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This Is EXACTLY Why People Think Lilly Pulitzer Is For Mean Girls

Photo: weheartit
Lilly Pulitzer Is For Mean Girls

This morning, The Cut posted an article that was supposed to give readers an inside look at sorority favorite clothing brand Lilly Pulitzer's "Pink Palace". Titled Inside Lilly Pulitzer’s Pink-and-Green Headquarters", it certainly did get a lot of people talking about it but for all of the wrong reasons.

The Cut included the following shot that was taken in an employee's personal cubicle. 

In case you think your eyes are deceiving you, the first caption says "Just another day of…Fat, White, and Hideous. You should probably just kill yourself…” while the ones below it say “Put It Down Carb Face” and “I’m Just Saying.”

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Sigh. The sad thing is, the first thought running through my mind at this disgusting spectacle isn't confusion over what the hell kind of corporate mantras are happening at the LP headquarters. What I'm really pissed about is my complete lack of surprise that those drawings exist in the first place. 

Yes, these illustrations are in an employee's personal cubicle and probably weren't drawn up during a company wide concept and fabric sampling meeting. But the fact that said employee felt comfortable enough to hang these out in the open where her bosses, co-workers, potential clients, and scheduled PHOTOGRAPHERS (seriously?!) could see them is very telling of the type of work "culture" they foster over there.

Over the years, Lilly Pulitzer has been associated with a level of "exclusivity" — and rightfully so. Not only does it cater to a rich, privileged audience, it consciously isolates everyone else. Remember the sh*t storm that happened when Lilly Pulitzer decided to partner with Target for a limited, affordable line and sorority girls everywhere had a fit?

What baffles me the most is the fact that these same women who actively chose NOT to buy the line still thought it was necessary to bash and shame the people who could finally afford to call a piece their own — especially considering that the original pieces are most likely made from better quality material anyway.

It's this same mentality that fuels hateful illustrations such as the one pictured above.

If "fat, white and hideous" women aren't a part of the brand's vision, why the hell did they come out with a plus-size line for Target? Then again, they only made that line available online so that says a lot about their agenda.

And this is *exactly* why people think that this company is only for mean girls. 

UPDATE: The Cut's Amy Lombard just released a statement to Buzzfeed News saying that the picture was from this employee's "mood board of textiles, photos, drawings etc." Pinning these body shaming images on a mood board shows that even their employees may feel they have to live up to body image expectations, which is the most tragic thing of all.