5 Ways to Ensure You Feel as Good as You Look at the Holiday Party

Being a part of a community of driven, kind and philanthropic women is a true gift to me. One of my favorite members of that community is realtor, connector and all around community bad ass, Cassie Walker Johnson. The content below was shared with Cassie’s community first as part of her amazing monthly newsletter. I read it every time, not just because she’s a friend, but because I love the content ranging from trends in the housing market to giving back and tips for the family. Sign up now and be entered to win a gift basket filled with items from her favorite local businesses including a $50 gift card to my ideal retailers for sustainable hosiery, Swedish Stockings. And hey, have fun at that holiday party!

As a personal stylist for women, I spend a great deal of timing helping each client ensure that her overall look not only communicates her authentic personal style, flatters her shape and reflects her values; but also that her pieces are functional for her life. Here in Seattle, it’s easy to sacrifice style for comfort, but that’s really not necessary.

If it’s time to shop for your upcoming holiday party, be sure to opt for pieces that flatter your frame and communicate your style. Now, let’s dive into how we’ll make sure you are comfortable, too.

15 Holiday Gifts You've Never Thought Of

I like the idea that COVID won’t permeate every aspect of our lives, especially when it comes to the holiday season. Based on conversations with clients and friends, it’s clear that trying to find the ideal gift often also means considering how that relates to our current very strange state of being. As a personal stylist for women, I often tell people that my job is to “see” people. When I meet a new client, I listen to her and try to see what she sees as her aspirational style. Then, using her budget, body type, lifestyle and personal style, I translate that into a strategy to help her embrace her authentic personal style. Uber Wishlists are a solid representation of how I translate her words into actual items. This, my Dear Reader, is essentially spending 8 years of my professional life gifting.

Hack Her Style: Client #5, Ella

Hack Her Style: Client #4: Taylor

Hack Her Style: Client #3, Chandra

Hack Her Style: Client #2, Nikki

7 Days 7 Clients. Countless Ways to Hack Her Style

As a personal stylist for women based in Seattle, I’ve spent nearly a decade working with hundreds of women to elevate their style. At Poplin, every client is different, but the structure is the same. We identify her body type, personal style key words, color palette, budget, lifestyle and values to create a strategy for her authentic personal style. Each client has a password protected webpage that gives her the tools to get dressed every day. We call that her online personal profile. Next up, we use her personal profile to guide every decision as we edit her closet. Does this piece communicate her personal style? Is it flattering for her figure? Does it communicate the level of success she’s achieved? If not, it’s out. Those questions and more are integral to the Closet Edit experience.

During the edit, I make a shopping list of items that would supplement her existing wardrobe and use that list to create her Uber Wishlist. An Uber Wishlist is a list of up to 40 items from a variety of retailers that work in tandem with her existing pieces to create a cohesive wardrobe that is functional for her life and helps her look and feel her best.

After ordering from her Uber Wishlist, we collaborate to ensure each piece is an essential piece to accomplish her style goals. I show her how to style it, how it should fit, when she’ll be wearing it, and more. Often, we also tailor a number of pieces both from her Uber Wishlist and from her existing wardrobe. After all, why buy something new if your existing piece can simply be tailored to do the job?

The styling process all comes together with her outfit session. This is when I create images using her new and existing pieces (including accessories) that she can view each morning on her phone, empowering her to understand what to wear in less than 5 minutes. I know. Right?!

Whether you are an existing client, a member of the Poplin community or new to Poplin, it’s both fun and helpful to see how another woman is harnessing her authentic personal style. That’s why we’re doing 7 days focused on 7 different clients. You’ll see the Uber Wishlist and Outfit photos for each. You won’t see photos of the clients. If you’d like those, check out the client stories page.

After all, we don’t do photo shoots with every client. But, this shouldn’t keep you from the opportunity to hack a client’s style. So, enjoy the next 7 days and please let me know what you think, how these are helpful to you and any exciting discoveries. From items to retailers to pairings, it’s time to hack her style.

Act Now to Protect the Right to Contraception, Really, Right Now

Yes, we’ve been reading for some time now that Roe v. Wade was in danger. (After all, Rebecca Traister has been talking about this for years.) But when the Supreme Court actually overturned the precedent that provides federal protection for a woman’s right to choose an abortion, it was a huge, weirdly unexpected, blow. Yes. There is much work to be done to offer access to all reproductive services to women throughout the country and yes, every little bit you can do matters.

But, there is a HUGE opportunity right now to ensure that each of us and the next generations of women have control over our lives by guaranteeing the right to contraception. It may seem crazy that this right could be in jeopardy, but that’s what so many folks thought about Roe. There is truly no downside to passing a law protecting this right.

Can You Recycle Disposable Face Masks? Yes! Yes, You Can.

As a personal stylist who also happens to be obsessed with resilient design (where good design meets climate resilience), I’m all about finding ways to live an intentional life that is aligned with my values. And, I’m all about doing that while making sure everything is beautiful.

So, the idea that our family is contributing to landfills and ocean pollution by throwing away our disposable face masks was brutal. Near the beginning of the pandemic, I went on a hunt for a company that would accept disposable masks to ACTUALLY recycle them. I found it!

Why Shopping with Intention is Good for You AND the Climate

As a personal stylist for women, I spend my time pouring over websites, articles and all things style related. As a human being, I spend a great deal of time thinking about Climate Change. Yes, of course, consuming anything comes at a cost, especially clothing. I often think about the most extreme alternative- suggesting that women wear white cotton items until they start to fall apart, then mend them, then opt for something new. But, years of working closely with women of various income levels, sizes and lifestyles has shown me that abandoning self expression via our clothing simply isn’t going to happen. After all, we communicate so much about ourselves without saying a word- and that is powerful.

This doesn’t mean that we just throw our hands up in the air and consume away. In fact, the very small but real bright side, is that emphasis on the changing climate reminds us of our personal impact. We have an opportunity to express our creative side, communicate our values and be thoughtful about our environmental impact.

When A Bra Won't Do The Job: 5 Bra Alternatives for Tricky Dresses

Editor's note: Below you'll find another blog post from Jessica Burton. Jessica brings her wealth of knowledge including an expertise in undergarments and her warm personality to this post. Love her and you will, too. Enjoy!

With warm summer days ahead, it’s time to break out your favorite sun dresses and sleeveless tops. While backless, one-shoulder and strappy dresses are a great option, it can sometimes be tricky finding the right type of bra to pair with them. Well, fear not. Your personal stylist is here to help! You can rock these looks while feeling supported regardless of your bust size. Say goodbye to the days of feeling limited with purchases just because finding the right type of bra can be intimidating. Below is a list of fun and functional alternatives to help take the place of a traditional style bra.

10 Things to Make Your Life Better Right Now

Unexpected and Thoughtful Gifts for Everyone on Your List

I like the idea that COVID won’t permeate every aspect of our lives, especially when it comes to the holiday season. Based on conversations with clients and friends, it’s clear that trying to find the ideal gift often also means considering how that relates to our current very strange state of being. As a personal stylist for women, I often tell people that my job is to “see” people. When I meet a new client, I listen to her and try to see what she sees as her aspirational style. Then, using her budget, body type, lifestyle and personal style, I translate that into a strategy to help her embrace her authentic personal style. Uber Wishlists are a solid representation of how I translate her words into actual items. This, my Dear Reader, is essentially spending 8 years of my professional life gifting.

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.

5 Simple Ways to Save Money While You Shop Online

Oh, man. Where would I be without my incredible personal styling clients and you, the members of the Poplin Community. Thanks to your magical crowd sourcing wisdom, I continue to learn more all of the time AND I get to share it with all of you. Huzzah! Here are some of my favorite money saving tips from clients. Enjoy!

5 Ways to Save Cash When You Shop

How About Some Good News?

It’s true that whenever I write a blog post, you, Dear Reader, could be going through anything. It could be a tough time for you, or a joyous one or one filed with anxiety. Weirdly, writing during COVID-19 is sort of still like that. While we are all under threat of serious illness (some more than others), our experiences are often wildly different.

Are you struggling because it’s hard to be isolated from friends? Or are you working from home and find yourself surprised by how much you actually enjoy it now that you’ve adjusted? Maybe you are you hoping Congress will get it together and make sure that you are able to pay the rent next month or keep your car. It’s possible that you are mourning the life of someone you’ve lost or other awful unexpected stressors thanks to this unprecedented time. Perhaps, you are surprisingly watching your bank account grow as your expenses have decreased. Maybe you are trying to perform logistical jujitsu to create a successful fall as your kids prepare for online school while you may or may not be working.

And then, of course, there are the protests that are still continuing, despite a lack of news coverage about them. It’s a lot.

On my end, I haven’t been as interested in talking about clothes. I guess that’s an understatement. I’m not at all interested in talking about them. BUT, I am interested in sharing good news with you, because after reading the paper this morning, it’s clear we all deserve it.

So, that’s what we’re doing today, my Dear. We’re having some good news updates. I hope you enjoy them. I hope that your COVID experience is one filled with silver linings and that if you need help, you make sure to ask your community for help. After all, isolation and mask wearing also means that sometimes your friends don’t realize that you need some extra love. It’s important. Go get some love.

All Good Things (20 of them, in fact)

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

IIT #14: 6 Easy Steps to Your First Vegetable Garden

As a personal stylist for women, I am fortunate to connect with a wide array of fascinating, fun, unique women as part of my job. Since we’ve been home, I’m hearing from my community about the pros and cons of quarantine life. The In It Together Series is a way to connect both sides of my Poplin community: clients and blog readers + small businesswomen in Seattle in an effort to make life at home easier, simpler and more enjoyable.

We’ve spent a great deal of time these past couple of months outside. In fact, I’m writing this from the backyard. Despite building planter boxes two years ago, we finally planted our first vegetable garden a few weeks back. And by we, I mean, our 9 year old. I’ve done nothing but eat the tasty radishes. He’s been watering everyday before dinner and as it turns out, it’s working!

We weren’t sure how to dive in and expected finding a simple, “how to” to be much easier than it was. So, I asked my friend and gardening guru, Lucinda O’Halloran of Spirit Garden Designs to share her expertise. I hope this helps you dive into your first garden. Have fun!

Getting outside is one of the best ways to reduce stress, and enhance your overall being. And getting outside in your own yard is a great way to enjoy nature and still stay safe.

Have you ever wondered:

“I wish I knew how to grow my own fruits and veggies. How do I get started?”

“I love puttering in the garden but have no idea what I’m doing—I need help.”

“I want to help the birds, bees and butterflies. What should I plant?”

Do any of these questions sound like you? If so, it’s time to work with a garden coach!

As a garden coach I enjoy teaching my clients how to understand gardening and feel more connected to their gardens. I encourage and empower gardeners with one-on-one assistance to connect with their gardens.

I help novices and experienced gardeners, and everyone in between. I introduce people to their new gardens, offer basic garden care instructions, pruning and transplanting tips, advice on small design challenges, ways to grow food and more.

Coaching sessions are one hour long and are tailored to each property and client. Coaching packages are available for those who really want to dig in.

I also meet with my clients virtually, especially during this time of sheltering in place. Just bring your cell phone or tablet and we’ll meet in your garden!

Whether you want to start a veggie garden for the first time, tame the jungle that used to be your yard or attract birds and pollinators, I’m here to help. For now here are 6 easy steps to start your own veggie garden.

6 Easy Steps to Starting Your Vegetable Garden from Spirit Garden Design Owner, Lucinda O’Halloran

IIT #13: How Can I Keep My Kid Safe Online While I'm Working From Home?

As a personal stylist for women, I spend my days divided between time with my clients and time with my family and friends. Because my clients are women, I spend a disproportionate amount of stretches with members of my own gender. Consequently, my pre-pandemic life involved lots and lots of conversations about the things my clients and I have in common. I’ve learned a lot from my clients over the years: from summer camps for the kids to new brands on the horizon, my clients and I share info freely on a wide range of topics. The In It Together Series is an attempt to replicate that relationship for the entire Poplin community while we are all in quarantine.

I’ve learned SO much from my client and friend, Delight Roberts. She’s unbelievably knowledgable about keeping kids safe online. With copious amounts of us working from home while the kids hop on the computer, I hope that her tips are as helpful to you as they have been to me.

As an online safety expert and the parent of a ten year old child, I know first-hand how hard it is to manage the online activity of children—especially now as we’re staying at home and our routines have been upended. As we are all spending more time online here are some guidelines that may be helpful as you contemplate screen time for your child.

Keeping Your Kids Safer Online

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