Tag Archives: sneak peek

Halloween Costume Sneak Peek

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Halloween Costume Sneak Peek

Howdy! I absolutely love getting dressed up for Halloween and revel in styling costumes as much as any OOTD. Johnny and I do matching costumes and this doubles the fun! This year we were workshopping an Alice Cooper and Cold Ethyl costume but decided against it as it would be one we would have to create on our own. Piecing together costumes can be pricey and we are really trying to save for a big vacation next year! We decided to keep it simple by being pirates and I REALLY like what we picked out. However, I do kind of wish that we kept with our original plan because our purchases at Spirit Halloween were CRAZY expensive. I genuinely think we could have done an ode to one of our favorite rockers for a similar price. That’s neither here nor there, though, because I know we are going to be the cutest pirates across the seven seas! Here is a sneak peek of my costume:

There was no shortage of pirate costumes at Spirit Halloween and I had a hard time choosing because they were all adorable! Whenever I ask Johnny’s opinion on which one he likes, he always errs on the side of sexy and he was right – the Wicked Pirate costume set was definitely the best of the bunch! It came with the top, bottoms, and head scarf and I was so pleased that it fit like a glove when I tried it on at home. If you are considering ordering online from Spirit Halloween or shopping there, their sizes are very true to the label. Although you might want to size up if you’d like a bit more wiggle room.

Of course the costumes at Spirit Halloween don’t come with any additional accessories and that simply wouldn’t do. If I am going to dress up, I’m going to do it right! However, the accessories and beauty departments were when things started getting really pricey. The first order of business was a wig because I wanted huge red curls and the Ombre option was exactly what I was looking for. Fake lashes were also a necessity because Halloween is the only time I wear them and the red and black lashes matched my color palette perfectly.

For accessories, I wasn’t feeling the headscarf my costume came with at all so I opted for a hat instead. There were a few different options to pick from that looked like a floppy hat but had buttons to make it a trifold. I was delighted to find one that had red accents when folded up and I think it will look stellar on top of the wig! I also had my heart set on an eye patch and surprisingly there were literally none except for the jeweled one. That was fine because I would have chosen it anyways – it is so freaking cool and provides a fun pop of bling. Speaking of bling, how great are those dangly earrings? I was a bit worried that I was over accessorizing but they will be tangled amidst the curls in the wig and won’t be a focal point.

My last purchase was a pair of thigh high socks which I liked much better than the fishnets seen on the costume packaging. I just thought they were cute and the chain decals look like the one on my costume’s top to tie it together from head to toe. Blessedly, I didn’t need to think about spending any more money on shoes because I plan on wearing my vertebrae heels from my wedding. Thank goodness! 😀

I am so excited to see this costume come together and can’t wait to show all of you the end result. Stay tuned!

Are you dressing up for Halloween? Where do you like to shop for costumes? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

New Hair Sneak Peek

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New Hair Sneak Peek

Hello! One of my absolute favorite things in the world is getting my hair done at the Shear Shop. My amazing stylist, Anna, has been doing my hair for over twenty years and we just have so much fun at all of my appointments. While she works her magic, we are nonstop chattering away about our updates, laughing, and daydreaming about what to do with my hair next. Sometimes Anna and I just freestyle what we are going to do the day of my appointment. More often than not, however, we go into it with a plan and then we’ll see what happens. As Anna and I were messaging about my new do at my upcoming appointment, we were both totally on the same wavelength and will be working with this color palette:

This is the time of the year when I ditch summer colors and start delving into the deeper hues of fall. Anna and I have been experimenting with beaucoup blue by Pulp Riot for the warmer weather and I have been loving it. Blue has become a staple in my hair palette and I have been looking forward to using the gorgeous deep navy Nightfall for fall. Then, Anna sent me a picture of a blue jean shade called Asteroid and I just had to go for it instead! It’s not a huge jump from Nightfall but it’s enough for something different and I am never one to shy away from new Pulp Riot colors. I can’t wait to see it and smell it lol because all of their hair dye smells like Sweet Tarts! 😀

With red always being featured in my hair, we also had to decide on a new color for the middle layer. Currently, we have a pretty peach mixture of Desert Sky and Lava and that won’t do for fall. I told Anna I was thinking purple and coincidentally, she was looking at purple options when I suggested it! We considered it fate and will be using a Kelly Osbourne-esque violet called Elixir. I felt very inspired by her hair when she hosted Lego Masters Junior and repeatedly told Johnny how much I liked her color. Elixir is a perfect match and I adore that we read each other’s minds to pick it out. ❤

Red, purple, blue – oh my! Peep my brand new do soon on lifewithlilred!

How often do you get your hair done? Are you changing your hair for fall? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Final Halloween Costume Sneak Peek

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Final Halloween Costume Sneak Peek

Hello! Johnny and I are going to be Lord Licorice and a Candy Queen for Halloween. You would think that such a fun costume would be a joy to shop for. That was, unfortunately, far from the case and it proved to be a massive pain in my nads. I ended up having to settle for my last resort costume and it’s cute, just not what I wanted. The candy button platform heels did help perk me up, though! We both needed a few finishing touches on our costumes so we made a trip to Spirit Halloween on Saturday. Thankfully, we managed to find all of our requirements because the store was already pretty picked over. And, thankfully, I am feeling WAY better about my costume now with these additions (Including some Amazon purchases!):

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So the candy headband and giant lollipop both came from Amazon and 0/10 do not recommend. The lollipop came with a huge dent, as you can see, and also you just kind of had to shove the stick into the foam lol. The candy headband also came with a really cute lollipop necklace and earrings (Totes forgot to include those!) and the jewelry was okay. The headband, however, came with three popped off lollipops that I had to superglue back on. It all ended up working out, but it definitely added to the annoyance of my top pick costumes NOT working out.

While the accessories were going to help this costume, they weren’t going to make the look. So, I turned to Spirit Halloween to kick it up a notch. First on the agenda was a wig and I scored massively with a gorgeous pastel blue, pink, and lavender in long, curly tresses. It was also the last one in the store. NICE! Next was a tutu to add some volume to the skirt as well as provide some extra coverage to the very mini length! The pink tutu was also the last one available which was DOUBLE NICE and everything was coming up Lil Red.

The last order of business was thigh highs and eyelashes and things went down slightly lol. I was really hoping to find some pastel pink thigh highs but came up with nothing. The white ones will be okay, though, and I love the bows! For eyelashes, I chose a wonderfully rainbow set to pop against all the pastel. I left the store with *almost* exactly what I wanted/needed and it was a much needed great success after the struggle bus ran me over time and time again!

I am honestly so excited to put this whole costume together over the weekend. It was not what I originally had in mind but maybe that’s a good thing because I’m already obsessed!

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

New Hair Sneak Peek

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New Hair Sneak Peek

Hello!! My preferred form of self care definitely falls under the “pampering” category. I love getting my hair and nails done, getting dressed up, and shopping for pretty little somethings to spoil myself with. Whenever I am done with any of these treats, I feel like a billion bucks and nobody can tell me NOTHING – especially after getting my hair done. This Friday, I have an appointment at the Shear Shop with my beloved stylist, Anna, to transform my hair. A few weeks before it’s time for me to come in, Anna will message me and we’ll discuss what I would like and she sends me different color options which she orders just for me. I don’t want to speak prematurely, but I think this is going to be one of my favorite hair makeovers yet! Check it out:

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^^^ The “10” shades will be more true to what my hair will look like as it is the colors after bleaching!

Anna has been my stylist for over two decades and she knows me and my personal style like the back of her hand. For example, she predicted without me even hinting at it that I wanted to go back to dark hair after my summer colors of red, pink, and yellow. She was so right. I have been itching to get back to darker hues because the regrowth of my natural dark brown hair looks hit with lighter colors. After that matter was settled, she sent me pictures of some gorgeous new Pulp Riot shades. We have been loyal to Pulp Riot ever since the first time Anna used it on my hair. The colors are vibrant, the dye smells like Sweet Tarts, and it creates hair magic without fail every time.

The one color I was particularly entranced with was Eloped, but I wasn’t sure how that would mesh with the shade I had in mind. One of my favorite Pulp Riot colors ever is Nightfall (navy) and I want it back desperately. And, of course, I need some red mixed in there too! I told Anna as such and she fired back with the most stunning color story combining Eloped, Nightfall, and a new red hue called Vintage Vegas. I literally clutched my pearls because it was absolutely perfect. With that, Anna placed the order for my dye and all I have to do is count down the minutes until I can be in her chair to make it happen!

It’s natural to be nervous when you make a drastic change to your hair, but I never am. Anna is a true master of her craft and I know I am in the best, most capable hands. I am on pins and needles to see the outcome with these divine new Pulp Riot colors!

Do you have a close relationship with your hair stylist? How long have you been going to them? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Halloween Costume Sneak Peek

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Halloween Costume Sneak Peek

Howdy! It is no secret that Johnny and I revel in all things Halloween – not just during spooky season but all year round. We simply love it and, normally, something like costume shopping would be a complete joy. This year, however, was a totally different story because it proved to be a nightmare. I thought it would be easy as pie to find a costume inspired by sweet treats for our Candyland themed couples costume dreams. This was far from the case and I ended up striking out HARD twice before snagging my last resort costume. Is it what I really wanted? Not really. But, I think with the right accessories I will still be a Candy Queen yet! Check it out:

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Prior to purchasing the Candy Heart costume seen above, I had two options that I wanted badly. The first one was rather expensive but I was willing to pay the top dollar price tag for it until I ran into Issue Number One. The costume was only available in what I guesstimated was my size on a website where all sales were final. Had I been absolutely certain that it would have fit, I would have went for it. Suppose it didn’t, though. Then I would be stuck with a too small costume, no way to return it, and my bank account would be down a pretty penny. So, Option One was a no go.

After having my first plan fall through, I had to pivot and scour through a million costumes I had seen before and hoping something new would pop up. What felt like an endless search resulted in me finding a costume I liked even better than Option One and I eagerly placed my order. Everything was coming up Lil Red for like a day and then… I got an email saying JK because my size wasn’t available after all. I was honestly crushed because the costume was perfect. It was exactly what I wanted, the price was nice, and I had all but forgotten the disappointment of failure for Option One.

With both of my desired costumes officially off the table, I was back where I started – with absolutely nothing. At this point, I was getting straight up pissed lol. In fact, I was ready to just throw in the towel and wear my costume from last year. Had I not made a premature announcement of our couples costume on social media, I would have! So, it was back to the drawing board and fruitless browsing, scrolling, begging, and pleading for something – ANYTHING that would work. You all know I live for online shopping, but this was getting ridiculous.

As I painstakingly searched through every corner of the internet for a candy costume, I came to the realization that I was just going to have to make do. Which brings us to the Candy Heart costume. It is super cute and I love the lace up front with the huge heart smack dab in the middle. While it is cute, it is also pretty basic lol. This is where shoes and accessories come into play. I found a darling pair of candy button platforms to wear with it, which I think will be simply charming. Then, I ordered a candy headband, a giant lollipop to hold, and a pair of lollipop earrings too. When Johnny and I visit Spirit Halloween this weekend, I will buy a pink tutu because the skirt is REALLY short, some sheer pink thigh highs, a pink wig, and pastel hued fake eyelashes. Like I said, I will be a Candy Queen yet!

Shopping for my Halloween costume was legit the worst and I am SO happy to be done with it. Although I had to settle for my last resort option, I still think this costume will offer Candyland vibes once it’s all put together!

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

Halloween Costume Sneak Peek

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Halloween Costume Sneak Peek

Hello!!!! Although Halloween is my favorite holiday of all time, I only have two costumes in my entire closet. One being a sexy Raggedy Anne that is old as dirt and a skeleton bodysuit that I wore two years ago. Last year, I created a costume from home and dressed up as Johnny lol! Because my options for a costume this year are pretty much nonexistent, I decided to finally buy a new one. I went with a sexy circus ringleader and I love it. But, damn dude, when did costumes become so expensive?! Then again, Halloween is like Christmas Day for me so why not go all out. 😀 Take a look at my new costume and keep it locked for an OOTD because I cannot wait to take pictures in it:

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I ordered this costume from Spirit Halloween online because I could not be bothered to make my way to the store. As soon as Spirit Halloweens start popping up in my neck of the woods, they become picked over within a day and I just didn’t want to deal with the hassle of limited options. I was a bit nervous that my ringleader costume wouldn’t fit but it actually ran very true to the size chart and I am thrilled about it. This will make future online costume shopping so much easier because it eliminates any guess work. The costume I selected only came with the velvet cami top, jacket, and a little top hat so I purchased the pleather booty shorts separately. I also added on some cheetah print false lashes to complete the look.

This was actually not my first choice for my ringleader Halloween costume. Originally, I had selected a jumpsuit for the sake of staying warm. Then, Johnny talked me out of it while we were exploring other ringleader costumes. He insisted that I would look amazing in the one I bought and after a lot of mental back and forth, I ended up agreeing with him. Johnny shot down every “what if it’s too much/too short/too anything” every single time and it made me feel so good and confident. Hey, when he’s right he’s right because this costume looked FIRE on.

I felt so fabulous when I tried this costume on and was surprised by its quality. I adore the cami top and, honestly, will probably end up wearing it beyond Halloween! The maroon jacket was fairly thick, which I liked and it offered such gorgeous detail. Can we talk about that chain attachment between the buttons and the embroidery?! I might have dragged my feet about the price I paid, but I think anything less expensive could look cheap and feel flimsy. I am very happy with my purchase overall!

I am SO excited to break this costume out and wanted to give all of you a sneak peek before the grand OOTD reveal. Now, cue “Circus” by Britney Spears, please!

What are you dressing up as for Halloween? How often do you buy a new Halloween costume? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

New Hair Sneak Peek

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New Hair Sneak Peek

Hello!! For my 29th birthday, I spent a glorious day at The Shear Shop getting my hair done by my stylist, the amazing Anna. Normally, I go about twelve weeks in between appointments with my go to girl, but that was far from the case this time around. Due to personal reasons, it had been SIX MONTHS since getting my hair done. Needless to say, I couldn’t freaking wait to get my mop taken care of because it was looking REALLY rough. I told Anna when I first sat down at her station that she could literally do anything to my hair and it would be an improvement!

With a half a year of the same hair, I was ready for a big change with the inspiration of my favorite flavor of ice cream, Superman, in mind. Saying that Anna delivered is the understatement of the century. Other than my wedding hair, this is my favorite thing she has ever done and that is really saying something because she has been my stylist for over two decades!

Today, you can peep a sneak peek at my new do and then, keep it locked here on lifewithlilred for a brand new OOTD to show off my locks and new nails! Check it out:

How It Started:

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^^^ Lol, we had some fun with this Troll Doll inspired style! I LOOK GREAT!!!

How It’s Going:

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^^^ ALL smiles!!! And featuring my new fave shirt!

When I have an appointment at The Shear Shop, it is truly an all day affair. Good things take time and this look took over five hours to create. That is fine by me! Spending time with Anna and my other Shear Shop gals is such a joy and, while bleach and color sets, I can work online or read. Our day began with a whole lot of bleach to lift my roots and the red and pink that was currently residing in my hair. After the bleach sat for about twenty minutes, we washed it out but weren’t completely satisfied with the results. So, we did round two, which got my hair to a place that was ready to accept all of the new colors after fifteen more minutes.

Once the bleach was washed out, it was time for the fun part of applying Pulp Riot’s Pyro to my roots, Satire on my bangs and crown, Fireball for the remainder, and Powder to frame my face. The end result was Troll Doll Chic and, as always, we couldn’t get enough of the delicious Sweet Tart scent of the Pulp Riot dye! After Anna expertly applied the color to the desired areas, I settled in my chair to work because it had to sit for forty-five minutes.

By the time the timer rang, I was ready to jump out of my seat because I couldn’t wait to see what it looked like! And, no, I never mind those ice cold water washes – it was actually really invigorating because I was getting tired. Pampering is hard work! At first glance, everything was perfect. BUT, upon closer inspection, the blue pulled a lot of green tones and we weren’t happy with that at all. That was a quick fix, though, and Anna applied more Powder mixed with a royal blue to cover it up and had it sit for another fifteen minutes.

After the final rinse, we were thrilled with what we were seeing and we even got a surprise bonus: Purple! Because the red at the tips of my hair didn’t fully pull, it blended with the blue to create a peacock array of colors. It definitely wasn’t what we set out to do but, hey, I’m SO not mad about a free color and it turned my hair into a rainbow! 😀

The last thing to do was flat iron my hair and put the finishing touches on my cut. The end result? Perfection. I felt absolutely amazing and I still do! I feel awesome and there is nothing better than looking in the mirror and being blown away by what you see. And, yes, I have been doing that a lot! Thank you to my brilliant genius Anna for getting Lil Red’s groove back. I wouldn’t be me without you! ❤

How long have you been going to your hair stylist? What is your favorite form of self care? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Our Wedding Day

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Our Wedding Day

Hi! Johnny and I got married on Friday, June 4th and it was the most fantastic, wonderful day in the whole world. For our wedding, we had a very small late afternoon ceremony in our friend’s backyard with immediate family and one best friend each. Then, after having pictures taken our little wedding party went to mine and Johnny’s favorite bar, the Zephyr, for celebratory drinks.

It was a magical whirlwind of a day and both Johnny and I were going nonstop until it was time for our ceremony. Needless to say, we were exhausted for the rest of the weekend but that’s a small price to pay for the best day of your entire life! Take a look at a few sneak peeks of our wedding pics and let’s chat more:

Despite such a small wedding, there was still much to do for Johnny and I to prepare and we couldn’t have done it without the help of our family and friends. Johnny’s best man was gracious enough to allow us to host our wedding in his backyard and he helped my husband get everything ready before it was time for me to walk down the aisle. Another dear friend of Johnny’s officiated our marriage and he did a simply beautiful job and we were so touched by his heartfelt and thoughtful sentiments. And, of course, both of our families pitched in wherever they could too!

It was so special to us to have a majority of our families there and our ride or die besties. Lea and her husband came to celebrate with us and I am so lucky to have had her with me for every major milestone in our past thirteen years of best friendship. One of the biggest treats was having mine and Johnny’s little niece, Valerie, as our flower girl or should I say Taco Bell sauce packet girl. Lol, as I’ve mentioned since my engagement, our wedding was going to be nontraditional! Rather than flower petals, Val threw Taco Bell sauce packets which was a fine tip of the cap to one of my favorite places on planet Earth.

Our ceremony was short and sweet – it was over in about five minutes. However, everything that we wanted to say was said with our own vows and our ordained minister gave such a moving introduction and that truly said it all. Our mini after party was a totally different story, though, considering we were out for hours! We all had a blast at the bar after the ceremony and it was such fun for us to let our hair down together and clink our drinks in celebration.

It’s safe to say that I will be reliving mine and Johnny’s perfect day constantly and I am very excited to see more pictures! If you are too, keep tuning in for more on my wedding here on lifewithlilred! ❤

What was your wedding like? What would be included in your dream wedding? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Wedding Makeup Sneak Peek

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Wedding Makeup Sneak Peek

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo Shoot Sneak Peek

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Photo Shoot Sneak Peek

Hi hi hi everyone! This past weekend, I enjoyed hanging out with my dear friend, Markus. He is actually my sister’s boss and has taken up a photography hobby a few years ago. So, when he contacted me to see if I could help him with a project for school, I was all for it. For this project, he had to use lighting to create a look for a business, beauty, and emotional style outfit. He also was able to work in some time to take some pictures for lifewithlilred!

I enjoyed working with Markus so much and it was such a delight to see how much he has improved since he began his photography journey. The featured image photo and the one below is a little sneak peek for all of my darlings. And, be on the lookout for an OOTD post coming soon!

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What is your favorite hobby? How do you make time to practice your craft? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah