Sassafrass Says So

A million years and 18 Lilith Fairs later, the winner

Oh, kittens, you've been waiting so patiently over there with your Dolly Parton and your Ani DiFranco and your Pat Benatar blaring into your ears and through your Outback wagon stereo speakers.

Alas, it is time to award the winner of the Lilith Fair giveaway so that one of you lucky loves gets a $100 Visa gift card to download more music or buy yourself a little back-to-school something or other or swathe yourself in something delightful and shiny.

Sarah McLachlan herself really wanted to be here to tear open the envelope. In her stead, as very gifted air drummer in my own Honda CRV, I give a silent but killer drum roll to reveal that the winner is...

Carolyn G of The Art of Random Willy-Nillyness!

Carolyn told us and tweeted that the rocker who lifts her up during the tough times is Stevie Nicks (plus, how could anyone with that many scarves and shrouded in that much lace make you anything but inspired?).

Congratulations to Carolyn and a thousand thank yous to each of you who read the story of the amazing time my little rocker and I had with Sarah, Kate and all the other ladies at Lilith. I loved reading about each of the musicians who helps keep you humming along and I'm currently investing in too many iTunes downloads just to keep that music playing out of my own laptop.

Before you go, please do stop by to see the stunning photos blogger Rachael Garrett Schirano captured at Lilith. I met her there and am blown away by the pictures she set to the songs still playing in my head.

To Lilith, with love

This is sponsored content from BlogHer and by the makers of ob tampons, CAREFREE Pantiliners and STAYFREE pads.

When the first Lilith Fair convoy of female artists and women's charitable organizations and booths full of beaded jewelry and tie-dyes first rolled into George, Washington in 1997, I may as well have been right behind every truck and trailer in my 1981 green Volvo station wagon, honking and screaming and saying things like "Right on, sistahhhhhs!" and "Sing it, girlfriends!"

I was living in Oregon at the time and I belted out Sarah McLachlan and Jewel and Indigo Girls songs during most of the six-hour trip to the Gorge. It's a place so stunning that the only thing that could possibly make it better was seeing my favorite lady singers on a transparent stage, making their music in the middle of it all. Over the three years of that Lilith stint, I heard Shawn Colvin, Sheryl Crow, Luscious Jackson, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, and of course, Sarah McLachlan in what felt like a music fest made just for me. I was entranced.

Yesterday, when I made my way through the gates of Lilith Fair and heard Kristen May's voice rise up to meet me, I felt it all come rushing back.

Just inside the gates.

It has been thirteen years since the first Lilith tour. My green Volvo station wagon was traded in years and years ago. There was no screaming or "Right on!"s as I made my way from my home in the heart of Chicago out to Tinley Park in a sensible Honda with a small child in a car seat in the back. We told knock-knock jokes, and in between, I tried to explain how awesome this experience was about to be for us both.

He was upset there wouldn't be inflatable bouncy houses at Lilith Fair, but when he heard Kristen May singing with her band Vedera, I think he felt the same surge of excitement I did. At the very least, the energy transferred between us and we talked and talked about what questions he'd like to ask the lady singers.

This trip to Lilith, I was attending as press and the 5-1/2-year old, Lil E, with me was acting as my assistant. Why would you take a little boy to a festival once thought to be radical for only featuring women? Once upon a time as a Women Studies instructor, I fought hard and loud for women-only spaces and I don't disagree with that now. But I see this kid, so open and curious about the world that's revealed to him every day, and I want him to know and respect how powerful and amazing women are and how they're making paths in the arts by getting on these stages. Plus, the music, the music. He knows many Michael Jackson songs by heart, loves Kings of Leon, has been introduced to Dylan, the Beatles, the Stones and JT, got pretty hardcore at Kidzapalooza. He knows music by women, sure. But yesterday, it was time to introduce him to Sarah, Mary J. and Heart.

Lilith wares.

I recall the last Lilith being packed full of vendors and booths. This wasn't the case this time around, and I'm not complaining. We made our way to every place we could stop, not just collecting free samples but also really talking to the staffers from the Chicago Women's Health Center (voted to be the local beneficiary of Lilith community giving), taking our chances at a contest sponsored by the Chicago Red Stars (how cool is it that Chicago has a pro women's soccer team and that Lil E scored a free ticket to see them?) and gathering yeahhhh-women types of buttons for our bag. 

It was crowded but not overwhelming and lines were only a few people deep. This was good because in what had to be hundred-degree scorching heat, we were very anxious to throw down $5.50 over and over for bottles of water.

We stopped by the Lilipad Lounge , sponsored by the makers of o.b.® tampons, CAREFREE® liners and STAYFREE® pads. It's actually more accurate to say that we saw the misters and RACED into the Lilipad Lounge, an adorable retreat from the heat where ladies could snap up samples of lady-business supplies and cute, totally concealable tampon carrying cases (and then some mamas could explain to some little boys that those cases were only for ladies and not for boys who were always looking for new ways to stash and stow Yoda action figures). The genius giveaway at the Lilipad Lounge was a cool towel (not a paper towel, people, a real on) soaked with just the right amount of refreshing water to dab faces, necks, and sweaty heads.

Sweet relief.

I will not admit to you how many of the cool towels we returned to get for that moment of heaven in the heat index I'm convinced is prompted every time a booking agent confirms a music fest in or around Chicago.

Ahhh.

We escaped to attend a press conference with some of the musicians, got plum seats in the front row and reviewed our questions one last time before -- and you should be aware that I gasped out loud, as did most of the reporters, bloggers and photogs surrounding us -- Sarah McLachlan, Emily Robison and Martie Maguire of the Dixie Chicks and now Court Yard Hounds, Kristen May, solo artist and Sarah McLachlan back-up singer Melissa McClelland, local Chicago singer-songwriter Katie Todd and Kate Nash entered and sat only a few feet in front of us.

Old Lilith entranced? Meet new Lilith entranced, this time with iPhone, camera and a kid (scratch the cargo shorts, bandanna and beaded choker).

Katie Todd, Emily Robison, (yep, HER) Sarah McLachlan, Martie Maguire, Kristen May, Melissa McClelland

Lil E and I raised our hands. He was sprawled out in his chair, relaxed, unaware of the legends in front of him. I was trying not to let the thrill of it all spill out in a squeal once I got the mic.

And I didn't. When my turn came, I looked at Sarah McLachlan. She smiled and I explained that many of my readers are single moms.

"Now that you are a single mom," I began, "tell us what music you've listened to that has helped motivate you, give you hope, pull you out of the toughest of times."

Attentive Lil E next to some country music magazine reporter. His turn is coming.

OK, I might have also mentioned overriding that urge to stab someone in the neck, but we all know that's a feeling that passes, particularly if you have a playlist  that's filled with nature-y songs with running water and dolphin noises all queued up or at least you have a good woman-friend on speed-dial to talk you down. But what I loved is that, although Sarah (I can call her that now, right, since she looked right at me from her aviator sunglasses into my Jackie O plastic numbers?) laughed a little (really, just a teensy) at the neck-stabby comment, she went right to the positive place.

She said that when she's in a tough spot, she runs. And when she runs, she listens to The Killers.

I felt like she was speaking my language -- speaking my language at a festival made for me.

The other musicians added their motivational/tough spot music to a long list that included Emmylou Harris (Martie), Sarah McLachlan (Katie) and Bikini Kill (Kate).

I handed the mic to Lil E, who introduced himself and smiled and addressed Ms. McLachlan (I'd like him to be polite like that).

"What music of yours should kids listen to?"

There was a collective "aww" and Sarah leaned into her own mic.

"Well, Lil E, thank you for your question. My answer is 'Ice Cream." 

His turn came. Answering E's question.

It's the obvious choice, one of the lightest and loveliest and least heartaching of her catalog. And then she went on to say that she writes for grown-ups, but that she has an 8-year old daughter and a 3-year old daughter and she has begun writing songs for them. Still, she said, one day, Lil E could listen to and appreciate her grown-up music.

He listened to every word and then, in a moment I hope is photographed in my mind forever, he turned to me and gave me a wink and the biggest grin.

SARAH McLACHLAN! MY SON DIRECTED A QUESTION TO SARAH McLACHLAN! The 90s girl in me was giddy and a little surprised, wanted to scream out all of those righteous exclamations, cry and search for a scrunchie. All I could think of was, "My work here is done."

There's no actual proof that all this happened due to all that millennial gadgetry of mine not working (ack!) properly (or maybe it was the person handling it). Instead of feeling awful and stomach-knotty and sad about my technology fail during our QUESTIONS WITH SARAH McLACHLAN, I just decided to go to the Zen place and just enjoy that blip in real time.

When it was all over, we stopped to talk to a few of the artists, sneak shots of their shoes (must.have.lady.singer.shoes) and just catch our breath.

Kristen May's Steve Madded studded booties and Melissa McClelland's hot pink pumps.

I leaned over to Lil E, looked him in the eye and said, "You've just interviewed one of the most famous women musicians in the world."

I hope he got it. At least I hope that the double-thumbs-up he gave me was an indicator it sunk in amidst the Star Wars and fruit snacks and Legos rattling around up there.

It could have been over then. But it wasn't. There was so much more for us -- concerts and dancing and a backstage conversation with Kate Nash.

After her show (which sounded just as pure and raw and full of pa-dow as her albums), we were called to spend a few minutes with her behind-the-scenes.

Winding through lot of band trailers and through the corridors backstage was like walking through the halls of my high school for the first time. I was a freshman among the seniors, no red glasses but the same pounding heart and look of "hey, no biggie" forced over my face.

She came out, hair perfectly ginger and flipped, eyes baked in black eyeshadow and red-red lips, climbed up on a crate into a comfortable position and opened up the conversation with just one other reporter and her friend, Lil E and me.

We talked feminism (she is one) and 90s style (she said she has trouble deciding if 90s-era clothes are just bad leftovers from the past or actually are cool) and how the music industry isn't yet where it needs to be for women. She said she'd been asked why she'd want to do Lilith, which is known to be folkier than she is. And she told us that she did it because her music might just speak to a few people in the audience each night, and that she liked switching up that image of the fest a bit.

I asked which lady singers raised her up when she was a kid. Kate Nash said she loved Cyndi Lauper and (with a grimace) Celine Dion. But it was a Sunday night when her parents put on a Janis Joplin record that she recalls being ignited by the voice she heard.

Lil E edged up to her fishnetted leg and raised his hand and asked what her favorite song was to play. She mentioned a few tracks from her new album and sweetly offered to take a photo with us, getting down on her knees to be right where he was.

"I know her music, right?" he asked as I veered him away from the mini-arcade in the hallway after we said our thank yous and goodnights and exited (add the video game disappointment to the bouncy house list).

"Oh yes, you do," I answered. "And now you know the lady singer."

Jessica, Kate, Lil E, just chatting it up a bit backstage. Whatevs.

After meeting the Londoner up-and-comer at her dressing room door, we got back to our seats in time to see the lights come up on some of the most impressive classic rockers of my time. Heart hit the stage fiercely, cranking out hits they said represented each part of their 35-year careers. Nancy Wilson wowed me with her guitar skills and I do believe nobody has really rocked it out until they've risen to their feet to Ann Wilson belting out "Barracuda."

Lil E knows "Alone" from the Glee soundtrack and as delightful as that is, Heart's original version sent chills over me. The complexity of the melded agony and ecstasy, driven by the lyrics and hammered in by the music and blown away by the voice, is what I was getting at when I asked the artists earlier about the music that fueled them through the hardest times. Kate Nash's "Foundations" is the anthem for many single mamas I know for the same reason. "I Will Remember You" by Sarah McLachlan is in that category as well. Some soft, some angry, others worn out, these songs and these singers bring out that rawness I think we all get and need to hear.

No nap and this kid's still serious about throwing up the horns at Heart.

If anyone could handle following Heart, it was Mary J. Blige. This is one fancy lady singer, blinged out and wearing killer high-heeled boots. And she sings with her whole body, maybe even her whole being. One song melted into the next with no power lost between the ballads and all 47 minutes of "Stairway to Heaven" (you read right...what, an R&B goddess can't take on Led Zeppelin?). She was fantastic and the very best moment of her set was a cover of U2's "One" that I dare say is better than those other dudes who first sang it. It could very well be that Mary J. stole the entire show.

And then Sarah McLachlan came out and won my heart all over again. At the piano, on the guitar and (is this just slightly weird to say?) looking so much glowier and just filled up than I remember from concerts past.  Her energy is so concentrated that her dreamy songs still hold that spark and her up-tempo hits never lose control. She explained that Lilith is about people coming together to contribute each of their unique gifts, each what they can, to make a better world. That ideal is also the message of "World on Fire," a song I cranked as I read thousands of pages during graduate school and played on the stage last night, didn't keep my little boy from falling asleep in his seat.

The sweaty mama and sunglassed kid. So hot we're cool. Or something like that.

In one hand was a flashing light he used earlier to dance and cheer during the shows. Strapped to his wrist were his press credentials. His body weighed heavy against mine. I took one last big breath, the piano and fans and heat enveloped me. It was time to go home.

I drove in the darkness toward the highway, making a mental list of the music I need to download so we can keep the Lilith alive for just a bit longer. Kate Nash's latest.  Every Mary J. I can click my mouse on. A little Court Yard Hounds. Any Katie Todd available. Old Heart, new Heart. 

It was by no means the same Lilith. According to Sarah McLachlan, there is lots of talk but no definitive plans about next year, five years from now, a tour or fixed location. The whens and wheres and whos are not clear yet, which sounds pretty familiar to my own life (once again). But whatever happens to Lilith or with these lady singers or the crashed-out reporter who grew up a little yesterday and me, I hope I am listening. I hope I feel it as much as I always have.

I may have spent a ton of cash on Vitamin Water and light-up toys while I was at Lilith Fair, but my experience was so phenomenal, I want you to be in on a killer contest to win some of that money back for yourself. Here's how to win a cool hundy. Seriously! A $100 Visa gift card.

To enter, leave a comment answering the same question I asked of Sarah McLachlan.

What music by a lady singer has helped empower you to get through the hardest times? Spill the song you did that angry-fist raised- I will make it through-cry sing along to, the album you had on repeat or the artist who is continually your therapist-life coach-best friend-conscience when you need a lift.

Here are the OFFICIAL rules.

This contest begins at 11:00 a.m. (CST) July 29th, 2010 and ends 7:00 p.m. (CST) August 4th, 2010.

Follow the link above for more details.

To enter, you may do up to two of the following options:

a)      Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

b)      Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

c)      Blog about this promotion and leave  the URL to that post in a comment on this post

The BIG WIN:

$100 Visa gift card from BLOGHER.

The winner and an alternate winner will be chosen at random and notified by email, so be sure you leave one that really works.

Putting it all out there: I was commissioned by the makers of STAYFREE® pads, CAREFREE® liners and o.b.® tampons to attend Lilith Fair, the Lilipad Lounge and other press events at the festival, and to write about the experience here. I received monetary compensation as well as concert tickets.

And the winner is...

Back in 1962, I hosted a fabulous and glittery giveaway right here on my review blog.

With the help of the clever and ever-resourceful BlogHer ladies, I had the opportunity to check out all the fabulous clothes at LOFT, play dress-up with a stylist and show off the outfits I thought would work best for a casual gathering, one that would go swiftly and sassily from work to office, and one that would light up a holiday party.

From the moment, I slid the clothes over my tights and boots (OK, the stylist did a lot of the sliding for me... I could get used to having someone put my belt on for me every day), I fell in love with each outfit. But I chose one complete look to purchase for myself as an early holiday gift. Then I asked all of you to guess which look I took home.

Everyone who participated was eligible for the very best part of this whole sparkly scenario -- a $200 gift card to have a spree of her own at LOFT. Gazillions of you chimed in.

And now..finally, finally, 48 years later, it is time to announce who the lucky person is who can swathe herself (or hey, himself...it's all good around here) in sequins or slouchy denim or even buttery leather.

The winner is (drum rolls, booty shakes and a few clicks of the platforms, please)...KAREN MURPHY from Juxtapositioning.

Do you know the fabulously scarlet-haired, clever, hilarious brilliant writer and channel, Karen? Of course you do.

Here's a picture of Karen after she jumped out of a plane and landed in LOFT.

Crazy, true. (OK, not really. But isn't she a bad ass?)

She spreads her words and fairy dust all over the interwebs, from her own blog, on Imperfect Parent, Literary Mama, Work It, Mom and pretty much every other website I can think of.

Congratulations, gorgeous! I cannot wait to see (and post, right?!) photos of the looks you choose.

The rest of you, do not despair. I personally signed up for the LOFT's emails and have been shocked at how many 40% off sales they've had in the few weeks I've been receiving them in my inbox.
(Think: J.Crew clothes that you can really afford.)

And for those of you who still care, the answer to the big, incredibly question about which look I rang up is (can I get a little jig-type dance this time?) the casual look.

Yes, the houndstooth dress is adorable and the chances I will have it hanging in my closet very soon are very high. And the champagne-colored party dress was so dreamy, especially paired with that amazing gold and white coat.

But the sequins paired with denim and leather? Oh, kittens, you know I could not pass that up.

Now, let's work on some Valentine's plans to really show that look off. Karen and the rest of you, are you game to really do it up, or what?

LOFT Shopping Party: Good LORD, I felt gorgeous. (Is it wrong to type that out loud?)

This is a compensated review by BlogHer and Loft.

You don't have to ask me to play dress-up twice.

In fact, this time, I'd only breezed through half of the invitation to attend a LOFT Shopping Party, when I hit reply with an emphatic YES.

When I went back and read the details, I was even more enthralled than I was during my quick skim of the event. I was invited to participate in a challenge to quickly pull three holiday looks from the LOFT racks and make them work on my curvalicious body, for my crazy life. And the irresistible buttercream on the cake was that a stylist would be there with me, taking the sparkly clothes I was sure to pick and make them into a fabulous outfit. And did I mention the sassy mama photographer who documented it all?

Kittens, from the time I stepped in to the store and for the hours after the event that I petted the pretty things I brought home, I was in heaven. It was more than shopping, more than dressing up. It felt like this shining moment in front of a mirror when I got to look  like me...but better.

It could have been the sequins, but I felt radiant. It may have been having someone slide my shoes on my feet, but I felt pampered. It may have been the fact that the nice lady stylist looked me up and down and asked if I was a size 4 (*snicker*), but I felt like I could be happy if these were the only clothes I ever wore again.

OK, that is an exaggeration. I need to wear these clothes with many of the other clothes and pretty much every pair of shoes in my closet. But I can't help but gush about the all-too-quick hour I spent at LOFT.

 

Racks of racks: Here I am with the stylist comparing boob sizes. Yes, it always starts with boob talk.

My challenge was to find three holiday looks -- a Perfect Party Outfit, Office-to-Party Outfit and a Casual Holiday Outfit. I was surprised how many clothes I saw that I wanted to try on. I've been an Ann Taylor kinda grrrl since I started my career, and purchased many, many suits, skirts and other separates, and even gala formal wear at a trusty Ann Taylor Outlet when I was just starting out (LOFT was formerly Ann Taylor LOFT, just to drive home the explanation). I still wear some of those clothes because they are classics I can work up or tone down according to my job, mood, and style at the time. But the clothes on the LOFT racks seemed more...me -- younger, trendier, and less preppy than I remembered. I am sure I could put together an outfit for my mom at LOFT, but I was too busy loading my arms with fancy tees and skinny jeans and party dresses for myself. 

Here's my disclaimer: Casual is relative, lady friends. When I saw the blinged-tank and fitted chocolate bomber jacket, I knew that would crank up my my "I just stopped by for a little caroling" look up to "Check out your Secret Santa, rrrrrrr." Since I wear heels nearly every day, I felt safe rationalizing that choice.

 

She's like Rachael Zoe, but nicer. And cooler. And funnier. And less monotone. And not being eaten alive by a nasty fur vest.

On to my Casual look. Copper sequined tank with what the stylist called a "sloppy tuck" into boyfriend jeans. A sweet little belt with a gold bow. Delicious leather jacket with jeujed up sleeves. Bangles galore and brown booties. 

 

The Casual Outfit.

I admit, I've been apprehensive to try booties. I am short and I felt like they'd cut off my leg and the illusion that I am Heidi Klum height with gams to match. But these were so comfy and I love them paired with the comfiest jeans on the planet. The LOFT manager who told me the boyfriend jeans are like denim yoga pants wasn't kidding. Plus, I took them in a petite a size smaller than I expected (owww!). 

This cas look is a little rockered out to match my Joan Jett hair, and I think it would work great for a date (but only one I'm really excited about...you have to save the cutest clothes for that tier of boys, right?) or a night out with my grrrlfriends. I'd love to have New Years Eve plans that called this kind of outfit rather than a freezing-cold formal dress or drawstring pants and slippers.

The Office-to-Party look is a bit elusive for me since those kinds of plans usually require me to walk from my desk in dining room to the fridge where the Bombay Sapphire is freezing patiently until the festivities begin. I knew I wanted it to be a dress, my choice for nearly every opportunity I have to meet colleagues in person. As soon as I slipped on this gorgeous houndstooth shift, I knew it was the right choice.

The Office-to-Party Look

Here's the key, it fit beautifully and the frayed ruffles and deep v-neck still looked a little sexy without going to the Tiger-mistress place. We paired it with tall boots, my own silver snakeskin heels by Nine West, and black bag and scarf in complementary animal prints. I love that the whole look is wintery but not bulky and covered up.

A well-made dress will do wonders for any body -- we all (*cough*Forever21*cough) know this. This is one of those dresses, and it is so simple and sassy that it almost seemed too easy to throw on. I think we should all forget that nutters shoulder pad trend that's back in style and buy a shift dress like this that we will look phenomenal in forever and ever.

The stylist helped me narrow down the Perfect Party Outfit choices to three dresses. I fell in love with a fuschia empire-waist party dress but when I saw this brushed gold scoop-neck number, it had to be it. When the stylist worked her magic, sweeping me up in a cloud of glittery goodness and leather, I just stood in awe of how she took a little dress and made it into a wonder. I'm not kidding. It was glorious.

Perfect Party look.

The dress is gorgeous and still understated up close, and she offset those precious Laura Ingalls Wilder ruffles with a hard-lined black leather belt, cinched to define my waist. I kept on my tall boots and we added a black choker with a vintage twist. I wore my own cocktail ring. And then I melted into this beautiful gold and white wool coat. Do you see the flattering waist and sweet retro buttons and exaggerated collar? It was so fun to wear and it the perfect answer to the sleeveless dresses that somehow flood the racks during the coldest months of the year. This is a statement outfit and truly perfect for a party (although, I would be compelled to wear it to the grocery store, to be honest...it's that hot on).

After I slipped off the clothes and kissed them tearfully goodbye, I found many more clothes in the store that I loved. I bought a very pretty plum knit dress to wear for a TV segment in San Francisco and several decorated tees to wear under jackets and cardigans. There was a lot to choose from, and I would love to see LOFT ramp it up even more with some rocker-inspired skirts and shoes to match.

And because this mama's in charge of being her own Santa, I did buy one of these complete looks for myself. Which one?

It's your guess! And your guess is your ticket to a kickass contest LOFT is hosting as a part of their national Shopping Party events.

You can win your very own $200 Ann Taylor LOFT gift card for a shopping spree certain to spark the same light in you.

Here's how you can enter:

To enter, leave me a comment below and tell me what LOFT look works for you and which one you think I bought- or you may leave a link to your post on your own blog in the comments below.  The contest will begin at 12/10/2009 and will end 12/25/2009.  Make sure that the e-mail address you leave is correct. 

Rules:

• No duplicate comments.
• You may receive an additional entry by linking on twitter and leaving a link in the comments.
• You may receive an additional entry by blogging about this contest and leaving a link in the comments.
• This giveaway is open to US Residents aged 18 and older
• Winners will be selected via random draw, and will notified by e-mail.
• You have 48 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
• Please see the official rules here.

Single mamas, mamas in the same old low-rider jeans you've had for too freaking long, dating ladies, gentlemen friends who adore how the women in your life light up when they feel like they look great -- I don't care who you are, frankly -- now is your chance to get in on this LOFT loveliness.

Enter the contest! I insist. Get in this dressing room with me right now!

Now, here's how you get your very own 20% off coupon simply for being Sassafrass readers. Click here. Print. Snip. Redeem. Check it. It's good through 12/31. Get on it.

Need more information? Find it here.

Click here to go to the BlogHer Reviews round-up page for 15 chances to win.

All photos by the very talented Helen Berkun.

Hello, hot stuff

Welcome to Sassafrass Says So, the official review blog of Sassafrass.

Here, I get to go on and on about products, events, brands and other goodness and just be bossier about whether or not I think you should like it or buy it or borrow it from a lady-friend, too.

I've got some great stuff to tell you about, some mehhhh stuff to toss on over for you to sniff and even some stuff that I suggest you stuff into some kiddie goodie bag or the big garbage bin labeled "Goodwill." I'm excited to get this bad grrrl rolling.

All you have to do is sit back, skim through and stop rolling your eyes while I tell you what's what.

Have a product you'd like me to review? Send me an email at grrrlfriend[dot]jess[at]gmail.com. I'm happy to explain exactly how things work around here.