My little sister worked on Newbury Street the summer of 2001, and she bought me my first Lilly- a Simple Skirt in Shrimp Cocktail. I was hooked. I was also in mid-20’s, weighed considerably less than I do now and was able to get away with the shorter dresses. I never went too short, even when I was a 4.
Fast forward 15 (!) plus years. I still love Lilly, but it’s not practical for me to wear it year round, being a Massachusetts resident and a business development consultant working with law firms.
When it comes to the big sales, I look for popovers, maxi dresses, cashmere (in my opinion, some of the best deals of past sales) and other odds and ends.
Here are some of my tips:
1) Make a list! For god’s sake, take from a not so organized person- if you do not do your homework in advance, you will be so overwhelmed that you will miss out! Item name, size, color, print, etc.
2) Shop around! The addition of signature stores to the After Party sale was MAJOR. A lot of these places start their sales at midnight, and I have gotten better deals at some of those stores than on the Lilly site. It’s awesome to check off something from your list BEFORE you go to bed!
You Gotta Regatta Pop-Up at In The Pink
3) If you get up in the middle of the night, check to see if the site is live!
4) Use the search button and if you have a print or two that you really want. I got a Red Right Return dress in August of 2016 by searching that print. You never know what Lilly will throw in.
5) Know your size! I bought a fitted zip dress in my normal size, and it was so short and tight that there was no way that I could make it work. If you are anywhere near a Lilly Signature store or a department store that carries Lilly, try before you buy. Swallow your pride if you have to go a size up. Better than not looking good in what you bought.
6) Don’t count on getting what you check out for, whether on Lilly or on another site. I checked out late night with a popover and got a confirmation email, and then a day later, I got an email that it was sold out and I wouldn’t be getting it. After Lilly had sold out of the popovers. That sucked.
7) If you know someone at your local store, see if they can help you with how much is left of what you want and what the deals in that store are.
My friend at In The Pink gave me the scoop on the availability of this popover so I didn’t miss out!
8) If you don’t want/need it, don’t buy it. Some seasons don’t do it for me, and others are amazing. There have been several After Party sales where I have not bought a single thing. My credit cards/bank account were happy to have a rest.
9) Check the Facebook sites/instagram/etc for things that you didn’t get. Sometimes people are willing to trade or sell at what they bought things for. This shouldn’t be a moneymaker for anyone. It’s for Lilly lovers. Marking stuff up is BAD KARMA!
10) Have fun! Sales are supposed to be fun! I worked at the “warehouse” at in the Pink about 13 years ago (when it was still Gordon’s garage), and I had a lady on the phone threaten to kill herself if she didn’t get her outfit in time for her birthday party the next day. I love Lilly, but none of their items are that important. Really, only your wedding dress is THAT important 🙂
2015 Sale Haul
Good luck, and let me know how you fare.
xxoo, PF
