Ahoy, bloggers! We hope you’re all having a wonderful weekend so far. If you’re stateside like us, this is a long, 3-day holiday weekend, and it’s time to take full advantage. No matter how long your weekend is, this is the season to cross your fingers that it might include a cannonball into a large body of water.

You may cringe, you may grown – but yes, it is swimsuit season once again. Whether you’re into teeny bikinis or retro-fab onepiece suits, we want to know: what’s your style when it’s time to make a splash?

 IFB Project #49: Make A Splash!

Create a post that’s all about swimwear. It could be a shopping layout that includes your favorite SPF, sunhat and shades or a round up of your favorite suits – just add water. We’re interested to see if you’re more of a hang-by-the-pool crowd or a catch-some-waves-by-the-ocean type. But please – no skinny-dipping (at least not on your blog)!

Submit your best swimwear post below, and check back on Wednesday at 3 pm to see if yours was chosen!

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For us, Twitter is just as much about entertainment as it is about communication, networking and intel-gathering. It’s become this undeniable force of information (and a great place for procrastination) in our online lives. At IFB, we spend a lot, and we mean a lot of time browsing our feed and keeping up with who’s tweeting what at whom, and when. Without further ado, here’s a round up of our favorite 140-character quotes this week.

We couldn’t agree more. Strap in and hold on!

Uhm, always!

There are fewer more inspiring reasons to get dressed each day.

We agree: love the store, could do without the inbox flood.

We see you, Brad.

Yes. So do we.

A little mascara never hurt anyone.

Just buckle your seat belt, right?

Our Siri gets a bit confused sometimes, too!

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Put down that copy of 50 Shades of Grey, do you hear me?

Perhaps that sounds a bit harsh, and if you must, you can go on and finish it. When you’re done though, why not pick up something of a little more substance? A book that will educate, inspire and entertain you, and probably make you a better and smarter blogger as well. Sound good? I thought so.

Now trot over to your local book store, load up your e-reader or click on over to Amazon.com, and stock up on these titles. While you lounge poolside this summer or before you rest those work-weary peepers each night, browse, devour or simply enjoy one (or all) of these amazing books:

9 Books Every Style Blogger Should Read

On Fashion:

Fashion: 150 Years of Couturiers, Designers and Labels

• This beautifully illustrated book chronicles the evolution of fashion from corsets to pant suits, and all the designers and cultural movements that drove style forward. It’s a gorgeous coffee table book and an educational necessity for anyone who wants to blog seriously about fashion from an informed and enlightened perspective.

The 100: A Guide to the Stylish Pieces Every Woman Must Own, Nina Garcia

• As the Fashion Director at Marie Claire and a judge on Project Runway, we’ve come to trust Nina Garcia on all things fashion. She has an eye for trends, talent and classic appeal that manifest perfectly in this book’s collection of pieces and inspiration for any well-dressed woman. Garcia’s advice will inspire your wardrobe and the way you style your blog.

On business:

Outliers: The Story of Success, Malcom Gladwell

• This book came out back in 2008, but its over-arching question, “What makes high-achievers different?” and the answers Gladwell supplies still ring true today. From The Beatles to software billionaires, the author breaks down how where you’re from, your upbringing, your culture, family, and generation – all play a roll in how great success is reached.

By Invitation Only: How We Built Gilt And Changed The Way Millions Shop, Alexis Maybank and Alexandra Wilkis

• The founders of Gilt Group share the story of how they started out as re-connected acquaintances at Harvard Business School, with backgrounds in e-commerce and investment banking, and ended up as the heads of a brilliant fashion-meets-tech company valued at over one billion dollars.

Ready to Launch: The PR Couture Guide to Breaking into Fashion PR: Transform your passion for fashion into a successful career, Crosby Noricks

• Whether you’re pursing a professional fashion career as well as blogging, or looking to gain insight as to how fashion PR agencies and in-house teams work, this is great read. Noricks covers everything  from education to internships and interviews, as well as personal branding, reputation management and setting goals for an inspired  and successful career.

On Writing:

On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction, William Zinsser

•  No matter what topic or for what reason you may need to write, this book gives sound advice in a warm and friendly tone that is accessible to everyone. Its not a book you need to read cover-to-cover, but is perfect to turn to when you need a quick jolt of direction, inspiration or guidance. From writing about yourself to writing an email, its all here.

Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer, Roy Peter Clark

• “You need tools, not rules” says the author of this helpful guide. He includes 200 writing samples and examples from literature and journalism to illustrate each concept, making the tools accessible and relevant.  Like On Writing Well, this book is full of wisdom that can be applied to any style of writing.

On Blogging & Social Media:

Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust, Chris Brogan

• In this book, two social media veterans show readers how to tap into the power of social networks to build a brand’s (or your blog’s) influence, reputation, and potential profit. The author explains why online influencers like bloggers rely on trust, reputation, and relationships to grow, and how they use social media to do it.

Fashion 2.0: Blogging Your Way to The Front Row, Yuli Ziv

• In this first-of-its-kind book, the founder of Style Coalition (a network that represents top fashion and beauty bloggers, in partnership with ELLE magazine), gives tips based on her own experience as to how style bloggers can build their brand, expand their network and influence and turn their site into a profitable business. (We’d call this a must-read for any aspiring style bloggers out there.)

Have you read any of these books yet? Let us know if you have any great recommended reads for our community!

Image by sniegirova mariia  on Shuttershock.

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Your weekend bags are packed but you need some road trip reading material? Well, we’ve got you covered.

This week’s chic reads are:

The New York Times dives into Cannes Film Festival fashion and why the celebration of dressing up will never end at this red carpet.

Refinery 29 takes us on the Fashion Knock-off journey. It’s scary and exciting at the same time.

Business of Fashion asks if the fashion industry is failing in the video content development arena.

Vogue.com takes on the subject of summer shorts and show us how we can style them for all occasions.

What are the best industries for you to start a business in? Inc. picks the top 12 but we love #4.

Enjoy the weekend, see you on the other side!

[Image credit: Fashionista]

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As we speak, IFB HQ may or may not be counting down the hours until the long weekend is upon us. Just because we’re going to be out off the office and in the sunshine (hopefully), doesn’t mean we want to lose all knowledge of what’s going on online. Of course we want to tune out for a while, but when it’s time to get back in the know, we certainly don’t want to stop everything, grab our computer and be stuck at home or even inside at all.

Which is why we are ever-so grateful for our trusty smartphones and iPads. We don’t know how we’d survive without them or our 15 favorite apps that keep us connected without actually being connected. You know what we mean? Be sure to download these before you hit the road for this long holiday weekend.

Here are the 15 apps that keep us tuned in and entertained when we’re on the go!

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