Tag Archives: zara

Mar30

Dress + Pants OOTD

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Dress + Pants OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! Dressing for spring in Ohio is truly like a box of chocolates lol. It could be frigid cold in the morning and then the temperature will skyrocket by mid afternoon. It might be freaking freezing all day or feel like a glimpse of summertime weather. In conclusion, it’s basically a big question mark when you’re deciding what to wear. Of course, come springtime, my heart says wear ALL the dresses and my brain says to hold that thought and consider other options. But why can’t I have both? I present to you, the Dress + Pants combo:

Who? What? Wear?

Dress: Zara

Coated Skinny Jeans: Seven Jeans, TJMaxx

Word Bubble Heels: LFL, TJMaxx

I’m pretty sure the cross earrings are from Claire’s!

I have a confession to make… Despite having this dress by Zara for upwards of eight years, this is the first time I ever wore it. Why, you might ask? Believe you me when I say, this dress is see through. The top is fine and I don’t mind a peek a boo of a bra. However, the bottom half has evaded me because you’re screwed either way with the panties or commando route. Typically, I never keep a piece of clothing that I haven’t worn for as long as this dress. But I vowed that at some point eventually, I would figure it out and it turns out all I needed was pants lol.

Before we talk about the build of this OOTD, can we please talk about this dress? I find it to be so striking and it felt SO good to finally be able to wear it! The silky material, the stark white with the black flower sketches, and those corset sides? Forget about it! I also just love the flowy sleeves that taper into a tight cuff at the wrists. This dress is full of surprises everywhere you look and is an ideal option to welcome springtime.

Although there is a lot to look at in regards to the Zara dress, the beauty of it is that it’s still a fully neutral piece. Meaning? I could have some fun with the rest of the outfit, no harm no foul. I decided to play into the sheen of the dress by pairing it with a gorgeous pair of coated skinnies by Seven Jeans. These two like elements flowed seamlessly together and that was most helpful in creating the illusion of length.

For shoes, I chose a funky pair of word bubble heels by LFL which were perfect with the black and white palette established. These heels are the definition of quirky cute and allowed for a surprise pop of red toenail polish. Between all of the different textures and patterns in this look, jewelry wasn’t necessary and would only clutter what I find to be a very sleek and chic fit. So, I popped on a pair of dangly crosses and was ready to take some pictures feeling so sweetly spring – Lil Red’s way!

The mystery of what to wear with my Zara dress was solved with one killer Dress + Pants OOTD. I am obsessed with this combo and cannot wait to bust it out again!

Do you have any clothes that you have no idea what to wear with? Do you have any clothes that go with everything? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar10

Date Night OOTD

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Date Night OOTD

Hello! This past Friday, I enjoyed a wonderful date night with my sweet Johnny. To me, there is nothing better than a night out with my husband because it means we will both be serving looks! I absolutely love getting dressed up with Johnny because we both have really unique personal styles and it’s fun to show that off together. We are definitely a couple that turns heads when we step out because of bold fashion choices, body mods, and big personalities. It just adds to that “night on the town” vibe and it is simply the best! This is what I wore for our dinner date:

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Who? What? Wear?

Oversized Button Down: Zara

Tank Top: Rachel Zoe, TJMaxx

Skinny Jeans: American Eagle Outfitters

Skeleton Platforms: Dolls Kill

Skeleton Hand Earrings: These were a Christmas gift from my bestie!

Wooden Necklace: Made by John Deveer

As per ushie in Ohio, you just never know what kind of weather you are going to get. On Friday, it was in the high forties and pretty overcast so I knew that I didn’t want to wear anything too heavy, but still be covered up against the cold. As I browsed my wardrobe boutique, my oversized button down by Zara caught my eye. Not only has it never been worn in an OOTD post before, but it was just what I needed for the weather. This button down clearly has a very grungy vibe given the color, length, and the phrase “there are no rules” plastered across the back. With a piece as obviously as one particular style as this one, all that was left to do was go grunge to complete the look!

The next order of business was a top to wear under the button down and I kept things simple with a plain white tank. While I could have gone the band tee route, I still wanted to be able to show off my shape. When you’re petite and rocking an oversize piece, it’s important that the rest of the look fits like a glove to keep from being totally overwhelmed by fabric! I slipped on my black skinnies afterwards and tucked the tank in so that the high waisted fit could be seen. Normally, I don’t care for high waisted, but this was a strategic move to give myself some more shape underneath the button down.

Finally, it was onto shoes and accessories. For shoes, I immediately went with my skeleton platforms from Dolls Kill. These just scream “grunge” to me and I thought they made my legs look a mile long! I popped on a pair of gorgeous skeleton hand earrings my bestie bought me next, but still needed something more. After shopping my accessories department, I chose a handmade necklace I got in Atlanta with my mom and brother. It is one of my favorites and I thought it tied the look together beautifully because it blended so seamlessly with the established palette. With that, I was ready for a fabulous night out!

Johnny and I were both huge fans of my Date Night OOTD and it was compliment central when we were at Mike’s Place. There is nothing better than rave reviews for an outfit and it made me feel so good! ❤

How would you describe your personal style? What is your partner or best friend’s style like? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan5

All Better OOTD

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All Better OOTD

Hello!!! Unfortunately, I spent my holiday break under the weather. I had the worst cold, aches, and fever and chills and was feeling pretty miserable. It was such a bummer, but at least I had an entire week off of work to rest and recuperate! By the time this past weekend rolled around, I was doing a lot better and was able to attend a family dinner at Hibachi Japan. It had felt like forever since I put on makeup and got dressed up so I couldn’t wait to finally take some OOTD shots! I kept my look for the evening comfy and cute and this is what I came up with:

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Who? What? Wear?

Moto Jacket: Zara

T-Shirt: Misny Merch

Coated Skinny Jeans: Seven Jeans, TJMaxx

Vertebrae Platforms: Dolls Kill

Cross Earrings: EmLeigh’s and Mama B’s

Normally when I style an OOTD, I begin with a completely blank slate. This time around, however, I already had the base of my outfit established with the T and jeans and decided to keep it that way. The coated Seven Jeans inspired me to play with texture and I wanted to incorporate more of that through shoes and a jacket. While it is fun to experiment with texture outside of a neutral palette, I kept things simple and used all black clothing and accessories to do so. This is a lazy gal technique because it’s never going to be “too much” when your textured pieces are all the same color!

Next on my agenda was a jacket and I knew exactly which one I was going to go for – my embellished moto jacket from Zara. This is quite possibly one of my favorite moto jackets that I have ever owned and I think it is perfect. I love the stud details, the grey hood, and classic shape and it is one of my go tos during the winter. This jacket was also ideal for introducing another texture because the faux leather looks matte in comparison to the sheen of the jeans. Although these two pieces were completely different textures, it still flowed seamlessly because they were both black. Lazy gal, or just really smart? lol 😀

Finally, it was onto shoes and accessories. For jewelry, I chose a pair of dangly bejeweled black cross earrings. I wanted the pop of color to come from the burgundy T-shirt so I decided to let the earrings blend with the rest of the outfit. I also planned on leaving my jacket on during the evening so there was no need for anything additional. The last step was shoes and I went with a killer pair of platforms by Dolls Kill. These boots speak to my spooky soul and and they were just what I needed to complete the look. They tied this outfit together from top to bottom as they appeared matte but still offered a bit of shine and, with that, I was ready to hit the town!

Last year, my goal was to shoot as many OOTDs as possible and my goal remains the same this year too. I was able to shake off the yuck in my All Better OOTD and I can’t wait to see what outfits I put together in 2024!

How was your new year celebration? What did you do over your holiday time off? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct13

Pumpkin Patch Party OOTD

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Pumpkin Patch Party OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! This past Saturday, Johnny and I visited the Heritage Farms pumpkin patch and had such a wonderful time. For an activity that is so autumn, I wanted to style a really classic fall outfit. I drew lots of inspiration from fashion stories in magazines and clothing catalogues and this is what I came up with:

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Who? What? Wear?

This outfit is, honestly, a far cry from my usual OOTDs and I think that’s why I liked it so much. I was channeling my inner 1940s fall queen and I definitely felt like it too! I had been planning out this look for a while but was waiting for the right outing to wear it to. The pumpkin patch seemed like the perfect place to wear a classic fall fit and Heritage Farms delivered with so many scenic areas to snap some shots.

Figuring out the base of this outfit with the button down and pinstripe pants was easy for several reasons. I adore the ladybug button down from Zara and had been wanting to incorporate it into a fall OOTD. As you all know, I refuse to buy anything but black skinny jeans and we can agree that blue jeans would have been the better option for the top.

However, I did have my navy pinstripe pants and I knew that I had found a match. These Free People slacks feel so vintage and I don’t get to wear them as often as I would like. They embodied the vibe that I was going for and it also teaches a little something about mixing and matching patterns. With the ultra thin vertical striping on both the top and bottom, it created cohesiveness rather than a cluttered appearance. If one of the pieces featured a thicker stripe, it just wouldn’t have worked the same. Pulling from the same color family of shades of blue also made this an ideal pairing.

I had a bit of difficulty choosing shoes for this look but ended up going with my Vince Camuto snakeskin heeled boots. I originally had on a shorter heel but with the breezy pants on my shorter frame, I needed the extra height. These boots added a unique pop to the look without going overboard. Again, had the pinstripe on the pants not been so paper thin, the snakeskin pattern wouldn’t have worked. Happily, that wasn’t the case and because this OOTD featured almost all neutral colors, the rich brown snakeskin pattern was a winner.

For accessories, I decided to keep things simple and added my medium sized forest green hoop earrings by Argentino Vivo. I love all shades of green and thought that these complimented my hair and the rest of the outfit so well. These earrings provided movement when I was wearing my grandma’s gorgeous hat and also gave me an extra non-neutral color once I took my handmade scarf off.

Our date day started out with cooler temps and I knew just what I wanted to wear: My Lucky Brand topper jacket. This is one of my favorite pieces in my wardrobe – it is so pretty AND soft! It also helped add to the vintage inspo because of its classic shape. And, of course, no fall outfit would be complete without some mustard yellow, which my scarf had in spades! It is beautiful and knitted with love. After our first round of pictures, I got warmed up enough to take the jacket and scarf off. It all went together exactly how I wanted it, though, and I got compliments on my outfit the entire time at the pumpkin patch!

This outfit was an absolute blast to style and shoot. It took me out of my comfort zone and I loved it. I can’t wait to figure out what to wear next weekend!

What is your fall style like? Where do you get OOTD inspiration from? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

PS: Tune in tomorrow for bonus pictures from this look!

Oct6

Simply Spooky OOTD

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Simply Spooky OOTD

Hello! For mine and Johnny’s date night at Sarah’s Vineyard, I had grand plans of showing out in a mix and match plaid OOTD. However, your girl was TIRED so I went with a much more low key fit that was still super cute. Johnny was wearing his spiderweb Halloween sweater and I decided to vibe off of him with a spooky sweater of my own:

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Who? What? Wear?

One of my favorite things about going on dates with Johnny is our fashion! It’s safe to say that we look a lot different than most people we encounter when we’re out together and it’s fun when they are LIVING for it. We got so many compliments on our Halloween themed attire and I always appreciate the confidence boost and will send a compliment right back. ❤

During our vineyard date, it was fairly cold and overcast and I was so glad that I chose to wear my Better/Together sweater. The past few times I’ve worn it, it has just been to watch scary movies at home with Johnny and it is the most comfortable thing that I have ever owned. Having it on while there was a brisk autumn chill was like being wrapped in a blanket and it was so freaking pleasing lol.

Black skinnies were the obvious choice with my sweater and while the base of this outfit is simple, it shines from the finishing touches. It was much too cold for the sweater alone and I knew just the fix for that – my Zara moto jacket! There is nothing like wearing a moto jacket for the first time of the season and this one is my favorite. The studs, grey hood, and pockets really spice up the standard shape and I loved how the orange sweater popped beneath it.

For shoes, I decided on my snakeskin heeled boots by Qupid, which were a Christmas gift forever ago from my sister. I love anything snakeskin patterned anytime of the year but it is such a perfect print for the Halloween season. There is something so sexy and a bit spooky about it! I love these boots and the cylindrical shape of the heel is really cool. The stark white base of the pattern is also a unique take on snakeskin, which added a fun quirky touch.

Finally, it was time to accessorize and I have no shortage of Halloween themed jewelry to choose from. Johnny’s parents did REAL good with gifting me the spiderweb earrings last Christmas and busting those out was a must. I also added my claw rings on both of my middle fingers for a nice howdy-doo! I got these rings for my Halloween costume last year and I think they are the tops. Yes, they are a massive pain to wear because they always want to fall off but that doesn’t take away from how awesome they are!

Was this the date night OOTD I originally planned on? Hard no. But, this Simply Spooky fit is too cute not to share anyways. Get your creepy on with inspo from this look for all of your Halloween activities and keep it posted for bonus pics and bloopers to come!

What is your favorite Halloween activity? What is your favorite spooky piece of clothing or accessory? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Jul24

TJMaxx Haul: Zara Top Edition

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TJMaxx Haul: Zara Top Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to my favorite and final piece of clothing from my TJMaxx haul! The past several shopping trips that I’ve been on were not fruitful in my need for more tops in the slightest. This time around, however, I walked away with three different tops that I am so in love with. It was a GREAT SUCCESS and I now feel content with the top department of my wardrobe. Let’s check out this fabulous little number by Zara to wrap things up:

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As I mentioned in my pro tips for shopping at TJMaxx, I utilize a two rounds throughout the store method. There is just too much to see in one go and I often find some of my favorite things the second time around. Like this Zara top, for example. Maybe someone was standing in front of it on round one because I can’t believe I didn’t notice the huge sheer puff sleeves on my first trip! It was also the only one like it in the entire store. 😀

In terms of shirt sizes, I am a solid small or medium and this top was an extra small. Like my new Nicole Miller pants, I was thinking “please fit” when trying it on because I liked it so much! Thanks to a side zipper, button up back, and the fact that Zara clothing runs bigger, I was in luck. This top fit perfectly and I love how the tighter fitting bodice makes the puff sleeves seem even larger than life.

I have grand plans for this newest addition and I cannot wait to shoot some amazing autumn OOTDs with it! Pair it with a little navy skirt? Yes, please! I would also really like to find a good pair of navy or red slacks to go with it. I know, it’s shocking to me too that I’m branching away from my standard black skinny jeans lol. Now, all I’ll need is a killer pair of white platform loafers and we’re in business!

Tomorrow, tune in for the skin care portion of my haul and it will be onto a brand new OOTD and July finishes. See you then!

How would you style this top? What are some pieces that you would like to have in your wardrobe? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul23

TJMaxx Haul: Zara Dress Edition

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TJMaxx Haul: Zara Dress Edition

Hello everyone!! Welcome back to more from my TJMaxx Haul after a brief pause for a Lil Red’s Book Club discussion. Today, we are going to be chatting about a dress from Zara which I am so happy with but just a *smidge* disappointed by. I saw the same dress in a 1970s style pattern during my birthday gift card haul and it was fabulous but too small. I scoured the dress selection this time around hoping to find it in a bigger size and found it in this pattern, instead:

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I don’t shop Zara often because the closest one is at a mall about forty-five minutes away from me. So, I am always excited when I see the brand at TJMaxx! My new dress is a great consolation prize for the one that could have been and, on the bright side, it fits lol. I could have gotten away with the original in a small but it was short enough that I would have had to been adjusting myself the entire time and that’s never a good look!

Although this pattern kind of looks like Saint Patrick’s Day, I am stoked about it because I love to wear green. I used to wear it often when my hair was all red and have fell off of it a bit when I began experimenting with different Pulp Riot colors. However, come September, I am going back to full fireball hair with red, yellow, and orange and this dress will compliment that change perfectly. 😀

This little Zara number is an ideal spring or early fall dress with its long sleeves and lower thigh length. The material is also light enough that you could probably get away with it during a chilly summer night. Since the pattern is so bold, I plan on letting it speak for itself with a pair of simple black heels and some minimal silver jewelry. A pattern is an accessory in itself so this dress doesn’t need much to make a gorgeous OOTD with!

Tune back into lifewithlilred tomorrow for the final (and my favorite) piece from my TJMaxx haul and, afterwards, we will move onto my skin care purchases. See you then! ❤

Do you like to buy the same piece of clothing in multiple patterns or colors? What color compliments you the best? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr11

Life On The Edge OOTD

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Life On The Edge OOTD

Hello! Over the weekend, I had a total blast in front of the camera to assist my friend, Markus, in a photography project for school. I had to create three looks, something business casual, for a beauty shoot, and one that is more emotional. For the emotional one, I went with an edgy chic OOTD that I am obsessed with and wanted to share more with you. You already saw a sneak peek of it, but here is the outfit again:

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Who? What? Wear?

While styling this look, I wanted my moto jacket from Zara to do all of the talking. I love this jacket so much and it always reminds me of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo so that was my inspiration – but sexier, of course haha! The texture of this jacket is interesting because it is so much thicker than any of the other moto style jackets that I own, so I wanted the rest of the outfit to be tighter fitting so that the OOTD didn’t look bulky.

To achieve that, I went with a simple grey T to accent the hood and detailing on my jacket tucked into a cute little skort from TJ’s. And, to create the illusion of legs for days since I’m only 5’1, I chose a more open heel so that there was no break up from my legs to whatever shoe I wore. I adore my LFL heels with the “Who Cares?” word bubbles. And, because they are dark grey with a matte glitter finish, they complimented the rest of the OOTD palette well while still adding some fun.

My Life On The Edge OOTD made me feel so confident and I loved being photographed in it almost as much as I loved wearing it. I think that this look achieved the vibe that both Markus and myself were going for and I cannot wait to wear this outfit every chance I can get!

How do you style an edgy OOTD? What is your favorite style of jacket? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep1

Autumn Layers Wish List

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Autumn Layers Wish List

Hello everyone and welcome to a post in my Falling For Fall series compliments of Sycamore from SavageStyle. When the seasons change, it is so smart to create a wish list of the things that you need (and want!) to accommodate the weather in your area. Wish lists can stop you from the over spending that comes with buying clothes and accessories that you may not necessarily need, so that you can have some extra cash to splurge for the items that you’re lusting over, instead. Today, we’re going to look at Sycamore’s wish list for her fall wardrobe:

Autumn Layers Wish List

Vogue’s September issue just landed in my mailbox, and the stores (both brick-and-mortar and online) are full of velvet, wool, and leather boot lusciousness; it’s evident that Autumn is drawing near.

This season always stirs up excited nostalgia for me. I guess it probably stems from a mix of going back to school – and the new wardrobe that came with it – seeing all of the new Fall collections, and DEFINITELY my memories of layering up and stalking coffee shops on the high streets of London to caffeinate & steal a cigarette with my classmates before Art History class.

It’s the season that makes me wistful for stashing an umbrella in my purse, riding the tube to the Eastside and back, getting forever lost in the streets, and relinquishing my sorrows in a new pair of kid leather gloves from Selfridges. Not to mention that lovely contrast of sipping a hot coffee while walking through crisp evening air and the crunching leaves beneath my boots.

While I will always have a place in my heart for bohemian florals and that “easy breezy” vibe (I am a sun sign, after all), the current over-saturation of that look has got me yearning for something edgy, new, and layered.

I saw Atomic Blonde recently, and it sparked my first craving for colder weather. Charlize Theron wore so many great looks in that film, but I think the one that takes the cake is this look from the kitchen fight scene:

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 You go, girl!

Knee-high boots and mini skirts are one of my favorite cold weather combinations. It’s all the sexier when you add garter socks, a giant sweater, coat, and gloves on top. This is how you do fall/winter French girl sexy – you only have a few inches of skin showing but that goes a long way!

Some of the new pieces on my wish list this season are:

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               Prada fur-trimmed wool-blend coat (mytheresa.com)

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Isabel Marant Heina printed mini skirt (M’oda ‘Operandi)

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  Zara sweater with contrasting cuffs

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Stuart Weitzman Alljill over the knee boot (Nordstrom)

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MONSE shearling bomber with belts (M’oda ‘Operandi)

layer7.jpgZara short sleeve sweater

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Courrèges wool multi-color mini skirt (M’oda ‘Operandi)

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  Tibi Alexis boot (M’oda ‘Operandi)

layer10.jpgThis whole look from Zara

It’s still pretty hot here in LA, so I don’t think that I’ll be layering up for another month or two, but at least that means I have ample time to plan. I hope I’ve inspired you during the colder weather to create some layered looks of your own!

Xx~ Sycamore

Thank you so much again to Sycamore of SavageStyle for sharing her Autumn Layers Wish List with us! What is on your cold weather wish list? What store supplies most of your fall wardrobe? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image From: Atomic Blonde with Charlize Theron

Jul21

Zara Haul: Black & White, Alright Edition

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Zara Haul: Black & White, Alright Edition

Hi everyone and welcome to the conclusion to my Zara Haul series featuring a twenty dollar button down dress with to die for details! I’m unsure of the original price for my dress because there was no tag on the item but I’m assuming that it’s starting price was around seventy or so dollars, because that’s the Zara way. The button down dress is an item that I took for granted until I realized that I flipping love them, so now I have to make up for lost time and BUY ALL THE BUTTON DOWNS! Take a look at this new beauty and let’s discuss:

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White is a color that I don’t wear very frequently, just because I find it very anxiety provoking. Hello, future coffee stains. But, I always do enjoy a crisp, white piece of clothing when the perfect one comes a knockin. I simply love this dress, so having to be extra careful with eating, makeup, etc. while wearing it is totally worth it. The sleek fabric, kimono-esque style, blossoming pattern, and daring details all make this dress worthy of being in my expansive wardrobe.

The button down dress is a classic piece of clothing. It’s something that looks good on every body type and can really be worn for any occasion depending on how you style it. The button down dress offers timeless beauty to all who wear it and I am ashamed that it has taken me so long to appreciate that. The few button down dresses that I own are some of my favorites, so it’s definitely nice to be able to find one that I think is so well suited to me to add to the collection.

From the lace up detailing on the side to the barbell shaped cuff links on the sleeves, this dress is full of surprises. Probably the biggest surprise being that white actually looks good on me! As a very pale gal, white is something that I tend to unconsciously shy away from because of the fear that it will wash me out (And also stains, lol.), but it’s actually quite the contrary. By some divine miracle, the color white manages to enhance and exaggerate my skin and hair color even more, creating a stunning effect – especially while wearing red lipstick!

Of course, I’m looking forward to wearing this as an actual dress but I’m more excited to pair this with some black super skinny jeans and a nice pair of stilettos for an edgy, office chic look. Throw a blazer or a moto jacket over top of it and you’re all set with a look that can be easily suitable for day or night!

So there you have it, the conclusion to my Zara Haul: Black & White, Alright Edition! What was your favorite item from my haul? Who else is getting some serious summer shopping in? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah