karen walker Archives - shopping's my cardio

{Editor’s Note: A big welcome back to our intrepid Trends Columnist, Ms. Kimberly Brandt! I have always wanted to be that girl that could effortlessly wear a head scarf, but have known in my heart it just wasn’t my look. Kim, as usual, is making me rethink that. Perhaps I’ll dust off one of my vintage silk scarves this weekend…}

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Head scarves are all over the place right now. There are about a million different ways to rock them, and I’m telling you, just about anyone can pull one off. Seriously. It’s really the perfect accessory to throw on while on vacation or after a yoga class. They are fun, and a tiny bit flirty, but hide messy hair. What more could a girl ask for? Keep in mind this trend has been around off and on since the 30’s, so you’re not reinventing the wheel…just upping your style ante a bit.

Personally, my favorite way to wear a head scarf is like a super-wide headband with an off center bow or knot. The trick to pulling this look off is to have a lot of hair. Seriously. The bigger and messier, the better. I like to leave mine tousled and wavy (sometimes I don’t even brush it!), or piled on top of my head in a messy bun. No fear if you don’t have a lot of hair!! We have options for you too!

{Image credits: Valentine / Keiko / ban.do / molto}

If you’re more daring, the classic turban is a perfect way to hide away all of your hair. This is a great option for those of you with a short ‘do. Since I have just the opposite issue (too much hair!) I like to twist in the turban and then braid my hair loosely and pull it to the side. 100 Layer Cake and Framboise Fashion both have great tutorials on how to tie up one of these on your own!

{Image credits: Urban Outfitters / Hanneli / /Karla’s Closet / Karen Walker}

Or maybe, if you’re like me, and a bit clumsy with all the twisting and knotting it takes to create a turban, you can cheat a little, and opt for one of these easy knitted pieces.

Free People/Late Afternoon/ASOS

A few final tips to get you on the road to this trend:

Keep the hair messy. Pretty, but messy – looking too “done” kills the spontaneity of this style.
Keep the outfit easy and breezy. Lots of attention is going straight to your head (err, literally) so keep everything else simple.
If you have bangs or shorter hair, pull a few pieces in front of the scarf. If not, pull the scarf down low, so it hits just a bit above the brow line.
And above all, don’t overthink it! A little imperfection never hurt anyone, and a too-perfect scarf just doesn’t work.

Happy scarf-tying!! ~ Kim B.

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Friends, I’m so excited to introduce a new Shopping’s My Cardio columnist to you: the exceedingly fabulous Kimberly Brandt, of Billede Design. Kim is a stylist extraordinaire, responsible for designing everything from magazine shoots to fashion lookbooks from some of my favorite local designers. She just radiates style in her personal life to, and – unlike me – is never afraid to take a fashion risk. So, I’ve asked her to pop in here from time to time, to help us stretch our style boundaries just a smidge. You’ll see her new “Trends to Try” column every two weeks in the new year, but she’s come up with a couple of columns now to pique your interest. I can hardly wait to see what’s next!

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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!