If I Gifted Myself…

It’s fun to stop and think about what you’d gift yourself during a time when you’re mostly worrying about what you’ll gift everyone else. From what I personally own, use, love, and consider great gifts, to what I have in my own shopping cart (in case my family needs any ideas!), I’ve put together a guide with my suggestions. Happy shopping 🎁 xo, Nikki

Nikki Kule Gift Guide 2023

Hermès Les Mains Nail Enamel in Porcelain Rose, Lisa Corti Nizam Flower Napkins, Sophie Bille Brahe Pearl Cluster Earrings, Sofia Coppola Archive, KULE Art Socks, Jennifer Alfano Large Mariner Link 18k Bracelet, Jennifer Alfano Circle Pendant, KULE Pauline Flower Appliqué Sweatshirt, Alaia Heart-Toe Slingback Pumps, KULE Art Kap, Tanya Ling The Carriage Hall Positif Silkscreen, Courrèges ‘La Fille De L’Air’ Eau De Parfum, Bottega Veneta Mini Pouch Bag

For more help with gifting, check out The KULE Gift List.

On the Dot

This fall season, Nikki decided to add a new pattern that would pair well and distinguish itself from our iconic stripes. We’ve worked with checks, gingham, and florals, and now Nikki included a new abstract design: polka dots! Polka dots seemed like the natural progression, and it just so happens to be the trend of the season. With sweaters, silk sets, and accessories, KULE is on the dot.

KULE Fall Winter 2023 silk polka dots
KULE Fall 2023 featuring Polka Dots!
Photographed by Mei Tao

Like stripes, polka dots have a long history of being worn by style icons. During the 1950s, names like Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor were part of the polka dot club. Christian Dior used polka dots in its 1954 collection, in what Vogue called a “direct, unblushing plan to make women extravagantly, romantically, eyelash-battingly female.” For Nikki, the photos below of Jane Fonda, whose iconic images wearing polka dots, were a source of inspiration.

KULE Fall Winter 2023 Jane Fonda polka dots
Image via Pinterest
Jane Fonda polka dot inspiration for KULE Fall 2023
Image via Pinterest

Queen Elizabeth was also a frequent polka dot wearer. The below image shot in 1985 reflects the mood of the Gigi quilted headscarf and Georgie coat, both part of Fall 2023.

Queen Elizabeth inspo imagery with wellies
Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret in 1985
Image: Serge Lemoine/Getty Images
KULE Fall Winter 2023 polka dot jacket
KULE Georgie polka dot jacket and Gigi polka dot quilted scarf styled with vintage Saint Laurent rain boots
The Lottie Sweater

The Lottie Sweater

The Silk Mischa Mini Dot Scarf

The Silk Mischa Mini Dot Scarf

The Silk Ponza Shirt

The Silk Ponza Shirt

The Silk Lido Pants

The Silk Lido Pants

The Georgie Jacket

The Georgie Jacket

The Gigi Quilted Scarf

The Gigi Quilted Scarf

The Dottie Cardigan

The Dottie Cardigan

The Silk Ponza Shirt

The Silk Ponza Shirt

The Silk Lido Pants

The Silk Lido Pants

The Simon Vest

The Simon Vest

The Dottie Cardigan

The Dottie Cardigan

The Over The Shoulder Dot Tote

The Over The Shoulder Dot Tote

The Polka Dot Socks

The Polka Dot Socks

A silk polka dot shirt, silk scarf or one of our fun dot sweaters is a timeless investment as polka dots have no trend expiration date, though they are very popular this season. Mixing a couple of polka dot pieces together for a full spotted look or wearing a single dotted piece, is an easy way to update your fall outfit.

The Silk Ponza

The Silk Ponza

The Dottie Sweater

The Dottie Sweater

The Row x Oliver Peoples Sunglasses

The Row x Oliver Peoples Sunglasses

The Silk Ponza

The Silk Ponza

The Lottie Sweater

The Lottie Sweater

The Silk Lido

The Silk Lido

The Row Sandals

The Row Sandals

Khaite x Oliver People Sunglasses

Khaite x Oliver People Sunglasses

Loewe Bag

Loewe Bag

Jennifer Alfano Necklace

Jennifer Alfano Necklace

Shop the entire KULE Polka Dot Collection here.

Dot… dot… dot.

Do Me a Solid

You know us for our striped tees, which have become a signature of the KULE brand, but did you know we also make solid tees? Like all our tees, they’re made in Portugal (read more about Nikki’s production trip to Portugal here!). In 100% organic cotton, our tees are incredibly soft but long-lasting–a wardrobe staple. We reach for these solid tees whenever we style a new collection or, frankly, get dressed on the daily.

KULE white tees

We are best known for our Modern tee, which is soft, light, and straight cut. It’s the silhouette you want to wear daily, and customers keep returning for. Vogue says that the Modern tee has “a classic unisex shape and soft, lightweight feel, with sleeves that are just long enough and never too tight.” All your bases are covered in white, navy, heather grey, and black. 

KULE Modern tee in white

The Modern

The Modern

The Modern

The Modern

The Modern

The Modern

The Modern

The Modern

We also have the Modern Long if you’re a year-round long-sleeve tee personality. It pairs perfectly with shorts or a lightweight, long-sleeve for a nighttime walk on the beach.

KULE Modern Long tee in white

The Modern Long

The Modern Long

The Modern Long

The Modern Long

The Modern Long

The Modern Long

The Modern Long

The Modern Long

The Modern Long

The Modern Long

We also have three tanks, perfect for both the thick of summer and year-round layering. Our first tank is the Ribbed Lenny, a form-fitting ribbed tank. It’s a great base layer (we love it with a blazer or cardigan) and a classic light top option for summer.

KULE Lenny tank in white

The Ribbed Lenny

The Ribbed Lenny

The Ribbed Lenny

The Ribbed Lenny

The Ribbed Lenny

The Ribbed Lenny

The Ribbed Lenny

The Ribbed Lenny

New for summer, we have the Ribbed Eleni, a slightly cropped tank with a finer rib and piped finishing, available in white and heather grey, but we’d be robbing you if we didn’t mention the new stripes that just launched, too.

KULE Eleni tank white

The Ribbed Eleni

The Ribbed Eleni

The Ribbed Eleni

The Ribbed Eleni

The Ribbed Eleni

The Ribbed Eleni

The Ribbed Eleni

The Ribbed Eleni

Our third is the classic Tank, a customer favorite for years. We like to think of this style as a “sleeveless tee” as it has the body and neckline of the Modern.

KULE Tank in white

The Tank

The Tank

The Tank

The Tank

The Tank

The Tank

This spring, we introduced the Wynn tee, which we call a “baby” tee, as it’s meant to have a smaller, almost “shrunken” body. It’s perfect to wear when you don’t want to tuck your tee into your jeans with a shorter hem length. And you can fit a stick of emergency gum in its little pocket!

KULE Wynn tee in white

The Wynn

The Wynn

The Wynn

The Wynn

The Wynn

The Wynn

Made for both layering and wearing alone, we have the Rugby. The KULE version is from the same lightweight, super-soft cotton we use in our Modern tees. No stiff, thick rugbies here! This solid version is an easy everyday long-sleeve tee with a rugby collar, perfect for layering under crewnecks or on its own. Now you need to decide: collar popped or down?

KULE Rugby tee in white

The Rugby

The Rugby

The Rugby

The Rugby

The Rugby

The Rugby

The Rugby

The Rugby

And, while we are in the middle of summer, we would be remiss not to mention our Turtleneck, a style customers love so much that we expanded our solid color assortment 🙂. A natural extension from our other tees you know and love, it is the perfect layering piece for fall or summer. We won’t judge.

KULE Turtleneck tee in white

The Turtleneck

The Turtleneck

The Turtleneck

The Turtleneck

The Turtleneck

The Turtleneck

The Turtleneck

The Turtleneck

So dive into the world of KULE solids. If you have any fit questions, our stores are always happy to help you 🙂

A Summer Palette

We are thrilled to report that the sun is out, the sleeves are off, and the hems are short! Now that we’re deep into June, we can breathe a summer sigh of relief. We can finally wear our favorite styles from our new summer collection. With a calendar full of days under the sun and by the water, we’re diving into the inspiration behind and ways to wear these summer styles ☀️.

KULE mood board for June summer collection

The summer palette features blush pinks, dusty blues, and natural tones. When designing the summer drop, Nikki looked at raffia, wicker, and soft flower petals. She picked fresh colors that look great with the ocean, inspired by summer travels.

KULE June ribbed cropped Eleni tank
That perfect ribbed tank, The Eleni, will be a summer game-changer. This newest silhouette is slightly cropped with a finer rib and piped finishing, available in white and heather grey. It’s a summer must-have and pairs well with a cocktail.
Capri Italy inspiration for KULE June
… the ideal location for said cocktail in your summer look. Capri, Italy photographed by Ralph Crane,1949 via @laparisiennecapri
The Eleni Ribbed Tank

The Eleni Ribbed Tank

The Reine

The Reine

Bembien Clutch

Bembien Clutch

Tkees Sandals

Tkees Sandals

Mykita Sunglasses

Mykita Sunglasses

Nikki always looks to art as an inspiration when designing. The colors of this Claire Tabouret painting were a starting point, while the stripes in Chantal Joffe’s set the mood for this summer collection.

KULE dusty pink Malibu tee and flowers
The bestselling Malibu featherweight tee in the newest dusty pink color styled with the Williams tennis skirt and new Finn sweater.
Claire Tabouret.“Offrande.” 2021 via @clairetabouret
The Malibu

The Malibu

The Finn

The Finn

The Williams

The Williams

Givenchy Sunglasses

Givenchy Sunglasses

Saint Laurent Sandals

Saint Laurent Sandals

KULE silk set for June
Our new striped silk set in a cool blue topped off with the largest summer hat you can find. Also available in a pareo and silk slip dress.
Painting by Chantal Joffe, 2022 via @thegreatwomenartists
The Ponza

The Ponza

The Reine

The Reine

Sans Arcidet Hat

Sans Arcidet Hat

Jennifer Alfano Necklace

Jennifer Alfano Necklace

The Elba Pareo

The Elba Pareo

The Capri

The Capri

Speaking of raffia hats and accessories…

raffia hats Architectural Digest by Miguel Flores Vianna or JP de Meyer
Comporta, Portugal. Photo by Miguel Flores Vianna for Architectural Digest via @jpdemeyer
Raffia totes
Oak Spring Garden Foundation, Upperville, Virginia. Photo via @stylebeatblog

Nikki also draws inspiration from photography of scenery and design around the world. Aren’t these places you’d like to be this summer?

Massimo Vitali Scala dei Turchi Sicily Italy
Masimo Vitali.“Scala dei Turchi Standing.” 2009 via @_massimovitali_
Le Chacuel Hotel and Spa Yucca Valley, California
Le Chacuel, Yucca Valley, California. Photos by @lechacuel

And that’s just a taste. There are fresh striped tees, new colors of the bestselling Matey half-zip sweater, an easy striped cotton shirt set, comfy khaki shorts, a lightweight cotton cable knit vest, stretchy tee dresses, a silk slip dress

Are you inspired to throw on your stripes and a giant hat and sit by the nearest body of water? So are we. Shop the entire KULE Summer Collection. Happy summer 🌊☀️🏖️

One Tote: Six Outfits

It’s almost Memorial Day Weekend, the official start of summer ☀️. That means Summer Fridays and weekend getaways. We happen to have a canvas tote that is basically made to support your packing. Whether traveling via the Hampton Jitney, the train, or packing up a car, you want to keep it easy. In just one tote, we have made six outfits to take you through the weekend looking the absolute kulest.

KULE summer packing tote collage

Packing six full outfits in one tote takes work, so to help you, we have a formula. You want to pack roughly 3/4th mix-and-match basics and the other 1/4th statement pieces. Also, you must be smart about what you wear on travel day! It should be an outfit with pieces you can re-wear for the rest of the weekend.

Travel Day

KULE summer packing travel day outfit collage

You will want this outfit to be comfortable but re-workable. The Suki pant keeps your legs covered and paired with an easy ribbed tank under a sweatshirt (this one’s Nikki’s go-to when she travels), you’re ready for any AC your train/bus/car will blow at you. You will wear your most versatile sneakers, one of the two shoes you have in tow. And most importantly, all of these pieces will work with the other elements in your tote, too.

The All Over Striped Tote

The All Over Striped Tote

The Suki Pant

The Suki Pant

The Raleigh Sweatshirt

The Raleigh Sweatshirt

The Ribbed Len Tank

The Ribbed Len Tank

Adidas Sambas Sneakers

Adidas Sambas Sneakers

Delarge Streams Sunglasses

Delarge Streams Sunglasses

Two Daytime Looks

KULE summer day look collage

Your days can look different based on where you’re going, but let’s assume you’re going somewhere casual, has a bit of walking, and where it is necessary to always have a swimsuit, just in case. You want to wear distinctly different outfits because what’s the fun in re-wearing the same look?

For Day One, when you’ll explore and walk a bit: a knit tank, terry shorts, and sneakers. For Day Two when you’ll hang by the beach/pool: your ribbed tank, pareo (which you can tie a multitude of ways), slide sandals, and little raffia bag that is big enough to hold a small sunblock and lipstick. If you head to the boardwalk restaurant, you’ll still look chic and put together.

The Gio Tank

The Gio Tank

The Venus Short

The Venus Short

The All Over Striped Tote

The All Over Striped Tote

Adidas Sambas Sneakers

Adidas Sambas Sneakers

Delarge Streams Sunglasses

Delarge Streams Sunglasses

The Silk Elba Pareo

The Silk Elba Pareo

The Ribbed Len Tank

The Ribbed Len Tank

Khaite Olivia Raffia Bag

Khaite Olivia Raffia Bag

Ray-Ban Aviator Sunglasses

Ray-Ban Aviator Sunglasses

Saint Laurent Slide Sandals

Saint Laurent Slide Sandals

Two Dinner Looks

Thank goodness it’s summer again because there is nothing like having dinner outside by the beach. You’ll have two very different looks: one from those classic pieces you packed and the other utilizing the fun statement ones.

For Dinner Look One, wear your Suki pants + knit tank + slide sandals. You’re a neutrals lady. For Dinner Look Two, you keep your company on their toes and wear a colorful striped skirt (it’s so comfy no matter how much seafood you eat) + crisp 100% cotton button-up shirt + colorblock cardigan over your shoulders. Your neutral slides and little bag are pulling their weight this trip.

The Remus Cardigan

The Remus Cardigan

The Celeste Skirt

The Celeste Skirt

The Hutton Shirt

The Hutton Shirt

Khaite Olivia Raffia Bag

Khaite Olivia Raffia Bag

Saint Laurent Slide Sandals

Saint Laurent Slide Sandals

The Gio Tank

The Gio Tank

The Suki Pant

The Suki Pant

One Brunch or BBQ Look

KULE summer packing bbq collage

If you have a social day event, you want to look put together but still casual. That’s KULE’s sweet spot! Bring your terry shorts back out, but this time pair them with your ribbed tank and your lightweight cotton button-down shirt that’s not too heavy, but will still keep you covered in case the festivities keep going after the sun goes down. Your big tote will come in handy to carry a swimsuit, sandals, and a towel if the day takes you back to the water, too 🌊.

The Hutton Shirt

The Hutton Shirt

The Ribbed Len Tank

The Ribbed Len Tank

The All Over Striped Tote

The All Over Striped Tote

The Venus Short

The Venus Short

Adidas Sambas Sneakers

Adidas Sambas Sneakers

Ray-Ban Aviator Sunglasses

Ray-Ban Aviator Sunglasses

Eres One-Piece Swimsuit

Eres One-Piece Swimsuit

Saint Laurent Slide Sandals

Saint Laurent Slide Sandals

So with just 3 tops, 3 bottoms, 1 cardigan, 1 sweatshirt, 2 bags, 2 shoes, 1 swimsuit, 1 pareo, and 2 pairs of sunglasses, you have 6 different looks. The only last question is: are you a roller or a folder? Happy travels 🙂

Orange You Glad it’s May?

Now that it’s finally May, we can start getting excited for summer, which is especially fun at KULE this year. The story behind every collection — from Nikki’s inspiration and design to the final stages of photoshoot planning and producing — is so exciting to see come to life. We shot the collection at Ocean Beach Club in New Jersey this year. With the cabana stripes, fruit colors, and colorful crochet, the beach club was a perfect backsplash for the collection. See below for a quick recap, from Nikki’s inspiration to the final behind-the-scenes shots that will make you smile all season long 🙂.

Orange you glad it’s May? 🍊 Keep an eye out for our new catalog coming to a mailbox near you 📬.

The collection is filled with fruit-colored prints, graphics, and stripes. Nikki is always inspired by her travels, art, and design; this collection is no different.

Georges Rohner citrus art
Georges Rohner.“La bataille d’oranges” (Battle of the oranges). 1968
Nan Goldin David by the pool at the Back Room, Provincetown, 1976
Nan Goldin. “David by the pool at the Back Room, Provincetown.” 1976

David Shrigley orange art
Art by David Shrigley via @davidshrigley
The Modern KULE Orange Slice

The Modern KULE Orange Slice

The Silk Mischa Orange Slice Scarf

The Silk Mischa Orange Slice Scarf

The Modern Long

The Modern Long

The Celeste

The Celeste

The Remus

The Remus

The Tank

The Tank

The Terry Beck

The Terry Beck

A citrus palette cleanser! From “KULE Slice” graphics to keep the season cheery, to peachy cabana stripes that are the kulest, this group is filled with color.

KULE SS23 cabana stripes
Nothing more summery than a cabana stripe
KULE SS23 Behind the scenes cabana umbrella
Ocean Beach Club was the perfect place to shoot with its beach wood and pool umbrellas
collagerie cabanas
What’s more KULE Summer 2023?
Photo by Polly Alexander via @collagerie
The Hutton Oversized Shirt

The Hutton Oversized Shirt

The Reine Short

The Reine Short

The Wynn

The Wynn

The All Over Striped Tote

The All Over Striped Tote

The Quinn

The Quinn

And speaking of fruit… as we reach the summer months, strawberries are in season, and they will be all over the table so very soon.

Patti Smith via @70sdaily
drink painting by Maria Joannou
Art by Maria Joannou via @mjoannou
India interior with red
Marie-Anne Oudejans’s private apartment in Jaipur via Architectural Digest
Photo courtesy: François Halard/Marie-Anne Oudejans. Styling: Carlos Mota

And so we did just that — we had a picnic! A strawberry picnic!

KULE spring gold and lavender polo
Have a seat at the KULE picnic! Featuring our new Buell polo in gold and lilac + strawberry bucket hat
It’s the little things! Props always make our shoots very on-brand and fun
The Strawberry Bucket Hat

The Strawberry Bucket Hat

The Buell

The Buell

The Strawberry Spaghetti Tank

The Strawberry Spaghetti Tank

The Raven

The Raven

The Strawberry Tote

The Strawberry Tote

The Strawberry Tina

The Strawberry Tina

The Strawberry Reine

The Strawberry Reine

The Strawberry Sock

The Strawberry Sock

I guess we have a thing for fruit 🍓 🍊 🍒

And we also have crochet! It’s the perfect material for when you want an elevated piece like a sweater that won’t make you sweat. We’ve been working with crochet for a few seasons now, and our customers love to style it alongside their other KULE pieces which we always love to see. Featuring KULE colors plus lavender and pink, we like to think of this crochet grouping as something fancy for summer.

KULE spring 2023 inspo Fancy contemporary art
Sadie Barnette. “Fancy.” 2022.
kule purple crochet look from spring 2023
Our Virginie crochet purple dress featured here is fancy at the Ocean Beach Club
The Virginie

The Virginie

The Esmee

The Esmee

The Raven

The Raven

The Esmee

The Esmee

The Moon

The Moon

The Leif

The Leif

The fun is in the process, and from inspiration to design to our carefully planned, styled, and propped photoshoots, we are always excited to show you these behind-the-scenes.

behind the scenes of KULE spring 2023 shoot collage

We’re just warming up ☀️. Browse the brand-new collection online and in stores 🙂. Happy summer!

Special thanks to our team!