Tag Archives: vintage

May18

Dressed To The Nines Pt. 2 OOTD

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Dressed To The Nines Pt. 2 OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to Part Two of my Dressed To The Nines OOTDs from my cousin’s wedding weekend! Johnny and I had the most amazing time celebrating with my family and we so loved getting dressed up for such a special occasion. After my cousin’s wedding ceremony, we made a quick pit stop at the Hotel Indigo to rest and change into our reception outfits. I was very inspired by Audrey Hepburn a la Breakfast At Tiffany’s when I styled this look and am obsessed with how it turned out. I have been so excited to show you all because I think this is one of my best OOTDs yet! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Dress: Lark + Grey, Ross

Gloves: These belonged to Johnny’s grandma!

Platforms: Mark Fisher, TJMaxx

I think the earrings are from Target!

As you recall from my OOTD post for the wedding ceremony, the dress code for the festivities was Creative Formal. This twelve dollar Lark + Grey dress from Ross fit under that category perfectly! While I feel terrible about cheating on my beloved TJMaxx, I just couldn’t help myself because this dress is everything. It is flirty, frilly, and oh so much fun. That fitted tank going into a cascading skirt of polka dot ruffles is so gorgeous and it moved like a dream. I couldn’t get over how it swirled and twirled when I hit the dance floor and it was received wonderfully by all of the wedding guests. I felt like a star!

All that was left to do with this dress was go straight to shoes and accessories. When I tried my dress on, I already knew exactly how I wanted to style it and did just that. I went for my Barbie pink pair of Mark Fisher platforms which played into the girly sweet vibes but also set the stage for the piece de resistance: A beautiful pair of sheer pink vintage gloves that belonged to Johnny’s grandma. I adore the length of these gloves and they added a touch of old Hollywood aesthetic to such a modern dress. Last but not least was a pair of strand of pearls earrings to further solidify the Audrey Hepburn inspiration with her favorite gem. Pearls are my ultimate fave too – Twinning!!

This OOTD was Audrey Hepburn Lil Red’s way and I am still swooning over the end results. What’s that old saying again? Steal from the best and make it your own!

Who is your celebrity style icon? What is your favorite Audrey Hepburn movie? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May15

Dressed To The Nines OOTD

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Dressed To The Nines OOTD

Howdy! We had too much fun celebrating my beautiful cousin’s wedding this weekend and made the most amazing memories with my family. Johnny and I live for a good wedding because it’s not often that we get to break out our special occasion wear. We’re just a fashionista couple through and through! The dress code for Anna’s wedding was “Creative Formal” and I understood the assignment perfectly. I was delighted to find two gorgeous dresses for both the wedding and reception and felt like a Hollywood star in my looks. I wore this pretty little number to the ceremony:

Who? What? Wear?

Polka Dot Dress: Shein

Vertebrae Heels: Show Story

Gloves: These belonged to Johnny’s grandma!

The earrings are from Target, I think!

During a shopping trip to TJMaxx, I found a very similar dress to the one I purchased on Shein. The only problem was that it was much too big. However, I loved it so much that I couldn’t imagine wearing anything different and turned to the world wide web to find a solution. I scoured through the TJMaxx and Marshall’s websites and came up with zilch. I found the dress on Poshmark but it was, once again, too big and too pricey. Then, I found a dupe on Shein and realized it was as good as it was going to get. Was I thrilled about ordering off of the fast fashion website? No and I would never order off of it again. Was I happy to have a low quality version of the dress I wanted? …Yes. Yes, I was. -_-

Although the quality of the dress pales in comparison to the original, I still love it oh so much. The polka dots, silk, and lace scream old Hollywood glamour and I just felt so good in it! I was getting compliments left and right and everyone was convinced it was a vintage piece as opposed to a twenty-five dollar knock off. This dress was ideal for the wedding ceremony but definitely not the reception… The bottom half of my frock was quite fitted and it was hard to take big steps in it let alone dance the night away!

In the shoes department, I needed a lot of length because, as you can see, the dress was still pretty long on me even with heels on! I chose my vertebrae heels from my wedding and it was so nice to break those bad boys out again. The heels also provided an edgy pop to the dreamy vibes of the dress. For accessories, I just had to don a pair of *actual* vintage gloves that belonged to Johnny’s grandma. It is always so special to wear them and they further enhanced the old Hollywood aesthetic. Since there was a lot going on in this look, I opted for a simple pair of black teardrop gemstone earrings to tie the look together. With that, I was ready to celebrate my cousin and her new husband! ❤

Stay tuned for my reception look (Audrey Hepburn, anyone?!) and all of the bloopers coming soon on lifewithlilred. See you then!!

What is your favorite era of fashion? Did you have a dress code for your wedding? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar25

New Orleans Wedding OOTD

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New Orleans Wedding OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! The weekend of Friday the thirteenth was a fantastic one as my sister, Kristen, and I were in New Orleans to celebrate our cousin’s wedding. We went to a wonderful pre wedding party on Friday and then the big show happened on Saturday evening. The wedding was absolutely beautiful and we even got to parade through the street after the happy couple said “I do”. It was way cool! It was such fun to get dressed to the nines with my sister and be with our extended family and new friends. Take a look at what I wore and let’s discuss:

Who? What? Wear?

Floral Dress: ModCloth, Coconinno

Fringe Shawl: TJMaxx, Laundry

Gloves: These belonged to Johnny’s grandma!

Heels: Steve Madden, Kohl’s (I think!)

I think the earrings are from Target!

Outside of going to Playhouse Square for a play or musical, I rarely have the chance to get super dressed up and definitely took advantage of the wedding to do so. Styling formal wear is something that I get to do maybe once a year and there is no better occasion than a wedding to get all dolled up! For my wedding look, I started with a gorgeous dress by Coconinno. I actually wore this when my oldest brother got married over ten years ago and am very glad it still fits lol. From the fitted top to the a-line skirt and the stunning medley of colors, this dress is so charming. This Coconinno number is also quite light making it ideal for a summer wedding or an early spring one in New Orleans. I just love the movement of the skirt and it was perfect for dancing the night away!

Next up was shoes and accessories. For accessories, I added a little bit of everything! First was an adorable fringe shawl by Laundry which is oh so pretty and unique. Although the dress could have been worn without it, the shawl covered up the bra area and I really appreciated that as I could attend the wedding without worrying about bra straps being visible. It also added movement to the top half of the look with the fringe bouncing with every step I took. I also decided to wear a pair of gloves that belonged to Johnny’s grandma which I thought looked so elegant. If you look closely, you can see that there are ruffles going around the wrist and it was yet another sweet detail that elevated this fit.

Last but not least for accessories, I added a pair of dangly three tiered black gemstone earrings. I styled my hair in a chignon inspired do and the gems looked so pretty as they danced around my bare neck. For shoes, I went with the very first pair of heels I ever owned – a strappy little pair by Steve Madden. I will never part with them and that is a good thing because they were exactly what I needed to wrap this OOTD up. That wooden heel is so funky and it was a thrill to hear them clacking across the brick sidewalks! With that, I was ready for a night to remember at the most lovely wedding. ❤

I felt like a star in this look and am so in love with how it turned out. The dress was already great but the accessories took it over the top!

Are you going to a wedding this year? Do you get the chance to rock formal wear often? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb14

V-Day But Make It Goth OOTD

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V-Day But Make It Goth OOTD

Hello everyone and Happy Valentine’s Day! Please be mine xoxo! The other week I thought it would be fun to create a goth V-Day inspired look and I have been so excited to share it with all of you. It had me feeling like a star running through a haunted castle in a Guillermo Del Toro movie and it was nothing short of exhilarating. This look also features a couple of gorgeous vintage hand me downs that belonged to Johnny’s grandma. Clearly, she had impeccable taste! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Crushed Velvet Coat: There was no brand name to be found but this was a vintage hand me down

Polka Dot Slip Dress: Talia Benson, TJMaxx

Skeleton Platforms: Dolls Kill

Gloves: These were also a vintage hand me down

Teardrop Earrings: I think I got these at Target

When I began thinking about a goth Valentine’s Day OOTD, the Talia Benson slip dress immediately came to mind. It brings the drama with a form fitting slip, a mesh overlay adorned with polka dots, and a divine dropped waist. I don’t get to break this little number out very often as it’s definitely a Playhouse Square level occasion option. However, when I do, no one can tell me NOTHIN. This dress is stunning on its own but I absolutely needed more to it. It was a frigid ten degrees when we took these pictures and I would do basically anything for fashion but I won’t do that lol.

The next step was selecting a coat to wear and the choice was obvious: My vintage hand me down. Several months back, Johnny’s mom gave me a handful of coats and dresses that belonged to his grandma. As pretty as they all are, they are not suited for everyday wear. Until now! This floor length coat in a soft crushed velvet is a goth girl’s dream come true. It’s impossible not to swoon over those bubble shoulders, brooch style buttons, and pale gold lining. Not only did this coat provide the goth princess vibe I was going for, but it was also warm as can be. In fact, I could have stayed outside comfortably for awhile unlike Johnny who took these pictures in pajamas and a leather jacket on top. SMH!!

Finally, it was onto shoes and accessories. For my shoes, I went for a killer pair of skeleton designed platforms for two reasons. 1) It matched the aesthetic. And 2) I needed the extra height badly as the coat would have been dragging on the floor without them. Even with them on, it barely was hovering above the ground! For an extra dose of warmth, I added on a pair of black vintage gloves. If you have a good eye, you’ll notice in the pictures that it has sheer ruffles across the wrist, making them even more special than they already are. Last but not least were a pair of dangly black gem teardrop earrings to symbolize the goth tears I shed as a teenager lol. With that, I was ready to unleash my V-Day But Make It Goth OOTD!

In case you couldn’t tell from my several Pan’s Labyrinth tattoos, I am an avid fan of all things Del Toro. I like to think that this OOTD would do him proud!

What is your Valentine’s Day style? Are you pastel sweet or goth chic? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep15

“New” Vintage Jewelry

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“New” Vintage Jewelry

Howdy! Yesterday you read about a fantastic weekend shopping trip Johnny and I took to one of the coolest stores I have ever been to, The Bomb Shelter. It was my first time going but certainly won’t be my last and I would LOVE to do a content shoot with all of their amazing retro kitchen settings. There were a few that really spoke to me and it would be such fun to put together a vintage chic look. Of course, I would accessorize with one of the pieces of jewelry that I just couldn’t say no to. I got both of these fab “new” necklaces for under twenty bucks which was a total score. Check it out:

After our stroll through the huge property that is The Bomb Shelter, it was time to check out the handful of records and gifts that Johnny selected. As luck would have it, the cash wrap was also where the jewelry was displayed and I obviously had to see what that was all about. As a heavily tattooed gal, I haven’t worn a lot of jewelry as of late because I like to let my ink do the talking in summer OOTDs. However, when fall rolls around is when I can break out my expansive jewelry collection again to add a pop to my looks when my tattoos are fully covered. Nothing transforms a chunky sweater or cardigan better than a statement necklace!

With fall fits on my mind, I wanted to find a little treat for myself to wear and went through the jewelry on display with a fine toothed comb. A lot of the jewelry at The Bomb Shelter was more on the costume side and that is not my style at all. However, a standing display housed more classic necklaces and that is what I gravitated to. The first thing that caught my eye was the simple wooden heart on a collar length chain. Hearts always remind me of my mom and I like to wear them as often as possible. The wood finish made me think of an acorn as well as the retro wooden paneling in my apartment and it was an instant yes. Granted, it was impossible for me to put on with my talons and kind of difficult for Johnny too but that’s show biz, baby, and he got it eventually lol. Great success!

My next purchase was a toss up as there were several necklaces that I liked but I didn’t want to go hog wild on accessories. I exercised self control, gave myself a limit of one more, and decided on the mid length necklace with chain tassels. I loved the burnt gold hue and the overall design but what really spoke to me was the chain. Yes, it was nice to be able to slip it over my head but that is beside the point. The chain of this necklace was delightfully reminiscent of that of a locket from my grandma that was home to a picture of her and my grandpa. It was perfect and I think I ended up with the two best pieces of jewelry on display. ❤

As the weather cools down, I can’t wait to begin fully accessorizing OOTDs again and I have a great place to start with my new old necklaces from The Bomb Shelter!

Do you have any vintage clothing or accessories? Where do you like to shop for retro finds? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep14

The Bomb Shelter Shopping Trip

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The Bomb Shelter Shopping Trip

Hello! There is a super cool vintage store in Akron called The Bomb Shelter that Johnny and I have always talked about visiting but never bothered doing so until this past weekend. We are going to see Weird Al today and wanted to find some Hawaiian shirts to wear to the show. Johnny suggested hitting up The Bomb Shelter to shop their selection and I am so glad he did so. This was my first trip there and it was absolutely amazing. If you love vintage shopping and ever find yourself in the greater Akron area, this is a total and complete must. While we didn’t have any luck finding Hawaiian shirts, we sure had a good time browsing the massive property. Check it out:

^^^ The Bomb Shelter’s mascot lol

Walking into The Bomb Shelter was like stepping into a time machine and it was as wonderful as it was overwhelming. Every single area in the expansive warehouse was covered with vintage goods from floor to ceiling and I mean that quite literally. They had chairs, doilies, and pieces of art hanging from the ceiling! Each shelf and tabletop was home to wonders of yesteryear and you honestly would need a full few hours to really look through The Bomb Shelter and see anything and everything it has to offer. Johnny and I spent at least two hours browsing easily. And also sitting because he insisted on trying out Every. Single. Piece. Of. Furniture. And there was a lot!!

For all of the millions of things in The Bomb Shelter, it was actually very well organized. Of course, I loved browsing through the clothes and jewelry as did Johnny. And don’t tempt him with a shelf full of records! As much as I enjoyed the clothing, my favorite parts were where the old appliances and kitchen sets were featured. You could literally make your home feel like the 1950s with a shopping trip to The Bomb Shelter and a lot of money! It was SO neat to see furnishings, place settings, and decor that reminded me of those that were in my grandparents’ homes. It was a beautiful touch of nostalgia to simply see a set of cups that were like ones my grandma used to have that sent so many happy memories of childhood rushing back.

From movie memorabilia and toys and games to old presidential buttons and photography equipment, there was something for every collector at The Bomb Shelter. They even had a DeLorean in the garage portion of the store as well as a Yugo which we wanted to bring home with us so badly! It would have been all too easy to spend my life savings while we went on our shopping trip but I think we exercised self control pretty well. We walked away with a couple of trinkets and gifts as well as some “new” vintage jewelry for me. Peep those later!!

We may not have found what we wanted at The Bomb Shelter but it showed us what we truly needed. I can’t wait to go back!

Do you have a store like The Bomb Shelter in your neck of the woods? What is your favorite era of home decor? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan5

Hand Me Down OOTD

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Hand Me Down OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred. Today, we are going to take a look at a look I put together with a Hand Me Down sweater from our best friend, Cliff. Technically, it’s a double hand me down because said featured sweater belonged to Cliff’s grandpa! Johnny came home with a ton of clothes that Cliff was clearing out the last time they were together and nothing really caught my eye except for this spiffy little number. You can read why this will be the first and last time I wear this sweater in the Blooper Reel tomorrow, but let’s get to it:

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Who? What? Wear?

Striped Sweater: Designed by Arnold Palmer for Robert Bruce

Skinny Jeans: 1822 Denim, TJMaxx

Snakeskin Patterned Kitten Heels: Splendid, TJMaxx

The earrings were purchased forever ago from PacSun!

I have been telling Johnny for forever that he would look So. Good. in sweaters like this Robert Bruce one. When he brought it home, I liked it for me but LOVED it for him. Unfortunately, he saw things differently than me and claimed that the sweater was “too small anyways” so never mind lol. After he discarded the notion, I tried it on for myself and, aside from one glaring issue, was all about it. And, rather than wearing it over top of something like a cardigan, I decided to button it up as a top since the V-neck wasn’t plunging. From the cut to the colors, this is truly a “grandpa chic” piece and I just know Cliff’s grandad was styling in it. ❤

Since black skinnies were the way to go, it was time for shoes and accessories. To keep with the vintage vibes, I chose one of my favorite pairs of stud earrings from PacSun. The gold frame and red roses in the center remind me of brooches and tend to be my go tos when I am building an outfit with vintage clothing. For shoes, I selected a gorgeous pair of snakeskin patterned kitten heels by Splendid. Despite the pointed toe, they made me think of loafers and that was perfect for the elderly aesthetic I was working with lol. The colors in the pattern of the shoes and the sweater blended beautifully together and I felt like all I was missing was a cup of tea to complete the look!

As cute as this sweater might be (I really do love it!), it has since been retired from my wardrobe. Whoever ends up with it will have a triple hand me down!!

Do you like to wear vintage clothing? Where do you purchase yours at? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec3

“New” Vintage Brooches

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“New” Vintage Brooches

Hello!!! Johnny’s mom and aunts have been in the process of sorting, organizing, and clearing out old stored away items in their respective homes. Every time we have made a visit recently, we have been gifted with vintage finds including some amazing lamps and gorgeous fashion accessories. Our Thanksgiving get together was no exception to this and I was presented with two vintage brooches from one of Johnny’s aunts. I literally clutched my pearls when I opened the box and saw them! Check it out:

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Now, I don’t wear brooches very often. However, I LOVE to collect them and have quite a few from my grandma. They are the perfect, pretty, shiny little somethings in my jewelry box and just seeing them is enough to give me all the sentimental warm fuzzies. What’s that old saying? Gemstones are a girl’s best friend?! Despite not being a brooch wearer, I am an avid brooch appreciator so I was thrilled to see the heart adorned feather and sparkly, not spooky spider!

While the feather brooch offers obvious beauty, it should not come as a shock that the spider was the piece de resistance of these hand me downs. It’s the spooky/girly aesthetic to the T and it delighted me and Johnny. As soon as we returned home from our Thanksgiving celebration, both brooches were placed in a very special spot of my jewelry box. It is so cool to have these bits and baubles that belonged to people I love so much and I can’t wait to see what Johnny’s mom and aunts dig up during their next treasure hunt. 😀

Out with the old and in with the… new to me old! These brooches are everything and I am living for the vintage collection I have been compiling!

Do you have any vintage or antique items? Where is your favorite spot for secondhand shopping? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep13

“New” Vintage Lamps

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“New” Vintage Lamps

Hello!!! Very much like our own personal styles, the decor in mine and Johnny’s apartment is… eclectic to say the least. We have Halloween everything up all year round and the furniture was almost all secondhand in some way shape or form. Seventy-five percent was thrifted and twenty percent was given to me by friends and neighbors. The remaining five percent? Those came from the funeral home that my grandparents so lovingly ran. As you can see, we clearly aren’t defined by one or two specific styles and the end result is what I like to call “funeral home chic” with a heavy handed pour of Halloween flare.

Obviously, Johnny and I revel in secondhand treasures and we got to add to our collection at the Labor Day cookout we enjoyed at his parents’ house. Johnny’s mom is in the process of a huge clean out, which is where I acquired my amazing stash of vintage gloves and clutches. Her latest offerings were three stunning lamps that belonged to Johnny’s grandma and I am in love:

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As you can see, these lamps definitely need a healthy dose of TLC but they sure are beautiful! I am extremely partial to the funeral home vibes of the first dusty rose lamp. However, the robin’s egg blue and gold deer adorned lamps take the cake and to make things even better – they came in a pair. I was so curious about the deer lamps and I ended up finding the exact same ones from a seller on Etsy who said they were made circa the 1950s. How cool is that?!

Unfortunately, tabletop space is something that Johnny and I don’t have a ton of at chez nous. We are both avid collectors of oddities and when our respective collections combined, all of our shelves became instantly full. That’s not to say that I don’t want to put these lamps somewhere special – but where, indeed?! For now, my plans are to get them cleaned up, acquire shades that will do them justice, and store them away safely. Inspired by his mom’s haul away mission, we will be doing some autumnal spring cleaning and I am hoping to find the perfect spot for them yet.

These lamps remind me so much of my own grandma and I just know she would have loved them too. Her funeral home is never far from my mind and I am sure she would be happy to know that that style still influences me to this day! ❤

How is your home decorated? What do you like to collect? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul18

Accessory Story: Vintage Gloves Edition

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Accessory Story: Vintage Gloves Edition

Hello!! Johnny and I had a lovely Date Day during our Fourth of July staycation that included some vintage and antique shopping. I was enamored with one of the shops we visited and couldn’t stop thinking about all of the wonderful (and wildly expensive) treasures. Then, a few days later I forgot all about it because Johnny brought me home the most amazing surprise. He was helping his mom go through boxes and trunks of storage and I was presented with vintage treasures of my very own – five pairs of gloves and two clutch purses that belonged to Johnny’s grandma. Both himself and my mother-in-law thought I should have them and I was so incredibly touched. These beautiful accessories date back to the 1940s! Check it out:

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When I opened the box containing my “new” accessories, I was literally stunned. I am very rarely speechless and this was one of those situations that didn’t require words. All I could think was that the vintage shops we visited could eat their hearts out because in my hands was something so special that they are invaluable. While Johnny’s grandma had a fondness for gloves, my mom’s mom was all about hats. I have at least fifteen of her vintage hats and they are some of my most prized possessions. I now have something from Johnny’s grandma that I can add to that category AND wear with some of my grandma’s hats to complete the look. ❤

…. Of course, if the gloves fit that is!

Lol, after getting over my initial shock, the next thought I had was “Wouldn’t it suck if none of them fit?”. I have very small hands but these gloves looked tiny. I kid you not that I had more butterflies in my stomach than when I go swimsuit shopping and I really hate that. However, you can always get a bigger size of a bathing suit in the store. Definitely not the case with gloves that are over eighty years old! Thankfully, the fashion gods blessed me. Despite some slight difficulties, I was able to wear each pair quite comfortably. YAY! My favorite accessories from the bunch are easily the gloves and purse from the second photo. The pinwheel style rouching on the cuffs are *chef’s kiss* and can we talk about that sequined bag? Perfect for keeping your phone, credit card, and keys in during a night out!

I am so completely over the moon over these accessories and I cannot wait to incorporate them into fall and winter OOTDs. Vintage chic styles here I come!

Do you have any relics from your grandparents? How do you add vintage vibes to your outfits? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah