Hi y’all!
In case you missed my Instagram post talking about it, LILLY PULITZER’S AFTER PARTY SALE DATES HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED! For those of you who aren’t familiar, Lilly Pulitzer holds APS (After Party Sale) twice a year, once in January and once in late summer (August-September depending on the year). This is the ONLY TIME Lilly offers sales on their website and in stores; while some stores offer a sale rack, others do not. Needless to say, this is the time to shop and get great deals! I even like to use this sale to kick off Christmas shopping for some of my loved ones.
While sale prices will vary, you can typically score tops for under $20, dresses as low as $30, and I’ve even managed to get men’s shorts in APS for $35. If you’re curious to see what I’ve snagged the past two APS, see my winter haul HERE (not gonna lie, it was disappointing) and my haul from last summer HERE. Today I’ll be sharing some tips for both in-store and online shoppers. I’ve been into Lilly for about 8 years now and my first APS in store was only 2 years ago! While I personally prefer shopping in store, I understand it isn’t an option for everyone due to location and other factors.
So let’s get into the details!
What: Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale
Where: In Store AND Online (click HERE for a store locator)
When: In Store Saturday Sept 7 – Sunday Sept 8 & Online Monday Sept 9 – Wednesday Sept 11
Time: Store times may vary – call your local store for times! Online sale begins Monday around 8am.
In-Store Tips
Know what time your store opens. This is CRUCIAL. They may advertise as opening at a certain time but open earlier than expected. This happened to me a few years back at The Gardens Mall in Palm Beach, Florida. They claimed they didn’t open until 11am and I walked in at 10am to get in line and they had been open for at least an hour. I recommend calling the store directly the night before and asking when they open.
Get there early. This is up to your discretion, but the early you get there the better chance you have of getting the items you want. How early you want to get there may depend on the store as well. I recommend finding an experienced Lilly lover in your area and asking them what time they recommend. My local store is Disney Springs, and I personally recommend getting there between 1-2 hours before opening. This time frame may not make you the first person in line, but you should get in within the first two groups they let into the store. Keep in mind the stores will most likely reach capacity, so you may have to wait. Also, these recommendations mostly apply to the Saturday morning of the sale. Saturday afternoon and Sunday there shouldn’t be a line.
Bring a buddy. While it would be great to shop with my other Lilly-loving girlfriends, I love having my boyfriend there to help me out. I can hand him my pile of clothes so I can easily maneuver throughout the store when things get tight. Plus, things can pile up lol. There have also been times I am in line for the dressing room and I see something I missed from across the store. This way he can stand in my spot while I run over and check it out. Same goes with the check out line.
Try things on. You’re shopping in store – MAKE THE MOST OF IT! APS items are NOT returnable, so it’s worth to take the extra time to try things on. Just because something is cute on the hanger doesn’t mean it’s cute on and vice versa. Plus, Lilly’s sizing isn’t always perfect so you may need to size up or down in certain items. The main reason I like shopping in store is so I can try items on.
Stay calm. No one likes an aggressive fellow shopper. Ladies of all shapes and sizes will be there; I’ve never noticed one specific size going faster than others. There is plenty for everyone and there’s no need to get upset, after all it is only clothes. Also, don’t be afraid to make friends with other shoppers! It’s fun to start conversations while in line for the dressing room and such. And who knows? They may pass on something you couldn’t snag and give it off to you! And please be kind to Lilly employees. This is their version of Black Friday so treat them with respect.
Online Tips
Have an account made. If you don’t already have an account made on Lilly’s website AND know the password, click HERE to do that now. I say make sure you know your password because we’ve all been there lol. You can also save a payment method in your account, but I’ve tried that in the past and it still made me enter my card number (which kind of defeats the purpose in my opinion).
Use multiple devices/windows. I utilize this same method when signing up for RunDisney events. I HIGHLY recommend being on a laptop or desktop computer while shopping, but it may be helpful to wait in queues on multiple browsers, devices, etc. One may load faster than another even if it was opened later. I just love technology!
Be online on time. I typically go to the Lilly Pulitzer website about 5 minutes early and continue to refresh my page. It will then put you in a virtual queue. DO NOT REFRESH THE PAGE. This will lose your spot in line!
Be quick. If there is an item you REALLY want, I would recommend adding it to your cart and checking out ASAP. Just because an item is in your cart does not mean you have it reserved. Items can be pulled from your cart at any time until you fully check out. One other note: I have ordered items in the past during APS and they have cancelled my order days later because it was sold out. Shipping is free during APS so you can easily make multiple orders.
Utilize size filters. Easily shop your size by using filters on the upper left hand corner of the shopping page. This can make your shopping process much quicker and you’ll only be looking at items that you’ll actually buy.
Check back often. Over the years Lilly has changed their APS methods. They almost always added new items through the day, across a few days online. Now, I believe the last APS was the first time that they did NOT do this. I personally preferred it, but others were not happy. I’ve read that this APS, they will be doing new releases on Tuesday and Wednesday, so keep an eye out! Also, it isn’t uncommon for them to add GWPs (gift with purchases) in the last day or two of the sale at different hours. Keep in mind, inventory may be wiped out at this point so I wouldn’t wait to shop until then.
Be patient. Orders may take WEEKS to ship due to high volume, so expect that going into it. Some times I’ve had orders ship within a day or two, other times I’ve waited 3 weeks for items to ship. It all just depends. Also, be patient with the website. It may take a while to get access or for things to load properly.
Other Things to Keep in Mind
Signature Stores DO participate in APS, so go support small business! They may even have something you are desperately searching for. Don’t be scared to call in and ask if they have a specific item as well if you aren’t local. I’m sure they’ll appreciate your business and many ship for free!
Utilize try-on photos. You may wonder why so many Lilly addicts are obsessed with doing try-on photos. For me personally, it’s to share with y’all and for me to use for APS. If you tried on an item 6 months ago, it may be difficult to remember what size it was. I encourage you to do try-on pics on Instagram stories and write your size and other details. You don’t even have to post them, or you can make a story highlight to keep them on like I do! I know this may not necessarily help for this APS, but it’s a good thing to keep in mind for the future.
Well, I hope y’all enjoyed this post! I was not even planning to write this post but it was HIGHLY requested. If you have any questions, thoughts, or tips, feel free to leave them down below or reach out to me on Instagram! I’d love to hear your thoughts or help you out. Be sure to be following Lilly on Instagram to get the latest updates on APS including some spoilers on items that will be included in the sale!
And, if you’d like to support me on the day of APS online, click the link HERE to shop! I’ll get a small commission from your purchases at no extra cost to you. It helps fund more great blog posts like this! Thanks in advance for all your support 🙂
Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Jayme
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