The Lauren Warrant No. 1 — Tuckernuck
The inaugural Lauren Warrant goes, without a single hesitation, to Tuckernuck.
The Lauren Warrant is my editorial seal of approval — a series dedicated to the brands, makers, and pieces that have earned not just a place in my closet, but a permanent residence in my life. Think of it as my take on the UK Royal Warrant of Appointment: a recognition bestowed not because something is new, or trending, or sent to me in a very pretty box, but because it has proved itself, season after season, in the living of an actual life.
Each Warrant will, in time, lean product-specific. But some honors are so foundational that the product cannot be separated from the house. This is one of those. The inaugural Lauren Warrant goes, without a single hesitation, to Tuckernuck.
It began above a garage in Georgetown.
In June 2012, three women sat down with a shared conviction: that somewhere between the combat boots crowding every retailer and the fusty old standbys of their mothers’ closets, there was an entirely underserved woman. She wanted classics. She wanted color. She wanted to look like herself on a Tuesday in September and at a wedding in May and on the first day of a new job and at a buzzy brunch with her girlfriends. She wanted, in short, Tuckernuck — even if she didn’t yet have a word for it.
Sisters Jocelyn Gailliot and Maddy Grayson, who grew up in D.C. and attended National Cathedral School, launched the company alongside Grayson’s college friend September Votta. The name came from summers in Nantucket — a tiny island just off its coast, tucked away, unhurried, full of light. It was an apt metaphor for what they were building: something apart from the noise. By 2016, they had their first brick-and-mortar in Georgetown, and what started as a small e-commerce boutique has since grown into a nine-figure empire — with a gleaming new flagship on the corner of Wisconsin and N Street, a second outpost on the Upper East Side, and a team of nearly 150 people.
How I Found It
I discovered Tuckernuck in 2020, right after graduating law school, when I was ready to stop chasing trends and start building a wardrobe I actually wanted to live in.
The very first piece I bought from them is the dress I got engaged in. A strong start, if you ask me!
Since then, Tuckernuck has taken over the majority of real estate in my closet — and a bit beyond! I wore it as a bridesmaid in my brother’s wedding. On first days of new jobs. On vacations that became memories. Tuckernucking has become a fully-fledged verb in my household. My dad lovingly calls my mom and me the Tuckernuckers when we get particularly deep into a shopping session.
When I first started sharing online as a tastemaker and received my first PR package from Tuckernuck, I knew that I had made it!
Why I Love It So Much
Let me count the ways — though I warn you, this could take a while!
Tuckernuck is, at its core, a lifestyle brand in the truest sense of that much-abused phrase. They understand that you have a full, joyful, spontaneous life, and they want to dress every part of it. The world Tuckernuck imagines is effervescent, romanticized, well-traveled and genuinely, warmly fun — and that world, frankly, sounds a lot like mine.
Their clothes are easily packable, always a statement even in a classic silhouette, as comfortable building a capsule wardrobe as making a single spectacular entrance. From day to office, footwear to accessories, home to formal — the breadth is remarkable without ever feeling scattered. They even publish a seasonal “Find the Fun” list centered around travel, culture, curiosity, and connection, because they understand that what you wear is inseparable from how you live.
My Tuckernuck Staples
These are the silhouettes that have earned their permanent residency in my closet.
1. The Jackie Tweed Dress — The dress that started a thousand think-pieces and, more importantly, a thousand great outfits. Structured, polished, and somehow both timeless and of-the-moment. It fits true to size.
2. The Callahan Shirt Dress — My most-worn Tuckernuck piece, full stop. It goes everywhere, does everything, and makes getting dressed feel effortless. True-ish to size; if in between, size down.
3. The Royal Shirt Dress — A close runner-up to the Callahan for sheer versatility. The kind of dress that works harder than you do. True to size.
4. The Parker Classic Tee — The foundational tee everyone needs. Size down if between sizes.
5. The Adair Boyfriend Shirt — True to size for an intentionally oversized look; size down for something slightly less slouchy.
6. The Riley Cardigan — Size up for the perfect layering piece. Don’t forget to add your monogram!
7. The September Pant — A polished trouser that feels like athleisure. True to size.
8. The Brynn Skirt — This skirt is meant for twirling. True to size.
9. The Teagan Popover — A wardrobe workhorse with a touch of fizz that stays at the front of my closet during every season of the year and life. True to size.
10. The Esme Dress — Elegant, effortless, and endlessly flattering for all your formalwear occasions. Another true-to-size.
P.S. I promise to always keep The Lauren Letter free as my little exercise of trying to make the world a bit more beautiful. If, in return, you could considering giving this post a “like” or share with a friend, it would just mean the world to me.
