Pieces that Slay at the Holiday Party & the Day After & the Day After That....

Oh, it's happening! Seattle-ites finally have the opportunity to pull out all the stops. Well, sort of. As a personal stylist in Seattle, I am well aware of the struggle to look fab while not overdressing. I'd argue that being the best dressed person in a room is never a bad thing. Although, it's true. You want to be within the realm of the rest of the group. A formal at a football game is not ideal.

So, with that, here are some options for holiday dressing that you can wear after the party's over. You, my Dear Reader, are going to kill it!

Own the Room in these Pieces at the Holiday Party and Everyday After

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My Favorite Things, Poplin Giveaways, shop local, Women's fashionmelliciaDecember 7, 2016Image Consultant Seattle, Personal Stylist for Women, Poplin style discounts, Seattle Personal Shopper, Seattle Personal StylistComment

Cocktail Dresses, Your Prom and How a Dress Can Change Your Life.

I would never allow someone to talk to me the way I talk to myself.

-Anonymous/ A large number of people on the planet

Feeling beautiful on the outside has an indisputable impact on the dialogue happening on the inside.

Stop. It's Shoulder Time.

Our shoulders are continuing to have a moment. If your body is triangle shaped, meaning your hips are noticeably larger than your shoulders, this is a dream. Really, the shoulder trend works for nearly every body type, you just make different choices to find what flatters. The most challenging situation is rocking bold shoulders when you already have broad shoulders. In this case, you'll need to REALLY bring the eye to your lower half, balancing out your shape. Try a super wide leg pant or culottes (tailored at the top, of course), or an a-line skirt made from stiff material. If the skirt or trousers is in an eye catching color, made from an attention getting texture like brocade or is a fun print, even better.

Regardless of your body type, if you love the bold shoulder movement, here are some ideas to get you in the mood. Let me know what you think. Enjoy!

Shoulders, Oh My!

The re-souL Collection Giveaway. A Winner is Announced!

The list of reasons to sign up for the Poplin email list is a long one. For instance:

Crazy Deals for Black Friday. Go!

Hello Dear Reader!

If you are on the Poplin email list, you are receiving a Poplin on Point email every other Friday. That email is a cherry picked list of limited time only offers from my favorite retailers and brands. Today's email is jam packed with offers thanks to Black Friday!

It's so good, I'm sharing with blog readers, too. If you like it, make sure to sign up for the Poplin newsletter so that you'll receive this type of info on the regular. Plus, this Monday we're announcing the winner of a FREE pair of shoes from the re-souL Collection! In order to enter, you must be a subscriber to the Poplin email list.

Three more things

Your New Favorite Way to Take Action: The Friend Review

Every year, I write a Thanksgiving post. It tends to focus on my experience volunteering with homeless youth through our styling sessions at YouthCare. This year, I thought I'd mix things up a bit. This is a crazy time. There's this persistent feeling that we need to take action, now, always. Yes, this can (and should) be political action. But, action comes in many forms. So, today, I propose a little something special that will make you feel and remind the people in your life how much you appreciate them.

Say, "Hello", to the Friend Review.

Day 3: The re-souL Collection Giveaway.

Here 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?

UncategorizedmelliciaNovember 22, 2016Comment

Day 2: The re-souL Collection Giveaway.

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?

UncategorizedmelliciaNovember 21, 2016Comment

Get Your Black Friday Deals Early

If 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

UncategorizedmelliciaNovember 18, 2016Comment

Day 1: The re-souL Collection Giveaway

One 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?

UncategorizedmelliciaNovember 16, 2016 Comments

Brooches. It's a Thing.

Brooches always make me think of Madeline Albright or someone's grandmother. Either way, it's likely you have one or two sitting in your jewelry box that haven't seen daylight in years. if you've been waiting to feel like brooches are cool again, get ready. As a personal stylist for women, I've noticed that clients often feel like brooches are intriguing and intimidating at the same time. So, I thought I'd help give you a little inspiration with some unconventional options. After all, the purpose of a brooch is to to communicate your personal style in an individualized way. Ms. Albright often used her brooches to communicate her feelings about an event or situation. You can choose to be that specific or just tell the world that you like sculls, for example. The options are all yours. Now, off you go!

Brooches for Cool Kids- That Means You.

Let's Kick Things Off With the Peacemaker- Stunning Pieces Made by Vets & Their Families

Sometimes Veteran's Day can feel like a random day to get last minute childcare for the kids or discover the bank is closed. But, it only takes a minute or two to be reminded of how fortunate we are for the men, women and their families who put our country before themselves. Really. Sure, we thank individuals for their service and are generally referring to their willingness to put themselves in harm's way. But, it goes well beyond that incredible gift they give to our country. The spouses who forgo career advancement because of necessary moves or scheduling to accommodate a spouse who is deployed are only a few of the really impressive choices these folks make. So, in the wake of our recent election and on this national holiday, I thought I'd focus on some fashionable pieces that support our military families. If you have some other suggestions, please send them my way!

Enjoy the day. I hope you get to spend it with someone you love.

Very Hip Products

Made By Vets and Their Families

This Election is Killing Me: 8 Ways to Detox

This year has been unlike any other year. As a personal stylist for women, I've noticed that this fall has been like unlike any other fall. Why? People are stressed. It's tough to fight for equality and feminism and simultaneously be shopping for the perfect metallic ankle boot. Tough, but not impossible, Dear Reader. Let's face it, when we feel good about what we are wearing, we have more momentum to do great things. And, right now, we clearly need a lot of momentum. But, if like me, you feel like this election has gone on just a little too long, it's time to take some time out to give yourself a little love. Here are some suggestions to get you going. Inertia kills.

8 Ways to Give Yourself Some Love

in the Face of this Election

4 Ways to Style Your Legs When Rocking a Skirt or Dress. Go!

Lately, it's been all outfits all the time for me. What do I mean? Well, for one of my clients, I create outfits using anything she owns, take photos and then she can scroll those pictures every morning to ensure that getting dressed takes less than 5 minutes. My husband often refers to this as, "the secret sauce."

This time of year, the inevitable question comes up when I'm chatting with clients about their outfits: "and so, with what? Tights?" Whether you are rocking ankle boots, mid calf, heels, over the knee boots, you name it; you're going to face this question. Here's the thing, your hosiery serves a purpose and communicates your style. So, let's break that down to help you look like the very best version of you everyday. Start by imagining wearing one dress and one pair of shoes. Now that you have that image, picture wearing these different hosiery options with that outfit as I describe the pros and cons. This should help you get a clear view of the effect of various options. Also, these photos are from a site I adore: Celebrity Hosiery Daily. It's a dream. Make sense? Off we go!

Your Legs, Your Style

Two Great Reasons to Head to Target

It's true. You don't really need an excuse to head to Target. But, let's say you are trying to decide if you should hop in and grab basic supplies or linger for a while for a little, "me," time. These collabs might just convince you of the latter. After all, the Target/ Marimekko collaboration was such a strong success, I have a great deal of confidence that these will be equally compelling.

2 Target Collaborations that are Worth Your Time

What to click, what to skip.

UncategorizedmelliciaOctober 20, 2016Comment

Valuable Reminders For Us All Courtesy of Trans Youth.

The Ruby Room Fashion Show is THIS Sunday. The Ruby Room provides prom dresses for girls who wouldn't otherwise have the right dress for such an important occasion. Tickets are affordable, the show will be AMAZING and every dollar goes to this worthy cause. (Plus, I'll be a judge and I've already picked out my outfit. So, there's that.)

It got me thinking about the trans youth that also enjoy this benefit thanks to organizations like The Ruby Room, YouthCar & so many others. So, I'm reposting this from February. I feel very grateful for the opportunity to help trans women cultivate their personal styles.

Chloe + Isabel Ups Your Style Game & 100% of Proceeds During October Go To Fight Youth Homelessness

Without question, my very favorite combination is fashion and purpose. Whether it's the upcoming fashion show for the Ruby Room that raises money to ensure local teens have hip prom dresses or re-souL's generous donation of brand new shoes for homeless youth, looking good makes everyone feel better.

So, I am THRILLED to partner with Mitra Ramen from Chloe + Isabel for the month of October. If you haven't checked out Chloe + Isabel, now's the time. Representatives host pop up shops each month that bring stylish, classy accessories into your life. Mitra is an engineer who channels her love of fashion through her work making us all beautiful with Chloe + Isabel. AND she donates 100% of her profits each month to a different nonprofit. Seriously.

This is officially the perfect time to check out the brand, up your style game in a way that is authentic to you AND help end youth homelessness. Every dollar counts and it feels amazing to show off your pieces while sharing a few words about the impact you've made. Enough talk! Below, I'm highlighting some of my very favorite pieces. This is only the beginning, be sure to peruse the site on your own. No special codes needed. Every purchase supports YouthCare. Happy shopping!

Some Things to Keep in Mind When Doing Your Shopping With Chloe + Isabel

You Asked. I Answered. Welcome to the New Products Page!

I'm so grateful to you, Dear Reader, for completing the Poplin Survey. Thank YOU. You offered up so many fresh ideas and I've been having the time of my life implementing them. For example, quite a few folks asked for more packages at various price points AND a discount for existing clients. Well, I have great news for you.

Own the Room in these Pieces at the Holiday Party and Everyday After

Shoulders, Oh My!

Three more things

Say, "Hello", to the Friend Review.

What Will I Wear With My re-souL Andies When I WIN the Poplin re-souL Giveaway?

What Will I Wear With My re-souL Willows When I WIN the Poplin re-souL Giveaway?

3 Reasons You Should Be on the Poplin Email List

What Will I Wear With My re-souL Tildas When I WIN the Poplin re-souL Giveaway?

Brooches for Cool Kids- That Means You.

Very Hip Products

Made By Vets and Their Families

8 Ways to Give Yourself Some Love

in the Face of this Election

Your Legs, Your Style

2 Target Collaborations that are Worth Your Time

Some Things to Keep in Mind When Doing Your Shopping With Chloe + Isabel

New Poplin Packages to Fit Your Needs.