Another super long letter. Read in the Substack app or website for all the content.
A few weeks ago, I spent a week in Palm Beach on a work offsite. That meant that most days were heads-down, working IRL with people I see on Slack every day and tackling big projects. All that to say, I am who I am, and I was on the lookout for hits of that signature Palm Beach style.
Maybe you’ve seen these Tiktoks or like me, can’t quite seem to keep Palm Beach and Palm Springs seperate, but whatever the case, the town has quite a history with great outfits. Since I’m not a pro, I called in one—Mira Fain, EVP of Design and Development at Lilly Pulitzer.
How would you describe the quintessential Palm Beach style? Effortless chic, rooted in Resort lifestyle, always pulled together but not stuffy—you’re living in a slice of paradise, it’s meant to be enjoyed!
Is there a signature accessory when it comes to Palm Beach style? Of course, you need sunnies and gold sandals, but we always say the best accessory worn in Palm Beach is a sunny attitude and a great smile.
What makes Palm Beach the spiritual home for Lilly Pulitzer? How does the brand continue to draw inspiration from the area? Palm Beach is where it all began —Lilly is the originator of American Resort wear; Palm Beach is where Lilly lived and where we continue to draw inspiration from every season. The light on the island is magical and the best in the world. We design collections here and find endless inspiration to carry into our upcoming seasons in addition to frequent campaign photo shoots capturing our favorite corners of the island.
Here are ten things I saw more than once, between vision casting sessions and team bonding at night. We can all learn to have a little more fun with our outfits from the chic women of Palm Beach.
Thick cuffs on pants
POV you’re my coworker and you see my whip out my phone to take a picture of a strong cuff at check in. Maybe it’s the fact that I’d need a 40 inch inseam for that kind of look, but I just love the way it makes an outfit feel instantly more casual. I saw thick cuffs a few times walking around. These are people who can afford tailoring, obviously, so the choice to keep pants long and wear them cuffed with jeans feels fresh to me. Want to recreate at home? Buy Levis a little too long and see how they feel! Chop them with a hem if you hate the look.
I haven’t even had time to report on my recent Buck Mason visit. They’re making the closest thing to vintage jeans off the rack I’ve ever seen in my life and under $200. These would be a great option for recreating this look.
These are under $40 on eBay and just begging to be cuffed. I always, always go bigger on waist size than I think on Levi’s.
If you’re tiny and short, these would be great for you. They’re Imogene + Willie on Noihsaf.
Lady jackets worn as shirts
This isn’t a surprise to anyone. Picture Palm Beach and a chic little lady jacket is the first thing that comes to mind! Lilly Pulitzer was kind enough to invite me into the store (outing with
how cute) to pick out some pieces.I landed on this jacket and a pink shift. I wore the jacket last week as a shirt (you can see it here) and one of my girlfriends asked if it was CELINE. I’m as shocked as you are.
The key with this look is to balance out the rest of the look. I wore mine with old Levi’s and you could wear yours with cargo shorts or track shorts or a pooling pair of trousers.
I love this set from Hill House for those of you who are ignoring my idea of juxtaposing. Honestly, I support it!
For those who like the idea, but tend to go for something a little more modern, I love the idea of this as a power jacket for a big meeting.
So cute with jeans and $32 on eBay!
BONUS! This isn’t a lady jacket, but I found it while looking and it’s so perfect and 11 dollars.
BIG sunnies
Truly, throw out your tiny sunglasses on the flight down to Palm Beach. I loved seeing women in all kinds of big sunglasses. The best part is, this is a really inexpensive way to get into the Palm Beach spirit.
I’m personally lusting after these Tom Ford sunnies on eBay.
Or maybe these old school Celines are more your speed? They’re under $80.
Commit to the bit and go full send on these Ray Bans. God, they’re divine.
Oversized cashmere
Nothing too precious here—draped over the shoulder or worn over tennis whites on a run back to the house before lunch. I’ve always been drawn to cashmere that feels lived-in and it seems me and the women of Palm Beach are aligned. (Theirs are Loro Piana, to be clear)
I wore this on the plane and for colder nights. Tall people, get into it! The sleeves are super long.
Get in on the Loro Piana fun. This is $350.
White denim
It hardly comes as a surprise, but white denim is the pant of choice in Palm Beach. Not all of it was Talbots-esque, either. I saw some cool barrel legs and vintage styles, too. Let’s see if I can dig up some shoppable examples. I love Wrangler Cowboy Cut jeans (regular not slim) and they’re under $50.
Back to our beloved Buck Mason. These are under $150 and fit like a dream.
Nili Lotan! Are you kidding me? These are perfect pants. They’re $395 so they should be.
$36 vintage Levi’s 501s on eBay—a little more my speed.
Boat shoes
Don’t shoot the messenger. I’ve been on this beat since the start of the year and if Palm Beach is any indication, we’re just getting started with the Sperry revival. You can buy them secondhand for cheap still, but get a new pair. I’m totally pro used shoes, but boat shoes, well maybe they’re the exception.
I wear this men’s style with bright blue socks and jeans about once per week.
Midi dresses with belts
Midi dresses were huge in Palm Beach. I’ve always been partial to the silhouette, so it’s great to see it having a real moment. I noticed that most people chose to tie into the waist with a belt or a tie of some sort. I was at Swifty’s while Hunter Bell was hosting a lunch (love the brand and founder), so it felt apropos to include a pick from them.
For all your late lunching needs.
This is so Palm Beach. Preowned Rhode on Noihsaf for $350.
Julia Armory is a Palm Beach-based brand and this style ($298) is an ideal balance of beach and city life.
All black (or white) athletic wear
This surprised and delighted me. The women I spotted darting into pilates studios or playing tennis were in total monochrome. The effect was very chic, deeply serious, and a good reminder that when it comes to working out, the best outfits are the ones that no one notices, in my opinion. Think lululemon and Wear One’s At.
Sun hats with style in mind
Even in April, the Florida sun was no joke. There were plenty of hats, some cuter than others, on full display. And a baseball hat is a good start, but these women seemed to know that the shade from a wide brim is worth its weight in SPF.
Super curious about this SFP hat from Prequel and it’s $30.
Jenni Kayne is so good at hats. This one is $195 and staunchly not a bucket hat.
Keep it classic with this $40 option, the kind of thing I wore in the cornfields as a teenager.
Crispy white button up
Is there anything better? Ironed, not a wrinkle in sight, collar starched to the gods. It changes the entire mood of an outfit. Cropped, tunic, shirt dress—however you dice it, Palm Beach gets the beauty of the timeless style staple.
A custom shirt from Chava Studio is all I ever really want.
Flirty shirtdress from TRR from Lafayette 148 for $160.
Honorable Mentions
Listen to this episode from Money with Katie while walking Worth Avenue.
Preorder Consent if you love Annie Ernaux and Claire Dederer.
Read this by Leslie Jamison and say “no” to one thing this week.
I didn’t listen to my friends and I should have. Negative makes the best unders. This and this in particular are incredible.
Watch the Sue Bird doc and immediately purchase tickets to your local WNBA team.
Thank you for reading Long Live. It means so much to me. You can shop my favs here, follow along on Instagram + Tiktok, shop my Notion template, and as always, respond to this dispatch for my direct line x
those ray bans... are everything...
So good, love the jeans links! (And, selling a vintage Lily P dress on noihsaf if anyone is interested! https://noihsafbazaar.com/item/48y320-waffle-knit-flower-shift-dress)