Summer Style Inspiration: Lee Radziwill

I’m going to keep it in the Kennedy-ish clan one last time for this series and spend today’s piece focusing on the amazing Lee Radziwill. Lee was the sister of Jackie Kennedy, and like her, remains an icon of elegance and style.

During her lifetime, Lee played many different roles. She was a decorator, an actress, a princess, a debutante, a fashion PR executive, and much, much more. Regardless of what she was doing, she always maintained a sophisticated aura. This aura of course translated into an incredible sense of style.

Like all of the other women I have featured in this series, all of Lee’s outfits are fabulous, but since I’m only focusing on summer style, I’m only going to pull pictures that feature pieces that are wearable during the summer. Below are some of my favorites!

Here is Lee and her friend, author Truman Capote, walking the streets of Manhattan in 1968. Though this outfit could easily be worn on a warm fall day, the button-down dress is perfect for summer since the light-weight fabric makes it so that you aren’t feeling profusely hot on a warm July day. Lee added a belt to cinch in her waist and make the dress look a bit more tailored. For shoes, she chose to wear flats, but if you want to make the look more casual, you could wear sandals instead.

While this look is considerably more casual than the last one, it is still very chic. Keeping it incredibly simple, Lee is just wearing a t-shirt and flare jeans. The key to this outfit is the proportions, which are perfect. The jeans are the perfect length and cut, and are my personal favorite style. This is the perfect outfit for when you have no idea what to wear. You can wear it to the beach (like Lee) or to an afternoon lunch. If you want to dress it up, all you have to do is add sandals, flats, or heels, a few bracelets, and perhaps a silk scarf or belt.

This next outfit features a stunning pair of beige (maybe linen) trousers, a white blouse, and a few fabulous accessories. I think there is something truly beautiful about mixing neutrals, and this ensemble is no exception. Lee adds the perfect accessories to pull the outfit together, such as her giant pearl earrings, gold clutch, and what I think is a brooch on her trousers. This is a great outfit for both day time and evening.

This last outfit is one of my favorites of all time. It features a perfect white button-down and a gorgeous skirt with a darling little bow at the top. The incredible thing about a white button-down is that it can take center-stage or let another piece do most of the talking. In this case, it perfectly compliments the skirt, letting it take the spotlight. While the skirt’s print as a dress may be a little too daring for some, trying a more playful print on the skirt and then pairing with a white button-down helps to balance out the outfit and give it something to contrast. Lee’s outfit is the perfect example on how to use this formula for a spring/summer look.

Thank you so much for reading! I’m still thinking about the focus for next week’s post… maybe Audrey Hepburn? We’ll see!