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.

New Poplin Packages to Fit Your Needs.

Dear Etsy, It's Time to Make Art Out of Headphone Wires

I finally upgraded my iphone last night. Hooray! Huzzah! During the purchase, I told my salesperson all about my idea for making use of the soon to be useless iphone cords. It occurred to me, I should get the word out with your help, Dear Reader. If you like it, please share.

Dear Etsy (translation genius makers who sell via Etsy),

accessories, DIY, Giving BackmelliciaSeptember 19, 2016etsy, Personal Stylist Seattle, Personal stylist women, recycled iphone headphonesComment

My Favorite U Village Shops Including Joie!

Let's face it, Nordstrom plays a key role in Seattle style. As a personal stylist, I find that the vast majority of my new clients use the retailer as an easy way to learn about new brands. As a result, Vince & Joie are two of the most popular brands that come up in conversation.

So when I discovered the new JOIE store at U Village, I had to share! The ladies are lovely and the selection is much larger than you'll find at a larger retailer. This got me thinking, there's some pretty stellar shopping at U Village. Let's make sure you know some of my favorite places to go.

15+ Shops Worth (re)Visiting at University Village (in no particular order)

How to Wear a Long Vest.

As we welcome fall, we also say, "hello," to some new styling challenges. As a personal stylist for women, I'm hearing a lot of questions about vests. Should I wear them? Can I wear a vest indoors? What's the point? After all, there are no sleeves.

And the list goes on. I fell in love with vests a few years ago with my first leather vest. I picked it up on sale at Nordstrom and wasn't sure if it was for me. Quickly, I discovered the magic of vests and have been rocking them on the regular ever since. Here are a few tips if you think you are ready to try out this trend. (If you think you might be, that means you actually are, by the way.) FYI- Vests of all lengths are pretty spectacular, depending on styling. I'm focusing on long vests in this post and will offer up suggestions on shorter options in future posts.

6 Ways to Wear a Long Vest

Must Have Now: Metallic Ankle Boots

I've been searching for the perfect pair of metallic ankle boots for over a year. If that seems excessive, I think so, too. But, first, I imagined metallic ankle boots without having actually seen a pair. This is a common approach of mine. Dream it. Then find it. As a personal stylist for women, I do this for my clients, too. That's part of the fun of the job.

My theory was that metallic ankle boots would be an amazing neutral. After all, you've likely heard me champion mixed metals for a couple of years now. Metallic ankle boots seemed like the ideal completion of an outfit with metal accessories. To be true to my personal style, I have been looking for a pair that are show stoppers, but not too over the top, reasonably priced (because this is an experiment) AND had a heel height lower than 3 1/2 inches. That's a tall order.

I finally found a pair

Labor Day Sales!

If you subscribe to the Poplin newsletter, you saw these deals on Thursday. Not a subscriber? Jump on!

Without further delay, my favorite retailers with deals for your holiday. Happy Labor Day! The hammering man is taking a break today, so should you.

UncategorizedmelliciaSeptember 5, 2016Comment

3 MAJOR Announcements

Happy Thursday, Dear Reader.

I have MUCH to tell you.

UncategorizedmelliciaSeptember 1, 2016Comment

What to Wear Wednesday with re-souL

UncategorizedmelliciaSeptember 1, 2016Comment

Last Chance to Enter to Win My Favorite All Natural Makeup Primer!

We're holding the drawing tomorrow, Thursday, September 1st. So, if you'd love to win a bottle of my very favorite makeup primer (it makes your skin so silky and is the ideal canvass for makeup), now's the time to enter!

UncategorizedmelliciaAugust 31, 2016Comment

Seattle Boutique: Foundation Fits Your Style & Your Budget

I had a client tell me that she loves the idea of boutiques, but she doesn't love the price tags. There's a common misconception that shopping at local shops translates to high prices. I'm always excited to share boutiques that fit every budget without sacrificing style. Queen Anne's newest shop, Foundation, does just that.

I went to the grand opening, hoping to get ideas for clients and walked out with a bag of pieces for myself. Naturally, I raced home to update you, Dear Reader on Seattle's newest option for the stylish woman on a budget.

How Do I Make Functional Undergarments Look Sexy?

Let's be real. There are undergarments (we're talking about panties, bras and the like) that are crazy sexy. When you were them, you feel desirable, powerful, gorgeous.

Then, you try to layer those under your clothes. Lacy bras result in bumpy t-shirts. Low waisted underwear means a muffin top. And the list goes on. Of course, thongs are the exception. But, I'm willing to guess that most women aren't wearing those everyday. So, what to do.

Win a Bottle of My Favorite Primer!

If you follow Poplin on Instagram, you've likely seen my immersion into the world of Arbonne. It all started with a chance encounter with a very stylish woman at a coffee shop in Pioneer Square. The next thing I knew, we made plans to get together so I could try out Arbonne, a company with a wide range of products sold in five countries that are eco friendly and meet European standards.

Fun Fact: The FDA does not require cosmetics products and ingredients to have approval before they go to market, although there are regulations that apply for interstate commerce. So, the European standards are a helpful guide.

Helen (as I discovered this very stylish woman was named) trains Arbonne reps. To avoid retail mark up, Arbonne is sold be representatives and online. Having been in desperate need of a new makeup routine, I decided to ask Helen for a makeup lesson using all Arbonne products. That was among my very best ideas. But, before I'd have a crack at the makeup, Helen suggested I sample the entire skincare routine for a week and see what I thought of the products.

And so began my adoration for Arbonne. In fact, I love it SO much, that I'm giving away a bottle of the stellar primer. More on that later. For now, let's focus on why you might want to take a look at Arbonne.

5 Reasons to Try Arbonne Right Now

I Heart (Band of) Horses.

Last night my husband surprised me with tickets to the Band of Horses show at the Paramount. Our musical tastes are like a venn diagram and Band of Horses is one of the artists in the section that represents our overlap. I had no idea they were in town and was recently disappointed by our inability to pick up Chance the Rapper tickets. (Also in the overlap section.) We saw them together over 8 years ago, so we were past due for another show.

It was extraordinary. Seriously. Maybe one of the best shows I've been to, certainly in Seattle. Still playing the record repeatedly on our turntable while I work, I have opted to postpone today's scheduled post in favor of something a little unconventional. (Yes, they sold records at the show.) Today, Dear Reader, I'll bring you a personal stylist's interpretation of Band of Horses. Translation: Here are some cool pieces related to horses. Go!

5 Ways to Integrate Horses into Your Look

(Thank you, Band of Horses.)

Should I Get Rid of Clothes That Don't Fit Anymore?

Ah, the eternal question. It doesn't fit right now, but it might fit again. It was fill in the blank (expensive, from a special trip, a gift, a go-to, etc.).

One thing I can count on discussing during a Closet Edit is the fate of that special piece. Or, in some cases, those special pieces. For whatever reason, it isn't working anymore. What it is doing, is taking up space in your closet and in your mind. So, here are a few tips on determining how to deal with the dreaded item that simply doesn't fit.

Book Now for Fall

Hello there, Dear Reader!

It may seem like summer, but fall is coming up quickly. I know because when it comes to personal style, fall is the busiest time of the year. Maybe it is because we all are trained from a young age to get new clothes for school. Or, perhaps it is just the change in the weather and the lure of fall runway styles. Whatever the reason, my schedule is especially crazy from now through Thanksgiving. Well, then there's Black Friday. Oh, and the holidays. You get the idea.

So, here's a quick reminder. If you have been planning on reaching out to amp up your personal style, now is the time. Here are a few reasons why.

Straight from Poplin Clients:

5 Reasons to Book Now.

The Must Have Shoe That Isn't Already In Your Closet

Immediately after high school, I worked at Sam & Libby. If you are familiar with the Sam Edelman brand, then you know Sam & Libby. It was the predecessor, named after Sam (obviously) and his wife, Libby. (Here's a quick read, if you are interested in learning more.) Anyway, Sam & Libby were famous for their ballet flats, but what they offered me was a wide variety of shoe styles at an affordable price. Naturally, this price was made even better with my 30% employee discount. Within months I had hit thirty pairs of shoes in my closet. It was my inaugural thirty. I'll never forget it.

Where am I going with this? Sam & Libby also introduced me to the mule. A mule is a backless shoe. That's it. Sure, it is often closed toe. But, it can also have an open toe. It's been years since we've really seen the style featured in magazines. I've been in the clog zone for the last few years, which is as close as we've come. Clogs have a wooden sole, but don't really have any other restrictions. If you are thinking of the traditional clog- an open backed shoe with a wooden sole, technically you are thinking of a mule and a clog. Fun fact.

So, I'm starting to see mules coming back and they are more fun than ever. If you don't have a pair, the time is now. Here are an array of my favorites. Enjoy!

21 Mules! Which One's For You?

UncategorizedmelliciaAugust 10, 2016 Comments

One More Time: The Winner of the Free Cut & Color is.....

You know how much I love giving things away, don't you. Oh, so much. Like everyone, I suppose. I have an old friend who often says, "don't take away the joy of giving." Translation: say thank you. Enjoy it.

So, I'd like to start off this Tuesday with announcing a winner who I hope will enjoy this prize as much as I'm enjoying giving it away.

A Free Cut & Color courtesy of (My Stylist) Karen Reichert

at the Collage Salon.

Hair care, Poplin Giveaways, shop localmelliciaAugust 8, 2016Karen Reichert The Collage Salon, The Collage SalonComment

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is Almost Over: Last Chance to Pick Up My Favs!

accessories, Body Types, Designer Label, My Favorite Things, plus size fashion, Poplin Events, Shoes, Style Tips, Women's fashionmelliciaAugust 7, 2016Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2016Comment