Everything You Need to Know About the Lilly Pulitzer x Target Collection (What to Pick & What to Skip)

   The somewhat infamous Lilly Pulitzer x Target collection officially drops this weekend, but I was able to snag a couple of goodies during a pre-launch event in Bryant Park. The entire park was turned into a Lilly Resort, complete with colorfully printed hammocks, Essie manicures, and a live juice bar. Several of the artists who created the signature Lilly prints for this collections could also be spotted painting colorful masterpieces on the lawn. And lastly, there were a number of shoppers who came dressed to the nines in full Lilly regalia for the occasion!

After waiting in line for a cool 2o minutes, I was whisked inside where I skipped past the home goods and accessories and made a beeline for the racks of dresses. Since doors opened at 8am, and I was just stopping by on my lunch break, pickings were a little slimmer than I’d hoped. There was a little bit of everything (which I inspected closely for review), but not very many sizes left. In terms of what I’d spend my money on and what should be skipped, here’s my take:

SNAG

• Cotton Shift Dresses. Here’s where you’ll get the best bang for your buck. The one I’m wearing is fully-lined and has decent-quality construction and finishings. Compared to other Lilly dresses that I’ve owned over the years, this one definitely stands up with just a few minor quality differences you’d only notice upon close inspection. All-in-all, I was impressed. The cotton is substantial, and they even attempted to match up the print along the side seams. I’m planning to get one or two more of these in other prints.
• Swimsuits and Beach Towels. You’ll look super cute on the beach with your matching set… ‘nuf said!
• Home Goods. If you’re into colorful, printed home goods, then you will be in heaven. Elevate your backyard BBQ or host a fancy brunch for your girlfriends with adorably printed plates and cups, plus a pineapple-shaped serving dish. Your spread is sure to be Instagram-worthy! If you have the space for them, the lawn chairs are also pretty Pinterest-worthy if I do say so myself.
• Colorful Printed Scarves. I’m partial to the ones with the little pompoms on the ends, but all of the prints were cheery and vibrant. They’re also a great way to punch up an outfit, and I love the idea of wearing one in the same print as my dress.

SKIP

• Long Sleeve Tunic Dresses. I had high hopes for those because I thought they’d be light and floaty. Unfortunately, the material turned out to be tragically thin and see-through and just had an overall cheap feel. Don’t be seduced by the cute prints… unless you only plan on wearing as a bathing suit coverup.
• Shoes. I’ll admit that I’m a bit of a shoe snob, but honestly, I think you can save your money and find much better shoes (in real leather) outside of Target. The only exception might be those pineapple flip-flops. I can understand if you find them too stinkin’ cute to pass up… but I’d urge you to be strong and just say NO! Same goes for those espadrilles with the gold-toes. Trust me, they’ll just fall apart on you and leave you in tears.
• Canvas Totes. I saw a lot of women snagging these at the event, and I was almost tempted. Don’t get me wrong, the prints are adorable. But at the end of the day, the quality in the handles and straps just weren’t there for me. They were all made from a metallic faux-leather material that I could just envision cracking and fraying in no time. The straw bags seemed a little more passable, especially the ones with the contrasting bows on the handle.

Are you guys excited for the Lilly Pulitzer x Target collection? Planning to stay up until midnight on Saturday? What goodies are you hoping to snag?