Kelly Rutherford Invented Elevator Chic

Channeling the queen of sophisticated style

When I say, “elevator selfie” or “Uptown cool” or even “beige cashmere,” I’m pretty certain Kelly Rutherford comes to mind. How could she not? Cemented in our imaginations as Lily van der Woodsen, she’s somehow even more elegant in real life. Enough gushing! You’re wondering how to channel some of her sophistication yourself and I’m here to help.

Quick reminder—part of the reason why our queen’s personal style is worthy of a deep dive is because she’s figured out what works. And repeated it!

Outfit Repeating Will Set You Free

Personality sunglasses

Keep your tiny sunglasses away from Kelly! I’m constantly clocking her excellent eyewear choices when it comes to her outfits. Some are certainly expensive, but the larger message here is to keep at least one pair of unique sunnies in the rotation to turn a simple outfit up a notch.

My advice here is to spend a day try on a BUNCH of pairs, even if you have no intent of purchasing! Go anywhere with a massive selection—whether its Bergdorf’s or Warby Parker. And go with someone you trust. Take pictures of anything that you’re convinced is compelling. Then make notes of the commonalities. You’ll be way more prepared to shop for sunglasses secondhand this way. Bonus points for taking a tiny tape measure for accuracy.

I like that these feel very much like something Kelly Rutherford would wear without being too trendy. Here’s a secondhand option with amazing lenses and way cheaper. Speaking of…

I’m pioneering a new format for Long Live called Splurge, Save, and Secondhand. It’s, well, it’s exactly what it sounds like and exists to train you to think about every purchase as categorically aligned with one of these tenets. The first ever is the other trademark accessory of KR’s, which is a camel bag.

Splurge: Suede crossbody, Convertible leather / Save: Ideal Madewell tote / Secondhand: Suede clutch, Snakeskin shoulder bag

Midi skirt

I’ll start with a confession: midi skirts look bad on me. Well, if they hit the proper spot on my calf, that might not be the case, but the style always ends up reading a bit too short on me.

I find them generally extremely flattering and ladylike. I’ve had a style crush on them since the Tibi skirt of 2015…and if you don’t get that reference, I’m sorry. Note how Kelly resists the urge to tuck a shirt into the midi skirt. It gives the silhouette a much more modern appeal.

For those following along at home, I love the look of a midi with a button down, buttoned just to the waist of the skirt, undone the rest of the way.

I have exactly one exception to this rule, which is this midi skirt from Boden that comes in a long length. I can’t recommend it enough, especially for dressing up!

Splurge: Kallmeyer classic, Pleated beauty / Save: Simple cotton, Shiny and sleek / Secondhand: Theory boho, Plaid option, Ralph Lauren silky

This Massimo Dutti skirt is great, but I’m mostly including it for style inspo for you. Tall boots! Long sleeve shirt! It’s that easy.

Oversized or no collar at all

Extreme is interesting! Someone told me Jenna Lyons told them this once. And nothing hits like a loosely attributed Jenna Lyons quote. Is your collar working for you? Or is it simply…a collar.

How tragic! You could pop it, a simple maneuver that delivers max 80s prep. Or you could keep your eyes peeled for something oversized next time around. A collarless jacket is another option; truly smashing with a turtleneck underneath. I’d love a little insight on where the hell Kelly is storing all these delectable outerwear pieces…

I do think I could mail Kelly Rutherford this exact coat and she’d be thrilled to wear it.

Splurge: Elevated take on a blazer, Shearling stunner / Save: Collarless pink, Layering hero / Secondhand: Oversized collar trench, Preloved Ulla Johnson, My fav secondhand coat brand

This doesn’t fit in the category perfectly, but I do think with a cashmere turtleneck underneath it’s very aligned. With this lipstick! And speaking of the Kelly Rutherford look beyond what’s hanging in her wardrobe…

Kelly Rutherford's skin has always had an effortless glow. You know the look—lifted, bright, that subtle radiance that reads as "I take care of myself" without screaming "I spent $2000 on a facial." I've been using the ZIIP HALO 2.0 for a few weeks now and it's the closest I've gotten to cracking the code.

It's an at-home microcurrent device that uses electrical currents naturally found within the body to treat various skin concerns from lifting and firming to combatting problem skin.It sounds intense but is actually incredibly easy to use. You can sync the device to the ZIIP app that has programmed 17 different treatments. Each treatment has a completely unique waveform, which determines how the electrical current interacts with your skin, therefore tailoring your results depending on what your skin needs that day (I'm obsessed with the 4-minute facial for mornings and the brightening treatment before events).

The new ZIIP HALO 2.0 device comes with a travel case and three premium conductive gels tailored to different skin concerns, and I've been rotating between the Golden Gel for plumpness and the Silver Gel for hydration. It's one of those tools that makes you feel like you're investing in your skin instead of just covering problems with makeup. Use code LONGLIVE for 10% off the device and gels.

Shades of cream

Here’s your homework: wear an outfit consisting entirely of shades of cream. That’s the only rule! I won’t take seasonality as an excuse. You might be surprised how cool you feel going through out your day.

A great pair of white or cream pants is a wardrobe cornerstone I’m surprised a lot of people are missing. I remember some weird messaging in like 2007 about whit pants making people look “fat”? But same with horizontal stripes. And let’s be real—vertical stripes never really took off.

I’m very into this practical, elevated coat that’s on sale for 77%. You could pair with a white linen blazer underneath.

Splurge: Maje statement coat, Oversized turtleneck, Cashmere scarf / Save: BR linen top, Cool linen tank, Excellent white-ish jeans / Secondhand: Preloved puffy sleeve Aje, Frilly Veronica Beard, This vest!!

My first pair of Yuni Buffa ballet flats just arrived (I went with white per Sarah Kim Harned) but Kelly is in this pair above! They are buttery.

Texture is key here! Linen! Cashmere! Denim! More contrast! And don’t be afraid to ground the look in a bright white or chestnut shoe. Black sunglasses are also a winning accessory.

These are from a collab Kelly Rutherford did…very into. Here’s a slightly more affordable option.

Thanks to our friends at ZIIP for sponsoring a portion of this letter.

Honorable Mentions

Here are five new-to-me fashion Substacks from the Long Live community. Eat your heart out! And comment yours below 💘

Slow & Styled by Monika Rosie Young

LOWBALLZ

La Deeply Shallow by Laura Kirk De Valencia

Calm and Chaos in Equal Measure

The Thick-Thrift Diaries

Thank you for reading Long Live. It means so much to me. You can order my romance novel, Exit Lane, on Amazon and Bookshop. Follow along on Instagram + Tiktok. Shop all my favs here. Get matched at EV Salon. If you’re interested in partnering, email evan@erikaveurink.com x