Lilly Pulitzer Anyone?

[Greek_or_Geek?]

I think the whole voting nonsense will eventually backfire on them. I especially disliked the tease about who was in the lead a few days ago. I think it caused even harder feelings for some. The negative comments this time around seem even more vitriolic than the last time. I wish they'd just announce a schedule and stick to it. As the number of groups gets smaller, it seems pretty ridiculous to continue the charade.

[DubaiSis]

It's funny that I didn't catch her saying the Xi wrong. I guess I was focused on the image. In her defense, the "real" way to pronounce the Xi is difficult at best. It should actually be something along the lines of xsee and nobody but the seriously old ladies say it that way. What I did notice was the pregnant pause when she couldn't decide for sure if it was omega or omicron for AOII. My guess is she guessed right and not that she said it with any confidence. And yes, who doesn't just practice them once or twice to make sure she's got it right?

And the whole voting and dragging it out thing? I'm SURE it's to be able to have something to hype in another year. And my guess is that's why ZTA was denied. When they finally make the cut there will be a HUGE interest in buying the stuff right about the time every Kappa and Theta has said been there done that.

But I think it is nice for some of us mid-sized sororities to get a little love every once in a while. Name recognition is an important part of expansion, and this sort of promotion might be manipulative, but it still gets some of us out there in ways we wouldn't otherwise be.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

I'm just going to work on not caring one way or the other - the whole "vote" thing strikes me as manipulative and leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth.

Originally Posted by GammaPhi88

I found this comment to be in extremely poor taste.

I'm a longtime Lilly fan, but I'm also tired of the voting and teasing, and agree that a schedule would be best, perhaps like they did the state quarters. Stuff like this only brings out the worst in people, as evidenced through many of the comments, as the "winners" will cheer and then tell the sororities that didn't get a print that it's not a big deal, and the "losers" will either 1) be openly bitter 2) tell the "winners" it's easy for them to say, because they have the print. While I understand the excitement, I don't think comments like these are great PR for anyone involved.

I think it would be nice if Lilly could create a "Panhellenic" print, maybe with Ivy and green designs, for all sorority women to wear. It's not the same as having your own, of course, but I think it could be great PR for Lilly and allow the sorority members "waiting it out" (since, of course, some collegiate women will take this seriously) to have something.

Now, back to important things, like watching the State of the Union....

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

I'm just giving you crap. It's funny how the trends change from region to region. I'm sure there will be hype with the Michigan Phi Mus once the pattern is revealed, then it'll die, then again when it's released, and then no one will give a crap. I didn't know who Lilly Pulitzer was until Greekchat!

I had never heard of Lilly until Greekchat either. This whole campaign is a great marketing strategy but I didn't vote either time because, honestly, I don't care. It's not like I'm going to suddenly like Lilly's style because there is an Alpha Gam print. Her prints aren't anything I'd wear or use no matter what. They just aren't "me". I look at them and think "South". I feel that way about Vera too. I don't wear many floral prints at all. I wear hounds tooth, pin stripes, glenn plaid, business wear. I can't imagine walking into my job with anything but a conservative, business like, leather type bag. To add to that, other than tennis shoes, I avoid clothing that advertises itself or the store that it came from (and with tennis shoes, there is really no choice, they all have their mark on them). I kind of cringe when my son wanted shirts that said Old Navy or GAP on them. Really? I'm going to pay money to advertise for them? Ack. It rubs me the wrong way. That's pretty much how I feel about Lilly and Vera too.

Brilliant marketing campaign because they got everybody to advertise for them. Ultimately though, it's divisive.. another way to separate "haves" and "have nots". And those comments? Unreal. It's kind of shocking to me that people care that much.

[AZTheta]

It is no secret that I dislike the Theta print. And when I saw the "pandamonium" print, with lots of BLACK, I was then convinced that the Lilly designers had something against Theta. Using blue for our print, and a weirdly ugly blue at that, coupled with garish yellow and the ugliest pansies ever, was all the evidence I needed to support my claim.

So, I have bought ONE wristlet as a gift for a Theta active, for her birthday. She was thrilled. As for me, nothing in the Theta sorority line tempts me. I do covet some of the other sorority prints, as I previously posted.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

I know the Lilly brand has cache in some parts of the country, but if women are this desperate for these types of prints, why is no other vendor getting on this? Quite frankly, most of the items in our official store are, well, really geared toward collegians. I would think another vendor that produced more "adult" sorority gear could really step in here and do okay.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

I know the Lilly brand has cache in some parts of the country, but if women are this desperate for these types of prints, why is no other vendor getting on this? Quite frankly, most of the items in our official store are, well, really geared toward collegians. I would think another vendor that produced more "adult" sorority gear could really step in here and do okay.

And as long as collegians keep buying them in droves, I doubt the national orgs are going to search too hard for anothe official vendor. I have no idea what the Lily deal entails, but I'm sure some advantages for the sororities are thrown in there.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

I know the Lilly brand has cache in some parts of the country, but if women are this desperate for these types of prints, why is no other vendor getting on this? Quite frankly, most of the items in our official store are, well, really geared toward collegians. I would think another vendor that produced more "adult" sorority gear could really step in here and do okay.

Vineyard Vines did totes for some of the sororities, but I think it was up to the sorority to approach VV. Again, that's a regional thing.

I think there's just not a demand for "mature" sorority gear for NPC sororities, in part because of the emphasis on collegiates. It's tough, because I wouldn't mind having some AXO-related items in my home or office that didn't look like they should be in the dorm room.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

Vineyard Vines did totes for some of the sororities, but I think it was up to the sorority to approach VV. Again, that's a regional thing.

I think there's just not a demand for "mature" sorority gear for NPC sororities, in part because of the emphasis on collegiates. It's tough, because I wouldn't mind having some AXO-related items in my home or office that didn't look like they should be in the dorm room.

I think there could be, though, if the NPC got behind it. They instituted "wear your badge day"; if I had some sort of grown-up accessory (I'm thinking scarf, but there could be others?), I would be willing to do a "represent your group the first monday of every month day" or something.

So, in summary, I guess I want both a "here's a nice looking scarf" and "monthly NPC scarf day" to happen simultaneously.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

I think there could be, though, if the NPC got behind it. They instituted "wear your badge day"; if I had some sort of grown-up accessory (I'm thinking scarf, but there could be others?), I would be willing to do a "represent your group the first monday of every month day" or something.

So, in summary, I guess I want both a "here's a nice looking scarf" and "monthly NPC scarf day" to happen simultaneously.

A scarf is a good idea.

I don't mean to constantly compare apples to oranges here, but: almost every NPHC woman I know owns at least one sorority umbrella. The NPHC has, by far, made much more stuff for alumnae than the NPC has. Even though I'm not especially active (I donate but don't volunteer or belong to a chapter), I'd still like to have some items that don't look like they belong in a dorm room.

[SWTXBelle]

What I notice are NPHC license plate frames - constantly. I finally gave up writing up sightings in the "Finding Your Letters" thread. I like them because they are subtle.

[AlphaXi_Husky]

Per the Lilly Blog (here: http://blog.lillypulitzer.com/2012/0...-happens-next/)

The schedule is faster than last time. This is what it looks like:
Late February: print reveal
June: pre-ordering
August: products available

Of course there is the following stipulation:"these dates may shift at any time as they are only estimates and goals to get you your prints!"

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

LOL. The NPHC version of "belongs in a dorm room" sometimes differs from the NPC and NIC version of "belongs in a dorm room."

The stuff in Phi Mu's official collection is stuff I would never consider buying as an alumna. Some of it is too "dorm room", but a lot of it is just straight up fug. Maybe it's because I'm a Midwesterner, and styles differ regionally, but I don't think I've ever bought from them, and I doubt I ever will.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

LOL. The NPHC version of "belongs in a dorm room" sometimes differs from the NPC and NIC version of "belongs in a dorm room."

Many NPHC sorority and fraternity members consider an umbrella to be one of the basic and inexpensive initiation gifts or things that new members purchase for themselves. As NPHCers get older, some will upgrade from the cheaply made umbrellas to the nicer NPHC umbrellas.

Is it difficult to find NPC umbrellas? I saw a site that makes them.

No, it's not difficult to find them. You just don't see them that often outside of college campuses. It's something that could be used heavily by collegians AND alumnae--but you don't see too many alumnae using them.

I think a lot of our products are geared towards collegians because that's who's buying them. Not sure which came first: the chicken or the egg.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

I know the Lilly brand has cache in some parts of the country, but if women are this desperate for these types of prints, why is no other vendor getting on this? Quite frankly, most of the items in our official store are, well, really geared toward collegians. I would think another vendor that produced more "adult" sorority gear could really step in here and do okay.

I think it is simply a function of 'it is not Lilly'. It would be knock off Lilly and we just cannot be seen in knockoff Lilly!

[SWTXBelle]

Well, yes. I myself have front and back Gamma Phi plates. I just notice more of the NPHC plates in my drives around Houston. I've also seen quite a few dual plates - Sorority/fraternity duos.