My Blogging Highlights of 2021 + Favorite Outfit from Each Month! 

Oh what fun this past year of 2021 was! 2021 was my first full year as a blogger. I witnessed many changes in my life – graduation from college, a move to the nation’s capital, postgraduate employment in the corporate world while primarily working remotely, and becoming a Dog Mom to Rosie. Through it all, my platform here at The Pink Chickadee has kept me going strong. Today on the blog, I am going to be sharing some of my blogger highlights PLUS my favorite outfit from each month of the year.

My Blogging Highlights

  • Recoding my site *multiple* times
  • Becoming a member of RewardStyle!
  • Shooting content in 7 different states: Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Washington DC, Virginia, and Maryland
  • Becoming a member of Influenster!
  • Collaborations with several different brands (16 to be exact!): Panera Bread, Ouges, Peet’s Coffee, Glitter & Daisies, Sangria Senorial, Sidral Mundet, Eos, Larace, Fanci, Flipz, Advil, Cassie’s Designs, Born to be Sassy Boutique, Mapiful, completelyBare, and Good Molecules
  • Collaborations with many fellow influencers, such as my good friends Holly of Glitter & Daisies, Lindsay of Sunshine and Stair Climbs, Hayleigh of The Up and Coming School Counselor, and Sly of Sly the Stylist sharing our favorite secondhand finds, Lilly Pulitzer finds, or Target finds!
  • Giveaways that includes Lilly Pulitzer gift cards, Target gift cards, and Starbucks gift cards
  • Shot content regularly with the help of my best friends Hannah and Wyatt along with my Papa
  • Conducted my first-ever Blogger Reader Survey!

My Favorite Outfit From Each Month!

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Here’s to making MANY MANY MANY more memories in 2022 and beyond!

XOXO – Katie <3

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Happy 90th Birthday, Lilly Pulitzer!

Cheers to 90 years of bringing sunshine into this world! On this day 90 years ago, a true icon was born: Lilly Pulitzer. Although the fashion designer and socialite is no longer living today, her soul and sunshine lives on within her brightly colored and cheerful designs. Lilly Pulitzer encouraged me to be my best, bubbly, and over the top self on a daily basis. This fashion brand has allowed me to embrace who I am with a pop of confetti and take off after my late Great Aunt Margaret who introduced me to the brand that I now love.

Growing up, I coincidentally fell in love with the name “Lilly”. I actually used to tell my Mom that I wanted me name to be Lilly. Well, it was a sign I suppose, since my favorite fashion designer is Lilly Pulitzer, herself. My Great Aunt Margaret was the hostess with the mostess – she loved her Lilly Pulitzer amongst many other preppy name brands, her social gatherings, her trips, and her wine. I see a lot of her in me today as I carry her legacy, especially within my Lilly Pulitzer-filled wardrobe on a regular basis. To me, Lilly Pulitzer is more than just a fashion brand – it is a lifestyle. And, yes, I am quoting the Lilly Pulitzer brand positioning statement seen within many many many of its catalogs – haha!

Me & my Great Aunt Margaret in 2013!

When I was a Freshmen in college, I decked my dorm room out in Lilly Pulitzer. I had taken all of my old planner sheets full of the bright and bubbly prints that I so love and made a collage with them on the cork board on my door. Needless to say, I was most definitely the brightest of the bunch, especially since all of my hall mates that year were on softball or volleyball or lacrosse team. My bedroom also had a paper banner that I had created with one of my favorite prints – Peel n’ Eat. In fact, Peel n’ Eat was the theme encompassing that entire dorm, from the bedding to the coral throws to the flamingo sheets and even the plush flamingo on my bed. My Freshmen year of college had a lot of ups and a lot of downs with a ton of changes thrown in between, but my love of Lilly Pulitzer remained true throughout the year and beyond.

As the days go by, my love of Lilly Pulitzer remains true to me. I thank my late Great Aunt Margaret for giving me this love of mine, as I plan to live out her legacy everyday – one splash of pink confetti at a time! Happy Birthday to the two great women who have made me me.

XOXO – Katie <3

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DIY Lilly Pulitzer Notebook Cover!

Call me crazy, but I have been a major major major notetaker at work, especially since starting my new job. I have seen myself channel a brand new intern look so much since it all began. That being said, I have discovered the bargain notebook section at Target and have been going a bunch, too. On a recent trip to Target, I needed to purchase a bunch of notebooks, and I found some for 69 cents. As great of a deal as these notebooks were, they also had Target’s logo sprawled all around them and I knew I wanted something different for mine.

I love love love some adorable and fun notebooks. I have found some at Target and Walmart, but am not willing to pay even $5 for a notebook that I will only use for a week or less to jot down information at work, whether it be from meetings, acquiring new project information, or trainings. At the same time, I cannot justify the price of the oh so adorable Lilly Pulitzer and Erin Condren notebooks of a Whooping $15+. So, I set out to create my own notebooks straight from my crafting bin! These notebook designs can also be used for the Back to School season, too, along with a variety of other purposes.

DIY Lilly Pulitzer Notebook Cover

Materials

  • Lilly Pulitzer planner paper (or your favorite Lilly Pulitzer print straight off of the printer – a Google image search can do just that for you)
  • Solid colored construction paper in the color of your choice
  • Stickers/embellishments (I went with rhinestones that I probably purchases during my tween bling-loving days – haha!)
  • Scissors
  • Tape/Glue (I have found tape as simple as Scotch tape to be very effective)
  • Black Pen

Steps

  1. First, I cut the construction paper to be the size of the notebook cover, then I taped it to the notebook cover.
  2. I cut out an old Lilly Pulitzer planner sheet into a square and then taped it over the construction paper.
  3. Then, I cut out a small rectangular piece of the construction paper and taped it over the center of the Lilly Pulitzer print. Its purpose is to serve as a label for the notebook.
  4. With a black pen, I wrote on my label what the purpose of my notebook is.
  5. Lastly but not in the least, I added a few rhinestones to bedazzle my notebook!

The best part of it all?! My notebook makeover costed $0 for me to do. That way, I could save and still have what feels like a $15+ notebook without even paying the hefty price tag!

XOXO – Katie <3

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Tips for Shopping the Lilly Pulitzer Sunshine Sale

Cheers, because the Lilly Pulitzer Sunshine Sale (formerly known as the After Party Sale) is *almost* here!!!! If you know me, then you know I LOVE a good sale, especially from my favorite fashion house. Personally, I have shopped this sale many many many times. For many, the Lilly Pulitzer Sunshine Sale can be pretty daunting especially at first. So, today, I am spilling ALLL the tea on all about shopping the upcoming Sunshine Sale!

About the After Party Sale

The Lilly Pulitzer Sunshine Sale is the brand’s biannual sale. Markdowns range from 30%-70%. One of the elements of Lilly Pulitzer that makes it and its Sunshine Sale so unique is the fact that their sales are only twice a year (January and September). There is NEVER a sale section on the Lilly Pulitzer website, well if you have yet to notice, or in-store to a high extent on most days. The Sunshine Sale takes place at all Lilly Pulitzer stores and Lilly Pulitzer Signature Stores or boutiques, including The Printed Peach and Postcards from Paradise, and even Zappos has some great deals. In this case of the September 2021 Sale, due to COVID-19, I am pretty sure that the sale will only be held online and may remain on this online format for sales to come.

Sale Duration

Traditionally, the sale lasts in stores only over the weekend for a first exclusive access and then online the following Monday and Tuesday. Typically, when online, the Sunshine Sale starts at 8am (Eastern time) on the first day of the sale and ends at midnight (Eastern time) the next. New sale items also arrive each day of the two days and even later in the day, too. Not only do all Lilly Pulitzer corporation stores participate, but also all Lilly Pulitzer Signature Stores – even online – take part in it, too!

The Waiting Line

Set your alarm clocks and grab your wallets, because IT’S SALE TIME!!! For the start of the online sale on the Lilly Pulitzer website, I highly recommend getting up about an hour early and shopping the sale early. However, you WILL be put in a waiting line virtually before entering the sale. Usually, it will say an estimated waiting time, but it will go by much much much faster than anticipated. In my experiences, it has lasted about 10-20 minutes maximum. The BEST PART?! You can log onto the sale on ALL of your devices at once! But, just be sure to not reload your device – otherwise, you will be placed back into the virtual waiting line from the start.

Signature Stores

As previously noted, Lilly Pulitzer Signature Stores DO participate in the Sunshine Sale, too! Signature stores include, The Printed Peach in Savannah, Postcards from Paradise in Holland, Pink in Greenville, North Carolina, and The Pink Crab in Annapolis and Rehoboth Beach. They sell all of the same merchandise if not more from previous seasons that they still have in stock, as compared to the corporate stores. In fact, some of the Signature Stores launch their online sales at midnight the day that the Lilly Pulitzer sale goes LIVE at 8am. So, you can score some great deals the night before hitting the Lilly Pulitzer site!

Tips

  • Log onto the Sunshine Sale on the first day about an hour to a half hour before the sale launches on the Lilly Pulitzer site. As the saying goes, the early bird gets the worm!
  • Upon joining the waiting list for the Sunshine Sale that first morning, have the site open on ALL of your devices! The more the merrier and the more deals and items you can score!
  • Check Zappos and Signature Stores at midnight on the first day. The moment the clock strikes midnight, stores such as Zappos and Signature Stores with websites may use this time to broadcast their own sale deals and give us all a sneak peek and opportunity to snag some for ourselves, too! Trust me, you’ll want to buy early since they WILL go fast.
  • An item you want isn’t in stock?! Then, check Signature Stores via messaging them on social media, calling them, their websites, and even going in-store.
  • Have a set budget. Yes, have a set budget in mind for how much you are willing to spend during the sale. It may be exciting and tempting to buy as much as you see, but be sure that you can afford all that you get, so you and your wallet can thank you later!!!

Now, Happy Shopping folks!

XOXO – Katie <3

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Lilly Pulitzer Pieces Worth the Investment

Us Lilly Pulitzer lovers pride on living that Resort 365 lifestyle! Lilly Pulitzer has been my favorite fashion designer for years. The vibrantly colorful prints that bring such personality have always made me happy. I have also cultivated an extraordinary group of friends both in-person and through my platform of Lilly Pulitzer lovers. While Lilly Pulitzer is a super amazing fashion brand, it does come at a hefty cost. So, today, I am going to share the Lilly Pulitzer pieces that I think are worth the investment, whether purchased during one of Lilly Pulitzer’s signature After Party Sales or full priced!

*Disclaimer: Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through one of my links, then I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no extra cost to you. Additionally, this post is not sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*

Valli Shift Dress (in White, Black, or Navy)

Callahan Knit Short

A Printed Maxi Dress (like the Destini Maxi Dress)

UPF 50+ Skipper Round Hem Popover

Trista Stretch Shirtdress

A Blazer Cardigan (like the Beckington Blazer Cardigan)

ANYTHING Luxletic (my favorite is the Luxletic Monica Skort!)

Elsa Silk Top (especially a solid color or in a favorite print)

A White Lace Dress (like the Ophelia Lace Swing Dress)

Izzy Skirt

Resort Scarf

Little Black Dress (like the Adalee Shift Dress)

Ceramic Mug

Buttercup Stretch Short

Tumbler with Straw

Lilly Pulitzer has so many products to choose from, but for the long run, some products are worth the price tag more than others. I hope that I have provided you with some inspiration for some pieces to shop for moving forward and aim to purchase.

XOXO – Katie <3

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My Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale Haul!

Let’s throw some confetti in the air because my Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale haul has arrived and I am FINALLY SHARING IT WITH Y’ALL!!! I am SO excited to have all of my finds here with me, especially super early for After Party Sale finds to arrive. Before I share my finds, I want to thank my sweet influencer friend Kristen from Kristen’s Southern Splendor and a few other Lilly loving ladies for hosting a Lilly Pulitzer gift card giveaway that I was fortunate enough to win. Without winning that exciting giveaway, this September’s sale would not have been nearly exciting for me.

For this sale, I not only shopped on Lilly Pulitzer’s website, but I also supported a few small Signature stores – Palm Avenue Raleigh, The Peppermint Palm, and The Printed Peach – as well as a few pieces off of Poshmark. Many of these pieces are back to school items and early Christmas gifts as I did get a lot of exciting finds. Additionally, I bought a few pieces when I received my $20 off coupon for shopping the After Party Sale. What can I say?! I LOVE a good deal!!!

Headband in Totally Blossom

Adalee Shift Dress in Resort White

Kristen Top in Sunshine City

Ophelia Dress in It Was All A Dream

Billie Dress in FlaminGOALS

Wrap Dress in Southern Charm

Sophie Dress in Unicorn Of The Sea

Palm Avenue Printed Reusable Bag

Sophie Dress in Lilly’s House

Aleah Top in Hey Hey Bouquet

Trista Stretch Shirtdress in Who Let The Fronds Out

Delia Shift Dress (forget the print’s name!)

Shea Stretch Dress in True Navy

I am SO grateful that I found some really exciting and super fun finds during this year’s After Party Sale! While I know that this sale is a lot of items, I am also very blessed to have won a giveaway and have some super great Back To School finds for my final year of college as an undergraduate. As someone who consistently strives to look for fashion finds at an affordable price, the Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sales allow me to find my favorite pieces for each season at a much cheaper rate than paying full price. While we cannot have a party in-person as in the past, I’m still having a big party over my sale finds and making the best of the current situation!

XOXO – Katie <3

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Lilly Pulitzer Styles that I Love

The party is just getting started with Lilly Pulitzer’s notable annual After Party Sale (APS) hitting the stores as we speak and online starting tomorrow *throws confetti in the air*!!! With the Lilly Pulitzer APS keeping all of the excitement on our toes, I wanted to do a bit of a twist on the tea of the APS and share some of my favorite Lilly Pulitzer styles from over the years photo edition. Since there are a diverse mix of body types, I will only be sharing photos of each style on me, as I feel that how a piece looks and fits on somebody differs for each of us. Many of these styles will *hopefully* be found in Lilly’s APS, starting tomorrow!

Adalee Shift Dress

Mila Shift Dress

Essie Top

UPF 50+ Luxletic Run Around Skort

Sophie Shift Dress

Elsa Top

Jane Shift Dress

Colette Scallop Hem Skort

UPF 50+ Luxletic Leggings

Popover

Kelly Ankle Stretch Pant

Harper Shift Dress

Happy shopping!!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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My Lilly Pulitzer Inspired College Apartment

Hey y’all! I am SO excited for today’s post, which is an Apartment Reveal of my on-campus college apartment!!! This is my second year living in this gorgeous apartment that I LOVE to call my home, but I definitely did some decorating here and there since moving in last week. Decorating is one of my favorite hobbies and if I could do it ALL DAY EVERYDAY, then I would. I get such an adrenaline from shopping for decor, especially on a budget. Keeping this in mind, the majority of things in my apartment are from Marshall’s/Home Goods/TJ Maxx, The Dollar Tree, Walmart, The Christmas Tree Shops, Amazon, Hobby Lobby, small businesses such as The Redheaded Camel, The Local Squirrel, and Pamlico Paper Company, gifted to me, things that I already had, secondhand finds, and DIY. My apartment was furnished for the most part, which is an extreme blessing! Hopefully, I can provide you with some decoration inspiration for your own place. Enjoy!!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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DIY Monogrammed Lilly Pulitzer Notebooks

Hey y’all! As a new school year approaches, it just may be time to upgrade your typical notebook to start it off fashionably strong. This past semester, I decided to spice up my notebooks with my own preppy twist that I wanted to share it with y’all!

Materials

  • 1-5 subject spiral notebook (I usually buy mine at the cheapest price from either Walmart or Target)
  • Modge Podge (I got mine from the Dollar Tree)
  • A computer with Microsoft Word

Directions

  • Look up your favorite Lilly Pulitzer prints online and add them into a Microsoft Word or Google Docs document and create a collage out of the prints online the size of a page or one print per page (whatever your liking may be!). I decided to use Postcards From Positano, Peel N’ Eat, Hangin’ Around, & Who Let The Fronds Out.
  • Add a text box into an existing document and place it over each printed page (or create text boxes in a new document if using old planner pages). Proceed to type your information in the text box and customize the font and size of the font to your liking.
  • Print the pages and prepare each page to place on each notebook.
  • Using modge podge, seal each page onto its corresponding notebook.
  • Place each monogrammed decal on each notebook; I purchased mine from a classmate of mine Destiny Eudy). However, there are many great deals on Etsy too!
  • Enjoy!

Bravo! You have made your own monogrammed Lilly Pulitzer notebook! I hope you enjoy going back to school/class in a bright and bubbly fashion.

XOXO – Katie <3

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