Summer isn’t just a season, it’s a state of mind. And what better way to get in the summer state of mind than a little Vintage Lilly Pulitzer? Lilly Pulitzer is the definition of a casual Florida summer beach vacation. As you know, we have the Lilly Pulitzer Style Soiree in a couple weeks and I keep catching myself day dreaming of her style. Just say the words Lilly, and I immediately get the desire to go barefoot, whip up some mimosas and throw on a fabulous classic shift Vintage Lilly Pulitzer dress. This preppy, glamorous, lifestyle of 1960′s Palm Beach has me intrigued, so I decided to get to know the infamous Lilly a little better.
Lilly sounds like a pretty interesting chick. I think we could have been friends.
(You know, if I would have been raised in a house that used “summering” as a verb…and aside from the fact that she was an elite socialite who went to boarding school with Jacqueline Kennedy.)
10 Cool Things To Know About Lilly Pulitzer: Vintage Lilly Pulitzer
1. She eloped
21 year old Lilly eloped with Peter Pulitzer (whose grandfather was responsible for establishing the Pulitzer Prize) and they escaped the hustle and bustle of New York City for the sun and sand of Palm Beach, Florida. She was a former debutante and preppie turned rich hippie of the Sixties. Good-looking, hard-working college dropouts, they were pioneering an alternative lifestyle, more casual, staying year-round in the tropics.
Pulitzer had three children in quick succession. After the third was born, she had a nervous breakdown and ended up in a mental hospital that catered to upscale clientele in New York.
A doctor there told her that she needed to find a job…
She had that beehive bun perfected, didn’t she?!?!?
3. She Opened a Juice Stand in 1959
With her husband running the family orange grove- she started a juice stand just off the main shopping strip in Palm Beach. Pulitzer needed to hide all the juice stains on her clothes. Instead of just putting on an apron, she asked her seamstress to make some sleeveless dresses in colorful fruit prints.
A fashion staple was born.
4. Socialites & Celebrities Wore Lilly
Pulitzer’s tropical print dresses became a sensation in the 1960’s when then-first lady Jacqueline Kennedy, who attended boarding school with Pulitzer, wore one of the sleeveless shifts in a Life magazine photo spread. (this photo of the gingham shift dress!)
5. Her Designs Were Inspired By Whatever Struck Her Fancy
She started with no business sense and just designed things that struck her fancy- fruits, vegetables, politics, or peacocks! The Signature Lilly Palette features tongue-in-cheek jungle and floral
prints in blues, pinks, light greens, yellow and orange – the colors of a Florida vacation.
6. Her Business Grew
If one of her friends needed something to do, Pulitzer would open a store in her town. (that would be be nice, right?)
7. Her Business Went Bankrupt
Pulitzer closed her original company in the mid-1980s after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The label was revived about a decade later; Pulitzer was only marginally involved in the new business but continued reviewing new prints from Florida.
8. Her love life was as colorful as her clothing
For a time, Pulitzer marketed a line of men’s nightshirts that she called “Sneaky Petes,” apparently a not-quite-affectionate reference to Pete Pulitzer’s womanizing. The couple divorced in 1969. She later married a dashing Cuban emigre named Enrique Rousseau.The two lived what the Palm Beach Post describes as an “insanely happy” lifestyle, with plenty of wild parties and Cuban cuisine, until Rousseau’s death in 1993.
9. All of the Lilly fabric is original artwork and Lilly is hidden in every print
Designers sketch, draw, marker, watercolor, and block print every tid-bit of the line. The Lilly look is easily recognizable, but there is a simple way to test the authenticity of a true Lilly Pulitzer fabric. The name “Lilly” is built into the design of each pattern. How many can you spot below in the Vintage Lilly Pulitzer patterns below?
10. Lilly’s Legacy Lives On
She passed away in April 2013 at the age of 81- but her style is will be celebrate forever.
Thanks for being such an amazing style icon Lilly!
I am so inspired for our upcoming Soiree!
I am so inspired for our upcoming Soiree!
The information above came from the Lilly Pulitzer Website and this article
So cool, didn't know a lot of this Heather! I'm doing a Lilly inspiration post this week – I've started on my project too! Can't wait to show you guys!
I didn't either and thought it was pretty interesting! I can't wait to see what you come up with!
What a fun post! I love her style, and am waiting for her book Essentially Lilly so I can read it this summer. Can't wait for the next soiree!
Oh- I will need to check that book out! Can't wait to see what everyone links up!
Did you see daughter Liza Pulitzer's Florida home featured in the June issue of House Beautiful?
No! I need to check that out! My subscription ended and I never renewed. Was it amazing?
She has her very own style – influenced by but very different than her mom and it's worth checking out.
Love this post! Pinning to my "PREPPY" Pinterest Board! 🙂
Amy@ http://www.commona-myhouse.blogspot.com