Pregnant and Beautiful. There's More to Your Style Than Target.

Pregnancy. Every woman who has ever been pregnant shares one common experience: the constant hunt for clothes. Personally, I LOVED being pregnant. I felt happy, relaxed and excited. In the early months, before I could tell anyone in the office that I was actually pregnant, I found myself struggling to find clothes to wear. A lover of dresses, I was relegated to one pair of pants that I found at Anthroplogie for $150. They were cute. They were stretchy. They were black. And, they were $150 for a pair of pants that I knew would only be useful for a few months. That's a true sign of desperation.

As I grew, I actually found it easier to find clothes than in the early months when you just feel bigger. And for women who struggle with morning sickness, bloating, weight gain and some of the other less stellar aspects of pregnancy, feeling awful about looking at your clothing is not the path to a happy 9 months. Now, as a personal stylist, I've found a number or fun options for pregnant clients. My goal is to offer some assistance to anyone in this situation. Yes, Dear Reader, I know you may not be pregnant. If not, please share with someone you love who will find this helpful.

Retailers for the hip and pregnant.

Do Me a Solid, Be Kind to Yourself.

Someone recently told me that Dr. Deepak Chopra once quoted a study that found that the average person thinks approximately 65,000 thoughts per day. And 95% of those thoughts are the same thoughts that person had the day prior. I have no idea how much of this is true, but it got me thinking about the way we talk to ourselves about our bodies and our sense of style.

For whatever reason, things are especially busy right now. And, like most women I know, when things get hectic, our bodies change, our weight increases and we start to feel less than stellar about how we look each morning. Earlier this week, as I struggled to ensure that my ensemble wasn't showing off things I'd like to keep secret (hello extra 5 pounds!) my husband pulled me aside and told me that he didn't like hearing me criticize my body. Well, Dr. Chopra, if I'm repeating this sort of self criticism every day, I'm in trouble over the long haul.

Thankfully, I have an incredible husband, a closet full of options and the wisdom to know how to dress my best and be kind to myself. Sometimes, we just need a reminder from someone else. With that in mind, I'm your someone else.

So, here are a few tips to feel beautiful, even when you really don't feel like getting out of bed (or out of your yoga pants.)

Body Types, Pick Me Ups, Style TipsmelliciaMarch 14, 2014Personal stylist, Seattle, Self talk, wardrobe stylist, white skirt, Women's fashionComment

I Can't Wear the New Crop Tops.... Or Can I?

Welcome, Dear Reader, to Spring 2014, home of abbreviated tops. You may be more familiar with the term, "crop tops". I recently met with a new client and they came up in conversation. A beautiful woman in her mid-30s with a great figure, she quickly dismissed those as tops she could no longer wear after having two babies. I disagreed. And a blog post was born.

Let me start by saying, a woman past a certain age really shouldn't be wearing especially short tops. But, that age is not 21, friends. And, wearing a short sweater or top doesn't necessarily mean you are putting a spotlight on your stomach. It's really all about the styling.

So, can I or can't I wear abbreviate tops after 30? Here's a helpful guide to help you figure it out.

Need a Free Pick Me Up?

Sometimes, we are fortunate enough to have some disposable cash to buy something pretty. This is especially gratifying when we've had a challenging day or are not loving our options when we get dressed each morning.

Unfortunately, extra cash is not always on hand. What to do?

Here are a few tips for FREE solutions to style-related questions.

Your Bra is Everything: Look Better & Help Women

One of the easiest ways to look better is to find a better fitting bra. True story. Any woman who has had a baby or major weight loss/weight gain is especially aware of this fact.

I feel like many women have heard this before, but that doesn't necessarily drive us to run to the closest department store for a bra fitting. After all, we are adults, right? Well, I'm here to encourage you to do just that and have the chance to help women in Africa. That always feels good.

Finally, a Swimsuit that Flatters your Figure

Seriously, a swimsuit? It's February.

It certainly is. For many of us, that means an escape to warmer weather. For others, it could mean visiting a local indoor pool or an opportunity to sit in a hot tub despite the cold weather. Strangely, I've had occasion to wear a swimsuit several times in the last week or so and I'm definitely hyper aware of what flatters and what doesn't.

Current and flattering swimsuits for your body. Go!

Don't be afraid to be pretty.

You may have seen my Tweet about starting to style for the young adults at YouthCare who have recently graduated from the Barista Training Program. I'm crazy excited about this opportunity to help homeless and formerly homeless teens look their best as they enter into their careers.

As I discussed the logistics with the staff, I was reminded that there may be individuals who feel self conscious about their bodies because they are survivors of abuse. Understood. In fact, 1 out of 5 girls and 1 in 20 boys in the US are sexually abused and youth on the street report an even higher rate. I realize this is dark for a style blog, but I'm going somewhere, I swear.

Body Types, Giving Back, Pick Me UpsmelliciaJanuary 10, 2014fashion approach, Personal stylist, Seattle, women, YouthCareComment

Resolve to invest in yourself

Happy New Year's Eve! (And thanks to everyone for yesterday's very kind birthday wishes.) This is the time of year when we all start to recover from our gluttony and decide this is it. This is the year I…..

Usually, resolutions have something to do with weight, money or the unwavering determination to do something for ourselves. This year, might I suggest a New Year's Resolution strategy that has the potential to hit all three categories?

Body Types, Pick Me UpsmelliciaDecember 31, 2013activewear, fashionable, hip, New Year's resolution, Personal stylist, womenComment

Your clothes do not define who you are.

And neither does your car or your house or your job. Who you are is defined by your actions, your words, your thoughts.

Your clothes are tools to communicate to others who you are and how you see yourself. For those of us who love clothes and shopping, they can also be a creative expression -- what is more gratifying than finding the exact pair of shoes to go with a dress?

Are you funky and unconventional as a recent client of mine described herself? Or sophisticated, vibrant and inspiring confidence? Do you value yourself enough to invest some time into looking and feeling great each morning? Or are you in a constant battle with the clock to prioritize your needs in the overall balance of your household? It's not always easy, but how we look does impact how we feel and how we behave. It also greatly impacts how others treat us.

So, as we head into rainy weather and the half yearly sale at Nordstrom, I thought it might be nice to pass along a few tips to help you, dear reader, feel good about how you look out in the world, even if you only have a few minutes and even less motivation when getting ready.