Lilly Pulitzer Sale Starts at Midnight

Yesterday's rumors have been confirmed.  Lilly Pulitzer is hosting a 2-day sale event at some of our favorite Signature Stores starting at midnight, and going through Friday, June 24.  My sources say that retailers are allowed to include the  first couple of deliveries from the Spring Collection in this sale, but summer merchandise will not be discounted.

For a list of participating stores, visit the Lilly Pulitzer Blog.

Note: The Pink Pelican is advertising items discounted up to 80%, and a special freebie for early bird shoppers. (Visit their blog for more details.)

Rumor Has It….

How often do you believe rumors? Do you repeat them?

Lilly Pulitzer Maxine Dress in Painter's Block

I try not to spread gossip, but I heard a rumor today that’s so juicy I just had to let you all in on it. The word in “Lillyland” is that the pink and green, preppy label is about to announce one of their rare publicized sales, with many Via stores participating and items as low as 70% off. Supposedly, the sale will start tomorrow night at Midnight. (Or more accurately, Thursday morning.) Is it true? Only time will tell… but I’m working on my wish list just in case!

Fit for a Princess (Or Her Sister)

That was quick! It's been only two weeks since the royal wedding, and already there are knock-off gowns to be had. These three regally-inspired designs from A.B.S. by Allen Schwartz will be available at Lord & Taylor in July, but can be pre-ordered now. Be forewarned: Limited quantities are being produced.



A.B.S. by Allen Schwartz Lace Wedding Gown









A.B.S. by Allen Schwartz Strapless Wedding Gown





A.B.S. by Allen Schwartz Draped Neck Gown



A Print Obsession

What would spring and summer be without some fun Lilly Pulitzer prints to kick things up a notch? When the summer collection recently debuted, one print in particular made me sit up and take notice: Hotty Pink Cherry Begonias. Ooh la la!

Obviously Lilly had a hunch that this print would be popular, because it’s available in an incredible array of pieces, including:

Bloom Dress

Callahan Shorts

Sonia Skirt

Wynne Top

And the nearly sold-out Thandie Tunic

Now if I can only decide which lovely item to order...

(I would be remiss if I didn't tell you that the Thandie Tunic is a hot seller. If you want one, I recommend you start looking ASAP because my sources tell me it’s flying out the door!)


One final note: If you can’t get enough of this blog, be sure to “Like” Juleps & Jon Jons' new Facebook page!

The Perfect Tank

Every summer, I renew my search for the ideal tank top. For me that means a tank that is substantial enough not to be sheer, that holds up well through many washes, and hugs my curves. And in the interest of total honesty, let me also say that I prefer one that has a scoop neck and can be worn with a normal bra. Tall order, isn’t it?

Well, my search has finally come to an end with the discovery of the L.L.Bean Double L® Rib-Knit Tee, Tank. It's everything I’ve been looking for and then some. At a mere $14.50 each, you can buy one in every color.

(And let us not forget, L.L.Bean now offers free shipping on all orders, regardless of price. Who doesn’t love that?)

Lilly Mania

Most of you know by now that I have a bit of a love affair with Lilly Pulitzer clothing and accessories. So when my friend Liza, who I met through Re-Lilly, invited me to join her for the Lunch at Lilly event in Austin last weekend, I couldn’t refuse.

Believe it or not, this was my first Lunch at Lilly event. The amazing staff at Lilly Pulitzer at The Domain offered friendly advice as I tried on practically everything in the store before selecting a few lovelies to take home (along with the Lunch at Lilly gift with purchase goodies, naturally). And the fun isn’t over, because Lilly has yet to announce the lucky winner of the drawing for a trip to the Pink Palace… Fingers crossed!




Meeting my friend from Re-Lilly, Liza, in person for the first time





Two of the lovely ladies from Lilly Pulitzer at the Domain, Caitlin and Erin, with Liza.


I had barely caught my breath from Saturday’s shopping extravaganza when Lilly announced a three-day March Madness sale in which many of their Via shops were participating. Of course, this Lilly girl can’t resist a great sale (and some of the stores had merchandise discounted as much as 70%), so I did a teensy bit more shopping, ordering from several of my favorite Via stores, including The Village Palm, Under the Palm Tree, The Pink Door and In the Pink. (I also called my friends at Pink Bee, which I mentioned in my last post, but they didn’t have the sizes I needed. Oh well! There’s always next time!)

Of course, some of the stores were absolutely mobbed, and I’ve already been told that a few of the items I ordered online from In the Pink won’t actually make it to my house. I certainly can’t complain, though, because all in all, my Lilly stash has grown considerably in the last week.

In fact, with all of the new additions to my wardrobe, my next task should probably be a bit of closet cleaning....

Paint By Number

As I mentioned in my last post, my mother-in-law and brother-in-law came for a visit last weekend. (This was in the middle of the stomach flu mania that had overtaken my house. Miraculously, my children perked up for the time our visitors were here, although my smaller twin came down with the bug mere hours after they left. Luckily, neither of our guests caught the virus.)

It was quite a productive trip.

My brother-in-law got to meet our twins for the first time, and he even installed two new light fixtures for us while he was here. (Have I told you how wonderful it is to have a brother-in-law who’s a contractor? Gotta love that!)

And my mother-in-law brought us two bags of yummy cheese straws made by a lady in Georgia. Now I can make cheese straws – I made two big batches at Christmas – but it’s A LOT of work. I can’t tell you how thrilled I was to have two bags hand-delivered to us in the midst of all the craziness we’ve experienced of late!

My mother-in-law also mentioned her plan to take a group photo of all eleven grandchildren during our extended family beach trip this summer, and her quest to find matching outfits. She had found the perfect Lilly Pulitzer dress for the little girls at a store in her hometown, but she needed two in size seven – and they only had one. So now she was looking for another idea.

Wait – did she say Lilly? (If you’ve been reading long, you know I consider this an area of expertise!)

I had her describe the dress to me. It turns out that the dress she was considering is the Little Lilly Shift in the Shorely Blue Paint By Numbers print, which is brand new for spring. It has to be the cutest Lilly dress for little girls I’ve ever seen.

Here it is:



Lilly Pulitzer Little Lilly Shift in Shorely Blue Paint By Numbers



























And here’s a close-up. Do you see the numbered spaces that aren't colored in, like a Paint By Number that’s not yet complete? How adorable is that?



A close-up of the print


























I became a woman on a mission. I had to help her find that dress. I told her to call the store in her hometown and ask them to hold the three dresses they had while I tracked down the final size seven. After calling a few of my favorite Via stores, to no avail, I called Lilly Pulitzer at The Domain in Austin, Texas (where the service is always phenomenal). Jackpot! And the best news is that they don’t charge shipping on full-priced items, so this lovely little dress was shipped to my mother-in-law for free! She was thrilled. (I hope I earned some brownie points!)

She’s thinking about having the little boys wear khaki shorts and turquoise polo shirts to match the dresses for the group photo. Personally, I love these cute turquoise and white checked shorts from Orient Expressed, paired with white polos. (Although I realize that sizes might be an issue again. We have seven boys to outfit!)

Tuquoise and White Checked Shorts from Orient Expressed

Either way, I think this is going to be a darling photo. What do you think?

Friday Favorites: Lesley Evers

Favorite may actually be an understatement. Obsession is more accurate.

It started innocently enough. I decided to order a skirt from Lesley Evers during their recent Winter Sale. When the skirt arrived, it was love at first sight. I was hooked! One order turned into a second and a third…. In a matter of weeks, I have become the proud owner of a Laura, an Erin and two Kelseys – and I’m incredibly excited about the new Spring collection!

The Dottie Dress in Black Lattice, Spring 2011

The Dottie Dress  in Yellow Blooms, Spring 2011



A shot from a Spring 2011 photo shoot featuring the Grace Dress in Rockridge Blue.  I believe it will be available later this month.



In all fairness, I have been secretly enamored of Lesley Evers’ beautiful clothing line since I first discovered the website last summer. However, none of the boutiques in my area carry the brand, so I couldn’t just run across town to try on some of the adorable pieces. To see them for myself, I was going to have to take a risk and blindly order online. Let me tell you, it was worth it!

The clothes are divine, from the wonderful fit, to the fabrics and trims. There are even hidden details, like the cute rick-rack trim that decorates the hem of the lining on my Laura skirt. And these dresses and skirts are perfect for my lifestyle. The company has dubbed their dresses “The All Day Dress,” and they really are, even for a mom with three children under the age of four. They are classic in design, but modern in fabrication. With a mere change of accessories, they are appropriate for any activity I can imagine. And everything I ordered can be machine washed.

Best of all, this is a company that really understands its customers and cares about them. When my second order arrived, I was dismayed to see that my Erin skirt (a final sale item) was damaged. I called and left a message, and believe it or not, my call was returned by Lesley Evers herself! She told me she was the first one to arrive in the office, heard my message and didn’t want to make me wait for someone else to show up and return my call. How amazing is that? She assured me she would send me a new skirt and even took my order for an additional dress ( although taking phone orders from online customers is clearly not part of her usual duties). My replacement order arrived yesterday. I couldn’t have asked for better service!

* I was not compensated for this post, although I certainly wouldn't turn down an offer from a company as wonderful as this one!

Falling for Mad Men

I have a confession to make. I had never seen Mad Men until recently. Shocking, isn’t it? With my love of vintage fashion, you would have expected me to be drooling over the wonderful stylings of Betty Draper, Joan Holloway, Trudy Campbell and the rest of the gang for ages.

Of course, the moment I saw the first episode, I was hooked. Thanks to Netflix and Amazon, I’m now caught up through the end of Season 3 and impatiently awaiting the release of Season 4 on DVD on March 29. Until then, a girl can dream…



This last photo of Trudy is from Season 4...
and I can't wait to see what happens!



The Pantyhose Question

Do you still wear pantyhose on occasion, or do you feel that they’re outdated and no longer needed? I'm noticing that more and more really young women (read: under age 25) don’t seem to wear hose anymore. My rule has always been that hose aren't necessary in warm weather with a dress and sandals, but I always wear them if I’m wearing pumps.

Last weekend, I found myself face to face with this question when we took my oldest son to a preschool admissions open house and I ended up with a rather clingy situation due to my pantyhose. My outfit included a gray pencil skirt, a lavender cardigan, a domed black leather bag, some classic black pumps, and my standard-issue Hanes pantyhose. The skirt in question is J.Crew's double serge pencil skirt, which is a thick stretch-sateen and is unlined. Typically, I would have added a slip, but that doesn’t really work well with a fitted pencil skirt. With every step I took on my left foot my skirt clung to my hose and bunched up a little. Not enough to be indecent, but I’m sure it looked funny and it made me self-conscious. I considered taking off the hose, and even wondered if I should have worn them in the first place. (Let me add that I was more dressed up than 99% of the mothers we saw.)

So the question remains: Are pantyhose necessary? What do you think?

Preschool Open House by Julepsandjj featuring ann taylor shoes

The Lure of The Classic Trench

By now you know that “classic” is one of my favorite buzzwords when it comes to fashion. I adore pieces that are timeless and well-made, that will serve me for years, and that move easily from one activity to the next without missing a beat. One of my favorite classic wardrobe items is the trench coat.

A beautiful trench makes me feel instantly pulled together, even if I’m only wearing a t-shirt and jeans underneath. It’s perfect not only for a rainy day, but also when there’s a slight chill in the air or a gust of wind. And it’s a travel essential, adapting my wardrobe to varying climates and warming me in the often frigid airplane environment.

Years ago, I bought a gorgeous, perfectly fitted, mid-length burgundy trench coat from Banana Republic. I got lucky and happened upon it at a steep discount. It was the steal of the decade and I happily wore it for nearly that long, until one day it developed an unsightly hole in the arm. (I suspect I snagged it on something while traveling.) Although I own other raincoats, including a lovely black, a-line number from Anne Klein 2 and a hot pink Lilly Pulitzer trench purchased from Hopsy for springtime wear, I have continued to mourn the loss of my beloved burgundy trench.

You can imagine how excited I was last week when I encountered this beautiful, dark red version from Michael by Michael Kors, which is now hanging in my closet. With its button-out lining and removable hood, it does my old faithful one better.

Michael by Michael Kors Trench

Of course, there are many fabulous trenches available this season in varying price ranges. Other favorites include:

Banana Republic Classic Trench

Kate Spade Bisous Bow Trench



Burberry London Mid-Length Trench

 





















What about you?  Are you a fan of the trench coat?

Party Time

Last night I attended a friend’s Silpada party. Great food and wine, friends, and an opportunity to order some fun jewelry…. What more could a girl ask for? I decided to debut my Lilly Pulitzer Adalie dress. I kept the rest of my outfit simple so it wouldn’t interfere with any baubles I wanted to try.

Silpada Party by Julepsandjj featuring a lilly pulitzer dress

In the end, I bought this bronze coin pearl necklace. I think it will be a fun accent to my fall and winter wardrobe.

What about you? What’s been on your agenda this weekend?

The Perfect Fit

For the last few days, in between taking my children to various appointments, I have been doing the most dreaded type of clothing shopping.  That's right, I've been looking for some new jeans.  (O.K., maybe this is the second most dreaded type of shopping.  Bathing suits might rank higher.  Maybe.)

I don't know about you, but I find jean shopping to be incredibly difficult.  I always end up feeling like I must have the oddest body shape on earth because so many pairs just do not fit.  At all.  Not even close.  So when I finally find a pair that not only fits, but is also flattering, I get a little excited.

Such was my experience with the Lucky Brand Sweet 'N Low jeans.  After trying pairs from Seven, Rock & Republic, and some other Lucky's, I had my hallelujah moment with the Sweet 'N Low cut.  They are listed as mid-rise, bootleg, and easy fit.  The mid-rise is plenty low on me.  Now, I know that some of you are wondering why I am buying bootleg jeans when the skinny cut is all the rage.  Let me say that I don't think the skinny cut is for everyone and while I tried a few pairs, I have not found any that I like on myself.  A slight bootleg is my comfort zone for now, although I reserve the right to change my mind later!

What about you?  What jeans are your favorites right now?  Do you favor the skinny leg, the bootcut, or something else?

The End of an Era

After five fun years, the Lilly Pulitzer store in San Antonio closed its doors for the final time yesterday.  I think you all know how much I adore Lilly and can imagine how sad I feel. I will truly miss this store and its wonderful staff, who were always so friendly and so willing to help locate an item they didn’t have in store.   What a tremendous loss for our community.

Lilly Pulitzer at The Shops at La Cantera

A few of the amazing staff members on the final day

(Notice how sadly empty the store is in the background.)

Kim and me

Of course, I couldn't leave without one last purchase!  I brought home the Jonah Dress in Don’t Be Koi, the Janet Dress in Off the Hook, the Lexie Crew in Lilly’s Pink (to pair with some of my skirts) and an Original Tote in Flowey Wowey.

My final haul from the Lilly store at La Cantera

As sad as the day was, I came away with one exciting surprise - a sneak peek at Lilly's upcoming Resort Collection.  All I can tell you is that it is SO FABULOUS that I may just have to make a trip to Austin.  (Don't forget, I have three children under the age of four.  I do not routinely schlep to Austin, but for this new collection, I WILL.)  You will see some of your favorite styles from recent seasons returning in to-die-for prints, along with some gorgeous new styles, and a lot of pieces that will be perfect for that long-awaited vacation.  And of course the names of the new prints are so cute, so tongue-in-cheek, so Lilly...

Coat Check

A coat is often our most visible article of clothing throughout the winter months. Shouldn’t it be a showstopper?

I'm enamored of this Asymetrical Ruffle Coat from Tulle, which retails for a mere $98. This fabulous shade of blue could jazz up the most dreary winter day.

For the Love of the Cardigan

Have I ever told you how much I adore a classic cardigan? Outside of the perfect white shirt, and quintessential little black dress, a wonderful cardigan may just be the most versatile and timeless item in a woman’s wardrobe. Imagine it thrown over a tee and worn with a fabulous pair of jeans and boots, or paired with a gorgeous pencil skirt and pumps. What about topping that wonderful sleeveless dress on a chilly afternoon, or just tied around your shoulders for an extra pop of color?

Now that we're heading into fall, my cardigan obsession is in full swing. I have been snapping up the discounted colors of J.Crew’s Jackie Cardigan like my life depends on it. ( I realize that a three-quarter sleeve cotton cardigan may not constitute winter attire for many of you, but it’s quite a nice option here in San Antonio. And as a mom of three small children, washable wardrobe solutions are key.)

Here’s is a small sampling of the cardigans I've recently added to my collection. The top four are the Jackie by J.Crew in Bright Seaside, Fresh Melon, Soft Seashell and Hyacinth. The bottom is the Heritage Cardigan from Lands' End Canvas in Cherry.

More lovely choices:

Anthropologie Love Letter Sweater by Laureate Lane

Kate Spade Beeline Billie Cardigan



Anthropologie Pick a Bunch Cardi by Tabitha



Trina Turk Sylvia Cardigan

For more sublime cardigan inspiration, be sure to check out the wardrobe of Glee’s Emma Pillsbury.

The new season of Glee starts tonight on FOX at 8 p.m. (7 p.m. Central). Additional details about her wardrobe can be found at the popular fan site, What Would Emma Pillsbury Wear, which celebrates Emma’s every cardigan-clad move.

Sale Alert: 75% Off Lilly Pulitzer Spring and Summer

If you're like me, you may have over-indulged in spring and summer's gorgeous Lilly Pulitzer prints, but now at the end of the season find yourself still wishing for a few items you neglected to purchase.  Well, I have just the remedy for that.  The Pink Bee, a Lilly Pulitzer Via Shop in Greenville, SC, has marked down their spring and summer Lilly to a whopping 75% off!  (Yes, you read that correctly.)  Their website doesn't reflect their entire stock, so if there's an item (or two or three) that you're interested in, give them a call. (The phone number is 864-271-4332.)

I spoke with Barbara when I called and she couldn't have been sweeter (even when I got distracted and forgot to include part of my order the first time).   I can't wait to receive my Merianne top and the swim trunks I ordered for my oldest son - both in the Fresh Catch Toile, naturally.

Wishing you a very Lilly day!

A Vintage Find

My love affair with vintage style is no secret. You may recall a post earlier this summer in which I mentioned that I was considering adding some vintage looks to my own wardrobe. Soon after that, I came across a fabulous first piece at my favorite upscale resale shop. It's a vintage Lilly Pulitzer skort, which I believe is from the 70’s (though I’m not absolutely certain).

Believe it or not, the proprietors of the shop said they almost didn’t accept it because they weren’t sure any of their clientele would be interested in “something so old.” (I KNOW. What were they thinking?) Two days after it arrived, I walked in to browse their selection of Lilly and asked if they ever get any vintage pieces. Thank goodness I did, because it did not have a size tag and they put it in with the mediums, where I may not have seen it.

Here it is in all its glory:

I paired it with a simple white tee and a necklace from Talbots.

A close-up of the print. Can you see the hidden “Lilly” signature?

The vintage Lilly Pulitzer label.

It’s Raining, It’s Pouring

O.K., so it’s not actually raining at the moment, but we've had several days of torrential downpours this week. After ruining my favorite flats wading through the puddles, getting children in and out of the car during preschool drop-off, it’s become clear that I need to invest in more appropriate wet weather footwear.

One obvious choice is the ubiquitous Hunter Rain Boot that would make any preppy girl swoon.

Hunter Original Rain Boot

But there are a wealth of other cute options as well.

Tretorn Langta

Tretorn Kelly

Sperry Topsider Pelican

Kamik Heidi

Bean’s Wellies by L.L. Bean

L.L. Bean Coastal Rain Skimmers

Sperry Top Sider Mallard Skimmer

Now, if I can only decide…