I Joined A Cult

For as long as I can remember I’ve been on the side of the “leggings ARE NOT pants” argument. Now I’m sitting here typing this, in my butter britches, eating my own words. I’ve gone and done it. I fell for the hype, I hosted a party and I committed what I used to consider as the ultimate sin…I’ve joined the cult. Now, that’s not to say that if all my friends jumped off a bridge that I’d do it too, but if all my friends are going to strut around enjoying the versatility of comfortable fabrics than I’m sure as heck down for that!

So, the cult…maybe you’ve heard of it. LuLaRoe. The mothership of comfy clothes that feel like pajamas. That, in a nutshell, is how I joined the cult. Because who doesn’t want to go to work feeling like they are in their pajamas. Now, there is a strict no leggings dress code rule at one of my jobs and to be honest, that’s what I own the least of. I know, I can hear all you LuLa lovers out there cursing at me for admitting that. However, it was their dresses, skirts and kimonos that drew me to the brand.

The first pair of leggings was actually a party gift from hosting. They sat in my closet for several months untouched before I finally put them on and to be honest I only picked them up because it was easier than doing laundry that day. The moment they were on I felt like my legs were engulfed in a warm hug. Since then I’ve purchased 2 more pairs and been given 2 more, so I’m at my self-imposed cutoff of 5 and I don’t even look to see what else is out there.

Now their dresses, skirts and kimonos are a whole other story. This is where I was snagged by the cult hook, line and sinker. I’m now THAT girl. You know her, we all do. The one who continually checks album sales to find her unicorn (their term, not mine) and has her independent consultants keeping an eye out as well. It’s a serious problem you guys! I realized my love for the brand had been taken to a whole new level when I fly to St. Louis for a conference and the base piece for every outfit was LuLaRoe.

The upside was that when I unpacked at the hotel there wasn’t a single item that was wrinkled in the least. 5 days, countless outfits, each stylishly crafted with accessories to achieve a business casual look and I wasn’t once uncomfortable. From conference sessions, to my daily walks in the cold weather and snow, to even a night out at the theatre for my birthday, I never felt under or over dressed. I’m convinced that those who design the LuLaRoe styles are geniuses! Therein lies the draw to all the items mentioned above, they are incredibly versatile. With the right accessories, I can go from running errands with my son to work to date night and not have to change 50 times.

Now my only worry is that I’m afraid I’m becoming the spoiled brat of LulaRoe. I have 5 independent consultants on the look-out for my wants, needs and desires. Does that make it a cult or is this moving into the category of addiction? It’s like they are my suppliers. All their album sales and “shop the box” live streaming sales are putting the Lula goodness right in the palm of my stylish little hands almost 24/7. That’s lead to 1 (Madison) skirt with pockets, 1 (Joy) sleeveless duster, 1 (Julia) column dress, 4 (Lindsay & Monroe) kimonos, 3 (Cassie) pencil skirts, 3 (Carly) high-low dresses and 4 (Amelia) dresses with pockets. Oh my goodness, now that I put that all In black and white I feel like a LulaRoe hoarder!!

You know what’s worse, I recruited my mother to join the cult. Yep, daughter of the year material right here guys and gals. Don’t believe me, just take a look.

Lisa sent me this heathered, teal Carly dress and challenged me to make this one dress suit all of my needs. Up to this point I never owned a solid color piece as I thought it might be too plain to wear to work, but I’ll be darned if I didn’t prove myself wrong.

These are just 5 of the ways I’ve styled it and remembered to photograph. Some days I leave the house with it styled one way and then change it throughout the day to suit my needs. I don’t remember ever being able to do that with my Calvin Klein work dresses!

So, what does my mom now think since being sucked into the brand? Glad you asked! She’s become a groupie because she likes to look good, loves to be fashionable and adores being comfy. I started her with one pair of leggings which she said “hugged her butt.” Mine hugged my legs, but whatever. Then I gave her a Carly dress for Mother’s day and she just keeps talking about more, more, more. I’m afraid that pretty soon she’ll be asking to start up our own LulaRoe business like Lisa and Robin have.

There’s no way I could control myself with all that inventory in my house. It would be like a meth addict getting a job in a crack house while Mom was chairing an AA meeting in a bar! Mom found their page on Facebook and is swooning. We live in Florida, it’s hot, she runs hot and suddenly she’s found comfy dresses that she can wear around town and not be uncomfortable, sweaty or frumpy so LuLaRoe is becoming her go-to for looking good and feeling good. She hasn’t been a “dress person” for years, but for the first time Mom is wearing cute dresses to run errands, walk the dog and most importantly, babysit G!

While I have my sights on trying out another one of their skirt styles, I take pleasure in knowing that at least my splurges are benefiting others almost like supporting small businesses. My husband and I are proud to have our own business that allows us to help others while providing us the financial means to cut back our hours and keep G with us instead of at daycare. Each piece of LulaRoe I’ve purchased has helped another mother do the same, aided a wonderful gal in paying off her debt, or allowed another to save up for their dream home. While I do feel as if mom and I are in too deep at this point, I take solace in knowing this plays a small part in seeing others achieve their goals. Some of those gals have even repaid the favor and are now customers of mine as well. That my friends is the truest definition of gal power.