Tag Archives: style

Apr25

New Japna Jumpsuit

Posted on April 25, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Hello!! Last Tuesday, I enjoyed some much needed retail therapy and had a blast finally spending my Christmas gift cards from TJMaxx. I mainly needed odds and ends like birthday gifts and skin care, but I did manage to find two new pieces of spring clothing that I am loving. Today, we are going to take a closer look at an amazing jumpsuit I found by Japna – the last one on the rack! 😀 Let’s get to it:

I have been a huge fan of the jumpsuit theory for forever. However, in practice as a shorter gal, it has always left me disappointed. At barely over 5’1, ninety-nine percent of the jumpsuits that I have tried left me swimming in them. The other one percent featured other no go’s like random cutouts or a plunging neckline, which does nothing for me either. I had all but given up on finding a jumpsuit that would suit me best, but patience is virtue because this one by Japna is perfect.

What first drew me to this jumpsuit when I saw it was the color. While I often rock bold shades, this piece was bold enough in its shape alone and the crisp linen hue wouldn’t battle against all of my tattoos but enhance them. I also was liking the bustier style top with the gathered back because that style tends to agree with me. On the rack, this jumpsuit had everything that I was looking for, but the true test would come in the fitting room. This could be the best jumpsuit in the world and that would mean nothing if the length was dragging a foot below my feet!

As you probably already guessed because I purchased this jumpsuit, the length was not an issue whatsoever. In bare feet, it fell right at the ground and that is nothing that a killer pair of platforms can’t fix! The shape on my body was also exactly what I was hoping for. The more form fitting top against the breezy pants still offered definition, which is very important because it established a silhouette without having to resort to a belt at the waist.

Another major bonus of this jumpsuit is the extra slip of fabric falling from the waist to the lower thigh, respectively. This was great because I have tried on several jumpsuits that didn’t offer that and the visible panty lines were out of control. I was actually pretty worried about this before I tried it on because you could potentially see undies under the light colored fabric. Happily, this was not a problem and my new jumpsuit checked off every single one of my requirements. It’s like it was made for me!

I cannot wait to wear this fun little number ASAP and I think that it will be one of my staples this spring and summer. I love the ease of this jumpsuit because you basically just have to slip it on and go. Pair with platforms and a huge floppy hat and you have yourself an OOTD, baby! Keep it posted for more from my TJMaxx Haul tomorrow! 🙂

How do you feel about jumpsuits? What is a style of clothing that you love but haven’t had any luck finding? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr23

So Bright I Need Shades

Posted on April 23, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Hello!! Last Tuesday, I had the morning to myself after working from home and all I wanted to do was shop, shop, shop! Before my afternoon shift, I hit up TJMaxx and Bath & Body Works for some much needed retail therapy and had an absolute blast. At TJMaxx, I spent my Christmas gift cards on a few new things for me, skin care, birthday gifts for my bestie, a new shirt for Johnny, and sunglasses! I have been so sick of wearing Johnny’s plain frames and chose two new pairs; one by Sam Edelman and the other, surprisingly, was by America’s number one baddie, Martha Stewart lol. Check them out:

There was a point in my early twenties when I had sunglasses galore as they were a cheap and fun way for a little pick me up. I had quite the collection of sunnies in various shapes, sizes, and colors and would change out which one I was using often. Of course, sunglasses don’t last forever and all of them had definitely seen better days. Scratches, loose screws, and cracks began to form and one by one my collection ended up in the trash. And, eventually, I had to resort to square black frames a la Johnny when driving and out and about.

The sunglasses that I had been using were probably the most boring thing that Johnny and I own and I decided to check out the sunglasses wall at TJs during my excursion. I was pretty unimpressed with a majority of the options and was drowning in a sea of tortoiseshell! However, I did have luck with two pairs and that’s great because literally anything was better than what I had! I was shocked to see so many Martha Stewart pairs on the shelf, but it all worked out because they were arguably the most fun frames available. I still can’t quite wrap my mind around that. 🙂

The pair of Martha, Martha, Marthas that I selected are really cool and I love the shape; they are huge! One problem that I have found with gigantic frames are how heavy they are and that was not the case with my new pair at all. These are so light but still feel sturdy and that is a major plus. I feel so perfectly posh in these shades and ten dollars isn’t a bad price to pay for a pair by America’s sweetheart! 😀

The other pair I chose was by Sam Edelman, whose accessories I am obsessed with. In fact, I used to have a pair of sunglasses from that designer until they broke! I am all about sunnies with a unique shape and these octagonal frames were an instant must. In fact, I used to have a very similar pair until they broke lol. Noticing a theme here? I have been wearing these sunnies every day since I got them and they are awesome! Like the Marthas, they are nice and light and the protection they offer from the sun without drastically changing the colors of everything makes for an ideal pair for driving. And for also looking fresh to death!

For so long, I focused on clothing and shoes while shopping that I didn’t even think about getting new sunglasses, which I really needed. These new pairs will come in very handy during the sunny days of spring and summer and I might just have to start rebuilding my sunglasses collection again! Keep it posted for more from my TJMaxx Haul coming soon!

Do you have a collection of any accessories? What is your favorite accessory to shop for? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr21

Spring Green OOTD Bloopers

Posted on April 21, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Hello everyone and welcome to the blooper reel from my Spring Green OOTD! Today, we will take a look at all of the yikes from this shoot that definitely didn’t make the first cut. Then, keep it locked on lifewithlilred for a TJMaxx haul! After months of Christmas gift cards burning a hole in my pocket, I finally got to spend time in my happy place this past week and it was freaking awesome. Not as awesome as how I look in these pictures though. 😉 Let’s get started:

I’ve got my eyes on all of you

Hi, neighbors! Just call me the mayor of Timber Top!

I LOOK GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Losing my balance in three parts: Part 1 – Whoopsie daisy

Part 2: Regain my composure like a pro

Part 3: She sticks the landing!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The blogosphere goes wild.

Short and pale nearing thirty and fairly decent, the girl from Akron, Ohio goes walking

Did anyone go through that phase where they would never be caught dead without a full face of makeup and amazing outfit? This was definitely me from sixteen to twenty or so when I started college. After I was away from constantly working retail and needing to look good as part of the job, I found no problem with jeans and hoodies as I made my way around campus. I then learned that maybe applying my normal makeup just to run to Target wasn’t a necessity after all.

lifewithlilred was just in its early days when I started school and more frequent OOTD posts wouldn’t come until later. And, if you would have told me when I started featuring myself in more posts that I would eventually post bad pictures of myself too, I would have laughed in your face. Why would I publish pictures where I looked anything but my absolute best? Literally no one else does that!

I guess in my young and mid twenties, I couldn’t fathom the idea of showing imperfections online in the little world I had built. But, I had been building up to bloopers all of this time and I hadn’t even realized it. As I would go about my work week in standard lounge clothes and a fresh face, I was always fine with being seen around town – even if it was by people I hadn’t seen since high school. I came to realize that the difference between that dreaded situation and publishing crappy pictures on my blog was nonexistent. When I looked at it that way and was seemingly sitting on a goldmine of content, I said “why not?” and it is now one of my favorite segments on my page.

At almost twenty-nine, I have finally been able to capture the “who cares” frame of mind that I always wanted and the blooper reels helped me achieve that. And, if they help you feel more confident to post a picture, good or bad, then I have done my job!

What makes you feel less than your best? How do you give yourself a confidence boost? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr20

Spring Green OOTD

Posted on April 20, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred!! This past week, it was absolutely glorious in Ohio and it finally felt like spring. However, this has since been redacted because the pictures taken on Saturday was the last of the heat wave. It is now cold, rainy, and a little bit snowy here in the 330 and it feels cruel and unusual after days in the sun soaking up that Vitamin D! Let’s reminisce on the spring flowers and warmth by checking out some pics and discussing this look further while I freeze in my apartment:

Who? What? Wear?

Wrap Sweater: Caution To The Wind, TJMaxx

Lace Cami Top: mittoshop, French Rooster

Blue Jean Shorts: American Eagle Outfitters

Hoop Earrings: Argentino Vivo, TJMaxx

Cage Wedges: Juicy Couture, Kohl’s

Rings: PacSun, Target

The first few weeks of spring can be really awkward to dress for because you never know what kind of weather you’re going to get! Chilly mornings can either turn into hot afternoons or just more cold. It was about seventy degrees on OOTD day with crisp winds blowing occasionally, but I still figured that I could get away with shorts. To achieve a bit of balance in the warmth department, I wanted a light, long sleeved top and began building my outfit under those parameters.

I have been creating OOTDs almost weekly since the new year as per my 2023 blogging goals and, I’ll admit, I was feeling fairly uninspired while shopping in my closet. Although I have a decent amount of clothing for any type of weather, my wardrobe favors the fall and winter. The heat wave we experienced was awesome, but my tunnel vision for winter cold still wasn’t lifted quite yet and I needed to clear the fog before proceeding. Once I began thinking spring after a work week in jeans and hoodies, I was ready to see my warmer weather clothing with new eyes.

Most of the long sleeved tops that I have feature a fall palette so I was very happy to have rediscovered my wrap sweater by Caution To The Wind. I had all but forgotten it because this top was meant to be worn with a sports bra while ice skating, then I stopped skating. It was just what I needed, though, so I made some adjustments. I love how light and form fitting this top is and it is an ideal one for spring. The fern green and cream makes for such a rich palette and I paired it with my lace oyster shell cami underneath. Not a perfect match, but the cami was in a similar color family to the cream stripes and it worked while adding a sweet feminine pop.

For shorts, I went with an undistressed pair of midrises from American Eagle Outfitters. I love my distressed shorties, but the pattern on my top was somewhat busy and I didn’t want that conflict of visual interest between the two. A no muss no fuss option was better and I thought the simple blue jean shorts looked adorable with such a cutesy top. Remember, less is nine times out of ten more when building outfits so if you ever feel like any pieces are clashing against each other; you’re probably right. 🙂

In the accessory department, I chose one of my favorite pairs of hoop earrings by Argentino Vivo. The size of these medium hoops was exactly what I wanted. They enhanced the cleavage and long neckline I was working with as they matched up with the length of my hair. As a shorter gal, I am always looking to add length to my looks and, other than killer heels, one of the best ways to do this is through expertly placed jewelry. Accessories are just as important as the top or pants you have on! Once again, to keep my neck uncovered, I went necklace free and chose several statement rings to add some bling. I love the double ring with the rhinestone fern!

Finally, for shoes, I put on my army green cage wedges by Juicy Couture. These shoes are old as dirt, but I just can’t part with them! I had a few other pairs of army green heels in mind, however, all of them hit further up the leg and that wasn’t going to work with short shorts. The Juicy Coutures hit slightly above the ankle, which was much more like it! And, of course, they played to the color palette that I had established.

This Spring Green OOTD got me in the spring state of mind a little too late in the game before the cold hit, but that’s alright; it was nice while it lasted lol. Keep it posted for the blooper reel from this shoot tomorrow!

Which seasons does your wardrobe favor? Do you switch out and store clothing as the seasons change? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr18

A Night On The Town OOTD Bloopers

Posted on April 18, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Hello everyone and welcome to the blooper reel from my A Night On The Town OOTD! This look was one of my favorite ones that I have put together recently and we discussed yesterday how “elegant” was the keyword that I styled around. I thought that it turned out great, but there is nothing elegant about the following pictures. The keywords were more like “wtf?” haha, let’s check it out:

I LOOK GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Clearly not enthused with whatever Johnny was saying to me!

Posing for my grade school class picture like:

Slipping into a quick power nap before seeing Jesus Christ Superstar

This action shot was taken right before my shoe almost fell off. Foot popping can sometimes be scary!

Don’t worry everyone, I’ll be the one to say it: YIKES lol

Trying to conjure up a good picture and falling short

One of the better phone retrieval pictures!

My perfect night out is going to the theater for a show and I had been looking forward to this past Tuesday for a long while. I wasn’t going to not see Jesus Christ Superstar if it was coming to Akron (the theater was fifteen minutes away from my apartment) and I had a blast with my mother-in-law. It has been a FAT minute since Lil Red has had a good day due to personal matters and even though these pictures are hit AF, I can tell how happy I was in every single one. It was nice!

While I freaking love a good pity party and becoming one with my couch after a long day, sometimes the best cure for the blues is to just get up and go. My day on Tuesday was a tiring one and even though I was exhausted by the time I needed to prep for the show, I decided to get dolled up anyways. I had styled an OOTD for every show I have ever attended and I wasn’t about to break the streak! Once my outfit was on and pictures were taken, I had a newfound pep in my step and was bouncing off the walls in excitement until it was time to leave.

You have no idea how many times in the past almost year I have heard “take time for you” amidst a family crisis. This was one of the first “me time” things that I have done in so long and it felt awesome. What can I say, my favorite musical just brings out the best in me! A wonderful time was had by all and I am thrilled with how my outfit and pictures turned out. And, yes, even the bloopers because they are still a memento of my night on the town!

What puts you in a good mood? What do you like to do when you need some you time? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr17

A Night On The Town OOTD

Posted on April 17, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! During a normal work week, it is a very rare occasion that I get dolled up. Almost ten times out of ten, you can catch me with a fresh face, leggings, and a hoodie. This past Tuesday, however, was different because I went to see Jesus Christ Superstar at EJ Thomas Hall with my mother-in-law! By the time I got home to prepare for our night out, I was exhausted. But, you’re not going to not get dressed up for a trip to the theater! I put this outfit together in my head the night before and it turned out great, if I do say so myself:

Who? What? Wear?

Black sweater: Shrinking Violet, TJMaxx

Floral pleather skirt: BB Dakota, TJMaxx

Kitten heels: Nine West, TJMaxx

Earrings: American Eagle Outfitters

Flower necklace: This was a Sweet 16 gift from my grandma that is from Talbots

When I am styling OOTDs, I plan ahead to an extent but I usually make things up on the fly. I’m sure we have all had those moments when we think an outfit is going to look so good only for it to turn out awful; which is why I was very pleased that this fit looked exactly how it did in my head on the first go. For this particular night at the theater, I wanted to invoke elegance. Once I had that keyword in mind, I built the look from there and I like to think that I hit the nail on the head!

I began styling this look with my pleather BB Dakota skirt in mind. This is one of my favorite pieces because it is not only gorgeous but so fun to wear! The pleats and pretty pattern are all well and good, but this skirt truly shines in the movement department. It swishes and swings with every step and I felt like a princess when I was twirling around in it. This skirt is a one hundred percent staple piece and with it as my focal point, it was very easy to style the rest of this OOTD around it.

For the top, I chose my Shrinking Violet sweater from TJMaxx. This sweater is almost nine years old – I got it when I first started college at Tri-C! While it may be old as dirt, it still looks good and came in very handy for my outfit. I wanted to give the illusion of wearing a dress with a tucked in sweater and this one was perfect. The material is so light and it is form fitting, which is exactly what I wanted since the skirt was so playful in its movement.

Once the base of the outfit was sorted, it was time for accessories! I selected my kitten heels by Nine West specifically for their shape. As I was pretty much covered up in this outfit, I didn’t want to shorten the minimal leg I was showing with an ankle strap. The slip on style was just what I needed and the itty bitty heel still offered some much needed length. Kitten heels are so sweet and charming and the pointed toe and blinged out strap added a cool pop of visual interest.

In the jewelry department, I went with a tiny pair of dangly earrings so it wouldn’t distract from my neck. Remember, when you are showing little skin in an outfit, you want to enhance the parts that are visible and that often means keeping things minimal. With that in mind, I completed the outfit with my flower necklace from my grandma. I think that this necklace is so beautiful and it was an awesome match to the pink in the skirt. It also cradled the collar of the sweater just right which, in turn, drew attention to my exposed neck. Finally, for some additional length, I threw my hair in a top knot and was ready for my night out!

I felt so effortlessly elegant in my Night On The Town OOTD and had the best time seeing my favorite musical with my favorite mother-in-law. Keep it posted tomorrow for the blooper reel from this shoot!

What is your favorite musical? What makes you feel elegant? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr12

Sweaters In Spring OOTD Bloopers

Posted on April 12, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Hello everyone and welcome to the blooper reel from my Sweaters In Spring OOTD! For last week’s OOTD, I had to resort to using my tripod for pictures because Johnny was feeling under the weather so I was very happy that my master photographer was back for this shoot. It was an alright experience using the tripod and I am glad that I got a feel for it in case I ever have to use it again. However, the convenience of having an in house photographer and OOTD shoots that last all of five minutes definitely outshines independently taking my pics. Plus, only Johnny can capture the outtakes that make for a good blooper reel! Check it out:

Lol, just hoisting up me britches

I LOOK GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just out here getting my Vanna White on

Upsy daisy!!

Pausing to contemplate the meaning of life mid shoot

Derek Zoolander has got nothing on me!!!!

Poise, elegance, and grace

You may have noticed in several of the past OOTDs published that I have resorted to taking pictures on the balcony of my apartment. I know, I know – no brick wall in sight! As much as I would love to go out and about with Johnny on Saturday, our designated picture day, we have much more pressing matters to tend to. Every Saturday for the past month and change, Johnny and I or just myself have gone to visit a loved one in the hospital. Then, I do my makeup and put an outfit together when we get home and do a quick photo shoot before becoming one with our couch.

The balcony is, admittedly, not the most exciting place for a shoot but, hey, you work with what you’ve got given the situation and it works for us! If you are wanting to create content, but are too wiped out to go anywhere then it is A-okay. If you have a good imagination, as I’m sure you do since you like to write, content can be found anywhere! Whether it be taking pictures on your porch, writing about your favorite knick knack, or simply writing about your day; you are still creating something and that’s great. Life happens and the blogosphere understands – we are all proud of you simply for writing and being in this wonderful corner of the internet that we have made for ourselves. Write on, no matter the situation – it always helps me feel better and it will help you too. 🙂

For the time being, you can find me posted up on my balcony and it’s all good. I wouldn’t trade my time at the hospital for the world! Keep it posted for more fun on lifewithlilred and I will see you all tomorrow. ❤

What do you do when you get writer’s block? How often do you write for your blog? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr11

Sweaters In Spring OOTD

Posted on April 11, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Hello!! Ohio is slowly but surely crossing the threshold from winter to spring and I am so there for it! While I am especially partial to warm spring days, I am okay with the chilly ones too as I live for light jacket weather. This time of the year is also fun to dress for because lighter fall pieces can be incorporated into OOTDs to combat the cold in. For my Sweaters In Spring look, I did just that and mixed a few cold weather staples into the mix for an adorable OOTD that can be easily replicated. Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Striped Sweater: Cynthia Rowley, TJMaxx

Jean Shorts: American Eagle Outfitters

Snakeskin Print Kitten Heels: Splendid, TJMaxx

Knee Highs: Target

Lightning Bolt Earrings: I got these at Universal Studios forever ago on vacation!

Spring weather in Ohio typically follows the pattern of a cold morning and a warmer afternoon and flip flopping temps can make it hard to decide what to wear! The day I took these pictures, I knew that I wouldn’t be outside other than walking to and from my car so I chose to throw caution to the wind and put on shorts even if it was cooler outside. Of course, the outfit needed a few modifications to make it fully weather appropriate and I was very okay with this; I am SO sick of wearing jeans!

For this Sweaters In Spring OOTD, I began building the look with my Cynthia Rowley striped sweater in mind. I absolutely LOVE this simple but sweet sweater and the red heart makes for an eye catching pop. It is so light but cozy and is such an ideal option for a crisp fall or spring day. This sweater is also a great layering piece because it is nice and form fitting; if it’s a bit too cold out, literally any style of jacket will work well on top of it.

Another reason for selecting my navy striped sweater was because I knew how cute it would pair up with denim shorts. This was a no brainer decision and I selected one of my go to pairs from American Eagle. These shorts feature a midrise fit, which I really appreciate because it is SO hard to find bottoms that aren’t high waisted. I also liked that this particular pair wasn’t distressed as I knew that I would have a few different patterns in this look and didn’t want it to be distracting.

Originally, I planned on wearing tights underneath my shorts but that idea fell short. I tried a few different pairs on, but it was doing nothing for me and I set my sights on knee highs instead. Although tights would have kept me slightly warmer, the knee highs were good enough and still covered up a majority of my legs lol. I have had the pair of argyle knee highs I selected for forever and they were a perfect pair with the navy sweater. The green and cobalt blue in the pattern also provided another little pop of color, which is always fun. 😀

For accessories, I chose to keep things minimal because there were three separate patterns in this look and they served as an accessory in themselves. Since I had an open crew neck on top, I put on a pair of dangly lightning bolt earrings to enhance my neck line. The shape added a playful touch of movement, which was needed as all of the other components of this look fit close to the body.

And, finally, I chose my kitten heel, pointed toe, snakeskin patterned booties by Splendid for the shoe department. These are one of my favorite pairs and they work so well for work or on the go. They looked so darling paired with the knee highs and were a unique addition that worked despite a drastic change in pattern and palette. This was okay, though! It is totally fine to stray from the motif of your look for the shoes; as long as the rest of your OOTD is cohesive, it will look like a decision you made rather than just throwing something on. 🙂

I felt ready to take on the day or at least page through a few novels in a bookstore in this scholarly sweet Sweaters In Spring OOTD! Keep it posted tomorrow for the blooper reel from this look! ❤

What is your favorite pattern to wear? Have you done any spring shopping recently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr5

Here (Sort Of) Comes The Sun OOTD Bloopers

Posted on April 5, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Here (Sort Of) Comes The Sun OOTD Bloopers

Hello everyone and welcome to the blooper reel from my Here (Sort Of) Comes The Sun OOTD! Although, I will correct myself right there because the bloopers from this shoot aren’t all that bad and, no, I’m not just flattering myself lol. For the first time in the almost four years that Johnny and I have been together, I had to take pictures using a tripod because he wasn’t feeling well. There were some definite pros and cons to this method, one of the pros being that I could actually see how I looked when I was taking each picture! Let’s discuss further:

Pro:

I could have a go at new faces that I might not necessarily try during my rapid fire shoots with Johnny. They didn’t turn out picture perfect, but that’s nothing a little practicing in the mirror can’t solve!

Con:

The tripod is not as tall as Johnny so trying to find just the right position for my body in relation to the camera was a bit difficult. Sometimes I had a peahead, other times I looked way bigger than I actually am, and it would take me a minute to find the position again after getting it just right.

Pro:

It was somewhat rewarding to take these pictures by myself. I also was able to give myself less work in terms of scrutinizing each pic afterwards because I could see what I was doing! When Johnny takes my pictures, I just hope for the best and see what comes out of it once we’re done.

Con:

One of the HUGE cons of taking pictures with a tripod is the constant back and forth. Set the ten second timer, run back into position, hope I ended up back where I was standing before, figure out a pose and face, take the picture, rinse, repeat. I was seriously sweating by the time I was done and this was a major turn off for me for tripod pictures.

Pro:

If my husband photographer is ever under the weather on photo shoot Saturdays, I’ll still be able to create content by myself and that’s great! I depend on these weekly OOTDs to keep my daily writing streak (almost four years!) on lifewithlilred going and that is always a plus.

Con:

Taking pictures with Johnny is so familiar to me. I know how he holds the camera, I know where to stand in relation to him, and I like the way my body looks in the pictures he takes. Tripod shooting will definitely require a lot of practice for optimum success as well as investing in a new one with a bit more height. Honestly, I’d really rather not do either!

Con:

Tripod shooting was time consuming! When I shoot with Johnny, it takes about five minutes. Shooting with the tripod took at least twenty and I didn’t love that.

Will I try using the tripod again in the future? If it calls for it, then yes. However, I much prefer photo shoot Saturdays with my darling blog husband and will continue to call on his point and shoot expertise whenever I can! ❤

Do you like taking pictures with a tripod? Who takes the best pictures of you? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr4

Here (Sort Of) Comes The Sun OOTD

Posted on April 4, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! This past Saturday was an interesting one; Johnny wasn’t feeling well with a stomach bug so I was left to my own devices when it came time for OOTD pictures. The weather was gorgeous in the morning and was going to change drastically by noon so I knew that I would have to take advantage of the warmth and sun while I could. So, I set up my tripod on our apartment balcony and got to work. I’m glad I did, because a half hour or so after I was done, our power went out for the second weekend in a row due to a massive wind storm. SMH.

While I am pleased with how my tripod shots turned out, I can’t wait for next weekend when Johnny can take my pictures again! Check it out:

^^^ BTW that is not a “Don’t tread on me” flag we have hanging up – ours says “Don’t tread on my uterus”!!

Who? What? Wear?

Crochet Top: Rebellion Again, TJMaxx

Black Shorts: American Eagle Outfitters

Dove Detail Heels: ModCloth

Blue Flower Earrings: Bella Jack, TJMaxx

Ruler Bracelet: Big Blue Moma, Jenks Building

The giraffe cuff is from Target and the gold bracelets are both from American Eagle Outfitters

As always, wintertime in Ohio dragged ass and we still aren’t experiencing true springtime weather yet. I have desperately missed wearing shorts, skirts, and dresses so when the temperature was close to sixty degrees, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to wear warm weather clothes even for a little bit. This OOTD is one that I have been thinking about for a while to welcome the spring with and was super easy to style and can be very easily replicated.

I really enjoy styling fall and winter outfits because I love all of the possibilities that come with it and layering to my heart’s content. Spring and summer outfits definitely requires less think work on my part because you can pretty much just throw on a cute top, shorts, and go. I began styling this outfit with my Rebellion Again crochet top already chosen because I think it is such a perfect spring top. The creamy color, pretty pattern, fit, and scalloping all morph together beautifully to create a top that is great with shorts, patterned pants, or a skirt. I am also very fond of the peek a boo pop you can get with a brightly colored bra for a touch of sex appeal thrown into the mix with such a sweet top.

For shorts, I went with one of my favorite pairs from American Eagle Outfitters. AEO has never steered me wrong in the jeans and shorts department and I will die on the hill that they are the absolute best. My favorite thing about the shorts and jeans from AEO is that they fit so well without ever feeling too tight. I liked how these form fitting shorts paired with the breezy top. Although the top does offer movement, it is quite boxy and the shorts were able to create a defined shape that made me feel so confident!

I’m not going to lie, my toes were in dire need of some nail polish when I took these pictures so an open toed shoe was out of the question. This was fine, though, because I had my pair of ModCloth heels in mind and would have chosen them regardless of painted toes or not. These heels were one of the first things I bought from ModCloth over a decade ago and they are very beloved. While I would never pair a stiletto heel with shorts, these ones were just right with their rounded toe and thick mini heel. They are so comfortable and I feel like I could walk for miles in them! The bold blue on the heel and details also added some visual interest in a fairly minimal palette.

With the base of my OOTD settled, it was time to accessorize. To start, I put on one of my favorite pairs of earrings by Bella Jack. The dangly bluebell flowers are so darling and the color also matched perfectly with the pale base of the heels. Bare arms and legs left lots of open real estate for jewelry so I added a few statement bracelets and called it a day. My favorite one is the ruler bracelet that I got from the Jenks Building in Cuyahoga Falls. I had wanted something similar for forever so that was an awesome find!

Even if it was only momentarily, it felt so good to be in warm weather clothes for my Here (Sort Of) Comes The Sun OOTD! Keep it posted tomorrow for some bloopers and what I did and didn’t like about shooting with a tripod for the first time. See you then!

What is your favorite season to dress for? Are you going to do any spring shopping to update your wardrobe? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

	lifewithlilred on New Year’s Resolutions F…
	Dear Quiet on New Year’s Resolutions F…
	lifewithlilred on Wedding/Taco Bells
	Kendrick Brown on Wedding/Taco Bells
	Simon on V-Day Bratz Doll OOTD