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.)

i’ve been debating whether this watch was actually a “for someone exactly like me” gift for several minutes now.  and i’m close…the red version is particularly fabulous, but i’m not quite sure i’m one to pull off red.  that said, i think your older sister might be exactly that hip, and in that case, she’ll absolutely love this:

cuff watches are all the rage right now (i have several michael kors versions on my own wish list this year), but i love that this version from dean accessories still has a slim-enough profile to keep it girl-friendly.  the snap closures give this just a bit of edge, but the red adds so much polish and chic that they balance each other perfectly.  if she’s a more subtle type of sister, the aqua would be perfect…but really, it’s the red that’s stolen my heart.

grab it for $100 at cog & pearl, and give yourself an excellent argument for borrowing this beauty from her all year long.

after suggesting such a serious splurge, i thought it only fair to show off my latest cheap thrill find…you know, to balance the scales.  these sweet, girly gloves are making my winter wardrobe so much more stylish, and they’re a steal to boot:

i’m something of a glove connoisseur (or, at least, i’m highly picky about them), and i can tell you that these ruffled gloves from echo might just be the ultimate knit glove. the wool/cashmere blend keeps these from being at all itchy, the knit is so tight that these actually keep your fingers toasty warm, and they come in eight bright, cheery colors, so you’ll never be bored.  the tight knit keeps these looking infinitely more polished than a typical knit glove when you wear them, particularly with that sweet little ruffle at the wrist.  and when i inevitably drop one in a puddle and leave it in the parking lot of my grocery store?  well, they’re $28, so i’ll just order a second pair and count my blessings that my italian lambskin gloves are safe at home.

oh, and by the way….awesome, awesome gift idea.  order the medium and, since the knit stretches just a touch, you’ll be safe with nearly anyone.

i will be the first to admit that i squirmed a little before deciding to recommend a belt to you all that can range in price from $250 to $350.  i mean, i loved the look, and they were definitely the hippest belts i’d found, but $250? for a belt?

then i tried one in person, and it all made sense.  beryll really does make a divine, splurge-worthy accessory.  each of their belts is retooled from an incredibly thick, rich vintage leather belt (usually military-issue, so we’re not talking soft here…we’re talking indestructible).  they refinish them, enhance the natural distressing, add some highly cool details, and send them off with the phrase “worn by good people” tooled on the back.  and every last bit of that detailing is done by hand.

i’ve always been sort of an anti-belt person, as the hubs would undoubtedly attest.  but it turns out that i’d just never really loved a belt before.  the truth is that a chic belt really can make your look…and your figure.  even in jeans, it just sort of creates a silhouette where there wasn’t one.  lately, i’ve taken to wearing my loose, summery dresses with a belt, covered by a long cashmere cardi.  add tights and boots, and it’s winterwear perfection.  i’ve styled my beryll a million different ways, and it always manages to feel perfectly unfussy, and works just as well to dress up jeans or dress down a jersey frock.

so, all of this to say: if you’re a belt newbie, try a cheaper model first, of course.  but if you’re a long-time devotee of the belt, a really cool, versatile version that you absolutely love is definitely a worthy splurge, and a must in your closet.

if there’s a down side to beryll (besides the pricing), it’s that these are nearly impossible to track down online.  personally, i love the vintage silver ($335), but i have scoured the net high and low, and simply cannot find one for you to buy (but their showroom people are absolutely lovely to chat with, and will happily send anything you want).  for versatility, though, i do love the brown, and it’s on the lower end of the pricing scale for beryll ($256).  whichever you choose, you might consider sizing up so that you can choose between a hip-slung look or a more fitted at-the-waist look.  these have plenty of holes to work for both.

ps…while you’re looking, don’t miss those amazing studded leather cuffs, which are just crazy cool!

i’ve ignored kate spade’s sample sales for the past few seasons, but there are definitely some winners this time around.  personally, i skipped right past the handbags (yawn) and went gaga for these goodies:

something about kate’s wares just scream holiday for me, and this year is no exception – i’d love to see any one (or all) of these under my holiday tree.  to shop the sale (including $5 shipping), head here – sign-up is required, but her email list is pretty painless.

my picks, from left: islington cyndy wallet in amethyst, $114 down from $225; madeleine esti skirt (utterly perfect for holiday fetes!), $228 down from $325; and the keswick caning bangle in turquoise, $63 down from $125.  come to think of it, pretty much all the jewelry…love!

wow, i am so glad to see that so many of you got excited about this giveaway!  it warms my heart to no end when you all love the prize we come up with – that’s the point, after all!  i’m working on something equally spectacular for next month, so stay tuned!

you all have no idea how much i wish i had more than one of these to give away (ahem, not to mention one to keep).  but for now, we do have to pick one winner.  my trusty random number generator says that winner is #85, jen, who won with her bonus entry by sharing the contest on facebook!  see that?  bonus entries pay off, people!

so, a big congrats to jen, who now needs to email me at editor [at] shoppingsmycardio [dot] com by monday at noon PST, or we’ll have to draw another winner. and a huge thank you to TDM design for giving away such a beautiful prize.  for those of you that missed out, i hope you’ll join me in saving up to buy one of those lovely scarves for yourself…i think we all deserve a little splurge these days, especially when it will keep us toasty warm through the yucky winter days ahead!