How to Dress for an NYC Heatwave

It seems as though “heatwave” is now synonymous with “summer,” which makes dressing a serious challenge! To help you, we’ve broken down some NYC-summer-appropriate outfits based on the temperature on the thermostat 😅🥵🔥. Grab a cold beverage, and let’s get dressed!

When it’s hot…

The temperature is rising outside and dipping inside. A light pair of cotton pants with just the right amount of stretch + the airiest button-down imaginable + a cotton sweater for the morning commute/A.C. will do the trick. Remember to hydrate!

The City Pant

The City Pant

The Blanca Shirt

The Blanca Shirt

The Cotton Cardigan

The Cotton Cardigan

The Row Jelly Shoes

The Row Jelly Shoes

The Medium Canvas Tote

The Medium Canvas Tote

The City Pant

The City Pant

The Blanca Shirt

The Blanca Shirt

The Cotton Cardigan

The Cotton Cardigan

Ancient Greek Sandals Jelly Shoes

Ancient Greek Sandals Jelly Shoes

When you walk outside and get smacked in the face by the heat…

They’re saying that average temperatures are higher this month, and today is no exception. But you have things to do! So, wear a light pair of silk shorts + your favorite cotton tee + comfy sandals made for walking + a basket tote to hold a change of clothes 🥵.

The Silk Reine Short

The Silk Reine Short

The Wynn Baby Tee

The Wynn Baby Tee

Underwater Weaving Tote

Underwater Weaving Tote

K.Jacques Sandal

K.Jacques Sandal

The City Short

The City Short

Record-breaking temperatures… for the third day in a row…

The heat is on 🔥 with no end in sight, so wrap a silk pareo around your waist + put on a barely-there tank + grab a fan. This heat calls for an Aperol Spritz—or two.

The Silk Elba Pareo

The Silk Elba Pareo

The Ribbed Lenny Tank

The Ribbed Lenny Tank

Sonder & Holliday Fan

Sonder & Holliday Fan

The Row Sandal

The Row Sandal

The Ribbed Lenny Tank

The Ribbed Lenny Tank

Or, to really beat the heat, take a break and pop into one of our cool KULE stores 🙂.

A Summer Escape to the South of France

Our latest collection was inspired by a trip Nikki took to the South of France last summer. The colors, landscape, and quaint interiors all got her creative juices flowing. The collection is an homage to the towns of Saint Paul de Vence, Saint-Raphaël, and Saint-Tropez. Let’s take a trip together, shall we?

KULE summer inspiration collage

A collection takes over a year to come to fruition. The idea for what you now see was conceived a year ago! Every piece is infused with specific memories and details from Nikki’s inspiring trip.

She even Pantone-matched some of the collection’s colors to photos she took, like the above green car, which is “Sweet Pea” green, used in some of our silks, sweaters, and tees.

The Silk Ponza

The Silk Ponza

The Silk Reine

The Silk Reine

The Matey

The Matey

The Gio

The Gio

The Wynn Baby Tee

The Wynn Baby Tee

The bronze hues were inspired by details in architecture, folliage, and handmade pottery.

On the streets of Vaugines, France
A little corner at Hotel Lourmarin
La Petite Vigne, a wine cellar in Saint Paul de Vence

Nikki visited small towns throughout France. The rustic interiors and authentic touches to everything—from restaurants to markets to the food itself—were so picturesque that it felt like it was straight from a postcard. She walked away inspired by the colors, flavors, and smells.

Inside at Colombe d’Or
Fresh bread at Colombe d’Or
A little market in Lourmarin
The Modern Holiday

The Modern Holiday

The Kiki

The Kiki

The Modern Bonjour

The Modern Bonjour

The Kiki

The Kiki

The Modern Merci

The Modern Merci

The collection is meant to evoke this quality and charm through the colors, silhouettes, and materials. Think of a silk striped dress with a cotton knit thrown over your shoulders as you go to the market to grab fresh bread and cheese.

A labor of time and love. This is the result:

KULE summer June outfits collection

Shop the collection online and at our stores. Bon été! 🙂☀️

Start Spreadin’ the News

Our first group for Spring was released this month and is inspired by iconic New York moments from film and pop culture. The collection speaks to Nikki’s New York roots: it was designed in New York, made for the New York woman, by a New Yorker 😉. New York is the soul of the collection, which was photographed on the streets of downtown New York City. 

From the desk of Nikki Kule

KULE Spring inspiration Desk Selfie Nikki Kule
Meryl Streep hailing a cab from Kramer vs. Kramer and a photograph from The Wall Street Journal’s Workwear That Easily Transitions to Out of Office photographed by Olivier Kervern and styled by Louise Ford

The collection’s styles all have the details our customers know and love us for: clothing with excellent fit and superior quality, with a happy wink 😉. You’ll see elements from the inspiration sprinkled throughout, such as our khaki Rox trench, which is the tomboy chic vibe of Meryl Streep in Kramer vs. Kramer, and, of course, the color black, a New York staple.

Meryl Streep hailing a taxi cab in Kramer vs. Kramer
Meryl Streep in Kramer vs. Kramer, 1979

Image via Vogue France
KULE Spring 2024 Rox trench coat with taxi cab NYC
Our best-selling Rox Trench has been brought back for Spring, styled here with new garment-dyed City Pants which are made in Italy, and matching lightweight cotton Blanca Shirt. More colors available (and even more coming soon 🙂)

Photographed by Mei Tao

We’ve introduced monochrome sets, which include our new category of garment-dyed pants and matching shirts. The pants are called the “City” pants, a nod to – what else – the city. They are garment-washed, super soft everyday cotton pants, which took years to perfect. They pair perfectly with our versatile Blanca button-down shirts made from super featherweight cotton, great for those hot city days and nights. Every element of these sets was carefully sourced and produced in Italy.

The Blanca Shirt

The Blanca Shirt

The City Pants

The City Pants

The Blanca Shirt

The Blanca Shirt

The City Pants

The City Pants

The Blanca Shirt

The Blanca Shirt

The City Pants

The City Pants

We have also introduced the category of Chambray, which looks exactly like denim but is not denim! It’s better! It’s much more comfortable, lightweight, and easy to wear. It’s soft and drapey and not at all stiff or bulky like its denim counterpart. We’re taking sets and easy day-to-night dressing to a new level.

The new Chambray Quinn Shirt and matching Chambray City Pant. Available in both Dark and Light Denim. And, also part of the Chambray Family, is the Chambray Kelly Jacket and the Chambray Bermuda Short
The Chambray Quinn

The Chambray Quinn

The Chambray City Pant

The Chambray City Pant

The Chambray Kelly

The Chambray Kelly

The Chambray Bermuda Short

The Chambray Bermuda Short

The Chambray Quinn

The Chambray Quinn

The Chambray City Pant

The Chambray City Pant

And that’s just the first of our Spring groups! Keep an eye out because there are so many exciting new pieces and colors to come with collections each month of the season. Look out for fresh new catalogs coming to a mailbox near you 📬 Sign up here to be the first to know 🙂

Nikki’s Guide to Miami

In the winter months, Nikki splits her time between Miami and NYC. Miami is a change of pace for Nikki, a New Yorker born and raised. It has an entirely different vibe regarding fashion and culture. So, she has found her favorite spots and ways to stay inspired. If you find yourself in Miami this winter–and we hope you do for the sake of your fingertips–you’ll want to check out these places. Pack a bag; we’re heading to Miami ☀️

The first order of business is where to eat. Getting dressed and heading out for a good meal is a regular activity. Just deciding where to eat is an activity in itself.

Nikki Kule guide to Miami dinner looks
Look 1: Auralee jacket (another option here), Toteme pants, Stella McCartney shirt, Isabel Marant shoes
Look 2: Maria McManus pants and shirt, KULE Blythe sweater around shoulders, Isabel Marant shoes, YSL bag
Look 3: KULE Ribbed Lenny Tank, Miu Miu cardigan (another option here and here), Michael Kors pants (another option here), The Row bag, Le Monde Beryl shoes

One of Nikki’s favorite places is La Natural, which she says has the best vibe and food (especially the sourdough pizza and Japanese sweet potatoes). The owner, Javier Ramirez, is also incredibly welcoming and Nikki loved listening to his take on Miami food, and the chef, Diego Moya, just so happens to be from New York City. Fingers crossed for more locations 🤞.

Next, The Surf Club a Thomas Keller restaurant at The Four Seasons, a fun place with the best bar in Miami and the most elegant dining room experience. It’s also great for people watching. Any number of Nikki’s mirror selfies will be pre-Surf Club while waiting for the rest of her party to be ready (Ken) 😉. It has fantastic food and cocktails. She recommends the Surf Side Fizz.

Another Miami gem is Boia De, a small strip mall restaurant with unique modern Italian-influenced dishes. She particularly loved the pasta (before she became pretty much GF). This place is hard to get a table at, but it hits the top of the list if you can. Try their sister restaurant, Walrus Rodeo, in the same strip mall.

Other great places to visit are Macchialina (great authentic Italian in a cute little dimly lit space) and Mandolin (fresh Greek food in a beautiful outdoor garden), both super popular places where you may run into another New Yorker.

As for what to do in Miami, Nikki’s love of keeping busy and her interests in art and design have led her to find some great things and places to visit. Getting dressed for your day activities is also half the fun 🤪. She is not your typical Miami dresser — no cutouts here!

Riding a Citi Bike from Surf Side to South Beach and back is a great way to see Miami and work off that pasta 🍝 also, so you can spend the rest of your day at the beach in a swimsuit.

She also recommends visiting the Nina Johnson Gallery. She says it has the best exhibits of emerging and established artists. A couple of months ago, she saw a show of Katie Stout’s work, which are whimsical but intricate sculptures with baroque elements. Another great gallery to visit is Spinello Projects, a contemporary art gallery owned by Anthony Spinello, who is lovely himself.

The Rubell Museum also shows great curations of art. The private museum was founded in 2019 during Art Basel by longtime collectors and Miami residents Don and Mera Rubell. It’s a modern, airy space with many galleries, so you’ll want to spend an entire day here.

It’s hard to compete with New York, but Nikki has found a few gems for shopping in Miami.

Nikki recently visited the new Éliou store in Miami Beach, where she met founders Duda Teixeira & Cristina Mantilla. They have great style, and their brand lives up to that with great jewelry and accessories, all handmade on the premises (right behind the store). All the clothes are made in Brazil from dead stock fabrics and hand-crocheted by family members! Nikki fell in love with these silver rings, stacked.

Nikki also has an affinity for interior design and recommends visiting Casa de Barcelona, a store with curated vintage furniture in customized designer fabrics and art and sculptures. Nikki says the mid-century pieces are perfect for quintessential Miami design.

And we would be remiss to not mention the Webster store in South Beach. This original store location opened in 2009 in a huge historic hotel designed by Henry Hohauser. This three-story multi-brand luxury store in Miami Beach’s Art Deco district is a good visit whether you’re going to buy or just try on. You’ll always find brands there that you can’t find anywhere else.

Nikki’s wearing Éliou stacked silver Amaya rings
Images via Eliou and Casa de Barcelona Instagram

And now… back to New York.

The Tee Guide

A Glossary of KULE Tees 🙂

Nikki has been a collector of stripes her whole life, from the very first one her parents brought home for her from Portofino. Over time, she amassed countless shirts, but something was always just a bit off. She would love the fabric but not the fit, the neck but not the sleeve. So, she set out to make the perfect stripe shirt. She quickly learned you can’t come up with just one. Like denim, depending on your mood, you need a couple of different options. She has spent years perfecting her tees and adding new ones, from crewnecks and turtlenecksrugbies, and tanks, all in carefully considered cotton weights and shapes, all made in Portugal by an all-female family-run factory. With ten different women’s tee shapes in stripes, solids, and original graphics, we want you to find the right one for you. So, let’s dive in and find the perfect match. 

The Modern

The Modern is Nikki’s go-to for everyday easy wearing, much like a second skin. It is the most traditional KULE tee style, the perfect wear-alone tee in both stripes and solids. It’s an editor favorite, featured time and time again in Vogue.

The stripes are very distinct to KULE. Nikki thoughtfully designed the color combos and stripe sizes for each combination.

  • 100% Lightweight Cotton
  • Short Sleeves with a comfortable width and length
  • Relaxed Neck that’s not tight and perfect for layering
  • Straight Cut so it’s not to boxy but also not clingy
  • Hits at Hip great left both untucked and tucked
  • Made in Portugal
KULE modern tee
The Modern

The Modern

The Modern

The Modern

The Modern

The Modern

The Modern

The Modern

The Modern

The Modern

The Modern

The Modern

The Modern

The Modern

The Modern

The Modern

The Modern

The Modern

The Modern

The Modern

The Modern Long

The Modern Long is Nikki’s favorite tee for the cooler months because it is easy to layer under sweaters but still comfortable enough to wear alone. With a body that’s not boxy but doesn’t cling and arms that are the perfect fit under cardigans and blazers, your Fall and Winter drawers will want one of each.

Seasonally, we release new colorways to keep your closet fresh with new hues.

  • 100% Lightweight Cotton
  • Long Sleeve that won’t stretch out
  • Relaxed Neck that’s not tight and perfect for layering
  • Straight Cut so it’s not to boxy but also not clingy
  • Hits at Hip great left both untucked and tucked
  • Made in Portugal
KULE modern long tee
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

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

The Wynn Baby Tee

Our newest tee style, and Nikki’s current favorite on constant rotation, is inspired by our love of sunny Brentwood. In 100% organic cotton with a pocket, The Wynn Baby Tee comes in a few garment-dye colors. It is a great basic to wear daily or layer under all your KULE knitwear.

This tee fits shrunken, so if you prefer to, size up for a looser fit!

  • 100% Lightweight Organic Cotton
  • Baby Tee that fits to your body (size up for a looser fit!)
  • Short Sleeve
  • Chest Pocket
  • Garment Dyed
  • Shorter Cut than the Modern Tee
  • Made in Portugal
KULE wynn baby tee
The Wynn Baby Tee

The Wynn Baby Tee

The Wynn Baby Tee

The Wynn Baby Tee

The Wynn Baby Tee (coming soon)

The Wynn Baby Tee (coming soon)

The Boyfriend

The Boyfriend is a boxy, slightly heavier-weight style that you can size up to make it even more oversized, great worn untucked. We like to think of the Boyfriend as a 75% tee and 25% sweatshirt because it’s thick enough to keep you cozy but thin enough that you can still do a front or billowy tuck.

  • 100% Cotton with a slightly heavier-weight than our Modern tees
  • Long Sleeve that is midweight, but will still fit under jackets
  • Drop Shoulder for a relaxed fit
  • Oversize Fit so it’s like your boyfriend’s but better
  • Made in Portugal
KULE boyfriend tee
The Boyfriend

The Boyfriend

The Boyfriend

The Boyfriend

The Boyfriend

The Boyfriend

The Boyfriend

The Boyfriend

The Boyfriend

The Boyfriend

The Classic

We think of the Classic as the updated French mariniére tee. While it’s the same cotton weight as our Boyfriend tee, it features a more fitted, tailored fit and a 3/4 sleeve. The Classic is perfect for wearing under a blazer with a few bracelets or your everyday watch because the cropped sleeves let your wrists stand on display. If you want the ideal tee with a French Riviera vibe, this one’s it.

  • 100% Cotton with a slightly heavier-weight than our Modern tees
  • Narrow Shoulder so it fits like a classic mariniére
  • 3/4 Sleeve
  • Tailored Fit for a one-and-done put-together top
  • Hits at Butt
  • Perfect for people with a petite frame
  • Made in Portugal
KULE classic tee
The Classic

The Classic

The Classic

The Classic

The Classic

The Classic

The Classic

The Classic

The Classic

The Classic

The Baja

Nikki created the Baja because she wanted the perfect tee to wear in warmer months. It’s made from featherweight, cloud-like cotton that is so soft you’ll be tempted to wear it to sleep. The Baja is short-sleeved and slightly cropped. It is the perfect easy tee if you live in a warmer climate or are traveling somewhere warm (I’m so jealous).

  • 100% Featherweight Cotton for a barely-there feel
  • Short Sleeve that hits slightly longer than our Modern tees
  • Boxy-fit for airiness, perfect worn with loose or tight summer bottoms
  • Hits Above Waistband, but still has full coverage
  • Made in Portugal
KULE Baja Tee
The Baja

The Baja

The Baja

The Baja

The Baja

The Baja

The Malibu Oprah's Favorite Things 2022

The Malibu is a lot like the Baja but is a 3/4-sleeved version with a full-length body. This tee is award-winning, featured in Oprah’s Favorite Things, and we hear she wears hers quite a bit 🙂. Both the Malibu and Baja tissue-weight tees also happen to pack down really, really small.

  • 100% Featherweight Cotton for a barely-there feel
  • Featured in Oprah’s Favorite Things Oprah's Favorite Things 2022
  • 3/4 Sleeve
  • Relaxed Collar
  • Hits at Hip perfect for leaving untucked or tucked
  • Made in Portugal
KULE Malibu Tee Oprah's Favorite Things
The Malibu

The Malibu

The Malibu

The Malibu

The Malibu

The Malibu

The Turtleneck and Tissue Turtleneck

We have two types of turtlenecks: one is lightweight, and the other is featherweight cotton. The lightweight cotton is the same weight as our Modern tees and is great to wear alone or layered. The tissue turtleneck is the perfect super-soft extra layer between you and a crewneck, v-neck, or cardigan sweater, but its greatest quality is it truly can be worn most of the year because it’s so lightweight. The Tissue Turtlenecks all feature mid-body stripes, while the regular Turtlenecks come in both full-body stripes and solids.

  • The Turtleneck: 100% Lightweight Cotton like our Modern tees
  • The Tissue Turtleneck: 100% Featherweight Cotton like our Baja and Malibu tees
  • Turtleneck with a looser fit so it doesn’t cling to your neck
  • Long Sleeve
  • Made in Portugal
KULE Turtleneck tee
The Turtleneck

The Turtleneck

The Tissue Turtleneck

The Tissue Turtleneck

The Turtleneck

The Turtleneck

The Tissue Turtleneck

The Tissue Turtleneck

The Turtleneck

The Turtleneck

The Tissue Turtleneck

The Tissue Turtleneck

The Rugby

The Rugby has stolen the hearts of so many customers. They either like to wear them true to size, size up, or even go for men’s for an oversized look. In the same weight as the Modern, the Rugby is meant to be an everyday tee worn alone, with a blazer, or under a sweater with the collar peaking out. You can expect a new colorway that follows the collection’s palette every season. Sporty and chic.

  • 100% Lightweight Organic Cotton like our Modern tees
  • Long Sleeve
  • Contrast Rugby Collar
  • Made in Portugal
KULE Rugby Tee
The Rugby

The Rugby

The Rugby

The Rugby

The Rugby

The Rugby

The Rugby

The Rugby

The Rugby

The Rugby

The Tank

Our lightweight, sleeveless, super soft cotton tank comes in solids and stripes so that you can wear it all summer or under sweaters in the colder months. It has a slightly boxy fit, so it doesn’t cling to your body. If you are going on vacation, you can pair it with the shorts (also 100% cotton) for a really easy warm weather set. This tank/shorts set is also a great option if your apartment has uncontrollable heating like mine!

  • 100% Lightweight Cotton like our Modern tees
  • Contrast Trim at neck and arms
  • Sleeveless
  • Same Body Shape as Modern
  • Made in Portugal
KULE Tank
The Tank

The Tank

The Tank

The Tank

The Tank

The Tank

The Tank

The Tank

The Tank

The Tank

The Tank

The Tank

The Tank

The Tank

The Lenny

The Ribbed Lenny Tank took years to perfect. Unlike other ribbed tanks you may come across, it’s 100% cotton – no blends here! It will feel brand new every time you take it out of the wash. Wear this tank alone, or dress it up for a night out.

Wear it tucked in or left out, as it hits right at the waist.

  • 100% Ribbed Cotton
  • Sleeveless with comfortable trim
  • Fits against the body like a second skin
  • Stretchy and soft ribbing
  • Hits at the waist perfect for tucking or not
  • Made in Portugal
KULE Ribbed Lenny tank tee fit
The Ribbed Lenny Tank

The Ribbed Lenny Tank

The Ribbed Lenny Tank

The Ribbed Lenny Tank

The Ribbed Lenny Tank

The Ribbed Lenny Tank

The Ribbed Lenny Tank

The Ribbed Lenny Tank

Discover all of KULE women’s, men’s, and kid’s tees.

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 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. It’s a favorite amongst fashion editors, too: Vogue says it has a “classic unisex shape and soft, lightweight feel, with sleeves that are just long enough and never too tight,” while Forbes says it’s “the Best High-End White T-Shirt For Women.” 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 or layering up for cooler days. It’s made from the same 100% Organic Cotton, so you know it’ll be the same super soft and high-quality as The Modern.

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

Going sleeveless, our tanks are perfect for both the thick of summer and year-round layering. Our newest style and favorite amongst the KULE Team 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

We also have the Ribbed Eleni, which we consider the little sister to the Lenny. It’s 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 launched for Fall/Winter, 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

Last spring, we introduced the Wynn Baby Tee, which is 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! Customers size up if they want a looser fit, but still want its cool style.

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. Our version of a Rugby 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

Year-round, the Turtleneck is a style customers love so much that we expanded our solid color assortment 🙂. InStyle says it’s “More like a tee than a sweater, making it the perfect transitional piece…lightweight and made from super soft 100 percent cotton, it’s more than your average simple top.” 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, the tee experts at our KULE stores are always happy to help you 🙂