If you've been on any social media lately, then you've probably seen, or at least heard of the clothing company called LuLaRoe. If you've been wondering what all the hoopla is about, I'm breaking it all down for y'all right here. I'm not a LuLaRoe rep, I just wanted to share my experiece with the company.
If you're not familiar, LuLaRoe is a clothing company with a cult-like following, that sells their products through individual fashion consultants at in-home parties or "pop-up shops" at local craft fairs, events and online through private Facebook shopping groups.
The company's named after founder DeAnne Stidham’s first three granddaughters Lucy, Lola and Monroe, and each style they carry is also named in honor of a family member or crucial employee of the company. Their growing line includes various dresses, skirts and tops for women and children, but their main claim to fame is their buttery soft leggings (more on these later). They are also known for their outrageous prints and wild patterns, but they do have plenty of solid colors and mild prints too.
What makes LLR unique is, they make a limited run of all prints/patterns that are then randomly shipped out to their consultants. Only 2,500 - 5,000 pieces are made out of a single print or pattern which are distributed to almost 40,000 consultants. While consultants can pick which styles and sizes they carry, they have no control over which patterns, prints and colors they are sent and cannot order specific items. This means, each consultant's inventory is unique and varied. Popular, hard to find prints are called "unicorns" and create quite the shopping frenzy! It's a great marketing statagy because if you see something you like, you're compelled to purchase it, knowing that you may or may not find that same print/pattern in your size again. It also means, that you'll likely be the only one wearing a particular, unique piece of clothing. However, the downside is, that it can be frustrating when you see something you really like on someone else and then have a hard time finding another one for yourself.
Like most ladies, I first tried their leggings. I couldn't believe how buttery, soft they were. They really are the most comfy leggings I've ever worn. They don't sag or stretch out, yet they aren't tight or constricting either. I've never been much of a legging girl, but these leggings are so cute and comfy that I'm totally hooked. I practailly live in mine and have amassed quite a collection of them. I did have one pair rip once, but the rep I purchased them from was quick to offer a replacement and I haven't had any issues since. They come in three sizes, Tween, One Size (OS) and Tall & Curvy (TC). Tween fits 00-0, One Size (OS) fits 2-10 and Tall & Curvy (TC) fit 12-22. You wouldn't think three types of leggings would fit all those sizes but they truly do. It's like magic! Even though I am not tall, I am curvy so I find the TC fits best for me. I can sometimes wear OS but I definitely prefer the fit of the TC.
The Cassie skirt is my all-time favorite piece. It's the perfect fitting pencil skirt and looks great on so many body types. I'm a curvy girl and haven't worn a pencil skirt in years, because I felt that other pencils skirts just weren't flattering on my body type. The Cassie totally changed my mind. It's made from a stretchy, crapey material that hugs in all the right places and has enough give that it doesn't cling. Since it's more form fitting, I find that I like the fit better if I go up a size from what I normally wear. As a bonus, the Cassie skirt can also be worn as the perfect infinity scarf too! Just fold it in half and scrunch together.
The Julia is a pencil dress and just like the Cassie skirt, it hugs in all the right spots, but has enough give that it doesn't cling. Also like the Cassie, I size up in the Julia at least one size, or sometimes two, from my normal size to get a look that I'm comfortable with that isn't too clingy. This dress does double duty too, as you can turn the bottom under a little so that it can also be worn as a tunic top.
The Nicole dress is another favorite of mine. I love the fitted bodice, a-line circle skirt, and scoop neckline. This dress just makes me feel pretty. It is very twirly and fits me really well. For a different look, it can also be worn backwards, which changes the neckline from a scoopneck to a boat neck. How many dresses do you own that can do that? It seriously looks great either way!
The two tops I like best are the Classic-T and the Irma. The Classic-T is your basic short sleeved t-shirt but has a slightly a-line fit and comes down just slightly lower in the back. The Irma is a high-lo tunic with mid-length sleeves. It's the perfect top to wear with leggings since it's low enough in the back to cover the booty. I was lucky enough to find one made out of the super, soft leggings material and it is so comfy I almost feel like I'm wearing PJ's out in public! Lol.
What I really like about LuLaRoe is that when I find pieces that I love, they fit really well and are super comfy. The pieces that I love have become staples in my wardrobe and get worn frequently. One thing I don't like though, is the inconsistency with sizing and quality. I find that some pieces are made really well and others are not. Sometimes patterns lines don't match up or are crooked at the seams and I always have to try on the clothes as I find that sizing can vary from piece to piece with different fabrics. I generally have an idea of what size I am, but I could go up or down depending the fabric.
Because of these issues, I've found that I prefer shopping at an in-home shopping party or pop-up shop more than shopping on-line. I like to see and touch the fabrics, check the quality and try things on to make sure that I'm getting the right size each time. Don't get me wrong, I have been known to shop the parties too, I'm just way more cautious when shopping online and tend to ask a lot of questions before purchasing anything. Most reps are super helpful and don't mind all the questions, but others can be unresponsive. The online Facebook groups and parties can be a little overwhelming and time consuming to shop from too. Inventory is usually only posted for a limited time and only available on specific dates and times. This can be a little inconvenient as you are stuck shopping when the consultant wants to open their shop. Most reps do open several days a week but it still stinks that you can't just shop whenever you want to. The multi consultant groups get quite large too and there is so much inventory to cull through. However, these large groups are the best way to look through lots of inventory all in one place in order to locate those hard to find "unicorn" pieces. It took me months to track down my black and white, houndstooth, Cassie skirt. One of my LuLa reps eventually found it for me, but only after so much time was spent searching and hunting for it!
If I'm going to shop online, I tend to stick with reps that I know well, who are good about answering lots of my questions and don't mind sending extra photos. I'm much more confident about my online purchases when I feel like I really understand what I'm getting. You'll also want to make sure you understand each rep's return/exchange policy as everyone's is different.
Overall, I have to say that I really do love LuLaRoe. With so many prints, patterns and styles being created daily and sizes ranging from 00-26, there really is something for everyone. What you don't find appealing is some else's unicorn. You also get a lot of versatility with these pieces, especially when so many can be worn multiple, different ways. If you take your time to get to know and develop a relationship with a few reps, then you are sure to have a great experience and find your own LuLa-Love!
Linked below are a few of my favorite LuLa reps. If you are a fellow LuLa-lover, feel free to share any reps that you really like shopping with in the comments!
Michelle Anders
Jenn Blankenship
Jenn Scudellari
Tetiana Alonso
Holly Stinson
Meg Reim
Danielle Davis
Roz O'Toole
