If you’ve been following along with Central Florida Chic, you’ll know just how much I love Lilly Pulitzer. I love the bright prints, the fun details, and the timelessness of the brand. I’m mostly writing this post because of a comment I received while selling on Poshmark. I was told that a buyer thought a Lilly Pulitzer item I was selling was fake or bought from an outlet. Clearly, being a huge Lilly lover myself, I was distraught that I might have been giving someone else un-authentic Lilly Pulitzer piece. So I went on a hunt to find out the truth as well as verify that the Lilly I had in my closet was also real. (Spoiler alert, the item I sold & other Lilly items currently in my Poshmark closet are 100% authentic).
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you I may make a commission if you click through and purchase.
Lilly Pulitzer Dupes
How to Tell if Lilly Pulitzer is Authentic
There are some serious tell-tale signs that your Lilly Pulitzer is real. Be sure to look for these signs when shopping Lilly Pulitzer second-hand, or in stores like TJ Maxx and Marshalls. (Though personally, all my TJ Maxx & Marshall Lilly Pulitzer finds have been real. You can never be too safe though). Below is a list of things to look for in authentic Lilly Pulitzer.
- Verify the item online. If you can’t find it only on the Lilly website, , or anywhere else online it’s probably not real Lilly. (Unless it’s vintage). Likewise if you find it online and it looks different, it’s also probably fake.
- Check the Labels. There can be some serious tell tale signs here. It’s especially important with vintage or white tag Lilly. Lilly items made before 2000 have a white label with a TM after the name. Items made after 2000 still had a white label but changed to the TM to an ®. Around 2006 the label was changed to a thin pink strip. Most recently it has been changed to a large bright pink label on many dresses and a bright pink thin strip on other items. Be aware, if the stitching on the label looks poor or something seems off, it probably is. (There’s a great article mostly on labels that you can find here if you are looking for more details).
- Find the Hidden “Lilly”. This can be a lot harder than it looks. But authentic Lilly Pulitzer will have a the word “Lilly” somewhere in it’s design. Be sure to check the lining for this as well. Many solid prints will say “Lilly” on the lace lining of the item.
- Buttons. Lilly Pulitzer buttons on pants and shorts will have “Lilly” written on them as well. No Lilly? Not real.
- Zipper. Lilly Pulitzer uses YKK zippers. Take a look at the zipper and be sure to find the YKK branded on it. (Note: I do have a dress that had the zipper replaced. However there are two other signs that it’s authentic).
Check the Labels
Hidden Lilly
Lilly Pulitzer Buttons
YKK Zipper
All of these are indicators that your Lilly Pulitzer is authentic. Clearly, the more of these that you can verify the better. However, there may be the occasional button or zipper that had to be replaced if you are buying it secondhand.
De-Bunking the Outlet Lilly
The Lilly that the buyer from Poshmark claimed was un-authentic had all of the authentic signs listed above. Proving that it is, in fact, real Lilly Pulitzer. The buyer also claimed that the fabric was not “up to par” for people who know Lilly. (Which I will, again, politely disagree with. Did someone really just question my Lilly knowledge?) Then the issue of it being “outlet” Lilly came up. Now this did have me wondering. So I did some research. I can find no source of outlet or cheaper made Lilly Pulitzer other than the Target Collaboration (which was still great quality). The only thing I could possibly think of was the After Party Sale. However, I don’t believe that Lilly produces the items in the sale at a lower quality than the original item. To me (and I could be 100% be wrong) they are items from past seasons that they still have inventory of. Therefore I think the idea of outlet Lilly Pulitzer is highly unlikely. Of course, if you know some things that I don’t know (like top notch knock off’s with tags, buttons, zippers, and all) please let me know.
Love the Lilly You’re In
Overall, I don’t want this post to come off as a rant for someone who didn’t like the Lilly Pulitzer they bought from my Poshmark. On the contrary, I want people to be aware just exactly what they should expect from real authentic Lilly. I too would be upset if I bought so called Lilly and it absolutely was not. Like this video I saw, wow, did they get conned. Also note, in the case of that video they bought from Poshmark from a seller who bought something (clearly not Lilly) from TJ Maxx. Sadly, the dress they received only looks like the Lilly dress at first glance. After looking at the fake dress and the real dress it becomes obvious fairly quickly they are not the same.
TJ Maxx is a seller who I believe sells real authentic brands. However, there are some bad people out there who will use it to their advantage. I know that sounds cryptic but watch this video to see what I mean. This is why it’s so important to find the piece online. It has seriously helped me in identifying so much Lilly while TJ Maxx shopping. It has also helped me if I’ll be getting a better deal buying it for a TJ price or a Poshmark price. Hopefully this helps you in your Lilly Pulitzer buying ventures and assures you of the Lilly you have in your closet. It certainly has for me! And if you have a few Lilly knock-offs here and there, hey, just love the Lilly you’re in. (It could make for a great story anyways).
Similar Brands to Lilly
There are plenty of brands out there that sell just as bright and fun prints and styles as Lilly Pulitzer. Click below to shop these fun finds at affordable prices.
8 Comments
Christy Begley
How can you tell the difference between a Lilly and a Lilly for Target? I bought a LIlly for Target on Poshmark and I am also selling what I believe is a real Lilly on Poshmark. I don’t want to deceive anyone.
Danielle
Hi there! Lilly for Target should have the Target symbol as well as the Lilly logo on the tag. Also, the Lilly for Target collection was very limited and you should be able to find all pieces quickly with a Google search. I hope this helps! Let me know if you need more info 😊
Gianni R
Hi! I was wondering if you’ve ever encountered a pattern that was pink with pink embroidered bows and green lining? I’ve only found a few other similar pieces with no pattern name. My skirt has a white label tag with R and no TM, and the YKK zipper but try as I might I can’t find a hidden Lilly! I want to make sure it’s authentic before selling.
Danielle
Hi there! I have multiple skirts that are similar to the one you are describing & I believe I do know the skirt you are referring to. From what you describe I would say it’s authentic. The items without prints typically don’t have a “hidden” Lilly because it’s embroidered.
Lauren Burkett
I inherited 2 Lily Pulitzer dresses after my sister tragically passed away in late 2019. I had never heard of the brand before . After inspecting the dresses I began to notice how well made they both seemed to be. Most dress companies don’t go as far as to hide their name in lace around the lace lining the inside hem at the bottom of the dress. I went online and did some research and discovered how long the company has been around, how to spot a fake as well as how to tell the vintage dresses from the ones made after 2000 & 2006. I am glad I discovered all this information or I’m afraid I may have given them to a thrift store or sold them at a yard sale. Now that I’m 100% positive my dresses are real how can I find out how much they are worth. Each dress has a tag on the inter-most layer that has a # for Example 1 of mine says 516 then it says Colombo, Sri Lanka then 10-Mar Style 78205 PO 036922. That’s all that’s on that inside tag but there’s another tag right beside it that says 100% cotton Made in Sri Lanka RN# 88189 then it says See Reverse For Care. This is all written in a bright green and like it said the garment care instructions are listed in order on the back of that tag. Also in the same bright green color. Can I type any of the many #’s I described seeing on the 2 tags in Google by chance to possibly find out how much my dresses might be worth or is there another way? Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much.
Respectfully,
Lauren J Burkett
Danielle
Lauren, I’m so sorry for your loss. I’m glad to hear you’ve found so much information on Lilly Pulitzer to help you on this journey! Yes, specifically if you use the RN# you should be able to see your item and how much they have sold for/are currently selling for. Unfortunately, Lilly doesn’t typically go up in price unless it is one of her specialty prints. But through a quick Google search with the RN# you should be able to get a good idea for what the items are worth! I hope this helps!
Holly Kriss
Fellow LP lover looking for the recent La Concha crossbody purse. I ordered it yet they cancelled my order today 3 weeks later! All that time i have lost and really need it. They emailed me they will put the money back in my bank acct- but I can’t wear that!!
Danielle
Hi Holly, I’m so sorry that you had to go through that. That is always so frustrating. I found the purse on shopslifesabeach.com at https://www.shoplifesabeach.com/product/la-concha-cane-crossbody-natural/ you can also try looking on Poshmark or Ebay. I hope you find it and can complete your look!