Archive | March, 2012

Make Your Statement With Shoes!

30 Mar

Okay, today was not a good day for me. It was not a sassy day at all. It was a day that started with an “s”, that’s for sure, but we’ll keep this blog PG. Just before I went to bed last night I noticed my right eye was getting itchy. Because my immune system is not as great as your average healthy person’s, I figured I would try and stop any type of infection the second I felt something unusual. I removed my contact lenses, removed all my eye makeup (nothing new worn, nothing out of the ordinary), and then washed my face by removing my makeup with organic coconut oil and giving it a light cleansing with Aveeno Foaming Cleanser for sensitive skin. Then I flushed my eye out with saline solution, and went to bed with the hopes that all would be good in the morning. Right?

Wrong.

When I woke up today, my eye was stuck shut with yuck and when it was open, it was as red as a beet. I’ve worked in doctors’ offices before. Eye doctors in fact. I know a case of pink eye when I see it. And as blurry as my vision was, I could see I had a classic case of conjunctivitis. One phone call later, I was going to be heading out to the doctor. Oh yay, just how I want to spend my weekend. The nurse on the phone was strict with her instructions–she said keep my hands clean, wear my glasses, wear no makeup, and be there in 3 hours. Fun, fun, fun.

Well, it wouldn’t take me long to get ready. Without makeup or hairspray, that shaves 30 minutes off my getting ready routine. So for me to feel even remotely sassy today, it was going to all be up to the clothes. And honestly?… all I wanted to do was wear a pair of comfy jeans and a cozy shirt. Nothing runway gasping. Oh but wait! I was wearing skinny jeans, so I could REALLY make a statement with my footwear. I had the options of boots, heels, or flats. What to do, what to do.

I figured that I would be comfortable and wear my flats. Oh but not just any flats. I decided I was going to wear my pewter-studded Calvin Klein “Morgan” flats that I found on a killer sale at Macy’s two months ago. They were a one-of-a-kind design and only a limited number of pairs were released. (I did my research with my iPhone!) They were originally $80, on sale recently as low as $60. But these little beauties had made it to the 50% off rack. So I asked… yup, they were only $29.99. And… AND… I had a $5 coupon! BEE-YOU-TEE-FULL!! There was only one pair in the entire store (records showed they only had five to begin with) and this pair was in my size. They fit like they were made for me. Had to buy them. Just had to.

So I wore them today to the doctor’s office with my skinny jeans and a teal rouched tunic from Body Central, one of my favorite online clothing stores. The minute I walked into the reception area, the assistant told me she absolutely loved my shoes. Oh cool! She didn’t realize my eye was swollen shut and I had no makeup on. I made my statement with my shoes! Oh it didn’t end there either. When I went to pick up the prescription for my pink eye, the pharmacy assistant said in the cutest voice, “Oh my, I just love your footwear!” She sounded so sweet! I thanked her, bragged a bit that it was a fab fashion find, and then got my meds and went home. Even feeling like crud with a sticky eye, blaring headache, and tired body, it was nice to know I could still put myself together enough to attract a fashion conversation! One pair of shoes changed how I felt for the day. Not bad. Not bad at all.

(Of course, I had to go home and disinfect everything I had worn or touched in the past day. This included cleaning all of my makeup brushes and taking care of my liners and mascara. We’ll have to talk about this very soon because taking care of your makeup and accessories is very important since it is a bacteria breed ground! ICK!)

Do you have anything fashionable that is a must when you need to lift your mood when you’re not feeling your best? We talked about how doing something simple like changing handbags can make you smile, but what about a favorite piece of clothing? Something that always brings a smile to your face or lifts your sad or sick spirits? Tell me about them or send a photo! I’d love to know and would really love to see it!!

Sassy’s Outfit Of The Day

29 Mar

A lot of bloggers do this every day. They write what they’ve worn, the makeup they put on, the skin care routine they did. I’m an okay fan of that. I like to see what people are wearing. Just not every day. So sometimes, like today, I’ll write up my blog post with my “Sassy Outfit”. I’ll tell you right now, you most likely won’t see anything show stopping. I am a stay at home mom of thee kids (two teens, one husband…LOL) and dolling up isn’t all that for me when I’m just going to the pharmacy to pick up a new bottle of Pepto and an Easter card for my mom. But I think it is nice to know that you can look decent–stunning if you want–even in everyday life while doing everyday things. It doesn’t have to be about sweats and tees all the time. Really…. step away from the fleece. Come here… step away.

So here was today’s routine:

SKIN CARE:
Ole Henriksen African Red Tea Foaming Cleanser
Ole Henriksen Total Truth Eye Creme SPF 15
Ole Henriksen Truth Serum Collegen Booster
Ole Henriksen Herbal Day Creme SPF 15

……. all available at OleHenriksen.com

MAKE UP:
L’Oreal Paris Magic Smooth Souffle Foundation (CVS)
LA Minerals Blush in Cheerleader (LAMinerals.com)
Jesse’s Girl Highlighter Eye Shadow in Starshine (Rite Aid)
Mineral Elegance Mineral Eye Shadow in Steel (MineralElegance.com)
Maybelline Eye Studio Master Drama Creme Eye Liner in Coal Commander (CVS)
Covergirl Lastblast 24 Hour Mascara in Very Black (Walmart)
Maybelline Super Stay 24 Lipcolor in On and On Orchid (Walmart)
Kim Kardashian Rollerball Perfume (Sephora)

FASHIONS AND ACCESSORIES:
Grey Belted Tunic Sweater (TJ Maxx)
dELiAs Mogan Dark Wash Skinny Jeans (Peter Harris Clothing Outlet)
Groove Grey/Black Lace-Up Boots (Marshalls)
Sterling Silver Large Hoops (TJ Maxx)
Bongo Silver Charm Watch Bracelet (Sears)
Kathy Van Zeeland Animal Print Denim Bag (TJ Maxx)

Nothing too fancy, nothing too chic, but it was an outfit to make me feel good from head to toe and turned heads with its current style. And expensive?… not at all. The most expensive thing I bought for this outfit was the purse. And it’s price? $30… last year. See?… you don’t need to win the Mega-Millions to look and feel fab-tabulous. (But hellz to the yeah, it would help!)

When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Switch Handbags!

28 Mar

Today was not a good day for me. Because of the abrupt change in weather here in my lovely area of Upstate NY, my head decided to hang out in “massive migraine mode” all day. I spent a good chunk of my time in bed sipping ginger ale and nibbling crackers. Oh yeay, oh yeay…. a completely wasted day. For those who sometimes get migraines, you know exactly what I’m talking about. And for those of you who don’t? I’ll just say I wouldn’t even wish them on my ex. Yeah, they are that bad.

With an hour or so before bed, I felt like I needed to do something glamour or fashion-y to at least not feel like the day was a total waste. So, with a smile on my face (and an Excedrin Migraine under my tongue), I decided to change handbags. I had been using the same brown patent leather “XOXO” brand bag for almost a week now. I’ve been wearing a lot of brown! But I felt I needed some color. Not a lot, just a little. Plus I needed a bit more room. My XOXO bag is quite tiny and until these headaches let up, I need some space for a few meds. Purses just don’t show off your unique style–they need to be functionable too.

While looking though my closet, I thought ahead and realized it would definitely be jeans kind of weather for me for the next several days, so I picked one of my favorite colored, patterned, jazzy bags I have: my Kathy Van Zeeland satchel in Blue Leopard. I love this bag. It has lots of compartments, tons of room, looks jazzy as heck, and is uber chic with a pair of hot denims and a black leather jacket. Style with an edge. That’s me!

Now that I’ve done that, I think I might do my nails too. My fingers look a mess and there is nothing more annoying (and embarrassing) to me than a frazzled manicure. I don’t usually like doing it right before bed, but since I have this great top coat which dries fast without smudging, it’s easier to do them late at night. So, hopefully I will feel better tomorrow because I’ll have a new purse and classy looking nails to help boost my mood and cast the headaches away!

Tell me, Sassy fans… when you just aren’t having the best day, health-wise or other, what do you do to boost your mood? (Legal answers only. LOL!)

Shopping Steal: Better Than Average Balm!

27 Mar

I am the first to admit it: I love lip products. Lipsticks, glosses, stains, balms, scrubs, you name it. I think nicely tended-to lips are sexy on a woman and should be paid attention to as much as your regular skin care. They need moisturizer, they need exfoliating, they need shine, they need color, and a nice flavor doesn’t hurt either. Finding the right products for your lips isn’t always easy either, and I think that’s why many of us end up with the bottomless pit of lip products in our cosmetic drawer at home–with more items we dislike than love. We’re always looking for THE one. I have finally reached the conclusion there is no “THE” one product. But there are a lot of good ones, and you have to find the one that is right for you.

Each day, the products I use on my lips vary. Sometimes it depends on what I’m wearing, where I am going, whether I need something super long lasting, whether I need something super moisturizing, it’s always different. At night, however, I want one thing: I want a rich, emollient lip balm with a nice light taste that will stay on from the time I go to bed till I get up in the morning. Simple, right? Wrong. I can’t find anything. I’ve tried $10 products, I’ve tried $1 products. I’ve tried simple Chapsticks. I’ve tried glossy balms. I’ve tried bags and bags of different things. They work, for a little bit, but then after a while the glory wears off and I’ll eventually wake up with dry chapped lips one morning.

…. till now.

The other day while at Walmart I saw a small display at the check out with little Mountain Dew cards all over it. On the cards was a soda bottle-shaped lip balm in Mountain Dew flavor.Okay, I’m not a HUGE soda lover, but oh I do love my Dew. It was soooo cute! Hmmm. Another balm to try and add to the collection? What the hell. I picked up the original flavored (they also had Mountain Dew Red, but I’m not that familiar with that), took it home and put it in my nightstand for my bedtime beauty routine. Well, I’ll be damned…. this is THE most moisturizing lip balm I think I’ve ever used. It’s not sticky, tastes uber fab, lasts all night, and keeps my lips super moisturized right up till morning! Oh.. and get this: it was on clearance. FOR 75 CENTS!

The closest thing I’ve used that has moisturized my lips this good was the EOS Egg which I really liked (and got at Walmart’s check out as well.) But… um… this was about $2.00 cheaper, tastes sweeter and works better! I don’t want to be a hoarder, but I will be picking up a few more of these and stashing them away because at 75 cents? You can’t beat that.

So there’s a shopping tip for the day: If you see the Mountain Dew Lip Balm while you are out and about? Keep in mind that Sassy thinks it is dew-tabulous!!!

Bad Hair? To Hat With It!

26 Mar


Okay, tell me if this scenario sounds familiar to you at all:

You get up for the day. You give yourself just the right amount of time to shower, dress, put on makeup, do hair and be out of the house with time to spare. But as you grab your towel for the shower, you remember you have to make a call. Should just take a minute. One minute turns to five, which tuns to ten which turns into getting dressed while still on the phone because you know if you don’t start getting ready now, you’ll never make it. You push a brush across your teeth, spitting in between sentences. Finally, you hang up, put on the bare necessities of makeup, grab a body spritz, walk through a quick shower of it, and head for the door, already a few minutes too late. You give yourself a quick look in the mirror and almost faint at the sight.

….. oh that hair. Ugh.

Have no fear, the hats are here. About a year ago, I discovered I didn’t really look like a frog under a mushroom like my mother always told me I did when I wore a hate growing up. I look pretty decent in a hat. And since I’ve embraced that fact, I love wearing them. They are the perfect accessory to the somewhat “blah” outfit, when a neutral ensemble needs a pop of color, or… like today… when the hair has no hope and the more you can hide of it, the better!

There are lots of different styles of hats out there: floppy hats, fedoras, bucket hats, berets, cadet hats, cowboy hats, and my absolute favorite… the newsboy hat. Not every hat style looks good on every person. I look fun and flirty in a newsboy or cadet hat. I look like a doofus in a floppy hat or a fedora. A lot has to do with the shape of your face, your height, your body shape and the style of your hair. If wearing a hat is an accessory you’d like to add to your fashion ensemble, I suggest you take some time (and a friend!) and go to a large department store like Macy’s or JC Penney’s and try a bunch on to see what you and your friend think look the best.

I find I have the best luck at TJ Maxx & Marshalls when I want a new hat. They always have a great selection in all different styles, sizes and colors. It’s where I got my very first hat… a black/white checkered cap… and I always browse when I’m at their stores to see if anything new has come in that jazzes my interest. In total, I currently own seven hats: two black, one black and white, one tan, one purple, one ivory and one grey & silver. My grey/silver and tan hats are my fave. In fact, the tan is the one I grabbed today when my hair was just not publicly presentable. It is very stylish, a tad sassy, and fits awesome. Perfect for a windy day like today was too.

Even though you are going to pretty much hide most of your head with the hat, make sure you give your hair a good brushing first, getting out all the snarls. If you have a lot of static electricity, spray your hands with a good glossing spray (Like my favorite, Garnier Fructis Style Brilliantine Shine Glossing Spray) and calm down the frizzies. Make sure your bangs hang respectably if you have any, and give your whole head a QUICK, LIGHT spray with hairspray. Finally, grab your hat, look in a mirror and put it on, making sure all looks good. There ya go! Not only did you just up your fashion level a star or two but you also saved your less-than-perfect hair AND saved yourself from being late for your appointment.

Take advantage of this awesome fashion accessory. Check out the large stores online and do some research on what you might think will grab you. Keep in mind the entire outfit, including shoes, jewelry and colors…. then go hat crazy!!

Sassy’s Glamour Tip of the Day….

25 Mar

Here is Sassy’s glamour tip of the day:

When you use your hairspray (pump or aerosol), always make sure you run the nozzle under a stream of hot water before you replace the cap and put it away. You do keep the caps, don’t you??????

This will keep your hairspray nozzle open and unclogged and won’t waste your time to get it working the next time you use it. You always want to make sure you replace the cap as well because the slight stickiness from the hairspray will beginning collecting dust instantly and make it clog even faster.

DON’T HAVE A CLOGGED NOZZLE!! Keep your hairspray container free of gack so it will spray easily and smoothly each time you need it!

There you go fashionistas!! Spray on!!

…With A Cherry On Top

23 Mar

I hate cherry flavored anything. Lollypops, cough syrup, popsickles. Blech. Not for me. But when we go beyond the flavor and get into the color? That’s a different story. My “taste” for cherry fashions is extrodinauire! My love for cherry-colored makeup is mind boggling! And cherry-colored accessories? Oh man, get me a chair, I have to sit down. With the spring season upon us, there couldn’t be a better time to show off this fabulous “out there” color.

In my book, cherry comes in three shades. Let’s break them down, shall we?:

Maraschino – You know, you order the hot fudge sundae with the cherry on top? That’s the color I’m talking about. Not a true red, more on the dark pink, cool hued side. It screams warm weather. Perfect for lips, nails and toes. You can even find some tres chic clothing that will really stand out in that color as well. Don’t miss out on this shade because you might think it’s too bold. It’s not…. it’s hot and it’s now! My favorite item: Milani Nail Laquer in Cherry Pie

True Cherry Red — This doesn’t differ too much from apple red, maybe just a bit darker. It is a neutral shade so it can go with anything. Perfect for the office, slamming for a night on the town. Dress up your blue jeans or turn heads in your black evening attire. No matter what you are wearing, there is a good chance if you are looking for some color, a good neutral cherry red will fit your need. My favorite item: Avon’s Shine Attract Lipstick in Cherry Pie

Black Cherry — Oh, this color is HOT! In clothes, shoes, accessories or makeup, this is one color that stands out on it’s own. Leaning way over to the deep cool shades, this purplish shade with a cherry red undertone keeps it looking mysterious yet sexy. Perfect for nightwear for the lips or all year round for nails and toes. Want to really give them a shocker? Use it as a liner for a smoky eye look with a ton of WOW! My favorite items: Pure Mineral EyeShadow & Liner in Black Cherry; Stilla’s Lip Glaze in Black Cherry

The fact of the matter is I am still not a fan of cherry “flavored” things. I LOVE the fruit and I’ll even do a bottle of Cherry Coke now and then. But that Robitussin cherry flavor? NO THANK YOU! So this fashionista is going to stick with the color this spring, not the flavor, and rock some killer looks….. with a cherry on top!!!!

Trial and Test….

22 Mar

How awesome is it when you get sent a freebie in the mail to try out? I sign up for everything. I get cookies, cereal, drink mixes, detergent, dryer sheets, shampoo, you name it. If it’s out there for the trying and it’s FREE? I’m on it like white on rice.

Today, I went to my mailbox to see a padded envelope from Elle Magazine. Oh, we LOVE padded envelopes. Padded envelopes = SAMPLES! Inside was a nice letter saying as a premier member of Elle’s Inner Circle Panel, I was chosen from a select few to receive a sample of Michael Kors Signature Fragrance . I actually was very excited! First, I had received a small vial in a Sephora purchase about three months ago and really liked it then. Second, I never knew Michael Kors had a scent and was happy to see one of my favorite designers was going along the fragrance route as well. And third… Shazam!…. I get to give my opinion. Who likes to talk?…. Sassy likes to talk! It was petty cool too since I had a stressful day, and “retail therapy” was on my agenda. I almost bought another perfume I’ve been eyeing for a while but I’m glad I didn’t–I got a free one instead!

The product insert card says, “We are excited to share with you Michael Kors signature fragrance. The ultimate luxury experience. Tuberose reinvented with rich, creamy florals enhanced by sensual woods.” When I smell it, what comes to mind is sophisticatedly sexy. The rich florals aren’t heavy but…. definitely alluring! I let Mr. Sassy smell it. He smiled and said, “That’s the scent worn by a dangerous woman!” I don’t think he meant James Bond 007 dangerous. I think he meant, “Holy high heels, I’ve been sexified!” dangerous. Yeah, I can see that. I can smell that.

So, tomorrow I’ll have a new scent to wear for a few weeks. I’m excited!! I like it, and I’m anxious to see if anyone notices it on me. It is quite different from the type of perfumes I usually wear, so we’ll see if I can turn some heads with this. (PS: Have YOU used it before? If so, I want to know! What do YOU think about it?)

Click, Click, Click….

20 Mar

Okay, fun quiz: What makes you think of the above noise?

Louboutins in a tile floor?…..yes, but no.
Pushing my retractable pen as I write fashion notes?….ah, no.
The fan belt on my car?…..oh please good God no.
My CD ROM drive stuck with a disk inside?….better be a no.
The magnetic clasp on my Betsey Johnson purse opening & closing?….ahh, yes, but no.

Errrrr. Times up. Good try, good try.

Actually, today the click-click-click sound came thanks to a unusually beautiful day of bright, sunny, warm, 80 degree weather here on the first day of spring in Upstate NY. We don’t get temps like that in March around here. That’s obvious because we’ve broke three record highs in less than a week in our area. So maybe the clicking is a thermometer rising so fast? No, can’t say that it is. But they do go together.

Today, I had a blast click-click-clicking as I went through, sorted out, and shook up all my nail polishes. Those two or three little beads in each bottle flowing freely, hitting the edge of the bottle letting you know your favorite shades are primed and ready for your spring mani’s and pedi’s? THAT click-click-click! It’s sandal weather and it’s time to get all those nails into tip-top shape so they can look gorgeous for open-toe/sun worshiping season.

I decided I wanted a dark, shiny shade for my nails today. I think it’s a bit early for the bright oranges, yellows and hot pink glitters that scream warm weather. I wanted a color–especially for my toes–that would stand out in my lighter shade gladiator sandals. Which polish did I choose? Sally Hansen’s Insta-Dri Fast Dry Nail Color in Pronto Purple. I love the Sally Hansen brush, as it is rounded and covers the nails easily without much smudging along the cuticles. I love those kind of brushes. One coat of polish, one layer of top coat (that’s another post!) and I ready to rock my nails! Take a look!

Since this is the time of year when you’ll want to get your polishes out, you should do an inventory of colors you already have and make a note of ones you might want. Make sure you take each polish you own and give it a shake–a good shake. Do you hear the click-click-click? Are the mixing beads moving freely? If not you may need to thin out the polish a bit. Use an eye dropper (available at any drugstore) and put in five drops of nail polish remover. Recap and shake again. Still no clicking? Add five more drops. STILL no clicking? Then buh-bye…. I suggest you ditch that bottle and invest in a new one. That one is just too old or dried out. Yuck. Gack. And it won’t look good or stay on your nails.

Don’t forget, nice weather equals nice nails. Keep your manicure and pedicure goodies in one place. A dark, cool area is the best…keeps them from getting gooey. I keep mine in a large train case. (See pic?) Keep cotton balls and Q-tips with your polishes, use lotion tissues to remove old polish (it helps from drying out the nails), and keep the nail polish remover close by and closed tight! And don’t forget a good moisturizer when you’re all done and your nails are dry. Sassy’s fave? A couple of drops of pure, sweet almond oil is perfect for the job–and inexpensive too. And don’t forget those cuticles!

Click-click-click, ladies! Start shaking those polishes and show off those nails! Show me too! I’d love to see what your favorite shade is or newest discovery. It’s spring–we all need some new colors and styles!

Peyton Manning and Eva Longoria?

19 Mar

Now now now. Settle down your gossip hormones. No, nothing is going on between these two. But the fact is, I’m a sports fanatic. A real, die-hard, ESPN is on my presets, sports fanatic. And it is kind of hard to get men to read a blog about fashion and makeup unless you throw some sports in once in a while. I like to cater to everyone. I’m an all around cool kinda girl. I try to make everyone happy.

So, not to bore the females fans of my column for long, just a quick blurb. I cannot believe Peyton is going to go to Denver! The town must be a mess. Tim Teebow, the youngest winning quarterback to ever win the Heisman Trophy, is their idol. They love him. They worship him. (No puns intended there). And now, Peyton, a God in his own way, will be going to this town to try and bring Superbowl back to that city. What will happen to Tim? A trade probably. I think Teebow still has some work to do as far as getting up to a premier NFL quarterback level. But can he? Absolutely. I’m not really sure what Denver was thinking. I’m a Gator’s fan so I’ll keep an eye on Tim. Other than that, it’s my Pittsburgh Steelers all the way. Hey, I’m in FASHION! Bleeding black and gold is what I do… and it’s tres chic! A fan with fashion function-ability. I wish the best to Peyton, but I hope Teebow finds a football home and kicks ass all the way to the Superbowl. Well, only to get beat by my Steelers, of course.

……and in other glamour news:

My daughter had a doctor’s appointment today. The appointment was at an office that is ALWAYS busy and is jam packed with people–both patients AND employees. Because I never like to leave the house without a perfume on, I actually think ahead that I’ll be in a room with several other individuals and don’t want to sneeze someone out with a scent that will bother someone, be overpowering, or cause a wheezing frenzy. AH HA! I actually have a perfume just for these situations. In April of 2010, Eva Longoria Parker launched her perfume, “Eva”, for just those kind of people. Eva is actually one of those super-sensivitive people when it comes to fragrances. And being on airplanes, at different filming sets, restaurants, and other places, she’s constantly running into a scent or a combination that would send her into an allergy fit. She told her agent she envied stars that had signature scents, but just couldn’t wear one herself. So her agent suggested she make one herself with notes of fragrances that were not irritating to most perfume-sensitive people. And that she did!!

The resulting scent is a warm, citrusy “day fragrance” and, according to the star, is the the anti-perfume perfume. “I wanted something clean and fresh. Something that smelled like you just got out of the shower. And that’s how I came up with the scent,” said the actress in an interview by StyleWatch during her launch. The fragrance is a feminine combination of citruses, bergamot tea, neroli, aldehydes, jasmine, lily of the valley, freesia, leather musk, amber and sandalwood. I actually smelled the scent first in a magazine perfume sampler and fell in love with it immediately. I did my research, found out who was going to sell it, and wrote down its release date. The day came, and I got it! It is definitely a light scent, but doesn’t lose its essense throughout the day. I put it on today at 10am and even now, after a warm day and a slight nap, I can still smell it on my skin. It’s not really a nighttime sultry, sensual scent. But for the daytime?…. When you might be going out where people are gathered? It is THE go-to scent.

And since we are talking beauty AND sports, let me just mention that Eva was married to NBA superstar Tony Parker for three years. Tony is a 6’2″ guard for the Sanantonio Spurs. Eva has been working in the arts and entertainment industry since 1999, but is best known for her role as Gabrielle Solis on Deperate Housewives.

See? There is nothing wrong with being a girly-girl who likes her hats, heels, jeggings and jewels and can scream “TOUCHDOWN” the loudest at the local pub!!

EVA For Women By EVA LONGORIA Eau De Parfum Spray
by Eva Longoria. Available at Amazon.com for $24.00