Palm Royale Is Chock-Full Of Perfect Vintage Fashion Moments

Dubbed a colorful cross between Mad Men, Desperate Housewives, and White Lotus, Apple TV+’s new limited series Palm Royale is full of frothy drama, quotable one-liners, and seriously major actors. Starring a bubbly Kristen Wiig as Southern beauty queen Maxine Simmons trying to break into Palm Beach’s upper echelon of high society women, and an elite ensemble cast that includes Laura Dern, Kaia Gerber, Carol Burnett, and Allison Janey, the series is certainly plenty in talent. However, the ‘60s period comedy is also a sugary feast for the eyes.

The show’s costume designer Alix Friedberg brings authentically ‘60s looks that range from carefully sourced designer vintage pieces to custom made designs. In a recent interview with Harper’s Bazaar, the stylist says she was inspired by real-life society women from the mid twentieth century, like Betsy Bloomingdale. “There was also this society woman Deeda Blair, who actually just recently published a lifestyle book before she passed about how to set a table and throw a proper dinner party — her whole life was about entertaining,” she says in the interview. “We also looked to Marjorie Merriweather Post, who built the mansion Mar-a-Lago. We based Carol Burnett’s character, Norma, on a lot of those types of figures.”

Whatever magic formulas she employed, they work like a charm. Candy-coated mini dresses, printed head scarves, long, flowing watercolored caftans, embellished turbans — the throwback style moments on Palm Royale are truly a fashion girl’s paradise. Check out the star style items that will serve as worthy inspiration for your spring wardrobe ahead. This spring will be a groovy season for sure.

Micro-Mini Dresses

At lights up, the first shot of the quirky and ambitious Maxine shows her scaling a back garden wall at the exclusive Palm Royale as a scrappy means of entry. Yes, the move is bold and comedic, but it’s also visually appealing thanks to the super mod, micro mini the protagonist chose for her first day on the Palm Beach property. The quintessential ‘60s frock features a whimsical print set against sherbet shades of peach, light blue, pink, and yellow. This thigh-grazing shift silhouette is the first of many for the show’s lead actor, as we’ll see in episodes to come.

For a more conservative moment, Maxine embraces a coat-style mini dress in a sunny yellow hue, complete with double-breasted buttons and accent brooch (a big accessory trend for 2024!).

Caftan Extravaganza

Flowy, ethereal printed maxi dresses are a through line for the series, embraced by a number of the characters, including Queen Bee Evelyn Rollins (played by Janney). A good 85% of the ringleader’s screen time shows her sashaying or lounging around in an intricately printed caftan — the perfect complement to her also consistent judgmental stare.

As the free-thinking leader of a feminist group, Linda (played by Dern) sticks to a wardrobe that aligns with her strong-minded, carefree ideals. In lieu of the silky, jem-adorned frocks seen on Maxine and the Palm Royale’s cool-girl collective, the women’s rights advocate opts for paisley cotton caftans in earthy tones. While a bit more grounded, her wardrobe still reads perfectly retro.

Statement Accessories

The heavy metal, layered, statement jewelry of the ‘60s is alive and well in Palm Royale. Feminism and human rights advocate Virginia (played by Amber Chardae Robinson) embraces this with full force, often opting for gilded pieces in geometric shapes.

Nothing complements a silky caftan like double-string pearls and beads and a pair of oversized rounded sunnies. The vibe is decadent and over-the-top — which is exactly what any uppercrust Palm Beach society woman could want.

Hats

Dramatic headgear of all kinds was embraced in this period, including those meant for formal dinner-party-like occasions. Yes, characters like Evelyn and the mostly comatose Norma Dellacorte (played by Burnett) can be seen in fancy silk turbans, often embellished in fringe and gemstones.

Palm Royale truly leaves no stone unturned when it comes to lively headwear. Even floral-bedecked swim caps and candy-colored wide-brimmed visors are embraced for good measure.

Head Scarves

In addition to hats, scarves are another welcome addition in Palm Royale. Maxine kicks things off in her opening scene, wrapping one around her head, handkerchief style, allowing the cloth to hang long in the back, stylishly keeping her long hair out of her face.

Wide-eyed manicurist Mitzi (played by Gerber) goes the headband route, wrapping a scarf along her hairline and keeping the rest of her mane voluminous and curled.