Hello, hello out there. As you can probably tell, I'm deep into my holiday schedule - which is one way to say that things are so crazy that I won't be back into the full swing of blogging until after the new year. I spent a nice holiday with my family on the bayou, but now I'm back in the frigid (to me, anyway!) Mid-Atlantic. Needless to say, I have LOTS of beauty/fashion reviews to share with you of the products I've tried in the last month. Catching up on my reading today I stumbled on a holiday drink that might be spicy enough to warm your winter nights even after Christmas. It's called the Red Hot Santa-tini (on TheGloss.com) and it's pictured in the upper left-hand corner. Here's what it'll take to make it:
Ingredients
Cocoa powder
Cayenne pepper
Small chili peppers
Whipped cream
Chocolate liqeur (we like Godiva’s)
Vodka
Rim a martini glass with cocoa powder with a pinch of cayenne pepper added. Shake together 2 oz. vodka and 2 oz. chocolate liqueur and pour into glass. Top with 1 1/2 oz. sweetened whipped cream. Garnish the cream with a small chili pepper. Enjoy!
Holiday Update and a Cocktail
The Hunt for the Perfect Holiday Dress
Is anyone else determined to find a great (or maybe more than one) holiday frock? If so, let's talk about it! What kinds of events are you going to and what do you plan to wear? Here are some of the dresses that caught my eye on the web this week:
Monif C
Tadashi Shoji Salon Z
Old Navy
Kiyonna
macys.com
Crystal Renn in Harper's Bazaar
Here are two striking new pictures of the ever-gorgeous Crystal Renn from the December 2010 issue of Harper's Bazaar. 
Well... what do you think?
Are You Juicy?
For all my happily body-con girls. (And you know who you are!) Here is the Juicy Dress by Stop Staring.
Comes in sizes 1X, 2X, & 3X
$110
Fashion to Figure Casting Call
We know there are some gorgeous ladies in our midst. We see your pics and read your blogs. If you're one of those beautiful and confident women living in the Brooklyn, New York area you might want to make your way to Fashion to Figure store at Kings Plaza Mall on November 13th. That's when FTF will have an open model casting from 10am to 2pm. The winner will be featured in an exciting photo shoot. Find out more on the Fashion to Figure website.
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Who's Dressing Up For Halloween?
I am! But I have to admit I still haven't made up my mind about what my costume will be. I've been doing a little surfing around on the internet today and I picked up some ideas, so I just need to narrow down my ideas. I also found some costumes that might help you ladies who are still hunting for a sexy Halloween "gettup". Alice-in-Wonderland and pirate wench costumes seem to be all the rage.
"Pirate Wench" at BigGalsLingerie.com
Plus Size Wonder Woman costume at Amazon.com
"Miss Wonderland" at Torrid
"High Speed Hottie" at StarCostumes.com 
"Admiral Pirate" at Baby Girl Boutique
"Malice" at Escapade.co.uk
Hot New Dresses from Anna Scholz
I'm really blown away by the new Anna Scholz dresses for Fall and Winter. (That's just based on style since I haven't actually nabbed one in real life.) If you haven't been to the website, there are a number of silhouettes available. But my personal favorite is the print jersey dress in key print. Here's a look at that one and a few others: 
So what do you think? Should I try out one of these? If you have any experience with Anna Scholz dresses, please let me know!
Beth Ditto for Evans
For weeks now there has been a wave of excitement over Beth Ditto's latest clothing line at Evans.co.uk. Unfortunately, some of the pieces that many ladies are interested in are already gone. But Evans says those items will be restocked. 
What do you think of the collection so far? If you haven't seen it yet, take a look at the Evans website.
Transitional Tops at eShakti
Admit it, you're ready for the Fall. Maybe you're not ready for Fall weather, but the more substantial clothing and accessories instead. Or maybe it's just me. Call me crazy, but I'm so over the forced carefree-ness of Summer. Bring on the drama!
Over the next couple of weeks, I'll make sure to keep you ladies updated on the end-of-Summer/start-of-Autumn sales that are still going on, but I'll also be looking ahead. Click HERE for a look at some of the fab tops eShakti.com has available and let me know what you think. I think they're perfect for the transition to cool weather!
Labor Day Sales
I just couldn't let this weekend pass without telling you about some really great Labor Day sales. All of them are going on through the holiday.
A major is going on right now at Torrid.com, where you can get 50% off clearance. Torrid.com
I personally just snapped up a Z. Cavaricci Dress today on Torrid that was originally almost $80, but was marked down to $25. Yay!
Also, get 15% off the ASOS collection at ASOS.com by using the checkout code AWSTYLE15.
E.L.F. is giving varying levels of discounts during it's Labor Day Secret Sale September 7 - 13. How much will YOU save? Click here to find out.
From now through 9/7/10 you can get 20% off on all Silhouettes orders when you use code LBLB20 at checkout.
And at Kiyonna.com, get 20% OFF orders of $100 or more when you use coupon code PARADE.
Looking for early Fall basics or super sales? Get 20% off $100 or 25% off any OldNavy.com
NOW is the time to stock up on bath-and-body goodies. If your beauty arsenal is running low, check out the Semi-Annual Skin Care Event The Body Shop
Enjoy your holiday!
Friend Friday: Fall Fashion
Today we're starting a new getting-to-know-you series called Friend Friday, which is run by Katy over at ModlyChic. Katy sends out personal questions each week and several of us answer them. It's a good way to reveal little things about ourselves and find out things about each other at the same time. I've been wanting to join the Friend Friday posts for weeks now, but couldn't seem to find a good point to jump in. (Blogging can be that way sometimes, kind of like double-dutch.) Anyway, today's topic is Fall Fashion. Jump!
1. What new fashion trend are you looking forward to sporting this fall?
I'm really excited about wearing vintage dresses and boots. But I'm sure I'll continue dabbling in the military styles, too. Love that stuff!
2. Which item in your closet is most likely to be your go-to transition piece?
I've already started reaching for my blue/grey Evans jacket my (army? olive?) green utility jacket as I head out the door, so I think light jackets will be my staples for the next few months.
3. What item from last year are you looking forward to reinventing this fall?
I'm eager to take out my jumpers and see if they'll work under jackets and blazers.
4. What is your favorite part about this time of the year?
Fall is my favorite season, so I enjoy the weather this time of the year. Fashion-wise, I love being able to layer clothing and experiment with heavier textures.
5. Will you be attending any fashion events this fall?
I don't know for sure yet. But I hope so!
Image by Thomas Blackshear
Dress of the Week: Cynthia Twist Dress
We love this! The Cynthia Twist Dress by Kiyonna combines a vibrant peacock print with a simple, sexy silhouette. It's made of a flattering jersey material and features a contrast twist for extra dimension.
Friday Finds: Brickhouse Bargains
The picture on the left is from Fashion-To-Figure, where you can get 15% off orders of $40 or more with the coupon code FTF15OFF. Another coupon code, FTF65SHIP, will get you free shipping on orders of $65 or more.
Silhouettes is giving up to 85% Off Summer Clearance items.
Looking for a sassy bag to go with your hot duds? Check out the Shop Suey Boutique and use the discount code SHOP20 to get 20% off your order.
If you're one of millions of women dreaming about owning a new pair of Fluevogs, you should know there are still some nice markdowns to be found over at the big sale.
And how's this for a combo? If you buy any full price shoe at Baby Phat, you'll receive 30% off any handbag. That offer is good until August 26th.
What if Crocs made pumps? Oh, wait. They do. And they're almost half off now through Sunday. Get a pair of the Conse pumps - originally $89.99 - for just $49.99 on Crocs.com.
What's New In Jewelry
Looking for ways to spruce up your Summer wardrobe? Jazzing your jewelry may be the way to go and you can begin by taking a cue from the latest trends. For starters, rings are making a comeback- as everything from flashy cocktail rings to classic anniversary rings and everything in between. Here are some other jewelry trends to look out for.
Chains, chains, chains
HeartOfMetal
White Watches
Fossil Women's Watches
Colorful Beaded Chandeliers
Kendra Scott
Plus Size Bracelets & Bangles
Stratus Silver
Floral Statement Necklace
Bionic Unicorn
Animal Rings
Emitations
So, what do you think? Would you rock any of these trends? What else do you recommend in terms of jewelry? Do tell!
JMS Review & $500 Giveaway
As we’ve discussed before, sportswear is one area of my wardrobe that is sorely lacking. Fortunately, this week I had a chance to try some sportswear offerings from Just My Size. I picked up some of the newest items from my local Wal-Mart and had a great time doing it. Check out my review on our newly-created review page and enter to win a $500 JMS shopping spree! It's so easy it's crazy. 
Shabby Apple's Plus Size Dresses
How did I not know about the lovely selection of plus size dresses at Shabby Apple?
I had heard of the company from a few LiveJournal communities and some clothing review websites, but I had never taken the time to find out what all the fuss was about. What finally caught my attention was an announcement on Twitter (yes, please follow me) about Shabby Apple's new sale where you can get 20% off most dresses by entering SUMMER20 at checkout. Here are some of the frocks that have me thinking about taking the plunge:
So, if you have any experience with these dresses from Shabby Apple or similar ones, I'd love to hear about it! What do you think???
