New England Style, Wherever You Go
There is a particular kind of summer morning on Nantucket where the whole island feels dressed in its Sunday best — the flag snapping in front of a shingled storefront, the hydrangeas foaming over a picket fence, the brick sidewalk still cool underfoot. The outfit that matches it is almost always the same: a red sundress that catches the wind, a pair of oversized black sunglasses, crisp white slides that survive the cobblestones, and a canvas boat tote loaded with a paperback, a sweatshirt for the ferry, and a bunch of blooms from the market. It is easy, timeless, and effortlessly chic — the New England uniform you can pack in a weekender and wear from Straight Wharf to Chatham to Kennebunkport without changing a thing. This is the look we come back to every July, and the one that photographs beautifully every single time.
The Lobstah Boat Tote
Our own natural canvas boat tote with cheerful pink handles, a hand-embroidered Maine Lobstah patch, and a floral silk scarf tied at the strap — the summer bag I'd pack for the ferry, the farmers market, and every long weekend from Nantucket to Kennebunkport.
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.
- 01One Great Red Dress
A cherry-red sundress reads instantly polished against shingled houses, blue hydrangeas, and a striped American flag.
- 02Oversized Black Sunglasses
The single accessory that finishes every summer outfit — chunky, glossy, and a little bit it-girl.
- 03Clean White Slides
Crisp leather sandals that walk the cobblestones, the beach path, and the boat deck without missing a beat.
- 04A Canvas Boat Tote
The one bag that holds the paperback, the sweatshirt, and the market flowers — and looks better the more you use it.
Easy. Timeless. Effortlessly chic.
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.
The Lobstah Boat Tote
Our own natural canvas boat tote with cheerful pink handles, a hand-embroidered Maine Lobstah patch, and a floral silk scarf tied at the strap — the summer bag I'd pack for the ferry, the farmers market, and every long weekend from Nantucket to Kennebunkport.
Red Terry Cloth V-Neck Mini Sundress
A cherry-red terry sundress with a deep V-neckline and a soft skater flare — the July-afternoon dress I'd throw over a swimsuit for a walk down Straight Wharf and a golden-hour cocktail on the porch.
SOJOS Chunky Square Sunglasses — Glossy Black with Gold Detail
Oversized glossy-black square frames with tiny gold-bar accents at the temples — the it-girl sunglasses that finish every red dress, white linen, and boat-tote moment.
Tory Burch Ines Leather Slide Sandals (White)
Crisp white leather with the polished silver double-T medallion — the minimalist slide that walks the cobblestones from Main Street to dinner at the Boarding House.
White Linen Foldover-Waist Wide-Leg Pants
Airy white linen with a soft foldover waistband that skims into a wide, breezy leg — the effortless summer alternative to the sundress. I'd pair them with a pale-pink tank, gold rings, and the Lobstah Boat Tote for a farmer's market morning at Bartlett's or a slow walk along a white picket fence.
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
Pack the palette, not the outfits
Red, white, navy, and a pop of hydrangea blue. Everything mixes with everything else — one weekender holds a week of Nantucket days.
One bag does all the work
A great canvas boat tote is the difference between a chic weekend and a schlepped one. Loaded with a book, a sweatshirt, and a bunch of blooms, it photographs like a magazine cover every time.
Sunglasses are the accessory
The right pair of oversized black sunglasses is worth ten pieces of jewelry. They finish the plainest sundress into an editorial.
Style it another way
Swap the sundress for airy white linen wide-leg pants and a pale-pink tank — the Lobstah Boat Tote goes with everything, from a red terry dress on Straight Wharf to a farmer's market morning at Bartlett's along a crisp white picket fence.
Best For
- Ferry days
- Main Street mornings
- Weekend getaways
- Long summer walks
- Every packing list from June to September
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Save this look for later
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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