Occasionally I like to feature someone in this series that we feel we know and love, someone with a bit of celebrity so to speak. No, I didn’t interview Nancy Meyers for this piece. I do follow her on Instagram where I have gotten small glimpses of her personal style and her own home. I actually started writing this post over a year ago. Just recently when I posted pictures of my new/old living room on Instagram, several of you commented “it looks like a Nancy Meyers movie set” (be still my heart greatest compliment ever), If you love Nancy and her movies as much as I do let’s pretend I am interviewing her, Welcome to Ageless Style-Nancy Meyers.
AGELESS STYLE-NANCY MEYERS
Nancy Meyers is the same age as my sister would have been (71). She has beautiful hair, gorgeous skin, and a fabulous figure.
Nancy makes women-centered movies with strong female leads (think Meryl Streep, Diane Keaton, Anne Hathaway, and more. She is also much-loved for her gorgeous sets. Why do we love Nancy and her movies so much? Her sets look like someone might actually live there. They have a collected look that looks as if they have been gathered over time. Nancy herself seems to be approachable and looks like she could be a friend.
The much loved and often copied, Something’s Gotta Give Set here.
It’s Complicated Set.
Home Again Set.
Each set reflects the life of the female lead.
But we aren’t here to talk about Nancy’s career, we are here to talk about Nancy’s sense of style on the set and off. There aren’t many pictures of Meyers. I am guessing she is much more comfortable behind the camera than in front. Here she is at work from her daughter Hallie Myers Sheyer’s Instagram.
I am sure she doesn’t overthink her personal style, but she always looks fabulous. Here she is photographed for an interview in Vulture here
“Growing up in Philadelphia, she was a theatrical child and enjoyed putting on shows. Her family would go into New York to see Broadway shows, as well as touring productions that would come through town”. She graduated from American University with a degree in journalism. Her mother incidentally was an interior designer. Meyers was previously married to filmmaker Charles Shyer, with whom she worked early in her career, and had two children, including filmmaker Hallie Meyers-Shyer. Nancy here with her daughter Hallie photographed for Home Again. You can read more about her history here on Wikipedia.
With her daughter and Reese Witherspoon from Reese Witherspoon’s Instagram while filming Home Again.
On the set of the Intern. You rarely see Meyers in any pattern besides the occasional stripe. More often than not, she is in black.
With her daughter in France (from her Instagram)
Asked about her own personal style in an interview in Get in the Groove, “Your aesthetic is very specific. Your characters’ fashion is a shining example of this. Is it reflective of how you dress every day? Did you know there’s a trend called ‘menocore’ that’s all about young women “basically dressing like a Nancy Meyers movie”? I read something about that, I think it’s just about dressing comfortably in a non-showy way. Being comfortable not only in your own skin but in the clothes you wear. Not trying to look young – but still looking good. This comes with age. I’m glad younger women see the value in this. And yes, this is how I dress”
Love her look here with Diane Keaton.
Here she is at the wedding of her older daughter, from Martha Stewart Weddings In beautiful gray silk, simple and elegant.
Nancy Meyers and Mindy Khalen.
When asked about a design background in an interview in Time Nancy says”I did grow up with a mother and grandmother who were the original DIY ladies. They were always refinishing something in the garage or putting me and my sister in the back seat and driving to a flea market somewhere. My mom, my grandmother, my aunt, all loved their homes, and we weren’t wealthy, so it wasn’t like there were decorators around. These women really did all the heavy lifting on their own. It was their hobby, and I rolled my eyes at it as a child. But now here I am as a grownup, and I seem to have it as my hobby as well.” (Time Magazine)
We all wonder if Nancy’s personal home looks anything like her movie sets. We are given a few glimpses from her Instagram account. Here is her kitchen. Does it remind you of the Something’s Gotta Give set?
A glimpse of the exterior of Nancy’s home (via her instagram).
I believe this is her living room. Here she says she is babysitting two dogs and a baby. Love the laid-back but carefully curated style of this room dogs and all! Do you think Nancy is approachable? Dogs on white chairs?
Vogue Nancy Meyers Women Wear White
“Meyers women wear white with aplomb, refusing to adhere to the arbitrary “not after Labor Day” rule; they pair beige khakis with ivory cardigans to show that they’re responsible, rigid, maybe a little stuck in the mud, and just need a whirlwind romance to make them burst into color”
Nancy directing Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson in her signature black.
When we moved to this house from our large home and property I was a little worried (actually many people commented on it ) that my whole blogging persona was wrapped up in my garden and my house. I quickly learned that many women my age were hoping to downsize. They could imagine themselves in a smaller home (or live in one already) That is why we love Nancy’s sets. They aren’t too modern, too trendy, or too slick. They look like real people live there. They have a mix of the old and new ( or appear to) They are lovely, but not over-decorated. She carefully crafts the decor to suit each of her characters. And Nancy herself? She seems like someone we would love to call a friend. I hope you enjoyed Ageless Style-Nancy Myers.
GET THE NANCY MEYERS LOOK
Want more of Nancy?
Cote de Texas Nancy Meyers own Home
One Kings Lane Nancy Meyers talks Happiness
Nancy Myers on her Quarentine Instagram-Vanity Fair
Director Nancy Myers on Women in Hollywood
Love this article in the Daily Mail about how Nancy and her ex have their own happy ending.
If you loved the father of the bride you must watch this if you haven’t already. Father of the Bride Part 3ish ,a benefit for World Central Kitchen! http://www.wck.org/father
NOW POP OVER AND VISIT THE CONTESSA TO SEE WHO SHE IS INTERVIEWING! You might also enjoy Ageless Style-Susan Walker.
THE VINTAGE CONTESSA
Love, love, love Nancy Meyers, and her films. We have all her films on DVD and watch them repeatedly.
Great links as well.
Your choices are always spot on, Cindy.
Baci di Umbria, R
p.s. Love the photos of your new home, and garden.
Please reconsider your faded font for the titles ~ Very hard to read
Love your style and enjoy reading about the people you profile
Hi Deb
I am trying to address this with my designer. Would you mind being more specific? thanks
Che delizia questa Signora, moderna ma classica, non sapevo niente di lei, ma mi piace molto il suo stile, grazie Cindy per questa piacevolissima conoscenza.
Great post! Love all of her movies too and her style is so lovely and understated but always current. Hope all is well with the new house ; )). Hope to see you IRL on of these days too xxoo. K
Hi Kelley
I am so sorry I missed you at your shop! Next time!!
Thanks so much, Cindy, for introducing me to Nancy! I loved your story about her and will follow her in the future. Love her look and her sense of style! So, so love your sense of style, too! You have given me so many great ideas! Thank you!
Hi Donna
I am so happy to hear that!!
The best post ever!
This is the best. I love reading what you found about one of my favorite celebrities. She does seem like someone we could be friends with.
Thank you, I’m off to read some of the linked stories.
xo,
Karen
Love everything about Nancy Meyers, thanks for this wonderful post!
When I grow up, I want to be Nancy Meyers. I have five years until I am 71…better get to work!
Hi Cindy,
What a super fun post, love Nancy Meyer’s sets, The house in Santa Barbara in “It’s Complicated” is my dream house! Do you know who the set designer is? Whoever it is clearly understands and is able to portray a distinct”Nancy Meyers” style.
She looks pretty great, too!
XO Heidi
I adore Nancy Meyers, always have. Saw Private Benjamin and I was hooked. I’ve watched many of her movies over and over and even remodeled my kitchen after the kitchen in Somethings Gotta Give! I studied every inch of that kitchen, taking copious notes to get the same look and every detail right. I still love it.
I also agree that your decorating style mirrors hers, but with your own personal touches. Bravo and thank you for showcasing Nancy!
Great post Cindy…..Nancy Meyers wrote the Foreward to Mark Sikes first book, Beautiful. She and her daughter met Mark when he was doing an install on a window display in LA. She wrote in a very charming, warm style about how talented Sikes is.
I love her style of design and her look is so similar to your aesthetic as well. I for one, am loving your blog about downsizing and creating new gardens in a limited space. You always have such wonderful ideas. My husband and I were in Paso Robles overnight (near your former lake house) and I was telling him that every year your home for Berries and Branches charity house walk was always the best one of all…..you are so talented!
Love, love, love Nancy Meyers and this “virtual interview of hers. What a great idea you had, she’s beautiful and truly ageless.
Wow. Nancy Meyers looks terrific! What an inspiration. I have actually watched her films, paused them on the room scenes and have tried to absorb every single details. After watching Something’s Gotta Give, I placed fresh flowers in every room of my house (like the movie!). Thanks for sharing. Love her understated, yet elegant style. It works.
Really enjoyed this post. Thank you.
Wow…I thought I loved her before but now I really do. Her fashion is classic and comfortable…so yes, like her interiors!
Great post.
Hi Cindy!
Love the way you incorporated the movie sets (many of our favorites) in your piece on Nancy and her personal style. A question for you: what was the name of the hotel you mentioned (I think in your Insta stories) that had the word Harbor in it in Santa Barbara? Keep thinking I’m going to run into you at Star now that you’re living in town (:
xo
Hi Wendy
This comment got lost in the shuffle somehow and I couldn’t find your email! It is the Harbor View. I would highly recommend it. Great little breakfast place right next door, you can walk to dinner etc. I would love to have you guys over for dinner sometime if you are around!
Hi Cindy!
Thank you so much for finding my question and writing a reply! Yikes! It’s been so long since we’ve been in S.B. Nick went to UCSB and we went a lot back then. I was a bit surprised to see how prices had gone up~everywhere, I guess to make up for the hiatus during the Pandemic??? I will check out the Harbor View. Your blog and the wealth of information on so many topics is just inspirational and a whole lot of fun to read!
Great work (:
xo Wendy
Cindy I enjoyed this so very much! Nancy has always been one of my favorites. The Santa Barbara home of Meryl Streep in It’s Complicated will always be my dream home. Honestly Cindy, Nancy would use your home in one of her films! Your personal style and home would be just right for one of her films. I should contact her!! This was such a fun read. xo
Cindy, I love you interview and insight into Nancy Meyers. She is classic, stylish and amazing!
She looks amazing, clearly comfortable in her (71-yr) skin! Note, the photo of her older daughter’s wedding, that she is posing with the wedding planner and not her daughter. Also, how much does she resemble Diane Keaton?? Could be sisters!
Enjoyed this post a lot. Comfortable, inviting and easy-going – just what I am aspiring to these days.
Love, love, love! Thanks so much for that great article.
SHE IS A CLASSIC!
HER MOVIES ARE THE BEST!
YES, I THINK WE ALL WOULD LIKE TO SAY SHE IS OUR FRIEND JUST LIKE YOU CINDY!
GREAT IDEA YOU HAD HERE!