There are many wonderful and talented people we are so proud to see wear KULE. Mei Tao and her husband Darrick Harris, who are longtime friends of the brand, are two of them. Mei has been working with Nikki as our editorial photographer — a visual magician if you will — since the beginning. Her husband Darrick, the Visual Director of Town & Country Magazine, is also incredibly talented. They’re a power couple with great style 🙂. Get to know Mei and Darrick a little better and see how they wear their KULE this Fall.
“We’re in Montreal in these photos. I was there for work and D [which is what Mei calls Darrick] came on the weekend to join me for a little fun getaway.” – Mei
Mei and Darrick have been together for 23 years. Darrick is a native New Yorker, born and raised, and Mei was born in China, raised in Brooklyn, and has been in New York since she was 10. The story of how they met? Darrick says, “She stalked me for years,” and Mei says, “He waited for years for me to be single to ask me out.” 💗💗
As for Mei’s connection to KULE, she’s known Nikki since 2011 and has been with us since. Mei is not only an incredibly talented photographer making magic behind the camera but also somewhat of a brand mascot who styles KULE as her own.
“My go-to outfit is a good pair of pants or jeans, a men’s style shirt, a navy blazer, and a good coat or trench and comfortable shoes.” – Mei
The Nelson Blazer
The Hutton Shirt
The Rox Trench
The Modern Long Tee
The Sinclair Cashmere Cardigan
The Raleigh Sweatshirt
“I’ve been working with KULE since the beginning. It’s been so much fun realizing the brand’s vision with Nikki through photos. I’ve been a big fan since day 1.” – Mei
Mei and Darrick both say they love to travel together and, as Darrick added, “we love to watch foodie shows together.” Speaking of food, they are two people who definitely know where to eat in NYC. Some standout places they recommend include Omen Azen, Aurora Soho, The Odeon, and Big Wong. You’re welcome!
Mei on Darrick’s style: “I’ve been dressing him for 23 years, but he does accessorize himself”
“[Finding time to be together] can be challenging. But as we are in the same business, we are often able to be in the same cities.” – Darrick
“We find the time — I like him.” – Mei
Follow Mei @taomeitao for some of her entertaining content, great style, and photos, and Darrick @delroyslim for his humor, behind-the-scenes of his job, travel, fabulous hats, and adorable family shots. Shop their outfits here🙂🙂.
Nikki’s love for travel stems from living abroad, visiting places for work, exploring with family and friends, and searching for inspiration. She recently went to Greece for the second time, and came back with memorable stories, experiences of great sights and food, and — lucky for us — travel tips and recommendations! Read on to see everything from her trip, including how she packed, the amazing places she went, and of course, the best spots to eat.
Nikki went to Greece with some of her family and friends. She spent a week in Mykonos followed by a week traveling to different islands. Between touring on foot, swimming, and dining, Nikki packed only what she knew she would wear. That included swimsuits, caftans or loose fitting dresses, pareos for the beach, flat sandals, and some workout wear.
Nikki says that slippery leather or plastic sole sandals aren’t easy to wear on the cobblestones in Greece, and recommends packing sandals that won’t slip and slide, like these from The Row, which she wore the most on her trip.
“I like challenging myself to wear every single thing I pack and I think I only didn’t wear two things. I wore a lot of Greece-appropriate white and blue, plus some of our colorful KULE items like the crochet Harmonie.” – Nikki
As for the food, Nikki says it’s the best. The seafood was a highlight, as everything is so fresh. One of her favorite restaurants was Spilia in Mykonos located on a rock, carved out in the water. You can go by boat to have the freshest seafood.
“Spilia in Mykonos is a restaurant on a rock, carved out in the water. You can go by boat to have the freshest seafood.” – Nikki
At the beach club near Spilia.
“I’m not a dress person, but I really felt they were so much easier and fit the island/beach vibe. I love this one by Bode. I also packed a floral one by Michael Kors, a green one by Lemaire, and a crochet one by Auralee” – Nikki
Nikki describes Mykonos as one big party and says that all the restaurants have music playing as you eat. There are plenty of nightclubs — her favorite being Scorpios — that are so fun and unlike anywhere else.
“I was at Mykonos for a week. It is a big party. All the restaurants have music playing as you eat. It’s so fun and unlike anywhere else.” – Nikki
“I wore a lot of pareos (I love KULE’s new striped silk one, Lisa Corti, and Totême) tunics, caftans, and dresses. It’s easy to wear them over swimsuits, my favorite of which are by Eres. The striped caftan I’m wearing here is by MIKOH. Sarah Clary turned me onto the brand. I cannot resist a stripe.” – Nikki
“Look at the size of the prawns! The size and freshness of the seafood was amazing.” – Nikki
“This is at Nammos in Mykonos for dinner. It’s a very cool vibe with a tranquil setting in the sand. We went with a big group, but it is also very romantic.” – Nikki
On the other islands, it was more about the scenery and serenity. The picturesque sights are incredible, with vibrant colors and crystal-clear waters.
“I loved Paros. It’s a port city that’s very young, vibrant, and fun.” – Nikki
“This is a cove in Polyaigos. I loved being in the water. We did paddle boarding and water skiing a lot. The waters are so beautiful and clear.” – Nikki
As for shopping Nikki says, “I got a pareo and a striped cover-up — go figure!” Other than that, she didn’t really shop. She says it’s mostly about the water and beaches, food, and exploring.
A specific spot Nikki loved and recommends going to — from the idyllic setting, to the architecture, design, and the views — is The Rooster in Antiparos. It was a perfect finale for her trip.
Featuring one of the views at The Rooster in Antiparos.
“The Rooster is in Antiparos, one of the most secluded islands in Greece. It’s so serene.” – Nikki
We asked Brooklyn-based wardrobe stylist Shelley Young (and her adorable two-year-old daughter Penny), who styles many of KULE’s photoshoots, to put together some stripe-filled outfits to inspire your summer dressing. Peep below for some fun looks courtesy of Shelley and little Penny 🙂☀️.
Shelley is a master at styling proportions. She pairs sweatpants with a crochet bra, or terry shorts with a striped tee and blazer. She also happens to have an adorable two-year-old daughter, Penny, whose style is enviable.
“So far, Penny lets me dress her and isn’t picky about any of it yet. I try to explain why we pair certain pieces together, why things work or don’t work, and I’ll give her choices to pick from. She likes clothing that she can talk about, so I try to call out all the details in order to win her over. All of this is purely a selfish effort to keep her happy while I continue to dress her in everything cute.” – Shelley
I always love the way Shelley mixes vintage and contemporary clothing. Her KULE terry shorts look so cool with our spaghetti tank + her bright green vintage blazer and sandals.
“I am a vintage junkie. I get a major thrill when I find something special for dirt cheap. Of course, that is nearly impossible in NYC, so I get my treasure hunting kicks when I travel. I love supporting small businesses, both locally (like KULE!) and online (Etsy and The RealReal are my happy place), and I try to do my part to heal our planet by buying used. Penny also wears a lot of vintage (mostly mine from when I was little, but also from Parachute, a wonderful little shop in Brooklyn) mixed with her favorite NYC brands, like KULE.” – Shelley
Shelley is wearing KULE Spaghetti Tank and Terry Venus Shorts, vintage blazer, and vintage Valentino peep toe flats; Penny is wearing a vintage swimsuit
The Terry Venus – Lemon
The Terry Venus – Poppy
The Terry Venus – Blue
The Terry Venus – Pink
The Terry Venus – Cream
Shelley goes for cotton and silks for summer. She says she likes flowy, breezy, and slinky. Muumuus, or tiny tops with loose high-rise shorts, and a crisp oxford or oversized blazer as a layer on everything for daytime.
“I am totally into the late 90’s early 00’s fashion that has come back around. Always lots of gold jewelry and tiny belts. And perfect sandals/slides and vintage baguettes à la SATC Season 2 + 3. Plus, most important of all, a summertime tan.” – Shelley
Shelley is wearing KULE Terry Venus shorts, red St. John knit blazer, vintage silk tee, and vintage Fendi ballet flats; Penny is wearing KULE Riley tee, Soor Ploom shorts, Parachute Brooklyn straw hat, and Salt Water sandals
With her two jobs – mom and stylist – her “to-go bag” looks very different day-to-day. As a mom, snacks are always in tow. “This child love to eat,” she told me. Also a portable plastic toilet and natural cream or salve (Penny likes to rub it on herself and her dolls).
“I have to set boundaries for myself and outside of those boundaries I have to let go of control. Which isn’t easy to do. I feel guilty for choosing myself or Penny over work. Before having Penny, working was so easy – the hustle, the dedication, the focus. Now not so much. At the end of the day I want to be proud of the choices I made, and that looks a lot different as a mom.” – Shelley
Shelley is wearing KULE Terry Venus shorts, vintage Gianni Versace cropped tee, By Malene Birger tan blazer, and Chanel slides; Penny is wearing KULE Charley tee, vintage handmade brown pants (made by Shelley’s grandma when she was a toddler), Capezio ballet shoes, and vintage barrette
As a stylist, Shelley always has bras, double-sided tape, all sorts of scissors and snips, a billion safety pins, lint rollers… so many things that she says her main kit bag weighs 70 pounds.
Shelley loves to cook and says it’s a meditation for her. She enjoys making tamales, her aunt’s red rice and tomatillo salsa, and her mom’s guacamole. She always makes southern black eyed peas and collards and cornbread for New Year’s Day (a tradition she carries with her from growing up in Texas). On days when she has less time to cook, she makes a lot of salads. Penny loves tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado, charcuterie plates (chic!), peas, broccoli, fruit, and bread. She also adores smoothies.
“On the days that I don’t work, we spend most of our time outdoors or on the go. Usually breakfast at home…and then we are off to Brooklyn Bridge Park or Governor’s Island (NYC’s best kept secret), the Rockaways, or a nearby playground. We will picnic or eat somewhere with an outdoor space. We try to get out of town as much as possible. We are going to do a little roadtrip in California this month to see all our friends (my husband Ross and I lived in San Francisco before moving to NYC).” – Shelley
“I believe it is very important to take care of your clothing, so our house is always soaking something (everything) to get Penny’s stains out.” – Shelley
Inspired by Shelley and Penny? Shop their outfits! And don’t forget to make a smoothie in honor of Penny this week 🙂.
Nikki is an expert at styling stripes and other iconic KULE styles, so it was a joy for me to have a masterclass in styling her favorite pieces from the KULE spring collection. Read on below to see Nikki’s picks and her styling tips to take you through the season. –Elizabeth
Outfit 1: Nikki styles her gingham on gingham look with these crisp dark Officine Générale jeans she loves (she says they are a great weight and have the perfect rise and leg width). She adds a pop of color in her sandals, and her plaid tote that goes with everything she owns (kule colors!).
The Louise
The Gingham Wayne
Officine Générale Jeans
The Row Sandals
Balenciaga Tote
Outfit 2: The cream terry polo — Nikki’s favorite color of the terry collection — plus her light barrel jeans from Totême, makes for a tonal look. She adds her go-to everyday sandals by K. Jacques, and classic accessories like the KULE carry-all tote and cool aviator sunglasses.
The Terry Polo
K. Jacques Sandals
Totême Barrel Jeans
The Row x Oliver Peoples Sunglasses
The Over The Shoulder Tennis Tote
Outfit 3: A pop of colorful stripes in our new rainbow for spring. Nikki loves the Modern Long t-shirt styles, which she wears throughout the season. It looks really sharp with a crisp denim “suit,” with sandals that pick up on the poppy stripes in the tee, and a fun (also striped) tote.
The Modern Long
Closed Official Shirt Jacket
Closed Official Jeans
The Row Sandals
The All Over Striped Tote
Outfit 4: A blazer is Nikki’s go-to layer, and she paired this double-breasted one from HommeGirls with the new KULE spaghetti tank style. Naturally, she owns the perfect striped jeans (these from Closed Official are also great). To finish off the outfit, she added striped sandals from the KULE x Arizona Love collab in classic cream/navy colors.
The Spaghetti Tank Bundle Stripe
Celine Jeans
HommeGirls Blazer
KULE x Arizona Love The Trekky Sandal
Dragon Diffusion Woven Leather Tote
Outift 5: Nikki styled a striped tee with the navy Tennis Raleigh sweatshirt from the popular Tennis collection over her shoulders. On the bottom, she wears her favorite Officine Générale jeans and a cool white denim jacket. To finish, Hereu shoes — a shoe brand Nikki loves — in a slingback.
You know us for our signature poppy and royal blue, but every season we have a signature color that really pops. This season, that color is lemon 🍋. With lemon, you can dress head-to-toe citrus, or add pops of color to your outfit. Read on to see how to add some lemonade to your life and wardrobe.
A T-shirt can be worn countless ways; it’s all about how you style it. This was a central theme around our styling event, hosted at the KULE Rockefeller Center store last week (don’t worry if you missed it, there’ll be more!). With a Spring collection made for mixing and matching, we’re here to spill some top takeaways from the event with tips on how to style pieces to make them distinctly fit for you.
The event was hosted by our very own Elizabeth Tamkin, who is a former market editor and often does personal styling appointments on the weekends. We invited a very kule crowd to come by and shop and learn a few styling tips along the way. Here are a few of her styling points from the event:
Layering is the Hero of Spring
Layering isn’t just for cold weather. The new KULE Spring styles offer you both base items and styling pieces. Think: a pair of terry shorts with a striped tee + a terry sweatshirt over your shoulders. Or! A terry romper with a spaghetti tank under it for a touch of stripes + a cardigan over your shoulders.
The Terry Franny
The Terry Venus
The Modern
The Octavia
The Terry Serena
The Spaghetti Tank
Twinning in terry rompers with the new patchwork Octavia cardigan as a layer
Elizabeth styling a striped set with the new gingham Louise cardigan
A set is the absolute easiest way to look put together but still look really cool. A set is the definition of a blank canvas which you can add as little to (minimalism!) or as much to (maximalism!) as you’d like. For example, style a striped spaghetti tank (my personal favorite new style) with striped shorts + a button down shirt left open + a cardigan on top.
The Louise
The Spaghetti Tank
The Short
The Hutton
The Gingham Wayne
Add a Touch of Color or Pattern to Make an Outfit More Exciting (and more Your Own!)
I found that even the most color-avoidant customers still gravitated towards colorful pieces. Spring dressing can still include navy, black, white, or heather grey but adding a bit of pattern or color is always a good idea. It’s why we have so many accessories this season!
