Lilly Pulitzer Labels: History and How to Date Them
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Lilly Pulitzer began selling her printed cotton shift dresses in Palm Beach around 1960, closed the original business in the mid-1980s, and the brand was revived in the 1990s. Labels from before the closure are the collectable vintage ones, and small label and zipper changes narrow the date within the 1960s and 1970s.
Company history
The Vintage Fashion Guild (VFG) records that Pulitzer started making the dresses in 1960 to hide stains from her fruit juice stand, and by 1961 had closed the stand and opened Lilly Pulitzer, Inc.; our 1960s hub gives 1959 as the founding year (citing Wikipedia). The fabrics were designed by Suzie Zuzek and printed by Key West Hand Print Fabrics. Early dresses are 100 percent cotton; a 65/35 polyester-cotton blend appeared in the mid to late 1960s and some 100 percent polyester knit in the 1970s. There were girls' (Minnie) and junior (Liza) lines, and a men's line from the early 1970s.
Pulitzer retired in 1984 and the original company closed (the 1960s and 1980s hubs give 1985). The brand was bought by Sugartown Worldwide in 1994, and the company told the VFG its current label (dark navy lettering on ivory) was introduced in spring 1994.
Label timeline
| Label or clue | Approximate dates | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Metal zipper | Early to mid-1960s | Collectors see metal zippers on early dresses |
| Nylon zipper | Later 1960s | The changeover year by year |
| "Lilly Pulitzer Inc." added to the label | Late 1960s | Not an early-1960s dress |
| Copyright symbol added | Probably early 1970s | Later than the "Inc." change |
| 65/35 polyester-cotton fabric | From the mid to late 1960s | Not an early dress |
| Navy lettering on ivory label | Spring 1994 onward | Revived brand, not vintage |
The label and zipper observations are from The Vintage Traveler, as cited in our date by labels and date by zippers guides.
What it helps date
- Early cotton shifts belong to the 1960s; polyester knits to the 1970s.
- Mod looks were revived in the 1990s and 2000s, so a modern Lilly label dates from 1994 or later: designer label fakes.
Values
The 1960s hub gives ranges for 1960s to 1970s dresses with pre-1985 labels of $40 to $75, $75 to $195 and $195 to $850 by condition (Poshmark sold listings). Prices are estimates as of 2026.
check sold prices for lilly pulitzer vintage dress on eBay
Sources
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Guides that mention Lilly Pulitzer
- 1960s Vintage Clothing: How to Date and Value ItDate and value 1960s clothing: early-60s polish to mod and hippie looks, new synthetics, coil zippers, label laws, and 2026 price ranges.
- 1980s Vintage Clothing: How to Date and Value ItDate and value 1980s clothing: power shoulders, aerobics, preppy and designer looks, labels and care tags, fakes and reissues, plus 2026 price ranges.
- How to Date Vintage Clothing by the LabelUse the laws, postcodes, fiber names and country names printed on a garment label to work out the earliest year it could have been made.
- How to Date Vintage Clothing by the ZipperUse zipper type, placement, brand and material to date vintage clothing: metal Talon zippers, side-seam closures, the 1960 nylon coil, and concealed zips.
Related
- How to Date Vintage Clothing by the LabelUse the laws, postcodes, fiber names and country names printed on a garment label to work out the earliest year it could have been made.
- How to Date Vintage Clothing by the ZipperUse zipper type, placement, brand and material to date vintage clothing: metal Talon zippers, side-seam closures, the 1960 nylon coil, and concealed zips.
- How to Spot Fake Designer Labels on Vintage ClothingTell a genuine vintage designer piece from a counterfeit, licensed product or adaptation by checking the label, construction, fabric and history.
- ACWA Union Labels: History and How to Date ThemDate men's suits, coats and shirts by the ACWA union label: the first label of 1916, the 1949 design with and without the registered mark, and ACTWU.