We've seen a lot of changes at J.Crew in the last few years. It is true. But, if you have or have ever had an affinity toward the brand, take another look. There's likely something just for you. As your very own personal stylist for women and kids, it's vital that I keep you, Dear Reader, in the know.
We had the pleasure of spending the evening surrounded by French people... in Seattle. It was lovely. In fact, the entire experience felt like a vacation. It began with local beer at Standard Brewing on South Jackson. The beer is brewed on site and the ambiance is reminiscent of my neighborhood bar in Brooklyn. (Rest assured, they have growlers to go when you are short on time.) Then, off to a spectacular dinner on the patio at Marjorie in Capitol Hill. (Any restaurant with a turntable in the restroom and a shaded outdoor patio is the place for me.) Really, it was the perfect evening to celebrate our very good friend who happens to also be French.
The entire event reminded me of our country's obsession with French women. We celebrate our impression that they take great pride in how they look and insist on continuing to find time for themselves after they have children. It's not easy, as we all know. So, it's certainly logical that we'd be big fans of this behavior.
They also seem to manage dressing their children in clothing that most adults would be thrilled to own. As your very own personal stylist for women and kids, I had to ask: where does it all come from? Thanks to my good friend and birthday girl, Helen, here are some suggestions if you'd like your child's fashion to be a little more French-inspired.
Even better? They are both having massive sales right now.
Helen's Favorite French Retailers for Kids
(and the Rest of Your Family, too)
Read MoreThings are crazy in Poplin-land right now. Why? You ask. It is full blown summer. That means that when a new client is ready to transform her look, she's also ready to do it quickly before her upcoming vacation. It's all adrenaline all the time. And, what type of adrenaline could be more satisfying than that associated with shopping? For me, none.
But there are additional factors that make this a special time to pay attention. As your very own personal stylist, it is only right that I share this news with you, Dear Reader, just in case you missed it.
Reasons to Shop Right NOW.
Read MoreEditor's note: Below you'll find another blog post from Poplin contributor and plus size fashion guru, Jordan Richardson.
Hello Dear Reader,
I hope you are all staying cool in these record breaking warm days. Who knew the PNW could sustain such heat, Yowza! In the hotter times I know I feel a bit more sluggish and have trouble motivating myself to dress up; so I try to look for throw on pieces to make it easier. Lately I've been thinking about power pieces, pieces that stand out and look instantly put together. I've culled together a couple eye catching, easy to wear pieces that will see you through the summer and into the cooler months.
Stand Out Styles
Read MoreEditor's note: Below you'll find another blog post from Poplin contributor and plus size fashion guru, Jordan Richardson.
Hello my dearest Reader,
One of my favorite parts about working with Poplin is that I get to share some of the latest and greatest industry news with all of you. One of my hobbies among the glitter and paint strewn across my desk is illustrating, and some of my favorite pieces to illustrate are up and coming designers and their wares. For this I get an excuse, if you will, to follow closely upon the heels of plus size industry big wigs and shakers to see what is coming up that will inspire me!
Read MoreAs 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?
Read MoreEditor's note: Below you'll find another blog post from Poplin contributor and plus size fashion guru, Jordan Richardson. It's more common than you would think to struggle to find the right width of shoe. Lucky for us, Jordan is on the case!
Hello Dear Reader,
I come to you today with just a quick little post about SHOES! As we approach the summer months, school letting out and vacations being planned; we find ourselves in need of the ubiquitous sandal. Like finding an amazing boot for fall and winter a perfect summer sandal is an elusive but worthwhile endeavor. Just like clothing, finding a great fit can be a challenge especially for those of us with narrow or wide width feet. So while I myself was on the search for a great summer sandal, I thought I would share my finds!
Date Night Heel
Read MoreOne of my favorite parts of living in the Northwest is the ramp up in spring and summer. Let's face it, we all have Seasonal Affective Disorder. Need proof? Check out your social calendar. I expect it is jam packed. The challenge during this time of year is choosing what to share with you, Dear Reader.
As your very own personal stylist for women and kids, I'm so overcome with joy about a long list of developments. I'm opting to focus on big news with three large retailers that I love: Zara, Uniqlo and Nordstrom. I hope you are on the Poplin email list as there will be more good stuff to come in this week's email. Off we go!
The Biggest News (for us, anyway) from Zara, Uniqlo and Nordstrom.
Read MoreHappy Thursday, Dear Reader!
I'm enthusiastically working on the upcoming Poplin Style Direction newsletter and something occurred to me: maybe you aren't going to see it.
Oh, Dear. How's that possible? It could be anything. Maybe you don't want emails cluttering up your inbox or you didn't realize there was a newsletter. Perhaps you thought you were on the list, but now that you think about it, you've never received anything. The options are seemingly endless. In the event that you need a little nudging, here are some reasons to get on board. Go!
5 Reasons to Receive Emails From Poplin
Read MoreBelow you'll find another blog post from Poplin contributor and plus size fashion guru, Jordan Richardson. Like what you read? Jordan's research on Sizeism was featured in an article in the Everett Herald? Check it out!
Hello Dear Readers,
If you caught my last post I went over some styling tips for the warmer months since summer can be a rather challenging season to dress in. I touched on tricks to minimize or maximize parts of the body to make you as comfortable as possible. In summer there is an added challenge of dressing cooler but also appropriately for ones' workplace. Therefore, I've decided to offer summer styling ideas for various work places. Enjoy!
Your Summer Work Wardrobe
Read MoreMy favorite thing about Facebook is discovering that two people you thought were unrelated are actually connected. Two friends from different circles, different cities, different generations. Last week, I was informed of one of those happy accidents. Thank you, Facebook.
As it turned out, two friends of mine from different worlds both mentioned me in a comment string for a mutual friend of theirs. She was looking for help for yet another friend finding menswear-inspired clothing for women. You know how much I LOVE helping people out with this sort of thing. So, as your very own personal stylist for women (and kids), it seems only right that I share this information with both friends, their friend, her friend and anyone else who might be struggling with this. Because everyone deserves the joy of expressing him/herself through fashion. Here we go!
Side note: Yes, I understand that menswear-inspired pieces, androgynous pieces, "butch" pieces, etc. are not all the same. Nor am I in any way grouping folks together. The goal here is to offer up some resources for shopping. I'll let you take it from here.
Rocking the Menswear- Inspired Look? Here's Where to Shop.
Read MoreI 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.
Read MoreYesterday a client told me about her favorite Mother's Day card. It read,
"Thanks, mom. I turned out awesome."
I love it. And, if you are starting to fret about getting the perfect Mother's Day gift for your mama, never fear. As your very own personal stylist, I have two suggestions for you.
Celebrate Mom with JUST the Right Thing
Read MoreWho knows why I own a gorgeous three piece suit? I don't. And, by three pieces I mean a skirt, trousers and jacket that all coordinate. After all, I'm a personal stylist. I don't have any conservative corporate events to attend. I'm not representing another entity. I'm representing myself. And, so began my extreme closet edit. That and a few more of my very favorite things right now. Off we go!
My Very Favorite Things Right Now
Read MoreThree things: 1. Below you'll find another blog post from Poplin contributor and plus size fashion guru, Jordan Richardson. Like what you read? Jordan's research on Sizeism was recently featured in an article in the Everett Herald? Check it out! 3. She wrote this prior to this beautiful weather. Love her and you will, too.
Hello my dear readers,
As spring settles into full swing with its hectic weather patterns, I cannot help but cherish and look forward to those sunnier warmer days ahead. Though with the sun and heat comes a potential deluge of new styling challenges that can be difficult to traverse. A lot of us are uncomfortable with certain areas of our bodies, and with the warmer months approaching that usually means less layers and clothes, which can at times be uncomfortable. I am hoping to offer some solutions on minimizing the areas you're not as hot on, and maximizing the ones you adore, while remaining comfortably cool in these months to come.
Read MoreWhat ever happened? Let me tell you!
All Poplin Style Direction clients and individuals on the Poplin email list were invited to the recent Spring Forward event at The Limited SouthCenter. It was glorious.
Here's what they got:
Read MoreSomething 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.
Read MoreI originally wrote this post over a year ago. During this week's Styling Session for homeless and formerly homeless youth at YouthCare, we had a wave of young women asking questions about bras. We measured a few of them, helped several find bras and discussed fit throughout the process. These are things your mom or another significant woman in your life usually helps you with. It was really an honor to have these young women feel open to having us help with such a sensitive topic. I wish I could show you, Dear Reader, the look on one of the women's faces when she realized that SHE would be leaving with three NEW bras. I liken it to Christmas morning.
Because of all of this, I'm opting to share this info again. After all, every woman deserves a bra that fits. And, if you have some lying around at home that are ready to be donated, you'll be glad to know where to send them. Enjoy!
Read MoreHappy Friday, Dear Reader. If the sunshine makes you want to get out and shop, this is your lucky day. As your very own personal stylist, I had to offer up a quick breakdown of some special shopping opportunities you won't want to miss. Enjoy!
Read MoreHave 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.
Read More