My Favorite Things Right Now

As a personal stylist for women based in Seattle, I spend a very high percentage of my time with women. One of the benefits of this lifestyle is the constant trading of resources. We’re always sharing books, shows, products and more with one another. Regularly referred to as, “Idea Girl” in my family, offering resources and solutions is one of my very favorite things to do. I also LOVE learning about new options. This personality trait brings us to one of my periodic blog post themes: My Favorite Things Right Now. Here we go!

Fashionable Sun Protective Clothing for Under $100

Summer is here and that means it’s time to stock up on sun protective clothing. The challenge is that so many options are functional but not fashionable. Not to worry. Your very own personal stylist is here to help. Take a look at an assortment of my favorites. Whether you are looking for extended sizes, various lengths or just something that feels fresh, there are options for you. Have a great time out there.

Not Loving Your Neck? Here's What to Do.

As a personal stylist for women, my conversations with clients go well beyond clothing. Naturally, we often discuss weight fluctuation, shifting identities and aging. Yes! There are a zillion clothing options for you to choose from and of course, flattering your frame has a major impact on how you feel. But the most important filter when choosing an item is whether or not it aligns with your authentic personal style. Does it fee like YOU? Does it feel like the YOU that you want to be, not the one that avoids risk of rejection or embarrassment. We’re talking about the you who wears that leather jacket or those wild shoes. Or perhaps this is the you that feels more comfortable in “menswear” or clothes that feel genderless. Whatever your innermost desire, that’s the you that the world deserves to see.

I’m in my late 40’s and am well aware of the changes in body, skin and hair that women my age are experiencing. Body acceptance is about loving your body where it is right now and finding beauty in it at every age and every size. This is absolutely achievable.

Body acceptance does not mean that you have to embrace changes that you don’t love. After all, we’ve got tools to address this. One of the most common concerns I hear from women over 45 is a sudden awareness of their necks. And not in a good way. When we’re younger, our necks aren’t really a thing and then one day… they are. So, if you’ve suddenly discovered your neck, here are some tips to help you love it again.

Finally! Pinterest Decoded

As a personal stylist for women based in Seattle, I’m all about teaching my clients how to dress themselves and leveraging technology to make getting ready as easy as possible. It’s true, technology can be a blessing and a curse sometimes. But, it’s all about how (and how much) we use it. Is it making our lives better? My goal is to ensure that when it comes to harnessing your authentic personal style and getting ready every day, the answer is a resounding, “yes!”

Each Poplin client has a password protected webpage just for her. It tells her instantly what pieces flatter her frame, what colors make her look her best and more. Her profile defines her authentic personal style, shows photos of outfits made from her new and existing pieces and is a vast resource for her moving forward. It includes a list of brands a retailers that are ideal for her and a collection of Pinterest boards that can inspire her when she’s ready to dream or to shop. Sure, the online profile is only available to Poplin clients, but if becoming a client isn’t in the cards for you right now, you still have access to those magical Pinterest Boards. They are organized by body type, personal style key words, values and a few bonuses just because. (I’m looking at you undergarments and loungewear boards.)

If you check out the Poplin Pinterest Boards regularly, you may think you’ve seen it all. But, with 45 boards, it’s easy to have missed some. So, here’s your chance to find some inspiration, outfit ideas, product options and just all around eye candy. And remember to pin from the blog to help drive more traffic to Poplin. Every action makes a difference, my friend. Thanks very much for being here and have a great time.

My Favorite Things Right Now

There's SO much good stuff right now. I know. It certainly isn't what you are hearing and seeing when you let the world in, but it's out there. Here are some of my favs. Thanks for being here and go team!

IIT #15: Expert Advice on Lashes and Skincare from my Favorite Aestheticians at Cake Skincare

As a personal stylist for women, I get lots and lots of questions about referrals for hair, lashes, skincare, all the things. The good people at Cake Skincare and I go way, way back. This is my absolute favorite place for a luxurious skin treatment. The owner, Katrina, gifted me a set of Radical Skincare products years ago and I’ve been hooked ever since. When a client asks for a recommendation for the ideal place for skincare (lashes, facials, waxing, etc.), I always think of Cake.

We kicked off the In It Together Series a few months back to support the Poplin community during quarantine. I’ve been holding off on sharing a few posts until now, expecting that this situation might go on longer than originally anticipated… which it has.

Fortunately, Cake is slowly reopening with extra precautions to protect clients and the team. You can check the site to see when/if Cake is open thanks to an impressive effort to make educated decisions based on data from King County. If you are ready to get back into the world, you should book now as I expect the wait is a long one. If you are more comfortable holding off on personal care services, this guest post from one of my very favorite people, Kelly, will help you enjoy the spa at home. Enjoy and remember to take good care of yourself and shop local.

Last but not least, I learned recently from a therapist friend, that when you hug someone for at least 3 minutes without talking, your heart beats sync up. I love everything about this. Think of it as your free self care tip for the day.

How to Treat Yourself at Home with Cake Skincare’s Kelly Perez Snyder

Microblading at Splash Extensions. I Did It! You Can Do it Too!

As a personal stylist for women, I hear a lot of questions. Yes, there are lots of questions about clothes. But, when I'm working with a client, it goes well beyond clothes. It's not uncommon for one of my clients to simply have never learned about style, makeup, hair. Often, she was busy doing other things that were more interesting to her. Then, she looked up years later and discovered she was missing some of the skills that would make style a fun part of her life, not a stressful chore. This naturally leads to questions on hair, makeup, skincare, undergarments, waxing. You name it, I've been asked about it. After all, once we've been in a dressing room together, most other inhibitions are long gone.

Win a FREE Set of Lash Extensions ($250 Value!) From the Lash Factory

As a personal stylist for women, I spend my days offering tips and tricks to make lives easier. Who doesn't want the mornings to run more smoothly? Who isn't looking for easy ways to keep her style game elevated without having to try too hard?

What I'm Wearing Now.

I have conversations all day, everyday about clothes. Seriously. Frequently, I'm just chatting with someone on the street or at the coffee shop before a client consultation and I find myself writing down details of a particular item that I'm wearing so they can go grab one for themselves. No more! I'm all about efficiency, my friend.

So, we now have a section of the website devoted to What I'm Wearing Now.

Shop Small Seattle: Pick a Neighborhood. There's Something Just for You.

Well hello there, Dear Reader!

I trust you are gearing up for the holiday weekend. If you are on the Poplin email list, you received word earlier this morning about some hot spots for Small Business Saturday. If not,

Hey! What are you Wearing?

Hello, Dear Reader!

I'm still feeling the glorious effects of the Poplin client party. As you know, Naked Truth Beauty and Everling Jewelry were really the stars of the show. Over the summer I've become completely enamored with NTB and have been wearing the lips, eyes and beam (or just the lips/cheeks) plus moisturizer with SPF everyday. That's it. No foundation. No concealer. NTB really swept me off my feet.

I had become pretty comfortable with

Naked Truth Beauty is Finally Available in Seattle!

Let us begin with my obsession with Naked Truth Beauty. The founder, Lauren Evashenk, makes luscious makeup for lips, cheeks & eyes that is totally 100% natural. No chemicals. No words you can't pronounce. Only quality ingredients that you feel good about on your body. Plus, they look great!

In fact, I haven't worn makeup all summer (shhh) except

Conquering Chafing, Sweat and Other Undesirable Issues that Come with Hot Weather

Finally, sunshine. As a personal stylist for women, I'm keenly aware that warm weather is both a blessing and a curse for many among us. If you find that your thighs rubbing together is not only undesirable, but actually hurts, you are not alone. How about sweat from the girls up top? These are especially common issues that up until now have been "solved" with baby powder or simply toughing it out.

Enter Megababe Beauty Products. Designed by the woman behind the 12-ish style, these all natural products are aimed at solving these ever present issues. I heard about it and had to share.

Megababe Products that Address Your

Summertime Challenges

The Power of Being Seen.

Pick Me Ups, Poplin around the web, Seattle makers, shop local, SkincaremelliciaJanuary 20, 2017Image Consultant Women Seattle, Kari Gran Wear Yourself In, Kari Gran Wear Yourself In Mellicia Marx, Seattle Fashion Entrepreneur, Seattle Female Entrepreneur, Seattle Personal Stylist WomenComment

This Election is Killing Me: 8 Ways to Detox

This year has been unlike any other year. As a personal stylist for women, I've noticed that this fall has been like unlike any other fall. Why? People are stressed. It's tough to fight for equality and feminism and simultaneously be shopping for the perfect metallic ankle boot. Tough, but not impossible, Dear Reader. Let's face it, when we feel good about what we are wearing, we have more momentum to do great things. And, right now, we clearly need a lot of momentum. But, if like me, you feel like this election has gone on just a little too long, it's time to take some time out to give yourself a little love. Here are some suggestions to get you going. Inertia kills.

8 Ways to Give Yourself Some Love

in the Face of this Election

My Favorite U Village Shops Including Joie!

Let's face it, Nordstrom plays a key role in Seattle style. As a personal stylist, I find that the vast majority of my new clients use the retailer as an easy way to learn about new brands. As a result, Vince & Joie are two of the most popular brands that come up in conversation.

So when I discovered the new JOIE store at U Village, I had to share! The ladies are lovely and the selection is much larger than you'll find at a larger retailer. This got me thinking, there's some pretty stellar shopping at U Village. Let's make sure you know some of my favorite places to go.

15+ Shops Worth (re)Visiting at University Village (in no particular order)

Win a Bottle of My Favorite Primer!

If you follow Poplin on Instagram, you've likely seen my immersion into the world of Arbonne. It all started with a chance encounter with a very stylish woman at a coffee shop in Pioneer Square. The next thing I knew, we made plans to get together so I could try out Arbonne, a company with a wide range of products sold in five countries that are eco friendly and meet European standards.

Fun Fact: The FDA does not require cosmetics products and ingredients to have approval before they go to market, although there are regulations that apply for interstate commerce. So, the European standards are a helpful guide.

Helen (as I discovered this very stylish woman was named) trains Arbonne reps. To avoid retail mark up, Arbonne is sold be representatives and online. Having been in desperate need of a new makeup routine, I decided to ask Helen for a makeup lesson using all Arbonne products. That was among my very best ideas. But, before I'd have a crack at the makeup, Helen suggested I sample the entire skincare routine for a week and see what I thought of the products.

And so began my adoration for Arbonne. In fact, I love it SO much, that I'm giving away a bottle of the stellar primer. More on that later. For now, let's focus on why you might want to take a look at Arbonne.

5 Reasons to Try Arbonne Right Now

Smoothest Skin Ever, Without Spending $50.

I adore body scrubs. My personal favorite is Laura Mercier Fresh Fig Scrub. It's $60. Up until this point, I endured a constant struggle between two parts of myself. The first part enjoys my super smooth legs. The second, and directly opposing side monitors my bank account.

The struggle is real. And lucky for me, it's over.

My 10 Favorite Things Right Now

It's been a while since I've sent out a list of my very favorite things. Let's be clear. I am absolutely addicted to a laundry list of items. As a personal stylist for women, my goal is to write blog posts that help you maintain a personal style that is authentic to you. Your look should communicate who you are and be functional for your life. My favorite things are a collection of items that encompass who I am. Ideally, you'll find that some of them speak to you, as well. As always, I love to know what you think and hear about some of your favorite things. Off we go!

My 10 Favorite Things Right Now

My Favorite Things Right Now.

Hello again, Dear Reader!

I've missed you. As a personal stylist, I work with clients to ensure a level of personal care. It's vital that we all take a step back, take some time to regroup and invest in ourselves. I couldn't face you if I didn't do the same. So thank YOU for your patience and support as I took a little break. I'm officially back full force and just in time for fall fashion. Let's begin with some of my favorite things right now.

My Favorite Things Right Now.