As a personal stylist for women, I’m always on the lookout for valuable recommendations for my clients and my community. At Poplin, we are all about simplifying your life and making getting dressed a stress free experience. Plus, we like cool stuff.

So here’s my download of all the things that are making my life better right now. Let me know what you think!

My Favorite Things Right Now

Hip Readers

Oh my goodness. All my virtual folks only see me with glasses on, but fun fact, I only wear glasses to read. I picked up readers at the drug store as I was introduced to this new world of asking my son to read my phone for me;) At least there, you can try them on. I went down a dark path of looking at frames at online shops only to discover that they didn’t offer glasses without a prescription… so, no readers. If you are in a similar position, I’ve cracked the code. Locally, I pick up glasses at Third Place Books or re-souL. You can also purchase them from re-souL online. Yup. That’s right. The good people at re-souL pivoted during the pandemic and now offer a collection of goods beyond shoes including readers, clothes and accessories. Lastly, I wanted some reader sunglasses for reading outdoors. I got those at Warby Parker.

Drugstore Lipstick

Lipstick has always been my thing. As someone who has been coloring my hair since age 15, lip color is much needed to balance out my cool skin and my warm hair color. It is rare in Seattle to wear bold lipstick, but less so all the time. So, I’ll think of that as a win. Generally, I pick up my lipstick with a visit to Nordstrom or Bluemercury and often focus on natural brands. Although, the bolder the color, the tougher that can be. Anyway, in the world of masks, my most recent trip was a bust. Looking at colors on my hands just isn’t as effective for me, especially when I want a change. So, I headed off to Walgreens for a cheaper option as I experimented. I discovered Maybeline Superstay Ink Crayon. I’m obsessed. Now I have three colors and that’s all I need.

The Audio Book for Right Now

If you’ve got readers, you can finally read the new Oprah book! Or, in my case, opt for the audio version. I have been devouring this book. Written by Bruce D. Perry, PhD and Oprah Winfrey, this book asks the question, “What Happened to You?” reframing the idea of, “what’s wrong with me?'“ to what trauma did you experience as a child and how has that affected your brain development since then? It’s riveting. Dr. Perry was one of the first folks researching childhood PTSD over 30 years ago and apparently, he and Oprah have been discussing this issue since then. If you or someone you love had a traumatic childhood, this book is mind blowing. A friend said to me, “it gave my husband words he didn’t have before.” So good.

Our Nordstrom Rack Air Purifier

Yeah, that’s right. I was at the Rack a few months back and noticed a couple of air purifiers in the home goods section. Full disclosure: this sort of thing is my husband’s domain so I texted to find out if these were as awesome as I was hoping. And, yes, they were. Indeed, I walked away with a cart full of air purifiers. Now that the smoke is back, I’m especially grateful for them. You can order one online, too. Thanks, Nordstrom.

Pedalheads Camp

One unarguable fact about the pandemic is that it’s made bike riding more of a thing than it already was, if that’s even possible. It also means that kids are often spending more time riding in traffic. Thanks to a client’s suggestion, our son did a week of the half day Pedalheads Camp and it has been an incredible investment. The camps are located throughout the west coast and Canada and include biking or swimming. In just one week of the half day camp, he’s more confident on his bike and VERY enthusiastic about it. He’s got the hand signals down and a much better sense of riding safely, making biking more fun for all of us. The best part, Pedalheads camps are all over town and also take place during school breaks.

Big Love

The past few weeks have been a very strange time. Living with uncertainty is hard and looking forward to something only to be disappointed is even harder. Putting both together is a real drag. I’m seeing that drag on my clients and community all over the place.

Just know that there are ways to find the joy again and I’ve got a few for you. First off, I had my first pandemic evening outside with three female friends, wine and tasty food the other night. Sure, we’ve seen other friends outside, but this was my first time solo with a group of other women and it was much needed. Highly recommend.

You know what else is very helpful right now? Inspiration. Over the years I’ve heard LOTS of feedback about how much the Poplin community enjoys looking at Uber Wishlists and Wishlists for real clients. So, we’ve added several of them on the site to give you ideas, motivation and just some eye candy. The Poplin Pinterest Boards can do that for you, too. Did you know that there’s a collection of those boards that is not limited to the hand full on the website? Check it out!

I’m especially grateful for the big love that is all around me- from lovely messages, to thoughtful testimonials and clients who are willing to share their insecurities in the process of upping their style game. It’s good stuff. The whole, “we’re in it together” thing is as true as you make it. Big virtual hugs coming your way and have fun with your drugstore lipstick.