What are we on now- day 3 of stormy weather? I really have no concept of time. But, I can tell you that as a personal stylist for women, every weather event is an opportunity to think about what to wear and how to offer tips to my clients and you, Dear Reader. So, naturally, this insanity has brought me to a solid, comprehensive coats on raincoats.

Before we begin, let me say that when you are wearing something incredible that makes you look and feel good, we want to avoid tossing your North Face jacket over top simply because, "it's comfortable and keeps me dry." That is true. But does it communicate your personal style? Is it at the level that you are or the level that you are headed to? Does it say, "director" or "leader" or whatever you want the world to see? I'd argue that it doesn't. So, when perusing these guys, keep your personal style in mind as not every jacket is right for every woman AND not every jacket is right for everyday. This list is predominantly cool kid coats that work well with casual ensembles. I'll call out the choices for dressier options. Good? Okay, let's go!

10 Raincoats When You Want to Look Cool and Stay Dry

Ilse Jacobsen for Rain, For Life.

I fell in love with Ilse Jacobsen sometime in 2013/2014 when I finally realized she was the woman behind an unexpected rain boot. They were a mashup between a pair of traditional rubber boots and a pair of Docs. At least, that's how I viewed them. Naturally, she's Scandinavian because that's always been a sweet spot of mine. When I discovered her stylish rain gear. I was hooked. Soon after, Nordstrom started offering a raincoat or two of hers online only. To try one on, I went to Scandinavian fashion central in Seattle: Pirrko. If you haven't heard of this shop, here's my post from then all about it.

If I haven't mentioned it on the blog already,

Last Minute Father's Day Gifts/ Glorious Gifts for the Fellas. Go!

As you know, Dear Reader, I'm a personal stylist for women primarily in the Seattle area. But, that certainly doesn't keep me from diving into all sorts of super cool menswear options. I'm always keeping a list of noteworthy options for the men and at some point is just gets too long to keep to myself any longer. Lucky for us, Father's Day is a nice excuse to share a sea of awesomeness that will be helpful to you now and in the future. Let me know what you think!

10 Places to Shop and Things to Buy for

the Fella in Your Life.

The re-souL Collection Giveaway. A Winner is Announced!

The list of reasons to sign up for the Poplin email list is a long one. For instance:

Vain's Scott Tomlinson Offers Up 3 Things You Wish Someone Had Told You About Hair.

As a personal stylist for women in Seattle, I am regularly asked for recommendations for hair, skin, tailors. interior designers, you name it- someone has asked me about it. You know how I feel about clothes, Dear Reader. Recognizing your authentic personal style means that when you are rocking the pieces that you KNOW are just right for you and your body, you will be filled with confidence. Even better, you'll spend your time thinking about how you plan to change the world, rather than why your skirt keeps riding up.

Undoubtedly, your hair and your wardrobe are pieces of the same puzzle. With that in mind, I reached out to my our long time (as in he's spent years doing my hair as well as cutting my husband's) meticulous stylist, Scott Tomlinson at Vain Ballard. If you haven't already seen him in the window at Vain, you surely will now. Scott's attention to detail is unmatched and he's built a hefty following around the world with his expertise in short haircuts. Hairbrained reposted a photo of one of his cuts on Instagram as a favorite from the HBShoot Out. Translation: Hair professionals and hair junkies agree, he's got talent. Time for tips!

3 Things You Wish Someone Had Told You About Hair

Everling Jewelry is all about YOU, the Environment, and Transforming the way Fine Jewelry is Made

"Wow! That's gorgeous. Can I try it on?"

And that's how it all began. I recently spent an afternoon filled with information, insight, laughs and some breathtaking jewelry thanks to local jewelry designer, Adrienne Krieger, owner of Everling and life coach, Lena D. Meyer of Gratitude6. Adrienne generously hosted Lena and me for a tour of her studio and a discussion about her tireless work to change the way jewelry is made. Naturally, a couple of hours of this can fill more than one blog post. So, below you'll find the top 5 things you simply MUST know about Everling. Like Bluemercury CEO, Marla Malcolm Beck and Dermaspace Owner, Jody Leon, Adrienne's brain is filled with riveting information that I'm dying to share. So, expect to see more fun facts from Adrienne in future blog posts and newsletters.

5 Super Cool Things About Everling Jewelry

Seattle Sunday: J.Hilburn. Custom Menswear without Leaving your Home or Office.

Few things are as satisfying as feeling confident in what you are wearing. That moment when you look in the mirror and you know that you look exactly as you should. You look like YOU. As a personal stylist for women, I spend my time helping clients achieve that goal. Of course, men should also have that opportunity. And, when I come across something too good to pass up, I have to share.

Enter J.Hilburn, a men's bespoke clothing company that maximizes the fun and creativity of custom clothing, while minimizing the back-and-forth between the client and the clothier. We recently had a custom shirt made for my husband, and we were thrilled with the results.

How it works.

The process starts with a J. Hilburn representative coming to your fella's office and taking his measurements. The client then chooses fabric and details for his custom shirt. We worked with Ashley and I'd recommend her, for sure. Lucky for me, that also meant I got to help mastermind the shirt. After all of this is done (it takes less than an hour depending on how indecisive you are), she sends off the order. The shirt is made by hand to the client's specifications. Ashley also gave background on the factory, etc. so that we were assured of the working conditions of the tailors.

Then, you wait as in you sit and fantasize about the shirt (or pants, or blazer, or suit) of dreams that is about to come your way. It's not long, about 2-4 weeks, depending on your specifications. When Ashley returns (that's right, the stylist personally delivers the order) she's carrying the one shirt (or pants, or blazer or suit) to rule them all. (More on that later.) She meticulously checks the fit and if anything is slightly off, back to the tailors it goes. Then, ultimately, back to you.

Why I'm Loving J.Hilburn

This post will change your life.

Let's talk about how successful you are.

Designer Label, Giving Back, Pick Me Ups, Seattle Sunday, Women's fashionmelliciaAugust 9, 2015 Comments

JCOCO's Pop Up Means Couture Chocolate at Your Fingertips

As your very own personal stylist, I think a lot about what works for your individual style. That means your body type, your budget and how you want to express yourself with your clothing. This also includes how you like to spend your time. If you live in Seattle, it's highly probable that you spend some portion of your time savoring high quality food that is responsibly sourced, drinking coffee and entertaining out-of-towners. And, of course, let's not forget shopping.

All worlds collide at JCOCO's new pop up store in Bellevue Square. So, today, it's all about JCOCO and you'll soon see why.

Local chocolatier Seattle Chocolate launched its couture brand, JCOCO, over a year ago. You may have seen my post when things kicked off. As you can imagine, this is chocolate at its finest.

5 Reasons Why You Need JCOCO in Your Life

Giving Back, Seattle SundaymelliciaJune 16, 2015JCOCO, JCOCO Bellevue Square, JCOCO Pop Up StoreComment

This is where I shop.

As a personal stylist for women and kids, people are always asking me to list my favorite retailers. Here's the thing: where I like to shop for myself may not be the place I'd send you. After all, it's all about identifying your personal style, not trying to make you embrace mine.

That being said, I do have a lengthy list of retailers that I adore and send clients to on the regular. Interested?

Holt & Lulu: One of My Favorite Brands for Kids on Sale NOW

In addition to styling women, I am also a personal stylist for kids. As you can imagine, I'm on the eternal quest for hip, high quality and affordable children's apparel. It's fun. It's time consuming. And, it can also be incredibly rewarding when something inspirational comes along. Enter: Holt & Lulu.

I discovered local brand Holt & Lulu a few years ago and highlighted the company in the blog last year. That was just the beginning. Now, you can find a number of pieces at Nordstrom.com and expect to find more there this summer and fall. As you may know, Dear Reader, we are in the midst of the Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale. That means crazy savings on all sorts of pieces. In this case, it also means crazy deals on Holt & Lulu.

Holt & Lulu: Clothes for Hip Kids

Seattle Sunday: Announcing the Winner of the Finerie CoLAB Mother's Day Giveaway

Happy Mother's Day, Dear Reader. As your own personal stylist, I'd like to start the day by thanking you for reading the blog and for entering (I sure hope you entered!) the Finerie CoLAB Mother's Day Giveaway.

If you like Poplin Style Direction on Facebook, follow Poplin on Instagram, follow Poplin on Twitter or subscribe the Poplin newsletter, you were entered to win $100 gift certificate from the Finerie CoLAB for you and another one for your mom. That's $200 in total! That's right. If you do all of the above that's four entries.

If you shared the giveaway on social media, you were entered 10 times for every share! Believe it.

So, to celebrate Mother's Day, it's time to announce our winner. Here we go!

And the Winner of $200 to spend as you choose at the Finerie CoLAB is

The Finerie CoLAB: Because you are THAT Cool.

I am obsessed with the Finerie CoLAB.

There are two stores: The Finerie and The Finerie CoLAB.

The Finerie CoLAB is in a temporary location and will be moving from 2nd and Virginia to Western Avenue in the coming months. What does that mean to you, Dear Reader? It means get there now and then again after the move. From housewares to apparel, accessories to furniture and everything in between, this swanky spot is filled with unexpected items.

Owner Tanya Friberg takes special care to curate a collection of unique items from local, national and international designers. You'll find well-known brands like Desigual. In fact, the Finerie and CoLAB are THE place for Desigual in the Northwest. But, you'll also find a plethora of labels that are most certainly new to you. I'm loving Bitte Kai Rand and de Rosairo right now. And, because of the constant change in inventory and the Finerie's commitment to keeping the shops as destinations, you won't find pieces online.

Where you will find them is in my closet, for starters.

5 Reasons to Visit the Finerie CoLAB Right Now.

Poplin Giveaways, Seattle Sunday, Women's fashionmelliciaMay 6, 2015Comment

Seattle Sunday: Dermaspace — Because Sometimes Weird is Wonderful.

Happy Sunday, Dear Reader! If you follow Poplin on Instagram, you've likely seen photos documenting my visits to Dermaspace over the past couple of months. The experience has been unforgettable. Recently, I've become especially infatuated with the beauty rituals of previous generations and how they have resurfaced under new names. False eye lashes (hello Diana Ross, who incidentally also had falsies on the bottom), minimizing the number of times per week we wash our hair and let us not forget about blow outs.

So, when I discovered that a natural skin treatment created in the thirties had become all the rage in LA and New York, I had to learn more. Lucky for us, downtown Seattle's Dermaspace is the only location offering this treatment north of San Francisco. I jumped into three treatments over two months to understand this sci-fi meets holistic approach to skincare. As your very own personal stylist, I also fearlessly documented the steps. Who puts a photo of herself in a helmet reminiscent of Hannibal Lecter on the internet? I do, Dear Reader. Just for you. Because we're cool like that.

Dermaspace: Your Glamorous Grandmother Schools you on Skincare.

Seattle Sunday: Combat Flip Flops, Bad for Running, Worse for Fighting

Something I love about being a personal stylist is the opportunity to learn from others. Every client is different. She has different preferences, different aspirations and always teaches me something new. Sure, my goal is to teach her how to ensure that her clothes project her authentic personal style. But, that's only the beginning. The process should be transformative, enlightening and above all, enjoyable.

Something I especially love about being a personal stylist in Seattle is the commitment to community and giving back that I see again and again with each new client. Whether it is a preference to purchase clothing made in America, or with companies who take corporate social responsibility seriously, or quality over quantity, it's not uncommon for new clients to inform me that their clothes are much more than adornment. It is true. Our clothes have the power to communicate our values.

Which brings us to Combat Flip Flops.

Giving Back, Seattle Sunday, Women's fashionmelliciaMarch 26, 2015Combat Flip Flops, Nonprofit, Personal stylist, ShoesComment

Seattle Sunday: Because of Chantelle Riley, my Hair Will NEVER be the Same.

Okay, okay. Seattle Sunday on a Tuesday? Well, this was a jam packed weekend volunteering with the F-Factor Fashion and Fitness workshop for foster girls at Ryther Child Center on Saturday. Then, one of my lovely clients co-hosted a Clothing Swap to benefit Youthcare on Sunday. Needless to say, Seattle Sunday was put on hold.

However, if I could shout Chantelle Riley's name from the rooftop every morning, I would. So, I couldn't bear to wait another week to tell you all about Chantelle and my hair.

From Brittle to Beautiful:

Chantelle Changed my World (via my hair)

Hair care, Seattle SundaymelliciaMarch 3, 2015Belltown Hair Salon, Chantelle Riley, Seattle Hair Salon, Stylus SeattleComment

Seattle Sunday: SCHAI Offers Up Art in the Form of Fashion

Have you ever been truly mesmerized by a piece of clothing?

I have. The feeling is well beyond my normal shopping euphoria. When I discover a piece like this, the quality of the fabric and the workmanship sucks me in. Now, imagine this feeling and add in innovative designs that are at the same time minimal and intricate. That is SCHAI.

Seattle Sunday: Don't Call Me Ma'am Offers Beauty at Every Age

Happy Sunday, Dear Reader. If you've been missing these Seattle Sundays, let me know. In 2014, I had a goal of a Seattle Sunday post every week. For 2015, you'll be seeing a local brand, boutique or maker every other week. Of course, when I discover something glorious, you'll be seeing that immediately on Instagram. (In fact, for those of you who follow Poplin on Instagram, you likely saw photos from the Don't Call Me Ma'am launch party.) Enough chit chat, let's get to the Redmond based brand.

The skincare bar at the Don't Call Me Ma'am Launch Party. Also the only people in the place authorized to wear makeup.

When a skincare line is bold enough to throw a, "Naked Party," you know you can trust their equally bold point of view: natural beauty at every age. Oh, yes. I said a naked party. What's that, you say?

Invite local fashionistas to journey to a launch party sans makeup. Believe it. A room (mostly) filled with women who followed the directive. Lucky for those of us who did, skincare professionals from the company were waiting to give us a sample of the brand spanking new skincare line. I met another guest who became my BFF for the evening and had the opportunity to interview one of the company founders. As your very own personal stylist, it's only right that I share all my learnings with you. Here we go!

Don't Call Me Ma'am: Because You Value Your Skin and Your Time.

And the Winner of the Brand Spanking New Italian Leather Shoes from re-souL is...

Seattle Sunday, Women's fashionmelliciaJanuary 1, 2015Personal Stylist Seattle, re-soul Seattle, Seattle Sunday WinnerComment

Seattle Sunday: Poplin Wraps Up 2014 in Pictures

Seattle Sunday, Women's fashionmelliciaDecember 28, 2014Citizen Rosebud, Ellie Emoto, F-Factor, Freeman Seattle, Jordan Richardson, Lash-Factory, Marla Malcolm Beck, Poplin Style Direction 2014, re-soul, TomboyX, Velouria, Vixen Day Spa & Boutique, YouthCareComment