A recent market study found that women spend more than 100 hours spread out over 30 annual trips to the mall shopping for clothes. Add to that an average of 49 hours a year window-shopping and it makes your eyes tear up. In reality we probably spend double that amount of time hunting for clothes, most of the time rather unsuccessfully. And what about online shopping? This market is predicted to hit 4 trillion in 2020. The US alone is expecting to have 300 million online shoppers in 2023.

Ladies we all know the struggles when shopping for clothes. The search for the correct size on the rails, the crampy and unflattering fitting rooms, the to-ing and fro-ing to find that “perfect” fit. It’s difficult and virtually impossible to live up to those carefree poster girls, and even more daunting to try and recreate their untroubled, glamourous looks. Even online has its trials. Once you finally make your decision, there’s the anxious wait for delivery only to discover that it either doesn’t look anything like it looked in the pictures, or isn’t anywhere close to the size it promised to be.

Finding clothes you like, that make you feel positively poised, should be simple. It should be an empowering experience, not one that leaves you filled with self-doubt and an empty shopping basket. Between juggling a household, a family, a career and some semblance of a (pre-lockdown) social life, what you wear and how you feel in it should be high on your priority list, but low on your worry list.

This seems like the right moment to introduce you to Lola Lifestyle.

[divider]About[/divider]

Lola Lifestyle was established in 2017, by two fiercely independent women, and aims to create a space in which women are invited to feel individual without judgement.

Lola Lifestyle recognises the various roles we have to assume every day as women and have designed a range of clothing that allows you to seamlessly change between work and play, day and night, while remaining environmentally conscious at the same time.

Lola Lifestyle’s range of clothing is versatile, easy-going and multi-functional. It encourages you to feel confident in your skin (and attire!) without spending too much time on choosing a look. Let’s be real here; who actually has time for that between coffee dates, work and the school run?

 

[divider]Amilinda wears Lola[/divider]

I must insert a little caveat here – I’m not fond of online clothing shopping, purely because it rarely fits the way as shown in the picture, and the sizing is all over the place. Lola lifestyle proved me beautifully wrong.

I’m a big fan of athleisure wear and the selection of items that I found on their website was beautiful statement pieces that can be dressed up or down with minimal effort. I loved the way their range was divided in “Active,” “Play” and “Lounge” which pretty much echoes my three stages of daily being. The muted colour palette spoke to my heart, and the flowy, flattering theme of the clothes appealed to me.

Lola Lifestyle was so generous to send me two of their clothing items from the Play range: the casual drawstring pants in black and an oversized shirt in olive.

I couldn’t have been more excited. When I’m not in the office behind my desk, I’m either photographing at a social event, or I’m at home cooking or food styling. In my hands I held two pieces of clothing that fitted beautifully into my lifestyle. It was formal enough for office wear, paired with brogues, smart enough for a social evening or restaurant visit, paired with a pretty handbag and a leather belt, and casual enough for me to wear whilst photographing, with a pair of sneakers and my favourite cap.

The pants are soft and comfy, but at the same time, uber-fashionable and edgy with a drawstring waist and asymmetrical hems. They wear like joggers but are as comfortable as tights. And yes, they have pockets!

Every girl needs one of these oversized shirts in their cupboard. It’s flowy and trendy, with a shorter front to tuck into a pair of boyfriend jeans and a long tail that makes you feel like a superhero as it billows behind you. You can wear the shirt open over formal wear for a touch of the dramatic, or on a crisp autumn day with a pair of shorts. Cinch them in at the waist with a pretty leather belt, and you have a completely different look for those smart-casual girl’s nights out.

And if that’s not enough…

Whilst you’re filling your cart with your new winter wardrobe, be sure to grab a few of Lola Lifestyle’s masks whilst you’re at it! I’ve personally tried and tested at least 6 different mask suppliers, and theirs are super comfortable with the best removable filter. For those of us with the challenge of our glasses fogging up, these masks are definitely a winner. The fit is so comfortable It’s made with 100% cotton with stretchy ear loops for maximum comfort. And we all know, a girl should have a little black number in her cupboard for those extra special moments.

 

[divider]Janice wears Lola[/divider]

Unlike Amilinda, I’m a big lover of online shopping! As much as I do enjoy the ‘real thing’, the fact that I’m on the larger size often puts me off the trials and tribulations that a shopping trip usually entails. Being constantly bombarded with messages about acceptance, non-judgement, tolerance and the like, you’d think it would be a lot easier for us to walk into any clothing store of our choosing and something appealing and in our size. Hence my preference for hiding behind my screen and shopping online more often than not, where plus-size clothing is more readily available.

Thank you Lola Lifestyle for completely dispelling the myth that boutique clothing stores are only for a certain small segment of the population. Historically, clothing from small boutique stores, despite saying that their ‘Large’ and ‘X-Large’ sizes will fit me, have usually not done so.

You can imagine how extremely pleasantly surprised I am to find that this is most certainly not the case with Lola Lifestyle’s clothing. I have to make mention of the lovely fabric bag that the clothing was packed in. When Lola Lifestyle say that they’re environmentally friendly, they follow through on every level – no plastic disposable packaging here.

I was thrilled with my ‘Casual Boat Neck Sweater’ in a gorgeous coral colour. It’s so comfortable and although part of the ‘Lola Active’ range, it could also be dressed up and worn for a night out. The side ties can be knotted or tied in bows for added detail; wear it with an under-top or off-the-shoulder – whatever suits your mood! It can easily be paired with jeans, skirts, joggers or my personal favourite the black ‘Bamboo Harems’. These fall under the ‘Lola Sleep’ range but they also certainly deserve to be taken out and shown off. The drawstring waist allows you to wear the pants as high or low as you’d like and the tapered bottoms also allow you to pull them up or down. It’s all about comfort and versatility. I generally don’t do heels, so the whole look completes well with sneakers, loafers or even ankle boots.

I really have to say a huge thank you to Lola Lifestyle. Not only are your clothes gorgeous, but you know how to make someone feel gorgeous while wearing them. I’ve already got my eye on a couple of other items and now that stores are opening up, I can’t wait to visit the Lola Lifestyle store at The Zone in Rosebank.

[divider]Final thoughts[/divider]

It’s utterly refreshing to find a brand made by women, with all women in mind. Lola Lifestyle has put a lot of thought, consideration and empathy into their line of clothing, to make sure you feel like a million dollars, regardless of your age, shape, size or weight.