MUCH ADO ABOUT LILLY
I’ve been laughing at all the social media outrage over the Lilly Pulitzer/Target collaboration. Really? Given the scope of other breaking news this week, this is what’s making your boil? Number one, a Lilly/Target collaboration is not tantamount to the terrorists winning. Again, I refer you to this week’s headlines. Number two, how is this collaboration any different than what Target’s done successfully in the past with other designers? Target’s team-up doesn’t negate the brand or make the full-price items you already own less valuable. Personally, I scooped up every single Target co-branded Liberty of London item I could in 2010. In no way did those purchases devalue the experience of finally shopping in the real Liberty back in November. Actually, seeing the real Liberty prices made me appreciate what I was able to buy at a steep discount, especially as the melamine plates were of the exact same quality. I said it on Twitter and I’ll say it again – you want to be mad about the partnership? Cool. Be mad. Definitely boycott Target over this. Because that means more for cute, colorful outdoor gear and adorable accessories for me. What I didn’t realize until this morning is that there’s an enormous kerfuffle over Target selling the plus-size Lilly pieces exclusively online. Normally, I hate when stores do this. Total dick move, in my opinion. Doing so is the surest way for that organization to lose my business. After Macy’s pulled the plus department from their Northbrook Court store, I stopped buying from ALL Macy’s. I haven’t purchased a single item from them in three years. Plus, I’m not a fan of how Target considers plus and maternity the same damn thing, as I’ve discussed in the past. All of that being said, LILLY IS GOING TO MAKE PLUS SIZES. Which, from what I understand, means sizes larger than the XL they presently manufacture. If you’ve never been a preppy fat girl who had to content herself with Lilly scarves and sandals, you won’t understand the gravity of this move. To this point, I’ve never even found Lilly Pulitzer fabric more than a yard at a time, so it’s not like I could have paid someone to make me a dress or tunic in my size. Being able to buy a Lilly print? In my size? Even though it’s only online and may (or, let’s be honest, may not) be of slightly lesser quality? This is huge. (Pun not intended.) I kept telling Fletch this morning that those who are mad about the online plus size are basically saying, “Sure, I can buy a unicorn now, but only online.” THAT STILL MEANS WE CAN GET OUR UNICORNS. I say it all the time – vote with your dollar. If you want to send Target and Lilly the message that plus size dollars count, then please join me in voting the Chicago way - early and often. Or not. Because it can’t be said enough… MORE FOR ME.
