Tag Archives: style

Aug9

Trail Blazers

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Trail Blazers

Hello!! I have been really lucky at the Goodwill lately. Not only have I got a new air hockey table, but I recently bought two gorgeous blazers for a whopping ten dollars total. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love my TJMaxx to death BUT ten dollars for two blazers that appear to be brand new is a deal you would never get at one of your favorite discount stores. Especially when one of those blazers is from Express, which usually runs for about one hundred dollars, minimum. Check these out:

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The total cost for both of my new finds would have been on the better half of two hundred dollars and paying ten for them felt like hitting the jackpot. I love the clothing at Express, but would never consider paying for any of it because they are way over my budget. So, getting a sleek blazer that looks barely worn from there was super exciting! And, I have wanted a retro plaid blazer for quite some time now so finding one by Sag Harbor complete with shoulder pads was a major highlight.

I think that blazers are a fantastic piece of clothing and I regret not owning more of them. But, I am happy to start increasing my collection with the ones above. Not only are they the perfect business casual staple but blazers are also an amazing option for fall, creating a cozy, studious chic look.

Of course, I love my more form fitting black blazer from Express and anticipate on wearing it for meetings for work or a night on the town. But, I am particularly looking forward to styling the Sag Harbor one. I plan on doing an OOTD photo shoot tipping my cap to the British punk scene by sporting black leather skinnies, my Union Jack platforms, a hat with a veil created from my tulle purchase, and the plaid blazer over top. I have always been enthralled with the punk fashion scene from across the pond and my Sag Harbor blazer gave me such heavy vibes from that wonderful style and I can’t wait to show all of you. Be on the lookout! 😀

How do you like to style your blazers? Which era of fashion gives you inspiration? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug8

Totally Tulle

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Totally Tulle

Hi hi! I am by no means the craftiest person in the world. The only way I can create cute things is with the most straight forward directions off of a Pinterest post or a how to guide. And, that’s okay, because I know that my strength lies in being a fashion forward word girl. However, the craft bug bit me right in the ass when I was at Joann Fabrics with a client and I walked away with six yards of black and six yards of white tulle at eighty-nine cents per yard. What can I say, I was feeling inspired! Check it out:

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I don’t know what came over me, but when I saw this gorgeous tulle, I just had to buy it. I absolutely love tulle, because it is so prissy and posh but when styled correctly, it can be oh so punk rock and that is definitely the look that I’m going for. I had these fantastic visions of vintage style veils worn with or without a hat and wrapped skirts around short shorts or around the skirt of a dress. And, with six yards of each color, I will have enough to play around and make mistakes – I’m pretty excited!

Will everything I make come out just right? No. But, I know that if I left the store empty handed, I would have stayed up thinking about all of the cool stuff that I could have tried, so I had to make the purchase. My philosophy when it comes to fashion is always about having fun with your looks and pushing the envelope, and I think that I can do a bit of both with my new crafting project. 🙂

What would you create with a buttload of tulle? What do you recommend that I do with mine? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug5

Beach Babe OOTD

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Beach Babe OOTD

Hi everyone! This past weekend, my parents had the pleasure of watching my sweet niece, Valerie, while her mom and dad were attending a friend’s wedding in Chicago. After running some errands on Saturday, it was a must to break out the kiddie pool to splish splash with Val and have some fun in the sun. And, of course, her TT is extra enough that taking pics was a must. Take a look:

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Who? What? Wear?

To be honest, I wasn’t quite sure if I wanted to post the pictures above because of the visible rolls on my stomach. But, then, I remembered this picture that I saw on Facebook and had the confidence to post my bikini clad pics – and they were a hit!

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^^^ Amazing image from Handful

This picture gave me the friendly reminder that EVERYONE’S stomach rolls when they sit down, no matter what your body type is. So, why was I expecting my sit down pictures to look any different? And, you know what? I love how I look in my kiddie pool pics. I love how happy I look, I love the sunlight on my tattoos, and I love how good my bikini made me feel, because it can be an intimidating thing to wear. And, of course, I love seeing pictures of my niece with her TT!

It’s amazing what a piece of clothing you really like can do for your self esteem. Whether that be a bikini, a dress, or a pair of jeans that fit you like a glove – it just gives you that extra boost to make you feel like the queen of the world. And, my Little Mermaid bikini does that for me.

The first time I wore it this summer, I thought that I would shy away and just stay in my towel instead of enjoying the lake. But, as soon as I took a breath and dropped the towel, I felt a-okay. I remembered how awesome my bikini made me feel just trying it on in the dressing room and let myself feel that way again, even if other people were seeing me in it. This gave me the confidence I needed to strut about the Metro Park lake or even just my open backyard at home without the fear of what other people are going to think.

I feel like an absolute Beach Babe in my two piece and I hope that all of you feel the same way in your swimwear. Remember, a “bikini body” is just a body in a bikini so don’t let whatever makes you feel insecure prevent you from enjoying your swim time. I promise you, the water is fine. ❤

What kind of clothes do you feel the most confident in? How does wearing swimwear make you feel? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug2

That’s So Fetch

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That’s So Fetch

Hello!! Just a quick show of hands: How many people like Lil Red’s looks enough to shop them?!

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If the answer is yes, then do let me know. Becauuuuuse, I have the opportunity to begin working with an affiliate company that will give me a percentage of the cut if I have readers that purchase clothing and beauty products similar to what yours truly is rocking. But, the trick is that I would need to update my blog to a business plan, which would cost me way more per year. So, I only want to do it if I’m one hundred percent sure that my darlings will participate. Let your girl know!

Are you a member of any affiliate programs? What are your experiences with them? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Rebloggy

Jul15

If The Shoe Fits: Cape Robbin Blazin’ Glory Boots Edition

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If The Shoe Fits: Cape Robbin Blazin’ Glory Boots Edition

Hiiii everyone! I promised two new editions of If The Shoe Fits yesterday and, as always, Lil Red delivers. During my first shopping experience with Dolls Kill, I ordered beaucoup de hair clips and two new pairs of shoes – some funky boots and an even funkier pair of platforms a la Austin Powers that you will see tomorrow. Be sure to tune in for that and, now, check out these Lil Red Must Haves while blasting this song:

^^^ And, as always, I have no rights to this song or video!

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These absolutely insane Cape Robbin blazin’ glory boots showed up on my adds on Facebook and, damnit, I caved. For forty bucks I couldn’t say no because they had me feeling some type of way TO THE MAX. Part Sonic The Hedgehog, Wonder Woman, and firefighter my new boots combine all things fiery cool but, sadly, do not help me run to the fridge any faster than usual. #buzzkill

Despite that grave disappointment, I could not be happier with this flamin’ hot pair of boots. Actually… that’s a lie, because I could. I assumed that these would be a more combat boot style meaning that they would have a zipper and wouldn’t be straight up rubber. But, assume makes an ass of U and ME and I was kind of like “what?” when I opened the box.

HOWEVER, after the initial shock of the difference of what I was expecting versus what I got, I was still really happy with my purchase. I don’t own any rain boots so these will do nicely for inclement weather purposes and good weather purposes, all the same! I have never seen a pair of shoes like my new Cape Robbin ones before, except for maybe in a cartoon or something. So, needless to say, I am so looking forward to breaking them out.

From splashing in rain puddles, trudging through the snow, or just being worn on a nice day, these boots add instant spice to any look. I’m honestly not sure what I plan on wearing these with because they are pretty random. But, with it still being hot, hot, hot here in Ohio with TONS of rain, these will be perfect paired with knee highs and shorts for a combo that will definitely make me the coolest kid on the block. 😎

How would you style these boots? Where do you score the wackiest pairs of shoes? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul14

Clip Clip Hurray!

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Clip Clip Hurray!

Helloooo! I recently discovered the alt clothing site, Dolls Kill, and that is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because I had an amazing shoe and accessory haul recently. But, a curse that I didn’t know about the website sooner! Also a blessing because not knowing about the site has certainly saved me money throughout the years. But, a curse too, because the good lord knows I know about it now and all of you will too! Oh what a tangled web we weave.

Did you get all that? lol!

Anywhooo, I have become OBSESSED with hair clips these past few weeks. And, I know exactly what did it. I don’t know if ya’ll have seen this picture of Aubrey Plaza at the premiere for Child’s Play but peep those barrette babies:

LA Premiere of "Child's Play", Los Angeles, USA - 19 Jun 2019

So. Cute.

I saw this picture on Facebook and was instantly in love with the hair clip paying homage to horror films. And, in the comments one of the people said that the website, Dolls Kill, had similar barrettes. So, naturally, I had to cruise on over to the site because Lil Red never says no to online shopping!

Not only did I buy two new gorgeous pairs of shoes, which you guys will see this week on “If The Shoe Fits”, but I also got ALL the hair clips. Take a look:

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Now that my hair is finally getting longer, I just want to play with it! But, unfortunately for me, I suck eggs at doing my hair if I’m not straightening it. So, that’s where these darling new clips come in. Literally all you have to do is is pull back your hair Aubrey Plaza style, clip, and repeat for a cool and edgy look that’s so simple even I can do it.

I will admit, that the clips I purchased looked a whole lot bigger on Dolls Kill’s website than they do in real life and that was disappointing. But these sassy little babies still pack a punch and I’m excited to use them. I can’t say that I would purchase hair accessories from their site again because the difference in size was so great. However, their footwear rocks and I would definitely shop Dolls Kill again for more shoes that I don’t need, for sure.

Who has shopped Dolls Kill before and what were your thoughts? Where can you buy the cutest hair accessories? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul12

City Escape OOTD

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City Escape OOTD

Hello hello and welcome to a new OOTD post here on lifewithlilred! A week or so ago, I enjoyed exploring downtown Akron’s Lock 3 park with my friend Markus, who helps me take pictures for the ol’ blog. Lock 3 is a cool place where summertime concerts happen and an ice skating rink that I love going to is put up in the winter. The bar scene surrounding it isn’t bad, either!

Markus and I hit the pavement to take some pics and just have fun so check it out, enjoy, and read on to find out how I styled this OOTD:

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Who? What? Wear?

Styling summer outfits can be difficult, especially if you’re like me and you always want to go all out with your OOTDs. But, sometimes that’s just not feasible with the extreme heat. Although Markus and I took the pictures seen above in the evening, it was still hot as hell so this is definitely one of my more “basic” looks. I was still really feeling myself, however, because I made sure to follow a few simple rules:

1. Let it flow:

To me, there is nothing more boring than jeans and a t-shirt so if you want to add some visual interest to an outfit, then let it flow. Wear a top or bottom with movement to it and it will instantly add that little something something to any outfit. The billowy sleeves on my Japna top are not only fun, but it certainly gave a nice breeze to my upper half because the fabric wasn’t vacuum sealed to my body.

2. Legs for dayz:

Shorts are necessary in the summer and you can keep it simple or, you can pull a Sarah and go all out with some heels. But, you can’t wear just any heels with shorts. If you want to create some body magic for an illusion of legs for dayz, you must be mindful of what kind of straps are on your shoe.

If the heel must be strapped, make sure that it is a slingback so that there are no lines cutting off the flow from your feet to your hips. This will create the perfect leggy length, even if you’re a vertically challenged chick, like myself. Mules are an excellent way to go to avoid any kinks in your length, which is why I went with my Betsey Johnson pair. Embroidered flowers, a black and white striped heel, and super model style legs? Bye bye, boring!

3. Beat the heat:

I am both pale and extra enough that I have absolutely no problem carrying around my goth Princess Peach style parasol. I hate getting tan, I hate getting burnt, and I hate being hotter than I have to be when it comes to being outdoors. Not only does the parasol add length to my look because it’s not stopping at the tip of my head but it also makes the OOTD a lot more interesting. When it doubt, accessorize, and the outfit will become much more exciting to look at.

We all know that Lil Red thrives when it comes to fall fashion. But, summer has always been a challenge for me. So, I follow the steps above for looks that don’t thrill me as much as my fall OOTDs but certainly help keep me cool in the heat while still being fashion forward. Creating outfits that make someone’s eyes dance when they look at you is the name of the game and I think that my City Escape OOTD definitely achieved that!

How do you style OOTDs to keep yourself cool in? How do you add visual interest to your looks? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul9

New Lucky Brand Sunnies

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New Lucky Brand Sunnies

Howdy! If there’s one thing I’m a sucker for (other than shoes, jewelry, hats, clothing, and accessories lol), it’s sunglasses. My eyes are very sensitive to the light and I always need to wear them when I’m outside to prevent irritation and squinting – which, in turn, prevents premature wrinkling! 😀

Whenever I spy a cute pair of sunnies, I normally always buy them, because I know that I am going to use them. And, a lot of the pairs that I have are older and have been breaking, which puts a lot of empty spaces in my collection. So, I was happy to find these gorgeous bubblegum fun Lucky Brand sunglasses at TJMaxx to fill that gap. Take a look:

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I have never owned a pair of sunglasses like the ones above and I am absolutely obsessed. I love the mini cat eye, the clear frame, and the clear pink color. They are just pure sweet, fun, and sassy and I have been wearing them every day since I bought them this past weekend. Lucky Brand accessories are the best and I have plenty of their jewelry but no sunnies so it was an obvious choice to put them in my shopping cart.

My only qualm is that the lenses are not the most protective to sunlight because of the pale pink color. They still do a half decent job, but you can definitely tell the difference in protection between these and a dark lens. But, they’re cute as can be and that’s a small price to pay, I guess!

What is your favorite brand to shop for accessories? How do you protect sensitive eyes in bright light? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul8

Accessory Story: SJ Pearl Jade Necklace

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Accessory Story: SJ Pearl Jade Necklace

Helloooo everyone and welcome to the next Accessory Story from my TJMaxx haul where we will be discussing another gorgeous piece by SJ Pearl. This longer in length jade necklace features a Laughing Buddha pendent, which we already established yesterday as a symbol for good luck and abundance in life. The beads on my new necklace are made of jade which offers wisdom and compassion among other good stuff. And, as I work with people with special needs, I can always use some of that! Take a look:

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Very much like my beloved grandma, when I find something that I like, I tend to get it in every style and color. So, picking out my second Laughing Buddha necklace by SJ Pearl was a necessary evil that I am so not mad about! I love the rosary style length of this necklace and the subtle but beautiful coloring of the jade stones.

Like the obsidian necklace on yesterday’s post, it feels so nice to have the weight of my new jewelry around my neck because it just feels good, ya know? It makes me feel positive and kind of like the dark clouds that sometimes cover me are lifted ever so slightly. My SJ Pearl necklaces make a statement that’s both stylish and meaningful and it doesn’t get much better than that!

How would you style this necklace? Which symbols mean a lot to you? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul7

Accessory Story: SJ Pearl Obsidian Necklace Edition

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Accessory Story: SJ Pearl Obsidian Necklace Edition

Hellooo! Does anyone remember the Power Bead bracelets? You know, those round bead bracelets that were made with precious stones that each had a different meaning. I used to love those when I was younger and I wish that I still had mine and that they were still being sold because I love wearing jewelry that symbolizes something. But, I think I found the necklace equivalent of them in the following beaded necklace by SJ Pearl as well as the one that you will see on tomorrow’s Accessory Story. Check it out:

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I found this gorgeous Buddha inspired obsidian necklace at TJMaxx (Surprise, surprise!) and I added it to my cart as soon as I saw it. It was love at first sight. The Laughing Buddha pendent, as most of us know, offers good luck, contentment, and abundance in one’s life. While the obsidian beads act as a powerful protector.

The combination of the powers given by each symbol sounded exactly like what I needed and I like how heavy this necklace is. You can definitely feel its weight when you wear it and the stones are smooth to the touch, which makes it nice to clutch onto when you feel like you need that extra boost of strength or inner peace throughout the day.

Not only is this SJ Pearl necklace meaningful but, I find it absolutely beautiful, too. It adds a unique touch to any outfit and it makes me feel good on the inside and out to wear. I can remember putting my first Power Bead bracelet on when I was younger and feeling that little surge of contentment as it went on my wrist and I could definitely feel it as I put this around my neck in the mirror at TJs. I am so looking forward to wearing this necklace often as well as the other one by SJ Pearl that I purchased – so tune in tomorrow to see that!

Does anyone own any symbolic jewelry? What is your favorite symbol of good fortune? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah