Happy Friday, friends! Though, for me, this won’t be much of a weekend, but rather Phase One of the big move. And to clean out all my piles celebrate, I’m selling off a few excellent pieces on eBay that might be of interest. Feel free to take a look – I’d so love for them to go to a good home!

And speaking of sales, there are some killer ones happening this weekend, both in Portland and farther afield.

* Mabel & Zora, one of my favorite girly Portland boutiques with the sweetest owners you’ll ever meet, is celebrating its 6th anniversary today with a flash sale on their website! Save 20% off all separates (which I think means anything but shoes, jewelry and dresses) from 6 pm to midnight tonight only (4.13) with code 6YEAR.

* My beloved Moulé is having an anniversary too! To celebrate a quarter century in business, you can take 30% off the entire store (that means their amazing jewelry and home collections too, neither of which ever go on sale!). The only catch is that you have to be in PDX – the sale’s in-store only. But if you’re here, it’s not to be missed.

* And on a slightly larger scale, Kate Spade‘s multi-annual friends & family event is going on this weekend. Take 25% off nearly everything (except home, stationery and watches) today and tomorrow with code FFSPR12.

And after all that, phew! We need some pretty pictures, don’t we?

These earrings came across my path as a “Best Bet” on NYMag’s blog a couple of weeks ago, and I’m still thinking about them. Quite possibly the perfect studs, don’t you think? Especially for under $100.

Do you know Hermione de Paula? I didn’t either…but now I’m completely in love. She manages to marry old-school tropical prints with mod digitized formats, and the result is, well, the best Hawaiian shirt you’ll ever find.

I am in a world of trouble. Rachel Comey has finally (finally!) opened an online store. Which means no more obsessive hunting through dozens of online mini-boutiques when I’m desperate for a new pair of ankle boots (hers are the very, very best). They even have my size! It spells danger, my friends…but oh, what lovely danger! Those tan perforated Hitch boots (right) are next on my list.

And speaking of newcomers to the online world, Club Monaco’s online store is finally here! Think Topshop, but a little easier to wear – hems are a little longer, styles are a bit more grown up, and looks aren’t all ripped from some other designer’s atelier. I’m so looking forward to taking advantage – particularly since they’re offering free shipping and free returns through the end of April!

And last but not least, my favorite Pin of the week! What can I say…I have bag storage on the brain. But can you blame me, now that this beauty has come to live with me?

{via design*sponge}

Phew! Okay, that’s it, friends. Have a fantastic weekend…pop by my place if you’re in Portland…and I’ll see you back here next week

{What? That’s totally how you spell “smorgasbord”. I Googled it.}

Good morning, friends! It’s time for another installment of “Asked and Answered,” and this one’s a doozie. One of you lovely readers sent me a whole pile of excellent questions – I think she’d been saving them up! – so I thought I’d knock them out all at once.  So, from the very stylish Alexis, here we go:

How do you keep up with tracking all of the fashion trends. From blogs to catalogs to fashion shows and new designers, how do you keep your research in check without staying up 24/7?

I used to be more obsessed with trends than I am now. If lace was in, I *had* to get a lace tee, stat. But I think the more time I spend learning about fashion, the more I realize that trends are boring. The last thing I want to be wearing is exactly what everyone else is wearing. Stepping out of the box is much more fun. Plus, keeping track of which heel height is en vogue at the moment is a full time job in itself.

So, rather than trends, I keep track of style. I avoid street style blogs like the plague (serious information overload), but I follow a couple of style blogs that are comfortable (Atlantic-Pacific and Garance Doré), and a couple that push my comfort zone a bit (Man Repeller and Le Fashion). I save looks I love in Pinterest, so I can go back for reference. When I see a look in a magazine that I love, I pin it up on an inspiration board in my dining room office (more on that later). Every so often, I take a look through – and trends just kind of emerge. Or at least, trends that I love. The rest falls away. Right now on my boards, it’s all about printed pants, flat loafers and the ’20s.

If you really want to get serious about tracking what’s hot, Vogue Collections is my secret weapon. It comes out after the runway shows every season, and gives me a reference of every single look from every major collection shown at Fashion Week – right down to the accessories. I love to spend some time looking through and deciding for myself what the trends are, and what to do with them. For instance, peplums. Huge for spring, but I’ll be ignoring them entirely. Unless you’re built like a boy, it’s a terrible idea.

There are so many flash sale sites these days. If you could only subscribe to one, what would it be?

Gilt. Hands down. Best customer service, best return policies, best brands. MyHabit would be my second choice. And honestly, I’ve unsubscribed to everything else. It’s just sensory overload, and I end up buying piles of things I don’t need and can’t return.

Overall, I really don’t like online shopping (returning is SUCH a pain) but shopping isn’t great where I live and I don’t have a lot of time. Any tips for becoming a better online shopper?

Yes! I am a chronic returner (ask anyone who knows me), but I’ve gotten better at knowing the good from the bad. A few things I’ve learned:

1. Check the measurements. And believe them. If the measurements say the pants have an 8″ rise, but you know you’re better off in a 9″, don’t convince yourself they look like they hit the model in the right spot, so they’ll probably be great.
2. Speaking of measurements, if they don’t offer, ask. I’ve been known to call online retailers and ask them to pull an item off the shelf and measure it for me. I’ve never been told no – and I’ve saved myself plenty of heartache. Sure, it makes you kind of a difficult customer – but then, so does returning 3/4 of what you buy.
3. Take a closer look. Use those zoom features, check out the details closely, and make sure your sale goggles are nowhere to be found. Is that blouse tucked in, or is there an elastic waist situation going on? Is that a zipper on the ankle of those pants? Does the fabric look stiff or relaxed? Is the whiskering on that denim going to drive you crazy? If an item is black, look at the same piece in a lighter color if it’s available, so you can really see the details.
4. Get to know your favorite brands, and be loyal. I have brands I’ll buy from sample sale sites because I know how their pieces fit. And others that I won’t. And I’m very, very conscious of the difference. If you don’t know the brand, it might be better to try in person first.
5. Google. Look around for other sites selling the same piece – both for pricing purposes and to get better images. A lot of smaller boutiques don’t have the budget for big photo shoots, so their images might be awful. Rely on the big box stores for the best pictures, then go back to that little boutique’s site to buy.
6. Check return policies. Thoroughly. If I can’t return something, I think very, very seriously before clicking “Buy”, no matter how good the deal is.

Got a question? Tell me all about it! editor{at}shoppingsmycardio{dot}com.

Welcome to the weekend, friends! I fully planned on taking today off (really, it’s the last week of August…are any of us paying attention right now anyway?), but there was just too much to tell you.

First up, I’m on a boat! I’m in a book! I know, can you believe it? Me neither. But the amazing ladies at CRAVE deemed me worthy, so there I am. I went to the (extremely chic) launch party last night, and saw the book for the first time – it’s a stunner. If you live in Portland, want to visit Portland, or just want to know about a bevy of amazingly talented women who live here (plus me), check out their website to snag a copy.

I’m having a pretty serious Chanel affliction at present (wait…when am I not?). I’m a little late to the game showing you these pre-Fall ads from the house (pre-fall is so July, you know), but I can’t resist. It’s one of my favorite collections of all time – every model looks like a Russian princess. More of these beauties over at my Pinterest page…come visit!

In other very exciting news, Loeffler Randall is on MyHabit today. What else can I possibly say about that, except go…go now.

Speaking of deals, I spotted one of my favorite albums of the summer on Amazon’s $5 list today. If you don’t know Ellie Goulding yet, buy this – something tells me you’ll love it. And maybe Madonna’s Like A Prayer, if you’re one of the six people on the planet (besides me) that doesn’t own it.

That’s it, friends. I hope you have a fantastic weekend in store. I’m taking a train ride with the hubs, my BFF and her adorable son – can’t wait to see his little face get all excited! And, I’ll be playing around with some beads I bought on Etsy last week during a random crafty spree. I’m hoping to build a little something like this or this…I’ll keep you posted.

What do you have planned?

if you’re in the market for a new bag (and really, readers, when are we not in the market?), hayden-harnett’s sample sale starts this morning!  and believe me – these people know how to do a sample sale right, which means there are some serious bargains to be had.  plus, they’ve teamed up with few of their favorite accessory designers to add even more extreme-sale goodies to the pot.  the sale runs online from today through wednesday (july 13-15), but i’d suggest buying fast…hayden-harnett has some pretty devoted fans.

sigh.  so many pretties, so little time…

the spring sample sale is on at inhabit!  70% off…need i say more?

actually, i probably should say a bit more.  i should tell you that i got the chance to test out their 100% cotton line recently, and believe me when i tell you they’re every bit as wonderful as the inhabit cashmere i can’t get enough of.  the cotton is so delicate and finely woven, it was hard for me to believe that it really was just cotton…in fact, i checked the label twice.  it’s divine…particularly when marked down to $40-50 from $200+.

buy fast…styles are limited, and the sale only lasts until tomorrow night.  spring might not feel like the right time to buy sweaters, but trust me…take the plunge now.  you’ll be kicking yourself for missing this one when their cashmere goes back up to its regular, splurge-tastic price.

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, so sorry i was gone yesterday.  i had big plans for fun goodies to share with you all, but well, if you follow me on twitter, you’ll have some idea of how my day went.  but let’s just say it started with a bee sting for my poor dog and ended with a car breaking down in the rain.  i was pretty much living a bloopers reel.

but, i’m confident today will be much better!  for one thing, gilt fuse launches today…and, while i was initially thinking “i need another sample sale site like a hole in my head,” it occurs to me that since i’m boycotting a certain other major player in this game, i should thank my lucky stars that gilt fuse has arrived.  they’ll be carrying the more contemporary (and lower-priced) lines that wouldn’t have really fit into the ultra-luxe model they have going at gilt.

this week, sales include modern amusement and LaROK and, from what i can see, prices at both should be well under $100 (yay!).  just like their big sis, sales premier at 12 ET/9 PT, so you’ll have to split your loyalties between the two sites.  if you’re already a gilt member, you can access gilt fuse with your regular user & password.  if you’re not (and why on earth is that??), you can nab a membership for both right here.

if you’ve been dying for a little jewelry indulgence but just can’t justify spending these days, i have some excellent news.  prismera design (one of my favorite indy lines) is doing a week-long sample sale of some of her gorgeous (and often one-of-a-kind) pieces.  prices start at $8, and most are under $35.  how can you possibly skip a sale that good?

my faves (from left): those fun, chain-accented clare earrings ($15), the beautiful druzy agate on the lilah necklace ($62), and the chunky copper accents on the leah necklace ($25!).

forgive the fuzzy pics (something tells me these were photographed hot off design table) and get shopping…the prettiest pieces will be gone in a flash!

i’m running a little behind this morning, but with good reason.  gilt groupe, the one sample sale site i’m still in love with, is running a huge “final sale”, and you can score pieces from just about every designer they’ve ever featured for up to 90% off retail.  everyone from loomstate and marc jacobs to carolina herrera and twenty8twelve is represented, and there are some serious steals to be had.  i can’t seem to stop frantically hitting refresh on my laptop.  things are going unbelievably fast…in fact, i didn’t even dare tease you with my favorite picks from the sale, since i’m sure they’ll be gone before i hit “publish”.

if you need an invite, always happy to help:  click here.  and if you already have one, the sale is here.

back shortly with the usual cardio fun!

for those of you still stalking the online sample sales (and really, aren’t we all?), i thought i’d let you know there are some pretty fantastic options out there this morning.

at gilt, choose from loeffler randall shoes (!), alexis bittar jewelry and perfect-for-spring clothes by tibi.

at ideeli, there are killer deals on gerard yosca jewelry and a handbag line i hadn’t seen before, called trace – lately, i’m big into the unlabeled bags, so this is particularly appealing to me (as are the low prices).  fortunately, the green one i was loving is gone now – a penny saved.  but the very pretty purple hobo is still available…for the moment.  as is a very gorgeous orange satchel that looks much more expensive than its $160 pricetag.

if you’re still looking for the not-so-elusive invite into any of these clubs, allow me.  just click here for a gilt invite, or here for ideeli.  and happy friday!