Highest Form of Flattery

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

Hello Dear Reader,

I recently moved to a new building in the heart of the shopping district in Downtown Seattle, and I have been hit with a wave of serious street style envy the last month or so. I am starting to see people wearing more transitional pieces and some of the layering is blowing my mind. It's been a real source of inspiration just looking around as I wait for the bus home. Since imitation is the highest form of flattery, I thought I would share some sketches of outfits I've been loving! And with a bit of research I have been able to pull together some like pieces so that you too can rock some of these great street styles! I love being inspired by the city and people around me!

Must Have Now: Fall Trends

We don't need rain to tell us that it's time to start shopping for fall. As your very own personal stylist for women, it's time we start talking about fall trends.

2015 Fall Trends You Can Wear.

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

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

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!

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.

Are You Missing Something?

Happy 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

Summer Workwear - Plus Size Edition

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 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

Retailers for the Woman who is ready to Rock Menswear

My 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.

The Finerie CoLAB: Because you are THAT Cool.

I 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.

Poplin Giveaways, Seattle Sunday, Women's fashionmelliciaMay 6, 2015Comment

$100 for you and $100 for your mom. You're welcome.

Yesterday 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.

2015 Fall Trends You Can Wear.

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

Date Night Heel

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

5 Reasons to Receive Emails From Poplin

Your Summer Work Wardrobe

Rocking the Menswear- Inspired Look? Here's Where to Shop.

5 Reasons to Visit the Finerie CoLAB Right Now.

Celebrate Mom with JUST the Right Thing