Posts in Designer Label
7 Days 7 Clients. Countless Ways to Hack Her Style

As a personal stylist for women based in Seattle, I’ve spent nearly a decade working with hundreds of women to elevate their style. At Poplin, every client is different, but the structure is the same. We identify her body type, personal style key words, color palette, budget, lifestyle and values to create a strategy for her authentic personal style. Each client has a password protected webpage that gives her the tools to get dressed every day. We call that her online personal profile. Next up, we use her personal profile to guide every decision as we edit her closet. Does this piece communicate her personal style? Is it flattering for her figure? Does it communicate the level of success she’s achieved? If not, it’s out. Those questions and more are integral to the Closet Edit experience.

During the edit, I make a shopping list of items that would supplement her existing wardrobe and use that list to create her Uber Wishlist. An Uber Wishlist is a list of up to 40 items from a variety of retailers that work in tandem with her existing pieces to create a cohesive wardrobe that is functional for her life and helps her look and feel her best.

After ordering from her Uber Wishlist, we collaborate to ensure each piece is an essential piece to accomplish her style goals. I show her how to style it, how it should fit, when she’ll be wearing it, and more. Often, we also tailor a number of pieces both from her Uber Wishlist and from her existing wardrobe. After all, why buy something new if your existing piece can simply be tailored to do the job?

The styling process all comes together with her outfit session. This is when I create images using her new and existing pieces (including accessories) that she can view each morning on her phone, empowering her to understand what to wear in less than 5 minutes. I know. Right?!

Whether you are an existing client, a member of the Poplin community or new to Poplin, it’s both fun and helpful to see how another woman is harnessing her authentic personal style. That’s why we’re doing 7 days focused on 7 different clients. You’ll see the Uber Wishlist and Outfit photos for each. You won’t see photos of the clients. If you’d like those, check out the client stories page.

After all, we don’t do photo shoots with every client. But, this shouldn’t keep you from the opportunity to hack a client’s style. So, enjoy the next 7 days and please let me know what you think, how these are helpful to you and any exciting discoveries. From items to retailers to pairings, it’s time to hack her style.

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What is a Catsuit and When (Why and How) Would You Wear One?

As a personal stylist for women, I’m all over researching trends for each season. it’s true. I guide each client to choose pieces that are authentic to her personal style, flatter her frame and are functional for her lifestyle. But, it’s also important the style feel current, so adding in a few pieces each year (or season) is a great way to do that. The key is to select items that are just right for you rather than pieces that will just camp out in your closet with tags on.

One of this year’s breakout items is the catsuit. And while I can hear you gasping and wondering why I’m even bringing this up, I can tell you that for some women there are times and places that this beauty is just the thing. Let’s see if that means you.

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The 50 Best Labor Day 2022 Deals Including Choices with Inclusive Sizing and Sustainable Options. It’s Time to get your Retail On!

As a personal stylist for women, I’m not sure what’s more exciting- a 3 day weekend or the stellar sales that Labor Day brings. This is the ideal time to stock up on pieces you’ve been waiting for or find something new that catches your eye. I’ve included several sustainable, fair trade and plus size options. There are also maternity and petite finds. Just keep your personal style key words, color palette and body type in mind and get your intentional shopping on! Here’s a list of some of my favs. Expect some familiar faces and some fun new ideas to explore. As always, let me know how it goes.

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Featured Client: Caitlyn

What can I say? I’m pretty much losing my mind over here. As a personal stylist for women, I’m always absolutely delighted to share a client transformation with the Poplin community. It’s taken ages to make this photo shoot happen and it was well worth the wait. Not only is Caitlyn a powerhouse at her job as a leader in tech, she’s also crazy photogenic, up for anything and ready to show the world what style looks like. Enjoy the photos and a video to make you feel like you were there with us.

Oh! If you happen to notice another stunning woman, that’s Poplin client Laura. We’ll share her photos and video soon, too!

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The 10 Black Owned Clothing Brands that I'm Currently Obsessed With

Things have changed in the fashion industry since 2013. That’s when your very own personal stylist for women wrote a blog post about my then favorite black designer. I researched for hours in search of other options that spoke to me. Sadly, there were very few black voices that were being amplified. There’s still a long way to go, but for now, I’ve got some real favorites.

After finding myself lost in the rabbit hole of the interwebs, I found my favorite resource for Black owned brands and spent the rest of the day totally immersed. So, how about I save you some time and share?

One of my favorite aspects of this list is the purpose behind nearly every brand. Helping clients shop their values is a passion of mine and this list is filled with values based options. From shopping BIPOC makers to brands that have an unwavering commitment to the environment or those that give back to communities in the US or Africa, this is one inspirational list. A few of the brands have manufacturing in the US. Others, are dedicated to inclusive sizing and color palettes. Many are embracing multiple paths to make the world better. Shopping them is a great way to support this approach.

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Poplin in Forbes!

Ever wonder what your very own personal stylist for women thinks about the blazer dress trend? When the good people at Forbes reached out, I had lots to say.

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Poplin Finds for your Creative Style at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

It’s time for your very own personal stylist for women to shout from the rooftops everything you need to know from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. Yes! Using your authentic personal style key words helps you filter items before you buy. This ensures that your closet is only filled with pieces that communicate who you are without using words. With this approach in mind, I’ve got 5 lists for you. Each one is jam packed with pieces that communicate one of the following archetypal key words: Edgy, Boho, Classic, Creative and Effortless. Kick things off with the posts that speak to you the most. But, don’t stop there. Remember, chambray shirts are classic and leather jackets tend to be edgy. So, you’ll likely find items you adore in every post. And they are ALL ON SALE. Items are always super functional for your life and sell quickly. So, keep that in mind and have a great time.

Welcome back to a Nordstrom Anniversary Sale worth shopping!

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Poplin Finds for Your Classic Style at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

As a personal stylist for women based in Seattle, the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale used to be a key milestone in my year. After all, Nordstrom is a beloved hometown company and this sale is the opportunity to shop fall pieces on sale before the prices increase. Genius. Clients would pre-book shopping trips during the sale. I’d plan for a sea of wishlists highlighting items. Then, came COVID.

Not only did clothing needs change rapidly in 2020, but the ripple effects on the fashion industry continue to have a very real impact. Ongoing supply chain issues, halts and delays in production due to COVID cases, shortages of qualified retail staff and more have made it easy to forget all about Anniversary. If those weren’t enough, my visits to Nordstrom stores over the past few years have been disappointing as the better finds were available online and not in stores.

Until now. I hit a local Nordstrom early last week to see the pre-sale and to peruse summer clothes. I was ELATED to find pieces I wanted to buy. Full disclosure: I was deep into warm weather clothes that weren’t on sale, so if that’s your jam right now, Nordstrom is still a solid go-to. As for fall pieces on sale, I’ve got those, too!

So, we’re back to my annual list of anniversary finds. In fact, there are 5 lists- Each one devoted to one of five archetypal style key words: Effortless, Classic, Edgy, Creative and Boho. Fun fact, those are also on the main Poplin Pinterest personal style boards on the website. So, if you enjoy the list, hop onto Pinterest and see recommendations from other retailers. One more thing, make sure to explore all the boards. After all, you may not see yourself as having a classic style, but a chambray shirt or pair of jeans is pretty classic. So, you’ll find those in the “classic” group. Have so much fun and LMK what you think!

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Poplin Finds for your Effortless Style at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

Ready to embrace your effortless side while saving some cash? This is a great place to start. The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale kicks off today and items always go quickly.

We’re back to my annual list of Nordstrom Anniversary Sale finds. In fact, there are 5 lists- Each one devoted to one of five archetypal style key words: Effortless, Classic, Edgy, Creative and Boho. Fun fact, those are also on the main Poplin Pinterest personal style boards on the website. So, if you enjoy the list, hop onto Pinterest and see recommendations from other retailers. One more thing, make sure to explore all the boards. After all, you may not see yourself as having a classic style, but a chambray shirt or pair of jeans is pretty classic. So, you’ll find those in the “classic” group. Have so much fun and LMK what you think!

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Boho Finds at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

As a personal stylist for women, I’m on the hunt for great value for my clients at all times. And, as a Seattle-ite, I’m a long time fan of our hometown hero, Nordstrom. Historically, the Anniversary Sale has been a holiday for all of us, although these past couple of years that hasn’t been the case. No longer! It’s time for fun finds at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. Feeling overwhelmed by all the choices? I’ve got more good news for you. We’ve got 5, count them 5! blog posts for Anniversary. Each one is focused on a different archetypal personal style key word. Start with the best fit for your authentic personal style and dive into the the others, just in case. After all, sneakers are effortless and leather jackets are often edgy, so you might find gems in more than one list.

Specifically, we’ve got 5 blog posts- Each one devoted to one of five archetypal style key words: Classic, Effortless, Creative, Boho and Edgy. Fun fact, those are also on the main Poplin Pinterest personal style boards on the website: Effortless, Classic, Edgy, Creative and Boho. So, if you enjoy the list, hop onto Pinterest and see recommendations from other retailers. Have fun and let me know how it goes.

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Edgy Poplin Finds at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

As your very own personal stylist for women, I would like to welcome to your 5 Nordstrom Anniversary 2022 Shopping Lists! There are 5 lists- Each one devoted to one of five archetypal style key words: Effortless, Classic, Boho, Creative and Edgy. Fun fact, those are also on the main Poplin Pinterest personal style boards or on the website at Effortless, Classic, Edgy, Creative and Boho. So, if you enjoy the list, hop onto Pinterest and see recommendations from other retailers. One more thing, make sure to explore all the boards. After all, you may not see yourself as having a classic style, but a chambray shirt or pair of jeans is pretty classic. So, you’ll find those in the “classic” group. Have so much fun and LMK what you think!

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My Favorite Things Right Now

Why does it feel like so often I’m starting newsletters and blog posts with something about how rough things have been? (Typically, newsletters are more personal and have some added good stuff, so subscribe if you don’t already.) These past couple of weeks are no exception. In fact, in a lot of ways, things feel worse than ever.

But they are not. We’re resilient and capable and it’s very important to remember that, especially when things feel like they are at their worst.

Looking for ways to actually FEEL better? How about diving into this list of my favorite things and poaching some for yourself? I’m confident we’ll feel stronger together:)

My Favorite Things Right Now

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What to Wear to that Summer Wedding

As a personal stylist for women, I know that this is the time of the year that I start hearing from panicked clients frantically searching for the ideal outfit for that summer wedding… or those several summer weddings. This year, the struggle is more severe. After all, it’s been a few years since most of us have attended a large event with a dress code. The COVID 15 or 20 is a factor for many, not to mention the social anxiety of traversing the style continuum from sweats to cocktail attire. If none of those obstacles apply and you are an extrovert like me who is elated for this opportunity to kick things up a notch, you might also be faced with the daunting challenge of shopping right now. COVID has not only left a mark on our psyches, it has had a significant impact on our choices from supply chain issues to inflation. Finding that ideal dress that is both available and affordable is harder than ever.

Not to worry, Dear Reader! I’ve got you covered. I’ve been living in this space for weeks as I shop for clients and for myself and I’m here with solutions. Have some fun with it. Remember, what matters most is seeing the people you love IRL, not what you are wearing. But, really, when you love what you are wearing, you are bound to have a much better time and be happy with the photos afterward. Off we go!

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Spring Cleaning: 5 Useful Things to Do with Your Old Clothes Other Than Purging Them

I spent yesterday afternoon revamping my husband’s closet. Fun Fact: Years prior to starting Poplin and becoming a Personal Stylist, I would create outfits for my husband and take photos of them that he could reference on his phone. He used them all the time and when it was time for a career change, we realized that what are now, “outfit photos” for clients, are an incredibly useful tool for men and women trying to look their best and get out of the house quickly.

Back to the closet. If you, like me, are especially inclined to do some deep cleaning and reorganizing as the weather changes, you likely already have a few bags of clothes and shoes to be donated. Before those head out the door, there are some really useful ways you can capitalize on your beloved pieces before they go to their next owner.



5 Useful Ways to use your Old Clothes Instead of Donating Them

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How to Look Amazing in a Sweatshirt

As a personal stylist for women, I get all sorts of questions about what to wear and how to wear it. As a stylist during the pandemic, those questions move quickly to loungewear and how to look great while being supremely comfortable. Fortunately, functionality has always been at the core of Poplin, so answering these questions is easy.

Personally, I’ve never been much of a sweatshirt person. I always felt pretty sloppy in them. Historically, I’ve owned one or two at a time, if any at all. Now, I have an entire drawer of sweatshirts and I wear one most days. I love the versatility, the ability to wash them so quickly and with all the germ awareness we’ve developed over the past few years, they feel much cleaner than a sweater because you can bleach them or wash them in hot water. Options abound. The key is ensuring that you feel like your authentic self AND that you are still communicating your style at the level that makes you look and feel your best.

First off, you’ll want to choose the right sweatshirt for your body type and your authentic personal style. Plus, it should obviously be cozy. Otherwise, what are we doing here? Here are some ideas to kick things off.

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