And the Pulitzer goes to...

So sue me for fashion ignorance, but until last fall, I had no idea who or what Lilly Pulitzer was.  Then, suddenly, there was a freshman comp paper on sororities, and lo and behold, an entire rush class of young women in Lilly Pulitzer dresses.

Then there was the ad for the yard sale in November that stated, in no uncertain terms, that the Lilly Pulitzers were priced as low as the yard saler would go.  No negotiating.  I went to this yard sale, curious to see what could not be negotiated, and found several sundresses that would have fit A beautifully had they not been priced at $10 each.  Firm.  I have my principles.

Today was the mother of all Greenville yard sales - the St. James Spring Fling.  This is the sale people line up for at 4am.  The sale that features church members hawking sausage! and cheese! biscuits starting at 5:30am.  The sale that is cordoned off with chicken wire until, at 6:30am sharp, the wire is rolled back, and the people run through.  Yes, I said run. 

This one is headed to furniture!  That one to toys!  The other to baby clothes!  Two years ago, when I was shopping for baby boy clothes, I was sifting through the immense mound of cute and tiny, when two women pulled up beside me with a wagon.  They proceeded to wipe an entire section of infant clothing into the wagon.  They then walked off stating, "We'll go over to the toys and sort through these there."  I was incensed.  Had those women not read the yard sale etiquette handbook?  Now that's what I call low class.

I woke up late today - 7am (bad yard saler!) - and so was not able to participate in the biscuits and stampede.  I got to the Spring Fling at 9:30, and had low hopes of finding anything.  While there was still an immense amount of stuff and things, there were several empty tables.  The good St. James volunteers had consolidated already.  I started going through the boys' clothes because C is the fastest growing kid east of the Mississippi, and found very little.  A pair of navy shorts.  A cute Gap button down featuring a surfing scene.  A light green sweater with a snow man for A for next winter. 

The kids' clothes exhausted, I went to the ladies' large table.  Holiday applique sweaters abounded.  I was about to give up, but then, peeking out from beneath a pair of red velour leisure pants, a little dress in pinks and oranges.  Size 10 - perfect for our friend R - and...wait for it...a Lilly Pulitzer.  $1.

I held my breath and worked the zipper.  Perfect.  Checked the hem.  In tact.  All this little dress needs is a washing and ironing, and Easter, here we come.

I just checked the Pulitzer web site.  While this dress is not current, the sundresses available are similar...and they start at $68.  Huzzah for recycling and decreasing my carbon footprint!