When it premiered in the ‘70s, Grey Gardens revealed the life of Jackie Kennedy Onassis’s aunt and cousin, Big Edie and Little Edie, whose real names were both Edith Bouvier Beale. Little Edie, in particular, was the star. A little delusional, but always fabulous. Her mother spent copious amounts of time in bed, buried under piles of food and newspaper and cat litter. The poster for the documentary showed Little Edie in a fur coat, crimson red lips and accessories glaring against the gray sky as she stood in the overgrown garden of the dilapidated Grey Gardens estate. Long before we coined terms like bed rotting and mob wife winter, Little Edie was doing it first. In short, she pioneered everything that seems to be a hallmark of Gen Z today.
Is Gen Z in Its 'Grey Gardens' Era? Here’s What You Need to Channel Your Inner Edith Beal
Little Edie is an icon
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I first came across Grey Gardens Core in an issue of trend forecaster Mandy Lee’s Cyclical, where she writes, “...how has Little Edie flown under the radar for so long? How has there not been a Grey Gardens core yet? She hits alllll the trends. Bed rotting? She invented it. Luxurious fur coat? She’s got that. Pop of red? Yes, of course. Signature accessory? Every style icon has one.”
Last year, it seemed that no matter which way you turned, everyone needed a fur coat à la Carmela Soprano (though in my heart, Margot Tenenbaum will always reign supreme. It was a Fendi mink!). And, as the world has grown increasingly stressful, Gen Zers have turned to bed rotting, aka spending copious amounts of time in bed scrolling aimlessly through our phones, with a Netflix series droning meaninglessly in the background, to cope with all the ills. Right now, red lip theory is floating around, (re)touting the benefits of the flashy color and its ability to boost your confidence. And Little Edie certainly had a lot of confidence. If you, too, are ready to embrace Grey Gardens Core (should you not have already), here are five essential pieces to nail the OG’s style. And then, back to bed it is.
Grey Gardens Core Essentials
1. Kosas Deep Talks Red Lipstick
Kosas
I mean, the poster of Grey Gardens is everything, and immediately your eyes are drawn to Little Edie’s red lip. PureWow editors know a thing or two about the best red lipstick—the key here is to pick a red that’s more crimson with brown undertones, like burgundy or merlot, instead of the brighter, orange-toned hues that Taylor Swift has made her signature. My personal favorite is Kosas’s satin lipstick in Deep Talks. It’s just the right shade, neutral enough that many skin tones can pull it off, while sticking to the deeper tones inspired by Little Edie. Bonus: It’s not drying, has great longevity and always gets me tons of compliments.
Fast Facts
- Ingredients: mango butter, cocoa butter, rosehip oil
2. Reformation Ellie Faux Fur Coat
Reformation
Once you see that statement-making fur coat, you can’t unsee it. Little Edie’s was long and dramatic and probably the real deal. For those of us living in 2025, this shorter rendition (more peacoat length and perfect for the 2010s resurgence) by Reformation is a cozy compromise. In addition to the Teddy print, the coat is also available in an eye-catching Dalmatian pattern.
Fast Facts
- Materials: polyester, acrylic
- Size Range: XXS to XL
Nordstrom
After popping up with plenty of controversy in 2022, the balaclava is back. Little Edie famously fashioned a variety of headwraps from towels scarves, said to be covering up either alopecia or the fact that she had once set her hair on fire. I’m partial to a good silk scarf myself, and it’s equally useful for keeping ears warm in the winter as it is tying up your hair in the summer.
Fast Facts
- Materials: silk
Loft
“You can always take off the skirt and use it as a cape. This is the best costume for the day,” Little Edie famously said. She liked to fashion cardigans into wrap skirts with safety pins, and one of her signature outfits during filming was a brown monochrome number featuring said skirt and a coordinating sweater. This little number from LOFT is reminiscent of her own, with drapey crepe fabric. Throw on a black sweater and consider yourself good to go.
Fast Facts
- Material: polyester
- Size Range: US 0 to 14, regular and petite
Salbsever
Little Edie often kept her head scarves secured with a stylish floral brooch, as seen in the documentary. I think she’d approve of this one, with its gold metal base a delicate throwback to her own, plus inlaid crystals in soft autumn colors that draw the eye without being too ostentatious.
Fast Facts
- Materials: crystal, alloy
