At Brooks Avenue, we believe color is so much more than a palette. It's a way of seeing the world. It's the pieces you reach for year after year, the flowers you stop to admire on an afternoon walk, the table you set just because friends are coming over, and the little details that make life feel a bit more joyful.
That's the inspiration behind Where Color Lives, a series celebrating the women who inspire us most. From tastemakers and creators to artists and friends of the brand, we're sitting down with women whose lives are filled with curiosity, creativity, and a point of view. We'll talk about the colors they gravitate toward, the places they find inspiration, the rituals they never skip, and what "living colorfully" means to them.
Our first conversation is with Mary Veronica Mullen, whose effortless style has long been one of our favorites. She has an incredible eye for mixing vintage with modern, finding beauty in the unexpected, and creating spaces, outfits, and experiences that feel deeply personal rather than perfectly curated.
Let's step inside Mary's colorful world.
On Getting Dressed
What role does color play in the way you get dressed? Are there certain shades you reach for when you want to feel confident, creative, or most like yourself?
Color is everything in the way I get dressed, but maybe not in the way you might think. Unless I'm pulling out something special... a vintage piece or a Brooks Avenue-esque piece that's the statement... I usually start with a baseline of white and denim. Color comes in through the layers, whether it's a sweater thrown over my shoulders, a great patterned jacket, a funky clutch, or a colorful shoe.
I definitely get dressed by mood, and very rarely is my mood allergic to color. I love every shade of green... olive, moss, emerald, chartreuse... but I'm equally happy in yellow, coral, red, or pink. Honestly, there's not really a color that's off limits.
On Living Colorfully
What does "living colorfully" mean to you?
I think living colorfully is just a rejection of anything that isn't inherently me. Not letting beige... and not just the literal color... seep into my life.
When it comes to style and experiences, I've always gravitated toward things that aren't so basic or widely embraced... yet. My version of living colorfully is collecting stories with a little mischief, having an opinion, and not shopping exclusively through influencers dropping links. It's days with no agenda and always being good for "one more."It's caring about the good striped awning at a little café, while also acknowledging the food was just okay... but still deciding it's the perfect place for a glass of wine. Sometimes it's not just about the photo, ya know?
It's an f-bomb, but also handwritten thank-you notes. It's rewearing the same perfect white button-down a hundred different ways instead of feeling like you need an entirely new wardrobe every season. It's having discernment and a point of view, while also happily serving your friends pepperoni pizza at 9:30 because cocktail hour was so fun everyone collectively decided cooking dinner sounded like way too much work.Or buying the etched hurricane on a whim because it made you smile... and somehow finding ten different places in your home to use it.
Favorite Color Pairings
What's a color combination you'll never get tired of?
Linen-y white with chartreuse... I love layers of green, olive, kelly green, moss... those have forever been favorites of mine.
And if something comes in a fiery, red-leaning coral... ooof. I just love it.
Where Inspiration Finds Her
What has most influenced your sense of color and style, whether it’s a destination, an art movement, an experience? / Where do you find color inspiration outside of fashion?
I got my love of color from my mom. As I was typing these answers, I kept thinking about shopping with her over the years and how lit up she gets when a color just hits right. I think some of that definitely rubbed off on me.
Beyond that, I find inspiration while shopping and scouring... or when I'm traveling. My camera roll is proof. It's full of little moments... color combinations, painted shutters, flowers, ceramics, funky textiles, interiors... things that simply make me feel something.
I'm a big feeler, and I have strong reactions to beautiful things. You will absolutely hear me full chest... and sometimes literally stop in my tracks... to say, "OMG." I’m actually probably annoying to bop around with because it’s a lot of “Love, I die, OMG, So fun! She’s fab!”
I think inspiration finds me more than I find it. I'm just really open to it. I love looking at the world that way. I don't spend much time chasing inspiration as much as I spend time paying attention. I am fully aware of how cheesy this sounds, but I believe beauty is always all around... you just have to notice it!
The Finishing Touch
What’s one detail you never overlook when getting dressed or hosting friends?
The finishing touch... and it has to be fun. I think it's the layer that tells people who you are. A fabulous vintage coat layered over your favorite jeans and a white button-down. The right earrings. A sunwear bandana that adds a little something while you're reading a book on the beach.
At home, it's candles lit before anyone arrives, music already on, and one beautiful detail that makes everything feel considered... cloth napkins, fun stirrers, a great bowl of citrus, something unexpected... even if we're just having a drink before heading out to dinner.
It's never about perfection for me. It's about pulling out those little details that make things more fun and more you. I think that's where personal style really comes into focus.
This Summer, She's Wearing...
What Brooks Avenue piece are you reaching for this summer?
I’ll be reaching for the Georgia Dress in Frond Orange! She’s going to live a lot of lives in my closet, I’ll tell you that much! I’m also fully obsessed and eyeing the Walker Top with the Madelyn Skirt — and can see the skirt transitioning right into fall with a chocolate brown cashmere sweater and a chunky brown leather belt with a gold buckle.