Created by Shay Pasquan, Fit Fashion Fiction is where Shay shares her love of fashion, fitness, and everything in between.
Shay lives in Sonoma County, California, with her husband Stephen, dog Max, and cats Katara and Maui. By day, Shay helps run USLeads.org, and by night she cohosts a weekly romantasy book podcast called A Podcast of Plots and Pages. When not cuddling her pets, Shay loves reading, gaming, and playing Dungeons & Dragons.
FAQ
Personal
How old are you?
I’m 34!
How tall are you?
5’6″
What sizes do you wear?
This is a tough one- it varies a lot depending on the store! However, my current (average) sizes are as follows:
Tops/Dresses: Small
Sports Bras: Large/34DD
Bottoms: 27/Small
Shoes: 9.5/10
What do you do for a living?
For years I was a Software Engineer within the consulting industry, eventually working my way up to become a Software Architect. Now, I am the cofounder of USLeads.org, a lead generation agency that services the insurance, real estate, and other industries.
Where are you from?
Scottsdale, Arizona! I miss the desert, but I don’t miss the heat (any temperature above 85 is too much for me!)
How did you meet your husband Stephen?
Stephen and I met on the dating app Coffee Meets Bagel in 2016. On our first date, we went to a local sports bar and ordered the same entrée and craft beer. We’ve been inseparable ever since!
How did he propose?
It was the final night of one of our Dungeons & Dragons campaigns. I had just killed the final boss. Our DM offered me a small gold chest as a reward. When I opened it, I saw a beautiful diamond ring inside- and Stephen kneeling right next to me! He asked me to marry him, and I said yes! We celebrated with friends after.
Health & Fitness
What diet do you follow?
I don’t follow any specific diet at the moment. Overall, I try to eat 80% clean or whole foods, and 20% “fun” foods. I also eat about .8 pounds of protein per pound of body weight per day to maintain muscle mass. When traveling, I (mostly) eat whatever I want!
I also make sure my diet avoids any of my current food allergies. I have an autoimmune disease called Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), which means that my body likes to develop and forget new allergies on a consistent basis. Currently, I am allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, brussels sprouts, and kiwi.
What’s your workout plan?
I switch up my workout plan every few months. Currently, I’m lifting weights 4 days per week. Two of those days are leg days while the other 2 are upper body.
I also enjoy running, using my spin bike, and taking long walks for cardio.
Beauty
Do you wear hair extensions?
I sure do! Right now I wear hand-tied wefts from Halo Couture that were custom styled by Erica at Revival Studio. In the past, I’ve worn Natural Beaded Rows and clip-in extensions.
Do you do your hair and makeup every day?
Oh dear god, no! I co-run a company and a podcast, have three pets, work out regularly, and read over 100 books per year. I don’t have time!
At this point, I get fully “dressed up” one or two days a week. I try to batch film/photograph most of my content when I do to save time.
Entertainment
What is your favorite D&D class?
Bards allow for maximum creativity and shenanigans, but I also enjoy the flexibility of being a Wizard.
What is your favorite book series?
Years later, I’m still a die-hard Harry Potter girlie. My favorite series as an adult is Cradle by Will Wight. Runners-up include Dungeon Crawler Carl and the Bone Season.
What is your favorite standalone book?
If you love dark fantasy novels, I highly recommend The Poet Empress by Shen Tao. My favorite romance books are Funny Story by Emily Henry and The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston. Top science fiction book is a classic: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.
What is your favorite anime?
Definitely Spy X Family! Strong runners up include Solo Leveling and Attack on Titan.
Blogging
What inspired you to start blogging?
Honestly, it’s something I’ve wanted to do since I was in college. I tried to start a blog several times, but kept chickening out. In August 2019, Stephen finally pushed me to take the leap!
Another reason I started a blog was to help overcome my fears. I’m a naturally private person. Blogging has helped me open up and learn to share more of myself with others.
Who takes your photos?
Almost all of my outfit photos are taken by Stephen, while all other photos (travel, beauty, etc.) are taken by me.
What camera do you use?
Currently, I use three cameras. My “professional” camera is the Nikon Zf. For some of my travel/action shots, I use the GoPro Hero 13. For outfit photos and everything else, I use my iPhone 17 Pro Max.
What software do you use to edit your photos?
I typically use Adobe Lightroom, but I have been known to use Photoshop once or twice to remove lipstick from my teeth.
Do you earn money from your blog?
I sure do! Whenever you buy products listed under “Shop the Post”, I earn a small commission. I also earn money through LIKEtoKNOW.it and brand partnerships.
Just a note- whenever I partner with a brand on a post, I’ll tell you! I’m very selective about the brands I work with. I won’t ever promote a company or product that I wouldn’t personally spend money on even if we weren’t collaborating.
When I was younger, I went through a period where I spent a lot of time on social media. I was easily “influenced” to buy a lot of products that I thought would make me happy. However, I didn’t need any of these things and, truth be told, I couldn’t really afford them. I put myself in a ton of debt that took years to pay off.
I am passionate about ensuring that I don’t influence others to make the same mistakes I did. While I’m grateful every time you use one of my commission links, please be mindful about your purchases. If you can’t afford something, don’t feel pressured to buy it!
I truly want to inspire you to lead your best life, and you don’t need to buy tons of material goods to do so.
