I hardly knew where to start, but this question from a sweet reader who’s headed off for a job interview got first dibs, just because her interview is tomorrow!

Hi, Becki! I’m a loyal follower of your blog, and I have a wardrobe challenge/question for you. I’m interviewing at an environmental non-profit and meeting with “senior management.” The atmosphere is very different from my current corporate job. I went to my last interview dressed in a suit and was met by the hiring supervisor in jeans and a sweater. I need a professional, non-suit outfit that reflects me. Are you up for the challenge? ~ EB

Oh, you know I am! It’s tricky, to be sure. Unless you’re looking for work at a law firm or a bank, the reality is that most business dress codes have taken a step down in recent years. Personally, I don’t think a great suit ever does you a disservice, but there are definitely interviews for which you’ll want to put a slightly less formal foot forward. The bonus here is that it’s also a great chance to show off a little bit of personality, as well as your ability to embrace a casual dress code with class.

The trick is to still be the best-dressed woman in the office, without looking like you’ll be woefully out of place if they give you the job. My favorite option for a non-suit environment is a classic silk shirt with a great pair of trousers in a straight or wideleg cut (no skinnies, please). I’m always more likely to embrace solid colors for an interview – prints are highly subjective, and you never know what little detail will turn an inteviewer on or off.  To accessorize, skip big earrings and scarves in favor of a necklace that adds a little bit of personality (nothing too long or too bold). Add a great pointed-toe flat or kitten heel and a classic tote, and you’re set.

Madewell silk shirt, $80 / Alberta Ferretti trousers, $300 or Gap trousers, $60 / Dahlia dress belt, $3 /
Madewell necklace, $33 / Loeffler Randall Quinnie flat, $250 / J.Crew bag, $328

The other way to go, if you’re after a more ladylike look, is a dress. Steer clear of wrap styles (you’re just asking for a wardrobe malfunction), and instead look for a sheath or a classic shirtdress. If the fabric is dressy enough, it’s definitely work-appropriate, but still reads a bit more casual than a suit. Make sure it’s not too body-conscious, at least knee-length, and if you go the shirtdress route, steer clear of shirttail hems. With a dress, keep jewelry minimal, just a simple belt and a classic pump (3.5 inches or under!) will send you straight to the head of the class.

Talbots Sash dress, $160 / Talbots Olivia dress, $150 / Ann Taylor belt, $30 / Graf + Lantz tote, $229 / LK Bennett pumps, $250

So, E, I hope this helps…and I’m crossing my fingers that you get the job!

Got a pressing query of your own? Tell me all about it: editor{at{shoppingsmycardio{dot}com!

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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?

L’Agence layered dress, $410 / Chris Benz sweater, $644

(Can we talk about how in love I am with that Chris Benz sweater for a moment?)

Crandall has done a brilliant job of selecting a few classic workhorse staples, but balancing them with loads of special, splurge-worthy buys I haven’t seen anywhere else. And, unlike her last gig, less is more – every piece feels like it was hand-selected for a very cool, effortlessly stylish girl. The end result is hip and fashion-forward, but totally approachable. Instead of drowning in options, Crandall only offers a few – but they’re all exactly right.

Brochu Walker sweater, $395 / L’Agence dress, $412

For the most part, they’re splurges – no question. But there are plenty of accessible buys in the mix – Current/Elliott denim, L’Agence cocktail dresses and the like, all of which rank in that dangerous “expensive, but do-able” range. If you’re a person that likes to buy one or two perfect pieces and wear them all season, this is the spot for you.

Patmos cardigan, $595 / L’Agence shift, $297

Oh, and same-day delivery if you live in Manhattan (you NYC girls have all the fun). Happy browsing!

My first shopping task every year is a new calendar, but it’s a tough call these days. So many artists put together renditions that are absolutely stunning, but then there’s the question of function, too. Decisions, decisions.

I could go purely for pretty…

Trellus 2012 calendar, by Michelle Armas

Paris 2012, Little Brown Pen

…or look for a little function. If you happen to be in Portland or Austin, these Big Weekend calendars are about the coolest thing ever. Every random festival, event or happening around town is included, so you’ll never miss the Tigard Balloon Festival again! (My hubs, as you’d imagine, is thrilled.)

I’m going to need a calendar to mark off the days if I indulge in a little pre-order of 3.1 Philip Lim’s pre-fall collection at Moda Operandi, as I am sorely tempted to do. Not only do you get to be first in line (almost as good as scoring it on sale), but you pay half up front and half when it delivers next summer (by which point, you’ve already forgotten about the first half you spent). Plus, look at the pretty!

Of course, darling Philip is a splurge, no matter how you slice it. So, I’ll temper the wallet pain with a little cheap thrill. I’ve had this Rugby Ralph Lauren fair isle cardi bookmarked for the longest time, and now it’s on sale for $139. The sun’s bound to come out eventually, but for now, I’d be happy to spend the rest of the winter snuggled up in this and a pair of skinny jeans.

Happy Friday, friends! Have a wonderful weekend, and I’ll see you back here next week.

Every year, I make a fashion resolution for myself. Just a little something to help me step out of the same old sartorial box, so to speak. My first fashion resolution was to wear more scarves. They’d always felt daunting to me – like I didn’t have that effortless something that consummate scarf-wearers you see out in the world (mostly in Paris) seem to have. But they bring so much color and style to a look, plus they’re just gorgeous to look at. So, I committed to spending a year getting to know scarves. And by the end of that year, I had a healthy new scarf collection (and a mild obsession with Epice). But I also had something less tangible: no more scarf-related anxiety. And that, it turns out, is exactly what that “effortless something” was. Scarf-wearing people just do it. Throw them on without a care, without worrying too much about matching or tying or perfecting, et voila.

The next year it was ankle boots. I hadn’t owned a single pair, but I was intent. And now? Total short boot aficionado – it’s an illness, really. And then, last year was jewelry. Sure enough, by the end of 2011, not only had my jewelry box expanded considerably, but I actually taught myself (well, with the help of certain talented friends) to make a few pieces on my own, which has proven to be immensely satisfying, in that “Told you I could do it” sort of way.

The key is to keep it small, and specific. Pick one particular thing you’d like to do better in your sartorial life, and decide to make it happen. Are you envious of a friend who always has the most stunningly creative up-dos in her hair (Kim Brandt, our style-savvy new columnist is one such person for me)? Commit to wearing your hair up more in 2012. Are scarves still scary for you? Trust me – they’re not. Resolve to give it a try.

As for me, my BFF has mentioned on more than one occasion that I might be a little too reliant on denim in my wardrobe (I believe her exact words were something like “I can’t remember the last time I saw you wear something other than jeans.”). My initial reaction was that she should be glad I wear anything other than a ratty tee and yoga pants, given the fact that I work from home 90% of the time. Plus, the chasm between denim and work-ready trousers is deep, and mighty hard to traverse (khakis? cropped skinnies?). But after the initial defensiveness wore off, I gave it some more thought. Why not branch out a bit? Sure, denim is wonderful, and I have no intention of banning it from my closet. But maybe I could try a few alternatives, and see what happens. It’s worth a shot, surely.

All this to say that 2012 may well be the year of the pant. A few ideas that are already brewing in my head:

{Options from: Zara / Sonia Rykiel / Zara again / Tory Burch / More Tory Burch}

(Do you like how I used the fancy graphic to turn this into an “Official Resolution”? Mind games – I tell you, they work.)

I’ll keep you posted on this little experiment, naturally. But in the meantime, are there any fashion resolutions you’re thinking of undertaking? The “Year of the Tiara” perhaps?

This year, I’m resolving to save for a true worthy splurge. I’m still narrowing the field, but leaning heavily toward a Chanel bag for myself (don’t panic – consignment is just fine by me). Or a trip to Paris (with my new Chanel bag…).

Saving, as opposed to hemorrhaging money every time Sigerson Morrison shows up on Gilt Groupe, can be a tricky business. Especially once you get a hefty chunk of change in the bank – all of a sudden, that $200 Inhabit cardigan on super sale at The Outnet feels like a steal. So, to help me keep my resolution, I’ve scoured the interwebs for photos of my dream bag, made myself a little inspiration board, and will be printing it (on actual paper), and hanging it somewhere within easy view of my computer screen.

Images: 1 (c/o Sony Pictures) / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6

This way, whenever temptation comes calling, I’ll have an immediate reminder of the greater good – and, hopefully, at least allow myself a moment to prioritize.

Now, does this mean I’m squirreling away every spare cent until my goal is reached? Or that I’m not spending a dime on other purchases until it happens? Of course not. Deprivation is not a virtue in my book. Telling myself I can’t have anything only makes me want everything. This applies in shopping, in diets, even in life.

But it means I’m going to take a breath before I type in those credit card numbers. It means I’m going to look at those gorgeous photos of my dream bag, and decide if the purchase in question is worth setting me back on my goal just a bit. To put it in Buddhist parlance, I’m hoping to be a bit more mindful. And if this splurge takes two (or ten) years to make, I’ll be just fine. Chanel, however lovely, is not an emergency.

So, here’s a fun question: If you resolved to save for a worthy splurge, what would it be?

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Hello! I’m so excited to be back at Shopping’s My Cardio for a little holiday fun, as I’ve been itching to show off my latest find. Chilewich recently introduced this beautiful new table runner/placemat fusion called a tete-a-tete – it essentially works like an elongated placemat, which can be used either horizontally or vertically across a table.

We were lucky enough to get our hands on a set to try, and I just happened to have a photographer and a location already booked for another shoot! Fate came together and I was able to pull together a beautiful look for your New Year’s Eve dinner, or a more casual brunch the next morning:

Image by Erica Ann Photography; Styling by Billede Design

We shot this in a 19th century schoolhouse.  Isn’t the aged effect of the old wood just beautiful?  I love putting modern elements in a classic setting.  The dinnerware is from West Elm, including a dinner plate by David Stark and a salad plate in the palest dusty pink.  I love layering in an unexpected color for the holidays, and the texture from that Chilewich tete-a-tete just makes the setting so warm and festive!

Tips for putting the look together:

• Search your local thrift store for blush pink plates.  They don’t all have to match; keep your eye out for saucers that have lost their tea cup mate.
• Add in the metallic element by spray painting thrifted chargers and votives.  Personally, I like Krylon – but be careful to read the label to ensure it is safe for food surfaces if you’re planning to use it on any serving dishes.
• To take get that mercury-glass look without purchasing new vessels, check out this great Pinterest page with a collection of DIY mercury glass links.
• For the botanical element, look no further then your back yard.  I snatched these snowberries on location the morning of our shoot. Evergreen boughs, twigs, winter berries, or dormant fruit tree branches are ideal.

This table setting would be a perfect fit for an intimate New Year’s party.  Can’t you just picture ladies sitting around this table in sequins and sparkles?

Of course, if you’re not the host, you can still try out a pink and gold palette, whatever your New Year’s plans might be. It’s a fresh change from basic black, or the usual silver sequins, and is sure to make you stand out from the crowd. Need some inspiration?

Image credits: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7

Happy new year!  ~Kim B.

Who, me? Digress? Hardly.

In any case, MiH just launched an exclusive resort capsule collection for Shopbop, and it’s awesome. Particularly these embroidered cutoffs. Ordinarily, I scoff at the $175 (okay, $187) cutoff short, but these are fantastic, utterly original, and – unlike more traditional varieties – definitely not something I could DIY with a $5 Goodwill budget and a few quality minutes with a pair of scissors.

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I’m so happy to be guest blogging today! So, I’m sure you have all spotted the ‘pattern mixing’ trend that’s absolutely everywhere right now. It’s fun and fashion-forward, but it can be a bit tricky to pull off, so I’m here today to share some of my favorite advice about how to make it work!

Pattern-mixing is a great way to update old pieces that are sitting in the back of your closet right now. Who doesn’t have stripes, plaids, and polka dots in their wardrobe? Give a good mix up, pair them together, and you have a whole new look! But how? How do you pair totally different patterns together, and how do you know what’s hot and what’s heinous? Well, you’re in luck! I have tips and examples to make it easy:

• Stick with similar, or complementary colors.
• Pair a soft pattern with a crisp pattern – ie, a floral with a stripe.
• Match a round pattern with a sharp pattern – ie, dots with plaid.
• Combine a loose pattern with a tight pattern – ie, a large-scale, graphic print with a micro print.
• Remember that animal prints are a great first step. They work as a neutral and have endless pairing possibilities.
• Don’t forget about silhouette and texture, which is often as powerful as pattern (think of chunky knits or bold tweeds)! Pair loose, flowing pieces with more tailored/structured choices for best results.
• Above all, be bold! Confidence is the key to pulling off this look.

This look from Tucker is a great example of how complementary tones help pull together mixed patterns.

And these combinations from Karen Walker show how easy it is to pair a soft, loose pattern with a smaller, tighter pattern.

Images c/o Karen Walker, from Style.com

CARDIGAN New York always has the most beautiful lookbooks. This shot shows a loose, textural sweater paired with the tight, tonal pattern of the sequins to create a look that’s the perfect mix of cozy and sophisticated.

And last but not least, I went to the first of many Holiday Parties this last weekend and spotted both of these great real-life examples of pattern-mixing. The results were festive, fun and unexpected – just perfect!

Good luck applying this in your own wardrobe. Let us know how it goes!! –Kim Brandt