Essential Resource

'Essentially Lilly: a guide to colorful holidays' by Lilly Pulitzer & Jay Mulvaney

I found this book yesterday at Ross. (And yes, I DID pick it up initially because of the pink and green cover....I'll fess up: I am a 'judge a book by it's cover' kind of gal!) Oh. My. Goodness. This book is FAB. I am not preppy, I have never BEEN preppy, and have never aspired to be preppy. (I lie. I did, in fact, once consider taking up tennis because I had a massive high-school crush on a guy who was a drummer & tennis player. Never followed through on that thought, which tells you where my problem in the game would have been.) But this book, well, this could make me start wearing polo shirts and bermuda plaid skirts and actually playing tennis, maybe even asking people to call me Debby again. ????

The Lilly of the title is Lilly Pulitzer, famed for her uber preppy fashion design and her eclectic decorating style, both incorporating bright happy colors. She is also the self-proclaimed 'Queen of Pink and Green', so I bow to her royally perfect good taste to love those two colors so much. (I really didn't realize the combination is considered the height of prepdom when I fell in love with it....) I would love love love to spend an afternoon having tea and chatting with Lilly and Alexandra Stoddard - two women who are fearless champions of color!

This book is a celebration of the everyday parties she throws for friends and family. A few are themes, a few are actual 'Holidays', and every. last. thing. is gloriously inspiring.
There are flowers.



There are tabletops.

There is food. With recipes.


There are colorful, fun, happy ideas for specific Celebrations, like: Easter.

And Christmas.

And More: Mardi Gras, Fourth of July, Memorial Day, etc.
There are also DARLING illustrations by Izak Zenou that look so very similar to the Daily Candy drawings, I am going to have to investigate to see if he also does them. **edited to add: Daily Candy emailed me, responding to my question. Their artwork is done by SuJean Rim !

This is one of my new favorite resources for seasonal decor, displays, event decor - and I haven't even really gone through the WHOLE book yet! I just can't wait to see it ALL, in depth.

Published by Collins and released in 2006, it's on Amazon OR, check out your local Ross store or Half Price Books for a discount copy. Mine was $8.99. BUT WAIT - THERE'S MORE! Check HERE for info on Lilly's other books! (And I just ordered the 'Entertaining' one. Thirty seconds...DONE.) Gotta love that! Almost as much as chartreuse green and hot pink.....

Photo credits: All images from Lilly Pulitzer