Endless ways to style your dress from the personal stylists at Lev Apparel
Shopping for clothes can be fun, but also challenging. There is usually something that doesn't quite fit, so you look in the mirror debating what to do. You fixate on the part of your body that you don’t like and, most times, you decide to put the piece of clothing back. It is the debate you go through every time you shop.
The other day I went shopping for khakis and every pair I tried on was either too big or too small. Even though the pants were my “size,” they didn’t fit my shape. To some, my khaki problem may seem small (in hindsight it is), but it is just one example within a larger issue.
Currently, the fashion industry designs and produces clothes for one body shape. This makes it difficult for women to find clothes, because there is not one universal body shape. Because of this, many people have begun to recognize the inequality of clothing options within the fashion industry.
Ethical fashion brand Lev Apparel is working to combat this issue.
On its website, Lev Apparel poses the question, “Have you ever thought when shopping: ‘Who is this designed for? Definitely not me.’” They work to create ethical and fair trade clothes for all body shapes. They describe their mission as “building a community of women empowering women through both purchasing power and job creation.” They work to celebrate women through fashion and partner with at-risk women living in the slums of New Delhi. Lev Apparel’s artisan partners are provided paid internships, a safe working environment, and fair wages.
I had the opportunity to interview Lev Apparel’s founder Krystle Marks. Krystle is the “founder, visionary, designer, and CEO. [She] was a personal stylist and [has] taken that knowledge base and put that towards [her] role at Lev apparel.” Within her role, Krystle works to design and create Lev Apparel’s fashion collection. She has worked to create basic pieces that can fit all body shapes. For example, the Emelia Tee is designed to fit the hourglass, apple, and strawberry body shapes and the Baldwin Tee is designed to fit the pear, strawberry, and rectangle body shapes.
During the interview, I asked Krystle what her inspiration was behind the pieces in the collection. She responded that “there are 5 main body shapes which are healthy, beautiful shapes, and we want to celebrate them. The majority of what is put out there is made for a slim hourglass, which only makes up 8% of the population.”
One of the awesome parts of the Lev Apparel collection is that the pieces can be worn many different ways. They can even be styled with a dress. Sometimes it may seem difficult to style a dress, especially for 31 days! Because of the simplicity of Lev Apparel’s pieces, they have the ability to be incorporated and styled several different ways—which is perfect for Dressember!
When styling your dress, the first thing Krystle says to do is create a definable waist. This can be done by grabbing a belt and securing it around your true waist; the smallest part of every woman's core found just below the ribcage. By adding a belt, you are automatically adding another dimension to your dress!
A dress can also be styled by adding layers to it. If you have a simple dress, you can take a button down shirt, such as the Theodora, and tie the shirt at your natural waist. This creates layers and gives you that defined waist.
When styling, never forget sweaters, sweatshirts, or jackets. A leather or denim jacket can be layered on top of any dress. If you have a loose sweater, wear an open button down shirt with a sweater or hoodie on top of it. This creates a cozy more casual look. If you’re going for a fancier look, take your chunky belt and put a nice shirt on over your dress. Then tuck the shirt into the front of the belt. Finish your look by adding a blazer.
The last look that Krystle suggested is layering a skirt, such as the Isthmus skirt, on top of your dress. This will give your dress a whole new style, even if you wear that dress multiple times. There are so many ways to style a dress, so just have fun and be creative!
As I finished up my interview, I asked Krystle what she would like the Dressember community to know about Lev Apparel. She said that “Our small choices make a big impact. We want to build a community where our purchasing power can make a big difference in the lives of women. The beauty in purchasing an ethical t-shirt, button-down, or dress is that you are the force creating change and empowering the lives of others.” As consumers, we hold the power to empower others and create change by the purchases we make.
Want to see how Krystle styled one dress 15 different ways?
Check out this video:
Shop Lev Apparel for 10% off with code dressember10!
About the Author
Megan Robbins is a recent college graduate. She received her bachelors degree in social work and she hopes to utilize her skills to serve others. When she is not a social worker, Megan loves to be creative through dancing and painting.