with the weather being as swelteringly hot as it’s been lately, i’m sorry, but heavy cuffs and statement necklaces just aren’t an option.  instead, i head for the lightest, sweetest pieces i can find…but i still want maximum impact to offset summer’s perma-casual style.  and nearly every day this summer, gorjana has been my go-to for those perfect light, high-impact pieces.

their wrap necklaces are especially perfect when the weather gets hot.  most are a generous 46″ long, which means the styling options are endless.  leave it long, and it’s just right to doll up a tank dress, or double (or even triple) it for a more casual look with a tee and shorts (the doubled version is also gorgeous under a buttoned blouse at work).  either way, it’s utterly weightless, but still makes a statement.  this shimmer wrap necklace is my personal favorite right now, but to be honest, gorjana’s wrap necklaces are an addiction of mine…i own more than i should!

ditto for these chic little leather wrap bracelets (best left for those of you with thin wrists, i have to admit).  i get all of that bold, bright color without the weight of my heavy enamel bangles.  plus, i love the barely-there stud detailing.  at $55 each, they’re an easy way to give yourself a little end-of-summer treat.

(can’t help but love this image, by the way…it’s so rainbow brite-slash-punky brewster!)

in other exciting news, the lovely people at gorjana emailed last week to let me know they’d redesigned their website, and i am thrilled with the results.  sometimes simple is better, and when it comes to online shopping, i’m a girl with simple needs. bigger photos, no flash, easy to link…i’m a happy blogger!

i’ve been cruising the “what’s new” section at shopbop a little too much this week, and there are more than a few accessories that i just can’t get out of my head.

starting at the top, from left:  loeffler randall meg booties ($575) that i still can’t figure out how i’d wear, but love nonetheless.  if there’s one thing on this list i’ll actually end up buying, it’s this vanessa mooney dagger necklace ($140), which would be absolutely beautiful layered with a longer pendant necklace – i think jewelry’s trending that way for fall.  gara danielle druzy ring ($144), just because it’s blingy and pretty.

as for the bottom row, from left: halston heritage stingray satchel ($495), an unbelievable steal for a style so luxe and unique, and i predict it’ll be gone in an instant.  tory burch eddie beaded flats ($175), which would look amazing peeking out from trouser jeans, or with a flippy black skirt right now. loeffler randall’s shearling lowe boots ($695) are a serious splurge, but they’re also a serious step up from uggs, with all the cozy warmth!

happy friday, everyone!

why is it that every single time i see a scarf so beautiful it makes me gasp, it turns out to be by epice?  seriously…every. single. time.

oh, the colors, the dreamy oversized floral, the gauzy light-as-air cotton…sigh.

sadly, epice’s prices are increasing, as is inevitable when i find a brand i adore.  this one’s $225, which i realize is excessive.  but can you ever imagine a time in your life that this wouldn’t be an amazing addition to your ensemble? plus, epice scarves in any incarnation are tough to find in the states, so if you have the means, i strongly suggest nabbing this one from calypso while you can.

i completely forgot to tell you all about the beautiful earrings i found a few weeks back at una, one of my favorite portland shops.  i fell for them instantly – the simplicity, delicacy, and hand-forged details – and something told me i was going to love everything the designer had to offer.

i was right.  i ran right home, checked out shelli markee’s website, and fell hard for her style.  it’s all very simple but striking, architectural and line-based – as if she took the most elaborate designs out there, and reduced them to their simplest elements.  oh, and the prices are excellent (nearly everything is under $100)

i chose the simplest style, her drop earring (left).  i love that it feels like i took a teensy step toward hip with these, but it’s not a scary step.  i wear them all the time, and am already plotting my next pick from her collection (i’m thinking it will be the silver studs below).

if you love them too, you can order any style from the very sweet owner of una, miss giovanna, at unashop at yahoo dot com, who has assured me she’ll be glad to take any and all orders for shelli markee’s designs.  i’m sure you could also order from shelli herself (who, by the way is wonderful, and was happy to take the time to refinish my earrings for free after i foolishly doused them in tarn-x).

i’m resurrecting this end-of-the-week mishmash of my latest favorite things…but i think we need a better title, don’t you?  suggestions?

to start, i can’t forget to tell all of you that bloomingdales is having its annual friends & family sale through sunday 3/28.  you can nab 20% off just about everything with code BFF.  there are just too many finds to post, but trust me…it’s worth a look!

british chef jamie oliver makes my favorites list this week not just because i have a huge tv crush on him (and i do).  it’s partially because of his new cookbook, jamie’s food revolution, which is full of some great recipes that are easy and fast, including loads of excellent curry recipes, which are hard to come by.  but also, my tv crush is coming back to tv!  he has a new show coming on that starts tonight on abc, and i can’t wait!

speaking of crushes, i have an official crush on this dress by eskell (courtesy of the always-enticing le train bleu):

normally, i am thoroughly unenthused by warm-weather attire.  but this dress is utter perfection. for those of you dying to try the bold layering/color contrasting trends that are so hot this spring, this dress is a foolproof way to go about it.  it would so easily go from office to weekend with just a change of shoes, and it has the most flattering cut i could imagine!

i’m almost embarrassed to show you this scarf by yigal azrouel, because it is so hideously expensive ($380.  i know, i know.):

but then, it’s soooo beautiful, how could i not share?  oh scarf, the lovely things i could do with you…all my jeans and tees would suddenly be chic and perfect. (and by the way, yes, the expression on that model’s face does make you think that maybe you accidentally slept with her boyfriend.)

as penance for making you lust after a $400 scarf, i’m going to show you my favorite bag for the summer (ahem…well, so far, at least), which happens to be an utter steal.

i love everything about this bag from mothology – the rough cotton/hemp cloth, the nautical french stripe, the leather handle…it’s total warm-weather perfection, and it’s only $82.  it reminds me of something elegant ladies would carry to the seashore.

have a fabulous weekend, all!

i literally can. not. wait. for the liberty of london/target collaboration to hit stores this sunday (3/14).  as in, i start bouncing up and down in my chair if i think about it too much.  yep, my husband is about to be living in a sea of chic, kitschy floral…and you know, i have not a smidge of guilt!

for those that aren’t familiar, liberty of london is an amazing, iconic department store based in (surprise) london.  they’re best known for their stunning textiles, especially their signature bold florals.  for their collaboration with target, they’ve lent their signature patterns to everything from lingerie to teacups…and i’m thinking i’ll need (at least) one of nearly everything in the collection.

to tide me over until sunday, i thought i’d share a little sneak peek of my favorite pieces from the collection:

(all photos graciously provided by target corp)

yes, the shopping list is long, i realize…fortunately, nearly everything in the collection tops out at about $50, and most is much, much less than that.  so really, my hubs should be thrilled i’m saving him so much money.  right?

see you at target this sunday!

i’ve been sort of ambivalent about these asymmetrical cardigans since they came into style last year, but something about this version has really grabbed me!

i’m not sure if it’s the stripes, the great neutral shades, or the $48 pricetag (okay, it’s probably the stripes…), but i’m thinking i need to add one of these to my spring arsenal.  it would be perfect layered over a floral sundress (especially in black – i love contrasting black with pastel florals!), or just to top off a simple tank and cut-off shorts.  i’m not necessarily sold on the long-term potential of this particular style, but at $48, how much longevity do we really need?

for those that haven’t seen these before, the longer front ends of the cardi can be left loose and drapey or tied together to create a little knot over your waist.  i was pretty hesitant to add bulk in that area, but i toted one of these along on my recent trip to mexico (thank god…it was freezing!!) and got compliments all over the place.  turns out, they actually nip in at just the right spot, and provide a nice little eye-fooling camouflage for the tummy.  who knew?

you can find them at echo design, in a whole rainbow of colors…but personally, my favorites are the grey and black.  adventurous, i know.

i fell hard for these beautiful necklaces when they first appeared in my inbox a few months back.  sadly, i wasn’t quick enough the first time around, and they sold out at anthropologie in mere moments.  a collaboration between joya (one of my absolute favorite perfumers) and a hip design shop called vane, they can be worn several ways (thanks to the long, multi-chain detail), but – even better – each is actually a locket that contains a decadent solid perfume fragrance.

fortunately, my tardiness is being excused: my dear friends over at joya have let me know that they’re now available at joya’s website, which excites me to no end.  at $80 each, these are definitely an affordable splurge…the only problem now is choosing which version i love best.  i’m not a spider girl, but it’s a very, very tough call between the cameo and that big gold orb.  with victorian jewelry so in this year, i’m sorely tempted by both.

i’ve only been able to check out the scent for the cameo (okay, so i tackled a salesgirl at anthro last week when i spied her wearing one. “can i smell your necklace”…definitely not a phrase i use often), but it’s divine.  it’s called ambrosia and, true to its name, it’s packed with orange, coconut, vanilla and cinnamon – perfect for a light spring day!  if you’re more of a complex floral girl, i suspect you’ll fall for the orb’s “potion” scent, with notes of lotus, lavender, and amber.

sigh…could i possibly just have one of each?

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.

the tweens, teens and pre-teens, they’re a tricky bunch to gift.  especially this year: unless it’s vampire-related, reminiscent of a fashion item you definitely remember sporting in sixth grade, or at least vaguely illegal, they’re just not interested.  but something tells me they’d be very, very interested in these sweet little treesje cosmetic bags ($98):

ruffles for the sweethearts, and studs for the, um, edgier girls – you just can’t go wrong.  they can throw these into their backpack (girls still carry those, right?), and hopefully feel a bit more gossip girl than twilight when they pull this stunner out to adjust their lipsmackers.  and really, more gossip girl and less twilight? that’s all i’m asking this holiday season. (ahem…well, it’s not all i’m asking…but it’s definitely on the list.)