Getting the Ralph Lauren Look
For a brief time during my senior year in college, I was in the employ of one Ralph Lauren. OK, I worked at the outlet store, frantically folding polo shirts behind the busloads of tourists who destroyed our store multiple times a day. But still, during that time, I wholly embraced the Ralph aesthetic - and I still love it.
Oddly, when I think of Ralph Lauren design, I don't necessarily think of his actual line of home goods - it's more about the lifestyle. Ralph (as I like to call him) inspires a preppy New England/ Kennedy/ Americanized British gentry aesthetic that's immensely appealing and also pretty easy to achieve.
If you're interested in adding a dose of the RL to your home, check out these images. I found them very inspirational - and also very attainable.
Oddly, when I think of Ralph Lauren design, I don't necessarily think of his actual line of home goods - it's more about the lifestyle. Ralph (as I like to call him) inspires a preppy New England/ Kennedy/ Americanized British gentry aesthetic that's immensely appealing and also pretty easy to achieve.
If you're interested in adding a dose of the RL to your home, check out these images. I found them very inspirational - and also very attainable.
It's so simple, but adding a flag to the outside of your home adds a touch of genuine Americana that's pure Ralph.
Everything about this space - the plaid pillow, the little doggy pillow, the leather chair, the wood furniture - is true to the Ralph design aesthetic.
This scene is found in the same house as above. I love the weathered wood that doesn't match perfectly and the landscape. Each piece tells a story and could've been handed down from great-grandparents. Heirlooms? That's very Ralph.
Heirlooms - they're just fantastic and make for lovely little displays.
This home, though newer, has the New England vibe that's vintage Polo.
I like this space very much, partly because it's not 100% Ralph - I think of it more as Ralph meets Calvin. The fireplace, which is restored original brick, and wood paneling share the Polo aesthetic, while the simple and neutral furniture have a much more modern, sleek look, similar to Calvin Klein's collections.
One of the keys to mimicing Ralph Lauren's style is to acheive a look that is both gorgeous and comfortable. One that looks lived in. This space does exactly that.
This kitchen's combination of warm colors and exposed brick puts off a distinct Ralph vibe.
No, they're not actually RL, but Hudson Bay blankets convey the Ralph lifestyle like few other single home accessories.
I love butcher blocks in the kitchen - and they add something solid to decor that suggests all things Ralph.
Even if these photos aren't of the homeowner during his prep school days, their inclusion adds some of that preppy American lore that Ralph is famous for creating.