The Busy Woman’s Guide To Looking Fabulous

Many times the new year means a new you. Part of this process involves making sure you look elegant even if you don’t have much free time in your busy schedule to think about fashion.
 
One way to save time and still look great every day is to make sure your wardrobe includes basic items in colors that go with everything, such as black and white. Investing in some high-quality clothing at the beginning of the year allows you to look stylish all year long without having to spend time and money replacing poorly made clothes. Clothes made of poor quality materials simply do not hold up as well and eventually have to be thrown away, while high quality materials can always be altered or taken to a tailor.
 
Too many women discard a piece of clothing when it does not fit anymore, rather than taking the clothing to a tailor and having them adjust it. Most of the time clothes can be altered for a cheaper price than it would cost to buy new ones. Another option besides finding a tailor is finding a seamstress; one that can create a totally new style from old, high-quality materials. By taking old garments to either a tailor or seamstress instead of throwing them away, you simply have yourself a new outfit!
 
But sometimes a truly busy woman wouldn’t even have time to stop by a tailor! What’s a gal to do? Hire a personal shopper! Consider budgeting for a personal shopper to do all the choosing, waiting, and buying of your wardrobe for you, while you take care of the real work at the office.
 
Or you may be one of those fashionistas that has to be the only one in charge of her closets. This is where online shopping comes in handy. Armed with nothing more than the correct size and the desired color, ordering clothes online is much easier and less time consuming than going shopping in a mall or department store..that’s where Sastique comes in. At Sastique Fashions we make shopping online easy for our customers – from accurately sizing our garments to making sure items are shipped out on time.
 
Having a few versatile pieces of jewelry can make any outfit more sophisticated as well. Shopping for elegant ladies clothing as well as jewelry, is the easiest way to stay stylish and comfortable. A few classic jewelry pieces can be enough to upgrade an outfit, to go from a day at the office to a night on the town. Stylish jewelry compliments even the most casual outfit. A glimmering long necklace is the perfect way to dress up a v-neck style shirt or sweater. Even a charm bracelet can take an ordinary outfit from office-ready to causal and meaningful. Small earrings can add a subtle appeal to any outfit, while dangly earrings can add a lot of glam.
 
By owning a few basic pieces of clothes and jewelry you will have a very flexible wardrobe that can be adapted to whatever is necessary, whether that be a mandatory office meeting or a much anticipated gala event. Being fashionable does not have to be time consuming if you plan wear your wardrobe smartly. It is easy to look and feel fabulous with little effort on your part.
 

Ultimate Guide to Finding Elegant Boutique Dresses

Trying to find that perfect outfit for an evening party or gala can be a difficult task. Especially if your task is to look for a uniquely-made dress in a boutique. But not so if you where to look and what to look for in terms of design, style and quality.
 

Where We Find Our Dresses

At Sastique Fashions, we find all of our quality clothing and accessories from individual designers and manufacturers all over the world. While we enjoy working with a variety of partners out-of-state and overseas, our passion is to remain connected to our home here in Phoenix, AZ. Therefore our main focus in the coming years is to partner with more local designers to increase our stock of quality boutique dresses.
 
As an upscale clothing boutique, we pick and choose (read: fuss-over) the types of clothing that our customers want. We never carry items that we wouldn’t wear ourselves. Our fashion is always unique but classic and conservative.
 
One such dress is the “Peach Angel Dress”. This vintage-inspired dress has an elegant lace design across the front to it’s sheer back. A beautiful light peach with a beveled skirt and short babydoll sleeves.
 
Another similar vintage-inspired dress is the “Ivory Fields Dress”. It is a plus-size only, a-line style dress with a lace design on the top and skirt on the bottom. The garment is a creamy nude color.
 

What To Look For In a Quality Dress

There are several individual ways to tell if an item is low quality. In terms of fashion, how to tell if something was made among a particular standard is a bit more subtle. Here are the 3 most common ways to tell if a dress (or any clothing for that matter) is higher in quality:
 

1. Hemlines

The hemline is the stitching or seam along the ends of a garment. The stitching can be used to either pull to pieces of fabric together or to secure the ends of a piece of fabric, such as a skirt. A bad hemline would run crooked and threads would appear to be unraveled (especially noticeable at the ends). A good hemline would be straight and threads would appear to be neatly tightened.
 

2. Material

What is the material made out of? It is common knowledge that some materials are higher in quality than others; such as cotton as opposed to polyester, or silk as opposed to cotton. However there are many variations of polyesters, and some are of higher quality than cotton. There are also many different variations of quality among silks. The most important factor when deciphering quality is whether the material will fit your needs – given the material quality, is the dress you want within your budget?
 

3. Cut

Have you ever gone to a second-hand store, tried on a pair of shorts (or the like) and thought they fit right…except it seems to be cut funny. This may along go with hemlines, but “cut” is usually the term associated with how the garment is stitched in a certain way. You can notice if a dress has a quality cut just by how the sleeves and skirt are aligned. If one of the sleeves are off-center or the skirt isn’t cut straight across, you know the dressmaker didn’t follow accurate measurements.

5 Popular Appetizer Recipe Ideas for the New Year

Getting ready for an epic New Year party? Finding simple, delicious, and popular holiday recipes to follow does not have to be a difficult task. The options listed below are tasty and easy to make, and are sure to be favorites among your guests.
 

1. Cheese log

Recipes for popular holiday appetizers do not have to be difficult or time consuming, and the cheese log proves that. Sprinkle some pepper and various spices of your choice onto wax paper and then roll goat cheese on top. Sprinkle it with olive oil when finished and serve with crackers.
 

2. Shrimp Cocktail

Some popular holiday food recipes add a touch of elegance to the occasion, like shrimp cocktail. It is simple but so classy, giving everyone something to enjoy. The first step is preparing the shrimp, which can be done anyway that you want to, like roasting. Once they are fully prepared, serve them on a platter alongside the sauce or sauces of your choice.
 

3. Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffed mushrooms are one of the recipes for popular holiday appetizers that everyone can enjoy. After removing the stems from the mushrooms and leaving only the caps, brush those caps with melted butter or margarine. Set them on a baking pan and prepare the rest. The stuffing is going to include melted butter or margarine, the mushroom stems, garlic, onion, cream cheese, and whatever else interests you.
 

4. Deviled Eggs

It is hard to forget deviled eggs when compiling a list of popular holiday food recipes. This one is easy to follow, it is something that a lot of people love, and you can make it all your own if you would like to. You start by boiling eggs, however many that you want to make. After they have boiled for about 10 minutes, take them out and put them into the fridge to cool. Once they are cooled down, remove the shells, cut them in half lengthwise, and put the yolks into a large bowl. Mix the yolks with mustard, mayonnaise, and relish then put them back into the empty whites, dusting with paprika, salt, and pepper once finished.
 

5. Bacon Wrap It

If you are looking for popular holiday recipes to follow that are delicious and simple, this is the way to go. You can do this with just about anything, including the recipes listed here. During the preparation of an appetizer, you just have to wrap it in bacon and then bake until the bacon is crispy and everything is ready to eat.
 
 
Whichever ones you decide to lay out for your guests, never forget the black-eyed peas. Not everyone likes them but remind them of the excellent source of fiber and, most importantly for a lucky New Year! Include them in a mixed bean soup, or alone with broth and a touch of salt. Yum!
 

Finding the Perfect Christmas Gift for Your Guy

Christmas is fast approaching and the main thing that’s buzzing around in everyone’s mind is what you should get for your loved ones. Lets not lie about it even the best of us feel the “perfect Christmas gift” jitters.
 
When encroaching these uncharted lands, it’s not quite the same situation for guys. Women have it a lot better because (I am going to let the dogs out) every girl must have definitely wondered at some point or the other on what to present her other half.
 
Its pretty simple actually.
 
Girl likes boy, boy likes girl…
Just like any other love story but what you didn’t know is that every guy has a romantic inside of him, and he loves it when you can surprise him with something romantic.

 
If you get him something that is able to showcase how you feel about him then that in itself is priceless. And no I am not talking about those corny “I heart…” sweaters. Give your guy something he might use. For example you can give him an accessory like a bracelet or a ring, or maybe even a locket that he can remember you with. Maybe you can even give him a shirt or something, guys take fashion advise from women very seriously. So this can even be your chance to give your guy a makeover. The key to a well appreciated gift is for it to be simple. Don’t just go for the expensive gifts.
 
Case in point: Some guys might value a price tag but someone who values you doesn’t care much about it.
 
 
The most ideal gift however would be getting something that he always wanted. It could be a special edition of his favorite album or something you know that he always wanted but never got around to buying.
 
The best place to buy your gift is obviously the Internet. There are many websites that specialize in Christmas gifts and chances are you can find one within an hour or two of searching. It is also discreet and he will never suspect. Or if your guy likes to shop somewhere then that is where you must go. The location entirely depends upon what you want to buy.
 
If your not sure what you should get him then lead him into answering that question for you. Don’t just ask him what he wants outright, talk to him and figure out what he likes the most. It’s kind of easy to spot because whenever someone talks about something that they love, you can see them getting much more lively and animated. Look for that sparkly twinkle in his eyes. And if you are really good you will find out what he wants without him even realizing it. I advise you to do your best not make it obvious. Because doing so will let you surprise him, and believe me guys love surprises. If you make him go bananas about your surprise then chances are, he will go bananas for you. If you do it right then your guy will be enamored of you, and this Christmas will be one of the Christmas’s he remembers.

8 Easy Ways to De-Stress Your Life

Stress can cause mental and physical tension in the body. Stress is generally caused from an event or problems in an individual’s life. There are ways to eliminate stress and de-stress your life by using a vast variety of methods. It is impossible to live a completely stress free life, but it is possible to cope with it as well as eliminate some stressors.

 
There are 8 successful ways to get rid of stress that will help to de-stress your life:
 

1. The first step is identifying the source of where the stress is coming from. Take the time to evaluate where the stress is coming from and write it down on a piece of paper.
2. After finding out where the stress is coming from the next step will be making a plan to get rid of the stress.
3. A stressor can often be eliminated. Avoiding people or things that cause stress is helpful in many cases. Developing copping skills through relaxation time or doing a hobby that is enjoyable may reduce stress.
4. Taking time for yourself is very important and will give you a break from life. Time for your self can consist of painting, shopping, listening to music or even taking a warm bath with candles while reading a good book.
5. Being organized with your time, work, and scheduling and other aspects into your life will help de-stress your life by preventing chaos. Trying to minimize multi-tasking can relieve stress for some people.
6. Slowing down some instead of rushing into everything can help keep stress from building up. If physically able to exercise a certain amount of time should be devoted to exercise each day. Exercising can be relaxing and it is good for your health.
7. Other ways of reducing stress can be found through talking to a counselor or writing in a journal. These methods can help build coping skills and provide a way to get problems off your chest.
8. Talking with a therapist is an excellent way to get advice on how to avoid stress, make changes and learn how to cope with stress better.

 
There are many methods of dealing with stress that are healthy and very successful. It is extremely important to keep levels of stress down in order to have a healthy state of mind. Before letting stress take over try any of these recommended methods, or create new ways to relax and encourage a stress free lifestyle.

Natural Solutions to Preventing Under Eye Bags and Dark Circles

Before rushing to buy the most advertised under eye cream to treat your recently developed dark circles, just check your kitchen once. All essential items which can naturally erase your eye bags as well as dark circles are there without the taxing of side effects. Here are a few simple guidelines and tips to consider:

1. Eye bags and dark circles are different

Swellings of under eyes are called eye bags. Dark circles do not come with swelling. Though they both develop due to limitations of proper rest, care and nutrition, they are different from each other in terms of their characteristics.

2. Eye bags: One fine morning

And the morning does not remain fine any more. But there is nothing to worry about. Eye bags can form if you cry all night long or even eat too much salt! Actually eye bags denote fluid accumulation. A general principle says that the fluid moves to places where there is more salt. So, to put it in simpler words, there can be many causes to puffy eyes. Cold and infection are other such reasons.

3. Dark circles develop gradually

Unlike, puffy eyes, dark circles develop over a period of time. And though health reasons do not feature among the causes of puffy eyes, dark circles are developed from inadequate nutrition and sleep-deprivation. Stress, such as balancing the demands of work and home responsibilities can be one example. The skin under our eyes is very delicate and it does not have any oil glands. Hence, it reflects signs of weakness, tiredness as well as aging faster than our facial skin.

Natural home remedies

If you already have dark circles, treat your eyes with cucumber juice and potato juice. Lemon juice also helps to lighten the under eye skin color. And if you want to prevent dark circles under eyes, then pay attention to your nutrition and the amount of sleep you are getting in a day. Include more fresh vegetables, fruits, sprouts, whole grains, milk products and water in your diet. Get seven to eight hours of sleep. There are many natural ways to eliminate eye bags too. Put some spoons inside the refrigerator. Take out after some time and place it on your eyes until the spoon attains a normal temperature.

Quick tips

If you are looking for natural ways to eliminate eye bags and prevent dark circles under eyes, here are some quick tips:

1. Remove your eye makeup properly before going to sleep every day
2. Use moisturizers to under eye skin
3. Eat healthy and exercise daily for better blood circulation
4. Quit smoking
5. Only go to an expert if you feel the need for a massage

5 Foods to Avoid on Thanksgiving That Will Ruin A Healthy Diet

Holiday season is one time which makes even those who are most strict with their diet plans take a break. With all the fun and food around, it is a bit tough to keep the pounds from piling. Maintaining the diet becomes all the more during Thanksgiving, which is all about carved turkeys and family dinners.

However, there is a healthier alternative to most dishes. Here is a list of five foods, which you should avoid if you want to achieve that much wanted weight loss:

Red Meat

This Thanksgiving skip the red meat and make white meat a part of the table. White meat is the skinnier and healthier meat as opposed to red meat. Just the statistics prove so. If one considers a portion of 3 ounces, dark meat contains 160 calories and has 11 grams of fat. On the other hand, 3 ounces of white meat has 115 calories and fat content equaling 7 grams. So just by replacing dark meat with white turkey breasts one stands at saving almost 45 calories and 4 grams fat content and is that much closer to the targeted weight loss.

Sweet Potato Casserole

During Thanksgiving, it is generally a choice between sweet potato casserole and green bean casserole. From weight loss and diet point of view, it is prudent to ditch the sweet potato casserole in favor of the green bean one. For a portion size of three-fourth of a cup, sweet potato casserole has 5 gm fat and 285 calories. On the other hand, green bean casserole has only 161 calories.

Apple Pie

Say goodbye to apple pie this holiday season. Just one eighth of a 9 inch pie has 19 grams of fat and packs 411 calories. Instead, one can opt for healthier pies such as one made from pumpkin. Same size slice of pumpkin pie has only 316 calories and 14 grams fat. To begin with, apple pie has the extra crust which translates into extra calories. The vanilla ice – cream, which generally serves as the apple pie topping, also adds into the calories being ingested.

Traditional Sausage Stuffing

This is one tough one to stick to. Thanksgiving comes once a year and the traditional sausage stuffing is part of many a household dinner table. However, just a three fourth cup of stuffing ensures that one is downing 19 grams fat and 371 calories. A dinner roll with butter might be a healthier option to explore as compared to the stuffing.

Jellied Cranberries

The topping is as important as the main ingredient when it comes to preparing that perfect dish for Thanksgiving. Even though it may sound otherwise, it is the gravy which is the skinnier topping as compared to jellied cranberries. For a serving size of one fourth of a cup, the gravy increases the calorie count by 30 and the fat content intake by 1.5 grams. Jellied cranberries, on the other hand, increase the calorie count by 110. As tempted as you may be refrain topping your special dishes with the ever so yummm cranberries, instead go sober and top them with gravy if you are diet conscious.

A Variety of Clothing Sizes to Choose From

Drumroll please!

Naturally as Sastique continues to grow, we will begin to offer more products and services. One of the ways we are growing is by realizing the importance of stalking variety on our shelves. The designers and manufacturers we work often don’t realize the importance of product variety and thus it is our duty to remind them of accommodating all of our customers.

We are happy to announce new shipments of plus size as well as petite size clothing. Please keep checking back as we start adding more of a variety of clothing sizes to our website. You may also notice a change in menu and category options as our boutique begins introducing new items.
 
 
 

 
Amber making a quick inspection of the new shipments before their journey to storage. Alala! Can’t you tell she’s excited?

How to Create a Better Work-Life Balance For the Working Woman

We juggle many roles at once. It gets very tiring. Sometimes there’s just not enough time in the day. Or like some women, you get into an Energizer Bunny mood where you can’t stop going and going. Sometimes we attune to the saying “a busy mind is a happy mind”.

The media feeds to this notion that we are not living fully or ‘happily’ unless we spend every minute of every day doing something. Commercials, television programs and movies are created to entertain us with quick words, intense drama and fast action. Most of today’s youth are said to have problems dealing with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders due to high-paced action cartoons and video games.

You could also blame the corporate world’s push to become more competitive, which translates into more working hours and overtime.  Some companies state on their websites or job postings about their commitments to offer a better work-life balance, but I often wonder if they really mean it. To those companies, what they really mean is that working here will become your life.
Creating a better work-life balance at work may be difficult to do. However there are some things you can do yourself to make it better. Here are 5 things YOU can do to create a better work-life balance:

This can be tricky if you work from home, but have a defined time (or barrier) between work time and play time. When you work from home, have a designated office where no one can disturb you and distractions are minimum. Better yet, shut the door to feel more of a barrier between your ‘home’ and ‘office’. Try to stay at your desk during your normal office hours, with the exception of a lunch hour of course. Don’t allow yourself to do anything else except work during your work hours (like laundry, doing dishes, etc). Anything that needs your attention in the house can wait until the end of your work day.

If for some reason you can’t work at home or you don’t have a designated office at home, visit a local coffee shop, library or anyplace else you won’t be disturbed. The same rules would apply as if you are working from home. No other activities besides work should be going on. Other activities besides work can wait until after your ‘work day’.

When you are like most people and work out of the home, then leaving work at work may be easier. It depends what your profession is of course, but do your best to administer work activities only at work in order to have a clear line between work and home. If there are times where you must bring work home with you, have a designated office so as not to be disturbed. Make appointments with yourself at home to finish work activities that must be done at home (i.e. between certain hours), so that you can retain a healthy work-life balance. If family or home life is a first priority, work should be able to be scheduled around it.

2.    Do something for yourself every day

Take a least an hour each day doing something you enjoy. Preferably an activity you can do on your own like reading, crafting, cooking, listening to music, taking a walk, etc. These activities help wind you down from a long day at work. They also help define a clearer transition from the end of the work day.

Yes this will add more time to your clock but a 30-60 min exercise routine really does the body and mind good. Make it a priority and it will reward in more ways than one. Your best option is start your exercise routine before work in the morning, as the routine will likely turn into a habit and will keep you energized throughout the day.

Diet can do a tremendous amount of good to your overall feeling of well-being. A proper diet would include a large variety of fruit and vegetables, while limiting intake on sugars, fats and processed foods. Maintaining a balanced diet will also keep you alert and ready to take on the day, rather then dragging along. Making changes to create a better work-life balance can be stressful, and proper diet is a major way of lessening stress.

Most importantly, learn to relax. So many of us worry about how much we are getting done or not getting done. While it is important to be productive, there comes a time when your body and mind need to rest. Massage is a good way to relax muscles and relieve tension that may have built up in your body.
Other suggestions could be yoga classes at your gym or even a few stretches before your morning run. Better yet, besides yoga, I am a firm believer in mediation for relaxing the mind. Checkout your gym again to see if there are free classes, if not there may be local meetups or community classes that offer group meditation classes.

In addition to the suggestions above, creating a better work-life balance outside of work may not be enough. If you’re at a company that doesn’t value a proper work-life balance or you work at a place that takes advantage of your time, there are a few actions you can take without having to quit your job.

Go out to lunch.

If your work allows it, go out to eat for lunch instead of staying in. By leaving the office for a half-an-hour to an hour, you are in a way ‘giving your mind’ a break from the monotony and routine of the office. Don’t be tempted to bring work with you…that includes even thinking about work. By the time you come back from lunch, you will be fresh and ready to work again. In fact, that problem you were stumped on earlier may have come to light while you were away. You only had to clear your head to see a solution.

Speak to your supervisor.

This may be difficult but it may the only solution to creating a better work-life balance for yourself. If your boss doesn’t realize that your life outside of work is important to you, then you need to find a compromise. Consider the hours you work and the amount of work you do. Do you often find yourself piled with work at the office, which results in feeling obligated to bring work home? Are you fairly compensated for overtime work? Is overtime something you agreed upon when you were first hired? Did rules change? Did management change? All of these decisions and how you articulate your needs to your supervisor is up to you. If you are not happy with the resulting compromise or your situation at work, then consider finding another job. There are other companies out there that believe in a proper work-life balance. No job should be worth your sacrificing your personal health and well-being.

6 Fashionable Holiday Hairstyles to Show Off This Thanksgiving

Well, it’s the holiday season of the year. Almost everyone is looking for that perfect dress, those perfect shoes, the much awaited handbags and all those amazing accessories. However, one thing that gets ignored till the very end is the hair and the different hairstyles one can try.
 
Hairstyles can make or break a dress. The wrong one can make the most glamourous dress look drab while the perfect one can literally turn you into a Cinderella. This holiday season, here is a list of some of the most fashionable ways to style your lovely tresses.
 

Hair Gems

This is one of the easiest and most fashionable ways to style your hair. The biggest USP of hair gems is the fact that they look good on everyone, irrespective of the length or hairstyle. Also, it takes very less effort to get that perfect look. This holiday season try accessorizing your hair with hair gems. Use your straighteners to create bangs and curls and layer them with gems to give a beautiful and mesmerizing effect.
 

A Disheveled Bouffant

This bouffant is different from others in the manner that even those with less volume of hair can try it and get a voluminous look. To begin with, use hair volumizer at the roots and then blow dry it, all the while using a brush to lift it up. Follow this with a teasing of the crown. The final step is to use bobby pins to secure the hair firmly at the back of the neck after sweeping them over the ears. This hair style teamed with a flowing gown is sure to give you an elegant look this holiday.
 

Messy Ponytail

A ponytail has been done to death with the number of forms to make it currently popular. This holiday season add that fashionable twist to it by ditching the neat good girl look in favor of a little messier one. Pair that amazingly sexy little black dress with the innocent, out of the bed messy pony tail and keep everyone figuring which one of the two girls you exactly are.
 

Side French-Braid

Whether you wavy hair or the ultra – straight silky hair, this is one style you HAVE to try out. This type of braid neither lies totally at the back nor traces your face. Instead, it makes your face look softer and prettier. The side french braid hairstyle is so easy to master that even a novice can try her hands at it and look no less than a diva!
 

The Fishbone

Fishbone is another fashionable hairstyle that is currently enjoying immense popularity. Many fashion blogs are almost swearing by it. Tutorials of it are easy to find online. It is different, edgy and requires just a bit of practice to master.
 

The Power Pony

This is the perfect hairstyle for those who like clean and neat looks. Easy to master, you begin with blow drying your hair. Then make a pouf in a criss-cross pattern and secure it at the back of your crown. The rest of the hair should be tied back in a ponytail with a strand of hair being used to hide the elastic and later secured with a pin. This is one of the most appropriate hairstyles if there is an office party being thrown, and you wish to sport a dignified yet subtle look.