I tried on $13,485 worth of Pucci and talked to 2 experts to see if people with boobs, ass, age, and Tibi proclivity can still have a Pucci summer

10 practical tips. And Wendy culled the most IRL wearable stuff for us.

Everyone’s saying Pucci Summer is coming for us. Even

Irene Kim (김애린)

— who I hardly think of as a “Pucci girl.” The thing is, though, I wear a D cup still (post reduction), and I have not yet entered my braless era. So those easy breezy silk halter and, scarf-as-halter moments? Those are not my moments.

And then also, my style veers far more Tibi than Pucci. I’m usually thinking about how I can look and feel relaxed. And often a little masc, too. Hardly the specialty of “the prince of Prints” credited with pioneering leggings (here).

And sure, I could sit this one out. I could deem Pucci my taste but not my style ala

Becky Malinsky

. At least not my aspirational style. But the heart wants what it wants, and this heart wants to go “pucci, pucci, pu!” As is so often the case, it’s the nostalgia. My dad’s iconic turquoise Pucci tie, which I always wanted to steal for the belt loops of my Levis.

But I don’t want to sit on the sidelines with my boobs and my 54-ness, damn it! I want to jump in the Pucci pool. (Literally, also, without anything falling out.) The world is sucking it up rn and I crave a moment of Italian distraction, I want riotous color, I want to parteeee til I forget everything for one night. Not really. But I want to feel like I want that.

So I bravely stepped into the Pucci store in the Design District on a slow Monday and took anything that remotely appealed to me into the fitting room. And followed that up with some expert advice.

First up, my ahas

(or go right to our Pucci picks - Market Editor

Wendy Duffy

may have found la piece de resistance)

If you love Pucci with the deepest fibers of your soul, go ahead and do it!

1. Choose a Pucci print, like choosing art - go with what you love, have to have, what speaks to you.

2. Make sure what you choose will scratch the itch for you. I felt like I wanted to really go there with something iconically Pucci — If you pick the least "out there” piece, it may be the easiest to wear, but ultimately may not feel like you’’re doing it.

3. One approach: Wade in with your Security Blanket pieces (the go-tos that give you comfort), adding a small Pucci piece to the mix.

4. Resist the urge to pull an exact color from the print. Something that doesn’t quite match feels less forced.

5. Work it in with one or a lot of neutrals (especially ones not in the print)

6. Or go tonal, pairing with colors that relate to but don’t match the print.

7. Pucci is light and festive — don’t treat it too seriously and take the life out of it

8. Buy from a place that has easy returns — that way you can gauge the

   Allison Bornstein
   Full Body Yes better — and also try it out to see what it works in your closet

9. It’s unrealistic to think you’ll wear this every day and that’s ok — chances are, though, it stands the test of time and you’ll want to pull it out year after year (even if you skip a year or two.)

10. On sizing: I took a 42 in most bottoms, but the pants were tough and I’d need a 44 and a tailor (hips). The tops were TTS.

Here’s what worked on me

Dove RIGHT in. This is a terry cloth blazer with sequins down the front! It has so much humor. Would wear with my summer weight Winslows. Or my big huge chinos. Mis-matchy sandal. It’s like instant joy.

The shape of this top is incredible. When I put it on I was like “shit, I’m doomed.” It’s cotton too. This is like the balloon skirts of the moment in shirt form. Needs something slim/straight I think … could go on top of a slip dress or with a slip skirt.

It doens’t look great in the photo but it is! It’s 100% cotton, and the most gorgeous kind of cotton. I was like - OH. THIS is cotton. It has a little tie in back and can be worn backwards if you want. Ofc I would wear with my blue Havianas at the pool. But also works as a top. The shape is really special — both the arms and the body. I could see it with these flowy brown/burgundy pants I have. Over jeans.

They said this was a men’s shirt, but it didn’t feel too oversized. I think it’s women’s and they may not have known because it’s big for Miami :-). The straight leg pants have some elastic in back. But they pulled at my hips a little where the pocket is so would size up. I loved the swagger of this whole thing. Felt amazing. And loved the dark print. (Side note, just noticed my earrings are back in stock at At Present. I have a code: HEYMRSSOLOMON15)

I LOVED the shape of top. It feels like a version of a halter that you can wear a bra with. It has that same spirit. I love the triangle shaped point and the gentle effect it creates, dropping below the waist — the shape echoed in the sleeves. The pattern is different on the back; you can wear it either way. I didn’t love this particular colorway.

Same top, different colorway (here in color ways I prefer— look closely the two sides are different!). And here with a skirt I love too. The skirt is just so flattering and cool. It hangs in such a relaxed way. The position of the slit is so cool - sexy without being revealing. Sexy in a cool geometric way.

I was loving this so much I put the heels on and flounced around. I loved the fit, I loved the fun. Living in Florida and being 54, the white background felt too literal for me…

Here’s what I bought

The top on the left is one top, front and back — that can be worn either way. I later ordered the skirt (42 fit amazingly).

I ripped the bandaid right off and wore the top to dinner with Kelly Klein of

Wear It Like This

— paired with athletic shorts, Tibi sandals, trusty CDC cardigan, and a ring 3 bag. (Ring 3 explained here.)

and I started playing around

I also consulted some experts.

We all saw Irene buy that Pucci bathing suit she was planning to return, yes? (It does make me feel good that I’m not alone in my Pucci descent.) She’s a stylist, she’s so modern and cool; I thought she’d be great for a Pucci POV.

“If you want to play with the Pucci trend but you have a clean, minimal style and typically don’t wear prints and colour,” said Irene, “start by incorporating one small Pucci piece into your outfit of otherwise tried-and-true foundational pieces. The balance of the outfit will still feel like you with, but with a Pucci flourish.” Irene’s suit, here.

In the look above, “The scarf here is Hermes, but a Pucci one works as well. The rest of the elements of this outfit are clean and in line with my usual style so it tones down the loudness of the Pucci print.”

You know who else I DMd with? Fana from Tibi! Again, the perfect person. She gets Tibi style. And she’s worn Pucci. And she regularly goes to Miami for Art Basel. And she is SO cool.

could she be any cooler???

“I was first introduced to Pucci the way I discovered most designers growing up—through a rap lyric,” Fana wrote me. “But nothing quite prepares you for the magic of a true Pucci print. The kaleidoscopic colors, the hypnotic patterns—it’s wearable art.”

So was I overthinking it, this clash between Pucci and my kind of style?

“I totally get the hesitation. At first glance, Pucci can feel… like a visual trance. And that’s exactly why I say: lean in. Styling Pucci is all about embracing the adventure.”

Fana totally agreed with Irene on this one: “If you’re new to the world of bold prints, start small. A scarf, a hat, or even a printed shoe is the perfect entry point.”

Another Fana tip? “Pull a single color from the print and match it with something you already own—it makes creating a monochromatic or tonal moment effortless and cohesive.”

Naturally, Fana doesn’t propose doing this in a Garanimals kind of way. She likes pairing the Pucci with something unexpected, even a little off. She asked to see the piece I bought and even went ahead and shared some Tibi pieces she’d style it with. I was SO inspired:

The pieces she picked are a huge aha and yet make so much sense. The silky balloon skirt is a non-matching neutral — versus the white or black in the print — that shares the lightness and triangle shape. The eggplant skirt too, only with a tonal color vs. a neutral. And the Winslow actives! So fresh and unexpected to pair this top with activewear (I stole that idea above!). The slip dress has a color relationship without matching. Finally the Atlas sandal, which Fana bought for herself, BTW, is the perfect low-key but “in the spirit of” shoe for all of it.

Ready to Pucci Summer in your own very you way? Wendy and I curated what we feel are the best pieces out there to make Pucci palatable. Thinking of putting a Pucci/esque week on the calendar too. All boobs, bodies, ages & styles invited.

XO,

Rachel