Katie Liz

Rest in Colorful Peace, Lilly Pulitzer

It all started with a juice stand.

Lilly Pulitzer had just married Peter Pulitzer in the early 1950s and relocated to West Palm Beach from New York City. Her husband owned several orange groves and since she had nothing to do, she decided to open a juice stand.

The juices kept staining her dresses, so she had a seamstress design easy-to-wear shifts in bright colorful prints. These dresses soon sold more than the dresses and an American legend was born. She became a household name when a former classmate, Jacqueline Kennedy, was photographed wearing the now iconic shift dress.

My Lilly Pulitzer story began when I was 12-13ish, making the year 1996 or so. As a lover of bright, tropical colors and prints, her prints and ladylike styles stood out to me amidst the Abercrombie and American Eagle of the era. She was the first designer whom I really could recognize by aesthetic and she remains my favorite designer.

I consider Lilly Pulitzer to what I call an “heirloom” brand. What I consider an heirloom brand is one where people hang onto the clothes and accessories year after year. Last summer’s dresses are welcomed with open arms this summer. It’s the dress you try to borrow from your mom’s closet when you’re 16…and when you’re 36.

Lilly Pulitzer also designed two lovely scarves for The Greenbrier:

According to The Greenbrier’s website, the pink & green scarf contains “rhododendrons, The Greenbrier “G”, the Springhouse, a Dorothy Draper clock, and The Greenbrier’s arched windows.” The blue scarf on the right has “the Cameo Ballroom, Victorian Writing Room, the Springhouse, and The Greenbrier front entrance” They’re $118 each, and you can click here or on the picture above to buy one.

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