The Lilly Pulitzer for Target Launch Celebration

Marie’s Note: The Target Launch party was in New York and being in Georgia, I was not able to hop  on up there, so I asked Sarah from Curvily to stop by and let us know what was happening over there! Here is her recap and do not forget, the Lilly Pulitzer for Target collection goes live TOMORROW!!!! Please welcome Sarah and read on!

Earlier this week, I went to the Lilly Pulitzer for Target Launch event at Bryant Park Grill, to bring The Curvy Fashionista readers the inside scoop on the first major Target designer collaboration to include plus sizes.

The decor at the event was pure Lilly Pulitzer: Filled with color and bold, summery prints, and exuding a cheerful Palm Springs vibe. We were welcomed inside by an idyllic hammock setup that brought to mind poolside lounging with a fruity drink in hand. The crowd was fantastic for people watching: There were older women who were clearly lifelong Pulitzer customers; there were edgy fashionistas wearing all black in the cotton-candy pink setting; there were eccentric dressers with personalities to match, and of course there were members of the pearls and boat shoes set.

There were also celebrities galore, including Emmy Rossum and the delightful Ellie Kemper (star of “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”), both looking fabulous in pieces from the collab. Celebrities of the plus size world walked the red (er, pink) carpet too – I loved spotting blogger Chastity of Garner Style on it. Her boycott of Target for previously not carrying plus sizes in the designer collaborations appeared to be the tipping point for their decision to add plus to the Lilly collection (plus bloggers, including Marie Denee, have been advocating for this for years, but it seems like we’ve finally reached critical mass).

The inclusion of plus sizes extended to the party! There were models of all sizes rocking the collection, and there were multiple racks of plus with the full size range available. Not all of the styles offered were at the event, but I got to check out a good number of the pieces.

The quality is there. I snagged the cobalt eyelet coverup for myself, and it looks much more expensive than its $32 price point would suggest. Some of the styles, like the too-thin white maxi caftan, did not read as high end, but the majority were true to their Lilly origins. The eyelet and lace pieces in particular were standouts. They did not have a fitting room available at the preview, but the pieces seem pretty true to size.

Seeing the clothes up close also gave me insight into some details that can be hard to divine online. The preppy classic print shift dresses, for example, actually have a luxe quilted texture, yet are still lightweight enough for balmy summer days.

The accessories also looked great; and went fast: Fellow blogger Kelly Augustine snapped up the last quilted yellow and gold minaudière right before I got to the purse section. The shoes, including the adorable pineapple sandals and the versatile gold wedges, were on display but not available for purchase at the event. I will be prioritizing these pieces when the collection goes live online (April 19th), and I advise you to do so too if you want a shot at getting them.

Target will be offering the clothing up to size 18 in stores, and the plus sizes will be online only.  I actually prefer refreshing my computer to standing in crazy lines and trying to push past people for the good pieces, so I am not bummed out about the online-only thing.

Some tips that have been helpful for previous Target collabs:

✓ Follow the #LillyforTarget tag on Twitter, and be ready to click the links you see bloggers and fellow shoppers share – sometimes the collection will not show up on the home page, but the product pages will be live and shoppable.
✓ Be ready to stay up late – they rarely launch right at midnight, but chatting with other avid shoppers on Twitter will help pass the time.
✓ Have a list of priorities when the collection launches so you don’t go too crazy with the spending.
✓ Finally, remember that the free shipping minimum is only $25, and you can return to any Target store.

What is at the top of your list? What items do you have your eyes on? Let us know! 

For the Lilly for Target collab, shop Target.com!

About Sarah:

Curvily is a body positive, real life fashion site.  I’m all about bucking outdated and shame-based fashion rules, and wearing whatever you like and makes you feel great – that will never change.