Elevated Loungewear: Hip Options for Home

As a personal stylist for women, I’ve had a hybrid work schedule for over 8 years. I’ve spent that time hopping from a client’s home to a retailer to creating online resources for her from my desk at home. Throughout the pandemic, I’ve heard from a number of clients struggling to find the balance of comfort and style while working and often parenting from home and now heading into the office one day a week or a month or maybe never. It’s tricky, but it absolutely can be done. And fortunately for all of us, designers and retailers have doubled down on loungewear so there are more attractive options than ever before. Here are some of my favs.

9 Ways to Enjoy Shopping with Less Guilt About Climate Change

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.

6 of the Best Pants for Working From Home or the Office AND the Shoes that go with ALL of them

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

The Color of the Season also Happens to Match Everything in your Closet

So often, we think of black, white, grey, brown and navy blue as our neutrals- meaning they go with everything. As a personal stylist for women who happens to be based in the Pacific Northwest, this also means that I see a whole lot of closets dominated by those colors. But, it doesn’t have to be that way. There are other colors that can act as neutrals in your closet. My favorite of those also happens to be EVERYWHERE right now: Green.

Yup. Oh, yeah. Olive green is a neutral, you say. But, it’s not just olive that can expand your wardrobe and offer you unexpected color combinations. All shades of green have something to offer. As I like to say, the stem never clashes with the flower. Green works with everything in nature. The key is knowing which green is appropriate. Simply match the intensity of your green with the color you are going for and you are solid. You may find that some combinations are too much for you. That’s fine. But, they do work. It’s just about your authentic personal style. Also, you can tone it down by introducing another neutral into the mix- say white, navy or black, as examples. Need some visuals? That’s what I’m here for.

Get Your Green On!

Get Your Favorite Styling Services During COVID-19

It’s true. As a personal stylist for women, I spend the majority of my client focused time one on one with each client. So, how does that work while we are all limiting our contact with the outside world to prevent the spread of the coronavirus?

A number of services translate nicely online. In the words of one remote client,

Although I live thousands of miles away from Seattle, Mellicia did an amazing job on our Skype conversations hearing out my laundry list of fashion likes and dislikes and then ensuring that my Uber Wishlist reflected me and where I wanted to take my new look. Not only did she provide me with some ideas for beautiful articles of clothing to add to my closet, but she also helped me gain more confidence in mixing and matching new and old pieces to create a fresh new look. I highly recommend Poplin's services, especially to those who live outside of WA!

-Marina J., Salt Lake City, UT

To make it easier to know what works and what doesn’t right now, here’s a list of the current Poplin services. (At the time of this post, we are in Phase 1.5, which allows for limited personal services. 1:1 services are restricted to 30 minutes with social distancing and masks. Because Poplin services are comprehensive, they are better suited to full service virtual sessions rather than brief in person sessions.)

Poplin + You Right Now

In It Together #6: What to Wear While You are in Quarantine

As a personal stylist for women, this is a very weird time. I want to provide my community with the support you need while also not pretending that we live in a vacuum. I’ve been laying low on clothing suggestions, but I’ve had SO many questions about what to wear now. As your resource for how to wear pieces that make you feel like your authentic self by embracing your personal style, I’m hearing from many folks that you need me now more than ever.

So, let’s solve this problem of what to wear each day, shall we? And, as always, thanks for letting me know what content you need right now.

By the way, today’s recommendations are all from Nordstrom. After all, shopping local right now is VERY important and Nordstrom is our hometown hero. The company’s HQ is here including thousands of incredible folks who have my life and likely yours much better over the last several years. So, let’s help make sure this company is with us on the other side. If you are shopping, start with local shops, brands and makers, if you can.

How to Choose Your Outfit of the Day During the COVID-19 Crisis

Must Haves for Spring 2020: Colorful Leather

Man, if you are stuck in the house working from home on this beautiful spring day, this is just what you need to put yourself in a positive head space. Spring Fashion. Let me say it again, Spring Fashion. As a personal stylist for women, I pay attention to trends, naturally, but my work is really about helping women translate those trends into their everyday looks.

Here are some pieces that are sure to bring you joy.

Spring Trend: Colorful Leather (and Vegan Leather)

Buy 2nd Hand Pieces at Nordstrom. That's Right. Nordstrom.

As a personal stylist for women, it’s important that my recommendations align with my client’s values. Whether she is going for affordable options to keep her budget in check or she’s more interested in sustainability or Fair Trade, it’s all about honoring those values as best we can.

Over the past year or so, the requests for second hand pieces have sky rocketed. While we always catered to our the values of each client, now things are more explicit with sustainability modifications on every package. But things just got a whole lot easier.

Seattle Fav Nordstrom Offers Curated Second Hand Pieces

Beyond Seattle: Poplin Goes National

As a personal stylist for women in Seattle, I spend the majority of my time working with individual local women to help her elevate her style. Starting with her personal style, body type, budget and lifestyle, we create a strategy for her to look and feel like her authentic self every day- whether she’s giving a presentation or sitting at home in her pajamas.

From the outside, it may seem like all of this goodness is here in Seattle. But, actually, Poplin’s reach goes beyond the Pacific Northwest and lately, I’ve found that lots of folks have questions about that. So, let’s do some celebrating, shall we?

10 Game Changing Ways that Poplin Style Goes Way Beyond Seattle

Fashion and Function: Over 30 Winter Coats that are Just Right for your Body and your Style

If the snow storm has taught us anything, it’s that it’s vital to have a winter coat that you adore and is also ready for crazy cold weather. As a personal stylist for women, I’m all about making sure that your pieces are functional AND communicate your authentic personal style.

Remember, if you can only afford to upgrade one piece in your wardrobe, it should be your coat. You make the majority of your first impressions wearing your coat. Whether you are walking in the door for a coffee meeting, heading from building to building or ready for a night out, your coat can make or break your look. Here are some favs! Enjoy.

The 30 Best Winter Coats for Your Body Type. Go!

Get Poplin on Your Holiday Wish List

I don’t know about you, but I’m deep in holiday shopping. Whether you are putting together your own holiday wishlist or shopping for others, it’s time to give the gift of style. Here’s what you need to know to set you up!

5 Reasons to Give (or Get) Poplin Style This Holiday Season

Sustainability: Get Ready to Fall in Love With Renting Instead of Buying Your Clothes

When I was in high school, I lived for vintage shopping. My favorite place was Wasteland (either in Berkeley or San Francisco depending on the day). I took great pride in wearing things that no one else was wearing and wearing them in a way that was distinctly my own. As I got older, and made more money, I moved further and further from second hand shopping. Until one day, I didn’t do it at all.

And that’s how it has been for the last several years. Where once I would have loved to hit a thrift store, now I have a similar experience with new clothes at the Rack. But Gen Z is reminding us all of the impact our consumption has on the planet. That means that thrifting has become cool. But you may or may not be up for that. I rediscovered the gems you can find while thrifting earlier this summer at Buffalo Exchange in Ballard. In fact, 60-70% of the dresses and jumpsuits I wore on my travels all summer were from that excursion. And, they were free. After all, I could sell pieces and have some credit to work with.

One challenge with thrift shopping is the need to dig through the racks. If you aren’t someone who enjoys the hunt, this is a major time suck with very little reward. Often, there’s the struggle to find the proper size or a current piece. For most of my clients, the idea of having a few hours to kill while perusing a thrift store just seems insane.

Enter the rental market.

Before we begin, let me clarify. Rental subscription services give you the freedom to curate your own collection and pay a regular monthly fee to do so. I see these as very different from Stitch Fix and Trunk Club. Those are subscription services that have employees selecting pieces for you based on a quick survey to identify your style archetype.

Back to clothing rental.

The Best Ways to Rent Clothing and Rock Your Authentic Personal Style

Get Ready to Lose Some of Your Favorites at Northgate Mall, But Not All of Them

As a personal stylist, Northgate Mall is just one of the places I consider my stomping ground. The mall opened in 1950 as the first suburban shopping mall in the country. You know it well. That’s mostly because you can drive, park for free and shop efficiently. That’s also why the chain stores at that location get a whole lot of returns. It’s true, things are changing at Northgate. And they are changing fast. Here’s what you need to know. (Wondering what’s going on? This Seattle Times article gives you the details. )

Your Favorites are Closing at Northgate Mall

Over 25 Super Memorial Day Weekends Sales

Nothing says holiday weekend like a great sale. And this weekend is full of them. Below is a list of some of my favs. Remember to click through the links when you are ready to shop as Poplin is an affiliate. That means that Poplin may receive a commission on your purchase at no additional cost to you. Thanks very much! Enjoy yourself and hey, have a great weekend, will you?

My Favorite Memorial Day Sales

5 Spring Trends That You Can Wear Multiple Ways

The moment that we get a bit of sunshine, I am READY for spring. As a personal stylist who was born and bred in sunny California, I can’t help but have lots of love for warm weather fashion. It’s easy. It’s feminine. It’s functional. Having been in Seattle nearly 15 years, I find myself struggling with late winter/ early spring. You know it, that time of year when you desperately want to wear spring colors and pieces, but it’s still cold and often rainy.

Lucky for us all, there are ways to introduce spring early this year. Below are some of my favorites. I’ve also included some outfit photos from real Poplin clients. Every item on an image works with every other item to create multiple outfits. These aren’t perfectly lighted or displayed because the focus is on creating the maximum number of outfits, rather than having each image look perfect. I hope they are useful for you as you integrate these trends into your wardrobe. After all, you don’t need all new pieces. Leverage what you have and you’ll find that old pieces will also feel new again. Enjoy!

5 Spring Trends That You Can Wear Multiple Ways

Guest Post: Natalie Joffe on Giving Up vs. Letting Go. Tips to Feel More Confident in a Thin-Privileged World

As a nutrition coach, I often hear things like:

· “I just can’t accept my body at this size.”

· “I need to lose weight so that I can feel more confident.”

· “I will [start dating, apply for that new job, try that new class, etc.] after I reach my goal weight.”

The trouble with these statements and the fantasy of how amazing life will be at a smaller size is that they require us to put our life on hold, they perpetuate the weight bias in our culture, and they support the belief that we can shame our bodies into changing.

Sadly, we live in a thin-privileged society. This means that living in a smaller body one gains privileges and access to things that those in a larger body don’t. However, it doesn’t matter how small you are if you still struggle with critical self-talk, comparisons, and inner judgment.

Five strategies to help you feel more confident and empowered in the body you have now

The Perfect Pieces for Your Body Type from Anthropologie's New Plus Size Line

The average size for an American woman is between size 12 and 16, depending on the source. It’s common for brands to cap out at 12 or 14. As a personal stylist for women, I see how hard this is for real women. Who wants to discover that changes in her body mean that she can no longer shop at her favorite retailers or from her favorite brands? And when she’s an Anthro fan, it’s even more challenging because, let’s face it, there are very few, if any, retailers that really compete with Anthropologie.

So, I was ELATED when I discovered Anthro’s new plus size collection. Size 16-26 is available RIGHT NOW. So get on over and check it out. Here are a few of my favs based on your body type. Remember, defining your personal style is essential to feeling great about how you look. If you already know that Anthro’s vibe speaks to you, this post is for you! And hey, if you are looking for sizes below 16, not to worry. These pieces are inclusive and some also are available in petite!

How to Dress Your Body With Anthropologie’s New Plus Size Line

How to Look and Feel Great at the Pumpkin Patch

As a personal stylist for women, sometimes I have clients who want to save their "good stuff" for special occasions. Think of this as your good china staying in the cupboard until Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.

Fall Fashion Spotlight: Lightweight Jackets

As a personal stylist for women, I spend a great deal of my time with real women, helping each women determine her personal style. Knowing your personal style isn't enough. Clothes need to be functional for your life and realistic for your budget. And, of course, they should be flattering for your body type. This may sound tricky, but it isn't. It's all about having the proper filters to know what to wear and what to buy.

Body types: Dressing your body at any size

It's about balance, not about size. As a personal stylist for women, I find this concept comes up pretty regularly. The loudest voice we hear is our inner voice and more often than we'd like, that inner voice can actually be the voice of the inner critic.

We're all familiar with the inner critic. She has all sorts of opinions on career, parenting, keeping the house clean and so on. She also, has some very strong feelings when it comes to our bodies.