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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?

Those after-Thanksgiving sales just slayed me, friends. What’s a girl to do when the Givenchy wallet you’ve been coveting for a year is suddenly 40% off? Buy, that’s what. Though now, it’s actually 60% off – sigh. Sometimes sale shopping is a big game of Chicken. And really, I blame Miss Kate for the driving mocs. I was living a blissful, loafer-less existence until she came along and showed me the light.

Anyway. Remember those red pants I just had to have this summer? They were fun, don’t get me wrong, but they’re just absolutely everywhere now, so it’s time for my pair to take a hiatus. My new love is this pretty pair in purple. At 70% off, it was an easy splurge, and they’re right at home in my closet. As it turns out, purple – especially a deep, rich purple like this – is considerably easier than red. It adds color and richness without screaming “Hey, you there!”, or straying too far from my beloved neutral palette. Neutrals are an easy pairing of course (I love this shade with navy, grey and camel), but purple also plays well with all sorts of patterns, which can get a little loud when paired with red.

If I’m honest, I’m still on the fence about those loafers, which usually means a return is imminent…but they’re awfully cute sitting in my closet.

What are you thinking about purple these days? Does it give you flashbacks from 3rd grade, or are you ready to give it another chance? And was anyone else as bad during those Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales as I was? Gluttony loves company!

if this “pretty in prints” compact from clinique doesn’t bring out the sunshine, i don’t know what will.  they teamed up with milly to design a palette that’s pitch-perfect for spring.  the compact is etched with a classic milly pattern, and inside, you’ll find nothing but classic, useful shades of eyeshadow and blush to see you through the entire summer.  plus, that pretty drawstring pouch makes this even more fun to throw into your beach bag.  i’ll be using each and every shade until it runs dry – a bold claim from a girl who has never finished an eyeshadow in her life.

shopbop is always just hellbent on taking my money, and they’ve launched a couple of new treats this week to do just that.  first up is their new “ONE by” boutique, which features one (and only one!) signature or special piece from designers off the beaten path.  i’ll admit, most of it is more fashion-forward than i am. but i do love the thrill of having something from a designer no one else has heard of.  and it makes for excellent window-shopping.

also, their spring collection of tucker by gaby basora arrived this week, and it’s all just so lovely, i’m speechless.  all i can say is that i want nothing more than to spend every single day of spring in these bold, bright silks.

i know we just talked shoes yesterday, but i can’t resist showing you these stunning suede loafers by kubyan.  they caught my eye in the march marie claire, and i haven’t been able to stop thinking about them.  i’ve been wanting a pair of driving loafers that successfully walked the line between classic and tongue-in-cheek, and suddenly, here they are. now to come up with the $300 i’d need to make them mine.  fortunately, they’re made by hand, by single mothers in colombia who need work.  so really, it would be wrong of me not to buy them, right?

while i was in seattle last week, i took a moment to check out the go international designer collective reprise happening at target.  they did a great job of bringing back the best styles, and the timing couldn’t be better, what with wedding season on the horizon.  after trying on every several styles, and crying a bit over how short the black floral tucker dress was (it’s so lovely!), i left with this colorblocked shift from thakoon.  colorblocking will be everywhere for summer, and this is an easy style with infinite potential.

that’s it for this week, friends. i hope you have a wonderful weekend ahead of you!  i’ll be celebrating a little engagement-versary with the hubs, so hopefully some wining and dining will be involved, as well as a considerable amount of R&R.  i hope you have something equally lovely planned.

i’m tiptoeing through my bookmarks this morning, and lo and behold, i came up with a bargain-full ensemble that i’m pretty excited about.  

i’ve been searching high and low for a blazer i liked that (a) wasn’t too expensive, (b) was a little bit unexpected, and (c) was the right cut for my body type.  the reality is most boyfriend blazers are just not that flattering unless you’re very petite.  they eliminate any hint of a waist or hips, and bulk up your shoulders considerably – resulting in a look popular with linebackers the world over. but this three-button twill blazer from old navy is just $25, and i think it might be perfect.  the buttons are high enough that the lapel won’t bulge if you’re well-endowed up top.  the waist is nipped in, and the length is great for layering.  plus, it’s $25.  roll up the sleeves and leave it unbuttoned to get the boyfriend blazer look without the disfiguring side effects.

i’d pair it with a classic, liberty-style floral print top – this topshop version is a great option for $50.  the floral is a great balance against the more structured jacket, and the colors blend without being sickeningly matchy.  you could also try this top from forever 21, though i’d probably go with a floral that doesn’t include yellow if you pick the yellow blazer (the seersucker would be fun, though).  

pair it with one of these beautiful floral tin necklaces from the little black rabbit, which i’ve been coveting something fierce. the dogwood (right) is perfect if you’re nervous about the mix-and-match, but i love mixing florals, and this is a great, safe way to give it a try!

add all of this to your favorite denim, or an a-line or pencil skirt (royal blue would be great, as would black or white), or even a slouchy cuffed short that’s already in your closet, and you have a pretty fantastic outfit for right around $100.  not a bad shopping trip at all, i’d say!

during my most recent evening barnes & noble outing (yes, the hubs and i lead a pretty exciting life), i grabbed instyle’s fashion tome, “secrets of style” off the bargain table, just to see what they had to say.  nothing terribly riveting, but lots of “must have” items – a list that really just stressed me out more than anything (what does it say about me as a human being if i don’t have a straw handbag, per the “required” summer handbag list?  must i immediately run to my neighborhood raffia warehouse and pick one up?).  

but, one “must have” on their list was a canvas tote for spring.  and, while i do question the “everyone needs one, without exception” mantra, a few have popped onto my radar in the last week, so i figured it must be a sign.

thomas paul is one of my favorite textile designers, and it thrills me to no end that he has just released some brand new tote bag designs.  they’re sweet, stylish, and completely affordable at $36.  in my perfect world, the handle would be just a smidge longer, so i could use it as a tote or a shoulder bag…but my world is far from perfect, and this crab tote is too cute not to share.  love the bold primary colors, love the crab…just love.

on the much more subdued end of the scale – i saw these j.crew totes right before heading to hawaii, and was instantly convinced that the world would stop turning if i didn’t have one to take on the trip.  and yet, true to my perpetual indecision, was unable to bring myself to spend $80 on a canvas tote…even if it does have leather handles.  fortunately, now it’s on sale for $49 – much more acceptable.  the natural color is classic and sophisticated, but will get dirty…i kind of like the va-va-voom of the papaya shade, especially for warmer weather.  and turns out, you can monogram these, which would be so fabulously over-the-top preppy.

i frequently chuck the teen stores off my list as a matter of course, which can be just plain wrong in the summer.  you won’t find a better source for cheap flipflops, scarves, tees…and canvas totes.  this “beachy tote” from american eagle, of all places, has a great boho style, “faux” leather detailing to give it a little structure, and the print just screams summer.  not bad for $39.

so, i have a two-part question for you:  will you be buying/do you already have a canvas tote?  and is it really something you simply can’t survive the summer without?

so, i was going to write about another spring trend that’s annoying me this week, perhaps neon, or boyfriend blazers, or…you see where i’m headed.  but i decided instead to be a bit more positive.  to find the silver lining on this sad spring fashion cloud, if you will.  and i’ve done it!  

stripes!  they’re absolutely everywhere right now, and while i’ve run screaming from them in the past, they’re a trend i’m totally willing to reconsider.  i was terrified at first – the whole concept of the stripe adding width, etc.  but, there are ways around this!  diagonal stripes, mixed-width stripes, thin stripes…basically anything other than the thick stripes we all remember from those gap rugby shirts we were all wearing in the ’90s, or anything with stripes only around your midsection.  yeah, those ones will add a little heft to your hips, it’s true.

but if you’re smart about them, stripes are such a fun way to add pattern to your life, particularly for those of you who are anti-floral.  the big rule of thumb is to break up the stripe somehow, so that you’re never left with a clean horizontal line.  so, with a striped tee, add a jacket – this cardigan/vest combo is another great, easy way to try stripes.  with a striped jacket or cardi, leave it unbuttoned to reveal a solid or other pattern beneath.  i also love taking a long-sleeved striped tee and layering a solid tee over it.

one of my favorite buys this spring was a striped jersey scarf from michael stars, a relative steal at $38.  i’m annoyed that i can’t find my color combo online (heather grey and purple), but the one above is awfully close.  you can also check out michael stars’ site and banana moon for other color options, or call one of my favorite local boutiques to see if they still have one to spare.  this is a great way to add a little stripe without fear, and even try mixing patterns a bit.  if you’re living in fear of stripes, this is a great first step.

while i was at the same lovely local boutique (yes, i get into some trouble there), i also picked up that sweet lamade striped cardigan above.  my general cardigan addiction notwithstanding, i love that the stripes on this one are subtle and neutral – i can pair them with literally everything, and mix patterns to my heart’s content.  the fabric is lightweight and supersoft for spring, and, unless i make the critical error of wearing this one buttoned up, it’s risk-free in the bulk department.  grab it at revolve, or add it to your order when you’re calling covet about the scarf.  i’m definitely in favor of keeping my fave indy stores in business.

one last rule of thumb:  keep your striped pieces trim, but not skin-tight.  too tight is just never flattering.  too loose, and well…this is what happens.  it’s not every day that even a shopbop model looks fat.

what do you think?  will you be adding stripes to your closet this spring?

there’s an old-school fashion adage by which i fill my closet:  once is enough for any trend.  in other words, if you lived through a trend once, you shouldn’t embrace it again.  of course, this spring, that means i’m having to sit out just about everything, because the 80s are back in a big way.  so, i’m considering a slight modification to the earlier rule.  while i definitely think you shouldn’t give a great big bear hug to the trend the second time around, a little tip of the hat is just fine.

when it comes to the rocker chic trend that’s so big this year, here’s what i mean:  if, like me, you’re dying to add a dash of rocker to your wardrobe, just keep in mind that i think it works best when offset by going overboard to avoid the punk trend with the rest of your outfit.  so go ahead and buy the studded handbag, but pair it with a classic ensemble.  a studded bag with a tee and dark jeans manages to be both chic and trendy…but paired with ripped acid wash or a flashdance-style sweatshirt, the same bag just looks tired.  or take a flirty, floral dress and pair it with the edgiest dominatrix heels you can find.

if you’re looking to dabble, you can go even more subtle by adding a few studs to your jewelry routine.  i have been stalking these fabulous medor twillies from hermes for months now.  essentially, it’s a headband-length scarf paired with three stud charms.  you can use the charms with the twilly to create a wrist cuff, a headband, a choker – the options are endless.  or get creative and wear the charms solo on a chain, or slip them onto a headband of your own.  the set with the scarf is $275, but i’m pretty sure you can pick up the charms alone for $175 at your local hermes boutique.  not exactly cheap, but a bargain by H standards, to be sure.  or, grab a studded leather wrap bracelet for $32 at bebe (i can’t quite believe i just recommended bebe).  in either case, keep the rest of the ensemble preppy…almost to a fault.  these pieces will look fantastic with a white button-down, or even to edge up a suit.

so, the moral of the story:  if you’re into the rocker trend this spring, choose one piece, and keep the rest of the ensemble either simple or completely contradictory.  and, at all costs, keep it to one piece at a time, unless you want to look like courtney love‘s long lost twin.

what do you think?  will you be going punk this spring?

we’re going on a little field trip for our spring shoe trend update – i hope you don’t mind!  the lovely folks over at luxaholics asked me to tell them about my favorite footwear trends for the season, and i couldn’t resist.  the good news is that the entire feature is “luxe for less,” so each and ever trend has an option that’s under $100.  that ought to be worth clicking over, don’t you think?

i’ve been struggling with how to approach spring trends this year.  as regular readers know, i try to devote some time every season to the major trends, and how best to incorporate them.  but this spring, frankly, most of the “trends” are heinous…not to mention hard to pull off, unless you happen to be an anorexic teenager.  and the more i thought about how to spread the word about what’s hot this spring, the more annoyed i got about the idea of telling you all to wear things i find ridiculous.

it all came to a head when i picked up the march issue of harper’s bazaar, in which i was told that the flattering drape of a flared pant simply “must” be replaced by a baggy-hipped, tapered leg trouser.  are you all familiar with this trend?  the one in which the trousers are pleated and hugely baggy in the hips, then taper to the ankle, at which point you may actually roll them up to cuff them even higher?  like the boyfriend jean concept, only with trousers.  pleated trousers.  

now, if you happen to be built like a 13-year-old boy, straight and thin as a rail, then dear reader…please, carry on.  in fact, embrace it.  you’ll be the envy of everyone around.  for the rest of us – please, ignore pant trends this spring.  i can think of few better ways than pleats to instantly add 20 lbs to your hips.  tack on the baggy factor and the taper, and you’re basically creating a big pear shape on your bottom half…whether it was there to start with or not.

i suggest instead embracing the spirit of the trend.  the boyfriend jean can be done well, without looking sloppy…and often without shopping at all.  on a whim, i grabbed my ancient faded wash j.crew jeans out of the tippy top of my closet (where they’d been relegated to the “yardwork wear” pile).  sure enough, i rolled up the cuffs, and presto – scarlett johannsen in “he’s just not that into you”.  okay, not quite…but you get the idea.  please, no pegging or forced tapering in any way, and don’t go too baggy – a clean, straight line is universally more flattering than a curved line on your bottom half.  these levis would work splendidly.  oh, and if you’re over 25, “destroyed” (ie, torn) jeans are not okay.

you can try the very same thing with a pair of menswear-inspired trousers that you already own – this version from banana republic would be ideal.  just make sure it’s a straight leg, not a flare, or it won’t work.  add a belt to cinch, up the menswear quotient with a button-down shirt and possibly a vest, and add a piece of chunky jewelry to remind people you are, actually, a very chic woman.  done.

at the end of the day, i think the biggest mistake any of us can make is exchanging fit for trend.  if it doesn’t look good on you, it doesn’t matter how hip it is.  there’s a reason i have drawers full of boot cut jeans, and not a skinny jean in sight:  they’re horrid on me, and i know it.  learn what works on you, be honest with yourself about it, and you’ll look fabulous every day, whether you’re wearing the new “trendy” pant or not.  think katharine hepburn, who looks as chic and stylish today as she did 50 years ago.  now that’s a lesson in following trends if ever there was one.

okay, now that that’s out of my system, i’m curious – what do you all think about the spring pant trends?  am i the only one that can hardly wait for fall?

(photo from feb ’09 vogue, taken with my less-than-perfect iphone camera)

for those that aren’t aware, fashion week for fall ’09 officially began yesterday.  but rather than completely exhaust myself trying to keep you all up to date on every show happening this week, i’m going to direct you to a couple of sources i love for up-to-the-moment coverage of the shows, the trends, and the gossip:  new york magazine’s “the cut” blog and fashion week daily.  

along the way, if really wonderful things cross my path, i’ll be sure to share…and you can definitely count on a fall trends roundup from me early next week, to save you the hours of combing through fashion show stills. plus, if you subscribe to my ‘shared posts’ over on google reader, i’ll be linking to my favorite bryant park posts all week.

but for this week, i’m going to spend more time on spring trends – hopefully, you’ll find that a little more helpful while the weather’s just finally getting warm enough that i can imagine a day when my boots will go back into storage.

i’ve been meaning to share this gorgeous photo from february’s vogue (page 146, if you’re following along in your hymnal).  for me, this shot embodies everything i’m looking for in spring fashions this year.  mismatched but still polished, and very pattern-heavy, but in a unique way.  look for unusual florals (dark or bright backgrounds instead of pastels, abstracts, and a resurgence of liberty prints), light and airy plaids, ikat, ruffles, and more of that fabulous bold, chunky jewelry that was so hot last fall.  also, the waist is back, in a big way – great news for those of you with hourglass figures.  the hats are optional, but the message is clear:  the more accessories, the better.

stay tuned for more hot spring trends, as always…and we’ll chat fall once bryant park has had its say.