Beyond Seattle: Poplin Goes National

Poplin client, Wesley, at the Emmys in 2018.

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

Her signature Breton tee paired with bold floral heels. Sadly, the shoes didn’t make it into the magazine. H/M/U by Kat St. John. Photos by Amy Paine.

Amy needs to look polished for clients but also feel comfortable for days on construction sites. She also loves mustard yellow, navy blue, orange and teal. So we have those as the staples of her wardrobe to easily mix and match pieces- new and old.

Even if you’ve had a piece for a long time, in a photo shoot, it can look brand new. We loved the expressive nature and flattering cut of this tunic, but also knew it was almost ready to be purged from her closet. We used it anyway, knowing that it would still look gorgeous for the photos.

1. Poplin client, Amy May, is featured in Architectural Digest

   This is a BIG one for me. Both because I’m a giant fan (and subscriber) to the magazine, but also because Amy is a long time client and friend. She’s a talented, hardworking, super fun interior designer who has also been a business inspiration. Watching her business grow over the years and to see her reach these new heights is really extraordinary for me. I can’t imagine how she feels.

   With only a short time to plan for the photo shoot, we dove into her closet to find existing pieces that would work for the shoot. Then, we brainstormed about supplemental options that would pull it all together. I found a handful of options on the Nordstrom Rack app and we ordered away. Within a few days, pieces had arrived and the outfits were finalized.

   Key takeaway: Amy fell in love with Boden Breton tees when we started working together years ago and they became a staple for her style. We felt it was important to include one so when she saw the layout, she would see herself in the shoot and not another version made for the public. It was awesome.

2. Poplin Client, Isis Bertagnoli, on the cover of trade magazine, Scanner.

Have I ever told you that Poplin clients are bad asses? Well, they are. My client, Isis, was set to be featured on the cover of her industry trade magazine because of her stellar work in the healthcare field. She keeps things pretty minimal with a collection of fun , vintage pieces and enjoys second hand shopping. Although, for her cover, she wanted to make sure we found the perfect outfit and didn’t need to dig through consignment stores. She also wasn’t afraid to opt for something feminine and less conservative, although still appropriate to her industry. In the end, we went with something flattering, simple but not boring. Isis especially appreciated the white piping on the shoulders. As for most photo shoots, we had limited time, but found our magic dress at Nordstrom.

Key Takeaway: You have the same authentic personal style, no matter where you go or what you are doing. However, the pieces you choose need to be appropriate to the situation so you look and feel your best. If you aren’t sure what works, that’s what Poplin is here for.

3. Poplin Featured in a Microsoft Ad Campaign

Let’s face it. I’ve got a weird job. When I tell people what I do, most women either are familiar with the idea of a stylist or they have a general idea based on the name. On the other hand, there’s a wide collection of men who are a bit baffled by it all, my dad included. Apparently, my dad is the kind of guy who understands what a stylist is, but for a long time, couldn’t exactly understand how one would make any money. He also, apparently, is the type of guy actually opens the emails that Microsoft sends to him. And he isn’t the only one. So, when I was featured in the Microsoft First Drafts Campaign, he saw me when he opened his inbox. He immediately called and asked if I got paid for this;)

Another shoot with a very quick turnaround, they folks at MSFT asked me where we should shoot. After all, Poplin doesn’t have a physical location. Fortunately for me, good friend, client and Vixen Collection owner, Courean Napolitano, generously loaned us her beautiful space.

Key Takeaway: Treat other people with kindness, respect and generosity and it will come back to you. Also, have a great hair and makeup person on speed dial. Hanna Mazur made my magic happen and I wore clothes I already owned with zero opportunity to shop.

Poplin client, Lauren, in the outfit she wore on stage at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

4-6. Poplin at the Emmys, Oscars and The World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland

I’m going to count this as #4-6 because, well, I can:)

An extraordinary part of my job is being there as my clients live their lives. I get to see babies born, giant career breakthroughs and crazy fun once in a lifetime opportunities. A Poplin client and friend went to the Emmy’s a couple of years ago. Her husband (also a good friend) was nominated and it was time for her to figure out what to wear. Another client and friend is about to head off the Oscars! Her partner is a member of the Academy, as a past award winner, and she’s looking for a dress, too.

Both experiences were phenomenal, fun and representative of the collaboration between my long term clients and me. Both women live out of state, so we communicated via phone, text, email and endless images of dresses, cocktail rings, shoes and so on. There were conversations about undergarments and blow outs and makeup. Both women also wanted to look amazing but not spend a huge amount of money. I suggested they hit Saks Off 5th, Last Call Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom Rack in their areas and share photos from the dressing room. Sometimes, you just need, “that good friend who knows about these things” to walk you through. Special bonus: The dress for the Emmy’s was $388. From my client, “Bought it. Fits perfectly. Was so giddy wearing it I didn’t want to take it off. Paid $388. Nothing better than seeing, ‘you saved $2600 on your receipt!’” And my client shopping for the Oscars ended up with the perfect dress that was $80! Believe it. That’s what Last Call Neiman Marcus and some filters can do for you.

Award ceremonies aren’t the only groundbreaking events I get to be a part of through my achieving clients. My client, Lauren, needed an outfit to wear on stage with world leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2017. Because she runs an International NGO, she has the freedom to dress with more creativity than her counterparts. We wanted to be sure to keep things very luxurious and also authentic to her personal style she once described as, “I want people to say, ‘I wouldn’t wear that, but it works for her.” A bad ass CEO who wants steampunk influences in her look, we nailed it with this pairing. The showstopping leather mixed media dress is High by Claire Campbell.

Key Takeaway: Similar to a hairstylist, working with your personal stylist over the long term makes it easier to collaborate and get the best results. AND- research is key. When researching what women leaders wore to the World Economic Forum in Davos, I noticed they all wore dresses and tall boots. It turns out, that this is because they swap into heavy snow boots when traveling from location to location within the conference. Pants would get wrinkled from the knee down.

7. Poplin on the Genneve Podcast: Fashion Over 40

Lately, I have had a number of clients talk with me about the challenges of perimenopause and menopause. For instance, how do I dress for hot flashes or for that extra weight around my stomach? Beyond those questions, there is often confusion around how to look and feel your best while still wearing pieces that are, “age appropriate.” If you’ve spent any time with me or have been reading this blog for some time, you know that I’m all about embracing the day. Everyday is a special occasion, my dear. We’re alive. Let’s act like it. But knowing how to act like it when it comes to clothing is tricky. Here’s a podcast episode with Genneve, a company that exists a resource for women facing perimenopause and menopause. The CEO, Jill Angelo, was on the Today show a couple of weeks ago talking about this issue. If this all sounds familiar to you, check it out.

Key Takeaway: If unexpected changes are taking place in your body as you hit your 40’s and 50’s, you are not alone. Fortunately, there are more resources all the time.

8. Poplin on the Kari Gran Cosmetics Series, “Wear Yourself In”

The 2016 election hit me pretty hard. When it was time to write my piece for Kari Gran’s Wear Yourself In Campaign, featuring women who are comfortable in their skin, I felt compelled to write about my own very personal and seldom told story. Weirdly, the zeitgeist was with me and the #metoo movement kicked off only months later.

Key Takeaway: No matter your past experiences, you can own your look and the way people view you. And when you do, it feels very, very good.

From my recent trip to San Francisco. I discovered this super cool store on Haight Street, Cary Lane. It’s filled with new pieces that are samples or overstock. There, I stocked up on pieces from FRNCH. Just wore this combo on Monday!

9. Poplin Clients in the San Francisco Bay Area and Beyond

For those of you who follow Poplin on Instagram and Facebook, you likely noticed me scouting out shopping destinations in San Francisco and San Jose. I visited the Bay Area to see multiple clients. And so it finally begins. I’m officially traveling to out of area clients! So, if you aren’t in the Seattle area, feel free to reach out. In this case, multiple clients shared the expenses, making the trip more affordable for them. You can see details here. Onward!

10. Poplin IRL at Universal Standard

Our last Koa Club workshop on Money + Style was a raging success. Next up, Harness Your Style Evolution at the Universal Standard Showroom. If you are struggling to find your authentic personal style as you age, this is for you. Yes, there is a place in between Forever 21 and Eileen Fisher. See all the details here.

Believe it. Poplin in all the places

From styling clients for corporate videos or international speaking campaigns to working with clients in New York, Colorado, Montana, Louisiana, California and more, Poplin’s reach goes well beyond the PNW. It’s always surprising to me to see that people beyond the United States are reading this blog. The world is so small. Wherever you are, thanks VERY much for being here and being a part of the Poplin community. Have topics you’d like covered on the blog? Just reach out! Enjoy your weekend.