Key West stylin' can be so lovely and.... actually quite Preppy as well!
Darling cottages abound in Key West's historic district...ahh...
Lilly Pulitzer store across from our resort? Perfect for this Lilly P wearer
And being on a double-masted sailboat...a perfectly-Preppy day indeed!The words "Key West" and "Preppy" are rarely used together...at least in any sentence I've ever heard. Key West has a reputation for being a bit of a wild child: the rowdy black sheep rebellious teenager existing within the family of islands which sit off the east coast of the United States.
I traveled down there expecting a bit of wildness and was of course rewarded with seeing this as James and I strolled down into the historic district on our way to Blue Heaven, a famous funky-vibed restaurant. We happened upon The Conch Republic's parade complete with parading pirates, various men with less than a loincloth on, drunk people attempting to ride their bikes and one really great reggae' singer performing on a float. The transvestites were a dolled-up with some belting out songs in various bars along our routes. The tiny dogs being walked all around were better-dressed than most of the tourists and but of course, there were roosters everywhere. Oh, yes, the sightings of festively-funky Key West abounded.
But what surprised me more than all of that were the sightings of Pleasantly-Preppy Key Westy!
It started right off with espying a large Lilly Pulitzer store just across from our Hyatt Resort digs. Alright!!! Preppy Tropical Wear-a-rama... As well, there were many lovely other clothing and household decor' boutiques, upscale art studios, nice jewelry stores, European-fel cafe's, day spas and such to be found around town. Admittedly these more Preppy spots were tucked in amidst all the tacky-tourist shops, lingerie boutiques, tattoo and piercing places, loud bars and more guided-tours storefronts than you could shake a stick at but that they were to be actually found was a nice surprise to this ole' Preppy wandering around the historic area.
And speaking of historic, oh wow, the Key West classic-inspired architecture here is stunning!
Any cottage, pick a cottage....move me right on in.....
From the deep porches with their detailed scroll work, long-shuttered windows, some metal roofing here n' there, light colors, vibrant-hued flowered gardens, embellishments of old brick, weathered metalwork and vines stretching along columns, gates, fences and latticework- from the tiniest of cottages to expansive large houses and other grand buildings, any Preppy's heart would indeed skip a beat passing by these elegant yet not ostentatious places.
Other Preppy touches found around Key West included classic nautical artifacts, real-use boating items and inspired decor' as well as the actual sailboats themselves which gently bob in the harbors. Bicycles with large straw baskets on the front of them, large dogs, bouquets wrapped-up in paper with ribbon ties, pearls galore' and European coffee and pastries and on and on... such pretty bits of Preppy here and there and actually, almost everywhere.
What fun to espy touches of the Preppy lifestyling all around Key West- especially when one wasn't expecting it!
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