I kind of pride myself on being a know-it-all, but the nice kind, you know? Not the obnoxious kind. I always need like to be the first to turn people onto things. I knew about Tory Burch long before all of my friends starting buying the Reva flat. Ditto with Jack Rogers. And Zara. I even hosted a party to introduce my friends to Rodan & Fields, and now a few of them are consultants. So I’m kind of a trendsetter in my neck of the woods.
But I’ll admit I was a little late to the LuLaRoe party, which kind of got us off on the wrong foot. When I finally caught on, LuLaRoe was more than a brand; it was a movement. But I still thought the hype was all about comfy leggings in colorful prints., until I sat next to a friend at a birthday party in a lovely restaurant courtyard, and her phone dinged the entire time with LuLaRoe notifications. Before we left the party, she had bought 3 pairs of leggings, a dress and a 2 tops. She couldn’t get enough.
That’s why I was quick to say yes when a friend invited me to an in-home LuLaRoe shopping party hosted by a fellow friend, a LLR consultant. I was initially intrigued at the prospect of finally finding a pair of comfy leggings for my 9-year-old Eva, i.e. Goldilocks, who never met a piece of clothing that wasn’t too scratchy, too stiff, too tight or too loose for her comfort. This child has felt tags that do not exist; it is her superpower.
I wasn’t, in all honesty, expecting to find clothes for me. I’m too picky and too fashion-y, I thought. I hardly ever find anything I like. Besides, I already had leggings.
I was wrong. Sure I left with leggings and kimonos for the girls (that they wear and love!), but I also left with two pieces for myself, the Cassie pencil skirt and the sleek, stylish Julia dress, both striped. And I learned a thing or two about what makes LuLaRoe so popular. Here, as I see it, are the secrets behind the brand’s boundless popularity:
- LuLaRoe is comfortable. All LLR pieces are made of yummy, stretchy knits. And while the different knits don’t have names, according to my LLR friend Beth, consultants refer to them as “legging material,” “cottony,” “Cassie material” and “slinky. All are code words for comfy.
- LuLaRoe is versatile. The pieces and the prints are endlessly interchangeable and customizable. The adventurous can mix and match prints with abandon, and tunic tops can be tied, belted or otherwise draped for more flattery. (For example, in the video, Beth knots her Carly dress and wears it over the Cassie pencil skirt as a tunic.) A new mom friend described it as “Garanimals for grownups. But much more stylish.”
- LuLaRoe is affordable. The least expensive items, the leggings, are $25, and the most expensive, the Sarah coverup, is $70.
- LuLaRoe fits everyone. The sizing system, which can seem intimidating at the start, is actually quite flexible, and you can usually wear a couple of sizes up or down in most styles. Check out this size chart to get an idea:
But all of this fabulousness amounts to nothing if the clothes don’t flatter. Fortunately, the variety of styles means there is something for every body type. (If you’re not familiar with the body type system that I use, the Style Dial, check it out here). So just to see if LLR worked for all body types, I enlisted my LuLaRoe consultant friend Beth McQuillen (a Style Dial 3) and my friend Jean (a Style Dial 2) for this video.
I hope that was helpful! Read on for a full list of pointers, by style. The leggings are leggings, so I won’t break them down, except to say that the Jade and the Jordan are designed for working out, but here, the breakdown of the tees, skirts and dresses:
The Tees
Flattery Tip: At this point, all of LuLaRoe’s tees feature scoop or high necklines, making them Style Dial 2 friendly, but a Style Dial 1 or Style Dial 3 woman can pull these off when paired with a long necklace.
The Classic Tee
The Details: Short sleeves, spun polyester jersey, lower in back
Best For: All body types. (See flattery tip, above).
The Irma
The Details: Loose high-low tunic with fitted sleeves
Best For: This shape is especially flattering on a Style Dial 2 or a Style Dial 3.
The Perfect Tee
The Details: Swingy hem with side slits
Best For: This tee is a great choice for a Style Dial 3.
The Randy
The Details: A unisex style (in the right colors), classic baseball shape with contrasting raglan sleeves
Best For: Everyone. (See Flattery Tip, above).
The Dresses and Skirts
The Amelia Dress
The Details: Handset box pleats, stretchy knit fabric, hidden pockets
Best For: A Style Dial 3 (straighter body type) without wide shoulders, or a Style Dial 1. Both should wear a long necklace with this style.
The Ana Dress
The Details: Scoop neck, fitted bodice, elbow-length sleeves
Best For: Everyone! This dress literally flatters every single body type, but is absolutely flawless for a Style Dial 2. Flattery note: Add a long necklace if you’re a Style Dial 1 or a Style Dial 3.
The Azure Skirt
The Azure Skirt, $35
The Details: A flowy, swingy skirt in an A-line shape
Best For: Everyone. A-lines are universally flattering. A Style Dial 2 should wear the waistband at the waist and not the hips.
The Carly Dress
The Details: A swingy dress with an asymmetrical hemline.
Best For: Everyone, particularly a Style Dial 2 or a Style Dial 3. A SD3 would benefit from knotting or draping the dress for maximum flattery, and both a Style Dial 1 and a 3 should wear a long necklace.
The Jill Skirt
Details: Knife pleated, below the knee, exposed elastic waistband
Best For: Style Dial 3 ladies will really benefit from this skirt, especially when worn a little high on the waist, but could also work for a Style Dial 2 or a Style Dial 1, if the other details in the outfit were body type friendly.
The Julia Dress
The Details: Fitted, knee length, high neck
Best For: Worn with a long necklace, this dress is ideal for a Style Dial 1 and a Style Dial 3, but a SD3 should wear the dress bunched up at the waist for a flattering gathered effect.
The Nicole Dress
Details: The shorter version of the Ana, and just as flattering.
Best For: Everyone, though Style Dial 1 and Style Dial 3 should add a long necklace.
The Lucy Skirt
The Details: Lined chiffon or lace skirt, exposed elastic waistband
Best For: This style is flattering on everyone, but a tummy-conscious Style Dial 3 and a Style Dial 2 may want to wear the skirt a bit higher up on the waist.
The Lola Skirt
The Details: Midi skirt with elastic waist and a lining that is 4 inches shorter for a pretty drape and sheerness.
Best For: Everyone, but a Style Dial 2 or Style Dial 3 might want to wear it a big higher on the waist.
The Cassie Skirt
The Details: Pencil skirt, wide waistband that can be folded to adjust the length
Best For: Style Dial 1 body types are most flattered by pencil skirts, but a 3 may be able to wear this style if it’s worn ruched and gathered.
The Madison Skirt
Details: Hand box pleats, full skirt, hidden pockets
Best For: Style Dial 3 body types are really flattered by the shape of this skirt.
The Maxi Skirt
Details: Comfy knit, wider waistband
Best For: All body types, but Style Dial 2 women should wear the waist higher up to avoid emphasizing the hips.
If you haven’t tried LuLaRoe for yourself yet, I hope this post has helped to demystify the brand. And if you’re already a fan, I hope you’ve picked up some pointers on how to flatter your unique body type with these cute, comfortable styles.
Note: Thanks to LuLaRoe consultants Beth McQuillen, Meredith West Willman and Andrea Schandel for their help with the LLR merchandise for the video.
Leave a Reply