Friday Finds - Summery Sips

This weekend marks the "official" start of summer, which means, for the next three months or so (longer if you live in Florida) you can expect picnics, bbq's, boat trips, and beach days. I can just smell the sunscreen and hot dogs already!

Because we know that none of these activities would be complete without a sampling of summertime beverages, we've compiled a list of a few of our favorites for your enjoyment.

The Mojito

A Louis Ayoub favorite and an all around classy summertime drink, best for pool parties and bbq's. We highly suggest you skip the store mix for these babies as fresh mint in large quantities is the key to making this drink delish.

Ingredients:

Ice

6 ounces light rum
12 mint sprigs,roughly broken apart

6 tablespoons fresh lime juice

4 tablespoons sugar

Club soda

Directions: Place ice in beverage shaker then add in the rum, mint sprigs, lime juice and sugar. Shake well and serve over ice in a high ball glass. Top off each glass with a splash of club soda. Garnish each with a slice of lime and a sprig of mint. The Bacardi booty shake is entirely optional.

The Arnold Palmer

Or a half and half if you prefer. My mom's personal favorite and the perfect summer drink for any occasion. For those of us who crave something a little sweeter than regular iced tea, but find lemonade or sweet tea makes us bounce off the walls, this drink is the perfect combo of tart, refreshing tea and sweet lemonade. Not to mention it's so simple to make!

Ingredients:

Ice

Iced Tea

Lemonade

Directions: Fill a pitcher or a glass half way with iced tea and top it off with lemonade. The great thing about this drink...well there are many great things about this drink...but here are two - first you can always use light lemonade to cut back on calories...it IS bikini season after all. And second, you can always adjust the ratio of tea to lemonade however you see fit. It's pretty much impossible to screw up this drink!

La Playa Sauvignon Blanc

Monica's personal favorite! Crisp and refreshing perfect to sip while relaxing pool side or watching the sunset..Best part it's cheap!! Wine Warehouse on Bay to Bay sells it for $7.99

We hope everyone has a wonderful, long, refreshing Memorial Day weekend. Don't forget the sunscreen!!

Trend Tuesday - Rompers

There are certain times in a girls life, particularly when it comes to her wardrobe when she has to go back on her word. Rompers were one of those times for me. When the trend emerged last year I laughed uncontrollably. Babies wear rompers, not adult women. But alas...I was forced to eat my words this spring when I swallowed my pride and tried one on and, of course, loved it.

And honestly...what's not to love? I'm all about fashion with function and ease and rompers fit that in more ways than one. Like so many other outfits we've posted here on the blog, the right style romper can easily transition from day to night in a pinch. I'm a huge fan of dresses because all you need to do is throw on a pair of cute shoes and some jewelry and you're done - the same can be said for rompers. And you know that muu muu you keep for a beach cover up, lounging on a Sunday afternoon, or running messy errands around town? Well toss it and replace it with a comfy terry cloth or cotton romper. 

Here are a few combinations we're liking for spring and summer:

1. Simple black romper with gold accessories 

Rompie jersey playsuit - $210 - net-a-porter.com

Monsoon Accessorize - Cleo Gladiator Sandals - $57 - monsoon.co.uk

14-karat gold-plated cuff - $455 - net-a-porter.com

Susan caplan vintage jewellery GOLD - $615 - matchesfashion.com

2. Floral Pattern with neutral accessories

Meadow Print Jumpsuit, Merci Liberty  - $250 - liberty.co.uk

Emmy flat leather sandals - $195 - net-a-porter.com

Samantha Wills - St Tropez Bangle Set  - $415 - birdsnest.com.au

Mar y Sol 'Guadalupe' Straw Shopper - $88 - nordstrom.com

3. The Casual Beach Romper

BILLABONG Lorenzo Womens Romper - $38 - tillys.com

Geisha sequin embellished bikini - $445 - net-a-porter.com

Sea Bags Surf Beach Bag - $255 - asos.com

Wide Brim Straw Hat - $46 - jigsaw-online.com

LAVANILA The Healthy Sun Screen SPF 40 - $28 - sephora.com

One thing to keep in mind though - don't go too short with the shorts - these are supposed to be classy yet casual additions to your wardrobe. So I'm woman enough to admit that I was wrong about this trend - rompers are a great spring/summer trend for Florida. They fit our relaxed lifestyle, keeps us cool and comfortable and come in some great sunny/bright patterns.

Happy Romping everyone!

Friday Finds- Summer Accessories We Love

1. Bangles. Ok, I personally hate them. While I freely admit that they really are cute and can totally complete an outfit and carry it from day to night, the jingle jangle drives me INSANE. It's like a perpetual rattle coming from the backseat of your car that you either can't reach or can't find. BUT - they are a really great, inexpensive addition to any outfit.

Items Clockwise:
1. Floral Glitter Bangle Pack - $32 - topshop.com
2. Luxe Aloha Bangle Set - $29 - monsoon.co.uk
3. Black Bangles (Mixed Set) - $7.85 - fashionaddict.com.au
4. Floral Print Bangle Pack - $22 - missselfridge.com

2. Flower Hair Accessories. Any time I see anything flowery in someone's hair I'm immediately transported back to our Hawaiian family vacation, circa 1995ish. A flower hair accessory just screams "Island Adventure" to me. Plus it's a great way to add a little dash of femininity to any outfit. Just don't overdo it - you don't want to look like your grandmother's livingroom wallpaper!

Items Clockwise:
1. Enamel Flower Hair Clips - $8.68 - missselfridge.com
2. Fuchsia Flower Hair Clip - $22 - glitz4girlz.com
3. Natasha Accessories Satin-Flower Headband - $28 - dillards.com
4. White Leather Flower Clip - $8.68 - missselfridge.com

3. Fedora's. Oh how I wish I could pull this look off, but with my facial structure and short hair, hats just end up making me look like a little boy...at least from the neck up. But we had a customer in the shop last weekend who had, what I would consider the perfect casual weekend outfit on - a jean mini skirt, a structured top, gladiator sandals, and a fedora perched on her head. Totally my dream outfit right there. Since it is spring, heading rapidly into summer, I would highly suggest sticking to one made from a lightweight material such as straw, but hopefully they're still in style come fall, because there are some wicked cute velvet and felt ones out there!

Items Clockwise:
1. Vince Mini Fedora: Black - $265 - intermixonline.com
2. Appliqu Straw Fedora Beige - One Size - $55 - yesstyle.com
3. Minicci Fedora Hat - $7.99 - payless.com
4. Albertus Swanepoel Straw Fedora - $420 - net-a-porter.com

4. Anything teal or turquoise. Ever since I learned that pretty little things come in turquoise boxes wrapped with a white ribbon, I've been in love with the color. Good news is that it's exceptionally trendy this year. And honestly, what could be better than wearing a little bit of tropical paradise on your fingers, feet, or ears?

Items Left to Right, Top to Bottom:
1. Ikat Shawl - Lagoon Turquoise/Cappuccino - $225 - barneys.com
2. Magid Turquoise Small Wood Handle bag Bag - $39 - shoes.com
3. Janice's Turquoise Teardrop Chandelier Earrings - $40 - fantasyjewelrybox.com
4. Turquoise Faux Leather Ruffle Gladiator T-strap Sandals - $19 - amiclubwear.com
5. Turquoise Pebble Cuff - yahoo.net
6. Fossil - Dream Bling Turquoise Dream Dome Ring - $40 - zappos.com
7. Flying Lizard Design : Turquoise Peace Necklace - $21.00 - flyinglizard.com

Trend Tuesday - Summer Scarves

One thing I think a lot of us can agree on right now is that many of us have tightened our metophoric financial belts and are in turn, attempting to find different and unique ways to creatively stretch our wardrobe budgets. One trendy, but affordable way to do that is with a scarf. Here are some super cute, bright options!!

Scarfs by Iwanttodosomethingthatmatters☆ featuring Roberto Cavalli accessories

Scarves as an accessory came back into style about two years ago and show no signs of stopping as they've become a versitile way to jazz up almost any outfit. You can add a pop of color or pattern to a plain solid dress or tank. You can wear it around your neck, tie it like a belt, tie it on your purse, or even tie it in your hair. And the best thing? It's actually really easy to find a great scarf for under $20.

One of Monica's favorite ways to wear a scarf this season? Pair a bold print with a simple black maxi. Make the scarf the statement piece of this simple outfit that goes easily from errands during the day to drinks with the girls in the evening. But be forewarned...if you're in warm climates, be sure to pick a lightweight, breathable fabric so you can be both chic and cool!

Head Wrap: A Very Mcqueen Spring by SunshineRosie featuring Dorothy Perkins dresses

Friday Finds - Casual Friday doesn't mean frumpy

I haven't always been fortunate enough to be able to wear flip flops every day or to bring my dog to work. There were a few, veeeery brief years there where I actually did work a corporate job and therefore had to conform to a corporate dress code....blech!

While my employer didn't have a consistant Casual Friday policy, many companies out there do, and oh lord is that a recipe for fashion disaster. Let's start with the casual Friday no-no's that should probably be common sense, but just in case - no leggings, no shorts (no, not even bermuda's or tailored bermuda legnth), no see through blouses, nothing that you've had in your closet since high school, and, if this applies, please, please, please nothing out of your 15 year old daughters closet.

What I'm  loving right now is the trendy blazer and jean look that can easily carry you from the office to happy hour. Lucky Magazine had some great tips in their May magazine on how exactly to get the trend right as demonstrated by the picture below:

Very chic, but still work appropriate and if you keep the outfit itself basic and monochromatic you can always pair it with some loud shoes or a statement necklace. And really, wouldn't a little strapless linen top look super cute under that blazer for a weekend date with your sweetie??

Happy Weekend Ya'll!

And so it begins...

How did we get here and why are we blogging about it? That's something I think both Monica and I ask ourselves on a pretty regular basis. It's fairly safe to say that the creation of our co-op boutique and the creation of our blog pretty much go hand in hand. Not only has the fusing of the two shops gotten our creative juices flowing, but it has also freed up some time to persue other marketing opportunities...such as this blog. And I for one am very excited. While Monica loves fashion, I love writing. Hopefully over the next...well however long we're around for...we'll be able to bring you some of our very favorite fashion finds, some local Tampa spots that we love, and pretty much whatever strikes our fancy! So fasten your seatbelts and enjoy the ride!!