Mad for Plaid-Cape Madras Happy!

Inside me lives a true Preppy Princess. I still have all my Bermuda Bag covers- monogrammed of course-Ziploc bags filled with headbands and grosgrain ribbon belts, a closet filled with Jack Rogers and Lillys ...crisp stripes, polka dots and of course lots of Madras plaid! Maybe it started with my love for everything Pink, or maybe it was just the decade I grew up in, but preppy plaids still makes me smile. If you dig through the dressing closet at Camp MP you will even find Madras Plaid sneakers and a Preppy Teddy Bear named Ernest who sports a summer plaid sports jacket. In the sunroom there is a loveseat covered in perfect Bermuda plaid that greets me with a smile even on the dreariest day.

It's no wonder then that when I bumped into a shop in Maine filled with happy Patch Madras that I felt instantly at home.  Cape Madras is a spirited and colorful collection of women's and men's apparel, as well as homegoods, all done in yummy hued soft plaid fabrics that not only bring back memories of lost sunny days, but also of wardrobe pieces that have never gone out of summer style.

The Cape Madras collection got its start in one of my favorite summer spots, Cape Elizabeth Maine, known for its lighthouses, spectacular views and lobster rolls. The line grew from Jenna Sisselman's own "lightbulb" moment flipping through a 60's yearbook and deciding to breath new life into those classic Patch Madras styles.  She knew it was time to revive and reinvent this Preppy Girl's, and Guy's, wardrobe staple.  Off she went to India to source fabrics for her own  Patch Madras collection, infusing  the Palm Beach and Osterville prep with a new spirit.

The line can be found in over 500 retail shops , Jenna has opened a factory in India to manufacture her own plaids, and now Cape Madras has its own outlet location in Freeport Maine.

The Cape Madras styles include: Skirts, Bermudas, Crops and Capris , Blazers, Button Down Shirts,Sun Dresses, and... Thank you Jenna! Skorts!! along with super soft sweaters and crisp tunics all done in preppy ice cream and jelly bean colors...and no you do not have to know how to swing a golf club to look adorable in any of it!

 Jenna's Freeport shop also includes pieces from her home collection including my favorite...a Patch Madras Yoga Ball!...

 

...along with an irresistible selection of happy faux jewelry and watches.  Can Patch Madras change your day??  Well, all I can tell you is when I walked into Jenna's Cape Madras shop it was grey and gloomy and when I left the sun was sparkling for the first time in days. For more info see Cape Madras.