Tag Archives: shopping

Jul6

Date Day!!

Posted on July 6, 2024 by lifewithlilred

Hello!! This past week has been so super nice because Johnny and I both had time off from work. We took some time to relax but we mainly jam packed each day with SO many activities. It felt really weird to be having all kinds of adventures when I should have been at work but the good kind of weird! My favorite day of my time off was definitely Tuesday because Johnny and I went on a date day in downtown Cuyahoga Falls AKA the Riverfront. It is such a quaint little area with all kinds of cute boutiques, eateries, and bars. I have wanted to do a shopping day there for so long and it was perfect!

We began our date at the vintage shops and they are plentiful on the Riverfront. Surprisingly, I have never been to any of them before and now that I have, it is a dangerous combination lol. They were fabulous! My favorite one of all had to be A Signature Antiques and I could have literally spent all day and all my money there. A Signature had clothing, accessories, and decor fresh from the 1930s to the 1990s and it was like shopping in a time capsule. Everywhere I looked offered even more surprises with vintage ware that I have only seen in magazines and movies. It was enchanting, to say the least, and I walked away with two simply amazing accessories. I can’t wait for you to see them soon!

After spending time shopping in the past, we skyrocketed into the present. We visited a coffee shop/bar and got cocktails that we were able to sip as we strolled the Riverfront. There were a few other boutiques I wanted to check out but none of them held a candle to the vintage shops. That was okay, though, because it was just about time for our favorite bar, the Cashmere Cricket, to open. The Cricket is where we had our first date and we also went there to celebrate after getting engaged. It is a very special spot for us and we like to go as often as we can. We enjoyed sharing appetizers and the most divine cocktails. A watermelon mojito for Johnny and a pickle martini for me. It was the perfect way to conclude a perfect day. ❤

I loved my Date Day with my Johnny and being able to spend so much time together having fun this week. It will be hard to go back to work, but I will be looking back on our little staycation most fondly!

What is an ideal date day for you? Do you have any favorite vintage shops in your neck of the woods? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul4

Summer Stripes OOTD

Posted on July 4, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! As you might know, I am not fond of summertime at all. I can’t stand hot weather, I don’t like dressing for hot weather, and being an adult means no summer vacations lol. I am truly a spring and fall kind of gal in terms of style and my preferred climate so when I am styling looks for summer, my primary concern is comfort. And, of course, I want the OOTD to be cute too! The fit we are about to take a look at was something I put together for when a few friends came by this past Saturday. Surprisingly, it was a rather breezy day and that was much more like it! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Striped Top: Modern Works, TJMaxx

Jean Shorts: American Eagle Outfitters

Heeled Mules: Dolce Vita, TJMaxx

I think the earrings are from Target!

One of my favorite recent purchases from TJMaxx is definitely my adorable striped top by Modern Works. Despite its long sleeves, the material is nice and cool and can be worn during all seasons if the weather suits. The weather on Saturday was still warm but it was windy so I knew I could get away with it and went for it. I love how classic this top is and it could certainly be worn for work or play. I bought this top during the wintertime and always thought that it would be great for a summertime fit so I was excited to break it out. I often find that simple is best when it comes to summer outfits and this top was exactly what I needed.

As I styled a summer outfit in my head during a winter TJMaxx trip, I imagined the Modern Works top being tucked into black shorts so that was next on my agenda. As per ushe, the shorts from American Eagle Outfitters can’t be beat. They are so comfy, fit like a glove, and I have yet to find a brand that is comparable. It is always fun for me to finally get to wear outfits that have been planned for a while and have them turn out how I want. I was right on track for that and all that was left were shoes and accessories.

For shoes, I slipped on a pair of snakeskin heeled mules by Dolce Vita. I absolutely love these little babies. Snakeskin is my absolute favorite animal print and I can’t get enough of that sassy pointed toe! These heels added length and a fun pop against a low key OOTD. As no open real estate was available for a necklace or bracelets, I turned to earrings instead. I chose a lovely pair of dangly black gemstones that gave some movement and a touch of bling. With that, I was ready to rock and roll in my way preplanned OOTD!

My Summer Stripes OOTD checked all of the boxes for my summertime wear requirements: Cute, comfy, cool. Maybe dressing for summer isn’t always all bad!

What is your favorite season to dress for? What is summer weather like in your neck of the woods? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul1

Bath & Body Works Semi Annual Sale Haul

Posted on July 1, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! Something that I always look forward to is the Semi Annual Sales at Bath & Body Works during the summer and winter. Countless products are marked down to seventy-five percent off and it is perfect for bulking up my stockpile and purchasing gifts. There is nothing better to me than a revamped bath and body care hoard that was bought at an amazing price! Unfortunately, I couldn’t get to the store to shop the sale so I did it online. And, unfortunately, by the time I got around to it everything was pretty picked over. However, I still did alright – actually better than alright. Thanks to a birthday gift card to B&BW from my sister, I got twenty items for… FORTY DOLLARS!! You simply can’t beat two bucks a pop for each product! Check it out:

I have to admit that I was slightly disappointed with myself during this haul. I actually looked at the B&BW website shortly before going to bed and there were at least fifteen pages worth of marked down product. Fast forward to when I shopped it the following day and there was only five pages left. I was SO annoyed as I was hoping to rebuy several things that Johnny and I liked before. Their selection was very limited, especially for the men’s department and a majority of what was left online was candles, wallflowers, and a random assortment of lotion and shower gel.

Although I was wishing to score some cheap skin care and the gummy vitamins that Johnny loved, beggars can’t be choosers. And, at the end of the day, I still got lots of goodies for a song! I was able to get a great supply of wallflowers (Which I don’t think work all that well, but I like them anyways!), hand soap, and lotion and shower gel in my favorite scent of Calypso Clementine. I am also really eager to try the body butter, which is entirely new to me. I live for the body butter from The Body Shop and nothing will hold a candle to it. But, it doesn’t hurt to try! 😀

In the next few days, we’ll go over some of these different scents that haven’t been discussed on my page before. I am confident that there will be a few duds in the mix so we can all better learn what to skip on during our next B&BW shopping spree! The winter Semi Annual Sale, perhaps?!

Who else shopped the summer Semi Annual Sale? What was in your haul? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun27

Off To The Studio OOTD

Posted on June 27, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! This past Friday was a super awesome one for work because I got to go to the Q104 radio station in Cleveland to shoot content for my boss, Tim Misny. I have never been to a radio station before and it was really exciting! When I am at a content shoot as a social media manager, I always want to look my best and be fashionable while still wearing something work appropriate. This look was definitely too warm for the ninety plus degree day, but it was just right in the nice and cool studio that we surprised the morning hosts, Bill and Alyssa, at! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Floral Print Blazer: Scotch & Soda, TJMaxx

Cami Top: mittoshop, French Rooster

Mini Skort: Almost Famous, TJMaxx

Kitten Heels: Nine West, TJMaxx

The earrings were a gift from my mother-in-law!

Whenever I think of work appropriate staples, my mind instantly goes to blazers. They are such a classic piece and can be worn in any color or pattern while still looking professional. This is where I began building my outfit and I went with my pajama top inspired blazer by Scotch & Soda. I love this blazer and find the color palette to be most flattering. I also chose it for practicality’s sake. It is, easily, the lightest blazer that I have and I think I would have melted in anything heavier during the uber hot day!

Once I settled on a blazer, the rest of the outfit came to me in a vision. In the name of keeping cool, I wanted to do a skirt and top combo. As this was an OOTD for work, shorts were out of the question. So, I chose the next best thing – a skort! Paired with the blazer, it really did look more skirt than shorts and that was perfect. All I needed was a top and my black lace cami from French Rooster was the obvious choice. With the bold patterned blazer, it was best to keep the rest of the clothing plain Jane for a sharp and cohesive look.

With the base of the outfit ready to rock and roll, it was time for shoes and accessories. I knew exactly what shoes I wanted to wear and slipped on my pair of Nine West kitten heels. They are just so cute with the pointed toe and blinged out band! Sweet little touches like that and the lace on my cami added visual interest to the OOTD without going overboard. Sometimes, when it comes to work fits, less is more and a few well placed pops can go a long way. For earrings, I went with my new favorite pair of silver earrings from my mother-in-law. As I said, less is more and a necklace would have looked way too jumbled against the blazer pattern. With that, I was ready to rock the airwaves at Q104!

I loved my Off To The Studio OOTD and thought it combined professional with personality perfectly. Try saying that five times fast!

What is your work clothes style? What is your go to professional staple? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun16

Too Faced Lip Injection Swatch In Filler Up

Posted on June 16, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Too Faced Lip Injection Swatch In Filler Up

Hi!!! I am very unadventurous when it comes to makeup. Once I find a brand and shade that I like, I tend to stick with it for the long haul. This past month, I used up my go to lipstick by Bite Beauty in the most lovely mauve shade called Chai. It was no biggie because I needed new mascara from Sephora so I planned on restocking my lipstick too. It turned out to be a HUGE biggie because I learned online that the Chai shade has been discontinued. Just my luck. I spent some time browsing Sephora online for a comparable lipstick but didn’t want to take the plunge in case I didn’t like it. So, I went to shop in store and after a lot of trial and error, ended up with a gorgeous shade by Too Faced called Filler Up. Check it out:

I very rarely shop for new makeup and opt to spend my extra cash on new clothes and shoes. I like to consider myself to be an excellent shopper, but I met my match at Sephora. Who knew something as simple as picking out a new lipstick would be so difficult? NOT ME lol. Shopping brings me inner peace – makeup shopping is a whole different ballgame. Every lipstick looked like it could be good and, then again, every lipstick looked like it might not work. This was so totally overwhelming considering the expansive lippie selection at Sephora!

After swatching, reswatching, and swatching again throughout the store, I was at a complete loss. Then, the tides turned in a major way when I took a closer look at the Lip Injection collection by Too Faced. There was no perfect match to my fallen friend by Bite Beauty, but it was closer than anything I had seen. I ended up choosing a shade called Filler Up which is described as a “muted mauve pink”. Although I still preferred the true mauve of Chai, I knew that Filler Up was the closest I could get and I’m happy with it. I have used matte Too Faced lip products before and love their saturated pigments. However, I find matte products to be a bit too drying now so this cream lippie is just right. Is it my new favorite shade? Who’s to say? But I’ll give it a try. 🙂

Did I have fun during my Sephora shopping trip? Not at all lol so I am so glad I found something “close enough” to my OG lippie so I don’t have to do it again anytime soon! 😀

What is your least favorite thing to shop for? What is your go to lipstick? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun14

Thirty, Flirty, & Thriving OOTD

Posted on June 14, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! This past Friday was my thirtieth birthday! Although I still don’t know how to feel about it, I am sure that I had a great time celebrating. I wanted to keep it simple for my big day and requested a dinner at the Olive Garden and to go straight home after to settle into my new decade. A birthday date night with my main squeeze was the perfect occasion to get dolled up and I knew exactly what I wanted to wear – the outfit I built during my last TJMaxx shopping trip! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Cropped Sweater Vest: Industry Republic Clothing, TJMaxx

Tennis Skirt: Kyodan, TJMaxx

Lace Up Heels: Juicy Couture, Kohl’s

Silver Earrings: These were a birthday gift from my mother in law!

The last time I was at TJMaxx was during an outing with my mom and it was a delight. The Maxxinista gods truly smiled on me because I got everything that I was hoping for: A skin care restock and an outfit to wear to the next Misnyland picnic that I will be officially working at. For this summertime event, I wanted to find something cute, comfortable, and appropriate to sport as the brand new social media manager for Tim Misny. And, of course, it had to be unique enough that I could stand out and still feel like myself. I think this OOTD fits what I was looking for to the T.

During my rounds through the clothing department at TJMaxx, I was coming up with a big fat goose egg. Then, I clocked an adorable cropped sweater vest by Industry Republic Clothing and knew I could work with that. This knit vest is so ideal for summertime. It’s nice and light and the soft, creamy color will certainly keep me cool as opposed to my usual All Black Everything. This vest is the perfect combo of work appropriate while still being fun with the too cute flower details. But what to pair it with?

As I continued browsing the clothes, I was keeping my fingers crossed for a skirt to wear with the vest for an OOTD that looked more like a set. Once again, I was coming up empty. Then, as luck would have it, I found my new Kyodan tennis skirt displayed at the very front of the store. In that moment, I knew I had an outfit and all that was left to do was try it on. As I expected, this skirt was a dream match to the sweater vest. And… It has shorts underneath it!!! This was something I didn’t realize until I tried it on and that was a huge score. The last thing I wanted was anyone at the event getting a peek at my underthings if a breeze picked up! This skirt has divine movement with the gauzy, pleated fabric and added some edge to such a sweet top.

With the base of my outfit settled, shoes and accessories were next. For my shoes, I went with a gorgeous pair of lace up heels by Juicy Couture. These little babies are as old as dirt, but I still love them as if I got them yesterday. The cream color and black shoe laces gave cohesion to the established palette and the chunky heel is supportive so I can flit around the picnic and shoot content in comfort. Finally, I added a lovely pair of silver dagger earrings that I got for my birthday and my outfit was complete!

I absolutely love how my Thirty, Flirty, & Thriving OOTD turned out! I am also so glad that I decided to sport it for my birthday date night so Johnny could take my pictures. He will not be attending the picnic I am working and I knew I would be a mess by the time I got home lol. Work smarter, not harder!

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

May30

Elton Inspired OOTD

Posted on May 30, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred – finally! Today, we are going to take a look at what I wore to the Elton John Brunch, which you can read about in yesterday’s post. For this event, Johnny, his mom, and I ventured to The Flats in Cleveland to see an Elton John impersonator at the Music Box Supper Club. It was such a hoot and, of course, I couldn’t attend an Elton John themed afternoon without a flashy outfit. And, I am pleased to report that Tommy Lee Thompson (the performer) very much approved! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Glitter Star Button Down: This is Johnny’s and it’s from Phix

LA Don’t ❤ U Tank Top: Kid Dangerous, PacSun

Skinny Jeans: 1822 Denim, TJMaxx

On Fire Boots: Cape Robbin, Dolls Kill

I am extremely lucky to have a husband with fantastic fashion sense and rather than begin this look in my own wardrobe, I turned to Johnny’s. Johnny has several amazing button downs from a UK website called Phix, each one better than the next. Although all the options were good, there was only one that truly screamed “Elton John”: The red velvet with silver glitter stars. I absolutely LOVE this button down and it was exactly what I needed. Not only did it have the flash appeal worthy of an Elton John tribute performance, but it was cool and comfy too – a rarity with velvet clothing. From this shirt alone, the outfit basically built itself…

I had no intentions of buttoning the button down on the off chance that I would get too warm at the show. If that were to happen, I could simply slip it off. So, I paired it with a tank top by Kid Dangerous from my old stomping grounds of PacSun. In case you couldn’t tell from that statement alone – this tank is as old as dirt, but it will always remain one of my favorites. The cheeky slogan of “LA Don’t ❤ U” gets me every time and added some humor while adhering to the color palette with the bold red heart. The only thing to do with this top combination was to pull on a pair of black skinnies and it was on to shoes and accessories.

For jewelry, I kept things simple with a small pair of gold dangly earrings. There wasn’t a lot of open real estate to add jewelry to begin with and, even if there was, I wouldn’t have added anything. With a shirt full of glitter, there’s no need for bling! Besides, the piece de resistance of this OOTD was the fire boots. I don’t get to break these Cape Robbin babies out often, but whenever I do, they are a huge hit. In fact, our Elton John for the day lamented on not being a women’s size six so we could share! Like the button down, these boots are Elton John to the T and they were the perfect way to wrap up this look.

It was almost as fun to get dressed for the Elton John Brunch as it was to attend it. I definitely think I won in the outfit department for the day… Well, maybe a close second because Tommy Lee Thompson took the cake!

Which celebrity’s style do you admire? Which celebrity’s wardrobe do you wish you had? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May27

TJMaxx Skin Care Haul

Posted on May 27, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! This past Tuesday, my mom and I enjoyed a fabulous shopping trip at TJMaxx. TJs is our happy place and, although I like to go by myself, it is SO much better with my mom. These shopping outings have been a tradition since I was little (What can I say, I’ve always loved popping tags lol) and I don’t plan on breaking it ever! My main priority at TJs was restocking my skin care hoard because it was getting quite bare. Nothing pleases me more than a skin care haul because I love testing out new products and I got exactly what I wanted. Check it out:

When I am shopping skin care, I like to get a three month supply for my moisturizer, serum, and eye cream. While that may seem a bit impractical, it is one of my money saving techniques. Trust and believe I could go to TJs monthly to restock my skin care, but I would most definitely end up buying more than that! My requirements for which products I pick are pretty simple, they must be non animal tested and they have to have at least one ingredient that I am partial to like hyaluronic acid, Vitamin C, retinol, or collagen. Last time I had a big skin care haul, it was difficult to reach those parameters because the shelves were pretty depleted. This time around, it was smooth sailing and it was awesome!

For my selection, I was able to find some new to me brands like IZMO, AllAboutSkin, Skin Assistant, and Purifect. I am particularly interested in trying the Purifect serum because the packaging is ridiculous and it spoke to me. I already tested out the IZMO lip mask and it is so very nice! I also scored some new to me products from familiar brands like Provence Beauty, Clean Beauty, and Vital Beauty. I guess I am drawn to brands with Beauty in the name lol. In total, this haul costed less than sixty dollars and you just can’t beat that. I don’t even want to know what the grand total would be if I paid full price and, as a full fledged maxxinista, I never have to. 😀

Tune in tomorrow for more skin care as we discuss my May empties and be on the look out for reviews for some of these products coming soon!

What is your favorite skin care brand? Where do you get the best deals on skin care? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May26

New Industry Republic Clothing Sweater Vest

Posted on May 26, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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New Industry Republic Clothing Sweater Vest

Hello!! Who all remembers the store Charlotte Russe? Talk about a throwback, right?! When I was a teenager, that store was my jam and my absolute favorite thing I ever got was a sweater vest. It was tight fitting, cobalt blue, and had black houndstooth print. It was SO cute and nobody could tell me nothin when I had it on. Since then, I have tried on several similar sweater vests (Try saying that five times fast!) and none of them ever did anything for me. There was always just something off about them, whether it be fit, shape, or pattern. Until now, that is! Check out this fab new Industry Republic Clothing sweater vest that I got during my last TJMaxx shopping trip:

I purchased my vest for twenty dollars and it was originally sixty-eight. SCORE!

While perusing the clothing department, I saw a whole lot of nothing lol. This was quite the rarity because I can usually find something that is worth trying on. The racks of clothing were all featuring loud summer prints, awkward fits, and the dreaded tie in the front of shirts that I detest. Then, I locked eyes with my new sweater vest on an end cap and knew I could work with it. Although it didn’t have bold colors or patterns, it was remarkably similar in fit to my old A1 vest from Charlotte Russe and that was good enough for me. After some more shopping, I found the tennis skirt that you saw in yesterday’s post and we were back in business!

This sweater vest is just too cute. I love the creamy color, the flower details, and the soft knit. I was a bit fearful that this vest would be too warm for summertime, but it was actually nice and light. It can also double as a cold weather piece if you wear a tight fitting sweater underneath. When paired with the Kyodan tennis skirt, it was magic and made for such a flirty and fun OOTD. I had been hoping to find a new outfit for the next Misnyland picnic and I got exactly that. I am also so happy to find some new pieces to shake up my summer wardrobe because, as you know, it is my least favorite season to dress for. Maybe these fresh new finds will make me change my mind. 🙂

Although I have never played tennis, I can’t wait to wear my on the court with a fashion twist inspired outfit. Both the skirt and vests were awesome finds!

What was your favorite store to shop at as a teenager? What is your favorite store to shop at now? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May25

New Kyodan Tennis Skirt

Posted on May 25, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Howdy! This past Tuesday, I spent a lovely time during my break with my mom doing what we do best: Shopping! We hit up TJMaxx for anything and everything and it was so much fun. I was on the hunt for new skin care because it was just about time to restock my supplies. I also was hoping to find a new outfit to wear to the next picnic Tim Misny is hosting in June. I am SO bored with everything in my closet and I wanted something new to show out in because it is the first picnic I’ll be working as Tim’s social media manager. As I browsed the clothing department, I was coming up blank. Then, I saw a pretty little skirt on display and knew I could work with it! Check it out:

This skirt only costed seventeen dollars as opposed to the original forty-two. Score!!

I was instantly drawn to this skirt by Kyodan because I love a skater skirt and the pleats and elastic waistband offered a fresh take on a classic. And, of course, you know I love all black everything! This skirt is so flirty, flouncy, and sweet and I couldn’t have found it at a better time. I had added a crocheted sweater vest to my cart (See tomorrow’s post!), but was just going to put it away because I had nothing to pair it with. As always, TJs pulls through in the clutch for me when I need it most. #blessed

In the fitting room, I expected to just slip the skirt on and my mind was blown when I discovered that it had shorts underneath the fabric. I suppose if I looked at the brand of the skirt, which is clearly for athletes, I would have put two and two together but, alas lol. This made the Kyodan skirt even better because I knew that I will be moving around a lot when I wear it at the upcoming picnic. This provides the insurance that no one will see anything unsightly if a breeze picks up or what have you. And, to add to the victory, the skirt looked fabulous with the top I picked out! 😀

I found this skirt right in the nick of time because I was about to have to return to work empty handed. I felt so lucky when I went into the fitting room with only two things and they both worked perfectly. I can’t wait to wear it!

What is your favorite brand for athletic clothes? Do you have any fun events coming up? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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