Top 10 best dressed at the 2013 Grammy Awards

Some celebs were well dressed while others were...meh! Let's focus on the ones who killed it and discuss a few fails. Which ones were your faves? More pictures after the break!

#1 Kelly Rowland in a George Chakra Couture gown

She destroyed them with that dress. Her body!

#2 Nas 

[MEN'S FASHION] Spotted! Dean Ellis from PhillipEllis

On the second day of Montreal's Fashion Week 24th edition, I was blown away by this man's style. I absolutely wanted to feature his style on Versass before Journal Métro, Elle Québec or other publication (HA!). Dean Ellis was here from Toronto and he looked like he came straight from a magazine's fall/winter spread. I'm serious. 

(More pics and details on what he is wearing after the break)

[EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW] RALPH LEROY X Kenscoff X Montreal Fashion Week

Montreal Fashion Week is coming up next week! Interesting shows, beautiful people, new collections and....Ralph Leroy. I had so set him apart because his fashion shows are always actual SHOWS: Music, lights, models and entertainment wise.  If you've been following him, you surely noticed the anticipation Ralph and his team have created on social media about his upcoming segment during Montreal Fashion Week.

Picture by Vincent Chine 

Refined and creative, his new collection will surely turn heads. Although I worked with him for just over 3 years, I am always pleasantly surprised by what he has to offer. His next show shares the name one of Haiti's most beautiful neighborhood: Kenscoff. Located about 10 km South West of Port au Prince, Haiti, this town is distinguished by its high altitude (approximately 1500 meters), its prestigious aspect and finally, for its cooler temperature. When I first saw the name for the show, my initial thought was: "Well yes! Kenscoff! It's a highly located prestigious city! Ralph Leroy will present us with a prestigious collection which will be an even better upgrade from his previous ensembles". However, this man's thoughts are always a mystery and I knew there was something deeper behind the whole event. The show promises to be out of the ordinary as it will feature 3 famous Haitian models/celebrities (Sarodj Bertin: Miss Haiti Universe 2010, Nayeli Fanfan: Best Female Model of the World 2012 and model Kiki Barth), Eddy Toussaint's "Ballets of Montreal" and a performance from the dance group "Ekspresyon".

I just HAD to get an exclusive interview from the man himself. It was a must! 

Check out the 5 question blitz with Ralph Leroy after the break.

Dear Kanye, I love these shoes

Dear Kanye, 

I need these shoes in my life. I won't even

What Sassou wore: Hot summer day off

I LOVE this dress I got from Beacon's closet and couldn't wait for Lahens, my couturier extraordinaire, to arrange it for me it so I could rock it! It orignally has to be tied behind the neck but I used the "American Apparel" method and turned it into a tube dress...well for that day anyways! Really appreciated all of the compliments I got for it and decided to share the details of this outfit with you guys :D

Dress: Beacon's Closet on 5th ave in Brooklyn, NY. Vintage HERMÈS! Believe it or not! I am still in shock I found an Hermès dress for a reasonable price. It wasn't in the best state in terms of fit but I bought it anyways and got it fixed. 

Belt: ADS. 2$. Real talk.

Bag: Got this one at Zara in Paris last year. Haven't seen it in Montreal yet! Niiiice :D

Bracelet: My own :)

Shades: Gucci. Amazing gift from Paris. Thank you daddy!

Earrings: Urban Behavior. With short hair, gigantic earrings are not an exaggeration.

I like mixing the old with the new and have a particular love for vintage/2nd hand items that are super unique.

Bold? Courageous? Yep! I cut my hair

Remember my previous post where I explained why I decided to go natural? Remember when I said that I would do a long-term transition and let my hair grow to a reasonable lenght THEN cut it?

Well...

See...


Things didn't quite go the way I planned.

 I got fed up of dealing with the two textures and my relaxed hair was starting to break at the demarcation line (the point between your natural hair and natural hair). So after much complaining, deep thoughts, reconsideration and advice from my loved ones including my hairdresser, I decided to just chop it off and start over! I didn't do the chop for the "style", more for the sake of healthy hair and actually ended up liking it! I was scared to lose some of my femininity and had no idea how it would look like on me but at the same time, I was willing to take the risk and didn't give a damn what others would say. So on July 5th, I did it. Check out some more pictures after the break + the video of my transition + big chop :) You can see more pics/posts of this journey  + the progression and growth on my Tumblr page! 

xoxo

Sass

What Sassou wore: Cream colors

I got a lot of compliments for this outfit! There is actually nothing new, except for my wife beater.

-Wedges: Aldo

-Skirt: 25 year old vintage skirt from God knows where

-Wife beater: Le Garage. They have great, affordable, long-lasting wife beaters. I bought it with the 25$ gift card I got in the gift bag at the opening of the Garage/Dynamite store on Ste-Catherine and Peel.

-Chain: My own, my favorite, my lucky charm and it has no brand. It was a Sweegt 16 gift. 

-Watch: Marc Jacobs

-Hoop earrings: Aldo. 

If you don't count my watch, I think my whole outfit isn't even worth 50$ since I got the wedges on sale. But the style and the elegance of the skirt and ensemble in general...PRICELESS!

30 Day Blogging Challenge. Day 2

DAY 2: SOMETHING YOU FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT

This is a tough one since I feel strongly about a lot of things. However, there is one thing I have discovered the hard way:

Following your passion is the way to happiness. 

For me, it speaks for itself although I keep realizing it during the most random moments (The numbers of Déjà Vus I have are intense). Lord knows I've done a lot of changes in my life when it comes to school and career. From law to finance to marketing to working in retail then telemarketing and now mortgages, I've seen it all. But at the end of the day, I've looked back in at my life and understood that there are three things I absolutely love and that are always a part of my life, no matter how busy I am. 

1. Writing

You must be thinking "Well obviously!!!", but sometimes something is so natural that you don't even realize it is a passion or a talent. When I was a kid, I learned how to read and write at a very young age and I remember just sitting in my room, writing stories. Unlike other kids, I hated drawing and preferred reading and especially writing. This trend followed me throughout my life... And I am not limited to writing stories, I also love writing poetry but it is very personal to me and I rarely share it....I think I shared poems only 3 times in my life: The first time in school during an oral presentation, the second time I recited a poem I wrote on Haitian women as my talent during the Miss Citronnelle Canada pageant and the last time in 2008 on Facebook, when I was going through very rough times. I don't know...I'm shy. Can't share my poetry..yet. Maybe one day I will! 

Check out my book collection and Barbie notebook (where I used to write my stuff).  With my signature high bun :D

8th grade: Won the first prize in my Reading and Writing class at Jean de la Mennais

When it comes to writing in general, I love it with all of my heart. It is the most healing thing for me, it is also

Shop for some jewelry!

Check out some new items available on our shopping section!

Oh by the way, we offer FREE shipping in North America for a limited time. How cool is this?

Gold bangles, multicolored bracelets, original handmade straw bag and more! Click here to directly access our jewelry, which are all 15$ and under. We also have some exclusive paintings up for sale:They are not laminated, so you can decide on the framing! 

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter!

xoxo

Sassou and Patou 

Look of the week: Teyana Taylor actually looks feminine

Teyana Taylor is very pretty but usually she's such a tomboy. It's nice to see her in a nice, feminine and sexy dress! If you got it, flaunt it!

The first lady of G.O.O.D. Music/Def Jam wore this beautiful white Emilio Pucci dress in Cannes at the movie premiere of

Look of the week: Guess who wore this sexy Givenchy gown? + Stars at the Met Ball

Guess which baby momma wore this FABULOUS gown in NYC last night for Vogue's 2012 Met Ball? This is definitely a love it or hate it dress, see who wore it and leave your comments below!

5 question Blitz with fashionista Lucille K.

I love love love meeting interesting people with a strong sense of fashion! 

For about 6 months, I was part of the Miss Afrique Montreal committee and got the privilege of helping with the auditions. I'll always remember my reaction when Lucille K walked in the room: This tiny and somewhat shy but goofy girl had style! Her uniqueness is so captivating I had no choice but to feature her on the blog! 

Alter Ego photo shoot for Miss Afrique Montréal 2012//Photo by Doro Saiz

By the way, Lucille is extremely down to earth and you will get to know to know a little bit of her with the following 5 question blitz but before, here are a few facts about this girl:

-She proudly represented her country of Burundi at the Miss Afrique Montreal 2012 pageant 2 months ago: She was the 2nd runner up! Her reaction was priceless, you guys should've been seen it! I thought she was going to faint of happiness.

-Lucille lives in Ottawa, not in Montreal.

-I said it before but she is TINY! Hehehe.

-Her love for BOW TIES adds some punch to her unique style. Matter of fact, her name on Twitter is @BowTied. Follow her!

5 Questions Blitz

Cuuute

1. I love your style! It is bold and creative! What are your favorite spots: Do you like vintage? 

Thank you so much! Of course, I like vintage but my selections are restricted and very basic! I'm not VERY into vintage, but some jewelry and simple pieces of clothing (like denim), those I love! I also shop in the least expensive and most random stores. Mix & match type of thing, while saving lots of money!

2. When and how did your love for bow ties start?

Hmm., I don't remember when I fell for bow ties but I can tell you that I fell hard in love with them! They definitely compliment an outfit & aren't expensive!! Ladies, bowties are NOT just for men! My first bowtie was a black one and I thought it was too plain so I'm going towards more colorful ones now to add a lil'sumtin some to my classy or everyday wear. I also like to change things up and wear a scarf as a bowtie or a normal tie!

3. In terms of fashion icons, who inspires you the most and why? 

I'm not really inspired by celebrities. Why? Simply because

Outfit of the day: Michelle Obama in skinny jeans

All I can say right now is DAMMMMMMMMMMMMMNNNNNN!!!!!

Here is the FIRST LADY looking FABULOUS at the Kid's Choice Awards yesterday. I always loved Michelle Obama not only because she is incredibly smart, but also because of her strong sense of fashion. My jaw just dropped when I saw this...she looks at least 15 years younger! Good job Michelle! Now ladies, let's get in shape for the summer huh? 

Wow. Just...wow. 

Color blocking is back: Get 10 outfits by mixing and matching the old & new!

I wrote about it and appreciated it but I never really got into it last year. I don't know... it seemed nice on OTHER people but I was scared to try it myself: I didn't mind wearing ONE colored item but you know me and my black...I had to wear my black...

But now.....NOW!!! I'm loving the whole color blocking idea to the fullest! And I'm not talking colored pants a black top and beige shoes: I'm talkin' colored pants, top, shoes and purse! All the way! Yes. Sarah is going to wear lots of colors! It was about time! 

Since I am a rookie to this trend, I went shopping last Friday and when I came back home, I decided to mix and match my new items with some older one to experiment this interesting fashion forward yet risky trend. See my new items, my old items, my even older items and finally, check out the outfits I came up with! Tell me what you think about them! Would you rock all of these colors at once?

THE NEW

Two new pairs of pants. Both of them are actually kind of sexy. 

These flats were only 8$ at Sirens so I got 4 pairs! They have other colors too. 

THE OLD

Clocksise: The blue shoes I wore at Miami's Funkshion Fashion Week in 2011, my sister's yellow suede Aldo shoes from the Spring-Summer 2011 collection, yellow Aldo platforms I got at their outlet back in 2009 and finally, my bronze birthday shoes from Aldo's Spring-Summer 2011 collection.

Red pants from Zara, an orange clutch from God knows where (from last year) and a vintage green clutch I got at ADS

THE VERY, VERY OLD: The "I can't believe I still have this" kind of old

I bought this orange t-shirt when I started working at Le Château...9 years ago! I bought the pink shoes at Aldo back in 2006 and the pink clutch I've had since high school: I have a picture where I have this clutch in my hands at a club called Groove Society. Groove Society does not exist anymore. 

See the TEN outfits I came up with after the jump! What do you think?

Shopping is now available on Versass!

I'm obsessed with food and fashion, which is why I started this blog. Furthermore, it was only a matter of time before I would have a shopping section!

******drum rolls******

http://www.shopversass.com/ is now official!!!

You can access it directly by typing it in your address bar or simply by clicking the "Store" tab on top of this page for the link.

Okay, I know. Another shopping website right? See, I'm not trying to make you bankrupt! Here are a few of the advantages you get by shopping on our site:

-FREE SHIPPING in Canada and the U.S. (for a limited time only), no minimal amount required.
-FLAT RATE of 15$ CDN for international shipping
-Personal delivery in downtown Montreal is available.
-Although I have a wide range of products, I only put the best of the best aka my favorite items (that me, my mom or sister actually own) on the shopping website.
-You can contact me by email at ANY TIME for questions or concerns about the products. No business hours. I usually reply within 2-3 hours max, unless I am sleeping (which you understand, right?)
-The payments are easy with PayPal. Click here to create a free account using your credit card or bank account. Also, I take cash payments through personal deliveries.


Currently, there are beauty products (makeup, skin care etc.), clothing items, home items and art. Soon there will be:

 -Even MORE beauty items: Lots of makeup, creams, brushes, hair products (including hair extensions) etc.
-MY OWN BRAND OF NATURAL SHEA BUTTER, straight from Africa. I will leave you guys in suspense for the name. Hehehehehe.
-More home & kitchen stuff. The secret is out now, you all know I love food but I'm pretty sure you didn't know about my love for home deco.
-Imported art: Paintings and sculptures.


When it comes to the Avon and Mark products on the website, I only put my favorite items. Click on the image below or email be to have access to the full e-catalogue.

Happy shopping!
xoxo
Sass

Outfit of the day: Cassie in Alexander McQueen boots

Okay. You guys know that although Cassie is not the best singer, she definitely IS a fashionista. I'm sure that having Diddy as a boyfriend is also VERY helpful in the fashion department.

She was spotted last week at Paris Fashion Week wearing these GORGEOUS 6 1/2 inches Alexander McQueen lace up boots. I have never seen boots like this and although they might have a stripper feel to them, she made them look classy. Paired with a simple turquoise dress shirt, shorts, a blazer and her #HairInnaDiBun, Cassie made a positive fashion statement.

SEXY!!! 

Oh and the boots are 1500$, if anyone is interested :O 

Beauty salon opening: KREST!!!

I am proud to announce that last Wednesday, my dear friend and beauty stylist Nadège Stamili opened her own salon! The opening was amazing, just like the owner! All while enjoying some food, drinks and music, the guests were invited to take pictures with Nadège, experience a great time and of course, have an exclusive first look at the salon located in the trendy Griffintown neighborhood. 

As a Congo native, Nadège has been styling hair for a very long time. I love the mission she states on her Facebook page: "To help men and women of all ages and all races to enhance their beauty because there are NO ugly people". Whether you want extensions, need relaxer, hair color or simply want to revive your natural hair, she will make you look like a star! The thing I like about her the most is her ability to listen and to guide you effectively with your hairstyle: Her blatant honesty is appreciated, as she will not let you do something that will not go with the shape of your face and instead, will suggest you the look that will suit you best. She is the only hairdresser I know with whom I can simply bring a picture of what I want, and she will do it almost perfectly while modifying it so that it fits ME! My sister's hair is naturally poofy, natural and sometimes hard to manage but Nadège was always able to make it look spectacular, whether it was by adding color or by simply giving it a superb haircut. In addition to being an original hairstylist, she is also a talented makeup artist and a permanent eyelash extension specialist (Misencil). 

At the opening

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Moroccanoil

I strongly recommend her to you, no matter what type of hair you have! And if you have an event coming up (wedding, birthday, engagement), get your makeup done by her! You won't regret it! 

KREST Beauty Salon

4366 Notre-Dame Ouest

Montreal (Quebec)

H4C 1R8

Phone #: (514) 293-2916 Tell her Sassou sent you!

Metro: 5 minute walk from Place Saint-Henri (Orange Line)

Get more information on her Facebook page

Click here to see how she hooked me up for my birthday! And check out some pictures of her work after the break! 

Look of the day: Natalia Kills in her video "Kill my boyfriend"

This out-of-the-ordinary 25 year old British singer/fashionista is not only a talented but she is extremely STYLISH...especially in her new video "Kill my Boyfriend".

The outfits, the makeup, the food, the setting, the poses, the hair (especially the bun)... I LLOVE LOVE LOVE all of the outfits in this video. It's all fashion! **Hands out multiple imaginary "outfit of the day" awards to the styling team of this video.** I barely listened to the lyrics (which are a little morbid, if you ask me. I wouldn't really wanna kill my boyfriend #imjustsayin), I simply STARED at each fashionable detail of the video...did you guys notice the turquoise nails? And the wallpaper? And the vintage-like black and white blazer? And....Okay. I'll stop. 

Semi-creepy awesomemess. Check out the video below:

5 reasons why you should invest in a good winter coat

YEP!

That is if you live in a country where it gets cold in winter, of course.  

And when I say invest, I really mean it. I don't care if your coat was on sale for 39,99$ at Urban Behavior, I can guarantee that your ass will freeze in it.  I'm talking about a coat that costs AT LEAST 200$ with a brand recognized for its use of materials that keep your body warm and isolated from the devastating cold. I have to admit I used to talk smack about Canada Goose coats until I actually realized how warm they were. Mind you, I still don't wear a Canada Goose (because I work downtown and I don't wanna look just like every two people I walk by), but there are other amazing LOCAL brands that will keep you warm all winter long like Rudsak (my personal favorite), Soia & Kyo, Mackage and more. 

Here are a few reasons why I urge you to invest in good winter gear:

1. You love life and want to continue living. 

Because you don't wanna die of cold while waiting for the bus. 

2. Because you'd like go through winter without any pain. 

Winter is long as hell in Montreal, it can last up to 7 months! It's much better when you are not freezing all the time, nose running and all because the frozen wind is going through your coat, directly on your skin, causing a harsh, painful feeling similar to a slow death. 

3. You can be fashionable while fighting for survival in this cold.

Many of these amazing coats look HOT! No need to look like an esquimo to look fly! Thanks Andy :)

4. You feel more comfortable. 

A good coat is not that thick! It's all about the quality of the material used so you can feel warm without looking like the "Bonhomme Michelin" nah mean? The good quality coats are so warm that you can wear a tank top under and not be cold! I am talking from experience. 

5. It's a good, long-term investment. 

Unless you roll in the snow everyday and throw it on the floor all the time or let your animals play with it, a good coat can last years. 

So if you're on a budget or what not, wait until Boxing Week (week following Christmas)! There are always sales and you can get your coat up to 50% off! 

Check out stores like Simons, Rudsak and Blue Marine (located in Montreal's Eaton Centre) for coats that will last.

That said, I will not even elaborate on the importance of good boots, scarf, gloves, wearing leggings under jeans, two pairs of socks etc... I mean, look at my picture? It was -40 degrees celcius and although no one could see my face except for my eyes, I was not cold at all! Lol. Okay I'll stop.

Montreal

xox

Sass

Check out some cool coats after the jump!

Look of the day: Lala Vasquez + Get it for less!

Lala Vasquez

Lala wore a gorgeous Yigal Azrouel Tux Front blouse a few weeks ago at the "Welcome to New York" party hosted by Kim Kardashion and Kris Humphries (I will say no comment about these two  as I try not to use too many curse words on my blog (Kris Humphries, I'll take you...) .

I really appreciate the boyish yet feminine look of the blouse. The sheer material adds the appropriate sexyness to the look.

Guess what? You can get a similar look for less at Zara! Blouses that look like the one Lala wore can be found for under 100$! Just pair it with some wide legged pants or some jeans, high heel platforms and you're good to go!

49.90$ CDN

59.90$ CDN

49.90$ CDN

Style it up with some Aldo wedges!

ALDO Calcagni wedges, 100$ CDN

ALDO Plumb wedges ON SALE for 74.98$ CDN (NICE!)

Click HERE for the Zara website