Jul 13, 2021

Her real name is Elizabeth Eaton. Probably. Though she goes by Elizabeth Sweetheart. But if you know her at all, it’s as the Green Lady of Carroll Gardens. For the past quarter century, the Green Lady has been a Brooklyn fixture, draped entirely in lime green—from overalls to Underoos–emanating an elvish good vibe to everyone who greets her.

The Green Lady came to Brooklyn by way of Canada, long before she was eternally emerald. Born in a small mining town in Nova Scotia and raised by her grandparents, the Green Lady’s grandmother taught her to paint and make clothing. It took. After studying under Canadian painter Alex Colville, she thumbed her way down to New York in the 1960s to work in the garment industry and try to break out as an artist: Over the years, Eaton has hand-painted prints for top designers from Michael Kors to Liz Claiborne to Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren.

She also makes tiny painted watercolors. But it turns out life itself is the most evocative canvas.

The green thing really took root around 2000, she told The New York Times in 2015. She has said the green she envelopes herself in probably reminds her of the pastures of home. Not only is her wardrobe—and her hair—entirely verdant, but so is just about every accessory and everything in her home.

But the Green Lady has also always been an entrepreneur. She ran her own design company, Sweet Pea Design Studio, for 15 years, starting in 1987 and subsequently sold fabrics from her extensive vintage collection. Who said it’s not easy being … multifaceted?