A Morning at the Nantucket Tennis Club
There is a very specific hour on Nantucket — sometime between the first coffee and the first hydrangea-lined walk of the day — when the courts at the Casino are still cool, the flag on the lighthouse is snapping, and everything feels like it belongs in a summer catalog. This is the outfit for it. A crisp Lacoste tennis dress, whiter than the sails in the harbor. A pair of Veja Campos with the soft matcha V, quiet enough for the clubhouse and cheerful enough for a walk into town afterward. A blush-pink Teloon racket leaning out of the tote — because a pretty racket is half the fun. And our navy Stars & Stripes Boat Tote packed with a striped towel, a bunch of blue hydrangeas from the farm stand, and a paperback for the porch after. It is easy, spirited, and every inch New England — the morning look I'd wear from a match at the Casino to lunch at Something Natural to a nap on the porch.
Nantucket Stars & Stripes Boat Tote
Our navy-and-natural canvas boat tote with a hand-tied red star-spangled bow, an 'Entering Nantucket' patch, and embroidered sailboat, hydrangea, and life-ring details — the spirited Americana bag I'd sling on the way to the courts and again on the way to the beach.
If you only bring home one piece from this room, begin here — it sets the palette, the scale, and the mood of everything that follows.
View This Piece →The Nantucket Formula
Every layer that makes this room work — and why.
- 01A Whites-Only Tennis Dress
The Lacoste half-zip pleated dress reads instantly polished on court and just as pretty off — cobblestones, farm stands, and clubhouse patios included.
- 02Clean White Sneakers
Veja Campos in white and matcha are quiet, well-made, and the shoe I'd wear with a tennis dress, white linen, or a whole summer of walking.
- 03A Pretty Pink Racket
The Teloon in blush pink is the un-serious flourish that makes the whole look photograph — and turns any morning match into a moment.
- 04The Navy Stars & Stripes Tote
Our natural canvas boat tote with a navy base, embroidered patches, and a red star-spangled bow — the Fourth-of-July-forever bag that holds the racket, the towel, and the hydrangeas.
Whites-only, hydrangea-blue, and a little red bow.
Complete the Look
Every piece was chosen to work beautifully with the next. Build the room in three chapters — foundation first, then layering, then the finishing touches.
Finishing Touches
The small details that make the room feel collected — candles, bowls, trays, greenery.
Nantucket Stars & Stripes Boat Tote
Our navy-and-natural canvas boat tote with a hand-tied red star-spangled bow, an 'Entering Nantucket' patch, and embroidered sailboat, hydrangea, and life-ring details — the spirited Americana bag I'd sling on the way to the courts and again on the way to the beach.
Lacoste Sport Zip-Front Pleated Tennis Dress — White
The whites-only Lacoste Sport dress with a half-zip mock neck, dropped waist, and finely pleated skirt — the timeless court piece for a morning match at the Casino that I'd never take off.
Teloon Recreational Adult Tennis Racket (27", Pink)
Soft blush-pink frame, white grip, pre-strung sweet spot — the cheerful racket that photographs as beautifully leaning against the tote as it plays on the court.
Veja Campo Sneakers — White & Matcha
Creamy white leather with a soft matcha suede V — the quietly perfect sneaker with a tennis dress at 9 a.m. and cobblestones the rest of the day.
Complete the Look in Stages
The best rooms are never finished in a weekend. If you're building this room slowly, here is the order we'd bring things home.
- 01Foundation
Begin with the anchor — the sofa, the rug, or the bed. It sets the scale and the palette for everything else.
- 02Lighting
Layer the light next. A pair of lamps and one small warm bulb do more for the room than any wall color.
- 03Textiles
Add the softness — pillows, throws, a runner. This is where the room begins to feel like yours.
- 04Accessories
Bring in the ginger jars, the trays, the framed watercolors. Style in vignettes of three.
- 05Finishing Touches
Candles, greenery, the small found thing. The details that make the room feel collected, not decorated.
Editor's Notes
Whites-only, always
A Nantucket morning at the courts calls for one crisp white dress, one pair of clean sneakers, and one pretty accessory. That's the whole formula — resist the urge to add more.
Let the tote do the color
When the outfit is quiet, the bag is the moment. A navy canvas tote with a red bow and embroidered patches carries all the Americana the day needs.
Pack for the day, not the match
A striped towel, a paperback, a water bottle, and a bunch of blue hydrangeas from Bartlett's — the tennis bag becomes the beach bag becomes the porch bag.
Best For
- Morning tennis at the Casino
- The Fourth of July weekend
- Walking into town from the courts
- Every whites-only summer day
- The New England packing list
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The Coastal Cottage Styling Guide
A 12-page Nantucket-inspired playbook — hydrangea-blue rooms, weathered cedar curb appeal, and the pieces I'd buy again tomorrow. Plus the weekly Sunday finds. Free, no spam.
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