Lillian Pulitzer Rousseau, 1931 ~ 2013
What to say about Lilly Pulitzer that hasn't already been said? Preps on social media have been tweeting their condolences, posting Lilly quotes on Facebook, and Instagramming themselves in Lilly outfits. Bloggers have posted their tributes of the preppy style icon--The Preppy Princess and The Classic Preppy both did a wonderful job.What a colorful life Ms. Rousseau led...and what a legacy of beauty and color she left behind! Of course, I love wearing Lilly and cherish my collection...every single piece! I love the clothes, the accessories, and as you know, have even decorated a guest bath with a Lilly theme. All of the Lilly items available to us today are must-haves for Lilly lovers, but for me, it's all about the shift!
This is one of my very favorite photos of Lilly and I used it as inspiration for the tablescape of a Lilly-themed luncheon I hosted several years ago.
Lilly Pulitzer in her store on Worth Avenue
The Soleil Classic Shift was the centerpiece of my dessert table.
Y'all know that this style, the Classic Shift is my very favorite style of Lilly. The fit just works for me. Of course, I'm also obsessed with the little bows at the hem. In the post by The Preppy Princess, Lilly Pulitzer once said of the Lilly shift "The Lilly holds everything in. When that whimsical shift is on, you can't tell what is happening underneath." And that my friends, is the truth! That is why I love them so. They are cute and colorful, while hiding my not-so-perfect figure.
Becoming a Lilly Pulitzer Collector
Collecting Lilly is fun and easy. As I mentioned above, there are many sites online to purchase Lilly Pulitzer. Of course, Lilly Pulitzer has a site and there are numerous online Lilly stores. But, for those of us who don't buy every single dress we want each season, we stalk eBay, Etsy, and the re-sale sites on Facebook. So searching for that perfect Lilly item is fun! I like to hunt for certain prints and styles...The Classic Shift is my favorite, but I also love the Krista! Here are some terms used by sellers/buyers that you need to know when you shop:
ISO = In search of
DISO = Desperately in search of
PP = Seller accepts paypal
GUC = Good used condition
VGUC = Very good used condition
EUC = Excellent used condition
NWT = New with tags
NWOT = New without tags
"Holy Grails" is a term that you might see mentioned on Lilly re-sale sites on Facebook and on eBay. What are sellers/buyers speaking of? Well, that would be a coveted, hard-to-find Lilly. I have never been comfortable with using the term "Holy Grails" for clothes or even worse, the term "I worship at the Lilly altar."
My friend Gracie Beth, blogger at Preppy Southern Princess and an avid Lilly collector, recently coined the term "Pulitzer Prizes" instead of using "Holy Grails." I love it and I'm obsessed!
Pulitzer Prizes it shall be forever more!!!
Here are some Lilly Lovers wearing their "Pulitzer Prizes" and I've also included photos of coveted "Pulitzer Prizes."
Susan Romano Trader at Re-Lilly loves this Florida Loopy Pulitzer Prize shift.
Angela, blogger at The Southern Fried Bride, wore the Pulitzer Prize Seamus Dripping in Jewels for her first wedding anniversary photo.
Anything in the Checking In pattern is hard-to-find.
The Dark and Stormy is another Pulitzer Prize...and one that's also on my ISO list.
I have kept photo copies of every "Lilly Outfit of the Week" post I did a couple of years ago. They all still make me smile...especially this one!
The binder holds all my research info on how to collect Lilly, how to spot fakes, Lilly patterns, et cetera.
Of course, I have my list of ISO's and trust me, I search daily!!!
I cherish my Lilly collection and every single item is a favorite. I do own a few Pulitzer Prizes and would never part with them...
This would have to be my hands-down fave. In fact, I am attending the memorial service for Lilly Pulitzer on Thursday in Palm Beach and this is the front runner OOTD. I have never attended a funeral/memorial service wearing anything other than black. But, it's Lilly Pulitzer and I believe she would want a colorfully-dressed group of people attending her service!
*Edit on Tuesday evening...Change of plans--not going to the service.
So, what are your Pulitzer Prizes? What print are you ISO?
"That's what life is all about. Let's have a party. Let's have it tonight!"
~Lilly Pulitzer
Y'all know that this style, the Classic Shift is my very favorite style of Lilly. The fit just works for me. Of course, I'm also obsessed with the little bows at the hem. In the post by The Preppy Princess, Lilly Pulitzer once said of the Lilly shift "The Lilly holds everything in. When that whimsical shift is on, you can't tell what is happening underneath." And that my friends, is the truth! That is why I love them so. They are cute and colorful, while hiding my not-so-perfect figure.
Becoming a Lilly Pulitzer Collector
Collecting Lilly is fun and easy. As I mentioned above, there are many sites online to purchase Lilly Pulitzer. Of course, Lilly Pulitzer has a site and there are numerous online Lilly stores. But, for those of us who don't buy every single dress we want each season, we stalk eBay, Etsy, and the re-sale sites on Facebook. So searching for that perfect Lilly item is fun! I like to hunt for certain prints and styles...The Classic Shift is my favorite, but I also love the Krista! Here are some terms used by sellers/buyers that you need to know when you shop:
ISO = In search of
DISO = Desperately in search of
PP = Seller accepts paypal
GUC = Good used condition
VGUC = Very good used condition
EUC = Excellent used condition
NWT = New with tags
NWOT = New without tags
"Holy Grails" is a term that you might see mentioned on Lilly re-sale sites on Facebook and on eBay. What are sellers/buyers speaking of? Well, that would be a coveted, hard-to-find Lilly. I have never been comfortable with using the term "Holy Grails" for clothes or even worse, the term "I worship at the Lilly altar."
My friend Gracie Beth, blogger at Preppy Southern Princess and an avid Lilly collector, recently coined the term "Pulitzer Prizes" instead of using "Holy Grails." I love it and I'm obsessed!
Pulitzer Prizes it shall be forever more!!!
Here are some Lilly Lovers wearing their "Pulitzer Prizes" and I've also included photos of coveted "Pulitzer Prizes."
Gracie Beth, second from left, wearing the Elias White Zin Pulitzer Prize dress at her college graduation.
This is a Pulitzer Prize which Miss Gracie Beth is ISO...Fiesta Tiger Lilly dress.
Gracie Beth is also ISO this fabulous Harmon Jubilee shift. I'm also ISO of this beauty!
Melissa Caligiuri, blogger at Create The Life You Love and a fashion icon herself in this Lilly Loving world, is wearing a Pulitzer Prize, the Posey Daisy Lane Lace dress and the green Kat Kitten Heels.
Hopsy, at Kappa Prep, {who surely has closets full of Lilly}, shown here on a trip to India...wearing the Worth Not So Crabby shift that many of us are in DISO!
Rachel of Rachel's Lilly Pad on Facebook, loves this Pulitzer Prize...the Cali Jubilee Shift in Coronado Crab
Lori Lee B, a cute Lilly Lover, looks great in the Eryn Yellow/White Wrapping Stripe dress...a modern day Pulitzer Prize
Rachel, of A Preppy State of Mind, is wearing the Lowe Pretty Pink Tootie dress, the Goodie Goodie bracelet and necklace, and the green Kat Kitten Heels--all Pulitzer Prizes.
And, just to make y'all smile, Miss Rachel's sweet shorkie Jaycee, loves Lilly and wears it well! Jaycee definitely lives a colorful life!
Lots of Lilly Lovers, including myself, are ISO of this precious Pulitzer Prize...the Jubilee Charity Shift.
That's right! It's never enough and I'm constantly on the hunt for "Pulitzer Prizes" and updating my Lilly Pulitzer inventory. This is the binder I use for all my Lilly stuff...
This would have to be my hands-down fave. In fact, I am attending the memorial service for Lilly Pulitzer on Thursday in Palm Beach and this is the front runner OOTD. I have never attended a funeral/memorial service wearing anything other than black. But, it's Lilly Pulitzer and I believe she would want a colorfully-dressed group of people attending her service!
*Edit on Tuesday evening...Change of plans--not going to the service.
The Andry Charmed shift...a Pulitzer Prize
The Oh Jackie shift is another of my faves...a Pulitzer Prize!
The Margarita Shrimp Cocktail Krista, with bows at the hem--love, love, love this one!
I love the Cabana Banana Classic Shift. It is a fabulous print and has the little bows at the hem.
So, what are your Pulitzer Prizes? What print are you ISO?
"That's what life is all about. Let's have a party. Let's have it tonight!"
~Lilly Pulitzer
