Monday, June 21, 2010

Major Lilly Pulitzer Moment!

Lilly In Store

Lilly on the Go

The Car, The House, Those Pants and Lilly - DIVINE!

Jackie in Lilly

Mommy and Me Lilly

I love men in Pink!!!!!!!


The Lilly Pulitzer story Via the Peppermint Palm

"It all started with a juice stand in Palm Beach. Lilly, a young, sassy New York socialite had eloped with Peter Pulitzer, grandson of the Pulitzer Prize's Joseph Pulitzer and settled in Palm Beach to live the life of the rich and famous. Peter owned several Florida citrus groves, but Lilly needed a project of her own. So in 1960, with Peter's produce, she opened a juice stand on Via Mizner, just off Worth Avenue in Palm Beach.

Lilly Pulitzer's business was a hit, but squeezing oranges, lemons, limes, and pink grapefruit made a mess of her clothes. Realizing that she needed a juice stand uniform, Lilly asked her dressmaker to design a dress that would camouflage the stains. The result? A comfortable sleeveless shift made of bright, colorful printed cotton - pink, green, yellow and orange. The dress even had custom dressmaker details like lining and lace seam bindings. It was perfect for the job and became Lilly's first Classic Shift.

Although her customers liked Lilly's juice, they loved her dress. When people began to ask if they could buy the dress, Lilly had a few more made up to sell in the stand. Soon Lilly was selling more dresses than juice, so she decided to stop squeezing and to focus on designing and selling her "Lillys." Before long, Jackie Kennedy, an old school chum, began wearing Lillys and as First Lady was featured in Life Magazine wearing a Classic Shift. Then, of course, everyone wanted one and Lilly Pulitzer® became a fashion sensation.

Through the sixties and seventies, the Lilly Pulitzer line was the unofficial uniform of the affluent at play. Lilly Pulitzer stores sprang up in the favorite resorts of the jet set and Lilly's pink and green colors became the banner of the preppy lifestyle. In 1984, however, Lilly closed her doors to settle into retirement with her second husband, Enrique Rousseau (her marriage to Peter had ended in 1969) and to enjoy her grandchildren. For the rest of the decade, Lilly devotees were left to scour flea markets and re-sale shops to find their beloved vintage Lillys.

In January 1993, the Lilly Pulitzer line was revived. Now, Lilly Pulitzer is more popular than ever! The Lilly Pulitzer line is now available in 77 Lilly Pulitzer® Signature Shops, company owned retail stores, major department stores, and fine specialty stores nationwide. Its popularity continues to grow among those who knew it years ago and those who have just discovered the timeless fun of Lilly Pulitzer apparel.

Lilly is alive and well today. She often entertains her various family members and friends in her home in Palm Beach, which she affectionately calls "The Jungle."


How much do you love these?

Amanda Hearst and Lauren Bush looking perfect wearing Lilly Pulitzer

11 comments:

  1. I love a good powerful woman who doesn't rely on her husband's money story. I'll be sharing this with my teenage daughter.

    I love her fabrics and prints, not so much to wear, but for interiors. The mugs are great.

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  2. Did you hear that today is some sort of "Lilly day"? Everyone is supposed to wear Lilly today...but I can't imagine wearing the dresses I haven't worn since college and grad school to the office. I'm not sure if that's a function of me being in my 30s or my office being too formal. :)

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  3. Really I had no idea that it is Lilly Pulitzer day? How cool is that. Will post another picture to inspire you to throw on a dress.

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  4. Today is "Dress in Lilly Day!" I decided to change it a little bit and make it "Dress your bed in Lilly Day!" Have you seen her new bedding line? Devine!

    http://www.realeliserealworld.blogspot.com/

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  5. ooh love Lilly, especially vintage ones, I have several ones that i absolutely adore!!

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  6. I love this post! I wore Lilly as a child and now my mom has all 9 of the grandkids picture taken wearing Lilly..it is something, let me tell you.

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  7. oooh that sound wonderful. I would love to see that picture bluehydrangia and Elise the post before was the bedding which I am crazy about. Thank you Helena for your lovely comment - you are always so kind to comment and I so appreciate it!

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  8. Oh where or where are my old Lily dresses? Should I be mad at my mom for throwing them out when we moved from Florida?
    Who knew?
    Love the post!
    mom

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  9. BTW, I think Lilly would love this. can you send to her?

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  10. Love the mugs. I've recently started drinking tea and I like to use pretty teacups and mugs. The Cabanarama would fit right into my tea-drinking style! And then the Fresh and Fruity for coffee of course.

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