Enormous thanks to each of you who entered to win a FREE pair of shoes from the re-souL collection. Each pair is made in Italy, designed in Ballard, super stylish and comfortable. If you are on the Poplin email list, you are automatically entered into drawings. So, make sure you are on the list!
Read MoreThere are only a few days left before we draw the winner of the FREE pair of shoes from the re-souL collection. Just click here to enter to win.
While you are dreaming, you'll want to choose your favorite pair of these beauties, made in Italy and designed in Ballard. Here's another set of ideas on making these your own.
Styling up your closed toe block heels.
Read MoreShopping is fun. But, it's especially fun when you are able to find some stellar deals. If you haven't already subscribed to the Poplin email list, make sure you do! Every other Friday you'll receive a Poplin on Point email in your inbox jam packed with deals from my favorite brands and retailers. We subscribe to all those pesky retailer emails so that you don't have to.
Otherwise, how about some new ideas for finding super deals online? As a personal stylist in Seattle, I'm always looking out for you, my Dear Reader. Here are a few of my favorites right now.
10 Websites to Offer You the Best Deals & Inspiration on Items that You Love
Read MoreAn unexpected byproduct of this work is discovering a sea of people doing extraordinary things out in the world. Every new client is an opportunity to meet someone who inspires me. It really makes stressful days become so much less stressful. Because of my work as a personal stylist for women, I'm fortunate to connect with all sorts of inspiring people beyond my client base and as often as I can, I like to share about these new relationships with you, Dear Reader.
Some time ago, I introduced you to
Read MoreHow do you feel when you look at a gorgeous piece of fine jewelry? Beautiful, well-made pieces have the power to captivate and inspire. They also have the potential to make us feel guilty (thank you, Leonardo DiCaprio.)
As a personal stylist for women, it's vital that I respect every client's values. Responsible sourcing comes up often and when discussing fine jewelry and there's a sizable population that feels it's off limits because of the human cost involved.
However, since meeting Adrienne Krieger, owner of Everling Fine Jewelry, I've learned so much about where stones and metals come from. Since that initial meeting, I've been interested in ways that a woman can adorn herself while still being true to her values. Enter Monica Stephenson, gem dealer, owner of Anza Gems and the force behind idazzle.
In my mind, I'm convinced that Monica's work will inspire young adult novels about a strong, smart Seattle-based gem dealer who heads to Africa to source gems. While that isn't actually in the works, sitting with Monica and hearing her tales about her work and how it relates to the rest of us is riveting. Who knew that gems could make the world a better place?
5 Reasons African Gemstones Sourced by Anza Gems Are Your Next Piece of Jewelry
Read MoreToday is my husband's birthday. We've been celebrating for a week already. We affectionately refer to this as his birthday season. This is a very talented, thoughtful, innovative, hardworking and stylish man. To celebrate him, I thought I'd share some of his very favorite things with you, Dear Reader. Why? Well, because his picks are often solid recommendations for gifts for the ones you love.
Things My Husband Loves That You Might Love Just as Much.
Read MoreLet me begin by saying, I know what you are thinking: size TEN and up?! Seriously?
Indeed. Inclusive sizing is a new trend and I must say, I'm a fan. Rather than hitting the tipping point at size 14 and labeling anything beyond that, "plus size," brands are starting at lower sizes and going well beyond the size 18 or 20 of years past. As a personal stylist, I often find my clients struggling when they go from a size 14 to a size 16. Why? Because the brands they love aren't transitioning with them. Suddenly, a woman is not only coping with changes in her body, she's also dealing with changes in her shopping habits and perhaps her personal style.
If you follow Poplin on Instagram, you've likely seen posts about brands we love with inclusive sizing. There's much more available everyday. For now, here are some resources if you are looking for hip pieces in size ten and beyond. Prefer a more personal approach? Just reach out! I'm here to help.
10 Resources for Ladies Rocking a
Size 10 and Beyond
Read MoreHappy New Year, Dear Reader! It's nice to be back with you again. As we head into the New Year, it's all about resolutions. Seeing so much messaging about self improvement can either be motivating or oppressive. Sometimes, it's a little bit of both....
Because of this, I am diving full force into the celebration phase of the season. Learning how to love the body you have and dress it accordingly is a powerful tool in this world and my hope is that this is just one of the tools in your arsenal to take over the world this year.
As a personal stylist, I spend a great deal of my time having really intimate conversations with women about how they see themselves and how they think others see them. Not surprisingly, those two images aren't always aligned. After all, we are often our own worst critics. Lucky for me, I am an independent observer with the opportunity to release women from a sizable portion of this self defeating baggage.
One of the big wins right now is the ever growing selection of apparel for women of all sizes. We're also finally seeing celebrities of various body types flaunting the bodies they have, rather than the bodies they want. Sure, there's still much further to go. But, for now, it's something to embrace. I'm also loving that more of my favorite brands and retailers are expanding their sizes. From Boden to the Limited and more, we're seeing pieces up to size 16 and 18, rather than the cap at 14 of years past.
Beyond sizing, celebrating the body you have is really about dressing for your frame. Now seems like a great time for a refresher course on how to do that. Have more questions? That's what I'm here for!
How to Dress Your Body Type
Read MoreHere we are on Day 3 already! If you are on the Poplin email list, you could be the lucky winner of a pair of shoes from the re-souL collection. Every pair is designed in Ballard and made in Italy with high quality materials. And, rest assured, they are crazy comfortable. Don't believe me? Swing by the shop on Ballard Ave. before dinner and check them out. So far, we've styled up the Tilda, the Willow and now we're on to the Andie.
What Will I Wear With My re-souL Andies When I WIN the Poplin re-souL Giveaway?
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I want YOU to win as much as you want to! After all, how often does someone hand you a pair of high quality, stylish shoes made in Italy and designed in Ballard for FREE? That's right, Dear Reader. One lucky Poplin email subscriber will win a pair of shoes from the re-souL collection simply for being on the email list. Make sure you are signed up.
And if you are worried about ending up with a pair of shoes that aren't true to your authentic style, don't be. You can choose the pair that works best for you from the re-souL collection. Ned some ideas? We've got 4 days of styling. Welcome to Day 2: The Willow.
What Will I Wear With My re-souL Willows When I WIN the Poplin re-souL Giveaway?
Read MoreIf you aren't on the Poplin email list, you are missing out, my friend. Here's why.
3 Reasons You Should Be on the Poplin Email List
Read MoreOne commonality between my clients is the desire for comfortable shoes. Believe it. We do a lot of walking in this city. But there's no need to sacrifice your style for comfort when local boutique re-souL is just a click away. I've been championing the Ballard boutique for years and of course, I wear my re-souL shoes on the regular. These are just a few of the reasons why I'm THRILLED that one lucky Poplin newsletter subscriber will win a pair of shoes from the re-souL collection. And, true to your style, the winner can choose from any of the 14 options based on what looks and feels right for you.
So, for the next several days I'll be highlighting a few of my favorite options from the collection. Every one of them is made in Italy using high quality materials and designed right here in Ballard. Want to win? Just make sure you are on the Poplin email list and you are good to go! First up, the Tilda!
What Will I Wear With My re-souL Tildas When I WIN the Poplin re-souL Giveaway?
Read MoreIf you subscribe to the Poplin newsletter, you saw these deals on Thursday. Not a subscriber? Jump on!
Without further delay, my favorite retailers with deals for your holiday. Happy Labor Day! The hammering man is taking a break today, so should you.
Read MoreWe're holding the drawing tomorrow, Thursday, September 1st. So, if you'd love to win a bottle of my very favorite makeup primer (it makes your skin so silky and is the ideal canvass for makeup), now's the time to enter!
Read MoreImmediately after high school, I worked at Sam & Libby. If you are familiar with the Sam Edelman brand, then you know Sam & Libby. It was the predecessor, named after Sam (obviously) and his wife, Libby. (Here's a quick read, if you are interested in learning more.) Anyway, Sam & Libby were famous for their ballet flats, but what they offered me was a wide variety of shoe styles at an affordable price. Naturally, this price was made even better with my 30% employee discount. Within months I had hit thirty pairs of shoes in my closet. It was my inaugural thirty. I'll never forget it.
Where am I going with this? Sam & Libby also introduced me to the mule. A mule is a backless shoe. That's it. Sure, it is often closed toe. But, it can also have an open toe. It's been years since we've really seen the style featured in magazines. I've been in the clog zone for the last few years, which is as close as we've come. Clogs have a wooden sole, but don't really have any other restrictions. If you are thinking of the traditional clog- an open backed shoe with a wooden sole, technically you are thinking of a mule and a clog. Fun fact.
So, I'm starting to see mules coming back and they are more fun than ever. If you don't have a pair, the time is now. Here are an array of my favorites. Enjoy!
21 Mules! Which One's For You?
Read MoreWelcome to the third in my series of picks from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. If you aren't familiar with Anniversary, it's that special time of year when you can buy new fall pieces on sale. Everything moves to full price when Anniversary is over. And, right now we are still in early access (until July 21st). That means only cardholders can purchase. Enough on the background, here are my latest picks. If you've missed them, be sure to check out: my favorite coats & jackets as well as selections for the edgy, urban, sexy woman.
Today's focus: The Fashion Forward Woman.
She's willing to push the envelope, but still needs to get the job done. Off we go!
Read MoreAs a personal stylist in Seattle, my goal is to help my clients elevate their looks so that each feels confident that her look is authentic to her personal style and flattering for her body type. One common theme over the last year has been to encourage women to swap out the cardigan for a jacket that's appropriate for the occassion and reflective of who they are.
Beyond that, here's one essential tip for the Northwesterner: We make a large percentage of our first impressions with our coats on. Yup. That's when we walk into interviews, we meet someone for coffee at a coffee shop, and so on. Let's face it, we are wearing some sort of coat or jacket the majority of the year. And the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is the ideal time to pick up fall pieces at lower prices. With that in mind, I'm focusing on my favorite coats and jackets from the Anniversary Sale line up. Interested in more of my Anniversary picks? Check out this blog post and more to come this week.
Enough talk. Let's get to it!