Get Your Favorite Styling Services During COVID-19

It’s true. As a personal stylist for women, I spend the majority of my client focused time one on one with each client. So, how does that work while we are all limiting our contact with the outside world to prevent the spread of the coronavirus?

A number of services translate nicely online. In the words of one remote client,

Although I live thousands of miles away from Seattle, Mellicia did an amazing job on our Skype conversations hearing out my laundry list of fashion likes and dislikes and then ensuring that my Uber Wishlist reflected me and where I wanted to take my new look. Not only did she provide me with some ideas for beautiful articles of clothing to add to my closet, but she also helped me gain more confidence in mixing and matching new and old pieces to create a fresh new look. I highly recommend Poplin's services, especially to those who live outside of WA!

-Marina J., Salt Lake City, UT

To make it easier to know what works and what doesn’t right now, here’s a list of the current Poplin services. (At the time of this post, we are in Phase 1.5, which allows for limited personal services. 1:1 services are restricted to 30 minutes with social distancing and masks. Because Poplin services are comprehensive, they are better suited to full service virtual sessions rather than brief in person sessions.)

Poplin + You Right Now

IIT #11: How to Trim Your Bangs Like a Pro

Is it wrong to ask your expert friends to solve questions for your clients when really the questions are for you? I’m going to say, “no.”

As a personal stylist for women, I’m all about helping each woman understand how to dress her body in clothes that make her feel like her authentic self. I am not, however, a master at trimming my own bangs. That’s why I asked my very own hairstylist, Lindsay Brabank of Spruce Salon and Spa, to help the Poplin community solve two of the biggest hair challenges in quarantine: 1. How do I cut my own bangs and 2. What do I do about my roots? She has generously offered up advice for both. So, this post has been split into two.

Before we dive into her post, you should know that Lindsay has been the genius behind my hair color and cuts for the past few years. Every product she uses is chemical free and she has a wealth of information, having been a hairstylist for over 17 years. She also gives back to the community generously including hosting a successful fundraiser to help provide food and water to folks crossing the border. In short, she’s amazing and I hope that you find her info helpful AND that you support her as a small businesswoman hit by the pandemic.

Here we go!

Now, it’s all about trimming those bangs! Here’s the most straightforward, helpful video ever.

How to Trim Your Bangs Like a Pro with Lindsay Brabank of Spruce Salon and Spa

IIT #10: Roots Bringing Down You Down? Not Anymore.

Who knew that this crisis would bring about so many existential questions? There are some big ones that instantly come to mind about equity and classism, as an example. Let’s call those “A list” crises. Just like there are B, C and D list celebrities, there are D list crises. We adore our D list celebrities and they matter to us — think Jerry on Cheer (by the way, this will make you feel very good.)

In the same way, we’ve got “D list” quarantine crises. Some of the most prominent involve how to look and feel good everyday without regular visits to the hairstylist. That can be hard to do when your grey is growing out or your roots are four inches long. Whether or not to go natural is a big decision for women. Are you someone who wants to embrace the grey and find beauty in the natural or do you find it depressing? We’re all strongly in one camp or the other.

Personally, my roots are dark brown and fortunately, they work as they grow out. But, if all of my hair was brown, I would feel that a large part of my identity was lost. After all, can you imagine me without red hair? I didn’t think so.

With that in mind I asked my hairstylist, Lindsay Brabank, to help the Poplin community solve two of the biggest hair challenges in quarantine: 1. How do I cut my own bangs and 2. What do I do about my roots? She has generously offered up advice for both. So, this post will be split into two.

Before we dive into her post, you should know that Lindsay has been the genius behind my hair color and cuts for the past few years. Every product she uses is chemical free and she has a wealth of information, having been a hairstylist for over 17 years. She also gives back to the community generously including hosting a successful fundraiser to help provide food and water to folks crossing the border. In short, she’s amazing and I hope that you find her info helpful AND that you support her as a small businesswoman hit hard by the pandemic.

Here we go!

A Professional’s Guide to Hiding Your Roots from Lindsay Brabank, Spruce Salon and Spa

In It Together #6: What to Wear While You are in Quarantine

As a personal stylist for women, this is a very weird time. I want to provide my community with the support you need while also not pretending that we live in a vacuum. I’ve been laying low on clothing suggestions, but I’ve had SO many questions about what to wear now. As your resource for how to wear pieces that make you feel like your authentic self by embracing your personal style, I’m hearing from many folks that you need me now more than ever.

So, let’s solve this problem of what to wear each day, shall we? And, as always, thanks for letting me know what content you need right now.

By the way, today’s recommendations are all from Nordstrom. After all, shopping local right now is VERY important and Nordstrom is our hometown hero. The company’s HQ is here including thousands of incredible folks who have my life and likely yours much better over the last several years. So, let’s help make sure this company is with us on the other side. If you are shopping, start with local shops, brands and makers, if you can.

How to Choose Your Outfit of the Day During the COVID-19 Crisis

In It Together #4: How to Work From Home in the Time of Pandemic

The next several weeks are devoted to making your days better. We’ll be solving problems, decreasing anxiety, making you look and feel better. It’s all happening here. And, it’s all happening thanks to the genius of local small businesses in the Poplin community. Welcome to another installment of, “In it Together.”

Happy Monday, Dear Reader. Whether you just wrapped up spring break for the kids, are kicking it off today or are in a land where spring break for the kids is meaningless to you, the In It Together Series is here to give you some momentum every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I’m elated to offer tips from my good friend, Poplin client, Executive Coach and founder of the Essential Group, Kore Koubourlis. She’s an insightful resource who primarily works remotely with her clients and offers online trainings. In a word, this is her wheelhouse. Dive in and let me know what you think.

And when you wrap up your reading, go outside (if you can) and listen to this. See you Wednesday!

-Mellicia

We need strategies to take care of ourselves and our mindset; especially so during times of rapid change and uncertainty. In case you are interested, here is my personal top ten list (well, it's a list of 12 actually). These are things I am including in my life right now to stay sane amidst all this "family togetherness time". I hope you find it useful.

12 Strategies to Stay Sane While Working at Home Right Now

Must Haves for Spring 2020: Bermuda Shorts

If you’ve been looking around and feeling like shorts are getting shorter all the time, you are correct. In fact, short shorts and hot pants are coming on strong for spring and summer. But, rest assured, if that isn’t your jam, there’s a new alternative that is on trend and crazy comfortable.

As a personal stylist for women, it’s on me to find pieces that are just right for the real world and also make you look and feel your best. I’m also having the time of my life digging into spring fashion trends so expect to see a number of different choices popping up in your inbox over the coming weeks. The last post featured my favorite colored leather and vegan leather for the season. In case you missed it, you can find it here. Next up: Your latest 90’s flashback, Bermuda Shorts.

Spring Must Have: Bermuda Shorts (Especially as Part of a Summer Suit)

Get Poplin on Your Holiday Wish List

I don’t know about you, but I’m deep in holiday shopping. Whether you are putting together your own holiday wishlist or shopping for others, it’s time to give the gift of style. Here’s what you need to know to set you up!

5 Reasons to Give (or Get) Poplin Style This Holiday Season

Guest Post: What's it REALLY Like to Work with Poplin. One Client's Perspective

As a personal stylist for women, there is SO much variety in my daily life. One day I’m running around Bellevue Square on the hunt for the perfect pieces for my client’s shopping trip, another I’m climbing all over her bedroom to take outfit photos and still another I’m in my office scouring the interwebs to create the Uber Wishlist of dreams. Just because I’m doing another Closet Edit doesn’t mean that the experience is the same. After all, every one of my clients is her own person. She has a picture in her mind of her ideal, stylish self. She faces unique struggles and a lifetime of self talk around clothing and her body.

There is one thing that all (if not nearly all) of my clients have in common: they know Poplin. Thanks to the generous clients who have come before, there are endless online reviews about the experience. In fact, right now on Yelp, there are 47 “recommended reviews” with another 15 “not recommended.” I know. Right? So many feelings about those not recommended reviews. I digress…..

Whether she has delved into the Client Stories Page, checked out Google, Facebook, Yelp or been a part of the Poplin community via the newsletter, this blog and/or Instagram, she knows what she is getting into. Very often, she identifies with one or more story.

"I was sick of taking 30 minutes every morning to find something to wear and still ending up feeling frumpy.”

-Ashley