Divorcing The Dress: Modern Lilly Pulitzer Strapless
Dear Lilly Pulitzer,
I love your designs. They are my favorites. I wear Lilly Pulitzer every single day of my life. Not just during the spring or summer, as some of the Lilly "core" customers do. During the fall and winter months, I wear your jeans, cords, sweaters, Blayney dresses, etc. I wear your shoes almost every day and have more green Lilly shoe boxes in the closet than one can count. Even on those days that I only go to the gym and don't really "get dressed" - then I sleep in my Lilly pajamas, use my Lilly handbags and wear my Lilly sunglasses.
However, there is one little problem. Your strapless dresses never work for me. Even when I was much thinner - they were way too tight in the bust. Even when I "size up" - same results - too tight in the bust.
Since I've recently lost a good bit of weight (25 pounds and counting), I thought I would give a Lilly strapless dress one last try. During the recent Endless Summer Sale, I purchased the Jillie dress pictured above. It was a great deal and I figured, what the heck, maybe this time will be different!
Not so fast, my friends. History and present have shown me one thing - this style (whether it's Bowen, Blossom, Jillie, Franco, Betsey, etc) just will never work for me. While that is a sad revelation indeed, it's really going to be ok. Perhaps it's time for me to divorce the modern versions of my favorite designers strapless dress. After all, I am 41 years old. However, I'll be holding on to my "close to vintage" Lilly Pulitzer strapless SABRINA dresses as if my life depended on it. That adjustable tie in the back of Sabrina - genius!
Lilly designers, pretty please, (with pink and green sugar on top), consider an updated version of Sabrina. This Shopaholic "Core" customer would surely purchase her in every available print. All I ask is that you rise that hem about 3-4" - because regardless of age, we all look better with a little leg showing! :-)
Do you have good luck with Lilly Pulitzer strapless? What are your favorite styles? Are you hanging on to those Sabrinas too?
I hear ya for sure! I have that exact same Sabrina and a couple others too! SO fun!
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure that Jillie would make me look pregnant! I have the same problem with the fit though. Great title for your blog post!
ReplyDeleteMy Lilly strapless is actually too big in the bust! But I'm not sure what style it was and I didn't being it to school hmmmm
ReplyDeletexx Emily @ laughliveandshop.blogspot.com
My daughter and I have the same problems. First, I think LP should expand their sizing. As you mentioned losing weight, I need to do so myself. However, medications I am on for a lifetime medical issue caused me to gain quite a bit of weight and I have difficulty losing it. Back to the main point, my dd and I were,shall I say, blessed, up top. Family trait through the females on my daddy's side. So we have a difficult time fitting in most tops and many dresses. Never does a strapless work.
ReplyDeleteI mentioned earlier about LP increasing sizes. I find it fascinating that at the Endless Summer sale and on major online sales and Rue LaLa, the largest sizes go the fastest. I know many larger ladies that would love to wear Lilly or wear Lilly AGAIN but can't because of size.
Thanks for letting me vent and for another great post!
Amen sister! Not everyone is a B cup. Or a size 4. But the last few years I have barely been able to fit any of the clothes at my local Lilly store. They are willing to order the larger size for me but I woud have to buy it first. So as a size 10 I don't get to try things on first. Because the larger sizes SELL OUT. Hello...order more of those sell first!
ReplyDeleteI have a sabrina from when I was in high school and love it! The Jillie style makes me look pregnant and I even wear a smallish size, that is not a good look.
ReplyDeleteAmen sister!! Have the same issues w/Lilly strapless and the only one that works for me is the Sabrina b/c of the tie in the back!!!
ReplyDelete