Editor’s Note: A big welcome back to the always lovely Kim Brandt! I’m so in love with her Trend to Try today that I’m already scouring my house for white objets to group on a shelf. Something tells me you’re about to do the same…

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I am a huge believer in buying furniture and home decor items to specifically fit the space in which you live. Since I am still just a renter, and alas, have not lived anywhere longer then 18 months in my adult life, I have yet to invest in any long-term pieces. When I do, I can almost guarantee you that my first purchase will be a classic Chesterfield sofa.

In the meantime, I have to satisfy myself with accessories – especially pieces that build on current trends.  Right now in the world of interiors, bright, glossy, white ceramics are really catching my eye.

The Decorista / Graham & Green (via Pinterest) / Making It Lovely

Jonathan Adler is the originator (at least for my generation) of all things ceramic, and he certainly knows how to do white right.

Jonathan Adler Fox ($138) and Horns ($120)

Of course, JA’s fabulous, but the price point isn’t for everyone. West Elm and Z Gallerie both have great options at moderate price points. A few of my West Elm favorites:

West Elm Stephen Antonson Candlesticks ($19+) and Vases ($22+) / Porcelain Hurricanes ($19+)

The options from Z Gallerie are a little more whimsical, and would add a great point of interest to any room. I’ve had my eye on this guy for quite a while…it’s certainly more my version of taxidermy.

Lacquer Moose Head ($249) / Ceramic Books (set of 8, $159)

Being a Portland local, I’m an ever-adoring fan of a hometown favorite, Pigeon Toe Ceramics. Each piece is handcrafted, and oh-so-beautiful!

Pigeon Toe Ceramics mini creamer ($20) / Mason Jar lantern (shown as planter, $36)

Of course, if you’re like me and don’t like spending a lot on interior trends, I have a great tip to get this look for less: spray paint!  I really like these trophies displayed in a window, but you could try this trend with any thrifted sculpture.  I’m picturing the knickknack aisle at my local Goodwill and envisioning a group of those awful ceramic figurines spray painted in high gloss white. Serenity!!

Image via Design*Sponge

What do you think? Are you ready to embrace a little winter white?

{Update: Wow, you guys are giving me so many fantastic ideas! Keep it up, will you? I promise to get to each of your questions just as quick as I can.}

{Photo from hbp_pix}

Friends, I am smack in the middle of my January blogger blahs. I’m sick of talking coats and boots, and the whole fashion world is ablaze with spring, but my weatherman tells me it’ll be months before we can pull out those spring dresses. I need some fun reader questions to get me through. What do you want to hear about? Send over your pressing style/beauty/home/travel/life queries, and I’ll do my darnedest to answer each and every one of them for you. Pinkie swear.

You know where to find me, right? Facebook, Twitter or old-school email (my personal favorite): editor{at}shoppingsmycardio{dot}com. Let’s chat!

I spotted these beautiful watches in the February issue of Lucky, and have been obsessing ever since.

These are by Unearthen (their entire site has some fantastically edgy pieces), and I particularly love that each piece is one of a kind – I think they start out as vintage specimens. As always, the rose gold is my favorite, but they’re all beautiful, and perfectly nail that pretty/edgy balance I’m always striving for. I love my menswear watch for everyday wear (it was actually my grandfather’s, so it gets bonus points for sentimentality), but this would make such a fantastic counterpoint, particularly for dressier days.

If you love it too, you can score 35% off (taking it from $500 to $325) with code LUCKY7 (which I’ll probably get in trouble for telling you, but hey, it’s called good journalism, people).

Remember those slouchy suede boots I had shortened last month?

Imagine my giddy surprise to see the following in Isabel Marant’s Spring 2012 collection:

It’s an utter fluke when style coincidences like these come along, so I couldn’t resist sharing. I like to think it gives hope to the rest of us when someone who isn’t Alexa Chung (ahem…) gets a big ol’ high five from the fashion world, entirely by accident. And thank goodness, as I know I’d have been coveting these $580 babies something fierce. Now, if the craving strikes, you’ll know just how to get the look for a fraction of the cost.

{Editor’s Note: I’ve been thinking about it, and I spend all this time showing you my virtual shopping, but not a lot of time showing you what actually ends up in my closet. To clear things up, I’ve decided to start a little series called Off The Rack, where I’ll periodically show off a new goodie that’s made it, well, off the rack and into my closet. I’d love for this to become a group effort, so please – tell me all about your latest buys in the comments!}

If you follow me on Twitter or Pinterest (ahem!), you may have noticed that my itch for a great pair of penny loafers has gotten serious. I bought those Tods loafers I showed you a while back, but really…suede driving mocs in Portland are a bad choice. Back they went.

As soon as I laid eyes on these pretty pennies from Tory Burch, though, I knew I’d met my match (the extra 25% off sale didn’t hurt). I was convinced black was the way to go – classic, and all that. Thank goodness a dear friend assured me I really wanted the red. I awaited this package so very anxiously, I knew she’d made the right call. And in fact, they’ve scarcely been back in the box since they arrived. They’re the perfect shade of lipstick red, with details like that lovely pinked tongue and the gold logo on the vamp to make them look ultra luxe. I’m wearing them with everything – jeans, wintery wool skirts, and my favorite skinny trousers – and I can’t wait to pair them with shorts, come spring.

What’s new in your closet this week?

Remember when I was going on and on about New Year’s resolutions a few weeks back? So many of you told me your resolution had something to do with your hair. Specifically, about how frequently you wash. Since I had this little debate with myself last year, I thought I’d pass along some of the things I learned in my journey to less-frequent lathering. It can be a tough road, but in the end, I swear, it’s all worth it.

The goal…

First up, less-frequent washing really is the right thing to do. I’ve tried everything from daily to weekly to semi-weekly to not at all (yes, I’ll do anything for science), and I’ve found that washing twice a week is really the magic number for me. Any more than that and I start to notice serious dryness and scalp troubles. Any less…and well, my hair actually loves it, but I start to get nervous.

So, a few tips, tricks and thoughts to cling to when the going gets rough:

1. This process takes about a month to get right. So, prepare yourself for a few weeks of discipline (you’re going to want to wash that hair so badly!), and a few bad hair days. You’re going to want to cave. You’re going to think your hair looks awful. Your scalp is going to feel weird. But just like any other change in a beauty routine, your hair needs a few weeks to adjust and regulate its oil production. But it will adjust, I promise. Give it time – things are about to get awesome. And remember, this is why God invented the up-do.

2. Not washing doesn’t mean no water. It means less water (my hair gets wet roughly every other day) and no soap. I do a rinse and a light conditioner on the days I’m not washing (the conditioner isn’t necessary, but helps). Essentially, it goes like this: on days I plan to blow dry, I wash and condition my hair. Then I make myself go 3 days before washing again, just living off the glory of the blow dry from day 1. On days I air dry, going a second day isn’t an option, so I do the rinse-and-condition routine.

3. When you do wash, go easy. Use maybe a nickel-sized amount of shampoo, rub it into your hands first, and then massage it into just your scalp, avoiding your ends. Give it a good 10-second scrub, then rinse. When you condition, do the exact reverse – aim for the ends, and skip the scalp.

4. You’re going to need a dry shampoo. It absorbs excess oil, and helps with itchy, annoyed scalps. I haven’t found that brand matters all that much – it’s almost entirely corn starch, so this isn’t rocket science. I’m currently using Blow’s Faux Dry, and it’s great. Get one that’s easy for you to apply, whether it comes in a shaker, an aerosol or a “pouf” bottle (like the one from Blow). And stay away from colored dry shampoos. They rub off everywhere, and are a pain. To apply, part your hair somewhere other than your natural part, then put a small amount (go easy, I cannot stress this enough!) of dry shampoo on the part line. Repeat a couple of times, using different part lines, then brush through your hair and apply a blow dryer to dissipate the powder. Don’t panic when your hair looks white – brushing and blow drying will fix it.

5. Go easy on styling products. Remember, once it’s in, it’s staying for a few days. So, go light, particularly on serums or oils in the beginning, as they’ll weigh your hair down a lot more by day 3.

6. You’ll want a great brush – preferably boar bristle – to get you through. Use it at night to really massage your scalp and distribute oils evenly throughout your hair. Plus, it helps remove some of that product from tip #5. It makes a difference, I swear. I happen to love my Mason Pearson, but I recognize they’re exorbitantly expensive. Get the best you can afford/justify, and call it good. But go 100% boar unless your hair is ungodly thick.

Once you get through your break-in period, I promise you’ll have happier hair waiting for you on the other side. Hair that needs less blow-drying, less product, less serum, less oil, less conditioner, and generally less work. Hair that looks healthy. Maybe not Jennifer Aniston-healthy, but hey, baby steps.

What do you think? Are you ready to give it a try?

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned since starting this blog (longer ago than I care to mention) is that it may be the clothes that make the man, but it’s the accessories that make the outfit.

Think of it this way: take a classic white shirt and a pair of straight-leg jeans. Add a pearl necklace and a patent skinny belt, and you’re one person. Change it up for a big, bright statement necklace and a rock-and-roll ankle boot, and you’re entirely another. Add nothing at all, and you’re….well, unless you’re Kate Middleton, you’re blahs-ville.

Doing my usual obsessive online browsing sale shopping yesterday, I came across so many gorgeous accessories on amazing sales (DANNIJO on sale? Never!), I could hardly believe my luck. Since I can’t buy them all, I’m having a little virtual shopping spree with you…hoping some of you will reap the rewards.

And then there’s the matter of the Epice scarves I found marked way, way down at Yoox, a phenomenon so extraordinary, it almost certainly deserves its own post. This is probably less fantasy and more reality, as I let this pretty one on the left out of my clutches a year ago, and have regretted it ever since.

The very sweet Alexa Leigh sent me an email recently, asking me to take a look at her wares. I was woefully unprepared for how hard I fell for them.

Pendant necklaces are easy to come by, but extraordinary, unique versions are a rare breed. I absolutely love this dual pendant idea – unbelievably clever, but so simple. Wear one long and low, with the second pendant tucked up against your neck. And when summer arrives, think of how amazing this would be dangling down the back of a strapless dress or tank top.

Best of all, you can customize these beauties to your heart’s content. Any charms, any metal, diamonds or not (though, really, who says no to diamonds?). I’m imagining a yellow gold moon on a rose gold chain with a pretty pink heart on the other end, to remind me of my grandmother. And I have a dear friend who could use that pavé Om charm, paired with a star, to remind her that she’s a star in her own right.

Which would you choose?

A big welcome back to my favorite stylist, Kim of Billede Design. I so look forward to her “Trend to Try” columns – she always manages to make me look at my closet in a new way, which is something I think we can all use. I’m thrilled to say Kim will now be here every second and fourth Friday of the month, so mark your calendars!

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If you want to give yourself away as a non-native Pacific Northwesterner (or, for that matter, a non-New Yorker), just wear color. Any bright color. Even though I’ve lived in Portland for over a decade now, I just can’t give up color! And this season, brights are here in a really big way. From color blocking to pattern mixing, it’s everywhere. I especially am fond of brights paired with stripes (and not just because it sort of rhymes!). Because stripes are such an easy staple to wear, they’re a great starting point to help you ease into bolder color.

This Christmas, my hubby got me an item that was at the very top of my wish list.  The Kate Spade Prize Ball Thermos. It takes me forever to finish my morning cup (or 3) of coffee and I am so excited to have this bright thermos to keep it toasty warm!

Image via Kate Spade

Pulling off brights from head to toe can be a bit tricky. The key is to always start with a neutral base and build from there. I especially love using stripes as my neutral, and building from there, but it’s not the only way to go. These looks from Christian Siriano’s Spring 2012 line are a great example.  You can see he used blush as a neutral, as well as coordinating stripes to get the look.

Images via New York Magazine

I’m not a huge fan of the cut of this Jil Sander jacket, but the color combo is another stellar example. To neutralize the tomato, fuschia, and green, the black jacket was layered over the top.

Image via Style

In this look from Loewe, the neutral is the model.  This hot pink and red combo works because the model’s hair and make up are sleek and fuss-free. The short skirt with the nude leg and neutral flat ground the look. If this was paired with a sky high bright heel, heavy make up, and over-styled hair, it would totally loose any aspect of savvy and sophistication.

Image via Style

Of course, any post about brights and stripes just wouldn’t be complete without a look from Kate Spade. In this example, you can see the neutral element is the white cardigan, white purse, and simple flats.

Image via Kate Spade

 J.Crew is another great reference source for both bold color and stripes, so they work the combo as brilliantly as you’d expect. The look at left is certainly one of the boldest we are looking at today – think of it as “brights for the advanced student”. The colors are bit off-kilter from your typical primary brights, which totally makes this look work for me. Contrasting that is a great “beginner’s” option for mixing stripes and brights – you can see that a classic navy stripe is just the thing to neutralize a bright hue.

Images via jcrew

These last three images are some of my favorite street style examples (originally found via Pinterest). Notice how each of these looks are bold, but the hair, make up, and shoe is kept simple and neutral. I especially love that bold mustard mini-dress toned down with the navy blue blazer. And I just can’t say enough about the necessity of a good nude heel – it can tie together even the boldest look seamlessly.

Images via Sterling Style & The Glamourai

What do you think? Are you ready to give bold brights and stripes a try?

Oh, how I adore reader mail….

Dear Shopping’s My Cardio:

I have a fabulous trip to Iceland planned for February (yes, February) and I will be spending a few days in Reykjavik.  I have heard that Icelanders are very fashion-forward and I don’t won’t to look like an American tourist in New Balance sneakers and a Helly Hansen fleece while I am there. Any suggestions for winter chic in a cold cold land? And no, I also don’t want to look like Lisbeth from Dragon Tattoo….

 ~ A Loyal Reader

While I question the timing (brr!), Iceland has become the hot new destination (pun sort of intended) for adventurous jetsetters. A few months back, Iceland’s tourism board ran some amazing travel specials, and several of my friends jumped at the chance to be exotic on a budget.

But then, there’s also a fair contingent of SMC friends who reside in the Great White North, so I thought perhaps they wouldn’t mind a little primer on staying warm in style.

To start, spend some time on Google Images looking at celeb style at Sundance. Sure, it’s aspirational, but it’s also a great starting point for chic cold-weather wear. For the most part, it consists of skinny jeans tucked into Sorel boots, down parkas or shearling, great chunky scarves and a fabulous pair of sunnies to shield your eyes from all that sunlight bouncing off the snow.

{Images c/o Marie Claire, PopSugar and Ralph Lauren}

Pack your bags with staples like denim (I’d take one boot-cut and one skinny/jegging) and a couple of great sweaters (one pullover, one cardigan). Add a few classic layering pieces, like a plaid flannel shirt in a modern color combo or a perfect long-sleeved tee (my favorites are from LA Made). Take a pair of Sorels – I love the aprés ski vibe of this grey flannel version – and a second weather-friendly pair (thick-soled Fryes would be perfect, or a biker-style rain boot is a fun upgrade). For good measure, toss in a long-sleeved sweater dress that can double as a tunic during the day and a dinner dress at night.

To top it all off, you’ll need a couple of knockout scarves, a great pair of sunnies (aviators are my current favorite), and the perfect down parka to keep you warm – just be sure it has enough shape to keep your curves intact. I love the idea of opting for a white parka over the usual black – it instantly adds a hefty dose of style to your look. Brooklyn Industries is genius at making a puffer that flatters – the waistline on this version is unbelievably slimming, and the super sale price doesn’t hurt.

Brooklyn Industries Zermatt puffer coat ($139) / Pendleton cardigan ($100) / Sorel Norquay ($150) / Marc by Marc Jacobs crossbody ($138) / LL Bean flannel ($40) / Cashmere henley sweater ($107) / Juicy Couture rain boot ($125) / Guess aviators ($50) / Muk Luks convertible gloves ($21)

A few bonus tips:

• Layer – after all, you’ll be inside a fair bit too, and you’ll want to regulate that temperature. And make sure the coat you pack is lightweight, so you can tote it through indoor venues without breaking a sweat.
• Take a tiny crossbody bag like this one from Marc by Marc Jacobs ($138), so that when you’re carrying that down coat around, you won’t lose feeling in your arms
• Warm socks are key. Do yourself one better and pick up a pair of fleece-lined tights (I found mine at Nordstrom Rack for under $10). Use them at night to keep your legs warm in that dinner dress, but you can also layer them under denim if the cold is too much to take.
• Don’t be afraid of prints. A bold pattern on a cardigan will make repeat wears more pleasant – just steer away from trite Nordic themes. Go with tribal, stripes or mod, and you’ll be ahead of the tourist pack. (Plus, you’ll want to score a Fair Isle knit as a souvenir, no?)
• Skip the jewels. Pick a favorite simple pendant and a stud earring, and leave the rest home. Chunky bangles are a mess with gloves, and statement earrings will only get caught on your scarf.

Do any of you frozen tundra-dwellers have any words of wisdom to add for our stylish friend?