If Texas had a crown to bestow, it would rest on the head of Lynn Wyatt. At ninety, the philanthropist transcends the titles of socialite, department store heiress, oil magnate wife, globe-trotting jetsetter, and style icon. She’s a close friend of Elton John and the late Truman Capote (who never betrayed her in writing as he did his legendary “swans”). From her storied River Oaks residence—dubbed Wyatt Hyatt—to La Mauresque, her French Riviera retreat in St. Jean Cap Ferrat, she played hostess to a glittering roster of guests: Princess Grace, Duchess Sarah Ferguson, Mick Jagger, Liza Minnelli, and more. Now her royal highness of Houston is receiving her due in Ronda Carman’s new book, aptly titled Lynn Wyatt. G&G sat down with the author to talk about how she secured an audience with one of the Lone Star State’s most celebrated figures—and the lessons we might take from Wyatt’s life.
Photo: courtesy of Ronda Carman
Author Ronda Carman.
You’ve written books for Rizzoli on interior design and hosting, but this is different. How did you get access to Wyatt for this book?
Growing up in Houston, I’d always heard of Lynn Wyatt, but I didn’t know much about her because she was from a different generation. But then my husband and I took a lease on one of the divisions of Wyatt Ranches and built a house, and I got to know [her son] Bradford.
I was working on a book in 2019 about celebrated hostesses and how they entertain, and Bradford said I should include his mom. That’s how I was introduced to her. And I think it was honestly this joint idea, like, Wouldn’t it be fun to do a book about Lynn?
So what’s she like?
She is just a big personality, the best voice, and she’s just genuinely nice. The stories she tells, the people she knows, it never comes across in a way that’s bragging. She’s an amazing storyteller. She’s like, “When Shirley MacLaine was down, I told her, I won’t let those dogs go potty in my house…” She’s just very real, and she has a huge heart.
Given her wealth and the circles she operated in—lest we forget, she was immortalized by the likes of Slim Aarons and Andy Warhol—Wyatt could have been catty. But based on the letters you found in her Rice University archives and the comments of people like Carolina Herrera, Prince Albert of Monaco, and Tory Burch, they all appear to genuinely adore her.
That was kind of surreal. I would get a call and it would be Elton John’s assistant, saying, “Hello, we have information to send you.” Or how I got to get quotes about Lynn by talking to Diane Von Furstenberg on the phone.
While reading your book, I was struck by what a sunny perspective it seems everyone equates with Wyatt. But it’s not as if her life hasn’t seen adversity, with her marriages in particular receiving media scrutiny. What do you think gives her such notable optimism?
She just has this joy for life and living, and she genuinely cares about the people she loves. The thing about Lynn is she is not afraid to speak her mind, but always in a very ladylike way. But if you were to start talking about somebody, she would just call you on it right there. She’d say, “No, that’s just not true. That’s absolutely not true. They’re a wonderful person.” She doesn’t gossip, and she doesn’t talk about people.
Not to mention she’s a fashion icon. I think she was named to the International Best Dressed List four times before being added to the Hall of Fame.
She knows how to dress for the occasion without seeming kitsch. And now I can’t get dressed without thinking about her advice: “Trust the mirror.”
But with all of that privilege, her later years seem to have been noted for altruism more than anything else.
I will tell you what, I have come to hate the word socialite because she’s so not a socialite. She is just a genuinely kind person who truly does give to the arts because she really is passionate about it, and she always says you should give back to the city you live in. Her biggest thing she gives to is Star of Hope here in Houston, which helps homeless mothers and children. And she lights the Christmas tree for them every year. I guess what I hope is for readers to walk away with the understanding that whether you have money or not, you can still do good right where you are. I hope that resonates.
Lynn Wyatt is out today from Susan Schadt Press.
Kinsey Gidick is a freelance writer based in Central Virginia. She previously served as editor in chief of Charleston City Paper in Charleston, South Carolina, and has been published in the New York Times, the Washington Post, Travel + Leisure, BBC, Atlas Obscura, and Anthony Bourdain’s Explore Parts Unknown, among others. When not writing, she spends her time traveling with her son and husband. Read her work at kinseygidick.com.