Fashionably Warm Winter

Hello SASsy friends, I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and are enjoying the new year.  So far most of the country is having a rather mild winter.  Last week here in NYC, it was a blustery 19 degrees one day and two days later a nice 52 degrees.  While the weather might be confused as to what season it is, your wardrobe doesn't have to be (plus it look like a snow storm and cold is on the way).  Here are a few fashionable warm winter looks:

The Sweater:
Sweaters are a favorite of mine when it's super cold outside. You can dress them up with slacks and a nice pair of boots or go casual with jeans.  However, not all sweaters are created equal, you can end up looking like a washed up school teacher by wearing a tragic sweater.

Preston & Aria Cardigan

Cupiro Ombre Poncho

This sweater would look awesome with a chocolate brown belt

Prive V-Neck Cashmere Sweater

Try wearing a statement necklace with a simple cashmere sweater for a fun twist on a classic look

(For accessorizing ideas check out my previous blog http://sassyreport.blogspot.com/2011/09/sassy-and-sheek-fashion-week.html)

The Peacoat

These classic wool coats can  make you actually want to go outside in the cold just to show off your coat!

Preston and York Tab Waist Walking Coat

Calvin Klien Cape Coat

This is one of the hottest looks of the season! You can even wear a long necklace on the outside of the coat and make it a true part of your outfit

Steve by Searle Coat

I absoluetly LOVE this color!

I will be back next week with more fashionable winter finds.  Have a SASsy week!

Questions? Comments?  I want to hear from you!  Follow me on twitter @MzSAS and leave feedback below.

Hottest Bags of the Season

Hello SASsy friends!  This week is all about my latest shopping addiction, handbags!  Since I am on the hunt for a new statement bag, I decided to share some of my favorite picks for tote bags, classic work bags, statement bag and evening clutches.

The Tote Bag:

These bags are essential for women especially those living in major cities like New York, were we have to carry our lives in tote bags to and from work and events.

Longchamp tote bag $88, these super durable bags are perfect for city life

Burberry Tote $228

Tory Burch Tote $525:

The Classic Work Bag:
Every professional woman should have a classy and sophisticated handbag to wear to work.  Check out these stylish options:

Coach Signature: $228

 Coach Poppy Push Lock Satchel $378

Burberry Bowling Bag $650

Marc Jacobs Too Hot To Handle Hobo $438

Marc Jacobs Quilted Sham $1395

Louis Vuitton Monogram $2400

The Statement Bag:

These bags do just what the title suggest, make a statement! Check out these fun colors and animal prints:


Coach Madison Patent Lindsey Satchel $478

Marc Jacobs Classic Hobo (comes in several colors) $428

Marc Jacobs Color Block (also comes in green) $528

Fendi Python Satchel (Saks 5th Avenue exclusive) $1595

Gucci Zebra Print Calfhair $3100

And this one breaks the bank but it's hot the Gucci Python Print Bag a whopping  $3900

The Evening Clutch Bag:
When going out on the town, grab one of these super hot clutches and party the night away!

Bloomingdales Exclusive Animal Print Clutch $118

 Sondra Roberts Satin Rose $118

Michael Kors Tilda Clutch $198

Be&D Clutch $228

Badgley Mischka Evening Clutch $395

...And here's the bank breaker, Burberry Briddled Clutch $895

Whatever bag you chose, just make sure it's a reflection of your personal style and you can't go wrong!

Well, I 'm off to Mexico for vacation,  have a SASsy week!

Like the SASsy report, have suggestions? I want to hear from you! Be sure to leave comments and follow me on Twitter @MzSAS.

The Best Online Deal Sites

Hello SASsy friends! With so many online flash deal sites it's hard to determine which one is right for you and has the best deals.  This week, I've reviewed my top 5 flash deal sites: Ruelala.com, Ideeli.com, Gilt.com, MyHabit.com and HauteLook.com.

Each site has been reviewed on site layout/user friendliness, variety of products, sale prices, shipping costs and return polices.

Ruelala.com

This is one of my personal favorite sites.  Once you purchase an item on the site, your shipping in free for the next 30 days  There is an excellent of products from both high end and regular mainstream designers at seriously discounted prices.  The site has a very clean and easy to navigate layout.

If an item you want has sold out, you are able to select the "still want it" option and if they find the item, they charge your card and send it to you. The return policy allows for either a site credit or full refund of the purchase price minus return shipping.

My favorite part of Ruelala.com, is the final sale.  I will block off my calendar so that when 11am EST comes, I can get first dibs on the designers I love at even lower prices. 

Typically this sale is is in 2 "acts" separated alphabetically. This time the designers were randomly selected with a poor selection of bags and shoes. Even worse, the first act usually stays up after the second act starts and this time it didn't.  I even got approval to purchase a handbag and couldn't find one I liked!  Hopefully the next one will be better.

Ideeli.com

This is another favorite of mine and I spend way too much money on this site.  Ideei has a wide variety of sales daily everything form Hemes bags to Puma workout gear.

The layout is user friendly and I love how they allow you to see a handbag on an actual person. Shipping on this site is $9.95 for your first order and all other orders on that same day ship for free.

If an item you are looking for has sold out, you can wait list it and will be notified if the item becomes available again.  They have awesome final "red" sales with a huge selection of items in a wide range of categories at well below retail prices.

The down side to this site is, unless you are a paid first row member, you don't get first dibs on deals and their customer service is very hard to contact and returns are for store credit only.  Also purchases can take a while to ship, however this has been improving as of late.

Gilt.com

This is one of the original deal sites and still one of the best. Gilt has an amazing selection of both high end and regular merchandise daily.

They even have dedicated shops for staples like work handbags, jewelry wardrobe pieces. The home site has tons of items that would make great gifts especially with the holiday right around the corner.

Final sales on this site are great as well and if the item you want is sold out, they will try to find it and allow you to purchase it.

Shipping is $5.95 for your first order and free for all order made in that same day. They have great customer service and the site is very user friendly.

MyHabit.com

This is one of the best laid out sites on the web. MyHabit.com has a great selection of mostly high end brands and even has videos of models wearing the garments.

Right now, they are offering 15% off purchases through the 18th for customer appreciation.  Additionally, they have an amazing selection of home and kitchen goods. They are my go to site for home goods.

Shipping on this site is free in the US and items arrive quickly. Refunds are provided in the form of Amazon.com (parent company) gift cards that can used on Amazon, My Habit or Endless.com.

HauteLook.com

HauteLook.com is owned by Nordstrom and is slightly cheaper than most deal sites. While, they may be slightly cheaper, the site is very cluttered and not user friendly.

They have a variety of brands daily, however very few high end brands . Shipping is $9.95 for the first purchase and all other purchases are free for the remainder of the day.

One of the biggest downside is that it takes a while for ordered items to come in.  Refunds are offered on returned items for either site credit or cash, minus a $5.95 shipping charge.



Each of these sites are great it just really depends on what you are shopping for. I've purchased a variety of products from all of them and overall have been satisfied with my purchases. If you would like more information on this sites or recommendations on which one is best for your needs, feel free to leave comments and I will respond quickly.

Have a great week SASsy friends!

Follow me on Twitter @MzSAS

Daytime to Nightime: Best Dresses of the Season

Hello SASsy friends, I hope everyone is having a great week.  With the fall in full effect and winter just around the corner, finding the right dress can be a bit of a challenge.  There are multiple choices for for both daytime and evening looks.   Find some thick tights (I love Nicole Miller Sweater Tights), cute boots or pumps and work it!  Here are my pics for the best daytime, career and cocktail dresses of the season.

Daytime Sweater Dress:
This is the perfect dress to stay warm and fashionable.

Calvin Klien Sweater Dress $118 Nordstrom.com

Marc New York Sweater Buckle Dress $138 Dillards.com



Career Dresses:
Stay sassy with these great work ready dresses.

Belted Long Peasant Dress $69 Anntaylorloft.com

Maggie London Color Block Knit Dress $189 Lordandtaylor.com

Flared Skirt Dress $79 Zara.com

Cocktail Dresses:
After every long work week, it's fun to get dressed up and and hit the town.  Keep the party going with this fun and flirty dresses.


Marina Sequine "Cold Shoulder" Dress $160 Dillards.com

Tadashi Shoji One Shoulder Lace Dress $298 Nordstrom.com

Donna Ricco One Shoulder Satin Sheath Dress $138

If you are in the mood to treat yourself and splurge, try Notte by Marchesa.  (Warning this is the kind of splurge where you make sure your significant other never finds the receipt and you cut the tags off before you leave the store)

Floral One Shoulder Dress $795 Neimanmarcus.com

...And my personal favorite, the Silk Crepe dress also $795

Happy shopping!

Like the SASy Report, have questions or suggestions for future editions? I want to hear from you!  Please leave feedback and I will respond within 48hrs.  Don't forget to follow me on twitter @MzSAS

Keeping the Winter Blues and Pounds Away

Hello SASsy friends, I hope everyone is having a great week.  Now that the weather is changing, it's easy to fall into the trap of wanting to stay warm in comfy in the house all winter long.  During the winter months we like to trade in sweating at the gym for lounging in sweat pants, social activities for movie nights and salads for mac & cheese.  To avoid turning into and looking like a couch potato, follow these tips:

Tip 1: Keep it Moving

That's right keep it moving, not in the sense of getting rid of a guy/girl and moving on, but keep doing what you've been doing.  So what if you can't go to your favorite rooftop or dine outside, that doesn't mean you can't hang out with your friends.  Try organizing a girls night out, poker night for the fellas or a weekend getaway. Continue to be social, the more social you are, the more you will be able to ward off the winter blues.


Tip 2: Try Something New

Don't stop going to the gym just because it's cold outside and it's so much warmer in your bed. (We have all made that excuse, myself included.) Remember you can hide your fat with lots of layers in the winter, but when spring comes and the layers come off, you don't want extra fat and dimples to fall out.

When working out, try new exercises to keep yourself motivated.  This one is my favorite total body workouts.  I train 4-5 days a week and can only do 3-5 of these so don't feel bad if you can't knock out a ton the first few times you try it.

The ManMaker:

Get two dumbbells (db) of manageable size for rows/dumbbell squats (I use 5-10lbs, after one rep you will understand why)

1) Start in the push-up position with hands on db's, complete a push up

2) Row one of the db's after you're in the up position of the push-up, then place db back on the ground and do another push-up

3) Repeat step 2 with the opposite arm performing the row at up portion of push-up

4) Jump your feet near your hands

5) Bring db's to waist height and squat down until you can rest db's on deck slightly in front of your body.

6) Stand up from the squat while raising the db's over your head

6) Jump back into push up position and repeat

For a video demonstration follow this link:


ManMaker Demo


Tip 3: Shop, Shop Shop!

When all else fails, retail therapy always me beat the winter blues.  I love the feeling of new clothes on my back and shoes on my feet!  These are my favorites:

Nine West Nathania:

Burberry Nova Leather Boots

Laundry

Alica + Olivia

Elie Tahari

That's all for this week!

Like the SASsy Report?  Have suggestions for upcoming issues?  I want to hear from you! Leave comments and  feedback and I'll respond within 24 hrs.