Fashion Faux Pas: Velour Pajama Pants

It's no secret that I hate the idea of wearing pajamas in public.  I mean, I get that they tend to be comfy, but I just can't imagine wearing a getup like this, checking myself out in the mirror and deciding that I'm good to go.

I witnessed this particular look at a local restaurant.  Though the velvet-esque material may seem like a step up from pajamas covered in Disney characters, the reality is that they just look cheap. Velour tends to cling to parts of the body that you want hidden.  The sheen of the material might as well be metallic, as it shines just as mugh as a pair of gold leggings would.  This look is simply not flattering on anyone.

The fact that one leg is actually tucked into a sock is a whole other story.   As is the hideous blue shade used. Very unfortunate.

Please ladies--take my advice and steer clear of anything that remotely resembles pajama pants unless you're in the comfort of your own home!

Are You Ready to Try Hair Feathers?

Usually, I'm not really into trends.  I'm more of a "wear what looks good on you" kind of person.  But every once in a while a trend will catch my eye.

Hair Feathers are all over the place and are a perfect way to add something different to your hair.  The feathers come in all sorts of shapes and colors, so you can go as bold (or as low-key) as you want!

I think the look is fabulous and definitely unique.  It's the type of hair accessory that makes people look twice.  I love that you can get them in such a wide variety--they're just great for adding a pop of color to your locks.

It's suggested that after purchasing hair feathers, you go to your local salon and have a professional apply them to your hair, as they would with extensions.  If you feel up to the task, you can try it on your own.

Prices vary from $4 to $100, depending on what look you're going for.

Dave's Take: Why my Fiancé HATES Leggings

Leggings are for little girls who haven’t learned to cross their legs in public yet and their parents want to dress them in skirts. If it's too cold to wear a skirt with bare legs, don’t wear a skirt. A pair of nice fitting jeans are always more attractive then a skirt with leggings. If you don’t have nice legs don’t wear skirts! And don’t try to hide your legs with leggings.

Leggings remind me of those tight fitting pajama bottoms we all wore as kids. If you have nice legs let them show. A skirt only holds its appeal if the attractiveness of the legs cause your mind to wander upwards and wonder what resides just above the skirt line. Leggings answer that question for you, just way more exciting than long johns.

Lets be honest, we dress the way we do not because we want to express ourselves through our clothing choices. We dress the way we do to attract and appeal to the opposite sex. I'm giving you ladies a leg up (pun intended) in the game by providing the guys perspective on a dress style you may be misinformed about. Skin is always better. The more skin the better. Leave just enough to the imagination to keep that guy up at night fantasizing about the skin he couldn’t see. It’s a proven fact that guys are visually stimulated, where as women are touch and scent stimulated.

Do yourself a favor: ditch the leggings and stimulate away.

Bliss 'Spa'-tacular Moisturizer

I have the worst skin in the world.  Really.  If there were some sort of horrible skin contest, I would surely win.  My problem is that my skin dries out at a ridiculously fast rate.  That's why it's so important for me to moisturize daily.

Bliss recently came out with a fab moisturizer, Youth as we Know it.  This moisturizer basically does everything you could possibly want for your skin.  This stuff is practically a miracle.  It helps out with oodles of skin issues--10 biggies:

• Protects from UVA/UVB rays
• Promotes collagen production
• Visibly diminishes wrinkles
• Visibly fills fine lines
• Helps increase cellular oxygenation
• Evens skintone
• Hydrates, plumps and firms
• Replenishes and soothes
• Smoothes out skin's texture
• Brightens and clarifies

Amazing, no?  All of the benefits are great, but the UVA/UVB protection is really important.  The moisturizer is SPF 30.  It protects from the sun, while still being light enough to wear daily.  It's really important to keep something with SPF on your face, especially during this time of year when we generally spend more time outdoors.  And the moisturizer isn't greasy at all,so there's no chance of looking all oily and gross! Huzzah!

You can get the Youth as we Know it lotion at Bliss spas, online, from their catalog (888-243-8825), and at select Sephora retailers for about $80--way worth it for having gorgeous skin!

Disclosure: This post contains a sample product sent for consideration by a PR firm. My priority is to you, and I honor that commitment by being honest! If you have any questions about this, please email me.

Just Say Yes To Cucumbers

I love love love Yes to Cucumbers Facial Towelettes! Washing my makeup off at night is one of my least favorite things to do, so I'm constantly searching for quick ways to remove makeup while making my skin feel fabulous.

These facial wipes are perfect for such a task.  They gently remove dirt, sweat and makeup with ease.  In addition to that,  it's an exfoliant, detoxifyer and rejuvenater all in one to make your skin feel healthy and look glowing.

The wipes themselves are 98.7% natural, biodegradable, hypoallergenic and oil-fee.  They work for all skin types and help the environment at the same time.

Each package of 30 wipes is $5.99.  The site is currently running a special and is offering up a buy one get one free deal.  So you can get two packs of these amazing wipes for under $6! Eeeeee!! What's not to love about that deal??!

Disclosure: This post contains a sample product sent for consideration by a PR firm. My priority is to you, and I honor that commitment by being honest! If you have any questions about this, please email me.

Fashion Faux Pas: Jumpsuits (AGAIN!!)

Apparently, my previous posts about rompers and jumpsuits have had no impact on the fashion world.

Target is selling this horrendous Ankle Length Jumpsuit in a color accurately named Mud Hut.  Sounds lovely, right? It is quite possibly the worst fashion item I've seen in my entire life.  This particular piece is actually from Target's designer series, and is designed by Calypso (which usually creates gorgeous garments).

Now I've already listed out the reasons why I hate rompers and jumpsuits in the past, but I'll reiterate my concerns.  The main reason that I hate them is that they are unflattering on everyone in the world.  Honestly.  Even the model doesn't look good in this!  The way that it's cut simply makes everyone look about 10 lbs heavier.  Unless you want your new nickname to be "thunder thighs", I'd steer clear.

My other issue is that there is no way a one piece suit can fit all body types.  Women come in all shapes and sizes--it's just impossible for there to be a one-piece outfit (other than a dress) that works for everyone.

Sigh.  This battle is getting ridiculous.  If for some reason, you feel the need to look like an idiot, each jumpsuit is about $40.

Look Radiant with Sonia Kashuk's Tinted Moisturizer

With summer right around the corner, wearing full-on foundation simply isn't an option.  No one wants to look like they've caked on makeup no matter what time of year, but when warm weather comes around, it's even more important to ditch the full face makeup look.

Sonia Kashuk's Radiant Tinted Moisturizer is a great alternative to foundation.  It adds just enough color to cover up any skin problems you might have, but also lets your own skin shine through.  Since it's also important to moisturize daily, the combo of color and moisturizer is a perfect one-step product to do it all. It also contains light reflectors that not only make you glow, but also help disguise wrinkles and fine lines. Huzzah!

Another added bonus? The moisturizer is SPF 15.  It's really important to wear something containing SPF, especially if you're spending a bunch of time outside in the sun. 

Each moisturizer is $12.99 and can be found at Target.

Disclosure: This post contains a sample product sent for consideration by a PR firm. My priority is to you, and I honor that commitment by being honest! If you have any questions about this, please email me.

GIVEAWAY!! OPI's Pirates of the Caribbean On Stranger Tides Collection

The latest Pirates of the Caribbean On Stranger Tides collection from OPI is rapidly becoming my fave nail polish batch for spring.

The colors in the collection are all gorgeous pastel hues that are perfect to wear with all the latest warm weather frocks--and of course the names are utterly adorable (my main selling point and love).  Each shade is creamy and applies like a dream. 

Also included in the collection is an amazing new Silver Shatter polish (and if you don't know how obsessed I am with OPI's shatter polishes, check out my love proclamations here and here).  The silver color is fab to layer over these pretty colors, or over any other OPI polishes out there.  It's a fun one to experiment with.

Below are the colors included in the collection (shown both alone and layered under Silver Shatter).

Mermaid Tears: a particularly gorgeous mint green shade that has a bit of a dusty touch to it.













Planks a Lot: a pretty lavender shade that has the slightest touch of gray to it.

Skull and Glossbones: the lightest shade of gray that looks fab and unique on all skintones.

Sparrow Me the Drama: Clearly my favorite.  Not only is it a great dusty rose color, but the name is incredibly spectacular!

Steady as She Rose: the palest pink out there with a nude base--gorgeous for a natural, classic look.

Stranger Tides:  a super light, almost celery-esque, color.

Each of the hues are unique and flatter most skintones.  I love the way they look on their own, as well as layered under the Silver Shatter polish. 

I have the full collection (including the Silver Shatter polish) to giveaway to a very lucky reader.

To enter the giveaway, send an email to sassyalana@gmail.com with the subject line reading "PIRATES".  The giveaway ends 5/28 and the winner will be alerted via email.

Good luck, ladies! If you want to purchase the polishes on their own, you can find them at professional salons and spas nationwide including national chains Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA for about $8 each.

Disclosure: This post contains a product sent for 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.

Release Your Inner Rockstar!

Who out there hasn't totally rocked out in front of the mirror singing into a hairbrush??! It's definitely one of my fave pastimes and if it's not one of yours, it should be.

Needless to say, when I saw this totally fab Mic Brush from Corioliss, I practically had a seizure of delight!! Not only is the brush adorable, it also works amazingly on all hair types.  In particular, it helps detangle and smooth out long, unruly hair, which is a HUGE plus for me.

The brush also features an anti-static rubber cushioned pad that prevents fly-away hair and keeps everything in place.  The unique, detachable, flexible section pin allows easy sectioning with one hand--perfect for styling. 

You can grab a brush of your very own (in black or white) for $25.  Small price to pay for having gorgeous locks and a super cute toy to bust out when you want to get your groove on!

Rise and Shine!

I'm absolutely in love with Hard Candy's latest lip gloss--their Glossaholic Rise and Shine gloss.  First of all,I think that I can definitely be classified as a glossaholic, as I have well over 100 lip glosses in my possession (and at least 12 in my purse)!  The Glossaholic colors are all great, but I was really intrigued with the Rise and Shine gloss in particular.

The gloss is "infused with a mood altering elixir", which seems to be caffeine.  It smells divine, like a great cup of coffee, and I've definitely noticed that it gives my lips a bit of a jolt when I apply it.

I also love the fact that the gloss contains tons of chunky glitter. It's a great gloss to wear over one of your fave lipstick hues for added drama,or on its own fora glossy, glittery sheen.

Each gloss is a mere $5 at Walmart--you'd be crazy not to try it out!

Get Gorgeous Beachy Hair with Help from Fekkai

In the summer, it's usually way too humid for me to care about my hair at all.  I generally just throw in some mousse, scrunch it up and hope for the best!

But Frederic Fekkai's latest Marine Summer Hair Collection makes it easy to get beautiful, beachy waves in a matter of minutes.  All of the products contribute to giving you an overall natural look (as if you were naturally coming from the beach), without any of the downsides (like smelling as if you've been at the beach all day).

My fave product in the collection is the Smooth Sailing Anti-Frizz Cream.  It can be used on it's own to simply smooth down unruly locks, or be combined with the other products to achieve amazing results.  Personally, I've been using this right after I wash my hair, when it's still a bit damp.  Since I have incredibly thick hair, I usually go for a little bit more than a dime-sized dollop, rub it between my hands and apply it from the shaft of my hair up.  Applying to the roots really doesn't do any good; it tends to look greasy. After doing that, I either blow dry my hair and flat iron it, or go for a wavy look and let it dry naturally. As an added bonus, this product contains a UV shield to protect color from fading (yay!)

I'm also a huge fan of the Beach Waves spray.  It's a great finishing spray that adds texture to all hair types.  This product also blocks UV rays to protect color fading.  What I like best about this, is that I can use it throughout the day.  If my hair feels a bit limp, I can spray a bit of it in and finger-comb it through my hair to rejuvenate the wavy look and hydrate my hair.

The products are each $24. For a limited time, the site is offering up a free sarong when you purchase two or more of the Marine Summer Hair Collection Products.  Woohoo! I'm all about free gifts!

Disclosure: This post contains a sample product sent for consideration by a PR firm. My priority is to you, and I honor that commitment by being honest! If you have any questions about this, please email me.

New OPI Serena Williams Glam Slam France Collection

When I found out that OPI was coming out with new shatter hues, I was beyond excited!  I'm already in love with their Black Shatter and couldn't wait to try out the newest colors.

The latest Serena Williams Glam Slam France Collection is fabulous.  It includes two new shatters (a red and a silver) and two great nail lacquers.  The polishes are really quite gorgeous themselves. The silver Spark de Triomphe shade is great, and the Rally Pretty Pink color is utterly fabulous! Both can be worn alone, or under the shatters provided in the sets.

The first set includes the silver color and the white shatter.  I LOVE the way they look together! The original black shatter polish is great, but I love the fact that the white seems a bit more toned down, while still managing to look crazily chic at the same time.  In fact, the white shatter looks great over virtually any other polish color you might have.  It's great to experiment with.

I was actually a bit concerned with the second set when I saw it.  In my mind, pink and red tend to clash.  But I was pleasantly surprised when I tried out the shimmery pink polish under the red shatter.  The result is very unique, bright and perfect for a night out.

Both sets are available now at professional salons and spas nationwide including national chains Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA.

Disclosure: This post contains a sample product sent for consideration by a PR firm. My priority is to you, and I honor that commitment by being honest! If you have any questions about this, please email me.

Batiste Dry Shampoo GIVEAWAY!!!

Remember my new obsession with Batiste Dry Shampoo? Of course you do--I reviewed it like a week ago!

I've been using this stuff like crazy.  It's great to use between washings and really freshens up hair in a hurry.  The two scents, original and blush, both smell fab and fresh (which is something a lot of other dry shampoos really lack).  The product works amazingly and really leaves hair feeling super clean.  I honestly can't say much more about it--I'm simply in love with Batiste!

I'm even more smitten now that Batiste has teamed up with Sassy Fashionista for a giveaway!! I have a great gift pack including two full-size and two travel-size sprays (one in each scent). The original scent is great for guys (it's virtually unscented), so if you win, feel free to share with your man!

To enter the giveaway, send an email to sassyalana@gmail.com with the subject line reading "BATISTE".  The giveaway ends 5/10 and the winner will be alerted via email.

Good luck, ladies! If you want to purchase some cans on your own, each full-size spray is about $8 and the travel-size ones are about $4.

Disclosure: This post contains a product sent for 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.

Gorgeous Maxi Dress from New York and Company

In past years, I haven't really been a fan of the whole maxi dress look.  I'm ridiculously short, and most long dresses tend to a.) be too long, and b.) make me look short and stumpy-ish.  But now,it seems like the maxi dress has been perfected and actually flatters all body types--including my petite 5'0" bod!  In fact, I've been finding that they even have the ability to make me look taller (huzzah!!).

This gorgey Tropical Paradise Maxi Dress from New York and Company really tickles my fancy.  The cut is super flattering.  It nips in just below the bust, accentuating the tiniest part of most women's bodies. From there, it gracefully flows to the ankle in neither a too-tight nor tent-esque fashion.  The fabric is a rayon/spandex blend, making the dress basically feel like the comfiest t-shirt you've ever owned.  And the print is perfect for spring!

Now I might be the tiniest bit biased.  I don't think I've mentioned it on here yet, but I've been working part-time at New York and Company for some extra cash (contrary to popular belief, blogging and freelance writing are not the best paying careers out there!)  That said, the store truly does offer up some fabulous fashion and I've been practically spending my entire paycheck there weekly. The prices are great and there are tons of pretty things to buy...probably too many!

This particular frock is on sale for $41.96.  Not bad for a dress you can wear for almost any occasion!  Dress it up with heels fora night out, or throw on some flip flops for a sunny beach day.

Avon's Newest Fragrance: Reese Witherspoon's Love to the Fullest

Springtime makes me feel all lovey-dovey.  The weather get's nicer, animals are frolicking around and oodles of people get married. It's just the perfect time of year for love!

That's why I'm in love with Avon's latest fragrance, Reese Witherspoon's Love to the Fullest.  Avon teamed up with Reese to create this fab perfume--a sensual blend of black cherry, eveining primrose, sandstone and cashmeran.  The mix is utterly sublime.

If love had a scent, this would probably be it.  I'm always a bit skeptical when it comes to fragrances since A.) my skin is so sensitive and B.) there are quite a few fragrances that just don't mix well with my skin.  But this scent was great.  The perfume did not irritate my skin at all, and the fragrance smelled gorgeous on my skin.  I also found that the scent lasted throughout the day, which is a huge bonus in my book!

You can get your own bottle for $25, or get this great 4-piece Mother's Day collection (it's such a great gift!) for $30 (a $51 value).

Disclosure: This post contains a sample product sent for consideration by a PR firm. My priority is to you, and I honor that commitment by being honest! If you have any questions about this, please email me.

In Honor of Mother's Day: Illamasqua's MILF Nail Polish!

I've been really into light green nail polish hues lately, so when I saw Illamasqua's MILF Nail Varnish, I was immediately smitten!

First of all, it's great for all the fabulous mother's out there and makes a great gift for anyone.  The color is a perfect shade of mint green with a glossy finish that just looks utterly adorable. A perfect springtime green.

The polish is light enough to wear on your nails without the fear of wearing anything too bright--but for those of you who still think green polish is a bit much for nails, this stuff looks fab on toenails as well!

I found that two medium/thick coats worked well for coverage, and adding their Base Coat and Top Coat makes the color last longer and look even more gorgeous!

You can get a bottle yourself for $14 at Sephora.

Disclosure: This post contains a sample product sent for consideration by a PR firm. My priority is to you, and I honor that commitment by being honest! If you have any questions about this, please email me.

New: VS Attractions Collection (and a GIVEAWAY!!!)

Oh Victoria's Secret, how I love thee! Their latest VS Attractions collection has me simply smitten!  Per usual, all of the scents are amazing and actually mix well together if you feel like creating your own unique scent.

The collection has four scents, each with a fragrance mist, body lotion, body cream and body wash.  Here's a rundown of the scents:

SWEET CRAVING
Let the decadence of Warm Vanilla and Tempting Praline satisfy your Sweet Craving.

WILD ONE
Let loose with Midnight Raspberry and Sexy Lily and feel the exhilarating rush of Wild One.   


GLAM GODDESS
Steal the spotlight. Make heads turn. Embrace your inner Glam Goddess with Sensual Musk and Naked Freesia.

LOVE BITTEN
Be a bit naughty. Have a little fun. Get Love Bitten by the intoxicating blend of Forbidden Apple and Sultry Woods

I found them all to be amazing, but was particularly in love with Glam Goddess.  It's definitely a sexy scent.  The site describes it as follows:  

Inspire desire with the power of scent. Steal the spotlight. Make heads turn. Embrace your inner Glam Goddess™ with naked musk and sensual freesia.

Infused with our exclusive EverTempt™ fragrance blend, the secret to more intense appeal, this body mist leaves you feeling truly irresistible. Chamomile and aloe indulge skin for the sexiest all-over body experience.
I love the fact that it contains aloe, since my skin tends to be fairly dry.  This really helps to keep moisture in your skin while still making it smell fabulous, rich and sexy. The best part is that the scent is light and not over-powering at all, yet it clings to your skin throughout the day! It's the perfect scent for spring and summer (and a great gift for Mother's Day!)

And Surprise! Victoria's Secret has been amazingly generous and has teamed up with Sassy Fashionista to giveaway a Glam Goddess package!

Included in the giveaway are the Glam Goddess Body Wash, Body Lotion and the fabulous Fragrance Mist.  Using all three will add layers and keep the scent lasting all day long!

To enter the giveaway, send an email to sassyalana@gmail.com with the subject line reading "GLAM GODDESS".  The giveaway ends 5/6 and the winner will be alerted via email.

Good luck!!! If you're not feeling particularly lucky, you can purchase any of the scents online, individually or in multiples for discounts ($20 or Special 2/$24 or 3/$30 ).

Disclosure: This post contains a product sent for 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.