i received this gorgeous necklace well before the holidays, and well, there’s just no excuse for not sharing it with you sooner.  it’s by the always amazing prismera design…i swoon over just about everything they come up with.  but the real genius in this piece is that it’s actually a three-in-one!

wear the whole thing as a long, multi-element necklace, or break it apart – the silver/copper portion detaches to becomes a bracelet:

and you’re left with that lovely, simple laser-cut flower on an 18″ gold chain to wear separately.  genius!  i love to see designers coming up with ways to maximize your investment when times are tight, and prismera definitely did it right.  $70 for three new pieces is borderline philanthropic, don’t you think?  plus, i’m thinking this is maybe the ultimate no-thought-required travel jewelry ensemble, all in one pretty piece.

as with all of prismera’s designs, this one won’t be around forever…so if you love it, nab it now!  (a little tip: signing up for the prismera newsletter before ordering will score you a discount code!)

have a great weekend, everyone…see you next week!  i have some perfect valentine ideas up my sleeve for you and the love in your life, so stay tuned.

yeah, i can’t quite believe it either.  but as strange as it sounds, i’ve been excited about the launch of ll bean’s new venture since i first heard about it months ago.  they’re calling it their “signature” line, and i’m hoping it will be a better-tailored, slightly more hip reinterpretation of their best ideas.  it’s still top secret, but i have visions of cropped field jackets, fitted flannels and the perfect striped cashmere sweater dancing in my head.  that could all just be wishful thinking, of course, but they’ve released a couple of preview pieces that have left me optimistic:

this classic leather tote looks like something your favorite writer would carry, or maybe something you inherited from a very stylish dad.  it’s perfect for work, travel, magazines, knitting…anything, really…and you can just tell it will get even better with age.

ooh, and it looks like they just launched a slideshow on the new site that’s equally hope-inspiring.

check out that chambray shirtdress…definite potential, don’t you think?  (i can’t quite believe that chambray is back…am i the only one with serious chambray memories from junior high?)

anyway, until the full line launches, you can grab that luxe leather tote for $189 on the new ll bean signature website, and then hold your breath along with me for the launch of the full line in march.

i think it’s a day worth mentioning when the weight on your driver’s license is no longer a lie…and may even, in fact, be a bit of an exaggeration.  amazing stuff, really.

for those of you on new year’s resolution diets, i don’t recommend my method of weight loss (nor do i think it would be possible unless you were lucky enough to contract some sort of rare south american tapeworm), but there is definitely some excitement involved in going down a size (or two…).  at this rate, i might even be able to wear mcqueen by the end of the year.  because, you know, size is the only thing standing between me and a $2,000 blazer.

in more realistic retail therapy news (see? you said you wanted more frugal finds – it’s like ‘i dream of jeannie’ in blogland), i happened on the rodarte for target collection on last sunday’s target trip, and ended up bringing their navy lace tee home with me:

(hmm, maybe my new hobby should be learning to take photos that don’t suck…)  it’s sold out online, but if you happen to spot one in the store, it’s a worthy buy, which is saying something, as i’d more or less given up hope on the entire target/designer collab thing after so many misses of late.

but lacy lingerie is everywhere for spring, and if i can nail the look for $16.99, i’m a happy shopper.  the layering options are endless – over a dark tank and under a cardi, under a summer dress, peeking out under a v-neck sweater or a menswear vest…you get the idea.  (i actually did take a photo of the layered look, but it makes the first one look like ansel adams.)  sizing was a little on the narrow side…buy like you’re buying juniors, and you’ll be safe.

with that, i’m off to take a few highly invasive medical tests.  but i have brownies waiting for me when i get home.  so that’s something.

they’re one of my favorite jewelry lines, i routinely covet at least five things on their website at any given time, and now gorjana is giving 100% of tomorrow’s (jan. 27) proceeds to charities helping out in haiti.  what more could you ask?  shop hard, dear readers…it’s for an extremely good cause.

the lovely kristina lenss at kristinit just dropped me a line to let me know her entire collection is 40% off online through 2/5/10.  i very nearly blew past it, but decided to take a quick look, and i immediately knew i had to show you this beautiful floral blazer:

talk about not knowing you needed something until it showed up.  i wouldn’t expect to fall for a silk floral blazer in a million years, but look at what it’s doing for that simple black pencil skirt.  genius, don’t you think?  these dark, mod florals were all over the runways for spring style, and i’m starting to see why.

it’s not often a piece comes along that works for day, evening and weekend, but this is one of those times.  i’m envisioning this beauty topping a little black dress for cocktails, but i’d also love to see it with jeans and a slubbed white tee for happy hour, layered over a neutral (or a contrasting floral, if you’re gutsy!) sundress in the spring, or paired with some of those cropped military-inspired chinos we’re seeing everywhere.**

i’ve been pretty torn about the blazer look (especially with the miami vice-style rolled sleeves and shoulder pads), but the shape and print on this are so elegantly girly, i think there’s endless potential.  add a heel (a tan heeled sandal with thick straps would be amazing in spring), and definitely overaccessorize this one.  a few chains, some over-the-top girly gems (yeah, this one’s $8 at forever 21, i’m so buying it tonight!), or maybe a contrasting scarf (nothing too matchy, but olive would be amazing!) and you’re set!

if my math is right, this blazer will come down from $385 to about $165 (it’s already marked down to $275) with code NEWYEAR40.  not quite bargain basement, but not bad at all for a piece i suspect would end up in heavy rotation in your closet.

**for those of you who asked for more outfit compilations in our little poll, fear not – i was listening, i promise.  i’m a bit photoshop-challenged…but i’m working on it, just for you!

{“kind intruder” by michelle arcila, one of my very favorite photogs!}

…to those of you who took a second to tell me what you love, hate and generally have opinions about for this little blog.  if you didn’t get a chance, perhaps you could do it now? leave a comment on this post, the original post, some random post anywhere on the blog…i’ll see it any way you send it.  or if you’re feeling especially chatty, getting emails from you positively makes my day:  editor {at} shoppingsmycardio {dot} com, if you’re so inclined.

and have a fabulous weekend, everyone!

warning: this is going to be one of those experimental, round-about posts i warned you about.

i’m calling it right now:  musical pendants are going to be this year’s bird/feather/owl necklace of years past.  mark my words.

over the last couple of months, i’ve found myself repeatedly bookmarking necklaces made with whistles.  can’t really explain why, but i’ve just been loving the look.  it started with a link i came across somewhere for a non-profit called falling whistles.  they sell these beautiful whistle necklaces:

and all of the proceeds go to help kids in the congo learn how to work against war instead of becoming part of the ongoing conflict there (ie, be whistle-blowers, get it?).  good, right?  so maybe now i’m associating whistles with happy, good-doing types of things.

anyway. other whistle necklaces followed.  (this one from mothhouse is especially good

then, i was browsing shopbop’s latest lookbook the other day (one of my personal favorites, incidentally – take a peek), and they were featuring this harmonica necklace:

so fun, right?  in the whistle family, but more fun at parties (ahem, and better to annoy office-mates).  like the whistles, i love that it’s a little bit whimsical, but still just looks like a cool long pendant until you get up close and squint.

plus, it happens that i have a soft spot for harmonicas.  when i was just a wee shopper-to-be, my grandpa gave me a harmonica for christmas one year.  he’s in the hospital this week, and since my sweet grandmother passed just four months ago, i’m feeling a pretty heavy nostalgia pull here. so, you can imagine how hard i fell for this little pendant.

right. but sadly, it instantly sold out in the color i liked (you can still grab gold or black, though).

now, this is where the obsession kicks in.  something i like sells out in milliseconds, and suddenly i can’t live without it.  add on the sentimental-ness, and it got ugly.  so, i started scouring the web, and may have come up with something i like nearly as well from a lovely little etsy store called sora design.

what this one lacks in sleek, streamlined hipness (the shopbop version has that in spades), it more than makes up for in old-school girliness.  it even says “little lady” on it!  and it’s only $38.  i do think i may ask for a slightly longer chain length, but etsy peeps are usually super accommodating.

since i missed out on the shopbop version, i’m going to do my best not to make that mistake twice.

so, what do you think?  musical necklaces for spring?  here’s hoping they stay at least a bit original, and don’t end up becoming this year’s version of the ubiquitous bird, leaf and feather necklaces from years past.

when i first started seeing be&d handbags everywhere a couple of years ago, i didn’t really warm to their style.  they were a little too hip, maybe just too young for me – lots of ruffles and studs.  but i took a second look recently, and it looks like the line has grown up just a smidge (or perhaps i’m getting younger? no, probably not).  whatever the case, they’re still beloved by the gossip girl set, but they’ve finally captured my heart as well.

i mean, really, how could i not fall head over heels for this:

(supersize photo used to emphasize the utter fabulousness)

it’s be&d’s woodstock hobo in washed green…sigh!  i get a pretty serious “new bag itch” about twice a year, and haven’t been able to find a single thing to sate my urges.  but i think this little baby may just have been what i was holding out for.  at $995, it’s definitely a splurge, but oh, the loveliness.  and for dear reader melissa w, who mentioned she was searching for a new neutral…may i suggest a nice bright green?

i am a teensy bit worried about functionality because of that studded strap at the top opening…but then i look at that lovely smooshy leather and bold color, and i’m not sure i care about functionality. (EDIT: found some interior pics, and that strap is strictly decorative! simple magnetic closure, hurrah!)

i’ll be hoping and praying for a sale on this stunner…and you’ll be the first to know when it happens (well, right after i snag mine!).  and heads-up:  i also got a little sneak peek at their upcoming spring/summer collection and there are even more lovely, slightly more grown-up, styles to fall for (er, spring for?).  in any event, i promise to keep you posted!

it’s not often that my faith in humanity is (temporarily) restored…i tend to have a pretty pessimistic world view.  but the crisis in haiti really does seem to have brought out some amazingly selfless gestures from literally every corner.

i know that thousands of shops, designers and organizations are teaming up to help us donate, and they’re all wonderful for doing it.  but the effort at alexis bittar really caught my eye for its utter and complete generosity.  for the rest of this week (through 1/22/10), alexis bittar is donating a huge 100% of his online proceeds to the haiti earthquake recovery effort. 100%!!  i think it’s absolutely amazing of them, and have decided it may be time to show my support by splurging on one of their signature lucite bracelets, which i’ve been lusting after from afar for some time.

hmm…or maybe a pair of earrings…yum!  if you’re short on cash (aren’t we all), it’s worth mentioning that their sale section (and each and every thing pictured here is on sale, by the way) just dropped to 50% off, with loads of under-$100 choices.  so now you can be a good samaritan, a bargain-shopping genius, and impeccably stylish all at the same time.

a huge virtual hug to alexis bittar for going the extra mile!

wow, i certainly gave myself a nice long vacation, didn’t i?  good reasons, i promise.  the holidays, of course.  and then a trip to mexico, to escape the rain and gloom.  whereupon, mother nature promptly rained and gloomed all over my mexican holiday (well, at least as gloomy as cancun gets).

{the view from my hotel balcony.  life is hard, i know.}

see?  but still…sand, surf, all-inclusive room service.  hard to complain too much, really.

during all of that holiday-ing, i’ve been thinking quite a bit about this blog.  it’s hard to believe i’ve been writing it for three and a half years.  frightening, actually.  and lately, i’ve been wondering if it’s really still the blog i set out to write.

so, in the spirit of the new year, i’m going to try changing a few things.  i’m going to loosen up a little – posting perhaps less reliably but with better finds.  i’m also going to broaden my horizons a little when it comes to content, which may end up involving any or all of the following:  more snarky rants, less polish, more books, travel and/or food, and the occasional delve into my personal life (such as it is).  the goal is to just generally ease up a bit on my usually tight-as-a-drum blogging filter.  we’ll see how it goes.

in the midst of all of this, i’d like to very sweetly ask for your help.  i didn’t want to get all formal and serious with a poll (mostly because i hate blog polls), but could you consider taking 30 seconds to leave a comment right now, letting me know if there’s anything you especially love, hate, or miss about the blog?  want more designer interviews?  more reader questions (my personal favorites)?  more beauty coverage?  not another moisturizer review, ever?  more books?  do you prefer high fashion or low fashion?  if you’d rather, of course, feel free to send advice/input via email – editor {at} shoppingsmycardio {dot} com, day or night.

beyond today’s request, i’d love to have you keep on giving me input on what’s working for you and what’s not.  tell me when you love something.  tell me when you hate it.  if i post a photo of my dog, and you’d rather never see him again, tell me.  (though that would be weird…he’s freaking adorable.)  the point is that i’d rather know what interests you and what doesn’t.  just leave a comment, or even email me – i heart getting emails from you guys so very, very much!

i hope you’re all off to a fabulous start this new year, and can’t wait to kick things off with a bang!

~xo, becki