Tag Archives: summer

Aug2

Wanted: Sayonara, Summer Guest Bloggers

Posted on August 2, 2024 by lifewithlilred

Hello my beautiful friends! We are officially in August and in my head, summer is already over lol. I have been manifesting a cool breeze, crunchy leaves, pumpkin spice, and everything nice since summer started. Fall is right on the horizon, back to school will be here before we know it, and I’m sure that everyone is trying to squeeze in the last bits of fun in the sun. As a farewell homage, I thought that it would be the perfect time to introduce a Sayonara, Summer guest bloggers series!

For this collaboration, I am looking for summer recaps. Did you go on vacation? Did you make an amazing dish for a neighborhood barbecue? Maybe you sported the most adorable sundress? Or, perhaps you learned a new skill, took a class, or found a new favorite hobby. Whatever you did, I want to hear the highlights and it will be so interesting to see summer aesthetics from all over the world. 🙂

If you are interested in participating, please shoot your girl an email at: sarah.mush6794@gmail.com with your ideas. I can’t wait to hear them! Much love. -Sarah

Jul25

Flower Child OOTD

Posted on July 25, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! Today, we’re going to take a look at a look that I wore for a date day with Johnny this past Saturday. We enjoyed lunch with our favorite neighbor and then headed to downtown Cuyahoga Falls to do some shopping at the Jenks Building. The Jenks is a hub for local artists and musicians. It is an eclectic location that offers a little bit of everything and I wanted to dress the part. I admit that I had a case of “styler’s block” when I began creating this look. Then, it came to me in a vision and I am obsessed with the end result! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Crochet Top: Rebellion Again, TJMaxx

Trapeze Pants: Patrons Of Peace, TJMaxx

Lace Up Heels: BCBG, TJMaxx

Butterfly Sunglasses: A Signature Antiques

I think the turquoise cross earrings are from Target!

It is very easy for me to fall into the trap of having “nothing to wear” during the summertime because my wardrobe is more curated to cold weather. When dressing for the summer, my main concern is staying cool while looking cute. However, I can only wear so many shorts and tops combos until I grow bored with it. I was definitely hitting a wall so I really needed to take the time and shop in my own personal boutique for inspiration. Saturday was hot but not unbearably so. With that in mind and expanding my horizons a bit further, my eyes landed on my Patrons Of Peace trapeze pants and I knew we were in business.

I think these pants are just the tops. I love the colors, the pattern, and the way the breezy fabric moves. They are incredibly comfortable and so unique in the sense that these pants could be viewed as a maxi skirt depending on how they lay when you look at me. But what to pair them with? Originally, I started out with a white tank top tucked in and that did nothing for me. This was problematic because a majority of my clothes have some type of color or pattern that would clash with the pants. So, back to my boutique I went.

Before browsing my selection, I took the time to really look at the colors in the patterns of the pants to narrow down my options of what I could wear to accommodate them. Everything I had in jewel or burnt shades wasn’t going to work so I focused on the cream hues of the flowers. This brought me to my crochet top by Rebellion Again and I knew I had a winner. It might not have been a perfect match in color but it was close enough. Just like the pants, this top offered movement. The best part? The flower pattern on both the top and bottom worked in tandem and created a look with a lot of visual interest.

Next, it was onto shoes and accessories. For shoes, I went with a pair of lace up heels by BCBG. They are old as dirt, but I will never part with them as they are highly sentimental. They are one of the first pairs of heels I vividly remember buying at TJMaxx! I wanted a simple pair of shoes since this fit featured top to bottom patterns and they were just right. For accessories, I chose a pair of dangly turquoise crosses for a pop of color. And, of course, this was an ideal outfit to break out my new butterfly sunglasses that I got while antiquing with Johnny. They added some super 70s flare, bonus bling, and were exactly what I needed to complete the look!

My Flower Child OOTD is, easily, one of my favorite looks that I have styled this summer. If I had an entire closet full of clothes like this, maybe I would like summertime styling a bit more!

What is something in your closet that you can’t part with? What are your favorite accessories to shop for? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul20

Summer Safety Pro Tips

Posted on July 20, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! I am one of those people who don’t do well in the heat at all. Part of it is definitely a low tolerance and some of it has to do with the fact that literally each medication I’m on makes me more susceptible to heat related illnesses. As someone who is constantly on the go, I oftentimes forget to not push myself so hard on extra hot days. Then, by the time I realize I should take a breather the damage is already done and a strong case of the woozies comes on. This is not a good thing because it’s something that can be completely prevented and I know I, for one, need to do a better job of listening to my body. If you struggle with the heat too, please make sure you are doing the following to keep yourself safe:

Eat Up:

My appetite decreases during the hot weather and it’s easy to feel like you’re full if you are hydrating consistently throughout the day. However, your body needs food for fuel so bypassing meals even if you don’t feel hungry is a huge no no. If you are feeling full, you should still try and have a snack if you haven’t ate in several hours. It doesn’t have to be a full on meal, but you could have veggies and hummus, yogurt, a bowl of cereal – whatever you’d like. Of course, it is against everything we learn as a kid to stop eating if you are full. But if it has been a minute and it’s really hot out, you’ll be thanking yourself for having a snack when you avoid getting lightheaded or fainting. (This happened to me a few days ago and it was SO scary!)

Water, Water, Water:

I consider myself to be the Caffeine Queen and am always sipping on coffee or pop throughout the morning. This is fine, but you will be doing yourself no favors if you aren’t replenishing yourself with plenty of water after each cup of go go juice. If you love your morning caffeine bursts too, take your time with each coffee or soda drink rather than throwing it back. Nurse it, balance it out with sips of water, and monitor yourself during your daily caffeine intake. Too much too suddenly can give you the jitters, make you nauseous, or feel faint. Not the best way to start the day.

R&R:

It’s always important to allow yourself time for a break each day, but even more so during the summer. It’s hot AF, you’re sweating, and it can make you feel depleted quickly. If you are outside, go in every hour or so to hydrate and cool off. If you are going nonstop for work, be sure to take a few minutes to slow down and relax. More often than not, that exhaustion is going to hit you out of nowhere and that’s not a good place to be during your commute, job, or out and about. Pencil in designated break times per day and if you need a moment, take it immediately instead of holding off.

Enjoy Responsibly:

Like caffeine, alcohol and cannabis hits way differently when it’s hot out and can increase your chances of dehydration or even heat stroke. If you are going to partake in a more recreational pastime, do so responsibly. Take the time to get yourself out of the heat, hydrate, and sip or smoke at a slow pace. Your “I’m good” amount is subject to change when it’s hot as the dickens so stay in tune to how you are feeling to prevent any problems!

Summer is not over yet even though I am totally over it lol. Keep yourself safe and healthy with these tips!

What are your summer safety pro tips? How do you like to cool off? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul14

New Rachel Zoe Handkerchief Top

Posted on July 14, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! I had a lovely outing with myself during my break on Tuesday doing some shopping at TJMaxx with a birthday gift card. It was definitely hard going back to work after some time off so it was the perfect little treat! During this shopping trip, I lucked out with two new clearance finds that I am loving. You saw the fabulous sweater dress yesterday and, today, we are going to be looking at an adorable little number by Rachel Zoe. It features all of my favorite things – A chartreuse color, fun bling, and a handkerchief cut which is one of my go tos. This top was thirteen dollars and is a small price to pay for a top that truly screams summer in all of its citrusy glory. Check it out:

Unless I am shopping for something very specific, I let the garments do the talking at TJMaxx. When I am browsing, I am looking simply for what catches my eye. It could be a quirky pattern or color or an interesting cut or material, my only requirement is that it makes me do a double take. As I perused the clearance racks, I noticed something sparkly and realized that the bright orange and yellow gemstones were the “sleeves” to a top. I was instantly intrigued and was even more so when I saw what the bling was holding up – a little chartreuse masterpiece. AND the only one in store, thank you very much. 😀

Literally just looking at this top made me happy because it is the answer to the question “what if sunshine was a shirt?” It is bright, poppy, and as if lemon lime soda became a handkerchief top. I have quite a few different options of this style in my wardrobe, but none quite like this. And, yes, it is all because of the gem spaghetti straps! It adds such a playful touch to a more revealing top and, in my opinion, makes it sweet rather than too sexy. The sheen of the fabric against the bling bling is a dazzling display and I feel SO lucky to have found it. I cannot wait to wear it ASAP with jean shorts or a sassy black and white bodycon skirt (Chunky platforms are a given!)!

Although I am by no means a fan of summer, this new top might help the cause a bit. I don’t think anyone, myself included, could wear it and not want to have some fun in the sun!

What catches your eye when you’re shopping? What is your favorite color to wear? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul12

Mini Golf Fun

Posted on July 12, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! During mine and Johnny’s Fourth of July staycation, we did ALL of the activities. One of my favorites was going mini golfing together with my brother. We hopped into the Little Red Love Machine and headed to Fun n’ Stuff, which is an amusement center in my neck of the woods. There’s a little something for everyone young and old at Fun n’ Stuff – arcade games, laser tag, roller skating, bumper cars and boats, go karts, and two huge mini golf courses. The mini golf set up is awesome and has a pirate and dinosaur themed course. There were fun surprises scattered throughout like animatronic dinos, an octopus that shoots water, and challenging twists and turns with each put! Check it out:

In my neck of the woods, there aren’t too many mini golf courses in a close vicinity. The only other one within a fifteen mile radius is called Downview and it is not the best lol. It is small, expensive, and can be completed in under a half hour. At Fun n’ Stuff, the pricing was infinitely better and you got so much more for it. For a whopping eight dollars and fifty cents, you could play the two mini golf courses for as long as you’d like. It took us at least an hour and a half to finish both the dinosaur and pirate courses and it was worth every penny!

Visually, the dinosaur course was a lot more appealing and the gigantic moving dinosaurs really stole the show. I also loved the smoking and steaming volcano. However, I think I liked playing the pirate course more because it was just cool! Putting the ball through cannons, going on the pirate ship, and the skull tunnel with glowing eyes really spoke to me. So much so that I actually won the game with fifty-three strokes on the pirate course which literally never happens. Let’s just say I lack finesse when it comes to the subtle art of put put golf! I am pleased to report that between both courses I got FOUR hole in ones so it was a banner day for yours truly. We definitely plan on going back before the summer is out. 😀

Mini golf is one of my favorite summertime activities and I am so glad we got to squeeze it into our staycation. There is nothing like some good competitive fun and next time we go back I am manifesting a win on both courses!!

What is one of your favorite summer outings? Are there any cool mini golf courses in your area? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul11

Date Day OOTD Bloopers

Posted on July 11, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hellooo beautiful people and welcome to the Blooper Reel from my Date Day OOTD! Johnny and I had some absolutely glorious time off for Fourth of July and it was such a treat. During a normal workweek, we only ever make plans for the weekend. In one week, it was like we squeezed a month’s worth of weekends in and we had a blast! It was so nice to enjoy the summer weather and it was perfect last week. It was never overly hot which is exactly what your favorite vampire couple needs. On Tuesday afternoon we took a stroll through an outdoor shopping center and, of course, I needed to find a brick wall to post in front of for some OOTD shots. And, yes, bloopers too:

JUST STANDING HERE!

Something STANK

Lol, just going to leave this one here!

Foot popping Expectations VS Reality. An expose in four parts:

^^^ The face of sheer concentration lol.

It is a very rare occasion that I call off of work because, first and foremost, I freaking love my jobs and secondly, I am self employed. The whole no PTO thing can be a massive pain! A lament I’ve had this summer is how awesome life would be if we still got a summer vacation lol. Could you imagine three months of nonstop fun?! It would be a dream! Then, Johnny blessedly had a week and change off for the holiday and I knew that it was my big chance for a summer staycation too. I worked a few shifts as well as online, but a majority of our time was spent with our version of fun in the sun.

We did a little bit of this and a little bit of that during our staycay. There was shopping, mini golf, running around the park like crazy people with our nieces, and catching up with our friends. We had some delicious meals out and I had time to cook a delicious meal myself! When we weren’t out and about, Johnny and I spent a lot of time in our game room that he has been working so hard on. We listened to records, played cards and Scrabble, or just sat and talked. It was a novelty to hang out somewhere other than our living room and we were still able to monitor our mischievous little bunnies for maximum safety! ❤

I loved every minute of my staycay with Johnny and am so glad we had the opportunity to have done so. I was able to turn my summer blahs into boo-yeahs and can’t wait for more adventures!

What is something fun you have done this summer? Where is your dream vacation location? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul10

Date Day OOTD

Posted on July 10, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! Today, we are going to take a look at what I wore for a Date Day with Johnny during our Fourth of July staycation. It really was a fantastic week of time off for Johnny and partial time off for me. We definitely struggled going back to work when it was all said and done, but that’s a small price to pay for all of the memories we made and fun we had. Every day was something new during our staycation and one of my favorite parts was date day, for sure. I love getting dolled up and stepping out with my main squeeze and this was my look for strolling around an outdoor shopping area:

Who? What? Wear?

Flower Embroidered Top: Love On A Hanger, TJMaxx

Jean Shorts: American Eagle Outfitters

Embroidered Platforms: Sbicca, ModCloth

Forest Green Floppy Hat: Gypsy Warrior, PacSun

I have no clue where the daisy earrings came from lol

My main issue with dressing for the summertime is because summer fashion bores me! I live for styling layered looks during the cold weather and my wardrobe is very tailored to the fall and winter. What I do love about summer weather is that I can show off my tattoos because they spend a majority of the year covered up. Every time summer rolls around I find myself amazed by all of the ink that I genuinely forgot I had. Out of sight, out of mind right?! I consider my tattoos to be accessories and with so many on my person, I always find it’s best to keep my summer outfits simple. Anything more is honestly visually overwhelming!

With simplicity in mind, I went for one of my favorite warm weather tops by Love On A Hanger. It screams classic summer vibes and there are just so many fun things about it. The cut, the embroidery, and the peplum all work together so well and it is one of my go to tops. To keep with the classic aesthetic, I paired it with some cute denim shorts from American Eagle Outfitters. With this top, there is truly not a better way to go and makes for a look that could be recreated so easily from your own wardrobe. Adorable and attainable. 😀

For shoes, I went with a pair of denim embroidered platforms and that helped create cohesiveness from top to bottom. I also adore the stud detailing on them! Because this OOTD flowed beautifully thanks to the established palette, I knew I could add in some extra touches and get away with it. As a pop of color and bonus protection from the sunshine, I put on a forest green floppy hat by Gypsy Warrior. I love a floppy hat so very much and this one helped elevate the look into something more special. As a final surprise, I popped on a darling pair of huge daisy stud earrings and I was ready for my date!

This Date Day OOTD kept me comfortable in the heat while still making me feel my best. Amazing moments deserve amazing outfits!

What is your perfect date day? How do you stay cool in the summertime? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul5

New Watermelon Nails

Posted on July 5, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hi! This past Tuesday I enjoyed an appointment for a fill at Elysian Nails. It couldn’t have come a moment too soon because my car needed some extensive repairs and, therefore, I needed a little pick me up. I was without the Little Red Love Machine for a day and a half and missed her so much! I truly felt incomplete without my beloved LRLM and a fresh fill was a perfect combatant to the loneliness lol. I wanted something bright and fun and, as always, my tech delivered with these watermelon nails:

When I get my nails done, I either know exactly what colors I want or have no idea in the slightest. There is no in between! For this fill, the former was the case and I was in the mood for some watermelon nails. Other than being one of my favorite fruits, watermelon is a true summertime staple. While I try to avoid doing the same color combinations as I have before, I just had to break out the pink and green one time for the one time. I am so glad I did because they look phenomenal and I can’t help but smile every time I see my poppy acrylics clacking away on the computer. 🙂

Normally when I get a fill, it is in between shifts for work and I am more worried about getting to where I need to be on time rather than relaxing. This time around, I actually had the day off and it made the experience so much better. I got to sit and enjoy as opposed to staring at the clock willing the process to go by faster. The piece de resistance, however, had to be allowing the time for my nail polish to dry! Usually once the polish is on, I book it, hop in the car, and crank cool air to let them dry on the way to my next destination. Don’t get me wrong, I always feel pampered after a fill but this one definitely hit different! 😀

I am pleased to report that I was reunited with the Little Red Love Machine a few hours after my nail appointment. There was nothing better than getting back behind the wheel of my car with gorgeous nails to boot!

What is one of your summertime staples? What color of nail polish are you rocking? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul4

Summer Stripes OOTD

Posted on July 4, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! As you might know, I am not fond of summertime at all. I can’t stand hot weather, I don’t like dressing for hot weather, and being an adult means no summer vacations lol. I am truly a spring and fall kind of gal in terms of style and my preferred climate so when I am styling looks for summer, my primary concern is comfort. And, of course, I want the OOTD to be cute too! The fit we are about to take a look at was something I put together for when a few friends came by this past Saturday. Surprisingly, it was a rather breezy day and that was much more like it! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Striped Top: Modern Works, TJMaxx

Jean Shorts: American Eagle Outfitters

Heeled Mules: Dolce Vita, TJMaxx

I think the earrings are from Target!

One of my favorite recent purchases from TJMaxx is definitely my adorable striped top by Modern Works. Despite its long sleeves, the material is nice and cool and can be worn during all seasons if the weather suits. The weather on Saturday was still warm but it was windy so I knew I could get away with it and went for it. I love how classic this top is and it could certainly be worn for work or play. I bought this top during the wintertime and always thought that it would be great for a summertime fit so I was excited to break it out. I often find that simple is best when it comes to summer outfits and this top was exactly what I needed.

As I styled a summer outfit in my head during a winter TJMaxx trip, I imagined the Modern Works top being tucked into black shorts so that was next on my agenda. As per ushe, the shorts from American Eagle Outfitters can’t be beat. They are so comfy, fit like a glove, and I have yet to find a brand that is comparable. It is always fun for me to finally get to wear outfits that have been planned for a while and have them turn out how I want. I was right on track for that and all that was left were shoes and accessories.

For shoes, I slipped on a pair of snakeskin heeled mules by Dolce Vita. I absolutely love these little babies. Snakeskin is my absolute favorite animal print and I can’t get enough of that sassy pointed toe! These heels added length and a fun pop against a low key OOTD. As no open real estate was available for a necklace or bracelets, I turned to earrings instead. I chose a lovely pair of dangly black gemstones that gave some movement and a touch of bling. With that, I was ready to rock and roll in my way preplanned OOTD!

My Summer Stripes OOTD checked all of the boxes for my summertime wear requirements: Cute, comfy, cool. Maybe dressing for summer isn’t always all bad!

What is your favorite season to dress for? What is summer weather like 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

Jun24

Squeezing In Some Fun

Posted on June 24, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Howdy!! I don’t know about all of you, but I still mourn summer vacations even though it has been years since I was in school. Sometimes adulting can feel cruel and unusual and this is definitely one of those times! With an insanely busy work schedule it can be hard to Squeeze In Some Fun, even if it is sweet summertime. I know that it is often difficult for me to muster the energy to do much over the weekend, but I have been trying. And, although the sleepies never fully leave me, I do feel better when Johnny and I have plans for our time off and we have been putting the effort in!

The past year and change have been trying times for yours truly and it was almost impossible to pepper joy into limited downtime. This is in stark comparison to when Johnny and I first started dating and we were constantly going here, there, and everywhere. Then, the pandemic hit, crisis in my life happened, and we never got back into the swing of things. Until now, that is. It has felt like we have had plans every weekend for months and it has been really great! Whether it be get togethers with our friends or going out on the town, I feel like I’m on cloud nine afterwards because it’s fun to have fun. 😀

The best thing about this change of pace is planning dates with Johnny. While we enjoy our video game or movie nights, there is nothing better than stepping out in style with my main squeeze. It is also amazing to always have something to look forward to during the work week! I feel like I have been in a bit of a rut lately and this has really helped turn my outlook around. I have loved our dinner dates and meeting up for drinks with our friends at all of our favorite spots. Even returning home afterwards is exciting because we have also shook up our weekend evening activities.

For the last of Johnny’s birthaversary gifts, we picked out a good but budget friendly record player. Johnny has an expansive collection of records but no functioning record player and our purchase was a game changer. My boo spent so much time after we brought the record player home turning our “game room” into an actual game room. He cleaned, he added more artwork to the walls, and he cleared out the closet in the room to house the records in and give us more space. This has given us plenty of room to break out all of the board games we haven’t played in forever. While we play, we take turns picking records at random and listening to one side before swapping it out. We still are all about our video games, but this switch up has made our evenings feel like true quality time and it is a beautiful thing!

Even though we have no plans for a summer vacation, we are making our best efforts to make plans, actually stick to them, and enjoy our weekends more fully. It has definitely helped lift my spirits and I love having a calendar full of activities to motivate me during the work week!

Do you have any big summer plans? What do you do when you feel like you’re in a rut? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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