Original: In 1980 , Lisa Birnbach 's bestselling tongue-in-cheek '' guide , '' The Official Preppy Handbook , featured a golf skirt and '' Lilly beach dress '' as must-have items for '' preppy '' women . Arguably , Lilly Pulitzer 's clothing was at the height of its original popularity in the early 1980s .
Simplified: Lisa Birnbach 's humorous '' guides '' , The Official Preppy Handbook and its sequel True Prep : Itâ s a Whole New Old World , say Lilly Pulitzer clothing is a must-have item for '' preppy '' women .