Must Have: Shibori Tie Dye

Last year, my incredible personal styling client, Melanie introduced me to the term Japandy. I had never heard of it before. Apparently, it’s the marriage of Japanese inspired style and Scandinavian inspired style. I laughed because apparently my husband and I have been Japandy enthusiasts for years without knowing we were part of a named club;) As Melanie and I chatted about our mutual love for Japandy, we also talked about the attraction to Shibori, a Japanese style of tie dye using “thread to isolate many small related points on the fabric.”

Since then, it’s been clear to me that you, my Dear Reader, might just adore Shibori as much as Melanie and I do. If so, here’s a collection of my very favorite things right now in Shibori- land. We’ll kick things off with a photo of Melanie from her business photo shoot. She lives in the Bay Area so we work together virtually. Part of that work was selecting pieces for her photo shoot, which also explains why she isn’t in a traditional Poplin photo shoot because let’s face it, I’d be a fool not to feature her if she were in the area.

9 Ways to Enjoy Shopping with Less Guilt About Climate Change

As a virtual personal stylist for women, I hear a sea of concerns from my clients and the Poplin community. These range from dressing for various occasions to understanding how to create new outfits and much more. For many of my clients, and for me, climate change and sustainability are important factors when thinking about style. In fact, you can see past blog posts on sustainability here including how to care for items to help them last longer, my favorite sustainable brands and more.

Loving to express yourself through clothing and making responsible choices for the environment are not mutually exclusive. In fact, your personal style is not just the colors or silhouettes that you adore, it also includes communicating your values through your clothing. Yes! It’s possible to balance your love of style and your commitment to the next generation. Here are some ideas to get you started.

A Fresh Approach to the Closet Edit.

The first step in any style transformation is the Closet Edit. You need to know what you have, what you need and what you don't before you can move forward successfully. Otherwise, things just become overwhelming. I know I shouldn't be, but I'm always amazed at how transformational a Closet Edit can be for a client. Despite having fewer pieces (and sometimes, significantly fewer pieces), she should feel like she actually has more outfits.

I recently learned that Amazon declared the second most popular book in 2015 as Marie Kondo's, "The Art of Tidying Up." No surprise there. I can't tell you how many women have hired me after reading the book and attempting to tackle their closets on their own. The book is motivating, to be sure. It focuses on simplifying your life rather than ensuring you are authentic to your personal style. Two different goals mean two different approaches.

The Poplin approach focuses on your authentic personal style. This approach uses a client's body type, personal style and goals to determine what should and should not be in her collection. We also organize her closet by type, then by color to make creating outfits easier. I often tell clients that your closet should feel like a boutique curated just for you. Everything should fit, it should make you look and feel beautiful and communicate your personal style. I also organize my closet in this way.

However, I'm experimenting with my own closet and I'm confident that my new approach will be a helpful next step for some readers who are at the edit 2.0 level. Therefore, as we head into a long holiday weekend. This post is all about sharing.

Re-engaging with Your Closet. You've Already Done the Edit, Now It's Time to Organize.

Of the Moment Party Looks that Are Hiding In Your Closet

Tis the season to hit multiple holiday parties. That means, you need more than one LRD (little red dress) to get you through. And, of course, if you are feeling especially generous this year, that also likely means that you don’t have a lot of extra cash to spend on a little something for yourself. Not to worry! Here are a few of the moment trends that you can rock that you might just have hiding in the back of your closet.

The best part about shopping your closet? It's always open and it's free. Here's what you are looking for:

Body Types, Style TipsmelliciaDecember 16, 2014Personal Stylist Seattle, shop your closet, Women's fashionComment

And the winner is…..

Thanks to everyone who shared the post about our contest on Facebook! The winner will receive one free closet edit. This includes: an online personalized style plan that that can be viewed via a computer or mobile device. we edit your current closet to feature items that flatter and decide together what pieces are still needed. Knowing that your closet should feel like a boutique, we merchandise so that you can shop your closet with a smile each morning.

Value: $325 value (up to 2.5 hours).

And, and all services include one complimentary wish list.

So, who is it, already?

Women's fashionmelliciaDecember 18, 2013Closet edit, drawing, Personal stylist, Seattle, shop your closetComment

I just want something new. But my budget said, "no!"

Who hasn't been there? You roll over in the morning, look inside your closet and feel utterly uninspired. Worse. You feel overwhelmed. Whether you are overwhelmed or underwhelmed, sometimes we all just want something new. And, sadly, our bank account is not hearing why we MUST have that new pair of boots.

What to do?