no idea why, but on a day that isn’t leaving much to smile about, i’m really enjoying hippos. random, i know.

hippo charm necklace ($60) by j.crew.

geometric stoneware hippo ($250) by jonathan adler.

hippo cosmetic bag ($18) by simbiosisbyjulia at etsy.

you all know i’m loving that long cardigans are so in right now – they’re just about all i’m wearing these days. but since it was 74 degrees at my house today, i’m dangerously close to having to put all of my yummy sweaters into storage.

for spring, i’m absolutely coveting this beautiful pritzker cardigan by lutz & patmos. the luxe gold knit is beautifully offset by its casual styling, making this a fantastically versatile piece.

i love it as pictured with jeans and a simple black tee, but it could so easily dress up a casual black jersey dress, be used as a light jacket for an evening out, or in place of a suit jacket with your favorite trouser and cashmere shell. truly a unique, classic piece that you’ll wear for years to come.

you can find this beauty at shopjake.com for $495.

ooh, and while you’re there, you can use code extra10 to take an additional 10% off everything on the shopjake sale rack (through friday 2/29), which is well worth a cruise.

so, i’m actually in the process of writing up some lovely marc jacobs praise, but i came across this sloan dot square tote and had to yell just a little. it’s adorable, no? great color, love the mixed dot texture. and $300…well, that’s pretty reasonable. until you realize it’s PVC.

am i the only person who’s actually a little offended that someone would try to sell me a plastic handbag for $300??

i’m completely torn about these. i think they’re beyond darling, but i have some serious concerns about being able to pull them off without looking like (a) a very old woman trying desperately to cling to her youth, or (b) a throwback to my 6th grade self, who used to draw pictures on my keds during social studies. are those the same thing?

anyway. thoughts?

everywhere i turn this month, it’s all about mod print dresses. cute little minis with gorgeous retro-inspired prints, and oh-so-wearable silhouettes. a few of my faves:

the print on this gorgeous badgley mischka shift dress ($398) is so stunning, i hardly know where to start. it has all the vintage charm you could ask for, which tells me this beauty will be staying in your closet for decades to come. the price is a little steep, but it’s actually reasonable for the brand – a great opportunity to score a high fashion piece without a second mortgage. if i splurge on one great piece this spring, i think this dress will be it.

this marc by marc jacobs colorblock dress ($298) just screams retro, but he’s done a beautiful job of updating the styling for modern wear. plus, the silhouette is ultra-flattering for just about anyone.

on the more affordable end of the scale, i love this shirt dress by maggy london ($158). i’m not normally terribly impressed by her construction, i’ll warn you. but i love the print, and i love the ruffle collar – this dress would be absolutely perfect for work, and i think undoing a few buttons at the top would even make this happy-hour appropriate.

from our friends over at tobi, this soda blu flutter dress ($93) is a great way to try out the trend without breaking the bank. love the color combo, which is striking, but neutral enough that you can really use accessories to change the look.

finally, this version by ziji is really gorgeous – i love the print, but i love the silhouette even more. the drop waist, the asymmetrical neckline, the draped sleeves…it’s just fantastic. and, it’s marked down to $60. so, if you happen to be a size 8, you shouldn’t even have to think about this one!

this year wasn’t as fun for fashionistas as in years past, but i do have to give a few sighs of admiration:

one for helen mirren. if i am 1/10 as fashionable at her age as she is, i’ll consider myself incredibly lucky. her gown (george chakra) fit her figure, her style, and the occasion just perfectly – i honestly think she was the best-dressed woman at the oscars.

much as my feelings about rachel zoe are very mixed, she styled jennifer garner for last night’s red carpet. not sure whether it’s her darling personality or that knockout black gown (oscar de la renta), but i just couldn’t get enough.

the gown (balenciaga) is lovely, but i spent most of the evening desperately coveting nicole kidman’s necklace. woke up this morning & found out why i loved it – 1,399 carats of diamonds. hello, sailor!

katherine heigl can really do just about no wrong in my eyes these days, and her fabulous red ensemble (escada) was perfect, as always.

and i had to share heidi klum’s dress (john galliano), only because it was probably the most striking gown that hit the carpet – really extraordinary.

so, what did i miss? what did you all love (or hate)?

all pics lovingly borrowed from people.com – thank you!

from my first visit to reform school‘s outstanding website, i knew i was going to be spending a lot of time there. the site boasts a truly unique mix of art, home decor, books, paper goods, fashion accessories…i could go on and on.

reform school started out as a brick & mortar store in the los angeles area, but owners billie and tootie quickly found there was such tremendous demand for their wares that they set up the website, and it’s been uphill ever since.

one of my very favorite qualities about the site, in addition to the dozens of fabulous things i never knew i needed but suddenly can’t live without, is their ‘student of the month’ series. the owners collaborate with well-known or up-and-coming artists to develop a limited-edition print that is only available through reform school, and is priced to make the work of these amazing artists affordable for anyone. i recently picked up this amazing print by jen garrido (her first print, actually), of whom i’ve been a longtime fan.

there are literally so many things i want to show you all that this post would be ridiculous if i wrote them all up. so, i’m just going to post pictures along with the interview. just click the pics, and enjoy what billie and tootie had to say – they’re just fantastic people!

shoppingsmycardio: i would love to know how you and your partner came up with the concept for this store – i don’t think there’s anything else like it out there. can you tell me a little about how you decide what makes it onto the shelves, and what the overall concept/inspiration is?

reform school: Basically the concept came from our love of several different things…handmade contemporary crafts, sustainable design and independent art and artists. We thought they fused well together and they were all related on some level. Our focus is obviously one of reused or recycled materials. Simply, what makes it onto our shelves are items we find unique and that we would enjoy in our own homes or lives. As partners, we’re always bouncing product ideas off one another and most of the time we’re on the same page. However, if one feels really strongly about something and the other may not be so into it…we trust eachothers instinct to at least give it a shot. So far this has worked out really well for us.

SMC: do you buy one of everything you stock? i’m not sure i’d be able to stop myself!

RS: We’ve learned to control ourselves a bit on ordering but still have a way to go. It’s definitely a huge perk.

SMC: what are your top 3 favorite items on the site right now?

RS: Always the Student of the Month. It’s just very personal to us. It means alot to us that these artists are willing to create something exclusively for ReForm School. We both love the Ayumi Horie pottery, Yu-i Chen scarves, We Are So Good Together print, and of course the Treeblock Treehouse and building blocks for kids. Okay, okay,…so that more than three, but really…we could keep going on and on!

SMC: are there any areas of the site you’d like to expand on in the near future?

RS: Yes, we plan to add bigger items such furniture and it’s always a thrill to discover up and coming artists whose work hasn’t been seen anywhere else. (Such as Yu-i Chen…..she’s unbelievable!) We’re constantly working on more exclusives with different artists and companies.

SMC: i absolutely love the ‘student of the month’ series – can you tell us a little about how that came into being? any artists you’re working with that you could give us a sneak preview of?

RS: Obviously when you open up a shop, you want to offer something different and origianal and we are always looking for ways to work more closely with our favorite artists. The Student of the Month is a great way to keep customers interested and it certainly keep us on our tippy toes constantly seeking new artists and product for each month. Look for new work by Alyson Fox, Hammerpress, K-Studio and many more in the coming months.

SMC: normally, i’d ask about your favorite, no-fail outfit. but i’d actually like to know about your favorite, no-fail home decor tips. any words of wisdom for those of us who are desperately trying to make our homes as cool as reform school?

RS: Personally we rely on flea markets, thrifting…and the best…curbside giveaways! Any product from ReForm School would fit well with any decor Just like clothing…always invest in quality pieces. We always ask ourselves…is this something we’ll like 5-10 years from now. It’s a great way to practice sustainability.

a huge, huge thank you to billie and tootie for taking the time to chat with us.

one big ordering tip: if something you love looks “out of stock,” it’s worth checking in with the store before you dispair. they get new stock in so often, it’s entirely possible what you’re looking for is in the shop and just not up on the site yet.

ooh, and….well, let’s just say if you’re not already a daily candy deals subscriber, but you saw something you liked at reform school…well, today would be a really good day to sign up.

i just think this is about the coolest thing i’ve seen in a while. it’s actually made of fabric, knit like a sweater, but doesn’t it look just like a gold lame or even leather? fantastic! so cool, and definitely has long-term style potential.

on sale for $199 at shopbop today.

i am just beside myself over this deal. for shoppingsmycardio readers only, use code CARDIO50 for 50% off on just about everything at barefoot tess, plus free shipping on orders over $100 (just check “pick up” at checkout). i just adore everyone at BT, and have been a fan of theirs even longer than i’ve been a blogger…so 50% off is right up there with christmas in july in my world.

some things to blow your march paycheck on:

french sole rebel flats: seriously, if you don’t have these yet, shame on you – mine are in such regular rotation i hardly have time to put them back in their box before wearing them again.

all black pisces flats: i’ve been after these ever since i first saw them at anthropologie last summer. now that they’re $40, i don’t see how i can pass them up.

havaianas flipflops: these almost never hit the sale rack, so i’ll be stocking up on several pairs of these fabulous styles – i live in them all summer long!

lauren merkin clutches: speaking of things that never go on sale. i’ve been coveting the louise absolutely forever.

loeffler randall olivia boots: i just can’t get enough of these boots – they make me smile every time i look at them. they’re the perfect way to ease into your spring wardrobe – the grey color is amazingly versatile, and so much more unexpected than brown or black. plus, these are brand spanking new for resort ’08…so 50% off is beyond unheard of.

there are a few exclusions…mostly their new spring items, i believe. any shoe that’s excluded is noted both on the home page and on whatever page the shoe appears on as well.

definitely don’t miss this action – and remember, the more we show barefoot tess all of our shoppingsmycardio love, the more they’ll love us back with these fab discounts!!

okay, okay – last bracelet post for a while, i promise. i just can’t seem to resist them lately.

i’ve been wanting to show you all this completely wonderful barbed wire bangle by luc kieffer for a while now. i love its potential to add the perfect dash of hip edginess to any casual outfit.

if you love the spirit of the barbed wire, but aren’t sure what your boss would say, these leather stud wrap bracelets by cc skye are a chic middle ground. my absolute favorite is the white – i can see it working with everything from a floral summer dress that needs a little edge to adding the perfect finishing touch to a basic sweater & jeans.

and if you’re just not feeling the hard core vibe at all (don’t you love that my idea of hard core is a bangle?), these darling floral bangles by leila will add color and style to even the most basic ensemble.

and last but not least, while i don’t love the current designs as much as i loved last summer’s, i’m still pretty obsessed with most of the bracelets over at j.crew. i love this kaleidoscope version, this gorgeous diamond pattern, and even this completely over-the-top stone mosaic cuff – i have no idea what i’d do with it, but it falls squarely in the category of ‘so pretty i don’t have to have a reason’.