Tag Archives: shopping

Halloween Queen OOTD

Standard
Halloween Queen OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! Spooky season is my happiest time of the year and Johnny and I actually got our Halloween costumes this past weekend. We were originally planning on Alice Cooper and Cold Ethyl but decided to postpone that. Building a costume from scratch can be pricey as last year’s COTD proved and we are saving up for a big trip next year. We decided to go with matching pirate costumes instead and honestly the joke was on us. Spirit Halloween was so expensive that I think we could have gone with our Plan A for around the same amount SMH. You can peep a costume preview soon but take a look at what I wore to get our shopping on. Spooky shopping calls for a Halloween Queen OOTD:

Pumpkin Pullover: Better/Together, TJMaxx

Spooky Leggings: Marc’s (These were only a dollar fifty!!!!)

Heeled Combat Boots: Forever 21

Dagger Earrings: These were purchased on vacation in the Poconos!

Other than going to work looking like a stone cold bum, I very rarely go out on the weekends dressing for comfort. Weekends are OOTD time so I like to break out all of the good stuff for those occasions. However, I simply couldn’t resist wearing this Spooky/Comfy/Cute fit to go shopping at Spirit Halloween because it just fit the situation so perfectly. Hey, if the broom fits – fly it! Or however that old saying goes. 😀 Not only was this an ideal OOTD for our outing but it was also just right for cuddling up in to watch scary movies afterwards as per our 31 in 31 days challenge!

This outfit has actually been in my mind for a while. In my neck of the woods, there is a popular discount store called Marc’s and every year I eagerly await when their Halloween goodies arrive. You can get awesome decorations on the cheap and I am all about that! During this year’s haul, I found the adorable skeleton and pumpkin adorned leggings for pocket change. Yes, you did read that right above – they were only a dollar fifty!! These little babies are SO damn comfortable and fit like a glove. I was expecting something so cheap to only be so so but these exceeded my expectations and I just love them!

When I added the leggings to the cart, the rest of an OOTD with them came to me in a vision. Obviously, we had to keep with the theme and I paired it with my pumpkin pullover by Better/Together. These pieces were definitely better together because it ended up looking like a paired set! For shoes, a stark white pair of heeled combat boots were the move and they provided a bright pop that I loved. With a fairly loud outfit in terms of patterns, all that was left to do was add a gorgeous pair of dagger earrings and I was ready to go costume shopping with my main squeeze. ❤

If this little OOTD had me feeling like a Halloween Queen, you can only imagine how I feel in my pirate costume. I can’t wait for all of you to see it!

What was your favorite Halloween costume? Are you going to dress up this year? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Deja Vu OOTD Bloopers

Standard
Deja Vu OOTD Bloopers

Hello everyone and welcome to the Blooper Reel from my Deja Vu OOTD! This outfit was worn way back in 2021 and was actually the very first OOTD that Johnny shot for me. He has taken the pictures for almost every outfit you have seen since and he is the very definition of a blog husband! He may jokingly complain every time he takes said photos but he knows I appreciate it so very much. ❤ His favorite thing? Catching all of these yikes moments because he told me he got several “good” ones from this shoot lol. Check it out:

Johnny and I absolutely love taking our biggest niece on Treat Days and went on an outing with her this past weekend. A Treat Day is when we go get Chipotle, maybe do a bit of shopping, and go somewhere fun in the community and it’s a delight. Our niece’s request for her big day was to go to one of her favorite places: Urban Air. For those of you who aren’t hip, Urban Air is an indoor trampoline park and it’s a ton of fun! Well… Maybe for five to ten minutes, anyways. Then, it is downright painful lol.

My husband and I are elder emos through and through and we were definitely feeling it at Urban Air. I’m thirty-one and Johnny is thirty-six and chasing after a six year old in a trampoline park had us fighting for our lives! I can’t tell you how many times I got stuck in the massive ball pit and when I managed to get myself out, I was hoisting myself onto the ground like a person lost at sea for a year. Johnny, on the other hand, was pulling some amazing American Ninja Warrior moves by tackling the monkey bars like it was nothing. It was really impressive!

I hate to brag, but I did much better on the trampolines! There is nothing like a good bounce on a trampoline and it’s honestly such a treat. When I was little, my mom never let me and my siblings go on trampolines and I can count on less than five fingers the amount of times I’ve been on one. Bouncing to the stars with my niece was a joy and in her own words “it’s like we’re in outer space”. After five minutes on the trampolines Johnny tapped out but I think best girl and I could have hung out there all evening!

We may be elder emos but Johnny and I can still hang. For the most part because we were SO sore the following day!

What was your favorite childhood game? When do you really feel your age? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Deja Vu OOTD

Standard
Deja Vu OOTD

Hello! I couldn’t wait to take OOTD pictures after getting my hair done and I knew exactly what I wanted to wear. Normally when I shoot outfits, I want to style something brand new every time. However, I had a perfect outfit to show off my new do that had already been worn way back in 2021! Regardless of the deja vu of shooting it again, I didn’t care one bit because I felt like a star. This look is also a really good visual for mixing and matching patterns by pulling from the same color palette and pairing one bold pattern with a minimal one. Check it out:

Striped Sweater: Cynthia Rowley, TJMaxx

Plaid High Rise Skinnies: Sound & Style, TJMaxx

Plaid Platforms: Dolls Kill

Sparkle Earrings: SugarFix By BaubleBar, Target

There are some outfits that you just feel SO good in and this is the one for me. In the original post, my sister told me I looked like a Bratz doll when I wore it and that compliment has stayed with me. 1) They were my absolute favorites growing up. And 2) Who doesn’t want to be a Bratz girl?! This look is quirky and demands confidence to pull it off and I found myself not walking but STRUTTING when I wore it this past weekend. As I mentioned above, I felt like a star in this look and received star treatment at my go to gas station…

I always say that if you’re feeling low, get yourself dolled up and hit up your local gas station. You have the Lil Red Guarantee that you will be complimented so much that your spirits will be lifted. That was very much the case when I went to the Mapco up the road to get some of my beloved Diet Coke. I kid you not, every single person complimented me and I even got free Skittles from the cashiers lol. NICE! I was literally on cloud nine for the rest of the day.

It felt amazing to have this look be appreciated because it is loud, bold, and might not be everyone’s cup of tea. The thing is, is that I felt great in it and it showed. As the old saying goes, don’t let the clothes wear you and it’s so true. When your natural confidence shines, you could be wearing the craziest OOTD or a potato sack and it would still work. So wear what you like and wear what you want because when your fabulous self shows out like the king or queen you are, everyone is going to notice. Embrace your inner and outer beauty and don’t apologize for it. It will transform any outfit into a runway moment!

This is my “I’m a star, damnit” OOTD and I loved every minute of wearing it. This is your sign to go for it if you are questioning an outfit choice. I promise that you look fierce AF!

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

What Is The Weather? OOTD Bloopers

Standard
What Is The Weather? OOTD Bloopers

Hello everyone and welcome to the Blooper Reel from my What Is The Weather? OOTD! Today we are going to take a look at the yikes shots that definitely didn’t make the first, second, or third cut from a fun little weekend fit. You also get a chance to see the true excellence of Johnny’s photography work. He always delivers!! Let’s check it out and have a laugh:

One of my favorite summer memories is easily going to see Weird Al in concert for the third time. He played an absolutely wonderful show at Blossom Music Center and I was so lucky to have gone with Johnny and my big bro. We had the best time! And can we please talk about what a national treasure Weird Al is? For decades he has been making us laugh, sing, and channel our inner weirdness and he really is a gift to the world. As long as he continues to tour in the greater Akron area, I will be there with my crew in tow. What can I say, I’m a Weird Al groupie!

In honor of one of mine and Johnny’s all time favorites, we decided to have a weird and lazy Sunday this past week. We watched UHF, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, and clips from Al TV. It was a hoot! We hadn’t seen Weird before and were looking forward to it. It was funny but didn’t do much for me. However, UHF will always do the most and we were in stitches from start to finish. I have countless favorite parts but what I loved the most was pausing the movie when they showed the TV channel’s schedule. There were so many silly names for fake TV shows including: That’s Disgusting!, The Flying Pope, and the piece de resistance… The Young and Dyslexic. You just know how much FUN was had on that movie set and I would have given anything to have been a fly on the wall. Or to simply be in Weird Al’s brain for a minute to see what that beautiful, beautiful man is thinking about!

Always be weird, always laugh, and always be you. Take it from someone who knows best… Me and Weird Al lolol!

What is your favorite Weird Al song? What is something that made you laugh recently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

What Is The Weather? OOTD

Standard
What Is The Weather? OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! I have been daydreaming of fall weather since last fall and Ohio is simply not delivering. It has been hot AF here and still feels like summer and I genuinely can’t stand it lol. It flip flops from needing a hoodie in the morning to wanting to be in a bikini by mid afternoon and it begs the question of what the hell to wear! As I refuse to shave my legs once fall hits (Even if it doesn’t feel like it!), my formula is jeans on the bottom paired with an itty bitty top. Just like this new look! Check it out:

He Loves Me Not Crop Top: This was purchased FOREVER ago when I worked at PacSun as a teenager!

Bedazzled Boyfriend Jeans: Banjara, TJMaxx

Lavender Platforms: Olivia Miller, Walmart

The cross earrings are Lucky Brand and were a gift from my mom!

After a long summer of shorts and shaving, you can catch me posted up in jeans even if it is ninety degrees on a fall day. So, in the case of this OOTD, I started styling with the pantaloons department. As you all know, I am a skinny jean girl through and through. However, my favorite pair has got to be my bedazzled boyfriend jeans by Banjara. Try saying that five times fast! I adore the slouchy fit, the distressing, and the blingy surprise and I have never seen a pair like them before – which is exactly how I like it! These jeans are uber cool and unique and make something special out of a basic essential. Boyfriend jeans are made to be worn with a close fit top and I knew just what I wanted to pair it with…

The cutest little crop top from PacSun! This top is old as dirt but I just love it so much. How sweet is that he loves me, he loves me not pattern?! I vividly remember doing shipment at work when we received this crop and bought it immediately after my shift. It’s one of those items that I can’t part with and I’m glad I held onto it for all of these years because it’s perfect with my boyfriend jeans! It provides this OOTD with some shape to balance out the baggy jeans and shows some skin too. That’s ideal because it keeps me cool when I am forever questioning What Is The Weather? 😀

Finally, it was onto shoes and accessories. For shoes, I went with a pair of lavender Olivia Miller platforms from Walmart. These babies were only FIVE DOLLARS – talk about a total steal! As my jeans were pretty long in length, I needed that extra height to keep them from dragging and it provided a pastel pop of color to the All Black Everything look. Since a lot of my tattoos were on display, I kept jewelry minimal with a pair of dangly turquoise cross earrings and was ready to step out in whatever climate Ohio found itself in!

Not quite fall, not quite summer but one hundred percent fashion fun! What Is The Weather? A forecast of hot days and hotter OOTDs!

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

Night Out Fashion Tips For Every Location

Standard
Night Out Fashion Tips For Every Location

Weekends are for letting loose and having fun after a long week at work. It’s a time to get together with friends and potentially meet new people. Of course, you’re more likely to feel great when you look your best, whether it’s at a trendy nightclub, rooftop lounge, or laid-back coffee shop. Here’s a style guide for what to wear to different weekend hot spots so you’re both confident and comfortable:

Think sleek and stylish as you consider what to grab from your closet to wear to the best nightclub San Diego downtown has seen. Figure hugging dresses, tailored jumpsuits, or fitted jeans with a top that’s a statement piece are all perfect choices for an evening at this popular weekend destination. Keep your footwear stylish while practical (although we all know that can be hard to find), as you’ll be heading to the dance floor. Keep it trendy but club-appropriate with wedged trainers or sturdy platforms, avoiding overly casual items like flip-flops.

Think chic yet comfortable for the outfit to wear here. Tailored shorts paired with a t-shirt, an oversized blazer, and a funky gold necklace make for a super cute OOTD. If the weather dips low during the night while you’re still there, you’ll be thankful for the warmth of the blazer. If it stays warm, depending on the time of year, simply take off it off! For shoes, stylish flats or loafers make sense for comfort as you curl up on cozy seating and chat the night away.

Coffee shops call for casual and cozy for the OOTD. Then add a bracelet or earrings to take it easily from daytime to night-appropriate for wherever the day takes you after your caffeine boost. The relaxed look can vary from a tank top with baggy jeans to leggings and an oversized sweater. Sneakers mix style and playfulness as you walk up to the counter to order a coffee. A crossbody bag is where you can keep your journal if you plan to write while at the coffee hangout, or a book for reading at your favorite spot.

Food markets are a wonderful place to explore new foods and meet new people. Casual dresses or shorts suit the atmosphere, as do sneakers or sandals, as they’re comfortable for walking from vendor to vendor. Take your sunglasses if it’s still light out, so you won’t have to squint to see which fresh options are at the stall in front of you. Wear layers, if possible, so you can stay warm if the air gets cooler as the hours go by.

When you dress appropriately for the venue, you’ll feel fabulous about the way you look, and that makes you more likely to have a blast. Cheers to a memorable weekend ahead!

Featured Image By: Polina Tankilevitch from Pexels

Let’s Get Weird OOTD

Standard
Let’s Get Weird OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! This past weekend I was lucky enough to have seen Weird Al for the third time in concert and it was absolutely fabulous. The show was held as Blossom Music Center which is an outdoor venue and we had lovely warm weather for the show. So warm, in fact, that it felt like summertime so I needed the clothes to match as well as pay an extra special shout out to Weird Al himself. Like my dad, that man loves him an Hawaiian shirt! Huge props to my dad for letting me raid his closet for the perfect Hawaiian shirt to wear to the show, which he actually wore to my wedding lol! Check it out:

The shirt is my dad’s and I have no idea where he acquired it from!

Shorts: American Eagle Outfitters

Wedges: Charles By Charles David, TJMaxx

You can’t see the earrings but they were purchased forever ago from Target!

As I was saying, my dad lives for a good Hawaiian shirt and has an impressive collection. When I asked him if I could go shopping in his wardrobe, he was so flattered and I was excited to pick out one to wear to the show. He had several strong contenders, but the shirt he wore to my wedding has always been my favorite. I love the sentiment, bright colors, and pattern and it was like it was made to be worn to compliment my hair! Of course, I had to make some alterations to the shirt so I buttoned the second to the top button and tied the excess to turn it into a cute crop top. It worked out really well, if I do say so myself!

Pairing my borrowed top with shorts was an obvious choice so let’s move onto shoes and accessories. For shoes, I selected a wonderful pair of summer wedges by Charles By Charles David. My dad is named Charles so it was SO. Much. Charles. in this look! These wedges are old AF but they are just right with summer outfits and pretty much go with anything. Sadly, this is the last outfit that I will be wearing them with because they actually broke when we were walking back to my car after the show. This is the second time I have had a pair of shoes break at Blossom but at least these ones broke afterwards as opposed to before like the first time SMH. I didn’t want to be weighed down with accessories for the show so I put on a dangly pair of chain earrings and was ready to get weird! 😀

Wearing my dad’s Hawaiian shirt to the Weird Al concert made the show that much more fun. With a few simple alterations, you can make anything work in a pinch!

What kind of style do your parents have? Have any of your shoes ever broke while you were on the go? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Tap Into Fashion OOTD

Standard
Tap Into Fashion OOTD

Hello! Johnny and I went on a fabulous Middle Class Fancy date night this past weekend. We went to Applebee’s and to the opening day to see Spinal Tap II in theaters. The Tap sequel has been a long time coming and we couldn’t have been more excited. We really come alive during a Middle Class Fancy night on the town! In honor of the great Nigel Tufnel, Johnny and I had to show out in matching tank tops that were worn in the first movie. Of course, I had to make it fashion! Check it out:

Skeleton Muscle Tank Top: Johnny purchased this off of Amazon as a T-shirt and cut off the sleeves

Jean Shorts: American Eagle Outfitters

Gemstone Fishnets: Urban Outfitters

Platform Boots: Dolls Kill

The chain earrings were purchased forever ago from Target

I am just as surprised as all of you that there is nothing from TJMaxx in this fit!

As Johnny and I already planned to match in our Nigel Tufnel best, my top was already pre decided. However, the trick was to make it look feminine as this was a men’s muscle tank and it felt like it. This top had zero shape whatsoever and was definitely not the most flattering. To combat the sack of potatoes silhouette, I knew that I wanted to serve sex appeal on the bottom half of the outfit. Once the styling of this look was complete, I felt so much better and was ready to work it for a Middle Class Fancy outing.

In the words of Nigel Tufnel, “what’s wrong with being sexy?” and merely pairing this top with shorts wasn’t enough. Rather than do the bare minimum, leave it to Lil Red to do the most! I always want the eyes to dance in every OOTD I style but it was even more necessary for this look as the top was downright frumpy lol. To add some bling and crank the sexy up to eleven, I wore a pair of gorgeous gemstone fishnet tights under the shorts. This was much more like it and allowed for a sleeker silhouette. What I really needed now was length.

For my shoes, I chose one of my favorite pairs of platform boots from Dolls Kill. They feature a vertebrae pattern and a high, high, high heel that gave me all the length I was looking for and then some. These platforms are ones you don’t simply walk in but strut and as soon as they were on I felt infinitely more confident. The muscle tank is something I would never normally wear and the additional styling provided me with the comfort that I was making it work anyways. With blingy tights and my tattoos on display, I put on a long pair of dangly chain earrings as no further accessories were needed. With that, I was ready for a big night out!

This Tap Into Fashion OOTD is a shining example that you can make any piece of clothing work if it is styled well. I went from feeling zero confidence to an eleven!

Have you seen Spinal Tap II yet? What was your favorite part? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Cute Cardi OOTD

Standard
Cute Cardi OOTD

Hello! Johnny and I visited an amazing vintage store called The Bomb Shelter a few weekends ago and it was an absolute blast. You can peep my TikTok for a video tour for even more from our outing! The day we went was honestly a weird one. I wouldn’t say I sleep in like crazy over the weekend and the latest I am up is usually ten o’clock. However, I ended up sleeping until one forty in the afternoon that day! In my defense, I was coming off of a long week where I was feeling pretty crummy thanks to an ugh bug from my nieces. I guess I was more worn out than I thought because I felt like I woke up in a new year! Because I slept in till an ungodly hour, I needed to get ready quickly and put together a simple fall OOTD perfect for running errands and bopping around town. Check it out:

^^^ In case you couldn’t tell by the lack of pictures, I hated a majority of them lol. It was just one of those days!

Cardigan: American Eagle Outfitters, TJMaxx

Tank Top: Rachel Zoe, TJMaxx

Skinny Jeans: 1822 Denim, TJMaxx

Wedge Loafers: Steve Madden, Walmart

Heart Earrings: SugarFix By BaubleBar, Target

Fall fashion really speaks to me because it can be as elaborate or simple as you please and still look put together. You could elevate your look with cold weather accessories or throw on a cardigan and go. Obviously, I chose the latter! I am a huge fan of knitwear and just love the feeling of being snuggled up in something cozy. Currently in Ohio, the weather is in the eighties which I am so not there for. When I wore this look, it was actually quite chilly and I couldn’t wait to browse in my cardigan department after being separated for so long.

To keep things quick and cohesive, I went with a darling cardi by American Eagle Outfitters with a flash of red and white stripes. I purchased this almost a decade ago at TJMaxx and it costed a whopping thirteen dollars. Despite it being eight years old, it still looks brand new! I love the collegiate vibes and it was just right paired with a tighter fitting tank underneath and skinny jeans. It reminded me of outfits that I would wear when I was in college and always had to put together a little something something when I was on campus. Such a nice blast of nostalgia!

To wrap up this look, it was time for shoes and accessories. For shoes, I went for a super rad pair of wedge loafers by Steve Madden. I got these from Walmart and they were only twenty bucks which I thought was a total steal. They fit the color palette I was working with while providing a pop of color and the loafer style further enhanced the college cool aesthetic. These loafers are comfy AF and are probably the lowest heel of shoes that I own – it took me a minute to get used to the minuscule rise in elevation! To complete my fit, I put on a pair of dangly heart earrings to add some length to my neck as it was the only open real estate available. With that, I was ready for a shopping trip to The Bomb Shelter!

It has felt like summer in Ohio as of late and I have had to resort to wearing shorts and tees again. Can I have fall weather now for more OOTD fun or?!

What is your favorite cold weather accessory? Have you updated your wardrobe for cold weather? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

“New” Vintage Jewelry

Standard
“New” Vintage Jewelry

Howdy! Yesterday you read about a fantastic weekend shopping trip Johnny and I took to one of the coolest stores I have ever been to, The Bomb Shelter. It was my first time going but certainly won’t be my last and I would LOVE to do a content shoot with all of their amazing retro kitchen settings. There were a few that really spoke to me and it would be such fun to put together a vintage chic look. Of course, I would accessorize with one of the pieces of jewelry that I just couldn’t say no to. I got both of these fab “new” necklaces for under twenty bucks which was a total score. Check it out:

After our stroll through the huge property that is The Bomb Shelter, it was time to check out the handful of records and gifts that Johnny selected. As luck would have it, the cash wrap was also where the jewelry was displayed and I obviously had to see what that was all about. As a heavily tattooed gal, I haven’t worn a lot of jewelry as of late because I like to let my ink do the talking in summer OOTDs. However, when fall rolls around is when I can break out my expansive jewelry collection again to add a pop to my looks when my tattoos are fully covered. Nothing transforms a chunky sweater or cardigan better than a statement necklace!

With fall fits on my mind, I wanted to find a little treat for myself to wear and went through the jewelry on display with a fine toothed comb. A lot of the jewelry at The Bomb Shelter was more on the costume side and that is not my style at all. However, a standing display housed more classic necklaces and that is what I gravitated to. The first thing that caught my eye was the simple wooden heart on a collar length chain. Hearts always remind me of my mom and I like to wear them as often as possible. The wood finish made me think of an acorn as well as the retro wooden paneling in my apartment and it was an instant yes. Granted, it was impossible for me to put on with my talons and kind of difficult for Johnny too but that’s show biz, baby, and he got it eventually lol. Great success!

My next purchase was a toss up as there were several necklaces that I liked but I didn’t want to go hog wild on accessories. I exercised self control, gave myself a limit of one more, and decided on the mid length necklace with chain tassels. I loved the burnt gold hue and the overall design but what really spoke to me was the chain. Yes, it was nice to be able to slip it over my head but that is beside the point. The chain of this necklace was delightfully reminiscent of that of a locket from my grandma that was home to a picture of her and my grandpa. It was perfect and I think I ended up with the two best pieces of jewelry on display. ❤

As the weather cools down, I can’t wait to begin fully accessorizing OOTDs again and I have a great place to start with my new old necklaces from The Bomb Shelter!

Do you have any vintage clothing or accessories? Where do you like to shop for retro finds? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah