Tag Archives: tjmaxx

Jun22

Going Gingham OOTD

Posted on June 22, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! The look that you are about to see is not what I originally planned on. What I had in mind for my weekly outfit was a gorgeous black and white high low skirt with a black Rachel Zoe tank top and slide on wedge heels. However, I couldn’t find the tank top I wanted to wear anywhere! I still have no idea where it could be, which upsets me deeply because it’s my favorite. To add salt to the wound, the only comparable top that I could have used had a deodorant stain on it. SMH.

I was, honestly, so close to throwing my hands up, saying “screw it”, and not shooting an outfit at all. But, where’s the fun in that?! After having a hissy fit in my mind, I decided to switch gears and create a look that’s perfect for 4th of July. Picnics, fireworks, and rooftop drinks anyone? Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Gingham Tie Back Top: Altar’d State

Distressed High Waisted Shorts: American Eagle Outfitters

Army Green Wedge Sandals: Guess, TJMaxx

Rain Cloud Earrings: These are a birthday gift from my bestie and are created by Janell & Co.

The gold bracelet is from American Eagle Outfitters and the bronze one is from the zoo I think lol.

While I was digging around in my dresser for the missing tank top, my eyes kept locking in on my tie back top from Altar’d State. It is such an adorable little number and screams summer fun. It has also not been featured on an OOTD post before. Once I came to the conclusion that The Case of The Missing Tank Top wasn’t going to be solved, I had to problem solve. And, with 4th of July just around the corner, the kerchief style top was an obvious choice. I guess I was onto something when it kept catching my eye during the search party!

I wish that I had tie back tops in every color and pattern imaginable. They look so sweet from the front, but daring as soon as your back is turned. The best thing about them, though, is that my back tattoos finally get their day in the sun! I remember when I first tried this shirt on in the dressing room and I was feeling my damn self. That feeling has never left and I felt so good as soon as I put it on. The palette, gingham, and delicate floral pattern create such a fun take on summer classics. And, although I was still feeling a bit disappointed that my original plan didn’t come to fruition, I was starting to perk up.

The tie back top was begging to be paired with blue jean shorts and instead of my usual mid rise, I went with a pair of high waisted shorts. This was most flattering because the shorts hit exactly where the crop in the top ended. TMI, but I was on the rag when I shot this look and was feeling bloated so a high rise was a simple fix. The distressing on the front also helped add some edge to the look against the cute as can be top.

With the base of the outfit settled, it was time for shoes and accessories. Normally, selecting shoes is something that I don’t even think about. This time around, however, was a bit of a struggle. The one pair that I would have loved to wear is broken beyond repair and I hang onto them because I refuse to throw them out. My collection of platforms wouldn’t work either because they all feature a high ankle strap. Finally, I decided on my army green heeled sandals by Guess. After putting them on, I don’t know why I didn’t choose them right from the jump. They didn’t interfere with my leg line and the green served as a cool and different neutral against the red and blue base.

Accessories were next on the agenda and I already knew which earrings I wanted to wear; My rain cloud pair from my BFF for my birthday! They are such a gorgeous statement piece and the movement they make is unmatched to anything else I own. I LERVE them so much! Since almost all of my tattoos were visible and the earrings were so bold, I put on a few bracelets and that was that!

I admit that even though I liked this outfit in its completion, I still wasn’t fully feeling myself. It wasn’t until Johnny’s jaw dropped when I walked down the stairs that I realized this outfit was a banger! He told me I looked like Daisy Duke and played the Dukes of Hazzard theme song on the guitar and I couldn’t have asked for anything better. And, yes, I was definitely feeling myself afterwards! 😀

Has any of your favorite clothes gone missing? Where did it turn up? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun14

Classic Summer OOTD

Posted on June 14, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD starring my brand new hair! I recently stepped off of the OOTD train for a few weeks due to my crazy life and also tired, but your girl is back and better than ever. Strange how new hair and new nails can do that. 😉 The pics you are about to see were taken after babysitting my nieces. I knew my best gal, Val, was going to want to play outside so I wanted to put together a Classic Summer look that was cute and comfortable for some fun in the sun.

This OOTD features summer staple pieces that almost everyone has in their wardrobe, making it very easy to recreate. Let’s get to it:

Who? What? Wear?

Tank Top: Rachel Zoe, TJMaxx

Denim Shorts: American Eagle Outfitters

Platform Sandals: ModCloth

Daisy Earrings: Forever 21

The silver bracelet is from American Eagle Outfitters

Styling OOTDs for summertime has taught me a lot about creating looks that are simple yet exciting for being on the go in the heat. This Classic Summer OOTD required minimal think work, but I still love the way it turned out and I felt like a million bucks in it! I had a few things in mind when I began scouring my wardrobe, the first being that I would most definitely be playing outside that afternoon. The second one being that I wanted a neutral palette to make my new hair and tattoos pop.

With these guidelines laid out, the pieces of the puzzle came together and I knew exactly what to do next. To start, I grabbed my white Rachel Zoe tank top. I got this tank in a set of two and they are, easily, the best that I have ever owned. They fit perfectly and hug my body in all of the right places. I love the V neck, which is a unique twist on a classic scoop neck tank. I am also a huge fan of the material, which is so soft and a bit thick – reminiscent of a super thin sweater rather than the rougher fabric of a regular old tank top.

A simple white tank is just begging to be paired with denim shorts. Originally, I tried on a pair of distressed, high waisted shorts from AEO but the fit just wasn’t meshing with the tank top. So, I swapped it out for a mid rise pair and that was much more like it! Yes, the base of this outfit is simple but it was doing everything that I envisioned by making my hair the star of the show. I also felt like Daisy Duke and it really doesn’t get much better than that! 😀

For shoes, I wore a pair of Nikes to run around the yard with Val in. Then, for pictures, I brought one of my favorite pairs of platform sandals from ModCloth. These shoes were SO ideal for this outfit because of the palette. The base of the pattern is orange, which brought cohesion from the top of my head to my toes. The other colors in the pattern are navy and white and that was just right with the other pieces in the outfit. And, note the low ankle strap, which still gave the illusion of length since it didn’t cut my leg line off at the upper ankle.

Next up was accessories and, like the rest of the outfit, I went the minimal route. Anything more would have been fighting against the base that had already been established. For earrings, I chose a super cute pair that looked like daisies. They had a stud shape, but because they were huge, there was still movement and I loved seeing them poking out from underneath my hair. Then, I slipped on a simple silver mini cuff bracelet and my look was complete!

This Classic Summer OOTD used summertime staples Lil Red’s way and it was a look that I felt amazing in. Keep it locked for the blooper reel from this post and lots more summer fashion here on lifewithlilred!

What is one of your summer wardrobe staples? What is the most important thing to you when styling summer looks? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun3

Summer Sass OOTD

Posted on June 3, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone!! After a brief hiatus from my weekly OOTD shoots due to personal reasons, I am finally getting back into the swing of things and it feels great! We are experiencing pure summertime temps here in Ohio and, although summer isn’t my favorite season to dress for, I’m having a blast doing what I do best – styling awesome outfits. Today, we are going to take a look at a sassy little number that I created with drinks on the patio of mine and Johnny’s favorite bar (The Cashmere Cricket) in mind. Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Mesh Crop Top: Gaze, TJMaxx

Skort: Almost Famous, TJMaxx

Floral Sandals: L’Artiste, ModCloth

Blue Flower Earrings: Bella Jack, TJMaxx

Hair Accessory: Hot Topic

Johnny and I live a vampire lifestyle and basically melt in the sun. I am also on medication that makes me more susceptible to overheating so styling outfits in the summertime for me means a 100% focus on keeping cool – even if I am in all black lol. In this regard, summer looks kind of bore me because layering or options other than shorts, skirts, or dresses are eliminated. I don’t have the most expansive summer clothes collection so it requires a bit of creativity to make looks that are fun and still feel like me.

When I started styling this look, I didn’t know where to start because I have been quickly breezing through a majority of my summer clothes on previous OOTDs. Then, my mesh crop by Gaze caught my eye and I decided I could work with that. This top is SO cute and it reminds me of something that one of the characters on Euphoria would wear. And, because it’s mesh, the keeping cool factor was already built in.

The high crop of this top also made it very easy to decide what to wear on my bottom half. Anything mid rise would expose a lot of my stomach and that was going to be a no from me. So, I selected my skort by Almost Famous, which featured a high rise and complimented the shirt perfectly. I also liked how the white floral pattern on the top seemed to pop more with the two black bases on the top and bottom. And, although this skort is of a thicker cloth fabric, it was short enough that I still could keep my cool.

With the base of the outfit settled, it was time to accessorize! For shoes, I chose one of my absolute favorite sandals by L’Artiste. These were a requested by me Christmas gift from my mom a few years ago and I still can’t get over them! I tend to avoid sandals like the plague because they are usually so flat and the kitten heel on these were just right. The floral pattern is absolutely gorgeous too! These sandals added a pop of color, length, and accentuated my leg line just the way I like.

For jewelry, I kept things minimal due to the long sleeved top and fairly deep neckline. I went with one of my favorite pairs of dangly earrings by Bella Jack that feature the softest shade of blue flowers. They are SO adorable and added movement while also complimenting the neckline I was working with. Then, I threw my hair up, stuck in my hair pin from Hot Topic as a final hurrah, and my outfit was complete!

Although summertime clothes and summertime in general aren’t really my thing, it has been a fun challenge to think outside of the box. I love my Summer Sass OOTD and it is one that can be very easily replicated!

What is your favorite season to dress for? How do you stay cool in the summer? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May29

Honest Beauty Calm & Heal Melting Balm Review

Posted on May 29, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Honest Beauty Calm & Heal Melting Balm Review

Hello! At the end of April, I had a HUGE skin care haul from TJMaxx and got lots of new to me products compliments of the remainder of my Christmas gift cards. I recently finished the Look Alive Moisturizer + CBD by Happy Dance and enjoyed it so much! I decided to keep on testing out the new brands that I purchased by using the Honest Beauty Calm & Heal Melting Balm next. I have always been interested in the Honest brand and was so happy to find a moisturizer and serum as well. The Happy Dance moisturizer was unique in its own right, but the Melting Balm is also unlike anything that I have used before! Check it out and let’s discuss:

Prior to my first use of the Melting Balm, I didn’t read the instructions on it and was really surprised when I opened the jar. I was expecting a gel based texture and found the Honest balm to be incredibly waxy. Even more so than the Happy Dance one. I had no idea how it was going to apply, but found that the waxiness melted into a workable, true moisturizer texture the longer I rubbed it into my skin. Then, I read the instructions and learned that it was best to heat the balm up in my hands before rubbing it into my face. That made much more sense and reminded me a lot of the Sujata Gazder Body Bar that I love so very much.

This fragrance free balm took a decent amount of trial and error to get right. Too little didn’t fully cover my face and neck, but too much felt like… too much lol, as if it was just sitting on my skin instead of sinking in. Once I found my “just right” amount of balm, which is close to a quarter sized dollop, I was able to more fully enjoy the product. Granted, it takes a decent amount of time for the balm to fully absorb in my skin, but it feels so nice and nourishing that I hardly mind.

I have been using this balm morning and night for the past two or so weeks and love the way that my skin has been feeling. It is SO soft and hydrated and just feels healthier. However, I do think that it would be better for wintertime use because of the rich, thick texture. It has been heating up in Ohio and on especially warm days or when it’s hot in my apartment, this balm tends to feel really heavy on my skin because of its slow absorption rate. BUT, I refuse to not finish a product that I have started so I will keep chipping away at it until I’m done. This might take some time, though, because a little of it goes a very long way!

Although this balm is a bit out of season for warm weather use, I still like it a lot and plan on ordering it online in the fall and winter to see if my suspicions are correct. Either way, I recommend this product because it is most definitely worth a try!

Have you tried the Honest brand before? What is your favorite product from it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May28

May 2023 Finishes

Posted on May 28, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone!! May is just about over, which means that it’s time to discuss my beauty product finishes for the month! I have finished up a few new to me products in the past few weeks, most of which I would happily use again aside from one major dud. So, all in all, it was a pretty successful month! Take a look and let’s chat more in depth about the following:

Would I Use Again?

Clinical Works Soothing Body Lotion: YES

Evoluderm Micellar Water: YES

Bath & Body Works Pearberry Shower Gel: YES

Happy Dance Look Alive Moisturizer + CBD: YES!!!!!!!!!!

SkinLab Lift & Firm Serum: NO

Why/Why Not?

Clinical Works Lotion: I really liked the Lavender + Chamomile lotion by Clinical Works, despite the fact that the pump on the bottle didn’t work – which is probably why it ended up at TJMaxx lol. Even with that slight annoyance, this lotion was SO nice to use before bed. It was really light, absorbed quickly, and had the softest scent to it which helped to soothe and relax. The skin on my hands, arms, and chest looked a lot healthier and felt significantly softer after over two months of working through the big bottle.

B&BW Shower Gel: Pearberry is one of my favorite scents from Bath & Body Works and I wish that they carried this old school fragrance all of the time! It also happened to be one of Johnny’s new favorites too lol the first time he used it, he was raving about it – and for good reason. The juicy pear and berry scent is the ultimate in sweet/tart and I love it so very much. It took a month to finish one bottle with two people using it daily.

Happy Dance Moisturizer: You can read more about the Look Alive Moisturizer + CBD by Happy Dance in the review linked above. I will say, though, that this is easily the best moisturizer that I have used in a month of Sundays. This moisturizer was so nourishing and I loved the way my skin looked and felt after each use. The CBD was calming at night and invigorating in the morning, making it a fantastic product for twice daily use. It took me one month to finish the jar and I wish that I had more of it!

SkinLab Serum: I like the SkinLab brand, but the Lift & Firm Serum was an epic failure. I am a huge fan of products that you only need to use a small amount of and that was not the case with this serum at all. I needed a decent amount of this serum for full coverage on my face and neck, which made the small bottle only last for three weeks. It also didn’t mesh well with the other skin care I was using, making it incredibly difficult to rub in my eye cream and moisturizer. I definitely wouldn’t use this serum again.

Although there were some products from this list that I was sad to finish up, I still have lots of new to me skin care to try out from TJMaxx hauls and I am excited to use them. Keep it locked for a review on the Honest moisturizer that I have started using for the past week and change because it is a very unique one!

Which products did you use up this month? What are your thoughts on any of the above if you have used them before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May26

Misny To The Max OOTD

Posted on May 26, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! This past weekend, I shot an OOTD to pay homage to Ohio’s premier personal injury lawyer: Tim Misny. He might mean nothing to those who don’t live in Ohio, but he means everything to us lol. His billboards are plastered over every single expanse of highway and city and his commercials play on TV constantly. Tim Misny is best known for his signature eyebrow arch, pinstripe suit, and catchphrase of “I’ll make them pay” and he is truly our hometown hero.

Recently, Tim announced the launch of the Misny Merch shop and proceeds from each purchase would go to the Cleveland City Mission, a charity close to his heart. My dad gave me the go ahead to order some goodies for my birthday and ignited the hope that I might win a lunch with Tim for showcasing my swag online. I’m not sure if I’m the winner yet, but I already got a prize because Tim shared my post on his Facebook page!! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Tim Misny T-shirt: Misny Merch

Tim Misny baseball cap: Misny Merch

Jean shorts: American Eagle Outfitters

Heeled mules: Betsey Johnson, TJMaxx

Hoop earrings: Argentino Vivo, TJMaxx

The flower bracelet is from Target and the ruler one is from the Jenk’s Building by Big Blue Moma

Styling my Misny To The Max OOTD was incredibly easy because the featured pieces were so casual. You really don’t have to do much with a T-shirt and ball cap to make a cute on the go outfit for the summer! I will say, it was kind of weird shooting this look because it is probably the most laid back OOTD that has been on lifewithlilred. I am so used to putting more intricate outfits together and it almost made me overthink during the styling process. Once I got out of my own head, however, it was smooth sailing from there!

Since the T-shirt and ball cap were already a given, I simply had to put on a pair of jean shorts and the base of my outfit was sorted. I decided to keep like colors together by pairing the navy T with denim shorts. I then pulled from the black of Tim Misny’s suit for the hat and shoes for head to toe cohesion. As the outfit was so lax, I wanted to have a lot of fun with the shoes and chose a whimsical pair of heeled mules by Betsey Johnson. I absolutely adore the striped heel, flower brooches, and yellow embroidery! The shape of the mule also gave me a nice, long leg line to show off with the short shorts.

Accessories came next and I went fairly minimal with them because I wanted the Misny Merch to do the talking. I also take any opportunity that I can get to more fully showcase all of my tattoos! With a ball cap on, bold earrings were a must because anything too delicate would have just gotten lost. I called on my favorite pair of huge hoop earrings by Argentino Vivo and they added some glam and movement to the look, which was lacking. Then, I selected a few signature bracelets and my Misny To The Max OOTD was complete!

Keep it posted for bloopers from this look tomorrow and keep your fingers crossed that I win the contest for a lunch with Tim! Win or lose, proceeds from my Misny Merch went to a wonderful charity and that is the most important thing of all. ❤

What is your summertime style like? What is a signature thing about you? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May15

Happy Dance Look Alive Face Moisturizer + CBD Review

Posted on May 15, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Happy Dance Look Alive Face Moisturizer + CBD Review

Hello! During my last shopping trip to TJMaxx, I was in desperate need of a restock to my beauty care hoard and returned with a huge haul. I got several products from new to me brands, one of which being a moisturizer with 150 MG CBD by Happy Dance. I have been using it for the past three weeks or so morning and night and I am obsessed with it!! It is, hands down, one of the best moisturizers that I have used in a long time and I am keeping my fingers crossed to find it again at TJs. Let’s discuss further:

Although I have always been interested in CBD infused products, I have shied away from them because a CBD serum that I tried didn’t react well with my skin. That was a few years ago, though, and I figured that it wouldn’t hurt to try a moisturizer out, instead. TJMaxx rarely carries CBD beauty products so I had to take advantage of the opportunity at hand. It was also very hard to say no to the adorable brand name Happy Dance and the bright, poppy yellow and purple packaging!

I was eager to try this moisturizer out right away and I did because I was completely out of the Bellyssima one I was using. My first experience with the Happy Dance moisturizer was at night and it was a unique one. This moisturizer has little to no scent and an interesting texture. It’s balmy to the point of being waxy, which is way different than anything I have ever used before. I was concerned that it wouldn’t apply or absorb well, but that was far from the case! When I began rubbing it in, it felt so rich and creamy – not what I was expecting at all.

As soon as the moisturizer was applied and began sinking in, I felt so soothed and calm. It is often hard for me to turn my brain off come bedtime and as soon as this product began working its magic, I was ready to fall asleep right away! It was awesome and just what I needed to relax more fully before drifting off. When I woke up the next morning, my skin felt incredibly soft and nourished. However, I was a bit worried that the moisturizer would just make me tired during my morning skin care routine. Happily, that was far from the case too!

While this moisturizer helped me doze at night, it was so invigorating in the morning. It was like using an entirely different product. I am in a constant state of tired when I am completing my morning routine and the Happy Dance moisturizer definitely perked me up. I wouldn’t say it had the effects of drinking a cup of coffee, it was more like being in a decent mood and feeling ready to take on the day. Hey, I’ll take it. 😀

The Look Alive moisturizer doesn’t just soothe and awaken, but it really works wonders as a moisturizer itself. I love the way my skin looks and feels with each use. My skin feels so unbelievably hydrated, looks way more supple, and I really like the matte finish it leaves. A little of this product also goes a very long way to cover your entire face and neck. At ten dollars for the jar, I thought I was splurging on this moisturizer. Now, I feel like I got it for a steal. Yeah, it’s that good!

I cannot recommend the Happy Dance Look Alive Moisturizer + CBD enough. It is a great product to start with if you would like to begin using CBD infused skin care. Just make sure you get a jar for yours truly too! 🙂

Have you used CBD infused skin care before? What are your thoughts on it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May11

Summer Elder Emo OOTD Bloopers

Posted on May 11, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to the blooper reel from my Summer Elder Emo OOTD! I don’t know about all of you, but I am SO ready for summer! What is it about this time of year that just makes you want to quit your job and lounge by the pool for three months straight? Lol, the weather for the past month in Ohio has been absolute crap and it has finally warmed up this week, making me so ready for some fun in the sun. And fun from OOTD bloopers, of course! Let’s check them out:

Something STANK!

Wait, you’re taking my picture?? 😮

That face you make when your bracelet gets caught on your top

The end result of a pretty epic hair flip

Wait, you’re taking my picture AGAIN?! 😮

My I’m not mad, just disappointed face

LOL wtf is this!

Lil Red, coming to an apartment complex balcony near you!

For our post blooper commentary, let’s chat a bit about comfort shows. We all have those few series that we know by heart, but they still hit just as hard every time you put it on! Mine and Johnny’s are Seinfeld, The Office, Parks & Rec, and Superstore. However, our lineup has changed up because we have become die hard fans of The Kroll Show. We started watching this three season series in mid April and are already on our third viewing of it. Every time the show ends, we simply start it over again!

With everything going on in Lil Red’s world, I need a laugh as often as I can and The Kroll Show delivers every time. It is a sketch show created by Nick Kroll and features all of his pals including John Mulaney, Jenny Slate, Jon Daly, and Andy Milonakis just to name a few. Every character in the sketches are absolutely ridiculous, the music is hilarious, and we can’t stop watching it to save our own lives. Johnny and I are obsessed with Dr. Armond, Pawnslyvania, and you can’t forget Publizity. In barely a month, it has become our most quoted show and whenever we come home, we tell each other which earworm was stuck in our heads for the day. In my case, it is almost always the love song Dr Armond’s wife made for him. Total bop. 😀

Laughter can truly be the best medicine of all, which is why the blooper reels have become a staple here on lifewithlilred. It also might be why we have watched the exact same show three times in a row too! Johnny and I have fallen away from our normal horror and true crime amidst our current hardship and our comfort shows have taken over. If you are having a bad day, put on your go to show and enjoy – it will do you a world of good!

What is your favorite comfort show? What is your favorite Kroll Show sketch? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

PS: For John Mulaney fans, his new stand up show on Netflix, Baby J, was a HOOT!

May10

Summer Elder Emo OOTD

Posted on May 10, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! Although Johnny and I have countless clothes between the two of us in a rainbow of colors, we both definitely feel at our most comfortable in all black everything. My husband and I are what the kids would call “elder emos” and, honestly, that sounds about right considering that at almost 29 and 34 we haven’t outgrown it yet. Told you it wasn’t just a phase, mom and dad! 😀 While black might not be the coolest color to wear during warm spring days and summer, I still felt cool AF in this OOTD:

Who? What? Wear?

I am actually not sure what to call the top I have on lol, but it is from Forever 21!

Shorts: American Eagle Outfitters

Snakeskin Heeled Mules: Dolce Vita, TJMaxx

Cross Earrings: Target

Necklace: I bought this from a craft fair in Atlanta and it was made by John Deveer

All of the bracelets are from American Eagle Outfitters except for the turquoise one, which is from New Mexico

For the past week and change, it has been rainy and cold in Akron and I was SO over it. I felt like I was asleep all week with the constantly grey skies! There were a few days when the nonstop rain halted for a bit with moderate temps and seeing that sliver of sun felt like a heat wave. Is 28 too young to be having hot flashes? Haha, with a break in the BS weather, I wanted to feel like summer so I put together a look that I like to break out when it heats up. I’m surprised I haven’t shot this OOTD before but, hey, better late than never!

To begin my Summer Elder Emo OOTD, I went with my black top/dress thing from Forever 21. This top is almost eight years old and it remains one of my favorites to this day. I have never seen a top even remotely similar to this in close to a decade of being a shopaholic. It is so unique and a great top for summer because of how light and breezy it is. I love the solid crop top that begins going gauzy at just the right spot. When I bought this top, I wrote that I felt like a supermodel in it and I felt that way when I was taking pictures. This is why I try to take really good care of my clothes because I want to hold onto that runway ready feel for forever!

While this top is very cute with skinny jeans, I think it shines the most when paired with shorts. I chose my pair from American Eagle Outfitters and, as always, shout out to them for having the absolute BEST shorts and jeans selection. I am very partial to a midrise short and those are so hard to find in this day and age so it pleases me greatly that AEO still offers this option. Does anyone remember that award show when Angelina Jolie had that really high slit in her dress and she kept popping her leg out? Lol, that’s how I felt in this top and shorts combo and it was awesome! It was also a bonus to see a majority of my tattoos and letting all of the colors pop against the neutral palette.

When I think of an all black everything look, the first words that come to mind are sleek and sexy. Coincidentally, those words also come to mind when I think of snakeskin patterns so my Dolce Vita heeled mules were the obvious choice for shoes. I have a lot of snakeskin patterned shoes in a variety of palettes, but these will always be my A1s. I love the pointed toe, the heel length is just right, and grey snakeskin is my favorite. These heels created gorgeous length and I felt it from the top of my head to the tip of my pointed toes. 😀

With the base of the outfit settled, all that was left to do was accessorize. I didn’t want to go overboard with jewelry even though I could have with the palette that I had created. I wanted sleek and a hodgepodge of accessories would overcrowd the vibe I was going for. I added a pair of dangly gold cross earrings from Target for some movement and went very simple with the necklace. I adore the hand carved necklace I got at a craft fair and it enhanced the outfit without taking away from it. To wrap things up, I put on a few statement bracelets, including a beautiful turquoise one for a color pop and my OOTD was ready to go!

My Summer Elder Emo OOTD is a staple in my warm weather look book and I felt amazing in it. This is angsty girl summer to the T and I am so there for it!

Who is your favorite emo band? What is your go to summer color? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May4

Simply Sassy OOTD

Posted on May 4, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to the second look of my double OOTD week! My weekends have been less than relaxing for a while now and I knew I wouldn’t have had the time to do an OOTD shoot this past Saturday. So, I decided to change things up when I had a light workload last Thursday morning by doing my hair and makeup and taking pictures once I got home. This worked out really well for me and I am going to try to stick to that schedule to give me one less thing to worry about once the weekend rolls around.

The second outfit I shot didn’t come out as accordingly to plan as the first one did, but that’s okay because I ended up loving it! This look was put together on the fly and sometimes that’s the best way to go. Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Snakeskin Tie Back Top: Japna, TJMaxx

Retro Straight Leg Pants: Sincerely Jules, TJMaxx

Speech Bubble Heels: LFL, TJMaxx

Gold Hoop Earrings: Argentino Vivo, TJMaxx

Additional accessories are from Claire’s, American Eagle Outfitters, and Target

My original plan for this outfit was to style something to wear to the Cleveland botanical gardens, which I would love to go to this summer. My bestie, Cliff, let me borrow one of my favorite button down tops of his that featured jewel tone dried flowers for the pattern and I was excited to wear it. However, it just wasn’t happening once it was on. My husband is tall, but Cliff is even taller and I was swimming in his shirt no matter what I did to try and make it better. Since the look I had in mind crumbled to pieces, I ended up winging it!

I still wanted to wear my slacks by Sincerely Jules since they are brand new and began building my outfit from there. These pants are very different than anything I own and I think that’s why I like them so much, despite their simplicity. They fit perfectly and hug my body in all of the right places without being too tight. After surveying myself in the mirror with them on, I decided that they could work for a date night rather than a date day and the rest of the look came easily once I had an occasion in mind.

The Sincerely Jules pants were an ideal neutral and it gave me free reign to pair them with pretty much whatever. To invoke some date night sex appeal, I chose my snakeskin patterned tie back top by Japna. When I tried my pants on in the fitting room, I definitely pictured them more for work and daytime wear. It wasn’t until I put the top on that I realized they could be used for a night out too because I thought I looked slammin! I loved how my tattoos popped against the palette I created and the peek a boo cutouts at the waist and back added that date night flare that I was looking for.

For shoes, I chose an adorable pair of speech bubble heels by LFL for an extra dose of sass. These shoes are just pure fun and further enhanced the night on the town vibe. The pants also covered up the low-ish ankle strap on the heels to give me a seamless leg line and add some length. As much as I love these shoes, I rarely get to wear them because the ankle strap can be problematic so this was a nice bonus for me! They also introduced a new texture among the sheen of the top and cloth pants and we all know that mixing textures appropriately is a great way to make the eyes dance!

After the base of my OOTD was settled, it was time to accessorize. I didn’t want to go overboard with jewelry since a fair amount of my tattoos were visible so I kept things simple. I went with my favorite pair of Argentino Vivo hoops to add some movement as the clothing was more form fitting. Then, I put on a few statement rings and bracelets for a blingy pop without being distracting and called it a day. 😀

Although this is not what I had in mind at all for my second outfit, I am beyond happy with how my Simply Sassy OOTD turned out! I felt so good and confident in this look and I can definitely picture myself wearing it for a night out with Johnny!

Do you plan outfits or wing them? What was something that you thought would look really good and didn’t end up working? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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