Tag Archives: shopping

New Philosophy Sweater

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New Philosophy Sweater

Hello! While I love to get pampered with my monthly fill and trips to the hair salon, my favorite form of spoiling myself is with some good old fashioned retail therapy. This past week, I did just that at TJMaxx after tricking myself into thinking I was only going to go there to pick up some more skin care. I knew that that was a bust as soon as I walked into the store and couldn’t help myself from at least taking a peek at the clothing selection. And, here we are now three jackets and one sweater later lol. But hey, I figured I deserved a treat too after just completing my Christmas shopping! Check out the first item from my TJMaxx Haul – a gorgeous little striped sweater by Philosophy:

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I have to admit, my winter fashion game during the work week is totally different than what you see in my cold weather OOTDs. Besides two or three short shifts with other clients, I am mainly working at my parents’ home Monday through Friday and I can tell. I basically only wear hoodies to work! Part of it is the cold and the other part is sheer laziness/lack of desire on my part lol. For these past few months, fashion has been far from my mind because things have been hectically awful in Lil Red’s world. However, a recent upswing has put myself back in the mood for actually getting dressed for work and I was happy to find some new clothes to reflect that. Of course, there is nothing wrong with dressing casually for work or literally whenever, but I do feel my best when I put at least some effort into my appearance and I was severely neglecting that.

I wasn’t planning on going clothing crazy at TJs but when I saw this darling sweater by Philosophy, I was already too far gone to turn back! My first thought was that it would be perfect to wear for work and would still be something comfortable to wear without being lounge ware. I loved the bold, colorful stripes against the black base and the poppy colors bring a smile to my face, especially considering the dreary and grey December weather.

The fit of this sweater is also VERY NICE and it has just a touch of additional wiggle room, which I like. It is form fitting enough without being too tight and this was appealing to me because the clothing racks seemed to be swimming with oversized options. This Philosophy sweater hit right at the waistline of my jeans but was by no means cropped and it was really flattering. I mean, obviously, lol I wouldn’t have bought it if that weren’t the case! 😀

Although my mental health is still not the best at this moment in time, your girl is still trucking. My new twenty dollar sweater (Total steal!) made me feel encouraged to put my fashion armor back on and bring some Lil Red style back into the work week. I consider this money well spent!

How do you know when you’re in a rut? What helps you get through it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

 

TJMaxx Skin Care Haul

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TJMaxx Skin Care Haul

Hello! After reorganizing my work bag, I realized that I had a ten dollar rewards certificate from TJMaxx due to my expert spending this year lol. I couldn’t have stumbled upon this at a better time because I was running low on lots of my skin care staples and decided to take a TJs trip during a free afternoon. As always, I told myself that I was only going to look at beauty products but that was just a lie to make myself feel better because you all know I got some clothes too! Take a look at what should have been my only purchases during my shopping and keep it posted for what I treated myself with:

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Prior to the pandemic, I would say that I was going to TJMaxx at least bimonthly and would restock my beauty products as needed. This worked for me at the time but my shopping process has certainly changed since 2020. Now, when I make it to my beloved TJMaxx (It has been over three months since my last visit!), I stock up on what I need so that I don’t have to keep returning back. An all around restock was definitely what I needed this time around and all of the products seen above will last me close to four months. I consider this a blessing because it will keep me away from all of the temptations of winter clearance! 😀

My skin care routine is a fairly simple one that includes a scrub, cleanser, micellar water, serum, eye cream, and moisturizer. I use most of these products twice daily and it is easy to see why I would go to TJs in shorter intervals because some of the items can get used up rather quickly. I am used to finishing a product like a serum or moisturizer every month but I had a revelation while writing my November 2022 Finishes post: Sometimes, bigger is better. This past month, I finished up a gigantic tub of moisturizer that lasted me close to a month and a half. It really blew my mind and I thought that I would incorporate my discovery into this skin care restock, as you can see by the huge bottles of serum! I was disappointed that I couldn’t find any similar sizes of moisturizer to the Pearlessence one that I used and loved but what can ya do?

There are lots of new to me products in my skin care haul that I am excited to try out like the eye cream and Neutrogena cleanser. I actually just used the SpaLife serum with the beads in it and it was pretty good. Yes, I mainly bought it because it looked cool! But I digress. I am most looking forward to trying the Dope Dreams sleeping mask by ELF. I have used a CBD moisturizer before that I wasn’t too impressed with but this mask intrigued me. Keep checking back for a new Face Mask Festivities about it soon!

I am obsessed with skin care all year round but it just hits different in the winter. When I saw my go to products running low, it was off to TJs I went and I think I should be pretty well stocked until spring! 😀

What is your winter skin care routine like? What is your favorite skin care brand? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

It’s Not Just A Phase OOTD Bloopers

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It’s Not Just A Phase OOTD Bloopers

Hello everyone and welcome to the blooper reel from my It’s Not Just A Phase OOTD!! This is one of my favorite looks I have done on lifewithlilred in 2022 and I think the pictures that were non bloopers rule. However, it wouldn’t be an OOTD on my page without the blooper reel of pics that most definitely didn’t make the cut let alone be seen by the entire world. OR SHOULD THEY?! I think so! Check out these yikes shots that truly capture the goofball essence of everyone’s favorite Lil Red blogger:

This way to the gun show!!

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I LOOK GREAT!!!!!!

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Miss Thing has got an attitude

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Sporting the demon chic look and clearly about to open a can of whoop ass

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*About to shake hands with someone* AYYY PSYCH!!

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This bird of paradise is spreading her wings and flying

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Hey uhhhh do you have a cigarette?

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Trying to stand on my toes and epic failing

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Shout out to the one piece of hair that always sticks out no matter what *eye roll*

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Hoisting myself up for more fun on lifewithlilred. Let’s go!

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When it comes to taking pictures, give me a brick wall and I will work the ever living hell out of it. That is all I wanted for this shoot and, honestly, the location is a blooper in and of itself. The brick wall I chose was the bathroom building of a local park lol. But, hey, you work with what you’ve got and it was a mighty nice brick wall! This was a brain blast when we were about to head out to downtown Cuyahoga Falls for its excellent brick building selection and what we ended up with just makes me like these shots even more. You are never too old to be an emo kid OR laugh about bathroom related humor. 😀

This shoot was such a hoot and it really did take me back to my days of yore when my badass little self loved to post up by a brick wall and have a cigarette. Obviously, I thought I was the coolest. Judging by my popularity in high school, clearly, I was not lol. Be that as it may, these pictures are the coolest to me, bloopers and all and I hope that you enjoyed this photo series as much as I did! ❤

What was your high school self like? What is your most cringe worthy high school memory? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

It’s Not Just A Phase OOTD Bonus Pics

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It’s Not Just A Phase OOTD Bonus Pics

Hello everyone and welcome to some bonus pics from my It’s Not Just A Phase OOTD! There were so many pictures I liked from this shoot because I loved the outfit that I created. It is for sure one that I can picture myself wearing again or with variations and it might just be one of my favorite looks from this past year of OOTDs. I think I achieved my goal of creating an elder emo look that the young bloods can look up to lol! What do you guys think?

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I don’t know about all of you but my fashion sucked ASS in high school lol. It was basically as bad on the outside as I felt on the inside. However, that’s one of the cool things about growing up. You get to develop your own style and learn what works the best for you. This was a process of trial and error and how my style evolved from yikes to something I’m proud of stems from countless shopping trips to TJMaxx with my mom. Trying on fitting rooms full of clothes in every shape, style, and color really helped get me in tune with my body type and what compliments it. This also gave me the freedom to make fashion mistakes without showing it to the entire high school.

Shows like Euphoria had all of the high school aged characters serving LOOKS and that truly is not the case for lots of people, myself included. If you’re one of my younger readers and have similar sentiments to my days of yore, I promise that it will get better. It just takes a bit of time, reflection, and an adventurous spirit when you’re out shopping. This outfit was inspired by what I wish that I wore in high school and I think my younger self would have flipped her shit if she saw these pictures of grown up me.

“It’s just a phase” is something that young people hear a lot and it is such a massive eye roll. There are some things you will never outgrow and that is okay! Once an emo kid, always an emo kid and all you have to do is look at thirty-three year old Johnny and twenty-eight year old me to know that it was most certainly not just a phase. This look was all about tossing that phrase in the garbage and being proud of who you are and how you feel. All of it makes you you and I like you just the way you are! ❤

What was a phase that you never outgrew? How has your personal style developed? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

It’s Not Just A Phase OOTD

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It’s Not Just A Phase OOTD

Hello everyone!! This weekend, Johnny and I were finally able to have a little date day and snap some pictures and I am ecstatic with the OOTD that I came up with. Johnny and I are your friendly neighborhood emo kids (28 and 33 is still young, right?!) and I wanted to pay homage to that with what I considered a “grown up” emo ensemble. This look was so much fun to style and shoot and Lil Red Fun Fact for ya: The brick wall that you see below is actually the building for the bathrooms at a local park lol. Hey, whatever works! Check it out:

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Who? What? Wear?

^^^ SHOOK that there are no pieces from TJMaxx in this look!!

Normally, when I am planning an OOTD shoot, I do so with one specific piece in mind and build the outfit from there. In this case, it was my yellow plaid skinnies by Wild Fable. I love these pants so damn much and I was amazed when I realized that I have never featured them in an outfit post before. These pants are the cutest and they add an awesome grungy touch to any look. They are also insanely comfortable and fit just a tad looser than traditional skinny jeans. Long story short, they are A+ pants.

Of course, with such a bold pattern on the bottom, choosing a top was a bit difficult. I vetoed several options because they had already been featured in past OOTDs and poo pooed others because they just looked bad lol. Finally, I threw my hands up and decided on the Zoe + Liv hoodie from Target with a rock on skeleton hand. At first, I wasn’t particularly thrilled about this because it seemed like such a safe bet and we all know that Lil Red never plays it safe. Then, I had a brain blast!

It is freaking freezing in Ohio and there was no way I would be warm enough in just the hoodie alone. I knew that when I chose it and figured I would just make do with my stud embellished Zara moto jacket. I wasn’t particularly thrilled about this, either, because it also seemed like too safe of a bet. Then, I began shopping through my jackets and an epiphany dawned on me: If I was trying to do a grown up spin on emo kid classics, why not add a blazer?

With that idea in mind, I went with my Express blazer that I got at the Goodwill. This was such an amazing find and it oozes chic. It was also what got me back on board with the hoodie that I had chosen. I have never really seen a hoodie and blazer combination before and that was really exciting to me. It was even more exciting when it looked awesome lol! I loved being able to see the casual hoodie’s hood over such a signature business staple. The blazer also took away from the slouchiness of wearing the hoodie on its own, providing me with a nice, lean silhouette.

After the base of my outfit was complete, it was time to move onto shoes and accessories. My stark white lace up boots from Forever 21 were an obvious choice. The inspiration was giving an update to an emo staple of black combat boots with a similar structure but totally different color. I also really liked how they popped against the rest of the outfit and brought out the white in the plaid pants.

For accessories, I wanted to keep things minimal because the outfit as a whole was so sleek and I didn’t want anything to distract from that. So, I kept things simple and put on my favorite pair of pink glitter lightening bolt earrings. These were a sneaky way of adding a bit of color without being super obvious about it. Every outfit needs a little glitter, amiright?

Minus the crippling depression I had in my angsty teenage years/early twenties, I am still an emo kid at heart and always will be. It might not be apparent in all of my OOTDs but it’s true! I think my younger self would have been obsessed with this look. ❤

Where are my elder emo kids at? Who is your favorite emo band? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Guest Star OOTD Bloopers

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Guest Star OOTD Bloopers

Hello everyone and welcome to the third and final blooper reel from my Thanksgiving OOTDs! Today, we’ll be looking at the craziness from my Guest Star OOTD and it is one of my favorite photo series that has been created for lifewithlilred. The outfit was, of course, on point but it was the best because my darling niece, Valerie, wanted in on the photography fun too! Val makes me proud every day but this just hit different – especially considering that there was a point when she refused to have her picture taken. Look at her now, stealing the show!

Just TT being and looking crazy

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TIMBERRRRRRR

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Lol, Val holding on for dear life

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This picture cracks me up!!

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She’s coming in hot and…..

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Nails it!!

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Valerie is my lil bestie and everything is infinitely more fun (And tiring!) when she’s around. Every day that I get to spend with her is special and whenever I’m feeling down, all I need to do is think of the funny things that she says and does and it never fails to make me smile! She is my partner in crime for Taco Bell and Mexican food dates, story hours, slumber parties, and now OOTDs! I truly think we have a future influencer on our hands and that time might be coming sooner than later – she puts her own outfits together every day! #proudestTTever

Every moment from mine and Johnny’s three day Thanksgiving extravaganza was awesome but having Val be a Guest Star was one of my favorite parts. Being an aunt and uncle is such an exciting adventure for us and I cannot wait to celebrate Christmas with our sweet nieces and nephew. Only a few more weeks!! ❤

What is one of your cherished holiday memories? What puts you in the holiday spirit? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Cardi Party OOTD Bloopers

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Cardi Party OOTD Bloopers

Hello everyone and welcome to the blooper reel from my Cardi Party OOTD! With three Thanksgivings in a row, Johnny and I were exhausted for basically the entire week afterwards. It was well worth it, though, because we had an amazing time with our families! Thanksgiving was the perfect occasion to get back into fashion forward posts on lifewithlilred and I was ecstatic because I missed it oh so very much. Of course, there are sure to be some unflattering pictures among the hundreds that Johnny takes and I took it upon myself to share them with all of you. Check out the bloopers from my Cardi Party look:

I LOOK GREAT!!!!

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Hoisting myself up from this handy little bench that Johnny and his dad made

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Startled by some type of bird activity going on

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Something STANK and I’m pretty sure it’s this picture

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The classic wife look of mild amusement and disbelief every time your husband says something uncouth

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Starting to peter out halfway through Thanksgiving round two

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Looking like a straight up donkey after Johnny said something funny

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High five very nice!!

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Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful, amiright?! Lol but seriously… A while back ago I saw this post on Facebook about a mom who will happily take pictures when her kids hold up a camera no matter what she looks like. Rather than refuse to get her picture taken, she’ll smile. And, instead of vetoing the more than likely unflattering picture upon seeing it she would say something like “I look awesome” or “I love my smile”. The blooper reels from my OOTD posts kind of follow that same concept as well as poking some good old fashioned fun at myself and it is a segment on my page that I am really proud of.

My sister claims that I take way too many pictures (As does Johnny as you can see!) but I just can’t help myself. No matter if it’s a “good” or “bad” picture, it’s important to me to have all of those special moments to look back on later and smile. Showcasing these yikes OOTD shots is something that I would have never done during earlier lifewithlilred times. However, I think displaying these shots for the world to see shows my growth as a person and I hope it encourages others to do the same. Is it really a “bad” shot if it makes someone laugh or feel comfortable with any of their perceived flaws? I think not! 😀

Keep it posted tomorrow for bloopers from my third and final Thanksgiving OOTD and then it is onto more fun here on lifewithlilred. See you then!

Are you a constant photo taker at family events? How many pictures do you have on your phone? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Guest Star OOTD

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Guest Star OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to the final OOTD from my Thanksgiving look book! Mine and Johnny’s three day celebration gave us great company, food, and fashion – we had an absolute blast! It felt so good to get my OOTD on after a long time without and the photo series below is one of my favorites. Not because of the outfit but because it features my sweet niece, Valerie, as the guest star!

There was a point when Val Gal simply refused to have her picture taken. However, she has been all about it ever since her baby sister was born and I am SO there for it! When I let her know that TT and Uncle Johnny were going to take some pictures outside, she jumped at the opportunity to come with and I have never been more proud. Check it out:

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^^^ So. Many. Pictures! But I love them all So. Much!

Who? What? Wear?

When styling this OOTD, I knew it was similar to the one I wore last Thanksgiving but I didn’t realize how similar until I looked at the post lol. Hey, if it’s not broken don’t fix it, amiright? Of course I am, because I love this look and small differences really did make a huge difference! Just like last year, I had my hand me down skater skirt from Rue 21 in mind because it’s cute, classy, and very easy to style. In fact, I had the entire outfit planned out in my head prior to getting dressed. Is that because of a semi-repeat outfit? Who’s to say? lol 😀

To pair with the skater skirt, I went with a beautiful forest green and sky blue detailed silky top from Loft. This was one of my first “business casual” purchases when I was still in college and I still love it. It is also a testament to how long clothing can last if you take good care of it! For this portion of the outfit, I liked how the deep navy in the skirt and the darker base color of the top paired against each other. Also note the mix and match of textures going on between the two pieces to add some visual interest.

But wait! There’s more!

Take a look at the argyle pattern of the socks. See what I did there?! It is almost a perfect match to the skirt and top and I thought that it was the tops. With a strong base of very similar colors, it allowed me to have some fun with the shoes and headband by choosing colors that compliment. As always, if you need help with mixing and matching colors, then a color wheel is a fantastic tool to assist you!

For the shoes, I chose a darling heeled Oxford by Lulu Hun. The Merlot hue was what I was really after because the caramel portion didn’t matter too much as it was a neutral. These heels were an obvious option to go with because you can see that the green, blue, and red/purple are all side by side on the color wheel. It really is as easy as that.

All that was left to do was incorporate an accessory and I decided on a headband for a top of the head to tip of the toes look. As you can see, it featured a lot of colors that were already used in this OOTD. I also tend to not go with a necklace over top of a patterned shirt because that can get very busy very quickly. And, just like that, my outfit was complete!

Although this Guest Star OOTD is really similar to last Thanksgiving, I still love it all the same. And can we please talk about how amazing my little guest star did? Future fellow influencer in the family? I think YES!!

What is your favorite OOTD from my Thanksgiving look book? What is the oldest piece of clothing that you have in your wardrobe? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

How To Treat Yourself To The Ultimate Makeover

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How To Treat Yourself To The Ultimate Makeover

We all deserve to treat ourselves every once in a while, and what better way to do that than with a makeover? Whether you’re looking for a new hairstyle, wardrobe, or skin care routine, there are endless ways to pamper yourself and feel like a new person. Let’s check out some tips on how you can treat yourself to the ultimate makeover:

Pick a Style Icon:

The first step to any makeover is finding some inspiration. Research your favorite celebrities or style bloggers and find someone whose look you’d like to emulate. Once you have your style icon in mind, you’ll have a better idea of the changes you want to make. Are you still trying to figure out where to start? Pinterest is always a great place to look for fashion inspo.

Update Your Hairstyle:

One of the easiest ways to change your look is by updating your hairstyle. If you’re feeling bold, why not try a brand new color? On the other hand, if you’re not ready for such a drastic change, ask your stylist for a cut that will complement your face shape. You’d be surprised by how much of a difference the right hair cut can make.

Invest in Some New Clothes:

Next up on our list is clothes. If your style needs an update, it’s time to hit the stores (or the internet) and find new pieces that speak to you. But beware – one of the pitfalls of shopping for a new wardrobe is spending too much money on clothes you’ll never wear. To avoid this trap, stick to buying items that can be mixed and matched with pieces you already own. This way, you’ll get the most bang for your buck and your closet will thank you for it!

Treat Your Skin Right:

Remember your skin! After all, what’s the point of having a killer outfit if your skin doesn’t look its best? If you need help figuring out where to start when it comes to skin care, try using products with natural ingredients or consulting with a dermatologist. And remember – just like with clothes, it’s crucial not to overspend on skin care products that might not work for you. Instead, start small and gradually add new products as needed.

Invest In Your Smile:

Finally, don’t forget to invest in your smile. A great way to instantly boost your confidence is by visiting a cosmetic dentist and having them whiten, straighten, or even reshape your teeth. With the right Cosmetic Dentist, you can have a brand new smile in no time and you’ll be amazed at how much of a difference it can make in your confidence.

Go ahead and permit yourself to splurge – it’s close enough to the new year to invest in yourself for a new you. And just in time for the holidays to wow your friends and family!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Cardi Party OOTD

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Cardi Party OOTD

Hey! This past week, Johnny and I celebrated Thanksgiving three times a lady and it was absolutely wonderful. We had the best time enjoying the company of both of our families and are still recovering from the food coma. Because of three Thanksgivings, I had to show out three times with holiday OOTDs and my Lil Red heart is so happy. With the craziness of the past month, it has been hard to find time to create fashion content and it feels great to get back at it again! Without further ado, here is my Cardi Party OOTD that I wore to Thxgiving with Johnny’s family:

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Who? What? Wear?

When it comes to Thanksgiving looks, it’s easy to prioritize comfort over style and why wouldn’t you? This is a holiday that is literally hanging out with your family and eating lol. But, what if I told you that you could have both style and comfort? *Gasp* My Cardi Party OOTD was not only crazy comfortable even after eating a big meal but it captured the cozy style that a Thanksgiving look is all about.

For Thanksgiving at Johnny’s parents, I had a cardigan in mind because the weather allowed it. We had a lovely fifty or so degree day and a cardigan is an ideal option for slipping on if you feel chilly or taking off when you’ve got the food sweats. I decided to go with my Lucky Brand cardigan from TJMaxx for its breezy shape and gorgeous color palette. The burnt shades are so celebratory of fall and I loved the unique pairing of these hues with a soft heather grey.

I wanted the colors of the cardigan to be the main feature of this outfit and it allowed me to make snap decisions to tie the rest of the look together. The Rachel Zoe button down of a coin grey hue was a no brainer to wear underneath the cardigan since it complimented the heather grey. Without being tucked in, this top is quite flowy. However, I always wear it tucked because it looks super cute and it also was what I needed so as not to pair two billowy pieces on top of the other.

As you all know, it is a rarity for both myself and my husband to not be in black skinny jeans so we won’t spend time on that regard lol. So, we will move right onto shoes and jewelry. The great thing about fall colors is that they all tend to compliment each other perfectly and that gives you the option to mix and match. This applies to both the famed jewel tone fall colors and duller shades alike, which made the fern heeled combat boots work so well. The grey undertones of the shoes also tied into the pieces on top for complete cohesion.

Finally, I wrapped up this OOTD with one of my favorite necklaces by SJ Pearl. I have several pieces by the brand but I often find myself reaching for the jade beads. I love the reassuring weight and the cool color. The pretty hue allowed me to fill the negative space on top without taking away from the rest of the outfit because it worked with the color palette that I had created. It also added some funky flare to an OOTD that was fairly simple, which you know I live for!

Tune in tomorrow for the final OOTD from my Thanksgiving look book featuring a very special guest. Then, it will be onto November finishes, a new Lil Red’s Book Club, and the blooper reel from these looks. Keep it posted!

What is your favorite fall color? What are you thankful for? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah