martin is a label near and dear to the hearts of fashion editors everywhere, who mourned designer anne johnston albert’s departure from the scene a few years back to raise some kids and get some air in frigid massachusetts.  fortunately for all, she’s back - and better than ever. 

albert’s capsule collection is nothing short of a mini-wardrobe:  a grouping of pieces so versatile and stylish that a complete set would relegate those “nothing to wear” days to ancient history.  each piece is designed to be the best of its breed, making its brethren pale in comparison.  they’re classics, it’s true - but each has the perfect dose of style to make it anything but ordinary.

hands down, my favorite piece from the line is the moleskine military jacket ($495). i love the classic silhouette with the slightly off-kilter details that make it really unique, like the off-center placket and the single patch pocket.  dress up jeans, layer it over a dress, or top off a chic cropped trouser - this is a piece that won’t see much time on the inside of your closet.

martin’s long-sleeved tee ($90) is perfection itself: flattering wide neckline, perfect length, tissue-thin fabric (or choose the heavyweight heather grey for a different look). this is layering genius at its finest.

even martin’s denim is perfectly precise - and it’s what she’s best known for.  choose a matchstick skinny ($178) or my favorite, a wide-legged trouser jean ($195), or both.  both are impeccably stylish, and designed to be infinitely versatile - a combination i’ll welcome into my wardrobe with open arms.

and, for a little uptown chic, check out her gorgeous black satin tie dress ($285).  the u-shaped neckline is flattering without being revealing, and the built-in ties allow for several different styling options.  the satin keeps this one dressy enough for cocktails, but throw on a denim jacket, scarf and a chunky necklace, and you have a hot downtown look too.

nab these new classics while they last…you never know when albert will call it quits and head back into hibernation!

…entry #17 from the lovely catherine, who won with her bonus entry! that’s right - she submitted our contest post to digg.com, and it paid off!  catherine’s original comment was:

Oooh, yes, this bag is gorgeous! My favorite trends for the coming season are: sculptured (”wearable origami”) details, the color plum, and tasteful feathers in moderation. Leather booties, not so much.  Thanks for the daily read.

that’s a whole lot of fall loves - we’re glad we get to check one off that long list!  congratulations catherine - email me at editor at shoppingsmycardio.com by the end of the day with your contact info, and we’ll get your prize right out to you!!

huge thanks to the people at nest bags - if you’re bummed you didn’t get this one gratis, definitely check out their site and seriously consider treating yourself to some luscious fall bag love!

and everyone else, stay tuned…we’ll have another giveaway coming up before you know it!  for now, your consolation prize is our interview with the fabulously talented lauren moffatt, directly below.  enjoy!!

okay, i admit it - i’m cheating on today’s post.  it’s been a long week, and i’m just exhausted.  forgive me?

instead, i’m going to send you to check out some of the posts that have been making me happy this week - for those of you that have google reader, you can see my favorite blog posts all the time.  but for the rest of you, well, here’s a little look into my blog-reading world, instead of just my blog-writing world.

*  i have been just loving the new bags coming out of the mulberry design house lately, and bagsnob has written up my absolute favorite from the new line - the mabel bag.  not so much that gold snakeskin, but check out the fuschia and royal blue versions when you scroll down.  such fantastic pops of color for all of the bleak grey we’ll be seeing this fall.

*  holly at decor8 runs one of my absolute favorite design blogs.  she’s currently away (working on a move to germany, in fact), but in her absence, she has loads of guest bloggers showing off their favorite design inspirations.  this post features some seriously amazing bedroom designs - i am drooling over each and every one.  and this post is all about my new favorite thing - overpriced throw pillows.  i am cursing my new grey couch for the fact that it’s making me want oodles of $100+ artsy throw pillows to use as garnish.

*  and speaking of guest bloggers, one of my favorite artists - alena hennessy - has been guest blogging at design*sponge all week.  one of alena’s picks this week was a fantastic jewelry line called mani designs, and i just can’t get enough!  i’ll probably write them up at some point soon, but in the meantime, consider this a sneak peek!

*  last, but most certainly not least, i was recently introduced to the lovely editor of lei chic, a really fantastic blog based in - you guessed it - hawaii.  while you’re trying hard not to envy her for her idyllic home, take a look around - her site is pretty freaking fantastic.  some of my favorite finds were these lovely eco-chic totes and a site that’s a vast improvement on evite,  if nothing else, you can brush up on your aloha-speak. 

happy friday, everyone!

what can i say…technology is one bitchy mistress.  apparently google’s RSS reader isn’t friends with the new site address yet, so for those of you using google reader, the easiest thing is to unsubscribe, and then just resubscribe by clicking the cute little “subscribe” link on your left.  or, if you’d rather do it the hard way, just make sure you point your google reader subscription to http://www.shoppingsmycardio.com/feed

apparently beauty has its price, even in web-dom.

there is literally nothing i don’t adore about whimsy press. from their completely gorgeous wrapping paper and notebooks to their tongue-in-cheek greeting cards, it was love at first sight.

honestly, there aren’t enough places in the world where you can buy a card that says “sorry i fucked up.” or, the fabulously punny “you crack me up”, illustrated with a soft-boiled egg (yes, i realize that my sense of humor is right up there with your average second-grader). ah, so many goodies to choose from - i want one of each for my ever-growing card collection.

i’ve raved about their darling tote bags before, but now i’m on to something to put inside them. these gorgeous matchbook notepads ($8) are absolutely perfect for toting around - they have a surround cover that opens and closes like a giant matchbook, so no crumpled pages when it’s shoved down at the bottom of your purse. and the prints are adorably retro and fun. my fave is palm beach, but paper invaders runs a very close second.

oh, and then there’s the gift wrap - i get a little freaky-freaky with my gift wrapping (i secretly dream of a whole “gift wrapping station” in my house). whimsy’s collection indulges every last one of my perfectionist impulses. the designs are so hip, the colors are so cheerful, and the quality is so exceptional that it’s all i can do not to buy up their entire stock. i love all of them, but i have to admit that the ‘best friends’ set is my favorite - how could i resist those doggie silhouettes?

best of all, the fabulous people over at whimsy want all of you to get a chance to check out their goods, so they’re offering a 20% sitewide discount to shoppingsmycardio readers! just use code CARDIO at checkout - but it’s only good for 30 days, so stock up now!

head on over to whimsy press’s website, which i guarantee will suck you in before you’ve even realized what’s happened. happy shopping!

so, despite the fact that i can find something to buy just about anywhere, i’ve been sitting on a store credit at active endeavors since december and just can’t seem to spend it. if anyone out there in blog land does see something at AE they can’t live without (perhaps those lovely tibi dresses pictured above), drop me an email (shoppingsmycardio at gmail.com) - i’ll give you a sweet deal!

xo,
SMC

for some reason, i am completely and totally stumped about mother’s day this year. i just can’t get it together to locate The Perfect Gift for my oh-so-fabulous mother.

if only she were going to be in the san francisco area for the big day, my problems would all be solved. thanks to the amazing poppytalk, i stumbled on this truly fantastic gift idea. the lovely people at branch floral design and small stump are hand delivering the above. it’s a gorgeous floral arrangement in a birch bark vase (how cool is that?), presented on a bed of wheatgrass set in a reuseable tray, and topped off with a lovely, scented pansy sachet…all for an incredibly reasonable $100.

i think it’s the prettiest thing i’ve seen in a long time, and it literally hurts my heart that i can’t find a way to get it chez maman.

we’ll have the second half of design*sponge’s fabulous shoppingsmycardio interview first thing monday morning. don’t miss it!

devon leigh is the latest designer darling to hit the celeb set - her collections are beloved by the kates, kirstens and scarletts of the world, to name just a few. fortunately for the rest of us, her pieces are still accessible to mere mortals, and they’re the perfect way to add something really striking and fabulous to your jewelry box.

with loads of pretty eye candy to choose from…i hardly know where to begin.

this amazing turquoise and smoky topaz necklace ($655) is one of those pieces that looks completely overwhelming, but i think you’d find yourself reaching for it day after day. i love the idea of this peeking out from a black collared shirt, or to make a simple black dress really exceptional. i also think it would be just fabulous with a simple, sleek jersey tee layered under a suit.

and this peruvian opal, yellow jade and turquoise necklace ($696) is just the quintessential summer piece - i’d use it to dress up the super casual cotton or linen i stick with religiously when the thermometer climbs above 90 degrees.

these wrapped amber drop earrings ($375) would be amazing for day if your hair was down, but imagine them complimenting a chic chignon for evening - divine!

i love this multi-tiered chain bracelet ($440), which reminds me a bit of my marco bicego, but is half the price, for more than twice the bracelet. not a bad deal at all.

check out the full collection at devon leigh’s website - you’re sure to find a gem (or several) you can’t live without.

saw the other boleyn girl over the weekend. i had been absurdly excited for it to come out…even more than i am about the sex and the city movie.

now, i know that the movie is never as good as the book, and i did read the book twice, so i’m probably more critical than most. but the entire thing was just ridiculous. at least 2/3 of the plot was completely missing, and what was left was so smashed together, and went by so quickly that it was like watching the movie on fast-forward. i said to my hubs at one point, “who’s running this tivo remote?”. dreadful.

so, for those that loved the book, save your $10.50, and re-read the paperback…it’s a much more satisfying experience.

(the fashion was fantastic, though. love those corsets and the sweeping silk gowns…and couldn’t get enough of that stunning emerald dress natalie portman couldn’t seem to stop wearing.)