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!

i’ll be back shortly with your regularly scheduled fun, but wanted to let everyone know there’s an excellent sample sale on rebecca minkoff bags starting at ideeli at 8 am (pacific). the bags top out at about $275, and they have a huge selection – one of the biggest sales i’ve seen from ideeli. if you’re in the market, this one’s definitely worth checking out! i’m pretty high on the stingray morning after bag (left, $239) and the tequila gold rose (right, $129), which is sorely tempting me!

if you need an invite, just click here – i’ve got you all set up email me at editor at shoppingsmycardio dot com, or drop me a tweet. enjoy!

this is exciting!  my love affair with inhabit is well-documented – particularly when they’re having really serious sales.  like, for example, the sample sale happening online right this moment on their most popular cotton items.  we’re talking sweaters, cardigans, tees and tanks – all $58 or less.  considering most pieces started out in the $150-200 range, i can barely contain my glee.  enjoy!

editor’s note:  don’t miss out – it’s the last day to enter our lillybee shoe giveaway!

it’s a great, great day for sales at gilt today:  devi kroell (gorgeous exotic bags and shoes), oscar de la renta (still eye candy even at sample sale prices, but lovely eye candy nonetheless), and helmut lang.  fortunately, the helmut lang sale is actually really reasonable – you can pick up a number of pieces for under $100, and i’d say most are under $200.  some of my favorite looks are above, but really helmut lang is such a classic line, it’s hard to go wrong with these hip classics.

oh, and if you need an invite, just say the word!  drop me a line at editor at shoppingsmycardio dot com, and i’ll hook you up!

these sample sale websites are going to be the death of me…or at least, the death of my american express card!

this week, it’s the new rue la la, and they’re offering up a sale on natori, one of my all-time favorites for decdadent sleepwear, bedding and, ahem, intimates.  i’m absolutely dying for that entire “black diamond oatmeal jersey” tank, pant and robe set, and am frantically trying to figure out how to justify spending $150 on new sleepwear to my other half.  perhaps the fact that my hubs is such a cover hog will do the trick…

as always, if you need an invite, just drop me a line - editor[@]shoppingsmycardio[.]com – and i’ll get you set up!

i know, the sample sale sites are everywhere now. but truth be told, i’m glad they’re there…i get a little sick of bluefly being my only option for great deals on designers goods, and honestly, even they’ve been lagging lately.

regent’s secret is the newest incarnation, and they have a style all their own. for my readers that eschew the more preppy, styles you can rely on from hautelook, and can’t afford the high-end couture at gilt, even at sample sale prices, regent’s secret offers sample sales for the cool kids.

this week, you can hook your other half up with some style at the frankie b. sale that starts tonight at midnight – i’m anxiously awaiting this opportunity to make my hubs even cuter than normal.

or, hang on to your wallet until monday, and pick up some of the darling, tattoo-inspired wares from SMET.

hold out even longer, and you’ll be able to score some ultra-cool cavalli sunglasses on the 10th. that’s the one i’m saving up for!

to get signed up, make sure you head over to regent’s secret via the links here, and then you can just enter my email addy – shoppingsmycardio at gmail.com – to bypass that whole ‘invite-only’ madness.