As our retail stores bloom, our need for enthusiastic, experienced Lilly Lovers to staff our stores also grows. (Check our job openings here!) We decided to have a quick chat with recently promoted (because she’s AH-MAZING) District Manager, Courtney Bird, so she could give an insider’s view on what it’s like working in retail management at Lilly Pulitzer…

1. What is your favorite part about managing a Lilly Pulitzer retail store?
My favorite part of managing a Lilly Pulitzer retail store is that every day is different. Each day is like a fresh start and I always look forward to introducing a new customer to Lilly Pulitzer! And no matter what region you work in, the store staff is always in the resort mindset which is obviously a great way to start any day! When I was working in Chicago, I remember thinking how funny it was that outside was a snow storm and inside I’m selling beautiful Lilly printed shift dresses! You couldn’t ask for anything better – it’s like a mini–vacation every day!

2. In your experience, what makes the Lilly customer so unique?
Our girl is connected to the brand in so many ways- she remembers her first time wearing Lilly or giving Lilly as a gift and can’t wait to get a friend or family member hooked on the brand. Helping a customer enjoy her first experience with Lilly is always amazing. We love telling the Lilly story and seeing girls faces light up – it would make anyone’s day!!

3. Why do you love working for Lilly Pulitzer?
A career at Lilly is just as upbeat and happy as our prints! Lilly is team-oriented and we are all working toward the same goal – delighting our Lilly girl with beautiful merchandise! Every experience is completely “Lillyfied” from our corporate offices (the “Pink Palace”) to our stores (most are beautifully hand-painted by our print designers!); from our management meetings to smaller, team meetings – everything is always full of color!

4. What are 3 ways to describe being in retail management at Lilly Pulitzer?
High energy, solution oriented, and upbeat with a team approach!

5. What’s the 1 thing you didn’t expect coming into the Store Manager role?
I was surprised by the connection that Lilly has with its local community. The Store Manager plays an important role in working with community members to plan fundraisers, events, and parties. There are always new opportunities to reach out to the local market to meet and make new Lilly Lovers. This was an unexpected aspect that was very fulfilling for me and I know other store managers feel the same way.

6. A store manager at Lilly should definitely be… vivacious!
So that’s my word, but when I asked a couple other retail managers, they came up with “self motivated,” “enthusiastic,” and “a go-getter” – and I agree with all of those as well! Store managers are definitely spirited which is perfectly fitting for the brand and our customers!

Soooo… are you interested in joining our team?  Check out our openings in retail management on our Dream Jobs page!

The Tri-Delts from SMU have QUITE the Sisterhood Spotlight Pinterest board – they say they’re involved in everything, we think this proves it!  These “southernistas” (love that!) are getting to redo their sorority house – dontcha think they need a Lilly-inspired room??   Find out more about these hell fundraisers from the lone star state!

1. School, Sorority & Chapter Name
Southern Methodist University: Delta Delta Delta, Theta Kappa Chapter

2. Size of your Chapter and date/year your Chapter was founded
SMU is home to 174 fabulous Tri-Deltas! We have been on campus since 1919!

3. Quotables
“From the outside looking in, you can’t understand it; From the inside looking out, you can’t explain it.”

4. The 3 Lilly items from the Summer Collection you’ll surely find in our closets are:
1. Worth Straight Crop Jeans: Love these white pants!! Dress them up with Resort Chic Wedges, or dress them down with McKim sandals! Perfect for class, errands, or even a night out in Dallas!
2. Shauna Tunic Dress Crochet: Look at this chic crochet number! This is great for the boulevard tailgate, and it’s blue! (tri delta colors!…need we say more?!)
3. The Kolby Dress: Cannot get enough of this sassy white dress! Wear it to initiation, to the first “White-Out” football game of the season, or jazz it up with a clutch for formal. This is a DDD Must HAVE!

5. The Lillyest day of the year on our campus is definitely… any football game-day! (Especially beforehand on the Boulevard)

6. The 3 things we want PNMs to know about Delta Delta Delta at Southern Methodist University are:
a) Everywhere you look on campus you see Tri Deltas! We are involved in everything: SMU Cheerleading, Retail Club, Mock Trial, Student Foundation, Tennis Club, SMU Volleyball, and so much more!

b) Delta Delta Delta Nationally reached its goal of raising 10 million dollars in 10 years for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in just 4 short years! The next fundraising goal is to raise 15 million dollars in 5 years. Our Theta Kappa chapter of DDD at SMU raises money for St. Jude through Delta Diner, Tri Delta Triple Play, and Sincerely Yours!!

c) We always spend time together! Whether we are getting dolled up to go out on the town as sisters, piling into the TV Room on Monday nights to watch the latest episode of Gossip Girl, or even pulling all-nighters at the Library, you will always see Tri-Deltas together, and always see them having fun!

7. Lilly Lovers would fit right in here because…
Located in Dallas, Texas, SMU is known for its beautiful weather, gorgeous campus, and its trend-setting southernistas! Whether shopping in Highland Park Village, grabbing dinner with the sisters in Uptown, or tailgating on the Boulevard for a big game, a Lilly is always a perfect go-to…and not to brag, but the Delta Delta Delta Lilly print is to die for!!!

8. We’re proud to say that… one of our members, Megan Welch, was named most outstanding woman for the entire SMU class of 2012- we’re so proud of her, and she definitely deserves it! SMU Tri-Delta is a Tri-fecta of fabulousness! We’re classy, smart, and true sisters!

9. Did you know… that starting this summer, our sorority house is being completely rebuilt! Can’t wait to live there…The Delta Shelta is turning into a Castle with the perfect closet space for all of our Lilly dresses!!

10. Our favorite chapter tradition is… “Fireside” which is the night before Bid Day! The entire chapter gets together all night while the Seniors tell us stories and memories (shenanigans included!) This is just one of the ways that brings our sisterhood together and makes us appreciate being part of such a fabulous organization.

11. Some of our famous Alumni are… Sarah Blakely, the founder of Spanx (what would we do without her?!), Katie Couric, and Molly Sims!

12. In one word, Tri-Deltas are… SPONTANEOUS!

Pre-Order Today!

It’s never too soon to plan for planning! No seriously, Lilly girls loooove to plan- after all, how do you pull off fabulous brunches by day and legendary parties by night — all without breaking a sweat?! (yes, we realize there’s about a jillion other things you do tucked in the middle but be honest- those are the highlights!) So we all have a not-so-little secret – it’s our constant companion, trusted adviser and dare-we-compare-it-to-oxygen Lilly agenda! We/You/Everyone loves it so much that we needed more, more, more! We’re excited to introduce you to THREE *new* styles of the Lilly agenda!!

o The Soft Cover Agenda: This is the same in size and layout as the large agenda we’ve offered in the past but it will have a flexible, plastic cover for a lighter weight version of the version you loved before – for the girl on the go!

o The Jumbo Agenda: This will be an 8.5” X 11” notebook sized agenda – large and in-charge [of your plans]! This agenda will feature a hard cover and will include extra lined notebook pages inside. It’s a great agenda/notebook combo for students with style!

o The Monthly Planner: The monthly planner is a soft cover agenda slimmed down to just feature a monthly view. This 13 month planner is the same size as the large agenda and it’s soft, flexible and easy for people who are just looking for an at-a-glance reference agenda!

But wait.. that’s not all! (is this an infomercial?!) You are going to DIE over the launch of EXTRA STICKER PACKS!!  Oh yeah, you asked (and asked, and asked, and asked!) and we heard you loud & clear!  We hope you love the Greek, Mom and College student sticker packs we designed especially for you!!  (coming soon online)

Shop Large Agendas

Shop Small Agendas

Agendas will be shipping in early July so you can load up those pages with all your plans for leading a colorful life! Pre-order yours today!

The queen city has been treating us like royalty lately!   Last weekend, Lilly Pulitzer was a sponsor (along with Wells Fargo and our friends at Belk) for the Mint Museum of Charlotte’s Annual Fundraiser Gala. Over 200 of Charlotte’s finest turned out for a colorful evening of cocktails, dinner, and dancing. (Hot Sauce was playing, we couldn’t NOT dance!) The entire venue was completely Lillified including a pink carpet, an army of mannequins dressed in vintage Lilly as well current product, original floral paintings by Lilly print designers, as well as vignette’s scattered throughout the different rooms.

The evening started outside on the lawn with Lilly signature cocktails and guests arrived delighted to see and pose by the Jeep , Cruiser, and step-and-repeat Flower Wall. Attendees donned everything from vintage pieces, favorites of seasons past and present. Guests moved inside to explore the “Evening Under the Palms” themed décor and watch Holly Guertin paint, bringing an original Lilly print to life. Next, everyone found their seats to enjoy a lovely dinner, concluded by an expansive (seriously- you should have SEEN all the treats!) dessert bar and remarks from Mint Museum President and CEO, Dr. Kathleen Jameson. From there, the Lilly-clad crowd truly got the party started and danced the night away.

We had a fantastic time & were thrilled to see so many [fun!] Lilly Lovers come together to support a great organization!  Thanks again for your hospitality, Charlotte!

Photography provided by PPT Photography in Charlotte

Lilly LOVES Bloomies and our partnership is absolutely in bloom!  May is a very exciting month for Lilly at Bloomingdale’s and we kicked it off with an oh-so-cool interview with Lilly herself for the Bloomingdale’s Mother’s Day book.   Lilly talks about being a fearless colorist and what being a designer and a mother have in common.  Alongside Lilly’s interview, are some great shots of Patti Hansen and her daughters looking fabulous & relaxed in some of our favorites from the Summer collection.  The question is, could you picture Keith in Lilly??  Now that we’d like to see!

 And, window shopping at the Bloomindale’s flagship store in Manhattan just going juicier! We are absolutely THRILLED to be highlighted in three colorful windows on 3^rd avenue and 59^th street which include a mix of Summer styles for every age and every occasion and they’re just plain fun – just like Lilly would like them!  And the fun doesn’t stop outside — head inside to the third floor where you’ll be treated to a bright, Lillyfied shopping experience from floor to ceiling printed wallpaper, framed prints and fun Lilly quotes all over the walls.  Summer is all about BRIGHT and we definitely brought the bright!

When is a good time to stop by and see Lilly in Bloom at Bloomingdale’?  Great question   We just happen to be having an amazing event with the lovely ladies of Big City Moms TOMORROW evening (May 10th) from 5:30-7:30 on the 3rd Floor where you’ll be treated to a night of fun, festive treats, cocktails, music and fabulous gifts with purchase!  If you’re a mom, come and let us celebrate you!  If you adore your mom (duh!), then stop by and pick up something from Lilly that will brighten her Mother’s Day!  (For more information about tomorrow night’s event, call our store specialist at 212-705-2411)  See you there!

Boy oh, boy do our Lilly Lovers have some strong feelings about this print name!!  And our print designer Jeff, the ar-teest behind this print, will side with you on the eww-factor of the name – he’s not a big fan of the name either.  But you guys know- we LOVE to have fun and Janie has quite the sense of humor, so this is just us sharing our “never-take-yourself-too-seriously” side.  After all, Lilly is the creator of conversational prints and I guess that’s just what we have here!   Here are some quick thoughts from Jeff about the print…

1. What inspired this print?
The print was inspired by the seaside vacations I took as a child. My family would wake up early (no lazy beach vacations for us!) and take walks/runs on the beach looking for whatever treasures would wash up from the night before.  Often it was shells and little sea creatures but sometimes we found really cool stuff that my brother’s and I would inevitably fight over. (especially when it was money!)

2. How did you come up with its name?
For the record, I didn’t – Janie and the print team did and I swear, it was only to torture ME!  But we all like a good laugh and they are STILL laughing about that one.

3. What secrets are hidden?
Because the print was inspired by my family vacations, I had to include a little treasure that reminded me of my mom.  There’s a single violet tucked in the print because my mother always has a large planter filled with them on her living room window sill.  (and she still does to this day!)

4. What materials did you use or combine to create the artwork?
Watercolor and a Sharpie, my favorite drawing tool!

5. What does this print say about the Lilly girl wearing it?
She understands “old school” summertime!  The kind of Summer where your shoes are off all day long. …And she has a sense of humor!

]]> http://blog.lillypulitzer.com/2012/05/08/featured-favorite-print-chum-bucket/feed/ 2 http://blog.lillypulitzer.com/2012/05/07/lilly-pulitzer-mothers-day-gift-guide/ http://blog.lillypulitzer.com/2012/05/07/lilly-pulitzer-mothers-day-gift-guide/#comments Mon, 07 May 2012 21:03:35 +0000 Lindsay http://blog.lillypulitzer.com/?p=7187

The older & WISER we get, the more we appreciate our mom and want to get her something extra-special to make sure she knows just how we feel.  (and our handprint on a paper plate with “Mom” scribbled alongside just doesn’t cut it anymore)  And the wiser we get, the better we know mom and *think* we know what she’ll like, but that certainly doesn’t make it EASY to shop for her.  We know this so we categorized some Lilly goodies into different categories to help you shop for mom.  (and enjoy free shipping & $2 gift wrapping now too!)

Shop Jetsetter

Shop Fashionista

Shop Hostess with the Mostest

And thought we LOVE our  moms oh-so-very-much, we also know you have a budget to stick to so we broke out some of our favorite gifts by price (she’ll never need to know!)

Shop Gifts under $100

Shop gifts under $50

Print Designer Paige Smith tells us a little more about the You Gotta Regatta print that we ALL gotta have this Summer!…

1. What inspired this print?
You Gotta Regatta was inspired by my summers spent on Lake Michigan. I think of the lake more as a fresh water ocean because although the water is COLD, the sand is white and the water is so clear. It is my absolute favorite place in the world. I am not a great sailor myself, my style is a little more sitting on the boat with a cocktail and possibly ducking when the boom swings. I love to sit on the porch or beach and WATCH the boats go by. I literally dream about the view all winter.

2. How did you come up with its name?
The print was named after the Ugotta Regatta that takes place every July in Harbor Springs. They throw a big party after the race for the sailors which, of course, my friends and I crash. The sailors should like having a few extra girls in Lilly around, right?

3. What secrets are hidden?
I think it’s pretty much all out there, no secrets in this print except a few “Lilly’s” hidden in the ocean and the waves.

4. What materials did you use or combine to create the artwork?
This print was painted with a mix of gouache and watercolor.

5. What does this print say about the Lilly girl wearing it?
Hmmm, that you love parties, sailing, sailors and summer?? It also comes in the most sassy shapes, I’m obsessed. I can’t wait to wear it this summer!  (we hope you feel the same way!)

There are sooooooo many reasons to love Summer and one of our favorites is Summer weddings.  So many of our Lilly Lovers are coastal residents either year-round or during the Summer that a lot of them choose to celebrate one of the most important days of their lives, seaside.  And for those of us who get to be in attendance at these nautical nuptials, we’re happy to raise a toast to the happy couple while we lavish in our beach-wedding-favorite sundresses and thank-goodness-they’re-appropriate-here McKims.

We decided to team up with our friends at Southern Weddings and pair the 2 things we’re loving right this minute – Summer weddings and duh, Pinterest! (follow Lilly here and follow Southern Weddings Magazine here) Sure, actually having or going to a Summer wedding beats the heck out of any online/inside activity but DREAMING about Summer weddings is absolutely a favorite hobby for both of us and doesn’t it last a lot longer than any weekend affair? You bet.  So while each of us waits for our own big day or dreams about how we’d do it differently next time, we’re content to be inspired to create a Wedding Pinterest board of any girls dreams.  And… we want YOU to do the same!  Heck, we think most of you already are!  So now you can tell your boyfriend it’s not abnormal to be creating a Lilly-inspired Summer Wedding board on Pinterest because after all, you’re just trying to win a new dress for this Summer’s wedding!

Here are the rules on how to enter the Lilly Pulitzer and Southern Weddings Pinterest contest and you can view our complete contest rules here.

3 winning boards will be chosen by the Lilly Pulitzer & Southern Wedding teams and entries must be received by Friday, May 25th at 3:00pm ET.  Winners will be notified and announced by June 1, 2012.  Happy Pinning!

Last night we had an amazing time as we hosted some very stylish and sweet fashion writers from NYC at our Madison Avenue Store. Admittedly we were a bit giddy about meeting these women as we’ve been following their blogs for quite a while, but we were especially excited to share the Lilly story with them and hear their feedback about our Summer line.

We would have recommended you check these ladies out before last night (because they’re always inspiring us with their unique sense of style, their willingness to try new things and to share it all with us) but after meeting them and spending the evening chatting it up, it’s an absolute MUST. They’re as sweet as can be, funny as hell and just plain cool. Here are the fashionably ladies we’re happy to now count as friends:
Julie and Lauren from Born and Bread
Helena from Brooklyn Blonde
Meghan at Wit & Whimsy
Christine from My Style Pill
Jordan from Ramshackle Glam
Elizabeth from Bonjour & Hola
Laney from Downtown Romantic

They’ve selected some items from Summer that they’ll be styling on their blogs in the coming weeks and we look forward to sharing those looks with you. Also be sure to follow our Pinterest boards as we’ll be pulling together all of their looks on one board that we’re sure will inspire you to wear Lilly a liiiitle differently then perhaps you would have thought – yet another reason to love these ladies!