When it comes to fashion, Rachel Zoe’s never afraid to color outside the lines.
Long before becoming a “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star, she cemented her reputation as one of the world’s most instantly recognizable star stylists — in addition to honing her own vivid, print-filled personal style.
“[I was] constantly around people that were putting different messages out there into the world and balancing it with what they were going through and how they wanted to project themselves,” she told us.
“Fashion should be fun,” she added. “I think that’s the message that I’ve always tried to put out there; it should always be your form of self-expression.”
She’s brought that same philosophy into her new role as Essie’s Chief Color Director, drawing on her experiences curating colorful clothing — and her longtime love of the brand’s polishes, which she’s worn for everything from recent red carpets to her Sweet 16 and high school proms. (“I went to six proms,” she laughed.)
Below, nail summer style with Zoe’s favorite colors for seasonal manicures, plus pro tips for what to wear with each one.
Not-so-basic white
“For me, summer dressing is just about maxi and midi dresses, caftans and lots of white,” Zoe said, nothing that the “no white after Labor Day” rule is “so long gone.”
“I’ve been wearing white year-round my whole life,” she added. “I never subscribed to that because then it’s like, OK, what, don’t wear black past winter?”
Shop the look:
Dôen Adelaide Dress
Reformation Andi Linen Maxi Skirt
Essie Nail Polish in Marshmallow
Think pink
“I think part of the reason I tend to leave my nails this really pretty blush-y pink is because you don’t have to think about your lip color,” she said. “I’m definitely very monochromatic or cohesive.”
To complete the look, Zoe’s love of “blush-y nudes” extends to the Merit and Mary Phillips lip products she’s “obsessed” with. (“If you opened my bag, you would probably find at least 15 different lip pencils and lip glosses,” she quipped.)
Shop the look:
M.p.h by Mary Phillips Lip Ciggy Sheer Lipstick Balm
Merit Signature Lip Blush
Essie Nail Polish in Mademoiselle
Go for the gold
“Going into summer, I love metallics. I love wearing a lot of my vintage gold dresses from the ’70s, and I’ll put those with a more nude- or gold-toned nail polish,” she said. “There’s something that Essie has called Set in Stones; it’s so fun to put over any color.”
Shop the look:
Johanna Ortiz Rooted in Light Earrings
Retrofête Metallic Knit Halter Top
Essie Nail Polish in Set in Stones
Red-y, set, go
“A lot of my friends that wear sort of a brighter red nail tend to wear a lot of nautical looks. It’s that very kind of East Coast summer vibe.”
Shop the look:
Seroya Dannie Tank
Essie Nail Polish in Forever Yummy
Staud Good Night Moon Wicker Bag
Why Trust Page Six Style Shopping
This article was written by Hannah Southwick, Commerce Associate Editor for Page Six. Hannah spies deals on actually affordable celebrity-worn styles, puts celebrities’ brands to the test and finds the beauty products that keep stars red carpet-ready. She consults stylists and industry pros — including celebs themselves — for firsthand product recommendations, trend predictions and more. In addition to writing for Page Six since 2020, her work has been featured in USA Today and Parade.