The Real Chic Life

There is something about May that always feels especially chic to me. We start spending more time outdoors and spring events pick up. Warm may days remind us that summer is just around the corner. And life starts to feel just a little more romantic when we take the time to pause and savor it.

These are the twenty specific things I find incredibly chic in May—the small details, rituals, and pleasures that make this month feel especially lovely.

1. Fresh flowers in the kitchen

Nothing makes a kitchen feel more charming in May than a loose arrangement of grocery store peonies, tulips, or lilacs on the counter. For tips on choosing and styling spring florals check out Tonya’s recent post.

2. Linen shirts worn slightly undone

There is nothing more effortlessly chic to me in May than a linen button-down worn with the sleeves pushed up and just enough ease to feel unfussy. It always looks polished without trying too hard.

3. The return of woven bags

Every May, I start reaching for straw, raffia, and woven textures again. A structured woven bag instantly makes even the simplest outfit feel considered.

4. Eating lunch outside

One of the chicest luxuries in May is a simple lunch outdoors. A salad, sparkling water, a little sun, and ten quiet minutes on the patio somehow feels impossibly elegant.

5. A beautifully set casual table

In May, I love a table that feels relaxed but thoughtful—linen napkins, mismatched glassware, taper candles, and something seasonal in the center. Nothing too formal, just charming.

6. White cotton dresses

This is the month I fully fall back in love with white cotton dresses. Crisp, feminine, and endlessly versatile, they always feel fresh in May.

7. Beauty that looks barely done

May beauty is at its chicest when it looks soft and effortless. Glowy skin, brushed brows, and a little cream blush always feels right this time of year.

8. A chilled glass of something lovely at golden hour

There is something deeply chic about pouring a chilled glass of wine, sparkling lemonade, or something floral just as the light starts to turn golden.

9. Loafers with bare ankles

Before sandal season fully takes over, May is the perfect time for loafers worn with cropped trousers, denim, or easy dresses. While ballet flats are my typical go-to, I love how loafers create a polished in-between look.

10. Peonies in every form

Peonies are one of May’s great luxuries, and I fully believe they deserve their own category. On the table, in the garden, in a bouquet by the bed—always chic.

11. Light layers

May dressing is all about the art of the layer. A cardigan draped over the shoulders, a trench tossed over linen, a light knit for evening—this is where style gets interesting.

12. A signature scent that smells fresh and expensive

In May, I always want fragrance to feel airy, soft, and quietly beautiful. Citrus, neroli, green fig, orange blossom—something subtle but memorable. For some specific recommendations check out this post.

13. Open windows

One of the chicest things in life costs absolutely nothing: open windows in May. Fresh air, moving curtains, birds in the distance, and a house that feels awake again.

14. Seasonal fruit on the counter

Bowls of lemons, strawberries, and cherries make a kitchen feel instantly prettier in May. I love food that doubles as decor.

15. A pink or red lip after dark

There is something incredibly chic about a pink or red lip in May—especially in the evening. It is one of my favorite ways to make even the most casual spring evening feel a little more glamorous.

16. Hosting something small and beautiful

May is made for small gatherings. A simple brunch, drinks on the patio, dessert after dinner—nothing elaborate, just a few thoughtful details and an easy sense of occasion. You can read our thoughts on why hosting is the chicest power move here.

17. Ballet flats returning to rotation

I mentioned earlier that flats are my go-to and every spring, I look forward to my ballet flats finding their way back into my wardrobe. They immediately make everything feel a little more elegant.

18. Reading outside

A book, a shaded chair, and twenty quiet minutes outdoors feels like one of the chicest ways to spend a May afternoon.

19. The first signs of summer approaching

That subtle warmth and glow that comes from more sunlight, longer walks, and being outside a little more often is inherently chic.

20. Living a little more beautifully on purpose

More than anything, what I find chic in May is the return of intention. Slowing down enough to set the table, buy the flowers, wear the good perfume, and romanticize the ordinary a little more.

What do you find incredibly chic this time of year? Let us know in the comments.

Xo, Courtney