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.
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As a personal stylist for women, I’m all over researching trends for each season. it’s true. I guide each client to choose pieces that are authentic to her personal style, flatter her frame and are functional for her lifestyle. But, it’s also important the style feel current, so adding in a few pieces each year (or season) is a great way to do that. The key is to select items that are just right for you rather than pieces that will just camp out in your closet with tags on.
One of this year’s breakout items is the catsuit. And while I can hear you gasping and wondering why I’m even bringing this up, I can tell you that for some women there are times and places that this beauty is just the thing. Let’s see if that means you.
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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!
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As a personal stylist for women, I’m not sure what’s more exciting- a 3 day weekend or the stellar sales that Labor Day brings. This is the ideal time to stock up on pieces you’ve been waiting for or find something new that catches your eye. I’ve included several sustainable, fair trade and plus size options. There are also maternity and petite finds. Just keep your personal style key words, color palette and body type in mind and get your intentional shopping on! Here’s a list of some of my favs. Expect some familiar faces and some fun new ideas to explore. As always, let me know how it goes.
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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.
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Things have changed in the fashion industry since 2013. That’s when your very own personal stylist for women wrote a blog post about my then favorite black designer. I researched for hours in search of other options that spoke to me. Sadly, there were very few black voices that were being amplified. There’s still a long way to go, but for now, I’ve got some real favorites.
After finding myself lost in the rabbit hole of the interwebs, I found my favorite resource for Black owned brands and spent the rest of the day totally immersed. So, how about I save you some time and share?
One of my favorite aspects of this list is the purpose behind nearly every brand. Helping clients shop their values is a passion of mine and this list is filled with values based options. From shopping BIPOC makers to brands that have an unwavering commitment to the environment or those that give back to communities in the US or Africa, this is one inspirational list. A few of the brands have manufacturing in the US. Others, are dedicated to inclusive sizing and color palettes. Many are embracing multiple paths to make the world better. Shopping them is a great way to support this approach.
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There's SO much good stuff right now. I know. It certainly isn't what you are hearing and seeing when you let the world in, but it's out there. Here are some of my favs. Thanks for being here and go team!
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I spent yesterday afternoon revamping my husband’s closet. Fun Fact: Years prior to starting Poplin and becoming a Personal Stylist, I would create outfits for my husband and take photos of them that he could reference on his phone. He used them all the time and when it was time for a career change, we realized that what are now, “outfit photos” for clients, are an incredibly useful tool for men and women trying to look their best and get out of the house quickly.
Back to the closet. If you, like me, are especially inclined to do some deep cleaning and reorganizing as the weather changes, you likely already have a few bags of clothes and shoes to be donated. Before those head out the door, there are some really useful ways you can capitalize on your beloved pieces before they go to their next owner.
5 Useful Ways to use your Old Clothes Instead of Donating Them
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As a personal stylist for women based in Seattle, I’m well aware of how much my clients rely on their fleece jackets. During the Closet Edit, we inevitably end up in a sea of fleece with her face full of dread. She’s wondering if I’m going to pull that fleece out of the clutches of her cold dead hands. Typically, I am not. What I am going to do is offer her alternatives to the same old North Face choice she’s had for years. She’ll need to hold onto that essential to walk the dog until her Uber Wishlist arrives. THEN… we’ll move past that old fleece.
There’s no need for sacrificing comfort for style. Personal style is all about feeling beautiful and confident because you know you are expressing your authentic self to the world via your clothing. If you are uncomfortable, you are certainly not feeling confident.
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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.
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As a personal stylist for women, I’m hearing lots of questions about how to navigate your wardrobe when it’s unclear whether you’ll be working from home or the office. I hear you.
Many of the large tech firms in Seattle were planning to head back to the office in September and now that date has been pushed back to the first of the year. And for folks who are in the office right now, many of them are only there a few days a week with the rest of their schedule taking place from the comfort of home. That can be a blessing and a curse.
Whether you are working in the Pacific Northwest or somewhere else in the country, COVID-19 is undoubtedly affecting your daily wardrobe decisions. A number of new clients are wondering if they need two wardrobes: one for the office and one for home. That, my Dear Reader, is not how we roll.
Here at Poplin, we’re all about functionality. You dress for yourself first and foremost. When you feel like your authentic self, you will conduct. your work with more self confidence, less brain power spent on body shaming or worrying about your look and more time spent kicking ass all day long.
So, how do we do this? It’s all about intentional dressing. One aspect of this approach is ensuring that your pieces are functional for your life and with minor tweaks, can work in various scenarios. For example, swapping your house shoes or sneakers or flats, heels or boots. The same pair of pants has an entirely different vibe when its paired with a different shoe.
Need proof? Every pair of pants on this list will work with all of the shoes listed below. Believe it.
Here’s your go-to for styles that are comfortable at home, but don’t make you feel like a slob AND can work just as well when you head off to the office. Have fun and let me know how it goes!
P.S. One key aspect of the Poplin approach is ensuring that all your pieces will work with one another now and into the future. How do we do that? One way is to limit your new pieces to your color palette. Everything in that palette will work with everything else, some bolder and some less so. You can see that in action below.
Comfortable and Stylish Pants for Work AND Home
Read MoreWhat better way is there to celebrate the Summer Solstice than with a Poplin client photo shoot at the beach with Chamonix Films? As a personal stylist for women, I’m always ELATED to share the style evolution of my clients. We’ll have more photos and info on Poplin client, Sarah’s journey in the coming weeks. For now, enjoy this super fun glimpse of our evening together. Fun fact: Sarah values sustainability so all of her items were made with this in mind including sustainable fabrics, fair trade workers, local makers, etc. Interested in a client photo shoot? That’s part of the Amplified 360 Package. It’s.a good one.
P.S. Equally of note, I’m wearing a crop top. Believe it, ladies. You can wear a crop top at any size. It’s about balancing your frame and pairing wisely. In this case, I’ve got high waisted wide leg jeans with fringe at the hemline as well as eye catching jewelry and lipstick up top. But make no mistake about it, I’m out in the world in a crop top. Yes, you can.
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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
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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)
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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
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The In It Together Series is designed to help you solve your D List Daily Crises in Quarantine. From how to do your own mani/pedi to cooking with limited ingredients and wearing clothes that make you feel good everyday, this collection of expert advice aims to improve your life one day at a time.
If there’s one thing we are all striving to do, it’s take walks outside. If you have safe access to the outdoors, even a few minutes a day will improve your mood. Fortunately, the weather has been gorgeous and there will be more of that as we get closer to summer. As a personal stylist based in Seattle, my clients are always looking for pieces that help them embrace their authentic personal style AND are functional for real life. It’s time to make sure you are stocked up on the proper must haves for a successful series of walks in warm weather. Here are my favorite dozen must haves- find each one at a Seattle based retailer. Whether you are off to Nordstrom or Clementine’s, shopping local makes an impact and most boutiques offer some version of pick up, drop off or free shipping. Off we go!
12 Must Haves for Your Pandemic Inspired Walks
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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
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Today is our 8 week anniversary of captivity. Sure, it’s dark. But, I’ve decided we’ll celebrate eight weeks of togetherness with a party for three including my first baking project of the pandemic and some good quality television. Let’s face it, there are some major ups and downs while in quarantine. Sometimes you’re productive. Sometimes you are panicked. Sometimes you are energized and sometimes you are exhausted. Hence, the In It Together Series. My clients and readers have told me about the ups and downs of their quarantine experiences. This series is intended to offer inspiration, guidance and support during this unprecedented time.
As a personal stylist for women, my posts are generally focused on transformation- with style as your vehicle. Right now, I think my community is served best by bringing together my small business community and my client community through this series. I hope you agree.
Today, I’ve asked one of my client favorites to offer up her guidance on rediscovering your jewelry. Adrienne Krieger is the powerhouse behind Everling Jewelry. You can see me gush about her and her business here. In short, she’s all about beauty, sustainability, resourcefulness and expressing yourself. I think you’ll find that reorganizing your jewelry is another way to both exert some control over a chaotic world and to rediscover beautiful pieces that you can wear right now. Enjoy!