Being a fashionista isn’t easy. It can be fun, but it can also be very consuming. There is so much involved in the who, what, wears of the industry that it can almost feel like a full time job. Watching runway shows, collecting photos of new lines, hunting down hot sales, keeping track of who is in and who is out… there really is a lot of pressure involved. I know my husband–along with most men–are rolling their eyes right now, but you honestly don’t understand. Before you judge, you should walk a week in a fashionista’s shoes—and yes, by that I mean 5 inch Giuseppe Zanotti Striped Sling Back Pumps. So there.
In addition to having to carry a statement purse that holds all our stuff, the perfect combination of goodies in our makeup bag, the right shoes that match the right outfit at the right height for the right appearance, along with an array of other accessories that we might need while out, we also need things—at home and away—that keeps our chaotic lives running smooth. There are a few items which may seem simple to most but are life-saving must-haves to us self-proclaimed fashionistas. If the fun and frenzied road of glamour and fashion sounds appealing to you, on a personal or professional level, here are a few things that I have found are necessities to keeping yourself calm, cool, and collected. And they don’t require a prescription. Here is my list:
Large French Coffee Press: Between writing, mall hopping, and sale shopping, it is a given that I will need coffee at any given moment. Sometimes it is while I am on the couch writing my latest blog entry, sometimes it is as I’m flying out the door to hit a clearance sale at a local consignment shop. I think the easiest way to make coffee fast AND good is with a French press. It allows me to make a lot or a little, it is as fast, and I can select or mix up any flavor(s) I like. Scoop in your coffee, cover with boiling water, press it, done. Add my creamer flavor of choice (of course I have about five to select from at any given time, including International Delight’s Cold Stone Creamery Sweet Cream and Coffee-Mate’s Pecan Praline and off I go. Have coffee, must travel. Wait…cancel that. Have travels, must coffee. That’s better.
Sassy’s Pick: Mr. Coffee’s 8-cup Coffee Press; Bed Bath & Beyond, $9.99
Small French Coffee Press: Yeah, I know, you’re saying… “You just told me to buy a big one, why do I need a small one?” Oh, you silly thing! Now there are going to be the days when you need to take your coffee to the next level. You need to enjoy a tall frothy cup of goodness that will put you in a diva state a mind. That’s where the small press comes in to play. While your large press is brewing your favorite brand of beans, warm up your favorite flavor of creamer (about 1/3 cup) for about 30 seconds in the small press in your microwave. (Make sure your press is plastic.) Then raise and lower the press several times to “froth” the creamer. Fill your travel mug with half coffee, half creamer foam, sprinkle on some cinnamon, and you have yourself a tasty little latte to go. Even if you are staying in for the day, make one in your favorite mug and enjoy while you work. With the holiday season upon us, I like to use eggnog instead of creamer with a dusting of nutmeg. Yum….so tasty seasonal!
Sassy’s Pick: Bodum Brazil 3-Cup French Press Coffee Maker; Bed Bath & Beyond, $19.99
A Smart Phone Like DUH!… this should be a given, right? Well from a person who does not like change, I can say it’s not. Up until a year ago, I had no smart phone. I had a pink cell phone that rang when I had a call, and hung up when I flipped it closed. That’s was it. And I was fine with that. I didn’t need to check my email once an hour. I didn’t have to change my Facebook status three times a day. I didn’t even know what Twitter was. Yeah, well, let me tell you: you want to become a fashionista who has goals set in stars? Then you need to be PLUGGED IN! In less than a year, I had an iPhone that included my three email addresses, my Facebook account to follow my favorite brands (such as Marshalls, Guess and L’Oreal) as well as my Facebook fan page, my Twitter account set up to notify me if any of my fave Tweeps (like @dkny and @TJMaxx) mention me in a Tweet, an Instagram account to take photos of my fashion finds, my blog editor, plus several other apps that keep me organized (phone contacts, datebook, grocery shopping list, Dunkin Donuts locator). Before I couldn’t think about what I would do with a Smart Phone. Now I honestly can’t think of what I’d do without mine. I sometimes forget that it is actually still a phone when it rings. I think maybe I have “talked” on it three times this week. That’s all.
Sassy’s Pick: Pink Girly Glitter Bow iPhone Case (hey, bling it up!); zazzle.com, $39.95
Velvet Hangers: Okay, I know, this seems really random. But the fact is, whether you are a fashionista or just protective of your clothes, you really should invest a little money to make sure they stay neat and in their place. I have a lot of v-neck and scoop-neck tops, and they do not like to stay on plastic hangers. They end up falling off, getting on the dusty floor in my closet, or even forgotten behind a bunch of shoes. Velvet hangers are FAB to keep everything where they belong. Not only that, but I also love getting them in various colors to help me sort out different pieces: short sleeves on pink hangers, long sleeves on black hangers, lightweight sweaters on white hangers, cardigans on blue hangers, etc. They are not expensive, especially if you find them in a discount or home store. Trust me…. they will become your best closet friend!
Sassy’s Pick: Diva Velvet Hangers, pack of 10; TJ Maxx, $8.99
Okay, so being a fashionista goes beyond the clothes, the shoes and the bags. It goes beyond the bracelets and the earrings and the necklaces. It’s attitude. It’s commitment. And it also includes things that make your life easier. Even if fashion and glamour isn’t your thing, organization needs to happen no matter what you focus on during the course of your day. These few things that I find to be a necessity in my collection, you may end up falling in love with as well. But share with me…. what are your daily must haves that you can’t see yourself surviving without each day? Maybe your laptop, a tablet, your favorite gum? Share with me! Maybe it will be one of Sassy’s “must haves” too!
Sassy Auburn's Diary Of A Glamour Junkie... 
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