsessed. My sweet treat didn’t last too long in the eighty-six degree heat, however! About two minutes after this picture was taken it started melting like crazy! This little impromptu photo shoot was fun and as usual, here’s the break down of each item that I’m wearing in my OOTD!

Bad Ass tank: PacSun, Volcom
Shorts: Kohl’s, So
Wedges: Kohl’s, Apt. 9
Daisy aviators: PacSun

And in case you were wondering about the black lace poking out from beneath my tank top, that’s actually my bra not a bandeau, and it was purchased from Victoria’s Secret!

I’m very excited that it’s finally nice and warm in my neck of the woods, but I’m hoping it cools down just a little! My ideal temperature would be in the high 60’s or low 70’s. When it gets really hot out, I can literally feel my pale skin melting off…Now I know how my cherry Popsicle felt in the heat today! The lovely sunny weather that Ohio has coming up officially means that summer and most importantly my birthday (ha!) are on its way – and this lil lady is freaking pumped!

I hope the weather is terrific where ever you guys are at right now. Is it warm? Chilly? Just right? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan10

Comfy Cozy OOTD

Posted on January 10, 2015 by lifewithlilred

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Hello one and all and happy Saturday! It’s a frigid cold eight degrees in Akron, Ohio at the moment. That type of weather calls for bundling up in some cute lounge wear and staying inside!!! I drew inspiration for this look from my sweet best friend Lea, who is super fond of the leggings and long socks combination. After trying this out for myself for the first time, I was shocked that I hadn’t done it sooner, I adore it!!

As usual, here’s the breakdown of the brand of each item in this look and where it was purchased:

Flannel: PacSun, Gypsy Warrior
Leggings: PacSun, Nollie
Knee socks: Target
Shirt worn underneath flannel: PacSun, Volcom

(All together this look cost me roughly sixty dollars. Keep in mind that an employee discount was used on the PacSun items from when I used to work there. Ballin on a budget 😉 )

I’m gonna keep it real with you guys…I hate leggings. I avoid wearing them at ALL costs…but I can’t exactly wear knee high knit socks with my signature black skinny jeans, believe me, I tried! So I dug my “use if absolutely necessary” pair of leggings that may or may not have multiple holes in them out of the bottom of my pajama drawer and begrudgingly put them on. I don’t hate myself too much for wearing them though, because I feel like this outfit is cute as can be…cute enough that I would be okay with wearing this look in public with a nice tall pair of boots. I guess I hate leggings when they look sloppy, and I like to think I don’t look too sloppy in these bad boys! 😉 As you guys know, I’m SO obsessed with my Gypsy Warrior flannels it isn’t even funny, so of course my red and grey one was a must to tie this look together. To keep the look sweet and simple I have on a charcoal grey three quarter length sleeve shirt underneath the flannel. I absolutely love the knee socks that I have on, most importantly because they’re so warm and cozy but being adorable is definitely helpful as well! When I saw these at Target, I stocked up on a bunch of different colors like aqua, charcoal grey, heather grey, and navy blue argyle. These fun knee socks are a nice little pick me up treat when you find yourself in the accessory aisles while you’re running your errands at Target. (Does anyone else spend way more money than necessary whenever they hit up Target? I know I do -____-) This OOTD goes out to my lovely Lea who taught me the cute way to do comfy cozy!

So there you have it, my Comfy Cozy OOTD to keep me nice and toasty in this nasty Ohio weather! What’s your favorite cold weather accessory? Are you a leggings lover or hater? I’d love to hear from you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Have a fabulous day! -Sarah

PS: Please make sure you check out my gofundme account at: gofund.me/jy27gc

Thanks!!!!!!! ❤

Dec5

OOTD: Holiday Edition

Posted on December 5, 2014 by lifewithlilred

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Hello hello! So if you guys recall from one of my previous articles “Jumpsuit Joy” then you’ll know that I’m all about the unconventional holiday outfit. (To me, any clothing that isn’t red or green qualifies as an unconventional piece to wear this holiday season!) Today I put together an outfit that I plan on wearing to one of the family gatherings that I will be attending and wanted to share it with you!

As usual, here’s the breakdown of the brand name and where I purchased each item in my look:

Lace maxi skirt: PacSun, Kirra
Polka dot button down: Aerie
Black cami: Charlotte Russe
Heels: Famous Footwear, Steve Madden

I absolutely LOVE this outfit. My black lace maxi skirt was probably one of my favorite PacSun purchases I’ve ever made. The funny thing is, I never really wore this skirt until my beloved grandma’s funeral. After that, I completely fell in love with it, especially from the sentimental value that it now holds. I think that the lace detailing on this piece is just divine, especially considering that it’s just from a clothing store in the mall. The fun thing about this skirt is that there’s a slip built into it that ends above the knee, so the rest of your leg is exposed beneath the lace. I particularly adored the romantic, Gothic feel that this skirt has – it makes me feel like a walking Edward Allan Poe story. I also really like that my pasty pale legs are exposed in all of their glowing glory beneath the lace. I plan on wearing my Aerie button down tucked into the skirt, of course. This is another piece in my wardrobe that I really like. In fact, I liked it so much that I bought it in the other color Aerie had of it at the time which was navy. Usually I’m not a big polka dot fan, but the shimmering gold polka dots over the cream colored gauzy fabric won me over. I’m also not really big on wearing variations of shades of white, but this shirt had just enough pigment in the cream coloring that it enhanced my fair skin tone instead of washing me out. My sister and I purchased our Charlotte Russe black cami for $4.99 years ago, and I’ve never owned a better cami since. This little baby is pure magic. It sucks in all of the right places and enhances all the right places if you know what I mean, creating the perfect hourglass figure. Whenever I’m feeling bloated from too much Taco Bell, this is my go to quick fix to getting my slender stomach back! I’m trusting all of you guys to keep that secret confidential! 😉 My Steve Madden heels are about eight years old. Crazy right?! I purchased them for my eighth grade graduation…they were my first pair of heels and I will never EVER part with them. I remember these babies catching my eye all of those years ago when I was wandering through Famous Footwear with my mom and I knew that they had to be mine. The thing that I love most about these heels then and now is the wooden heel on them. They give the satisfying clack of a woman in charge whenever you walk on a hard surface. These Steve Madden’s are the reason that I have a shoe obsession to this day. All together this look probably cost me around $100. Keep in mind that in most of my looks an employee discount was used on some of the pieces from when I worked at PacSun.

So there you have it, one of my looks for this holiday season! I’m so excited to wear this outfit to family gatherings and even just running errands. Clearly I’m the type of gal who doesn’t need an excuse to dress up! What do you plan on rockin this holiday season? What’s your favorite holiday look or trend? I’d love to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Happy Friday! -Sarah

Nov22

OOTD: Urban Chic

Posted on November 22, 2014 by lifewithlilred

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Hey guys! Sorry that I’ve been MIA these past few days – I’ve been so swamped at work. And speaking of work, I want to show you guys what I’m wearing on the daily at my job! If you don’t already know, I work at Next, which is a store that specializes in urban clothing. Here’s my take on an Urban Chic look for when I’m doing it up on the job:

As usual, here’s the breakdown of all of the brands of each item and where I purchased them:

First crop top: PacSun, Been Trill
Second crop top: PacSun, Reason
Pleather joggers: Charlotte Russe
Nike tye dye and floral shoes: PacSun, Stefan Janoski

As you guys well know, I’m not a big fan of the “jogger”. BUT when I saw these pleather beauties at Charlotte Russe for only $14.95, I figured why not? My store has a plethora of joggers to choose from so I thought I might as well look the part when I’m selling them. I honestly wouldn’t wear these pants outside of work, but I have to admit that they’re quite comfortable!! To keep the urban vibe going strong in my look, I usually pair my joggers with an edgy crop top. I absolutely LOVE both of my options in the picture above. Been Trill is classically a brand for men, but on occasion we would get some female gear at PacSun. When we got this shirt in I HAD to have it! And naturally we carry Been Trill at Next since it’s a very well known street wear brand so this shirt is perfect. And I just adore the “Ballin” crop – I feel like such a sassy chica when I’m wearing it!! To tie together a cool urban look, you need a fresh pair of kicks. My Janoski’s are usually my go to option for when I’m working. Normally at PacSun we only get the adult male run of sizes for shoes. But in the exclusive digital floral and tye dye pattern we got sizes four through thirteen. These shoes were love at first sight and I knew that they had to be mine!! All together I probably spent $135 on these pieces. (But keep in mind that a lot of those items were bought with my employee discount when I worked at Pac.)

So there you have it, my take on an Urban Chic look! My inner diva is set free when I’m sporting this ensemble and it’s a great feeling!!! You can see me rocking my #beentrill shirt in my featured image 🙂

What are your favorite urban inspired pieces to wear? What store did you find them at? Leave me a comment and let’s chat! Happy Saturday! -Sarah

Nov10

OOTD – Grandma Chic

Posted on November 10, 2014 by lifewithlilred

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Booooo! So somehow my OOTD “Grandma Chic” article from yesterday got deleted, so out of the kindness of my heart, I’m going to rewrite it! 🙂 Here’s my effort at styling the “Grandma Chic” trend with a modern and youthful twist:

As usual, here’s the break down of the brands of each item and where I purchased them:

Cardigan: Modcloth, Knitted Dove
Novel T-shirt: Modcloth, Out of Print
Hunter green ankle skinnies: Aerie
Oxfords: Target
Hat: PacSun, Gypsy Warrior

I had an absolute blast styling this outfit. I centered it around my cream and mauve Knitted Dove cardigan which is very “grandma-ish” in my opinion! I got this sweater years ago from Modcloth and it still remains to be one of my favorite purchases from the site. Once I knew the center piece of my look, I added all of the other articles of clothing accordingly. I thought that my hunter green skinny jeans from Aerie would be the perfect complimentary color to the cardigan. I also thought that the fit of these jeans would help add to the laid back look that I was rocking because they’re a regular old skinny jean and not a super skinny jean like I usually wear. To keep the outfit feeling fresh I added my Le Petit Prince shirt to wear underneath the cardi. The Little Prince is one of my favorite books of all time, so when I saw this shirt on Modcloth, I knew it had to be mine! It didn’t feel right pairing this look with my usual heels or combat boots, so I opted for a classic pair of Oxfords. I feel like every woman young and old owns at least one pair of these shoes. I own two myself, while my mom owns over five! To top off the look, literally, I added my favorite Gypsy Warrior hat for a fun and modern twist. As all of you know, I love clothing with sweet surprises worked into them. I really feel like it was all of the fun quirky details like the gorgeous crochet work on the back of my cardigan, the pop of hot pink soles on my shoes, and the red and white feathers in my hat that kept this look appropriate for a twenty year old. All of these charming surprises kept the look feeling really fresh – without them the look would have been very blah and just “grandma”. The unexpected details definitely elevated this look to Grandma Chic status!

So there you have it, my “Grandma Chic” OOTD – again! Where are all of my Modcloth shoppers at? What’s your favorite item you’ve purchased from there? What are your favorite ways to style a Grandma Chic look? Leave me a comment and let’s chat! Happy Monday! -Sarah

PS: Check out my article on the brand Out of Print for more details on their company. Every t-shirt purchased from them gives money to help literacy programs in third world countries! You can find their products on http://www.modcloth.com and their own personal page http://www.outofprint.com . Thanks!

Nov5

OOTD – College Kid Edition

Posted on November 5, 2014 by lifewithlilred

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Hey! So first of all, sorry for being MIA recently – I’ve had a hell of a past few days…and not in the good way. Having said that, yesterday I did what I told myself that I would never EVER do…I wore sweat pants to college. But WAIT! Let me explain myself!! I have up to get ready for school at 6:45 in the morning every Tuesday and Thursday. Yesterday morning it was chilly and overcast and all I wanted was to be as comfortable as humanly possible during my hour long drive to Cleveland and in my classes. So while I was getting ready and picking out an outfit, my eyes scanned from cute maxi skirts, dresses I could pair with tights, super skinny skinny jeans, and my new pair of sweat pants from Aerie. I reevaluated all of my options carefully and then rolled my eyes and said “f*** it” and grabbed the sweats. I always thought that during my college career I would be that super fashionable girl who wouldn’t be caught dead in lounge wear. Well since that thought went down the drain, I still tried to make my comfy cozy look as cute as possible. My mom even told me that I looked really cute, so I think I succeeded! 😉 Here’s my “college kid” OOTD:

As usual, here’s the break down of the brands and where I purchased everything in my OOTD:

Cargo jacket: PacSun, LA Hearts
Embellished t-shirt: Express
Sweat pants: Aerie
Oxblood boots: TJMaxx, Airway

The thing that I liked the most about this outfit was the color coordinating that I pulled off. The sleeves on my jacket matched the color of my sweats perfectly. AND the detailing on the elbows of my jacket matched my boots as well. As all of you who have read my previous OOTDs know, I’m a big fan of clothing with a little surprise in all of it. I love the patchwork elbows on my jacket, the laser cut doilie detailing on the boots, the crocheted stripe going down the side of the sweats, and the industrial stud embellishment on the collar of my t-shirt. Clothes with that extra little pop can turn a potentially not so cute outfit (like my college kid look yesterday!) into a stylish comfy cozy look instead. All together my outfit probably cost me $100 or so. If you like the Aerie sweats I have on, you can go to http://www.aerie.com and purchase a pair of your own, as they are brand new! They have a bunch of different colors as well, including heather grey, navy, teal, tan, and wine. I liked my charcoal grey pair so much that I got it in the wine color too! AND I got them for buy one get one half off – you guys know how much I love a good bargain!

So there you have it – my mother approved and Sarah approved college kid OOTD. I turned comfort into cuteness and I’m very pleased with how it turned out. So pleased that I don’t even hate myself too much for wearing sweats to school! 😉

What’s your favorite lounge wear piece to dress up and wear in public? What are your go to tips on dressing up an article of clothing that you wear for comfort? Leave me a comment and let’s chat! And don’t forget to check back in with me for my review of the new episode of American Horror Story: Freakshow tonight! Happy Hump Day! -Sarah

Oct21

OOTD – First Day of School!

Posted on October 21, 2014 by lifewithlilred

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I had my first official in school college class today at Tri-C, so I wanted to make sure I had a sharp and smart outfit! I went for a bit of a preppy look today and I was really happy with it. I felt so confident when I strutted my stuff into the classroom this morning! Take a look:

As usual, here’s the breakdown of the brand of each article of clothing and where it was purchased at:

Aztec sweater: Miami, Francesca Collection
Coated black jeans: H&M, I bought these jeans about two weeks ago, so if you like them they definitely should still be available for purchasing in store or online. http://www.hm.com/us/
Navy pea coat: Rock Steady, ModCloth
Tan knee high boots: I.N.C., Macy’s

Like I said, I felt awesome in this outfit – especially because each piece in this OOTD are some of my favorite things that I own. This look was a little more pricey than my usual outfits because I purchased each thing as an investment to have for years to come. I consider everything I wore today very classic and timeless so they were definitely worth the extra moolah spent on them. All together this OOTD probably cost me about $230. That price made me bite my lip a bit, but the amount I wear these pieces together or separate has made the investment so worth it. I’ve also owned these articles for about one and a half to two years each, minus the jeans from H&M. My favorite thing about this outfit is the sweet detailing on all of the pieces. I’m obsessed with the heart elbow patches on my pea coat, the quilted knees of my jeans, the braided decal going up the boot, and you can’t really tell in this picture but there’s silver tinsel-like material crocheted into the sweater. All of these little surprises through out the outfit definitely gives it a little extra oomph. I felt like a college student in this look, therefore I achieved the look that I was going for today! It was a successful OOTD and most importantly – a great first day of school!

What is everyone rockin today? What’s your favorite investment piece you’ve bought? What are pieces you plan on investing in for the future? Leave me a comment and let’s chat! -Sarah

Oct13

OOTD – Making Monday Less Mundane!

Posted on October 13, 2014 by lifewithlilred

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I have a bad case of the Monday blues today. It’s a dreary, overcast day in Akron, Ohio, so I figured I’d brighten the grey streets with a somewhat loud outfit.

As usual, here’s the breakdown of everything in my OOTD:

Tank top: PacSun, Kid Dangerous
Body con skirt: TJMaxx, Just Ginger
Faux fur vest: TJMaxx, Me Jane
Wedges: Kohl’s, Vera Wang

Yesterday when I was on a quick TJ’s run, I found my new faux fur vest. I tried it on just for fun, and naturally ended up falling in love with it. As many of you know, I love a good bargain – so when I saw that the vest was only $19.99, I knew it had to be mine! I can’t wait to pair it with sharp black skinnies and wear it belted with a dress. I need your help by the way: Do any of you lovelies know a good brand of spray paint to use on clothing? I would really like to spray paint “FAKE” on the back of the vest, so when I’m strutting down the street the world will know I’m not an animal murderer fur wearer. Please leave me a comment if you have any suggestions!! My LA Don’t ❤ U tank is one of my favorite things I ever got from PacSun. I think it’s so sassy and cute. I love it so much that I bought a back up one in case something happens to my original! I’ve had my body con skirt for ages, I got it from TJ’s about three years ago and I wear it pretty frequently. It’s the perfect amount of sexy and sleek so I don’t feel trashy or over exposed when I wear it. My Vera Wang wedges were a must to complete this outfit. They’re my all time favorite! All together this outfit probably cost me less than $70 which I think is fantastic. Every article of clothing I have on today I got for a really good deal. I believe my Vera’s only cost me $20 – you can’t beat that!!

What is everyone rockin today? What are you doing to hype yourself up to shake off the Monday blues? And once again if you have any spray paint suggestions, please leave me a comment! Have a great day! -Sarah

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