Get "In Touch"

"In Touch" Magazine is conducting a drawing for this bag of goodies ($500 value) from Vanessa Simmon's birthday party.

Included in the gift bag are:
1) Tracey Evelyn Natural Lip Balms
2) Strappity Jeweled Bra Straps
3) Vain Style Compact Mirrors
4) Kippy's Cuffs
5) Clipa - The Instant handbag Holder
6) MarcC - Custom Bowties
7) Pastry Accessories
8) Kissable Couture Lip Gloss
9) Pure Mahada Body Butter
10) Dr. Miracles Hair Products
11) Sue Tsai Accessories

Enter to win at http://winit.intouchweekly.com/itw/enter/drawing/5543bdeab2c71b34752b67b6f4d325da85161a44 - read the Official Rules & Good Luck!

Brastraps.ie Becomes Enlightening

Strappity Do Da is thrilled that our Irish distributor, Brastraps.ie will join the Marie Keating Foundation to "Make Cancer Less Frightening by Enlightening" with promotions using the Bubblegum Strappitys for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Well known and regarded in Ireland, the Marie Keating Foundation is committed to beat cancer through awareness, education and support services.

Following Marie Keating's death in 1998 from breast cancer, each member of her family vowed to bring an end to breast cancer, through any means within their power. They committed to provide all women and their families with information to prevent - or detect - cancer, at its earliest stages. The collective aim is to make cancer less frightening by enlightening. The Marie Keating Foundation is the realisation of a family's dedication, and a promise to themselves in action.

Her son, Ronan Keating, of the Irish boyband popular in the 1990's - Boyzone - left the band to pursue a successful solo career. He joined them for a reunion tour in 2008 and a new release is expected in late 2009.

Keating has walked the length of Ireland twice, raising money for the Marie Keating Foundation, which has now linked to Cancer Research in the UK. Each year they hold Charity Balls and various other events to raise funds to keep their mobile units on the road.

In June 2009 Keating received a Special Achievement Award from Cancer Research UK, singled out for his work with them since 2006. Keating, along with The Marie Keating Charity, has helped to raise over £1.7 million for the UK charity. This money is used to fund 3 special mobile units which raise awareness throughout the UK.

http://www.mariekeating.ie/
www.brastraps.ie
www.strappity.com

The Lioness Purrs

Eldest child in a famous family (her father is Joseph Simmons a.k.a. Rev Run), Vanessa Simmons is a star in her own right: actress, model, reality television star and entrepreneur - you might expect a righteous roar from this lovely, talented young woman. We think this feminine feline (Leo - birthday August 5) realizes the power of her purr to charm audiences and fans off-camera just as she does on-camera. Strappity-Do-Da's owner/founder Shelli Styles joined Vanessa at her birthday bash at Su Casa Friday night in NYC, and made a gift of a one-of-a-kind beaded evening bag - along with her own set of Strappitys. Vanessa will be pleasantly surprised to discover just how supportive and comfortable those straps are. Enjoy, birthday girl!

OhMySpry!

Happy Birthday Spry! This past weekend saw lots of Leos celebrating birthdays in the Big Apple, and Shelli was there to join in the fun and festivities. Our favorite celebrity stylist, Spry has as good a heart as he has good taste. www.ohmyspry.com (click -> O!) says it all!

Our Knight Shines

Is it already August? Summer is almost over, and Strappity is designing new styles and adding new product. Seems like the same is happening on the other side of the Atlantic.

Just last month, our Irish distributor (www.brastraps.ie) was featured on a national broadcast in Ireland with a warm embrace of Fair Trade fashion bra straps. Carmel Knight is busy building the bra strap business in Europe, and offers FREE SHIPPING - great news for our customers in the UK, Italy, France, Spain & Ireland. See for yourself. (click on the space ->) http://www.tv3.ie/videos.php?video=11432&locID=1.65.74&date=2009-07-17&date_mode=1&page=1&show_cal=2&newspanel=&showspanel=1&web_only=&full_episodes

D.A.R.E. to Care

Strappity-Do-Da recently attended a lovely Sunday afternoon Tea Party for Women's Empowerment Board in Cleveland. A charming parade of women in pretty party frocks, topped off with colorful, fanciful hats, turned out to show their support for Women in Transition. The 30-year-old program has been providing women-in-transition (re-entering the workforce, divorce, widowed, career change, etc) education, resources and support to achieve life goals. Strappity-Do-Da donates a portion of the sale of its Amethyst Dream (click ->) Amethyst Dream straps to Women's Empowerment Board to benefit their various charities.

We also just sent a donation to D.A.R.E.(Drug Abuse Resistance Education). Without federal funding, D.A.R.E. relies on donations to perform its community services benefitting millions of children worldwide. For over a quarter of a century, D.A.R.E. has brought its message into the classroom, at no charge to the school, providing instruction, materials and training.

There are many worthy organizations that need help to fulfill their mission. They don't ask much - every dime or dollar adds up to something meaningful in your community. Do what you can, if you can, ... dare to care.

What do Sarah Palin & Kyle Patterson Have in Common?

Kyle Patterson is a techie - Strappity-Do-Da's in-house techie - affectionately known as "toodles". To know him is to love him. Fatally funny, wicked smart, and a genuine good guy, Kyle is a Tower of Testosterone in a High-Octane Estrogen Environment.

So, what do Kyle Patterson and Sarah Palin have in common besides the initial letter "P" in their surnames?

Gender? no
Political Agenda? don't know
Controversy? uh-oh
Ties to Law Enforcement? whoa!

The Answer: they're both in Alaska this summer. While Governor Palin whiles away the hours in Wasilla and juries in Juneau - our Darling Toodles is risking life and limbs to boost the Alaskan economy, to put a salmon teriyaki in every grill, and to pay for (his own) higher education.

That's right - our very own Toodles rejected a prestigious summer internship (paying minimum wage) in favor of one of the deadliest jobs in the world. He's our Hero, our epic Swashbuckler (whether or not he knows it) - but that's not why he does it. He takes on the danger and the detritus of working on an Alaskan fishing boat to advance - his education and his hard-earned right to a handsome paycheck doing what he loves.

High heels and beauty pageants are hard work, ok. Toodles - we love ya & can't wait to see you back on the Mainland intact!

Strappity Summer Wardrobe!

WHO-WHAT-WHEN-WHERE-HOW-WHY
STRAPPITY® W5H

All right my darling Do-Da-Divas, let’s have some fun! The heat’s on and we want to know all about you - who you are, what you do, when you wear your Strappitys® and, how you choose when, where & why to wear them. Don’t be shy - speak up, show off & share! And … you could win a wardrobe of Strappitys – (your choice of) one for every day of the week!

If you don’t already own a pair and want to play, we’ll help you with a 10% discount on any regularly priced pair. Use promotional code W5H when you place your order.

HOW TO PLAY
Go to www.dodadivas.com and post a comment on the STRAPPITY® W5H with your answers:
Who you are – age range (20’s-30’s-40’s etc, unless you don’t mind telling your age)
What you do - student, profession, homemaker, retired, etc
When do you Strappity® – special occasions, every day, only with shoulder baring tops, etc
Where do you Strappity® – yoga class, parties, beachside, red carpet, work
Why do you Strappity® – pretty, comfortable, different, fun, etc
How do you Strappity® – with convertible bra, with bathing suit, with outfits to which I’ve
affixed my own loops; criss-crossed, mixed up colors, multiple pairs, etc.
Please tell us how many pairs of Strappity-Do-Das® you own

HOW TO WIN
Show Your Support™! – a picture is a must - the most important and fun aspect is YOU. Email a picture of you showing your support to melinda@strappity.com. By so doing, you grant implicit permission to Strappity-Do-Da® to use your likeness on our site and in our promotional materials. We will post photos and stories on the W5H page at www.strappity.com, where visitors will vote on the winner (it’s ok to send your friends and family there to vote for you). All votes must be cast by midnight July 15, 2009 – emailed to melinda@strappity.com.

This is all about fun and sharing and learning how to fully enjoy our Strappitys®. Be creative, be daring, be real. Show us how you Glam & Bare It!

First Place – a Strappity-Do-Da® Wardrobe – you choose one style for every day of the week!
First Runner Up – WooHoo Wardrobe – choose two styles for weekend party & play

Enter now and give yourself lots of time to gather votes!

Happy Strappity!

Magic & Poetry with an Irish Twist

I've always felt the Irish were a romantic lot, perhaps it is because they are such eloquent storytellers, poets and lyricists. The Irish brogue is pleasing to me - musical, emotional, and often full of amusement - making one want to listen closely to their tales.

The fancifulness of fairies and leprechauns and "Gulliver's Travels" is delightful; and the wealth of literary ideas produced by Nobel prize-winning Irish authors & playwrights George Bernard Shaw, William Butler Yeats, Samuel Beckett and Seamus Heaney is admirable.

Ancient, mystical & haunting melodies are enchanting, while a modern fusion of rock & traditional music styles has produced some powerful and memorable popular music.

They really get to me ... in a good way. And now, they're finding a way to get summer fashion fun to you - in the UK, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal - oh, and Ireland!

We've noticed lots of Euro-visitors to our Strappity website. For those of you across the Atlantic who want your own pair of Strappity-Do-Das, it's now a little easier to access - with FREE shipping!

Visit www.brastraps.ie (click the space -->) www.brastraps.ie for some of our top sellers right there on your side of the ocean. Happy Strappity!

Get Trendy!

The month of May marks your thirty day countdown to getting in shape for summer! With the days getting longer and warmer ... you can garden your way to firmer abs and arms (hoe! hoe! hoe!) and you'll have gorgeous blooms, too. Lots of upcoming occasions to show off your results: proms, graduation, weddings & vacation!

Get inspired to get in shape. Check out summer color & fashion trends. Plan your tan and how to look your best! Remember, Strappity-Do-Da features monthly specials at www.strappity.com.

Chic Colour Trend

This colour palette has nature inspired overtones; Earthy and heavy on the brown leaving us with the feeling very much of old country simplicity. Strappity Styles: Golden Brown, Amethyst Dream, Canyon Sky

A harmonic and natural world, invaded by the warm and fascinating colours of plants. A strong reference to the volume of trees and to their unstable perfection. Abstract geometry mixing with perfect modular shapes. Basic colours conveying quiet and pureness, but taking us back to the `60s when combined with green and violet.

Classical Colour Trend

The classical palette is more vivid and saturated, with colours that remind us of the resort with beach-like blues and the distinctly sandy Hypen. Strappity Styles: Turquoise, Canyon Sky, Royal Caribbean

A world deeply inspired by colours of Mediterranean beaches, where the strong appeal of the sea combines with the period of figurative arts. Flaming and almost primary colours convey strength and energy, daring with creative couplings.

Casual Colour Trend

The casual colour palette stands alone leaving behind the country and nature with a heavy city shift, the concrete colours, glassy blues, unnatural pinks and yellow that reminds us of a street light. Strappity Styles: Flirty Flower Poppy, Crystal Clear, Hot Pink Passion, Silver Eyelet

Colours of this range reflect the cold light of pixels and deformed effects. Iron grey cuts these colours and makes them matchable, while deep yellow inflames them of a dazzling light with psychedelic effects.

Source: TFL

See-through and sheer fabrics trend

In Spring and Summer fashion tends to get a little more revealing; blame it on the heat, and one's desire to show off. So in 2009 turn to the sheer / see-through trend to keep you cool yet sexy. 2009's sheer pieces are a mixture of the soft and feminine, to the opposite extremes of the hardcore sex-kitten.

Swimwear / Bikinis 2009

Find out what swimwear you'll be wearing when you hit the beach this Summer with the Bikinis 2009 trends guide. Which monikinis should you be wearing? And what style of bikinis? And which designer is making the sexiest, must-have pieces? Click to find out.

One-Shouldered Tops, Dresses & Bikinis

From single-shouldered dresses to tops and bikinis, asymmetric shoulder-lines have made a huge return in 2009. Showing off one-shoulder in a dress can be subtly sexy and interesting on the eye, and the possibilities for how to wear it are numerous. Click to read more on the one-shouldered fashion trend.

Grecian dresses fashion trend

History and fashion repeat themselves; so don't be surprised to find out that Roman-esque and Grecian inspired clothing are a key fashion trend in 2009. Both as maxi-dresses and short little numbers, the Grecian dress is one of the key looks that any woman can indulge in. Click 'Roman / Grecian fashion trend' to read more.

Tribal / Ethnic Fashion Trend

Fashion in Spring/Summer 2009 is cultured and world-wise. From tribal-infused prints, to turbans, to flowing kaftans and crisp safari suits... if it evokes a feeling of the exotic and the adventurous, it fits with the 2009 style mindset. Click 'Ethnic / Tribal fashion trend' to read more.

Butterflies: 2009 Motif

Feminine, ethereal and a symbol of renewal. The butterfly is the motif du jour in 2009. Don't fall into the trap of glitzy blingy kitsch - the butterfly this summer is all about elegance. Click here to read more: butterfly motif trend.

Jewel-encrusted Clothing Trend

It's not the first time bejewelled pieces have been a hit over the past few years. But in 2009 they return brighter, bolder, and more elegant. This time around pieces are not just embellished but often completely encrusted by jewels; the feeling is luxurious, exotic, and yet the glamour remains somewhat understated. Click here for more on the jewel-encrusted clothing trend.

Exposed Stomach / Midriff

Please consider this the one 2009 fashion trend I am truly scared of, not because I don't like the intention, but because the implementation has the potential to go completely awry. If you thought muffin top was horrible, imagine how bad an exposed midriff trend can go? Ladies, hit the gym.

Source: fashionising

Be a Do-Da Diva

 

Spring is here and it's time to slough off coats, gloves, and dry skin. Now is the time to pamper yourself, get toned, and prepare to strut your stuff! Gone clunky boots - hello sassy sandals and painted toenails. Pumice those heels, soften those elbows, and moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! Spring cleaning is NOT just for the house. 

It's time for Pretty Parties ... the more the merrier! I'm inviting girlfriends to discover a wonderful new skin care regimen that smells good, feels good, and gives visible results! Arbonne is a Swiss company designing botanical-based products, which are super fresh and super effective. I've tried lots of organic, plant-based skin care lines over the years that made me feel good, but Arbonne makes skin glow! - and that makes me feel great!

Watch out - serious Do-Da Divas are getting ready to Glam & Bare It! Send me your beauty tips & pix!!!

Strength Test

WOW. Wearers of Strappity-Do-Da take for granted how comfortable and strong they are. This week, two people asked to have a yank at the straps to test their strength, and were surprised that something so dainty could be so durable. It got us to thinking about a visual to demonstrate the tensile strength of our straps. Take a peek at the picture, then step over to your fridge to get a real feel for yourself. You will be amazed. Let us know what you think! www.strappity.com

Do Not Try This at Home

Shelli's niece-in-law was visiting her recently and helping out around the house: dusting, washing dishes, vacuuming, cleaning ... laundry. A practical gal, and thorough, she kindly gathered up all Shelli's clothes not put away, and washed them - in the washing machine - full cycle.

Guess what? Two bras with Strappitys-Do-Da straps attached got washed! Now, this is the fastest way to void the Strappity-Do-Da guarantee, so DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME. What happened is that the straps came out sparkling clean and totally intact.

Moral of the story: washing your Strappitys in warm soapy water, blotting with a towel, and letting them air dry (do not dangle near cats' paws nor baby's reach), will render your shoulder jewelry like new! So simple, so shiny.

Strappity-Do-Pets

We have a soft spot for four-legged furry creatures in our office. Katy - an oversized, pear-shaped, smokey gray fuzzball cat - chose me as the object of her relentless charms, spurning my cat-owner co-workers, in favor of my polite indifference. I suspect now this made me a most appealing challenge.

Shamelessly, she wooed me with pretty purrs and tender cat kisses, making Shelli (her true mistress) laugh and marvel. She stationed herself on my desk, under my desk, and in my chair to welcome me each day, and to stake her claim on me. Mind you - there are two other cats, with equally strong and distinct personalities, who roam and rule our quarters ... but that is another story. Yes, she even staged some rather impressive, yet harmless, cat fights over who could climb into my computer tote and large purse on the floor beside my desk.

Without my consent or permission, she claimed me - helping herself to the homemade pasta lunch on my desk when I wasn't looking, sprawling across my computer keyboard to assert her importance above my work, and draping herself in my lap in a lazy splendour, until my legs went numb, self-satisfied that I dared not rouse her. 

Katy makes herself so lovable I want to hug her - with sloppy abandon and reckless love - like she's my dog, Roscoe. Then I look into those coy green eyes and refrain ... instead, offering affections carefully ... awaiting her permission - which she always grants.

Historic Inauguration Day

Here it is:  Barack Obama’s Inauguration Day.  We will have the rest of our lives to share what we were doing January 20, 2009 - the day world history was made! 

Around the world, not just in the USA, people of all religions, colors and ages are anticipating this new beginning.  We now know that anything can happen. 

Spirits are high and our fellow human beings are feeling collaborative.

It’s the first day in a new era of yes’s.  Don’t miss your opportunity to affect the launch of a renewed optimism on this day of global significance.

Take inspiration in the fact that a multi-racial, multi-cultural man has become president of the United States, and recognize how our small, but growing, company of American women is making an important contribution by creating American jobs while extending a hand to our sister human beings 2500 miles away.  We are being born into a new economic boom – let’s stay awake for it.

Shelli Styles-Gaviria

Founder, Strappity-Do-Da

Steelers v Cardinals - Show Your Support!

Tampa-bound, first-timer Cardinals or veteran Steelers, Super Bowl XLIII buzz is abuzz amongst bettors, fans and media as to Who, How and How Big the win will be. If you were on the edge of your seat watching the playoffs, just imagine what you have to look forward to in two weeks!

If you're one of the lucky ladies heading to Raymond James Stadium on February 1, you'll want to soak up some sun AND show your support in a whole new way - with Strappity-Do-Das (TM) in Cardinal Red & White or Steelers Black & Gold! Show your true colors for team spirit while you stroll the city and cheer from the stands.

If you're not flying south, you can still show your support at Super Bowl parties. Strappitys have been tested by national sports dance teams with two thumbs up for comfort and durability, so they can surely stand up to some fan frenzy.

Strappity's Super Bowl Special offers your choice of a 10% discount (promo code: 10percent) or free shipping (promo code: PRE1018).

Do-Da-Divas

Fun is what it's all about. Who can't take a minute to have a laugh? Wannabe Do-Da-Divas stepped up to the plate and into the frame.  Take a peek at their pictures!

Snowbird Alert!

Brrr! Winter snow and ice storms are driving some lucky Snowbirds south ... to Florida, Mexico, or anywhere with sun, sand & water ... anywhere ELSE. Are you prepared? Here are a few tips to make the most of your winter getaway.

1. Get a base tan. You don't want to show up with winter white skin blending into white sand. And who has time to waste with a burn and blotchy peeling skin? Better book a couple of short session in the tanning bed before you go.

2. BYOE (Bring Your Own Everything) - why leave anything to chance? Bring your tried 'n true beauty creams & lotions, pefect fit bathing suit & party dresses, so you can be in total control of how fabulous you look. Be sure to leave some room in your luggage for fun finds.

3. Beach Bling - show off your sun-kissed shoulders apres-sun. Let the Silver Eyelet Strappity shimmer on browned skin with a simple white tank. Or sparkle while you sun - subsititute bikini straps with Strappitys to match your suit. Or Strappity a strapless dress to shine on the dance floor all night long.

Have fun & Happy Strappity!