Finding jeans can be especially challenging. Once you find a brand you love, it's common to want to stick with that and just call it a day. But then, after a while, we all want something new, the style is discontinued or it suddenly doesn't fit like it used to. Regardless of the reasons, it can feel like we are on the perpetual hunt for denim. With that in mind, as your very own personal stylist, I thought I'd offer up some suggestions for the right pair of jeans for you right now. After all, fall is just around the corner. Off we go!

Flattering (and current) Jeans for Every Body

The Modernized 70's- Plus Size Edition

Editor's note: Below you'll find another blog post from Poplin contributor and plus size fashion guru, Jordan Richardson.

Hello Dear Reader,

As fall encroaches on our summer I am sure you are noticing the magazines and stores beginning to bear a striking resemblance to store fronts, fabrics and prints of the 1970's. Now dear reader, whether you have already lived through the 70's and its fashion extravaganza, or you missed it, this fall seems to be bringing the whole tidal wave back again. So how do you survive it!? Whether you are a fan of suede and fringe, or not, there is ways to inch around the biggest trend of the cooler months, or dive right in.

Personally, my favorite parts of the revival are layered flapper fringed dresses, the color orange, and long flare jean with platforms. Other highlights are long duster coats in various fabric textures and weights, suede for days, itsy ditsy floral print, shift dresses, acid colors with neutrals, and mock turtlenecks. So what may work best for you? I've cultivated some of the highlights of the next season and matched them to some tricky styling points to ease you back into shag carpeting.

Athletic Thighs + Long Flares + Platforms = Legs for Days

My Favorite Things Right Now.

Hello again, Dear Reader!

I've missed you. As a personal stylist, I work with clients to ensure a level of personal care. It's vital that we all take a step back, take some time to regroup and invest in ourselves. I couldn't face you if I didn't do the same. So thank YOU for your patience and support as I took a little break. I'm officially back full force and just in time for fall fashion. Let's begin with some of my favorite things right now.

My Favorite Things Right Now.

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

It's all about self care.

UncategorizedmelliciaAugust 6, 2015Comment

Your Weekend Starts Now.

The weekend is here. I'm offering up a few outings to supplement your Seafair festivities. Lucky for you, some of them go beyond this weekend. But don't delay. Some of them do not. Enjoy!

A Few of my Favorite Events Around Town

How do I Style Clogs?

FACT: I adore clogs.

Interestingly, clogs are defined as, "shoes that are made completely or in part from wood." That means shoes like my recent find from Ballard boutique re-souL are clogs, despite having an ankle strap. So, there's that.

Since the moment I posted photos of my visit to re-souL, those clogs have been front and center in nearly every conversation. My friend in Colorado even called to ask where she could find a pair (re-souL, naturally). But, despite the enthusiasm over these timeless wonders, it's evident that people often struggle with styling clogs. No more, Dear Reader. No more.

5 Ways to Rock a Clog

J Crew and You.

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.

J.Crew and You.

Style Tips, Women's fashionmelliciaJuly 21, 2015J-Crew, J-Crew Mercantile, J-Crew OutletComment

Because French Kids are Just as Glamorous as French Women.

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)

Get Your Shopping On.

Things 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.

A Pop of Power! Plus Size Style

Editor'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

Get This Nail Polish.

As a personal stylist, I'm often asked what is the "must have" piece of the season. I'm always hesitant to answer this question because I believe that every woman is different. The unique combination of her figure, her personality, her lifestyle, her budget and her personal style determines her must have piece, not what the magazines are telling her.

That being said, it's vital that we all stay current.

And, in order to keep our looks fresh, we need to know what's out there. My current obsession is "mood nail polish." More accurately, it's a hyper color shirt from the 80's on your nails. That's right. Watch your nails shift from orange to yellow as cold water alters their temperature. Or, go for purple and pink.

If you like _ Then Try out _

Editor'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!

Last Minute Father's Day Gifts. It's Not Too Late.

Happy Father's Day, Dear Reader.

Holidays are a nice time to reflect on life with the ones we love. Personally, I'm a huge advocate of surprises, so there is much planning that goes into these seemingly innocuous holidays. Although, I must admit that I'm not above the last minute gift. So, before you make that call home, let me just make a few quick suggestions in case you are just realizing you neglected to send something over to dear old dad.

Last Minute Father's Day Gifts that are Still Right on Target

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?

Summer Sandals- Narrow and Wide Widths

Editor'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

Must Know Now: Zara, Uniqlo and Nordstrom.

One 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.

Guest Post: 5 Warm Weather Essentials for Teens from The Official US Lifestyle

Editor's note: I can't tell you how long I've been looking forward to this post.

We're very fortunate to have a collection of really remarkable nephews and nieces. (Well, technically there's just one nephew; but he's pretty incredible.) I digress. There's a long list of reasons why we adore them all and of course, each one brings different interests to the table.

Our niece, Isabel, lives in Chicago and one of her many interests is fashion. She has a real gift for it. I've known her since she was three and she was already way ahead of the game at that point. As a personal stylist, when I learned that Isabel and two friends, Ava & Sisley, started a fashion blog, The Official US Lifestyle, I was all over it.

Lucky for me, the team accepted my invitation to do a guest post for Poplin. The girls (who are between 12 and 13) have created a jam-packed list of warm weather essentials for teens and tweens. If there's a young lady in your household, please feel free to share their wisdom. Alternatively, you can simply show off how hip you are by purchasing one of the items as a gift. Because, let's face it: you are that cool.

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Spring is just starting to roll in, at least here in Chicago. We have gathered a list of our top five essentials for the rapidly arriving season, and have written about how to use them. So, without further ado, let’s get into it!

UncategorizedmelliciaMay 29, 2015Comment

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.

Flattering (and current) Jeans for Every Body

Athletic Thighs + Long Flares + Platforms = Legs for Days

My Favorite Things Right Now.

A Few of my Favorite Events Around Town

5 Ways to Rock a Clog

J.Crew and You.

Helen's Favorite French Retailers for Kids

(and the Rest of Your Family, too)

Reasons to Shop Right NOW.

Stand Out Styles

Last Minute Father's Day Gifts that are Still Right on Target

5 Reasons Why You Need JCOCO in Your Life

Date Night Heel

The Biggest News (for us, anyway) from Zara, Uniqlo and Nordstrom.

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Holt & Lulu: Clothes for Hip Kids