This Preppy Brand Is Having a Comeback, But for This Millennial Fashion Editor It Never Really Left

Lilly Pulitzer the fashion brand is instantly recognizable for its vibrant prints and ‘60s-inspired silhouettes. Think pink-and-green tropical floral cropped pants, sun-drenched patchwork kaftans with exaggerated sleeves and hot pink shift dresses with grosgrain trim à la Simone in Sirens. In fact, Lilly herself founded her brand on busy prints that were cheerful, chic and could easily hide the stains on the uniforms of the gals working at her juice stand (true story). But for many women, the name Lilly Pulitzer carries much more than visions of Palm Beach society.

A quick poll of my Instagram friends, fellow PureWow editors and childhood friends (we were very much a Lilly town and, in fact, had a Lilly Pulitzer boutique on main street) revealed a wide range of thoughts and opinions. “The way that woman’s clothes had me in a chokehold in college!” an old teammate told me, the prints just too appealing to ignore both IRL and on social media. “Works for young and old—no age limit,” added my Aunt Lynne. Others mentioned coveting the wooden handle handbags or feeling like the limited edition prints were almost like collector’s items. But others were less kind in their assessments.

“[Lilly Pulitzer feels] very status symbol-y to me,” explained a former colleague. “I just remember a lot of preppy mean girls in high school would wear it.” This is the version of Lilly Sirens creator Molly Smith Metzler clearly wants to put forth. For Metzler, the prim perfection of Simone, Michaela and the women of the fictional coastal town of Port Haven is something to be equally admired and intimated by. “It’s ridiculous,” she told Variety in a recent interview, before adding, “I love Lilly, I have some Lilly, but it’s a little ridiculous. There’s something so saturated and bright about it.”

But whether you love it or hate it, there’s no denying Lilly’s designs are truly iconic. As another writer put it, “clown it if you want, but it’s one of the most recognizable brands in the country!” And she’s not wrong.

But its ability to inspire such differing opinions is one of the things I love most about the brand. As Erykah Badu once said, “I make what I like, and they eat it how they want to eat it.” Lilly made what she liked—super-bright patterned frocks in easy silhouettes—and we all wear it the ways we want to wear it. For some that’s as a full ‘60s cosplay, cat-eye sunglasses and resin bangles included. For others, it’s with pearls, Jack Roger sandals and loose, bouncy curls that would make Julianne Moore’s “Kiki” very proud.

Read on for some of my current favorite Lilly Pulitzer dresses to fit all styles.