Tag Archives: style

Nov4

Trades Of Hope

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Trades Of Hope

Hellooo everyone and welcome to a very special article here on lifewithlilred about a wonderful company that one of my good friends works for, Trades Of Hope. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Sarah White to discuss her work with the company and some of her favorite accessories that are offered through her Trades Of Hope party to kick start the holiday shopping season. For those of you who don’t know, Trades Of Hope employs women artisans in third world countries so they can earn a fair living wage to help provide for themselves and their families. Take a look at part of our interview conducted by yours truly and then stick around to see some of Sarah’s gorgeous fall favorites:

  • Lil Red: Ever since I’ve known you, you’ve been passionate about volunteering your time for programs that help women world wide. What would you say is the most rewarding part of being involved with Trades Of Hope?
  • Sarah: I’ve always wanted to have a tangible way to help women coming out of poverty but I specifically have a passion for women coming out of trafficking, like many of the Trades Of Hope artisans. I’ve been involved with various programs that help raise money for women, but Trades Of Hope isn’t a charity – these women are hired, paid a fair wage, and are then able to take care of their families in a long term way. Trades Of Hope is an organization that helps women stop their cycle of poverty and betters their lives, I think that’s the best part.
  • LR: If you could say something to the Trades Of Hope artisans, what would it be?
  • S: I think it would just be…Thank you for what you’re doing. Thank you for making these products to support your families. We care about you and we love you…I would keep it pretty simple.
  • LR: You actually introduced Trades Of Hope to me one afternoon over coffee. If someone wanted to get involved with working for the company, what should they do?
  • S: To become a Compassion Entrepreneur, which is what we call ourselves, anyone can reach out to me for additional information! (Sarah’s contact info will be posted below.)
  • LR: Trades Of Hope offers an abundance of beautiful handcrafted accessories through catalog and on their site. It must be hard to pick a favorite!
  • S: It is! Of course I love the Mosaic Clutch and the Mustard Infinity Scarf but out of the jewelry the Julia from Guatemala is one of my favorites. The necklace was made from a young artist aging out of her orphanage and it’s simple but so pretty. If you look closely on the silver pendant the fingerprint of the artist is engraved in it.
  • LR: Are there any items on the site that are considered a fan favorite by the shoppers?
  • S: Definitely. The Eternal Seed necklace is very popular (it’s a Lil Red favorite too) as well as the Haiti Signature Bracelet which is made out of cereal boxes. (The pictures of the accessories mentioned can be seen below, as well as the Kala necklace, which I’m the proud owner of!) Not only does the bracelet help support our artisans but it’s great for the environment as well.

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Mosaic Clutch: I got to see this cute clutch in person and it’s even better in real life, if that’s even possible. Sarah is a self proclaimed “bag girl” and the Mosaic Clutch, made by Trades Of Hope artisans in Guatemala is one of her must have staples for fall.

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Mustard Infinity Scarf: This beautiful scarf was made by TOH artisans in Cambodia who have survived acid attacks. Despite such horrific events, the amazing women making these scarves have found joy again in their craft and they truly do it so well. Sarah has also deemed this scarf as one of her must have autumn pieces because of how much she likes the color! My friend has great style and would pair this infinity scarf with a hat of the same color, a sharp dark green jacket, dark wash denim, and a tall pair of boots for a fall OOTD. I’m a fan!

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Sarah will be hosting a party to ring in the holiday shopping season and it promises to be a lot of fun! Anyone who places an order through Sarah’s party has the opportunity to win free or half off items as the “hostess rewards”. The shopping extravaganza will be up and running for at least two weeks, so you’ll have lots of time to make your purchases and maybe get lucky by winning some rewards! Unfortunately, Trades Of Hope only ships in the US, but if you live abroad and are interested in any of the products seen on the site, you can email Sarah who will do the best she can to get you your accessories.

Sarah’s contact info and party links:

I had so much fun chatting about Trades Of Hope with my dear friend and before we parted ways, she gave some terrific ideas on stocking stuffers for the holiday season. Not only does Trades Of Hope offer chic accessories but you can also find items for kids, men, home decor, and beauty. Sarah recommends the soap and chapsticks from the site as a sweet and small gift but she’s partial to the jewelry! “All of the Trades Of Hope jewelry comes in a pretty bag and you can wear it and think of the person who got it for you” she says. I, for one, would love to find the Eternal Seed Necklace under my tree! Sarah can be seen below sporting some Trades Of Hope earrings and a mega watt smile! I see you!!

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Writing about Trades Of Hope was such a blast and I encourage all of you to do some shopping at the links provided above! What is your favorite item on the website? Do you have any questions about the company for Sarah? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov2

Monday Update: Look Out Edition

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Monday Update: Look Out Edition

Howdy everyone and happy Monday! I hope all of you had a fantastic Halloween weekend, I sure did! You know why I had a great weekend? Because for the most part I did absolutely nothing for the first time in weeks and it was AWESOME! Now that I’m all relaxed and ready to go, I’m here to bring you the Monday Update for the week so you guys can be on the Look Out for some exciting posts coming up in the near future!

Trades Of Hope: I had the pleasure of sitting down with one of my dear friends, Sarah White, to chat about the company that she works for, Trades Of Hope. TOH employs female artisans in third world countries and pays them a fair living wage for the creation of their beautiful accessories, home decor, and beauty items. On Tuesday, you can tune into http://www.lifewithlilred.com for the full article and the link to Sarah’s site where she’ll be hosting a TOH party for the next few weeks. When you make purchases through the party you have the opportunity to win free or discounted items and I strongly urge you to take advantage of it because everything is gorgeous! I was gifted with the Kala Necklace from Sarah and I’m obsessed! Take a look:

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My necklace was made by artisans in India and I love it so much! Once again, I’ll be posting the article this Tuesday and the links for the party will be provided in the post!

John Patrick Halling: This past Thursday I was so excited to sit down and chat with an extremely talented musician fresh out of Kent, Ohio, John Patrick Halling. John Patrick is a blues/folk/country hybrid artist and he is simply fantastic. During our meeting we chatted about everything from his most recent tour (the Boy in the Water US tour), his style on stage, and what influences him as an artist and musician. Everything during our get together was just swell, until…..

Until I made the biggest fool of myself of all time!! When I meet with new clients, our talks usually happen interview style and I record everything on a Word document on my laptop. Basically, they talk and I type. John Patrick and I chatted for a solid thirty-five to forty minutes and once I had everything I needed, I told him he was good to go. We packed up our belongings and I said something along the lines of “let me save and exit” the document. Unfortunately, a classic case of “I shouldn’t have clicked that” happened because instead of saving and exiting, I accidentally just clicked exit. It was one of those things where you do what you were saying because you were saying it and since I had “exit” on my mind and tongue, it just kind of happened…It. Was. AWFUL.

Thankfully, John Patrick was SO nice about it and I was able to recall almost everything we talked about from memory. I stayed at the Starbucks we met at after he left and retyped everything and ended up with more than I started with. As soon as I got home, I got a draft of the article ready to go and the only things that needed corrected were the brand name of a hat, the location of a venue that he played a show at, and the name of a city. Since those were the only things that didn’t ring true, I’d say I did pretty well!

I’m so happy that the article is looking good so far but you guys have no idea how embarrassing it was! My best friend, Lea, and I have discussed how difficult it is to think of a moment that was truly cringe worthy but I think I found it with that unfortunate incident. But fear not! The article is almost done and is set to publish mid-November when John Patrick releases his music video for “If I Would’ve Known”. Until then, you can check out his music at: http://johnpatrickhalling.com/#/ and make sure you give his Facebook page a like at: https://www.facebook.com/JPHallingMusic/?fref=ts ! Seriously guys, make sure you give his music a listen because it really is wonderful and stay tuned for the article on Mister Halling which will be coming out soon!

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^^^ My life.

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: Look Out Edition! I’m so excited to share these upcoming posts with you and I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I did working on them! How was everyone’s Halloween weekend? What did you do to celebrate? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct14

Woman Crush Wednesday: Jennifer Aniston Edition

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Woman Crush Wednesday: Jennifer Aniston Edition

Helloooo everyone and welcome to another edition of Woman Crush Wednesday – Jennifer Aniston style! The newly Mrs. Aniston is an actress who I love and admire very much so check out some funny scenes from one of my favorite movies, Horrible Bosses, and then let’s discuss:

Dear Jennifer Aniston,

So I have to admit, it almost seems not right writing about you for #WCW because I never got too into Friends BUT that doesn’t take away from how much I love your movies! From your darling rom-coms to your iconic role as the sexual dynamo, Julia Harris, in Horrible Bosses – I’m a fan of it all! Not only do I appreciate your acting chops that have been on display for the duration of your lengthy career but I am enamored with your stunning natural beauty. Like seriously, you’re almost fifty years old and you don’t look a day over thirty. Women like you who take pride in their looks without going overboard with hair, makeup, and outlandish clothing sets an amazing example for ladies everywhere. You are the dictionary definition of a cougar and I want nothing more than for you to make me your cub. HUBBA HUBBA. I have enjoyed watching your red carpet and out and about style develop over the years and the pictures that I chose to honor you with feature two of my favorite looks by you. I think you’re an absolutely terrific role model and I LOVE YOU!!!!!

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^^^ Jesus Christ – she’s a masterpiece!!!

So there you have it, this week’s newest issue of Woman Crush Wednesday: Jennifer Aniston Edition! Who is everyone’s #WCW this week? (Seriously who is it because I’m running out of crushes!) What is your favorite movie role played by my woman crush? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct13

If The Shoe Fits – Apt. 9 Edition

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If The Shoe Fits – Apt. 9 Edition

Helloooo everyone and welcome to a new edition of If The Shoe Fits – Apt. 9 style! I got these beauties for an incredible bargain while shopping at Kohl’s and they have become one of my go to pairs of heels – especially since my beloved Vera Wangs are not what they used to be. Take a look at my shoe babies and then let’s discuss:

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If there’s one thing that you guys should know about me by now, it’s that I love a bargain! Target, Kohl’s, and TJMaxx are my favorite stores to ball on a budget at and my Apt. 9 wedged heels were no exception! These shoesies were purchased with my shopping partner in crime…My mother. We always have such a blast when we go out together and I vividly remember our shopping trip that resulted in my Apt. 9s like it was yesterday.

Kohl’s always has the best end of season sales so my mom and I had a mother daughter rendezvous at the end of April. Usually when we go shopping together we divide and conquer the store and then meet up in a place we can enjoy as a pair…the shoe department. :*) Not gonna lie, the shoe section was looking a hot mess because of overzealous shoppers but we perused the aisles and found multiple winners to try on. I locked eyes on two gorgeous Juicy Couture heels (which I ended up purchasing) and I was so focused on them that I almost left the shoe sanctuary altogether because I thought I had found “the ones”…

Little did I know, one of my favorite pairs of shoes would be found after one last look around of the shoe department before we checked out our goodies. I scanned through the aisles, rejecting the pairs that I deemed “shameful” before and giving a slight nod of approval to the shoes that I thought were cute but not cute enough to try on. That’s when my slight nod at my Apt. 9s turned into a shake of disapproval that I hadn’t plucked them from the shelf earlier. I don’t know what made me shy away from them before – they have everything that I like! A heel, zippers, and most importantly – they’re black! But better yet, the price was only seventeen dollars! Seventeen. Freaking. Dollars. That’s when I knew that they were coming home with me.

I sat my sweet ass down, pulled off my shoes one last time, and gave the Apt. 9s a try…and they were fabulous!! They reminded me SO much of my beloved black lace up Vera Wang wedges but they were still unique and cool in their own right. I only needed about a thirty second inspection in the full length mirror to know that my edgy wedges would be an excellent addition to my collection. I returned to the bench and added the Apt. 9s to the pile which resulted in three pairs of shoes for under one hundred dollars! #SCORE

My pretty babies truly are my Vera Wangs reincarnated because I seriously wear them everywhere now. They were my first day of school shoes this semester as well as my go to-s for running errands, date nights, hang outs, and concerts. You name it, I’ve probably worn them for it! I loveeee wearing my Apt. 9s with my black skinnies from H&M which can be seen in my featured image photo. They have zippers starting at the bottom of the jean that go halfway up my calf and it makes such a rocker effect to have the zippers from the jeans and shoes staggered on each other. When I want to sport an All Black Everything look, pairing my outfit with my Apt. 9s is a no brainer!

So there you have it, the newest issue of If The Shoe Fits – Apt. 9 Edition! What is your favorite pair of shoes that you got for an amazing deal? Who is your favorite person to go shopping with? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct9

Dresses For Sale!

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Dresses For Sale!

Hey guys and TGIF! I recently went through my seasonal purge of my closet to prepare for fall and there were three particular dresses that I really do love but just don’t do it for me anymore. I wanted to give all of you lovelies the opportunity to add one or all of them to your wardrobe because they really are cute as can be! Take a look and if you’re interested in any of them, please shoot me an email at sarah.mush6794@gmail.com so we can negotiate a price and shipping:

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Dress #1) Modcloth, Hot & Delicious, size M. This sweet little number is honestly one of my all time favorites but it unfortunately does not fit as well as it used to in the bust. I love the bubble skirt and it’s in wonderful condition, however, there is a slight ring of color on the inside of the collar from hair dye/makeup. #fakehaircolorproblems

Dress #2) PacSun, LA Hearts, size S. Once again, I really like this dress as well but the fit is just not up to par on my body type. Usually if things don’t fit just so, I shrug it off, but I’m becoming such a stickler for fit that if it isn’t perfection then I won’t stand for it! But it’s a sweet summer dress in great condition. #fashionistaproblems

Dress #3) PacSun, O’Neil, size M. The fit issue on this dress is actually all my fault. I bought this beauty without trying it on and naturally the size was too big and I never bothered fixing it. Because I rarely wore this, it’s in awesome condition! #lazygirlproblems

As I said, I think these dresses are just too darling to not try and hand them off to the capable hands of one of my very stylish readers! And as I also mentioned, you can reach me at sarah.mush6794@gmail.com, leave me a comment, or friend me on Facebook at Sarah Mushenheim if you are interested! THANKS. ❤

Sep30

Woman Crush Wednesday: Julianne Hough Edition

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Woman Crush Wednesday: Julianne Hough Edition

Heyyy everyone and welcome to the newest edition of Woman Crush Wednesday – Julianne Hough style! The darling and newly engaged Miss Hough has been the apple of my eye ever since her Dancing With The Stars debut so it only seems right to feature her as Lil Red’s #WCW. Take a look at my all time favorite dance that she ever performed on DWTS and then let’s discuss:

Dear Julianne Hough,

Oh Julianne, you precious tiny dancer, you. I admire your immense talent on the dance floor so very much. You make the most difficult dances look effortless and I had a blast watching you win the Dancing With The Stars mirror ball trophy with Apolo Anton Ohno and Helio Castroneves. It’s a family tradition over at casa da la Lil Red to watch DWTS together and we always rooted for you! I am so happy that you’re back on the show to share your expertise on the judges panel and to occasionally grace the dance floor with your presence. It has been such a joy to watch your transformation from a sweet young woman to a sassy and fabulous goddess! I love your elegant yet fierce style and your ever changing hair! You are just SO beautiful – hubba hubba, lady! Thank you for allowing your bubbly personality into our homes every Monday night during Dancing With The Stars. And most importantly, thank you for being such an amazing role model and inspiration to performers (and people in general) everywhere. I LOVE YOU!!!!

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^^^ OMG, could that pic of Julianne cuddling a puppy be any more adorable?! I think not!

So there you have it, this week’s Woman Crush Wednesday: Julianne Hough Edition! Who is everyone’s #WCW this week? What is your all time favorite Julianne Hough moment on DWTS? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep2

Woman Crush Wednesday: Anne Hathaway Edition

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Woman Crush Wednesday: Anne Hathaway Edition

Hellooooo everyone and welcome to this week’s edition of Woman Crush Wednesday – Anne Hathaway style! The lovely Miss Hathaway has been one of my all time favorite actresses since her Princess Diaries days, so let’s discuss my woman crush:

Dear Anne Hathaway:

Oh Anne…sweet, sweet Anne, I just adore you. I vividly remember the Princess Diaries being one of the first movies that I saw in theaters when I was just a wee Lil Red. As I sat through the movie all I could think about was how I wanted to be just like you – and guess what? I STILL DO! One of my fondest memories was going to see The Devil Wears Prada in theaters with my mom, grandma, and sister. We had such a beautiful afternoon together and when I think of my beloved late grandma, I often think of that day. The video that I picked to honor you is one of my favorite scenes in the movie, when Andy gets her makeover. I loved watching your character transform into a poised and perfect fashionista. My young self also loved the royal transformation that you received in the Princess Diaries. Your entire career has been a metamorphosis of a young adult star to an iconic woman, that feels fresh out of one of your films. It has been nothing short of a joy to watch you breeze your way through Hollywood with such grace and charm, which is a rarity in the celebrity scene these days. You have had so many amazing style moments as well, my favorite being when you debuted your pixie haircut! SO cute! You are so gorgeous and I admire you so much. I LOVE YOU!!!!

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^^^ Oh my goodness, that smile!!!! She’s flawless. ❤

So there you have it, this week’s Woman Crush Wednesday: Anne Hathaway Edition! Who is your #WCW this week? What is your favorite creative endeavor by my woman crush? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep1

If The Shoe Fits – Vera Wang Edition

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If The Shoe Fits – Vera Wang Edition

Helloooo everyone and welcome to the newest edition of If The Shoe Fits – Vera Wang style! If you’re familiar with lifewithlilred in the slightest, then you’ll know that I talk about these shoes a lot. My Vera Wang black lace up wedges are the epitome of “old faithful”. As you can see by the following pics, they’ve had a bit of wear and tear to them BUT they’re still fabulous! Let’s discuss:

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Like many of my shoes in my wardrobe boutique, my Vera Wang’s are from Kohl’s. But unlike many of the pieces in my footwear collection, these babies have been with me for years – well over five, I believe. I’ve had a lot of amazing moments in these shoes and some not so good ones, but no matter the mood at least I know that my wedges looked awesome every time! Now let’s talk about the story behind my OFFF (Old Faithful Fabulous Friend):

So if my Vera’s are five-ish years old, then that means that I was sweet sixteen when I got them. I can picture young Lil Red ambling through the Kohl’s shoe department right now. What attracted my sixteen year old self to these shoes? What made my teenage self say “these are the ones that I’m going to love and cherish until the end of time”? Knowing that my attitude about personal style has been the same since I could dress myself, I’m guessing I loved these wedges because they were unique. I know for a fact that I didn’t have any pairs like it in my collection at the time, so I knew that I had to have it. Like everything in my closet, these Vera’s had the edgy rocker vibe that I yearn for in whatever I buy and I knew that I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t purchase them and become their new mother immediately. #motheroftheyear

Once my Vera Wang’s were safely in my possession, they became my go to shoes for everything. School, concerts, hanging out with friends, work, running errands, dates, going grocery shopping, going to auditions – literally anything you could imagine a sixteen year old doing, I was probably doing it in these wedges….Uhhh….Anyways, they were my favorite and they are still my favorite to this day. I feel invincible when I wear these shoes. Depending on what I style them with I can go from feeling sexy and dangerous to feminine and sweet in a matter of seconds. There’s seriously nothing better than having pieces in your wardrobe that give you such versatile emotions and styling options.

I wore my Vera’s every chance I could get and I wore them with every outfit you can imagine. Girly dresses, not so girly dresses, body con skirts, mini skirts, midi skirts, maxi skirts, short shorts, normal shorts, skinny jeans, leggings, slouchy but sexy pants – you name it, I’ve worn my wedges with it. There’s no denying the beauty of the shoes but they are also SO functional as well. The height of them is just right – it gives whatever you’re wearing that little extra oomph, but they’re not so high that you’re tottering around like a baby deer when you’re being a woman on the go. #perfection

What truly breaks my heart about these shoes is that they’re getting old. My darling Vera’s are becoming broken down and flimsy so I wear them very rarely now. These shoes have been my fashion lifeline for five years and counting now and I don’t think that I could ever part with them. Not only do my wedges hold a special place on my feet but they’ve left a permanent foot print on my heart as well. I’ll never forget all of the crazy times I’ve had in my beauties and I know that until the right time comes to wear my worn down wedges again, they will be holding sentinel on my shoe wall with an ever watchful eye on their beloved owner. ❤

So there you have it, the newest issue of If The Shoe Fits – Vera Wang Edition! Does anyone have a relationship to a pair of shoes similar to that of mine and my Vera Wang’s? What is your most loved pair of shoes? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug29

My Issues – Teen Vogue Edition

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My Issues – Teen Vogue Edition

Whatsup everyone and happy Saturday! I hope all of you are having a wonderful start to your weekend! So I’m not gonna lie, as a twenty-one year old adult, I still enjoy flipping through the pages of Teen Vogue…but after my latest encounter with the teen mag – not so much. As I skimmed over the pages, I realized that I had a problem with so much of what the magazine was preaching. Allow me to explain:

First of all, the articles of clothing featured in the magazine are so ridiculously expensive – what teenager other than the filthy rich have the money to purchase clothing like that? Teen Vogue is teaching young women to idolize material goods and vapid celebrities rather than teaching them how to make a look that is uniquely their own. I would much prefer to see a teen magazine that’s teaching young folks how to manage their money and one might say “ball on a budget”. Yes, the clothes shown are great inspiration, but they’re just so unattainable to the point that it doesn’t seem fair. With the Kardashian girls seen on almost every page it almost feels like the only people who are worthy of great style are those who are famous simply for being famous. How can a teenage-something girl achieve a lifestyle like that? Making a sex tape maybe? #burn

My second bone to pick with the magazine is actually something that I’ve mentioned on lifewithlilred before but is worth talking about again. I am SO beyond annoyed with Teen Vogue for consistently lumping the way the “punk” or an “All American Girl” should be dressing just by the stereotype of how people assume these styles are dressed. Spoiler alert: Punk does not mean gothed out girls with black lipstick and clip in piercings. The “American Girl” does not equal a blonde haired blue eyed beauty in cutoff shorts and a flannel knotted at the waist. There are countless ways of outfitting different styles without giving in to the norm that everyone is familiar with. The best part about fashion is playing with it, not dressing up in an over exaggerated costume because a magazine suggests that that’s how it should look.

As I flipped more angrily through the pages, all I could see were caricatures of styles according to a looks stereotype. What “sporty” girl runs around town in her sports bra for every day errands? NONE. How in the hell can young girls develop a personal style if they are dressing exactly how a magazine thinks that they should look? Featuring slender models in high end couture clothing is NOT the way to teach girls how to dress. The more I looked through Teen Vogue, the more I felt that the originality of my own style was being sucked away from me as my grungy/rocker look was categorized into a costume.

Maybe I’m overreacting. Maybe my opinions are not how everyone else feels. But I literally got so worked up after I slammed the magazine shut that I had to go write notes about the thoughts that were going through my head as I perused the pages. Magazines, especially ones directed towards young people, should be focusing on the cool and creative not the celebrity cookie cutter version of fashion. My teenage self loved Teen Vogue, but looking at it from the perspective of a young adult definitely made me see things from a more critical eye. So I say, screw the message that that magazine is sending out. Focus on staying true to yourself in your personal style and don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise. The end. *Drops mic*

So there you have it, My Issues – Teen Vogue Edition. Has anyone felt similarly to me while looking through fashion magazines? What is your message for young people developing their own style? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug23

It’s In The Bag – British Invasion Edition

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It’s In The Bag – British Invasion Edition

Hey everyone and happy Sunday! It’s time to debut a new segment on http://www.lifewithlilred.com, which is appropriately entitled “It’s In The Bag” for obvious reasons! If there’s one thing that I know every girl loves, it’s a great statement purse, and now I’m here to discuss some of my personal favorites from my wardrobe boutique with all of you! Take another look at my go to handbag and then let’s discuss:

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I’m very particular about all of the pieces in my closet and purses are no exception. All of my purchases have to have just the right touches of edgy rocker chic and nothing does it better than this fab find from Charming Charlie! For those of you who are unfamiliar with CC, it’s a huge accessories store – we’re talking purses, jewelry, hats, scarves, clothing, the whole shebang. I don’t venture into Charming Charlie very often, but when I do, I always manage to find some fun new goodies!

I found my British Invasion purse during a shopping trip to Crocker Park, a gorgeous outdoor mall in Westlake, Ohio. Crocker Park offers a huge Charming Charlie that has so much cuteness it’s almost overwhelming. My (ex)friend and I entered the store and the first thing that caught my eye was my studded bag baby. Usually I’m not one to go completely gaga over a purse but I just couldn’t help myself – this one was special. I plucked the bag from the display and power walked my sweet tookus to the closest mirror possible and it truly was perfect. It felt so right flung over my shoulder or clutched in my protective hands. I remember that I was wearing all black that day (as usual) and the bag simply popped against my blank canvas of an outfit. It had to be mine.

Not only is this purse stylish but it’s also very functional, which is something that’s very important to me. When I’m in need of a new bag, the size has to be just right. I don’t want anything too big, like a hobo bag, and I can’t do anything too small either, like a clutch. My ideal purse has to have enough room to fit my wallet, car keys, cigarettes, lighter, lipstick, and any other odds and ends that I might need. My British Invasion purse fits everything comfortably and still offers additional room if I need to throw anything else in. Despite the Lil Red Approved size, I still manage to have difficulty finding my things in there…Go figure. -_-

In all honesty, I’m not a girl who’s one for designer anything, especially when it comes to purses. I’d prefer to find a unique piece that I know not everyone will have and most importantly, I prefer to find it with a reasonable price tag attached. I scored my Charming Charlie British Invasion purse for thirty dollars and to me, this is such a steal. I like to use the “cost per wear” method and the amount of times that I’ve used my bag baby has paid for itself a hundred times over. This purse is sharp, sleek, and so damn cool! I get compliments on it wherever I go and I feel awesome strutting about with its beautiful little self casually hanging over my shoulder. It’s in the bag. ❤

So there you have it, the first edition of It’s In The Bag – British Invasion Edition. Now I need your help! What purse should I write about next? Your choices are between my Betsey Johnson telephone purse or my Target animal skull satchel. I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah