Tag Archives: pretty

Sep20

Fall Haul: Banana Republic Top Edition

Posted on September 20, 2021 by lifewithlilred

Hi! The change of the seasons is prime time to go shopping to give your wardrobe an update. Upgrading your wardrobe for the different weather ahead doesn’t have to mean buying a closet full of clothing, rather, just a handful of pieces to make your old things feel new again. For my Fall Haul from TJMaxx, I had two upgrades in mind: Both my fall and business casual clothes.

Today, we will be discussing a Banana Republic spaghetti strap top. While it isn’t ideal for cold weather in any way shape or form, it will be perfect underneath a cardigan when I’m at work! Check it out:

This past trip to TJMaxx was my first time shopping there with Johnny and it was nothing short of an absolute delight. He is an angel for sitting patiently while I tried clothes on and gave a fashion show…. again, and again, and again lol! After a few trips to the fitting room, I wasn’t completely satisfied with what I had picked out in terms of work appropriate clothing. Luckily, I found this floral patterned Banana Republic top while making my final rounds throughout the store. 😀

Although this cami style top will be the best for play during spring and summer, it will serve me well underneath one of my emerald green or mustard yellow cardigans at work. I have never owned anything by Banana Republic before and I considered this top a steal for just ten dollars! I love the shape because it is fun and flirty without being too revealing. My favorite part, though, is the colors. The primary colors of red, yellow, and blue with sweet pops of pink and green against the white background make for the prettiest palette!

Tops like this are great for creating a unique outfit because there are so many different colors to play with. You could match your cardigan to one of the flower colors as mentioned before. OR you could sport a bold pair of shoes to make the colors pop. Red or yellow heeled booties, anyone? Love it!

Have you had a Fall Haul recently? What did you get? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep18

New Wine & Lilac Nails

Posted on September 18, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! This past Monday, I had a pretty difficult day at work and was so happy to have been able to spend some time at Elysian Nails getting pampered afterwards. To me, there is nothing better than sitting back and relaxing at the hair or nail salon and my fill couldn’t have come at a better time. As always, I left Elysian feeling like a million bucks with these pretty in purple nails:

When it comes to clothing and colors in general, I am not a huge fan of purple. Not that I don’t appreciate its beauty – it just doesn’t look good on me lol! However, I was feeling inspired by the oxblood nail polish that my friend, Danielle, gave me and was in the mood to try something different. The first polish that caught my eye was the deep wine color and I said “why not?”. For the accent color, choosing the lilac hue was an easy decision because I knew that it would look good and didn’t feel like thinking any more than I had to!

My favorite nail tech no longer works at Elysian, which makes me so sad but, luckily, I think I found a new go to gal with this past fill. My new tech completed my fill in roughly forty minutes and no sooner than I sat down, it felt like I was already done… It was great! 😀

Even though this was a super fast fill, my nails looked absolutely perfect and I loved the color combination that I selected. In fact, I already plan on going a similar route at my next appointment with a dark and light shade of the same color. I’m thinking a dark and light grey next. ❤

What color of nail polish are you rocking? How do you relax after a difficult day? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul18

Violet Voss Le Macaron Palette Swatches Pt. 2

Posted on July 18, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Violet Voss Le Macaron Palette Swatches Pt. 2

Hi! Today, we are going to continue with our swatches from the Le Macaron eyeshadow palette by Violet Voss. I considered this ten shadow palette to be a steal for just eighteen dollars and have been very impressed while taking a closer look. Both the Rare Beauty and Le Macaron palettes that I purchased are metallic because it is my favorite type of eyeshadow to wear. For the most part, my makeup routine is fairly basic and metallic hues on my eyes add a fun pop with minimal effort. You don’t have to do too much to make eyeshadows this pretty look good! Check it out:

^^^ Since there are no names for these eyeshadows, I’ll do it! Let’s call the burnt orange “Flame” and the amethyst one “Bejeweled”.

Although there are a handful of colors in the Le Macaron palette extremely similar to those of Rare Beauty, a majority of them are new to me hues. Like the Birthday Cake eyeshadow we discussed yesterday, Flame was one of the selling points of this Violet Voss palette for me. Burnt orange reminds me of all things fall and Flame immediately brings a bonfire with friends to my mind. I can definitely picture myself rocking it come autumn!

If you recall, I wasn’t blown away by the Purple Haze swatch in yesterday’s post as the undertones of it were too warm for me. I wasn’t expecting much out of Bejeweled so I was pleasantly surprised when I ended up really liking it! I am not a huge purple fan, but the cool undertones of Bejeweled will pair so nicely with my pink hair and I live for the fairy princess vibes it gives me. ❤

Two successful swatches down, two more to go! Tune in tomorrow for the final post from the Violet Voss palette to take a better look at the second eyeshadow from the top right and the first shade on the bottom left. 🙂

What color are your eyes? Which eyeshadow shades compliment it best? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul17

Violet Voss Le Macaron Palette Swatches Pt. 1

Posted on July 17, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Violet Voss Le Macaron Palette Swatches Pt. 1

Hello! During my last Sephora Haul, I purchased two new eyeshadow palettes: Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez and Le Macaron by Violet Voss. I wanted some beginner level palettes to play with but I also didn’t want it to cost an arm and a leg, either. Rare Beauty was twenty-five dollars and Le Macaron was only eighteen! I was comfortable with these prices and the large amount of positive reviews made me feel confident with my online order.

Today, we are going to be taking a closer look at two of the eyeshadows in the Le Macaron palette. There are some colors that are similar to those in Rare Beauty so we will be bypassing them! Now, let’s get to it with the top left and bottom right shades:

^^^ There are no names for these eyeshadows so I guess I will do the honors. Let’s go with “Purple Haze” and “Birthday Cake”.

The only negative reviews I noticed on Sephora’s website for the Le Macaron palette were complaints on the pigment quality. Happily, I did not find that to be true in the slightest while swatching these shades. While the eyeshadow may have been drier in comparison to the Rare Beauty palette, which was quite creamy, it still applied easily and in a rich hue. You just can’t beat that for eighteen dollars!

I can’t say that I will be wearing Purple Haze very often because warm undertones don’t look the best on me now with my red and pink hair. However, I absolutely adore the eyeshadow in Birthday Cake and it was actually one of the biggest selling points of this palette for me. It reminds me of fairy tales, bubblegum, and all things sweet! Purple Haze is a swing and a miss but Birthday Cake is a definite home run. 😀

What is your favorite eyeshadow palette? What are your favorite makeup brands? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr21

Wedding Makeup Sneak Peek

Posted on April 21, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Hi!! Ever since Johnny and I announced our engagement, we have been not only flooded with well wishes but So. Many. Questions. about what we are going to be wearing! We are so thankful for everyone’s kindness and support and are tickled by how invested people are in our wardrobe choices. Our outfits are top secret so expect a grand reveal the day of our nuptials but I can give you all a little sneak peek of my makeup for the big day! Check it out:

This past Friday, I went with my sister, Kristen, to Carol Martin salon to get a test application for my wedding makeup. I was really excited to have Kristen with me because she is a makeup queen and I knew that she would help me better vocalize what I was wanting. It was also so nice to have her opinion and reassurance because the test run was the most makeup I have ever worn in my life!

I chose my friend, Katie, to be my makeup artist and I felt confident that she would be able to deliver the look I was going for. I wanted a bold, two toned lip because I love the Bratz doll makeup trend with fresh, dewy skin and champagne eyeshadow. Katie took my ideas and ran with them and my completed MOTD was even better than what I was imagining.

I am completely obsessed with my fashion doll lipstick, glamorous false lashes, and sparkling champagne eyes. I felt like a million bucks and then some the day of my test run and was so sad when I had to take it all off that night. I cannot wait for Katie to be a part of my big day and am simply blown away by her talent. I definitely plan on going back to her when Johnny and I host a reception later this year. 🙂

My makeup test run was so special to me because my sister came with. Johnny and I are having a small and quick ceremony so we literally have nothing to plan for. Be that as it may, I still wanted my mom and sister to be with me on the odds and ends errands and am so happy to have had this time with Kristen and getting my dress measurements taken with my mom. The makeup test run makes my upcoming wedding seem even more real and I cannot wait for the big day! ❤

What was your wedding makeup like? Did any of your loved ones help with your wedding preparations? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar31

Everything’s Coming Up Daffodils

Posted on March 31, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! The last time I went to my mom and dad’s house, I was completely amazed by all of the lovely yellow daffodils lining their driveway. I had been there two days ago and there wasn’t a single bloom – then, out of nowhere, there was color everywhere. Yellow flowers always put a smile on my face because they remind me of my grandma and the daffodil surprise felt like a special hello from her. Check it out:

The Daffodil Day was, indeed, a glorious one with temperatures in the seventies and it put me in a hopeful, happy mood. I have been enjoying my time outside so much after being cooped up all winter and have already been making the most of the nice weather with photo shoots with Johnny, going on walks with my brother, and playing at the park with my niece and sister. All of the beautiful flowers blooming is an added bonus. 🙂

I hope all of you are experiencing mild temps and flowers and here’s to a wonderful and safe spring!

What is spring weather like in your area? What is your favorite outdoor activity? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar25

Engagement Ring Reveal

Posted on March 25, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! My engagement ring was too big when Johnny proposed so I took it to Jared’s first thing the following Monday morning. In the meantime before my appointment at the jewelry store, we tied the ear strap from a disposable mask around the ring to keep it from falling off lol. I was not able to pick up my ring until Friday and it was such a long few days without it – especially considering I had just gotten it!

Come Friday morning, I arrived at Jared’s as soon as they opened to pick up my ring and they did an absolutely fabulous job resizing it. It fits so well but is still easy to take on and off, which is great because I don’t shower or sleep in it. I knew that my ring was the one for me at first glance and I am so happy to officially have it back in my possession. And now, the grand reveal:

^^^ The ring is a carved fresh water pearl on a sterling silver band.

Johnny and I are a fashion forward punk rock couple and we wanted unique rings without having to spend a small fortune and that is what we got. His boasts a red coffin with skeletons holding it and I think our rings look awesome together. They are completely perfect for us and I am constantly admiring them both throughout the day. Whether other people like them or not, we are always being told “I haven’t seen anything like it before” – which is exactly what we were going for!

When it comes to my fashion sense, I love pieces that are edgy while still being pretty and my ring showcases that beautifully. The band and skeleton hands are so delicate while the carved skull pearl makes a bold statement and I have never been so smitten with a piece of jewelry before. Both mine and Johnny’s rings have such a strong personality and I can’t imagine us having anything different.

Whenever I look at my ring, I am brought back to Johnny’s proposal and feel even more in love and it really doesn’t get any better than that. ❤

What does your engagement ring look like? What is your favorite type of jewelry to wear? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar23

New Baby & Bubblegum Pink Nails

Posted on March 23, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! After getting engaged, I just had to get my nails done so I could take some pictures of my engagement ring with a fresh fill. You will have to wait a few more days to see my ring because it is getting resized but that doesn’t mean you can’t check out my claws in the meantime!

I was so excited to go to Elysian Nails to share the good news with my tech, Gabby. As always, she did an amazing job and it was so nice to gab and be pampered in my happy place. I love how my nails turned out and once I can pick up my ring it will be perfect. Take a look:

While you will have to keep checking in to see the piece de resistance of my engagement ring, I can tell you that it is a pearl with a sterling silver band. Prior to going to the salon, I knew I wanted a really light pink to compliment the pearl but I was stumped on the second color. A few shades of lavender caught my eye but, then I saw the name “Fairy Land” on a bottle of polish before really noticing what the color was. I was already sold just by the name but when I took a better look at the bubblegum pink hue, I thought it it was a great choice. Not just to enhance my ring but for spring, too.

As a child and to this day, I love fairy tales and my engagement felt like my own personal fairy tale coming to life, which is why that polish spoke to me. Despite my red and pink hair and pink nails, pink is by no means my favorite color. However, Gabby is so good at shaping and sharpening my nails that even with the most girly of polish colors they still look edgy while being oh so pretty. Spoiler Alert! Edgy and pretty describes my engagement ring to the T!

What color of polish do you have on right now? What are your favorite shades for spring? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar18

Spring Has Sprung!

Posted on March 18, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! While there is an actual calendar date for the first day of spring, it has already sprung for me because of the bulbs and flowers popping up in my parent’s yard. My dad is an incredible gardener but, unfortunately, just had surgery for a dislocated shoulder and broken arm which means he will have to sit this gardening season out.

My family has all agreed to step in to tend to the yard and garden this spring and summer under my dad’s watch and I’m excited! I used to love helping out in the garden when I was younger and this past week as I walked around the backyard, I was delighted to see some flowers already poking out from the dried grass and leaves. Check it out:

This has been a crazy past few weeks for my family with my dad’s injury on top of other personal matters and seeing these sunny little flowers during a beautiful day made me feel hopeful. Yellow was my grandma’s favorite color and one of mine too. She also loved planting flowers, herself, and catching sight of my dad’s crocuses and his “buttercups” as he calls them was like getting a special hello from her.

Despite the much needed transition into warm weather, things still feel so dark right now due to the pandemic. However, stepping out into the sunlight and having the first flowers of the season there to greet me put a smile on my face. It made me feel genuinely happy and I am looking forward to spending time outside with my family in the nice weather. My gardening skills might not be up to par with those of my dad but I’ll give it my best shot so he can still have his yearly flowers and veggies during his recovery. ❤

When do you feel like spring his sprung? What is your favorite flower? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb21

More Spring Flowers To Brighten Your Day

Posted on February 21, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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More Spring Flowers To Brighten Your Day

Hello! At my parent’s house a few weeks ago, my dad got a bouquet of the most lovely orange and yellow tulips for the kitchen table. I was so enamored by the sunburst colors, especially in the middle of winter, and I didn’t think that anything could be prettier. That is, until I saw the beautiful arrangement that my dad made special for Valentine’s Day. The ruby red tulips he picked out were such a unique twist on traditional V-Day roses and it also rang true to my Lil Red namesake so, of course, I was smitten! Check it out:

Whenever I see a new bouquet at my parent’s house, it never fails to put a huge smile on my face. My dad has never been known to spend more than five dollars or so on flowers but he always manages to make his arrangements look stunning and expensive. These store bought tulips are divine, yes, but they still have nothing on my dad’s wildflower bouquets fresh from his garden in the summer!

As you can tell in the pictures above, there was snow on the ground when my dad made this bouquet and the contrast of the freshly fallen snow and the fiery red flowers was like Mother Nature putting on her own personal show special for us. I can’t imagine anyone not being able to delight in beautiful, colorful flowers and I feel so lucky that I constantly get to enjoy them at my parent’s house. ❤

What is your favorite flower? Do you have a green thumb? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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