Ginchy Gal of the Week: Lilly Pulitzer

 Hey there princess!

Lilly Pulitzer (November 10, 1931- April 7, 2013) was an American fashionista, socialite, and entrepreneur. 

In 1950, she eloped with her husband Herbert (Peter) Pulitzer Jr., who was the grandson of Joseph Pulitzer who the Pulitzer Prize is named after. Together they moved to Palm Beach, Florida to live in the lap of luxury among their numerous orange groves. Now, a lesser woman would have been content there but Lilly needed a little more excitement in her life.  So, she decided to open up her own little juice stand to quench the thirst of her neighboring millionaires on hot summer days.

While juicing her oranges, Lilly noticed that the citrus was staining her clothing so she did what any woman would do - she asked her dressmaker to make her a set of ensembles in bold and colorful prints that the juice stains could blend into seamlessly. As it turned out - her customers liked her clothes better than the juice and in 1959 Lilly became president of her own company, Lilly Pulitzer, Inc. 

 

A preppy icon was born! Through her connections and fabulous style, Lilly Pulitzer clothing was a staple of '60s style. Her clothing was worn by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (below) and her daughter Caroline Kennedy, not to mention members of the Rockefeller, Whitney, and Vanderbilt families. There's certainly something to be said for having friends in high places!

Today, Lilly Pulitzer is as popular of a brand as ever. The company's signature bold prints and patterns are iconic in the fashion industry and girls around the country can identify another Lilly lover on sight. Her clothing is mentioned in the ever-fabulous Preppy Handbook, and generations of women have been able to express their love of color and Palm Beach style through their clothing. 

I will always remember my first experience with Lilly Pulitzer. My mom always let us pick out a new outfit for Easter Sunday, and the year I turned 14 I chose a pink Lilly top with a pair of brightly patterned capris. I wore them to death and loved every minute of it! When I went through sorority rush at Baylor, my mom bough me a pair of green Lilly ballet flats that I swore were magical. I took my engagement pictures in Lilly and got my marriage certificate in Lilly and had a Lilly bridal shower and wore Lilly on my honeymoon. You could say I am a fan!

Be more like Lilly:

Don't be afraid to use your connections

Be bold

Don't shy away from color

Embrace your entrepreneurial spirit

Think of creative solutions to messy problems

A Palm Beach Bridal Shower

Hey there princess!

About a year ago, my younger sister, Coco (who was my Maid of Honor) and my mother threw me a 1960's Palm Beach themed bridal shower at my family's home in Houston, Texas. It was honestly one of the best times ever, and such a beautiful party. 

I painted a centerpiece for the party based on my engagement photos (featuring my favorite Lilly Pulitzer maxi skirt), and bought a fun frame for it at Hobby Lobby. 

My mom found these adorable invitations on Etsy and they are my absolute favorite. To me, invitations are super important to any party because they set the tone for the event. Guest know from the invitation what they should expect in terms of the level of formality, and who is hosting the event, and it is also a great keepsake from the party! I love holding on to invitations from past-parties that I loved attending!

Regarding decor, my hosts fancied-up my family's dining table with a Lilly table runner from Etsy (can you tell we are all huge Etsy addicts??). One of my favorite touches was using the depression glass that Coco and I have collected since we were young to serve the sandwiches and food. We both have the cameo ballerina dishes, mine in yellow and hers in green.

Look at how beautiful that table is (and in the background you can see me sneaking a bite)! We had tiers of sandwiches from Chicken Salad Chick and tons of snacks, beautiful flowers, and an unbelievable macaroon tower. 

I mean look at how stunning it is! I could die! This tower came from a shop in Houston called Sweet, located in City Centre and the flavors Shailee chose were lavender, rose, and lemon (they were all divine). I felt just like Marie Antoinette!

One of my bridesmaids also put together some amazing charcuterie boards, and my mother and sister put together plates of Lilly shift cookies, candied pecans, and tons of bundtinis from Nothing Bundt Cake. 

Just for fun, Coco and I made some white chocolate-covered popcorn and then absolutely drenched it in pink sprinkles. It tasted pretty good, but mostly it was just super festive! 

I am so thankful to my sweet friends and family for making my bridal shower such a special day. I know that I am going to remember this party for a long time! 

If you want to see more of my little parties and celebrations, please follow along at @heythrprincess on Instagram!

I would love to hear about the special parties in your life - whether it's a bridal shower like mine, a birthday party, or just a party for the sake of a party. How are you celebrating?

Sparkle on!