A Colorful Life-In Appreciation-Lilly Pulitzer Rousseau

 “Anything is possible with sunshine and a little pink.”

 Lilly Pulitzer Rousseau (1931-2013)

Lilly Pulitzer was a freespirit.  The Palm Beach socialite loved a party and believed style should be comfortable, easy and above all fun.  She walked barefoot down Worth Avenue and truly embodied what became her namesake style-The Lilly. 

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 Can a simple dress change your day-if it is a Lilly it can. 

 "Style isn't just about what you wear, it's about how you live" 

Lilly in her first shop on Via Mizner by Howell Conant via

What's a Lilly?  Well, it couldn't be easier-three holes for arms and to put your head through, two darts, two slits on each side, sewn of simple cotton in the most fun and colorful prints... and you're dressed.  Sure it's a simple shift but in Lilly's hands -it became an icon.  Come Visit The Shopping Bag Chronicles

Jackie in a Lilly, 1962 via LIFE

"Being happy never goes out of style" 

Lilly Pulitzer Rousseau

Mad for Plaid-Cape Madras Happy!

Inside me lives a true Preppy Princess. I still have all my Bermuda Bag covers- monogrammed of course-Ziploc bags filled with headbands and grosgrain ribbon belts,a closet filled with Jack Rogers and Lillys ...crisp stripes, polka dots and of course lots of Madras plaid! Maybe it started with my love for everything Pink, or maybe it was just the decade I grew up in, but preppy plaids still makes me smile. If you dig through the dressing closet at Camp MP you will even find Madras Plaid sneakers and a Preppy Teddy Bear named Ernest who sports a summer plaid sports jacket. In the sunroom there is a loveseat covered in a perfect Bermuda plaid that greets me with a smile even on the dreariest day.

It's no wonder then that when I bumped into a shop in Maine filled with happy Patch Madras that I felt instantly at home.  Cape Madras is a spirited and colorful collection of women's and men's apparel, as well as homegoods, all done in yummy hued soft plaid fabrics that not only bring back memories of lost sunny days, but also of wardrobe pieces that have never gone out of summer style.

The Cape Madras collection got its start in one of my favorite summer spots, Cape Elizabeth Maine, known for its lighthouses, spectacular views and lobster rolls. The line grew from Jenna Sisselman's own "lightbulb" moment flipping through a 60's yearbook and deciding to breath new life into those classic Patch Madras styles. Can Patch Madras change your day? All I know is when I walked into Jenna's Freeport Cape Madras shop it was grey and gloomy and when I left the sun was shining for the first time in days-Thanks Jenna for a fun visit! For more on Cape Madras Come Visit The Shopping Bag Chronicles