Not that I’m counting down the minutes or anything.. but my 4 day weekend starts today at 6:00PM. And a long holiday weekend certainly calls for something festive to bring to a beach party or backyard BBQ. This ‘Tequila Blackberry Lemonade’ summer cocktail recipe is a cinch to make (perfect for when you’ve had a long day on the water or for when you’ve already had a few!), is incredibly refreshing and has a just enough of a red, white and blue coloring that it couldn’t be more fitting for the Fourth of July. Cheers friends!
SHOP THE STORY
An added bonus of Summer cocktails? The chance to drink them outside. I love these cute vintage style tumblers (plastic means they’re great for beaches/pools that don’t allow glass plus they’re really affordable) and galvanized ice bucket to keep the extra tequila or lemonade chilled. Toss down a lightweight blanket (this one is actually a cotton sarong sent to me by PopSugar in this month’s #MustHaveBox – along with lots of other cute summer goodies!)… now mix, sip, and repeat.
Life has been busy lately (isn’t that always the way in Summer?) and when that happens, there’s often more than a few outfits that I share on Instagram that never end up making their way over here to the blog. That also happens when I travel without my the man behind the camera. All that being said – I thought it was time to share a quick round-up of some of my favorite early Summer looks from the past few weeks. I’ve been at the lake house, running around the city and on a quick girls weekend to New Orleans and have been relying on a mix and match color palette, comfortable shoes and fun accessories! Shop it all below and happy weekend friends!
LOOK 1 (East Village, NYC): Post-work messy hair and simple layers.
LOOK 2 (West Village, NYC): Denim and stripes for weekend wandering (heels and bag are now on sale!)
LOOK 3 (Marigny, NOLA): Big easy, wearing off the shoulder stripes (sunglasses and espadrilles on sale!)
LOOK 4 (Gramercy, NYC): Classic gingham and a seasonless saddle bag
LOOK 1 (Lake Wallenpaupack, PA): Lake life in a white one-piece swimsuit (hat, towel & espadrilles on sale!)
LOOK 2 (Garden District, NOLA): In a jazzy palm print dress (sunglasses, bag and shoes on sale!)
LOOK 3 (Gramercy, NYC): Curb to cab in nude sandals (heels on sale!)
LOOK 4 (Lake Wallenpaupack, PA): Tassel ties and my favorite high-waisted denim shorts (top on sale!)
LOOK 1 (Lake Wallenpaupack, PA): On the dock in easy blues (bag and cover-up unfortunately sold-out)
LOOK 2 (East Village, NYC): Throwing shade (top and bottom pairs on sale!)
LOOK 3 (East Village, NYC): Ready for take-off (sandals on sale!)
LOOK 4 (East Village, NYC): Fit for a picnic (hat and bag on sale!)
This past weekend, I was thrilled to be a featured blogger at the Lovely Happenings event (aka a fun day filled with bloggers and NYC local business giving their best take on fashion, beauty, food and lifestyle presentations – not to mention about 100 gorgeous guests). Although fashion is my main forté I thought it would be fun to share a spring cocktail demo that guests could learn to make themselves (and then promptly enjoy) on the spot.
I find early Spring weather (at least on the East Coast) to be the trickiest of the year. I want to wear Spring outfits, and some days I actually get to, but mostly I’m battling a mix of brisk, windy mornings, rain (or even snow…ugh), and mixed up temperatures. While these outfits never made it to the blog, on Instagram I’ve shared the staples I’m relying on lately to get me through these next few weeks.
p.s. I’m heading somewhere warm tomorrow and naturally, will be taking you all along for the ride. Follow me on Instagram (#steelemaidenvoyages) and on Snapchat (thesteelemaiden) – plus be sure you’re signed up for my newsletter here today! I’m sending out a special edition newsletter tonight showing you everything in my travel bag before it hits the blog.
With the Oscars coming up tomorrow night, and Spring soiree season upon us, I thought it was about time I mixed up a champagne recipe. While I’m all for popping a little bubbly at a party – there’s something that feels a bit lacking in straight champagne. This cocktail requires only 4 ingredients total and is a cinch to make, but will feel totally impressive at your next get together. And if said ‘party’ is just you on your couch watching the Oscars.. I won’t judge.
*Original recipe via Style Me Pretty, all images via The Steele Maiden
