Twice a year, Lilly Pulitzer throws one of the biggest online shopping experiences parties I’ve ever known. The Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale isn’t so much a sale as it is a full on event. I say “online” because although the sale also happens in stores, the online part is just too insane to believe. The selection is always awesome, and the prices make me giddy. Plus it’s just something you need to experience.

The After Party sale only lasts 2 days and happens twice a year. The next round of Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale craziness will start January 7 at “8am-ish EST” and last until January 8.

Concerned about those wild and crazy Lilly patterns not being  your style? They also have some super cute striped patterns and amazing solids. Of course the quality and style are so incredible that these basic pieces have easily become some of my most favorite wardrobe staples.

Top Tips For Shopping The Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale like a #BOSSBABE:

– Create an account ahead of time.
This will make checking out so much easier.

– Prepare to wait.
Again, the queue for the Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale will be insanely, mind blowingly long. Last year, I waited in a list of over 63k people. Over Sixty Three THOUSAND people! Sometimes I even log in on a second computer or device just to see how long the queue gets. Surprisingly, last year I saw the queue get as high as 85,000 people. Given that it can take hours to get into the sale, make sure you are on a device that can support the wait. If you’re on the go, or may need to leave your wi-fi connection, make sure you’re on your phone or something with a connection that won’t drop.

– Know your size.
If you have a Lilly store close to where you live, take a minute (before the sale!) to go try things on. But if you don’t have a store near by, make sure you look over the sizing charts and see what you think might fit best. The first time I shopped the Lilly After Party Sale I didn’t know my size and it was so intimidating. However, now that I know my size and a few favorite styles, shopping the sale is so much more fun.

– Go in with an open mind.
In order to make the most of your shopping experience, don’t go into the Lilly Sale with an idea of EXACTLY which pieces you’re going to by. The After Party Sale is meant to be an experience. With this in mind, the Lilly people don’t give the dates out very far in advance, and they never disclose which items will be on sale. On the contrary, I highly recommend knowing what you like, or at least what your style is, which leads to my next point.

– Know yourself.
As always, it is super easy to lose sight of yourself during this sale. It’s fast paced, super fun, and it feels a bit exclusive. Additionally, you’re looking at a website full of $200 dresses on sale for over 50% off. Of course this is the hardest rule for me to follow. I always end up putting so many things in my shopping cart “because it’s such a good deal!” or “because it looks so cute!”, when in real life I would never actually wear it. If you don’t like neon colors or bright patterns, skip them. Maybe you don’t like the way you look in yellow or orange? Skip those too. Your credit card will thank me.

Ok, so now that we’ve talked about my tips on best shopping practices, here is how I rock the Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale each season.

– Log into my Lilly account on my device the night before.
– Wake up early.
– Go to the Lilly Pulitzer website at “8am-ish EST”.
– Wait in the queue and anticipate at least a 3+ hour wait.
– Check back in occasionally on my queue progress as I do other things.
– Finally time to shop! Yay!
– Go to the “All Dresses” tab because I know their dresses are my favorite.
– Filter by “size”
– Pick all of my favorite pieces and add them to my cart (or “suitcase” as Lilly calls it) while keeping an eye out for my favorite styles.
– Go to my “suitcase” and freak out because I have hundreds of dollars worth of items in my cart.
– Narrow down based on colors, price, and what I will actually wear. (I obviously, have a “type” – see photo above!)
– Check out.
– Wait excitedly by the mailbox until my new Lilly pieces arrive!

Happy Shopping!

XOXO,
Tiffany

Have any more tips and tricks or a great Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale story? Comment below!