Happy Holiday Weekend!!

Everyone have a safe and beautiful holiday weekend!!!

Be back in NYC posting Wednesday, June 1st! Until then soaking up the FLA sun.

xoxo

Emily

FLA

I’m heading home for the weekend. Off to FLA in an hour…major flight delays turned into a change of flight out of a different NYC airport, but all is GOOD. I can’t wait to:

- Soak up the sun at Ozona Blue, Clearwater, Caladesi, on our friend’s boat and in the pool at home
- Eat Chick-fil-A, a Publix sub, and my Dad’s home cooking
- Shop at International (I have a short list of purchases currently in the works…)
- See my poodles
- Hang out, relax and drink delicious beverages with family and friends

Talk to ya from Tampa!

Caladesi

Clearwater

Maggie Mae

my parents in their late 30's in Hawaii

PINK pants

This trend is in full swing for the summer. I have been crushing on this color ever since this post here and finally made a purchase worthwhile.

This JCrew pant below is great. I can wear it casually on the weekends or throw on a pair of wedges, dressing it up a little for the office/happy hour.

Here are a few other pairs worth considering.

 

JCrew- new cafe capri and Acne- joy destiny tapered stretch-cotton chinos

Elizabeth and James- deacon fine-twill cropped pants and Aubin & Wills- shenley cotton-twill chinos

Guest Blogger: Handmade Laptop Sleeves for the Discriminating Fashionista

I want to welcome Kimberly Cass to Veruca Salt today. Studio 50 Sleeves has been working very hard to launch their new business; a business that has become a huge trend because of where technology has taken us today! I am so excited to have her on the blog today! It is so important to support small businesses right now and especially small businesses with women entrepreneurs. Thanks Kim and I can't wait to see where the business takes you in the months to come!

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Why laptop sleeves? Simple- we recognized a need in the industry for fashionable laptop sleeves that didn’t fit the same, boring “generic” look you find in stores. You know the ones: mass produced in factories, black or brown. Fashion isn’t one size fits all.

Studio 50 Sleeves



My design partner, Terry Foster is an experienced wedding gown and costume designer. She has a love for vintage fabrics. I also have an eye for fashion and love hunting in vintage shops for antique pins and accessories. We came together to design sleeves with these tastes in mind.

I found a designer named Gretchen Love who hand makes these beautiful little flower pins with tulle and tiny pearl beads- I use some of her flowers to accessorize on the sleeves.

 

Buying a laptop sleeve from us is supporting smaller artists based out of the USA. These are some beautiful, creative women. Very inspiring. We are entrepreneurs at heart. We are artists that have been designing & creating either clothing, handbags or jewelry in some capacity for years. I think when you follow your bliss, there are no limits to what you can do.

Every customer has different taste. Our website will eventually have laptop sleeves for men, bohemian chic sleeves, fun polka dot styles, classic styles, you name it. We are just getting started and the possibilities are endless. We are also treating each fabric to be stain resistant, so these can be carried around without getting dirty. We hand pick antique buttons, clasps and cloth to create these. When we can, we strive to be "green" and use recycled materials for our creations.

Our sleeves are padded on both sides to protect electronic gadgets from the scrapes and bumps of everyday use. The main message that I wanted to convey: No two sleeves are exactly alike. Some (not all) are made one time only from a bolt of vintage fabric. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. Or we may come across a little antique pin closure to use once, on one sleeve. You won’t see anyone else walking around with the piece of artwork you are carrying your laptop in. We make them in a simple and attractive envelope style.

We keep the price point affordable. Feel free to look at the website, but we aren’t officially launching for orders until June 15, 2011. The site is under construction, but we have tidied it up enough for company in the meantime, so feel free to pop in.
“Be Unique. Be You”

Kim Cass can be reached at: kimstudio50@yahoo.com
Join Kim on Facebook

BOLD bracelets

Jackets off. This summer calls for some bold bangles and bracelets. Here are some of my favs right now!

Cara Accessories- Dotted Stretch Bracelet and Kate Spade- new york 'make waves' bangle

Kenneth Cole New York- Mod Sculpt Bracelet and JCrew- classic jenna bracelet

colorblock done RIGHT

Happy Friday! Zara you do it and you do it so well. I am making a trip this weekend to the UWS Zara because I can't get enough of their colorblock shoes right now. I gots to get me a pair! Check out my favs!

Zara- three-tone flat sandal and Zara- three-tone stretch sandals

Zara- two-tone wide-heeled sandal in red/brown and blue/tan

SWIM (round2)

Sad, but true. When blogger went down...so did my swim post...alas I am showing you the two suits I want (and may have ordered the JCrew one already!) for this summer.

We hit up Fire Island last weekend, with def no swim suits needed. Isn't it summertime? The kids are out of college for the SUMMER. Memorial Day Weekend is a week away. I have stored all forms of tights/stockings/pantyhose (whatever you want to call them) until Fall. I for one am tired of the Northeast rainstorms and am ready for the hot NYC summers. I promise not to complain too much about commuting when it gets so hot you can fry an egg on the sidewalk...bring on the sunlight.

JCrew- tulle underwire top

JCrew- tulle ruffle bikini

Madewell- colorblock string bikini top

Madewell- colorblock hipster bikini bottom

I got the BLUES

Ok, no I don't have the blues...but I am a little obsessed with the color right now. As I catalog the things I am craving I have come to realize many of my future purchases are all about to be BLUE. All fall I swear I couldn't buy anything but black. So blue is my new black as I spring into summer! Reminds me of the ocean...of Florida...and yes the countdown has begun. Back in FLA in t-minus 8 days!

Hobo- International 'Zara Vintage' Crossbody Bag and UO- Silence & Noise Silk Blouse

Amanda Uprichard- 'joan' dress

JCrew- tomboy tunic and MICHAEL Michael Kors- 'Harlow' Sandal

Floppy vs. Fedora

I have been a little MIA this past week. Blogger was down on Thursday (was it only me?), my excitement for my college reunion had the best of me on Friday and then I just really have no excuse for yesterday. But here I am full steam ahead and lusting over many fabulous things this week. Today I am all about hats.

There has been a buzz around my apartment for a few months now about the floppy hat trend you have been seeing all this spring. My favorite I have seen at the perfect price was featured here and is an awesome simple wide-brimmed look for the summer. However, I still love Fedoras and still rock mine I bought last year right about this time.

I was originally inspired by this post because of how badly my roomie wants a floppy hat, but I also stumbled upon one of my favorite sections in Harper's: Buy, Keep, Store where they featured two of the styles. "Have fun with fashion in a Wide-Brimmed hat. Fedoras remain chic, but Berets are a bit too much." And lastly, my two friends were down in New Orleans and both rocked both trends. I will continue to wear my Fedora, but am investing in something Wide-Brimmed ASAP. Do you have a preference? Both are equally fabulous.

Harper's Bazaar- Buy Store Keep spread

 Allie and Mere in NOLA rocking their summer sun hats!

UO- lacy edge floppy straw hat

Juicy Couture- lurex straw floppy

JCrew- summer sun hat

Calypso St. Barth- nohora sunhat

airbrush

I took the plunge and hit up a salon in Chelsea for my first ever airbrush tan. I have wanted one forever! After a long winter and a cool, rainy spring I have been in a need for that summer glow for months. Finally, a Groupon (I flove Groupon!) came my way for a $30 Airbrush, originally $75, and I scooped it up without a second thought. I put my appointment off until after my Spanish getaway and finally ventured downtown yesterday for my tanning experience.

The salon I went to was great. They were super informative and helpful when I asked a million different questions. I woke up this morning dying to take a shower (you have to wait up to 12 hrs before showering) but the results were phenomenal. I have a very even glow and do not resemble an Oompa Loompa. (Being "Veruca Salt", this was very crucial!) It is hard when using self tanners, tanning beds or anything artificial to get that real sun kissed look, but I think I got pretty darn close! I love getting this glow with zero UV rays involved, so no damage done!

Have you ever airbrushed? Do you have a self tanner you love? Here are some other products I want to try that won’t break the bank!

Clarins- Self Tanning Instant Gel and Clarins- 'Delectable' Self Tanning Mousse with Mirabelle Oil 

Guerlain- Terracotta Spray Bronzing Powder Mist SPF 10 and Lancôme- 'Flash Bronzer' Tinted Self-Tanning Body Gel

Aviators

Ooooolalalatte! The sun is in full effect! Loving it, loving it. I have been an avid Ray-Ban Wayfarer "wearer" for years now. I scored a pair from my mom, who had bought her pair in the 90's, (vintage, ha) along with a new pair I got for my birthday a few years back. But this summer, I'm making changes and want a solid pair of AVIATORS.

I am dying over this Dolce and Gabbana pair and if I can I will fit it into my summer budget. I saw them in one of the spring issues of Bazaar, but can't find them anywhere online and am still lushing. I threw in a few other options just in case they are no where to be found....

Spotted: Dolce & Gabbana's new Animalier version

Gucci- '1627/S' Aviator Sunglasses and Gucci- Round Metal Aviator Sunglasses

Gucci- Vintage Inspired Stripe Aviator Sunglasses and Ray-Ban- Polarized Aviator Sunglasses

Guest Blogger: 'SimplySouthern' and what she wants NOW

I was introduced to Emily (such a great name btw!) of SimplySouthern through Katie, of Daily Crush. She is another fellow OWU friend and has been a super help to me as a beginning blogger. She has a great sense of style and I always check out her posts on my daily blog reads!

If you aren't already following her, do! BONUS: I know she is going to have some amazing guest bloggers for the month of July when she heads to Italy for a summer semester. (So jealous!)

Thank you Emily for your guest post and showing us what you want NOW!

Hi Veruca Salt readers, Emily here from SimplySouthern! Emily and I went to school together....well not really she graduated right when I got there, but a bond over bishop love is a bond in and of its self!

I am getting ready to get off to Italy in a few weeks for a summer semester there and all I can think about is what I am going to wear. I have always had a weird love for long dresses...probably because they are extremely easy and simple but can be dressed up quickly. I am always searching online for new dresses to add to the wish list...imagining myself walking the streets of Italy in them.

This one really caught my eye recently, a little black dress in a summer style - but long! It is something I have decided to make a staple this summer. It can be warn with sandals and a bare neck, looking like you stepped right off the beach, or dressed up with jewelry for a night out! I am a strong believer in simple pieces with fun accessories- it's perfect for college when I am running out of statement tops! Lots of people think that they cannot pull off long dresses...I say go for it...I have never seen anyone who cannot rock it!

Thank you soo much for having me Emily, stop on over to SimplySouthern for even more daily inspirations!

summer straw

I'm OBSESSED over this MARC by Marc Jacobs bag in one of the latest Bazaar spreads for their May 2011 issue and pretty much all things STRAW right now. The material just puts me in the mood for summertime, the beach, NYC’s Great Lawn (+mimosas), weekend getaways and soaking up the sun (+SPF, no wrinkles thank you).

Editor's Choice- Primary Colors in Bazaar May 2011 issue

So, here are a few accessories, which I know I will still be eyeing into the summer months, which also are bound to still be topping my list of all things STRAW I want now.

Marc by Marc Jacobs- preppy straw canteen messenger bag

JCrew- farmers market tote and UO- pins and needles basic straw floppy hat

Tory Burch- 'reva' woven flat