Tag Archives: style

Sep14

Collegiate Chic OOTD

Posted on September 14, 2024 by lifewithlilred

Howdy!! This past Monday, I had an exciting day at work. I visited Kent State University with my boss, Tim, to assist with a presentation to the Principles of Marketing class. We had a blast and it was a joy to interact with all of the students. For the occasion, I wanted to put together a Collegiate Chic OOTD that was professional, but offered that extra dose of Lil Red flare. Unfortunately, I had to leave before Johnny was home from work so he couldn’t take pictures for me. I didn’t want to fiddle around with my tripod and a timer so I figured some mirror pictures would suffice. Never mind the bunny hutch that makes a guest appearance! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Houndstooth Knit Blazer: Joie, TJMaxx

Navy Blue Skater Skirt: This was a hand me down from a colleague!

Knee Socks: Target

Heeled Oxfords: Lulu Hun, ModCloth

The earrings were a gift from Johnny’s mom!

Sometimes, outfits come to me in a vision and that was very much the case for my Collegiate Chic OOTD. I knew exactly what I wanted and it turned out exactly how I wanted and it was so very satisfying! This look began with the gorgeous knit blazer by Joie. I loved the classic double breasted shape and the houndstooth pattern gave the studious vibe that I was going for. While the shape of the blazer is quite traditional, the color palette is an interesting take on houndstooth and that was the main selling point for me. It gave the quirky aesthetic I needed to do a school inspired look Lil Red’s way.

Obvi before adding the blazer, the base of the outfit needed to be addressed! Aside from the periwinkle pop in the blazer, the remaining colors were fully neutral. Meaning that I could pair it with any other neutral hue and it would form a cohesive look. I chose navy as my neutral and put on a navy blue crop top underneath the blazer and a skater skirt to match. The skirt paired with the blazer offered a modern take on stuffy school uniforms and I felt like the coolest kid on campus because of it.

Finally, it was onto shoes and accessories. To drive the updated uniform motif home, I slipped on some heather grey knee highs. Remember, you can always add another neutral to the mix without negatively effecting the rest of the outfit. And, of course, what is a fresher take on a school uniform than a pair of heeled oxfords? Peep how the tawny shade in the heels matched perfectly to the blazer! Last but not least, I chose a lovely pair of earrings that my mother-in-law gifted me and I was ready to take on a school day my way.

My Collegiate Chic OOTD was such fun to style and even more fun to wear. I was so inspired by the idea of modernizing a school uniform and it ended up being one of my favorite looks in recent past!

Did you have to wear uniforms to school? What were they like? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep8

Super Casual OOTD

Posted on September 8, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! This past weekend we celebrated my sweet niece’s second birthday with a party. It was a wonderful event hosted by her uncles with great friends, family, food, and fun. Of course, I had to put together a little look to attend the party that I kept Super Casual to keep up with all of the kiddos running around! The OOTD you are about to see is a simple one but it kept me feeling cute and comfortable as we spent a glorious afternoon in the sun. Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Crop Top: This was a hand me down from my sister from forever ago!

Floral Pants: Nicole Miller, TJMaxx

Platform Heels: Olivia Miller, Walmart

BFF Bracelet: TJMaxx

The bangles are from Aerie and the earrings are Lucky Brand!

As I prepared for the party, I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to wear. A lot of my clothes aren’t exactly conducive to being around children and I would have hated to see any of them get ruined (In fact, I ended up spilling juice on my shirt almost immediately at the get together SMH!). With that in mind, low key was the way to go. I started building this look from the bottom down with my Nicole Miller floral pants from TJMaxx. They are insanely comfy and light which is just what I needed for a warm day. As most of my fun tops would be difficult to remove a stain from, these joggers were the way to go to still add some pizazz while being far away from the shirt spill zone.

For my top, I also wasn’t sure what to wear lol. I own a handful of non patterned tops and none of them were what I needed to match the color palette of the pants. Then, I decided to dig deeper into my drawer of tops that I don’t wear very often. It was there that I found the heather grey crop top that my sister gave me years ago. I honestly forgot I had it and I’m glad I did because it was just right. The soft grey was the ideal neutral to wear with the more muted hues of the joggers. And it was no harm no foul when I spilled on myself because I didn’t even realize I had this crop top in the first place! 😀

Finally, it was onto shoes and accessories. For shoes, I just had to wear my new pastel pink Olivia Miller platforms. Although they weren’t a perfect match to the pink in the flower pattern, it was close enough and that was good enough for me. I am also a master at walking/running in heels so wearing them to a child’s birthday party was no problem! I went to my jewelry box and added a pretty pair of dangly turquoise gems and a few bangles too. And, of course, my bestie bracelet that the birthday girl’s big sister has the other half to. ❤

For such a casual look, I was getting compliments left and right. This was a much needed confidence boost for me because I was actually out of my comfort zone in this look. You all know how much I love dressing up!

Do you have any hand me down clothing? How often do you clean through your wardrobe? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug21

Guest Appearance OOTD

Posted on August 21, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! I attended a work function this past Friday with Johnny to celebrate with his teammates on the completion of a new product. I was really excited because I have never met any of his coworkers before and just had to make a Guest Appearance after my shift at work. It was an absolute blast to sip on drinks and chat it up with everyone who spends part of their day with my better half! Since it was a casual event, I didn’t want to go all out with an outfit but wanted to put together something cute and eye catching. Especially since Johnny did an outfit change to go to the party too! I love how this little look turned out:

Who? What? Wear?

Houndstooth Vest: Sincerely Jules, TJMaxx

The black crop top is from Target from forever ago!

Skinny Jeans: 1822 Denim, TJMaxx

Color Pop Loafers: Steve Madden, Walmart

Bat Earrings: AbbieDabbles

The necklace is from American Eagle from forever ago!

I am so not a jeans and a T-shirt girl and when it comes to casual dressing, this OOTD is about as casual as it gets for me. A majority of Johnny’s coworkers are aware of my blog and job so I wanted my look to reflect that without being too extra about it. However, that proved to be more difficult than I imagined because all of my clothes are pretty extra lol! As I browsed through my closet to decide what to wear, I locked in on my houndstooth vest by Sincerely Jules and went for it. I am a huge fan of anything in this pattern and knew I could use the vest as the focal point of the outfit while keeping the rest fairly basic. Exactly what I needed for a low key event!

Since I wanted the vest to do the talking, I went the minimal route for the base of the outfit. My ballerina crop top from Target is old as dirt but it served its purpose well for this look. It also provided just the right amount of peek-a-boo skin that wasn’t too revealing. For jeans, I slipped on my pair of skinnies by 1822 Denim. These are one of the newest additions to my black skinny jeans collection and I am all about that distressing at the ankle. It’s a simple touch but it turns basic skinnies into something a little more special.

Finally, it was time for shoes and accessories. The shoe selection was easy peasy because I couldn’t wait to break out my new Steve Madden loafers! I am obsessed with the bright green pop of color and it packed even more of a punch among the neutral palette established. Last on the agenda was jewelry. I filled the blank space on my torso with a canteen style necklace on a thin silver chain and popped on a pair of small dangly bats. With that, I was ready to hit the work party with my main squeeze!

My Guest Appearance OOTD was a hit at the function and I’m confident that everyone knew who I was as soon as I walked in. And, if they didn’t, a smooch hello from Johnny certainly cleared things up!

Do you like attending work parties? Do you hang out with your coworkers outside of work? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug17

Concert Cutie OOTD

Posted on August 17, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! A few weeks ago I attended a concert at Blossom Music Center with my sister to see one of our favorite bands, AFI. We had an absolute blast and it was the most perfect sister’s night out! I didn’t have time to take outfit pics before we went to the show and by the time we got there, it was already going in full swing. Even if it weren’t, I was a sweaty mess after making the long trek to the venue from our parking spot so it was no harm no foul. I did love what I wore, though, so I wanted to make sure Johnny snapped some pics over the weekend to show all of you. Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Handkerchief Top: Japna, TJMaxx

Boyfriend Jeans: Banjara, TJMaxx

Platform Heels: Olivia Miller, Walmart

Skeleton Hand Earrings: These were a Christmas gift from my bestie!

For the AFI concert, I wanted to put together an All Black Everything OOTD which only seemed appropriate considering I am the textbook definition of an “elder emo”. This look was kind of up in the air because a show at Blossom is tricky to dress for as it is an outdoor venue. There is a lot of walking involved and you never know what the weather is going to do on a summer evening. I decided that jeans and a top would be a good compromise, especially if there was a chill in the air. But, I wanted to stay cool enough because I knew I would be dancing my ass off so my handkerchief top by Japna was the way to go. Yes, it’s cute AF but it also allowed for ventilation as I got my groove on. And, of course, I’ll take any chance I can get to show off my tattoos!

In the pantaloons department, I selected my boyfriend jeans by Banjara. I simply adore the relaxed fit, distressing, and the huge rhinestones for a bedazzled pop. The more roomy style was also much appreciated as my sister and I hustled and bustled through the venue and it was nice to be wearing something that wasn’t clinging to my skin. I loved the silhouette created by the tight top and baggier jeans because it added some visual interest to make the eyes dance. This was further accentuated by the difference in texture of the silky top and denim jeans.

At the concert, I actually ended up wearing a pair of Nike tennies. The last time my sister and I went to a show at Blossom, the platforms I had on ended up breaking on our way to the venue. I was SO not trying to repeat that again! These pics were shot at home, however, so I could wear whatever shoes I wanted and couldn’t wait to break out my new pastel pink platforms by Olivia Miller. The unexpected sweet as sugar hue made for such a fun touch! Finally, it was onto earrings and I popped on a pair of dangly skeleton hands from my bestie. With that, I was concert ready – albeit several days after the fact!

I felt like a star in my Concert Cutie OOTD and it was just right for a summer evening out. I stayed cool and comfortable the whole time and had the best time with my big sis!

What was the last concert you went to? What is your favorite concert venue in your neck of the woods? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug15

If The Shoe Fits: Steve Madden Loafers Edition

Posted on August 15, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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If The Shoe Fits: Steve Madden Loafers Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to the next edition of If The Shoe Fits! Thanks to an ad on Facebook, I learned the joys of shoe shopping online with Walmart. I was so surprised that they had the Olivia Miller platforms that you saw yesterday that I decided to search for shoes from another brand I love too: Steve Madden. Not much caught my eye while I was browsing until I scrolled by the amazing pair of loafers that we are going to take a look at. They are the coolest and were only twenty dollars – talk about a steal! In total, I spent thirty-four dollars for three pairs of shoes and it doesn’t get better than that. Check it out:

I am a huge fan of loafers and used to have two pairs of burgundy and electric blue in high school. Then, I graduated to wedge loafers that I purchased almost a decade ago and haven’t bought another pair since. My wedge loafers are absolutely worse for the wear, but I never found a suitable replacement until this new pair by Steve Madden. The heel might not be as high as my old pair and I wish it was. However, where these loafers lack in height is made up for by that funky pop of green. It is so unique and creates a brand new, punk rock style out of such a classic pair of shoes.

While I have enjoyed parading around in platform heels all summer, fall is never far from my mind. My new Steve Madden loafers definitely made this hankering for crisp autumn days even stronger. I cannot wait to wear them paired with knit dresses and tights and adding that peek a boo green heel to All Black Everything OOTDs with signature fall staples. When I shop, I am always looking for edgy takes on classic pieces. These loafers emulate that to the T, were bought on the cheap, and are a worthy placeholder to my old wedge pair that I can finally throw out. 😀

I am so happy with my shoe haul from Walmart and still can’t believe how little I paid for three brand name pairs of shoes. I will consider this purchase to be my version of Back To School shopping! 🙂

What is your favorite style of shoes? What is your favorite brand to buy shoes from? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug14

If The Shoe Fits: Olivia Miller Platforms Edition

Posted on August 14, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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If The Shoe Fits: Olivia Miller Platforms Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of If The Shoe Fits! I don’t know about all of you, but scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed only makes me want to shop. The vast majority of my ads are, unsurprisingly, clothing, shoes, and accessories. It can be extremely tempting and usually I am able to exercise self control. However, I simply couldn’t pass up the deal of a lifetime when I saw the platforms we are about to take a look at. They are Olivia Miller brand and were purchased online at Walmart for eight bucks a pop. How can you beat that?! Check it out:

I am a shoe girl through and through, but I have not purchased a new pair in literal years. The last edition of If The Shoe Fits was in February of 2022. And, yes, I absolutely justified this online order because of that! I love Olivia Miller shoes and am always excited for fall weather to roll around so I can wear my favorite pair of chunky heeled boots. I was shocked that Walmart had the brand available and for so cheap too. I would have been mad at myself if I didn’t get them! Walmart had these platforms in four different colors – black, white, pastel pink, and pastel purple. Trust and believe I would have bought the lot if the black and white pairs were in my size. The pastel pink and purple will do just fine but I may or may not have been checking back in on Walmart’s website to see if there has been a restock. *Fingers crossed!*

I was really excited for my new shoes to come in the mail because it has been a long time since I got a new pair. Ordering these platforms was the perfect treat for the perfect price and I am pleased to report that they are just as fab IRL as I imagined them to be. They give off such Bratz doll vibes, which I am living for. I’m not going to lie, I wish that one of these pairs was in black, but the sweet pastel hues play into the fashion doll aesthetic even more and I am definitely okay with that. My new Olivia Miller platforms will be such fun to wrap up the summer with but I can’t wait to wear them in the fall. How cute would they be paired with sweet socks and patterned tights? The answer is: Too cute!

I could not be happier with my Olivia Miller purchase from Walmart as well as one additional pair that you can peep tomorrow. I think I might have to start shopping Walmart fashion more often after this highly successful introduction!

What is one of the best deals you have gotten in store? What other stores have shockingly good fashion options? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug9

So 70s OOTD

Posted on August 9, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello darlings and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! After falling off of the OOTD wagon for a bit, I am back in full swing. Johnny and I have had lots of plans for the past several weekends and because he is the best blog husband, he is always willing to take my pictures as we go about the day. This past Saturday, we hit up the Jenks Building so we could shop for new to us records. Then, we visited Johnny’s parents and aunt for his dad’s birthday. A lovely outfit was needed for such a lovely day and I rocked the following:

Who? What? Wear?

Sweater Dress: Heartloom, TJMaxx

Wedge Heel Mules: B.A.I.T., ModCloth

Butterfly Sunglasses: A Signature Antiques

The giraffe cuff is from Target and I’m pretty sure the daisy earrings are from Claire’s?

In July I went on a shopping trip to TJMaxx to spend birthday gift cards that were burning a hole in my pocket. The change of seasons is my favorite time to go to TJ’s because it’s when they bring out all of the… more unique clothing that didn’t sell. By a stroke of good fortune, I ended up with two pieces that were the only ones available in the store. A gorgeous chartreuse top and the sweet as can be sweater dress in this OOTD. My original plan was to save the dress for the next Misnyland Picnic I will be working in September. Obviously, I couldn’t wait because 1) I love it lol and 2) It was partially for practicality’s sake because picnic days are always insanely busy.

This Heartloom sweater dress is straight out of the 70s and oh so much fun. In fact, Johnny told me several times throughout the day that it was like something The Supremes would wear! The colors, pattern, and adorable big buttons work together to make a throwback piece that is truly special. I have never seen anything like it in stores before and I highly doubt I will any time soon. I felt like an absolute star in it and although not a lot of think work went into styling this OOTD, I still had a blast doing so.

Since all I had to do was slip on a dress, it was time for shoes and accessories. For shoes, I went with a fabulous little pair of wedge heel mules by B.A.I.T.. The marigold yellow worked perfectly with the colors in the dress and can we talk about that daisy print?! Yes, it kind of looks like an egg but I’m still going with daisies lol. Accessories were next and I kept with the yellow motif with a giraffe cuff bracelet that I got forever ago from Target. Then, I tied the look together from head to toe with a pair of stud daisy earrings and was ready for my close up!

I am so happy that I broke out my So 70s OOTD in advance and it turned out exactly how I pictured it in my head. I can’t wait to wear it again!

What is your favorite era of fashion? Which celebrity’s style do you admire? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug8

Cute Jumpsuit OOTD

Posted on August 8, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! Johnny and I went on some fantastic outings this past weekend and we had the best time. Whenever we can go on a date together is a special occasion and I always want to look the part for it. Amazing company and a great outfit can turn the most ordinary date like a dinner out into something extraordinary. Johnny and I really do revel in a night out and just like me, he dresses to impress too! For date night, I put together a little look with an adorable jumpsuit. Oddly enough, Johnny had a dream the night before that we went on a date to a concert and I wore a jumpsuit. We are so in sync, even in our dreams! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Jumpsuit: Japna, TJMaxx

Floral Platforms: Qupid, TJMaxx

Butterfly Sunglasses: A Signature Antiques

Pink Snake Cuff Bracelet: Betsey Johnson

Blue Snake Cuff Bracelet: I got this at the zoo forever ago lol

The large gold cuff is from Aerie and the stud earrings are from PacSun – both purchased when I was in high school!!

One style of clothing that I absolutely love is the jumpsuit. They are such a simple piece but so effective in creating a stand out outfit. The only problem with jumpsuits are that they are definitely made with people over five foot one in mind! I cannot tell you the amount of jumpsuits I have tried on at TJMaxx that were perfect – minus the fact that about one foot in leg length would have to be removed. It was certainly a stroke of good luck when I found the Japna jumpsuit seen above that I could just make work with an uber tall pair of platforms!

For mine and Johnny’s date night, we were going to do dinner and a movie. I’m not sure why I instantly thought of my jumpsuit (Maybe it was from Johnny’s dream!), but I thought it would be a comfortable option for reclining in a movie theater after a meal. We didn’t end up going to the movie after the fact of the outfit being styled and I stuck with it anyways. The canvas hued linen screams summer and I can’t get enough of the stitch details and bustier button up top. It is truly a summer staple and exactly what I needed for a balmy evening on the town.

Since the top and bottom of this OOTD were accounted for, it was time for shoes and accessories. For shoes, I went with a pair of pink floral print platforms by Qupid. These were a must for the added height and gave a sweet peek-a-boo pop of pink with every step. For accessories, I chose a pair of stud earrings because I didn’t want a dangly pair to overshadow the length of my neck. When you are a petite gal, you always have to think about accentuating your length – especially when you’re in something with a lot of fabric like a jumpsuit. Rather than necklaces or earrings, I accessorized with some funky cuff bracelets and was ready for a date night with my main squeeze!

This Cute Jumpsuit OOTD was a cinch to style and a joy to wear. I was literally in the outfit of Johnny’s dreams and it had him doing a quadruple take. I’ll take it!

What is your favorite summer wardrobe staple? What is your perfect date night outfit? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul28

Flower Child OOTD Bloopers

Posted on July 28, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to the Blooper Reel from my Flower Child OOTD! These pictures were taken during a charming little date day I had with Johnny and is, hands down, one of my favorite summer OOTDs yet. From head to toe, I felt fabulous in this fit and it had me thinking that maybe dressing for summer isn’t so bad after all. Momentarily, anyways! Although I was feeling my damn self, there were definitely some pics that didn’t match the superstar vibes lol. Let’s take a look:

Feeling AND looking like a pissed off soccer mom

Out here trying my best to work the wind in the hair

This face was absolutely in response to something or other Johnny said!

Staring at you from across the room like

I swear to high I’m not god

Why I oughta

99% of the time wind in the hair results in hair in the mouth

Whenever Johnny and I are out and about, we often get stopped to chat it up with people. We both have very distinctive personal styles and it turns into an instant conversation starter. This is something that we really enjoy because we love meeting new people and it’s always nice to receive compliments too! As we concluded OOTD shots and were making our way back to our car, we were stopped in our tracks by the tiniest voice saying that she likes butterflies too. When we turned around, we saw a little girl with her dad and sisters who took a liking to my sunglasses.

For the better part of fifteen minutes, we made chit chat with the lovely family visiting the area from Columbus. Johnny and the dad were able to talk music while the sister squad and I talked up a storm. We chattered away about animals, birthdays, Taylor Swift, and fun places they might like to see during their trip. By the time our conversation was done, the admirer of my sunglasses invited me to her fifth birthday party and I almost cried lol. It was just SO sweet and if they weren’t in completely different cities I might have had to take her up on it!

The point of this story is to engage with and be kind to everyone you meet. This chat totally made mine and Johnny’s day and it all started with four simple words of “I like butterflies too”! ❤

What makes your day? What are your go to conversation starters? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul26

On The Loose In Chartreuse OOTD

Posted on July 26, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! I had the most wonderful time at the Asian Lantern Festival at the Cleveland Zoo this past weekend. It was simply enchanting from start to finish and it was a blast to explore the completely transformed zoo with my entire family. The festival was a celebration and I wanted to wear something bright and fun to match the vibes. I had just the outfit in mind to accommodate and I am loving how this look turned out! Let’s get to it:

Who? What? Wear?

Handkerchief Top: Rachel Zoe, TJMaxx

Skort: Almost Famous, TJMaxx

Heeled Mules: Betsey Johnson, TJMaxx

The turquoise earrings were a gift from my mom!

I recently purchased my chartreuse handkerchief top by Rachel Zoe during a TJMaxx shopping trip to spend a birthday gift card. I have been so eager to wear it and thought it would be perfect for the Asian Lantern Festival – if this top isn’t bright and fun, then I truly don’t know what is. The color is divine and I am living for those orange and yellow gemstone straps. What an adorable and unique touch! Speaking of the color, Johnny told me how happy he was that I was wearing such a stand out shade while we were on our way home. Every time I wandered off to snap pics, he was able to find me immediately. 🙂

With the top already pre-selected, the rest of this OOTD essentially styled itself. I have been so bored with wearing plain old shorts so I paired the handkerchief top with a skort by Almost Famous, instead. This skort is old AF but it continues to serve me well every time I wear it. They are insanely soft and comfortable and gives that extra dose of visual interest that a pair of jean shorts can’t do. It was also a fantastic pairing with my little chartreuse number because the skort hit on my waist right where the top ended. This gave a sweet midriff peek-a-boo without feeling too exposed and still being appropriate for an outing with my whole family.

Next, it was onto shoes and accessories. Since this OOTD was colorblocked, I could introduce a pattern with the shoes. I went with a darling pair of heeled mules by Betsey Johnson. These are one of my favorite pairs and I adore the black and white striped heels. The embroidered flowers were an almost spot on match to my top and they also have jeweled brooches on them for a bonus pop of bling. For jewelry, I kept things simple with a delicate pair of dangly turquoise teardrops and I was ready to hit the festival!

I have been dying to wear my new handkerchief top and my On The Loose In Chartreuse OOTD did not disappoint. I was getting compliments left and right and felt like a total star! 😀

How do you incorporate quirky colors into your outfits? What is your favorite gemstone? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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