Pulse: Style: Personal Best: Eileen McDade

Pop into Eileen McDade’s delightful floral shop, Rue Coco in Ardmore, and prepare to witness a merciless assault of haute cute and grown-up girly. Much vies for your attention: the French tulips, the seven-foot pussy willows she’s coaxing to fuzzy splendor, the farm table laden with cookies and lemonade — and Lola, the toy poodle, wearing (we can’t stand it!) an Hermès silver charm bracelet in lieu of a collar. Then there’s McDade herself, relaxed and chic in her Lucky jeans, dragonfly brooch, and Coco Chanel strands of long, chunky pearls. Two back-to-back trips to Paris in 2002 helped convince her to quit her job in marketing and open this floral atelier. “It was very liberating,” says the Montgomery County resident, who’s long carried a pair of garden clippers in her car, “just in case.” Here, a few more elements of her irrepressible style.

By admin· 4/24/2008, 9:06 a.m.

HOME
The roost: A rented gatehouse on an estate in Penn Valley, found in the Main Line Times classifieds. “You know Snow White’s cottage?”
Favorite room: The all-white, lofted bedroom, with glass doors onto a garden. “I’m surrounded by so much color during the day that it’s nice to have it all white at night.”
On the bed: White Frette duvet. “I have the Frette robe, too. It lets you take part of your night experience
into morning.”
Favorite flea market: The Elephant’s Trunk Flea Market in New Milford, Connecticut. “You have to get there
at 7 a.m. to get the best things.”
Where the flowers are: “I always have bud vases filled on the shelves of an apothecary chest in my powder room.”

FASHION
Favorite swimsuit: Oscar de la Renta three-piece bikini/tankini. “I bought it at TJ Maxx. I’m a bargain bathing-suit shopper and not afraid to say it!”
Always wearing: Hermès belt, Hermès Double Tour watch.
Heels: Vera Wang. “They’re more comfortable than my Jimmy Choos or Manolos.”
Outfits for Lola: A reversible hooded vest by Puppia and a horse blanket coat by Canine Styles.

TECHNOLOGY
Personal organizer: Sony CLIÉ. “I shoot wedding locations with it, or e-mail photographs of arrangements I’ve sent.”
Frequent Internet search: The Holland Flower Market, a florist-only site. “If I buy online on Tuesday, I can have the flowers in my shop by Friday morning.”
On the iPod: Billie Holiday, Joss Stone, the Rolling Stones, John Mayer, Eric Clapton.