She Loved Life and It Loved Her Right Back

The great woman who this blog was inspired by passed away this past Sunday. Lilly Pulitzer Rousseau, at age 81, passed away at her home, The Jungle.

A few years ago when I discovered the bright patterns of Lilly Pulitzer, I wanted to know everything about this woman. Although incredibly popular, the only story anyone ever seemed to know was how she started her business by creating dresses that would keep her cool at her juice stand. I was very fortunate to receive her biography as a present from my sister, where I got to learn more about her. So here are my top ten not very known facts about Lilly.

1. She spent a short time in college, but ended up leaving because she realized it wasn't her thing. Lilly went on to spend some time riding her horse for Frontier Nursing Services, through the backwoods of Kentucky, helping with child birth as well as medical care for rural people. Because of her, many children and mothers lives were saved.

2. She and Peter preferred staying at home to going out. They would throw parties and dance all night long. They would drink champagne, and then use the champagne bottles to douse water on the floor so that it was more slippery for dancing.

3. On her mother's side, her family money came from Standard Oil and  Carnegie Steel.

4. After Lilly Pulitzer's business started to grow, she would help her friends who were struggling financially open Lilly Pulitzer stores in different states. At the height of her business when she ran it, her business was making $15 million dollars a year.

5. The dress that Jackie is wearing in one of the most famous Lilly Pulitzer pictures was made from five-and-dime kitchen table fabric.

6. Lilly's family was well-known for breeding great horses. There was one story of how they were debating about keeping a horse or selling it, and by the flip of the coin they decided to sell it. Today, that horse is known as Secretariat, the legendary horse that won the Triple Crown.

7. Lilly and Peter's divorce was very mutual. It was also his much more successful marriage, he later went on to marry a woman who would turn his world upside down. He and Lilly were very private people, and when he and his second wife divorced, she made every secret they had a public affair in the court. Lilly's second marriage to Enrique Rousseau was very successful. People who knew her personally could tell how much happier she was with him.

8. Lilly was a boarding school classmate of Jackie Kennedy. According to stories, parents would tell their daughters not to hang out with Jackie because she was quiet, reserved and studied too much. They thought that if their daughters were associated with Jackie, it would make it hard for them to socialize and find husbands.

9. This isn't from the book, but Lilly's earlier children's line was named after her daughter, Liza, and today's line is her second daughter's nickname, Minnie.

My future daughters should be forewarned that we will be taking a picture very similar to this one!!
10. The Lilly Pulitzer brand we know today does so much for charity. Constantly, there will be scarves, bracelets, and even animal crackers to raise awareness and donate money. Some of the charities they are involved in are The Breast Cancer Charities of America, Operation Smile, and Mitochondrial Disease Advocacy. How can you not love a company that gives back to the community in such a great and colorful way?

This is my little tribute to a woman who has changed my wardrobe as well as my outlook to life. One question new candidates in my sorority as active sisters is "If you could meet anybody, who would it be?" and my response is always Lilly Pulitzer. She was such an amazing woman, and will be greatly missed by millions.