Tag Archives: shopping

Jun26

Dry Goods Haul: Thread & Supply Knit Tank Edition

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Dry Goods Haul: Thread & Supply Knit Tank Edition

Hello! When it comes to Facebook ads, all of the ones that show up on my newsfeed are from different clothing websites – some of which I’ve never even heard of. Unfortunately, my awful experience with my wedding heels has completely turned me off from shopping with Facebook ad sites again. That doesn’t mean I can’t look, though, and I always find myself scrolling through the ads anyways for fashion inspo.

One website’s ads (Which I couldn’t tell you the name of now) featured a ton of cute knit tanks and sweater vest style tops. I loved all of them and was so happy to have found a similar knit tank in Dry Goods when I went to Summit Mall. Check it out:

When shopping in Dry Goods, I immediately noticed this tank on an end cap. It was paired over a T-shirt and it was just what I had been wanting so into the try on pile it went. While there were a ton of clothes I liked to try on, I was really hoping that this Thread & Supply tank would work well. I had been picturing something like it in my wardrobe for at least a month now and was insanely relieved when I knew it was a for sure purchase as soon as it was on.

My new top is, of course, totally charming with the multicolored pastel stripes but its versatility it what makes it the most appealing to me. During the summertime, wearing your arms bare is perfectly acceptable. However, it can be used in every season thanks to the possibility of layering. Throwing this over a form fitting sweater and pairing with a mini skirt and knit tights will, without a doubt, be the move in the winter.

After my shopping session in Dry Goods, I walked away with this tank and the Blu Pepper sweater featured yesterday. I also just had to grab one more little treat at the cash wrap:

There was a jar of computer and bumper stickers at the cash register for a dollar and when I saw the “Darlin'” one, I couldn’t say no because it’s my husband’s pet name for me! I stuck it onto my laptop as soon as I got home and it makes me smile every time I see it. 🙂

I am very pleased with all of my purchases from Dry Goods and definitely plan on shopping there in the future for a fall wardrobe refresh!

Have you ever ordered anything off of social media ads before? What was your experience? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun25

Dry Goods Haul: Blu Pepper Sweater Edition

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Dry Goods Haul: Blu Pepper Sweater Edition

Hi! This past weekend, my friend Danielle and I hit up Summit Mall for a little retail therapy. It has felt so good to have actual shopping trips again instead of plopping down in front of my laptop to scroll through endless pages on TJMaxx’s website! Our outing was fabulous and she introduced me to one of her favorite stores, Dry Goods. I had been in this store once several years ago and didn’t care for anything I tried on so I never bothered with it again.

This time around, however, was a great success and I found two new tops there, helping to complete my summer wardrobe refresh. The light sweater we are about to discuss was something I originally picked out for Danielle and it looked so cute on her that I had to try it too! We both fell in love with it and are now twinsies. 😀 Check it out:

I just adore my new Blu Pepper sweater and it is really a perfect all seasons option. It is light enough that you could wear it for an outdoor meal during a chillier summer evening and will layer so well during the colder months. I thought it looked amazing on Danielle and, not to toot my own horn, but it looked awesome on me too. Thanks to the charcoal grey and dusty rose color combo as well as the not too tight or too loose fit, this Blu Pepper number is universally flattering.

While the side button details are cute, the real piece de resistance are the elbow patches! I am a huge sucker for them and like the old school flare that they add to modern clothing. The details, color, and shape all work together incredibly well and I am so happy with my purchase. At first glance, this sweater seemed a bit too Plain Jane for me but I ate my words as soon as it was on and am so excited to be twinsies with one of my favorite gals! ❤

Do you have any clothes that you would consider to be universally flattering? What are your favorite details in clothing? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun21

What I’m Looking Forward To This Summer

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What I’m Looking Forward To This Summer

Hello! June has been a GREAT SUCCESS of a month so far due to my recent nuptials, double birthday with my husband, and bestie’s birthday and I have a feeling that this summer is only going to get better. Last summer was a wash for everyone because of the pandemic and now that Johnny and I are fully vaccinated, we plan on making the most of the season. While I can’t wait for weekend trips with Johnny and soaking up the sun for about ten minutes before I start to burn, I am especially looking forward to the following:

Swimming:

Even though I refuse to get my hair wet, that doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy time in the pool! One of my clients has a pool and we try to utilize it at least once a week. The pool in my apartment community is also open for the summer and I’m really excited to go swimming with my niece and sister. I haven’t been able to use the community pool since the summer of 2019 when I moved in as it was closed last summer, which makes me even more eager for a swimming outing ASAP!

Shopping:

As you all know, Lil Red loves to shop and in late May I had my first non grocery related shopping trip since before the pandemic at Summit Mall. I had a huge haul at Altar’d State and American Eagle and the shopping bug has been biting ever since. I am very much looking forward to spending my birthday gift cards at TJMaxx, outings to the mall, and maybe even a day trip to my favorite outdoor mall, Crocker Park.

Shopping has always been very therapeutic to me and even if I walk away with nothing, I still have a blast. There is nothing better to me than spending an afternoon browsing and seeing what’s new in fashion. During the pandemic, I only did online shopping so being able to visit all of my favorite haunts in person this summer will be tons of fun and I definitely feel a mother/daughter trip to TJMaxx in my near future. 😀

Concerts:

My Johnny is a musician and his band, The Outside Voices, hasn’t played since early March of 2020. This is the longest he has gone without playing live music in over a decade and I know he is just dying to perform again. And I am just dying to watch! We are both counting down the days till their first show this summer and are equally excited to see other bands too. In fact, we just went to our first concert together in Marietta this past weekend and had an awesome time seeing our friends in Jake Dunn & The Blackbirds perform. Long live local music!

Happy summer to all!

What are you looking forward to this summer? What is your favorite warm weather activity? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun19

Give Yourself An Instant Summer Makeover

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Give Yourself An Instant Summer Makeover

After over a year of being cooped up due to the pandemic, it is only understandable to want to put your best self forward now that it is possible to be out and about again. There is no better way to wow those who you haven’t seen in so long with a makeover! The options we’ll discuss will have instant results and you will be sure to stun the next time you step out. Let’s get to it:

Visit The Dentist:

It was so strange to not be able to see what anyone really looked like during the pandemic because of the face masks and it is nice to see people smiling again. Speaking of smiling, how is yours looking? Bi yearly trips to the dentist are a must and a cleaning will make your pearly whites even prettier when you flash a smile. If more extensive work needs done, your dentist could use the high quality appliances from orthodontic laboratory Toronto to completely perfect your smile. Instant makeover? I think yes!

Upgrade Your Wardrobe:

There is no need to buy a brand new wardrobe with the changing of the seasons. Rather, upgrade what you already have by purchasing a few statement and weather appropriate pieces to refresh your wardrobe. It will be such fun to go shopping again and now that fitting rooms are open, don’t be afraid to experiment with things you wouldn’t normally try on. You never know if something works unless you try it and new to you shapes and colors will be an automatic boost to your closet.

Don’t Skimp On Skin Care:

There is something to be said for bright, soft skin so don’t skimp on skin care this summer. You can’t go wrong with a gel moisturizer for lightweight hydration and don’t forget to get one with SPF in it! The same goes for a body lotion with SPF too. We see a lot more of everyone in the summer thanks to shorts and tank tops so no dry patches allowed! Make your complexion the most radiant with a Vitamin C serum and now we’re in business.

Work On You:

People just glow differently when they are happy, don’t they? Spend some time each day with yourself to meditate, journal, do yoga – whatever. As long as you are relaxing and focusing on inner peace your “me time” could be anything. The important thing is that you are working to improve your mind and body so you can smile more often and make your aura even more beautiful.

Give yourself an instant makeover this summer with the tips above and don’t be afraid to shine. We all deserve it after facing so many difficulties this past year!

Jun13

If The Shoe Fits: Show Story Edition

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If The Shoe Fits: Show Story Edition

Hello! For the most part, shopping for my wedding dress and accessories was very enjoyable and I am simply thrilled with the end result:

My only complaint? I fell victim to what I felt to be a super scammy website for my heels. This is a Lil Red first because I don’t think I have ever complained during an issue of If The Shoe Fits before!! Lol, take a look at some pics of my heels by Show Story and let’s discuss:

^^^ Can everyone please do me a solid and pretend that they don’t see dirt from my backyard wedding caked on the heel? Haha, I was SO tired when I took these pics and I seriously didn’t even notice it until now… Smh!!!! Now, back to your regularly scheduled programming:

I ordered these heels off of Wildly Untamed Boutique in a wine red originally and, unfortunately, they were way too big. The size I needed in red was, sadly, sold out so I went for a black pair instead and asked the page’s customer service if this could be processed as an exchange, which was fine. However, all was not fine when I was sent a shipping address to China and found out the cost to send it back would be several hundred dollars. It would have costed me more to ship them back than what I even paid for the heels.

Things got even worse when I was told I couldn’t ship them back to a closer location despite them arriving in the mail from a California address. But, the real kicker was that the heels on Wildly Untamed Boutique were one hundred and fifteen dollars and were selling for forty on the brand’s own website. I am, now, basically stuck with a pair of shoes that are entirely too big and there is nothing I can do about it.

Despite all of the major annoyances and disappointments, I do really love these shoes and it is a shame that I am just now saying that close to the end of the post! An edgy black wedding dress and veil can only be paired with the edgiest of heels and I truly feel like I got exactly what I was looking for.

There are so many fun surprises on these Show Story heels like the studs on the toe, side zipper, and skull charm. The best part, of course, is the vertebrae ultra high heel that I think are just the coolest. Not only are my heels the ultimate in goth chic but they were really easy to walk in, even in a slightly damp, grassy backyard. I am a seasoned heel wearer and my feet didn’t even hurt at the end of the night, either, which shocked me!

Although there were ups and downs to this purchase off of Wildly Untamed Boutique, I felt awesome in my Show Story heels and that is all you can ask for on your wedding day!

Where do you find the best unique shoes? Have you ever had a similar online shopping experience to mine? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Jun4

Wedding Band Reveal

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Wedding Band Reveal

Hi!! When Johnny and I got engaged, I took my carved pearl ring to Jared’s to get resized and they did a fabulous job. I was so impressed by them and I knew that I wanted to go back when it was time to purchase a wedding band. At the end of April, Johnny and I went to Jared’s together and their employees helped create us a ring that was exactly what I wanted at a price point that we were both comfortable with.

After almost an entire month of waiting, I was finally able to pick my wedding band up and it was even better than I could have imagined! Check it out:

When it came to my wedding band, I had two requirements that absolutely needed to be met: Black diamonds and rubies. I also wanted a shape that was unique and would fit well with my engagement ring. After discussing a budget as well as some trial and error, the employees at Jared’s were able to customize a ring that is completely perfect for me. In fact, Johnny and I are so in love with both of our wedding bands that we’re already wearing them lol.

The diamonds in my wedding band along with the gemstones look so beautiful when paired with the pearl of my engagement ring and it fits like a glove. It was important for me to have a band that truly complimented the engagement ring and my favorite part is how the the rubies lined up to be on either side of the pearl skull’s teeth. The shape of the bling is also incredibly unique and I have never seen anything like it before.

My wedding band has been in my possession for the past week or so and I have probably looked at it a million times since picking it up. I knew that I was in good hands with the expert help I received at Jared’s and I will never forget the trip there that I took with Johnny to create a one of a kind band that is one hundred and fifty billion percent us. ❤

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

Jun2

A New Day Cardigan

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A New Day Cardigan

Hi! While I love Target, it is normally not the first place that comes to my mind when I want to do clothing shopping. However, I was so impressed with their selection during a quick Target run this past week for a few odds and ends and I am looking forward to going back in June once they open their fitting rooms! There were so many pieces that I had my eyes on but I didn’t want to deal with the hassle of returning the items that didn’t work after trying them on at home. That didn’t stop me from purchasing a darling dusty lavender cardigan, though, since I could just slip it on over what I was wearing! Check it out:

During my run through of the Target clothing department, I instantly fell in love with my new crocheted cardi. I have been obsessed with anything lavender ever since buying my floral lavender skirt and crop top set from Altar’d State because I have never had anything of that color in my wardrobe. When my hair was just red, lavender never used to look good on me and would really wash me out. But once I replaced the yellow in my hair with pink, it opened up so many new colors that I never dreamed of wearing before.

All of these color options that are available to me now like blue, pink, and lavender has made these first few shopping trips since the beginning of the pandemic super exciting. It makes me want to try everything on and I can’t wait to update my wardrobe accordingly once more fitting rooms in stores are open. For now, though, I think I am off to a great start thanks to my Altar’d State Haul and this sweet sweater.

The color was, obviously, a major selling point of this cardi for me as well as its shape. When it comes to cardigans, I usually opt for longer ones. However, my A New Day cardi hits right above my hips and that length combined with the roomier sleeves offers a silhouette that I didn’t have anything like.

The first thing that came to mind when I saw my purchase was how perfect it would be with my lavender skirt and top set during a breezy summer evening. I also think that this cardi will be so cute paired with dark denim shorts and a crop top, which is an outfit that can easily be transitioned into the fall with tights!

These past few shopping trips have been just as magical as I imagined them while in lockdown and it feels so good to have fun with fashion again. 🙂

Which colors look the best on you? Which colors do you avoid wearing? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

 

 

May30

American Eagle Outfitters Haul

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American Eagle Outfitters Haul

Hi!! When I went to Summit Mall a week or so ago for the first time in at least two years, I made the most of it with a huge haul from Altar’d State. I also needed new shorts in a bad way and there is only one store that I can trust will have what I am looking for every time: American Eagle Outfitters. But Sarah, it’s about to be summertime! Every store is selling shorts. Be that as it may, I am not a fan of high waisted shorts and AEO is one of the few stores I know of that still sells classic midrise shorts.

As always, AEO delivered and I found two new pairs of shorts that fit just how I like as well as a multi pack set of earrings for my wedding! Check it out:

I have exactly two high waisted pairs of jeans in my wardrobe and, believe you me, I was very surprised by those purchases! However, high rise shorts just do not work on my body type. I have muscular thighs, a butt, and hips with a small waist so what fits over my bottom half is HUGE on my waistline and leaves a lot to be desired in the fit department. Therefore, midrise shorts will always be the move for me.

I was so happy to find two pairs of excellent quality shorts at American Eagle that I know will last me for a good long while because I only had one pair of shorts before this shopping trip! My midrise AEO shorts fit me like a glove without being too tight and it’s nice to have a little variety between the black shorts and distressed dark denim. Both pairs will go with literally anything this summer which takes any guesswork out of styling so that I can get out and go for mine and Johnny’s next adventures!

Originally, I only planned on purchasing shorts at AEO – until I got to the cash register that is. At the cash wrap, I noticed their jewelry display and remembered that I needed some smaller earrings for my wedding. When I buy earrings, I only go for flashy dangly pairs so there was a definite lacking of no fuss earrings at my place! I like that the multi pack that I purchased had options in both silver and gold and I am excited to mix and match until I find the perfect combination for the big day.

It felt so good to do some actual shopping at Summit Mall as opposed to browsing online and I am incredibly happy with everything that I bought. Here’s to successful shopping trips to all!

What is your preferred rise for jeans and shorts? Do you prefer dangle or stud earrings? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May29

Altar’d State Haul Finale

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Altar’d State Haul Finale

Hello everyone and welcome to the finale of my Altar’d State Haul! Today, we are going to wrap things up by talking about a lovely black and white floral print summer dress. This is a purchase I am particularly proud of because, normally, I wouldn’t have even bothered trying this dress on. Take a look at some pics and read on to find out more:

The first thing that I noticed when I saw this dress on display after how much I liked it, of course, was that a bra would be incredibly visible. As a bustier gal, a bra is absolutely necessary for me to feel comfortable but it would ruin the silhouette of the crossback straps and the plunging V of the back of the dress. As mentioned above, I would usually acknowledge how cute a dress like this is on previous shopping trips and then move on to something I could wear a bra in. So imagine my surprise when I took this dress from the rack to try it on in Altar’d State.

Chalk it up to my quickly upcoming wedding (!!!!!!) but my self confidence has been sky high lately and it feels awesome because of how much I have struggled with it in the past. So, instead of feeling disappointed when I saw this dress because I used to think I “couldn’t” wear it, I tried it on anyways. I thought to myself that I could make it work, especially with the adhesive strapless bras that I got for my wedding and almost jumped for joy in the fitting room once I had it on and loved it so much.

It could be the novelty of trying something so new to me but I think that this dress is just the most. The uneven hem is so charming and flowy and it reminds me of fairies. The pattern is also so beautiful to me and it feels like there’s a surprise on the dress everywhere you look from the peekaboo keyhole on the back to the crossback straps. I hate to toot my own horn but I was feeling my DAMN self in it.

I felt amazing in my new dress and even better about the fact that I took a risk and tried something different. This is the first time I have ever considered an option other than my standard, supportive bra when buying something and I know it has to do with my very improved self image. I can’t wait to go shopping again so I can try more new shapes and styles that I didn’t think were possible for me to wear before! ❤

How do you take fashion risks? 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

 

May28

Altar’d State Haul

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Altar’d State Haul

Hello everyone! Tomorrow we will be wrapping up my Altar’d State Haul with a gorgeous black and white summer dress. And, today, we are going to be taking a look at a mini skirt of the same color palette that might look familiar to you because I got it in lavender too! Let’s get to it:

If you recall, I purchased a matching top for a paired set with the lavender skirt but, unfortunately, there was no crop top to be found for my white skirt. There was also no size small, either, so I opted for a medium instead. While it doesn’t fit as snugly as the small one in lavender, which makes it a true bodycon skirt, the medium still fits me comfortably with a little extra flounce to it. The additional wiggle room will make layering with the white skirt much easier come cooler weather with a tucked in shirt and tights.

Like all of the ladies in my family, when I find something I like that has multiple colors available, I tend to buy a few of them. It’s nice to have options in a piece that you already know you love, which is why I just had to buy my white floral skirt too! I know I am going to have such fun styling this skirt and it will be a totally different experience from the lavender one because of the size difference and not having an option for a matching top.

Sadly, I couldn’t find the top for a pair set in white on Altar’d State’s website but, for now, a black crop top, jean jacket, and a sweet pair of summer wedges will work just fine!

How do you keep your clothes looking brand new? Do you like to buy different colors in a much loved piece? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah