I got an email a couple years ago asking me to review a "new and revolutionary alternative to handbags" created in London. They were cleverly called "bum bags". Of course they were clearly fanny packs. Well played, London, but I went to school for words and figured out your little code quite quickly. Of course I did not accept the offer at the time, and basically puked at the mere idea of bringing back such an ugly fashion accessory!
Unfortunately, it didn't end there. More and more, I'm seeing stores I usually LOVE selling fanny packs. It is so disappointing.
Yes, I understand that it's handy to throw your essentials in while you're at the beach or whatever. But surely there's something else you can do that doesn't make you look like you've got an extra little fat pouch jutting out of your body! I mean, why would anyone want that?!
Fanny packs are simply not flattering. I don't care if you make them in my fave print (I'm looking at you, Victoria's Secret, and your leopard print design). No matter what you do, the look is still the same! It's touristy, ugly, and just makes you look way less fashionable than you probably are to begin with.
I swear, if I see people sporting these fanny packs, I WILL get violent. There's just no excuse for it.
The fanny pack pictured above is from Victoria's Secret's PINK line--a line I'm usually obsessed with--and it retails for $12.95. Just in case you were wondering.
I only have one request: Stop the fanny pack madness once and for all!!!
If you know me at all, then you know I can't go very long without scoping out the latest cosmetic goodies out there. And, of course, I mainly enjoy those that come with a lovely gift with purchase...but who wouldn't?!
All you have to do is spend $27 on Clinique products and this GWP (valued at $70) is all yours.
Here's what you get: -Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief -Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+ -Color Duo in your choice of Pinks or Nudes: (Pinks includes Eye Shadow and Blush compact in Pinks and Duel Ended Different Lipstick in Raspberry Glace and Long Last Glosswear in Kissy Fit) (Nudes includes Eye Shadow and Blush compact in Nudes and Duel Ended Different Lipstick in Tenderheart and Long Last Glosswear in Sunset) -High Impact Mascara in Black -Exclusive Lulu DK cosmetic bag duo
I love when you get some say in what your GWP contains. Personally, I think the pink products are simply perfect for spring, but you can't lose either way. Each item in the set is something that I use on a fairly regular basis, except it's in a mini version. It's great for travel, or if you're a little crazy about makeup like I am, you can throw these products in your "emergency makeup bag" that you have in your purse.
Not sure what to buy to qualify? Since you'll be getting a bunch of fun makeup, why not try out some fragrances? Macy's has a brand new Limited-Edition Clinique Happy All Around Fragrance set that's great to give as a gift, or keep for yourself! The fragrance trio includes classic Clinique Happy; warm, romantic Clinique Happy Heart; and spring-floral Clinique Happy in Bloom. It retails at $42.
Huzzah! Winter is officially over (even though it is still snowing up here in New England lately, and the temperature isn't really changing...but I'll take what I can get). Thankfully summer is rapidly approaching. I am SO ready!
In my search for awesome summer must-haves, I came across a fab site, Bikini Luxe. In addition to the gorgeous swimwear they've got to offer, the site also caters to ladies who want to dress up their bikinis with accessories.
I've always been the type to pair my swimsuit with a super cute bracelet or earrings. Why not?
I absolutely love that they're on my side with this.
Sassy Fashionista has teamed up with Bikini Luxe for a fantastic giveaway to remind you that summer is really on its way!
The piece we're giving away could honestly be worn year-round, but would look extra cute with one of their swimsuits. We have one Bejeweled Dainty Necklace in sterling silver (a $33 value) to give to a lucky reader!
I'm totally in love with this piece! It goes with virtually any outfit and the size is perfect. The "jewel" is fairly small, so while it does get attention, it also isn't gaudy. It's just perfect.
To enter the giveway, simply send an email to sassyalana@gmail.com with the subject line reading "BIKINI LUXE". The giveaway ends April 5th and the winner will be alerted via email.
Good luck, ladies!
And be sure to check out the Bikini Luxe site for more great products. Disclosure: This post contains products sent for review & giveaway consideration. My priority is to you, and I honor that commitment by being honest! If you have any questions about this, please email me.
Sorry, fellow fashionistas, but for the past few weeks I've been dealing with the WORST COLD EVER. I'm still a bit sick, so if my posts sound a little too creative, be aware that it's probably the Robitussin talking.
That said, I do have some fabulous reviews and giveaways coming up, so be sure to check in daily!
For now, I'm off to bed to snuggle with a box of tissues.
Purchasing makeup is honestly one of my favorite hobbies. And before you say anything, YES, buying makeup counts as a hobby! There's just something so magical about opening up a new product and trying it out for the very first time. Specifically, I'm a HUGE fan of beauty kits and sets. I mean, what's better than one new beauty product? A mini makeup collection, of course!
Memebox knows exactly what I mean. The site offers up some of the most fabulous makeup--and it's all Korean-based (and super gorgeous!). Though you can purchase products individually, it's their multiple boxed sets that are really the big sellers.
While browsing the site, the #EyeLove Box immediately got my attention.
This particular set contains one of each of the following products: -Soothingsista X Memebox #eyelove eyeshadow quad -I'm Lip Crayon #06 Bella -I'm Cream Blush #05 Emma -I'm Eyeliner #01 Night -I'm Eyebrow Mascara #01 Brownie -Mememask
The box is valued at just under $50. But because the brand is so incredibly awesome, you can get it for $35! Pretty fab deal right?
Make sure to take a gander at the rest of the site; I promise that you'll fall in love with practically everything on there.
Without a doubt, March is basically the most depressing month of the year (sorry, ladies...just tellin' it like it is). It especially sucks in New England. We're over the whole snow thing, and all we want is to be able to bust out our fave brightly colored dresses without freezing.
Alas, it's still a bit too chilly for that. But there are certain accessories that you can sport with your drab winter clothing to add a nice pop of color. Lightweight, colorful scarves are crazily versatile, and while they look fabulous with anything; you can even use them as a transition piece to wear from season to season. Personally, I think that scarves are the best accessory for changing up any look. They have the power to spruce up almost every outfit.
The scarves pictured above are the Cotton/Modal Scarves from Banana Republic. I absolutely love them! They're super chic, and the hues that they're available in are really perfect. Of course, the pink one is my first pick, but the teal one adds such a great pop of color as well. If you're a little scared to try something so bold, the off-white option is perfect for you. Even though it's a "safe" color, it still has the ability to change up your look. I want all three!
The great thing about scarves is that they're so incredibly versatile. You can wear them in countless ways, all of which look stylish and absolutely gorgeous. Depending upon how you layer it, a scarf can add edge, frivolity, elegance, femininity or an air of bohemia.
There are four basic ways to wear a scarf (though there are probably hundreds of other options). Here's a little cheat sheet to help you mix up how you wear your scarf:
Classic: Knot a smaller square scarf at the neck
Fashion-y: The effortless pull through
Easy Glamour: Wear the scarf dripping languidly down the body (BTW, If you're having a "fat day", this is a great way to hide the bloat!)
Laid Back: Do the "loop and tuck" by wrapping the scarf around your neck twice and tucking the remaining bit pieces underneath
Each of the scarves pictured above can be found at Banana Republic and they retail for about $60. I think the price is right, considering all the wear you can get out of them. Spending a little more on accessories like this is usually a good idea--skimping on a scarf tends to look cheap. Plus they usually aren't nearly as comfy!
It doesn't matter what you call it--a muumuu is a muumuu. It could be marketed as a stunning, glamorous dress that's both comfy and chic, and beneath the lies, it would still be one of the most unfortunate pieces of clothing ever to exist.
Much as I hate them, I can understand certain women wearing muumuus on occasion. An older lady (like my fabulous Great Aunt Alma, who wears brightly patterned ones as comfy nightgowns), a pregnant gal, and of course anyone who is extremely overweight and just wants ANYTHING to fit has my permission to go forth with it.
That said, no one else should be caught wearing something like this. Sadly, one of my fave stores, Forever21, has a High-Slit Tunic dress just in time for spring.
I have so many problems with this. First of all, the "tunic" (which I'm just going to start referring to as a muumuu or dress since that's what it is), honestly looks like a shapeless tent of fabric. Possibly made from some ugly curtains. Because it has no shape whatsoever, the dress just hangs there and doesn't flatter ANY body type. Even the gorgeous model can't pull off the look! My number one rule when it comes to fashion is that if the model looks like crap, chances are you'll look ten times worse.
Since the cut isn't doing any favors, you'd think that at the very least the length would be spot on. But no! The dress is simply cut off right in between the knee and the ankle. Anything that length makes almost everyone look shorter, as it cuts the line of the leg right in the middle of the shin.
The only thing the muumuu's got going for it is the price. Each one is under $30 (and rightfully so!)
Regardless of the "great deal", I swear that if I ever see anyone wearing such a garment in public I will probably get extremely violent and then puke all over your precious dress. Just a little warning.
Since I have such ridiculously sensitive skin, I'm always interested in trying out different products. My thinking is, if a product works on me, it'll work on anyone!
That's definitely the case when it comes to the products I recently tried from InstaNatural. I was sent three different products to review and so far so good! With skincare products, I find that it usually takes a few weeks (I'm sure the InstaNatural brand agrees), to see full results. That said, I did notice some benefits to the products I tried.
TheInstaNatural Vitamin C Serum($16.75)was what I went for first. I've tried products that contained Vitamin C in the past, and didn't have a horrible reaction to it, so I figured I was good to go! As expected, this product, thankfully, did not irritate my skin. Vitamin C is one of those ingredients that does a crazy amount of fabulous stuff for your skin, no matter what your skin type is. This product is mainly marketed as an anti-aging serum, which I'm sure it works great as, but I was personally impressed with its ability to hydrate my super dry skin. I also found that the serum added some much-needed glow to my pasty completion, which is much appreciated!
Next up was theInstaNatural Youth Express Eye Gel(19.95). I do tend to worry about my eyes quite a bit, and unfortunately not very many products have worked on the super sensitive skin around my eyes. But I was definitely curious. After use, my skin felt fine (huzzah!) and I had no negative side effects from the product. I'm pretty sure that the fact that the gel contains hydrating ingredients had a lot to do with that. After using the gel for about a week, I noticed that the skin around my eyes was just...better. One thing I definitely noticed was that applying makeup was much easier. I do have tiny little wrinkles starting around my eyes, as well as dry skin, and this product helped out with both of those issues and made my skin smoother.
Finally, I have to say that I was incredibly excited to try out InstaNatural’s Advanced Repair Scar Gel($24.95). Because I'm so pale, every little scratch has the ability to turn into a clearly visible scar. It can be very frustrating. This product works by softening the texture, as well as the color, of scars and speeds up the healing process. It works on all scars--new and old. It does take a bit of time to see a noticeable difference, so I can't say that I had scars disappear over the course of a week. I did, however, notice that the skin around said scars is much softer, and is starting to look a little more even. I have a feeling that I'll be using this for a while and I'll be sure to update you after a month or so!
All of the products I tried are great, and I imagine the rest of the InstaNatural line is just as spectacular.
Happy shopping!
Disclosure: This post contains a sample product sent for review consideration. My priority is to you, and I honor that commitment by being honest! If you have any questions about this, please email me.
I'm such a sucker for anything that comes with a free gift with purchase. I will literally purchase anything to qualify for a free gift, especially if it's beauty related.
The best GWP at the moment? Belk is offering up a super gorgey Lancôme GWP that includes many of their popular products. The best part is that you actually get to choose which products the gift includes (to a point), so you'll get a great customized beauty set made just for you!
Spend $35 or more on any Lancôme products, and you'll get this GWP containing the items below:
Choose your serum: New Visionnaire LR 2412 4%-Cx Advanced Skin Corrector or Genifique Concentrate
Choose your night moisturizer: Renergie Lift Multi-Action Night, Bienfait Multi-Vital Night, or Absolue Premium Bx Night
Lipstick
Blush
Bi-Facil
Definicils Mascara
Choose your cosmetic bag: Stripe, blue, or pink
Free shipping
Per usual, I'm drooling over the super cute cosmetic bags. That said, I think it's safe to say that once I receive this GWP, all of the products will be used. Multiple times.
Now, it's incredibly easy to spend $35 on Lancôme items. Their beauty picks are fabulous. But if you're looking for something new and pretty to try for Spring, they've got an adorable Blush in Love compact that gives skin a fresh, glowy look. Each compact is $49 and the quality is simply amazing. Plus, you can't deny that the compact itself is elegantly and gorgeous! You can choose from one of two colors (each hue is meant to work for multiple skintones). The lighter shade is Pommettes D'Amou, while the darker color is Peche Joue-Joue.
Even if you're not a huge fan of the blush, don't fret! There are still plenty of Lancôme beauty options to pick from.
This particular GWP is valued at $115 (!!!) and you can get it in stores or online while supplies last.
Since I have naturally wavy hair, I never really felt the need to try out curling wands when they first came out. A while back, I randomly received a CHI Air Texture Ceramic 1-inch Curling Wand to try out, and luckily I was just the right amount of bored to give it a go.
Ummm...this is now quite literally my fave styling tool. Ever.
Originally I assumed that in order to curl my hair, I'd need to first flat iron my super frizzed out afro-esque mess atop my head. That seemed like a lot of work. So before going crazy and spending hours doing that, I decided to just try using the wand on my already wavy 'do. Since I wasn't really planning on using the wand beforehand, I had already applied a few curling products to my locks, including a volumizing spray gel. I think that actually helped and in the future I'll always throw some gel in my hair before curling it. It really seems to hold the shape.
My hair post curling
My original plan was to just curl a few front pieces to get the general idea. But I absolutely loved the way the curls looked, so I ended up clipping sections back and curling each individual chunk. It didn't take very long, as you can wrap fairly large sections around the wand at a time. Since the heat goes over the 400 degree mark, holding the curl in place for a couple seconds is really all it takes. Once the strand is released, you end up with gorgeous, loose curls that look perfectly styled while appearing to have a bit of an "undone" look that's all the rage this season.
To finish it off, I only added a light layer of hairspray. The gel held everything in place, so there really wasn't much more to do. And the curls lasted all day without any touch-ups!
I just can't get over how amazing this tool is! How did I manage to get through life without such a thing?! My natural waves are halfway decent, but they're nothing compared to the beauty that is achieved with the CHI wand.
Currently, each wand retails for about $60. I think it's a pretty great deal, considering how fabulous it makes all hair types look!
Betsey Johnson is probably my all-time favorite designer. I absolutely love her whimsical designs, especially when it comes to accessories.
Her handbags are always fabulous. I own quite a few, and I love how timeless, fun, and gorgeous they all are.
My latest handbag crush is this Betsey Johnson Bow Tie Shopper in Leopard Print. Yes, the bag comes in other colors, which are also cute, but this one just calls my name!
If I were a purse, this one would be it. It really looks like me in purse form. It's got everything I love: leopard print, pink details, studs, and even a big bow. What more could a girl ask for?!
These specific colors surprisingly work together making the bag super neutral; it can be worn with nearly any outfit. It's also got a bit of bad girl edge to it, which is softened up a bit by the pink hue and the bow. Size-wise, the handbag is fairly large--you can easily fit all of your must-haves in this satchel. It's really just the perfect bag.
Each one retails for $118. That might seem a bit pricey, but this is the type of bag that never goes out of style and will be used a lot!
I'm just going to throw it out there: I'm almost 30. I know, I know...it's not really a big deal since 40 became the new 30 and 30 became the new 20. But I still look for tiny wrinkles (which I am starting to get), and search for ways to hide my age.
I found some fab makeup tips that really make a difference for any age. Follow these tricks, and I promise you'll look at least 10 years younger:
1. Lift your brows-- High, full brows look youthful and help define all your features. Use a brow powder or pencil that's a shade lighter than your hair color to fill in sparse areas, then sweep a fine line right above the top of the arch. Try Wet n Wild's Color Icon Liner Brow & Eye Pencil.
2. Camouflage crows feet-- Forget about heavy cover-up--it makes lines more obvious. Instead, brighten the area with concealer under the outer third of your lower lashes and add a creamy highlighter like Benefit's Ooh La Lift below any lines.
3. Reduce "parentheses"-- These are the most annoying lines for me. To hide the lines that run from your nose to your mouth, apply concealer one shade lighter than your skin below the fold only, not over the entire crease. This reduces the appearance of a defined edge. Try Laura Mercier's Secret Camouflage.
4. Give your pout some pep-- It's a simple fact that the sides of your mouth tend to droop with age. To lessen the effect, brush highlighter on the corners and concealer just below the outer edges of your lower lip. Try Sonia Kashuk's Synthetic Concealer Brush.
5. Get rid of a double chin-- You can have this problem regardless of age, but it does become more noticeable as you get older. To fix this, apply a light layer of foundation or matte bronzer two shades darker than your skin under your chin. Try Rimmel London's Natural Bronzer for the task. Make sure to blend toward your neck.
Even though I'm a mere 5 feet tall, I usually opt for flats whenever it is acceptable. So, I've got a little bit of an obsession and probably own more than 50 flats.
However, I've always been on the lookout for the perfect ballet flat. And I found it.
Deflex Comfort's Caroline String Tie Flat from Payless is absolutely perfect! It basically looks like a real ballet slipper. And the color is phenomenal--it's a great light blush pink hue that can work as a neutral. The shoes also come in a variety of colors, if pink isn't your thing (which makes you a little crazy, in my opinion). Black, brown, and silver are a few of the options. But really, why wouldn't you want this gorgeous pink shade??!
The flat features a flexible fit, so there's no need to worry about it slipping off. The inside is lined with jersey material, so they're probably the most comfortable shoes in the world.
You can easily dress them up or down, depending on the occasion. They'd look fabulous with a flowy dress, or with a pair of jeans and a tee. These are exactly the type of shoes that I would constantly keep by the door because I'd end up wearing them for everything.
Plus, you can't beat the price. Each pair is on sale for under $20!
