Addictive LuLaRoe fashion line is like Beanie Babies for adults

WEST CHESTER, Ohio -- Have you ever seen a grown woman, with three kids, wearing donut, pizza, or flying pig-patterned leggings in the grocery?

Move over, Tupperware and Mary Kay. LuLaRoe, a direct-sales fashion line, is transforming otherwise sensible Tri-State women into frenzied shoppers hunting for the brightly colored pieces.

Never heard of LuLaRoe?

Here are 9 LuLa facts about the up-and-coming company.

1. LuLaRoe's 2,000 consultants have multiplied to 35,000 in the last year.

LuLaRoe engages teams of consultants to sell its comfortable, affordable clothing, largely through social media. Customers are jumping onboard, hustling to follow local consultants on Facebook to score the clothing that embodies LuLa's slogan, "Where fashion meets comfort." According to a recent Business Insider report, the company is experiencing "explosive growth" as the trend has "catapulted from near obscurity to cult status."

2. Consultants make what they "put into it."

While some consultants are boasting about their six-figure salaries on YouTube, other consultants seem to offer more realistic, yet still profitable, numbers. Part-time nurse and homemaker Dani Taggart and her husband, Brad, for instance, aim for $1,200 in extra monthly income through their side project selling clothes in their Facebook group and directly from their West Chester home.

3. LuLaRoe wants to be the least annoying "pyramid scheme."

Liberty Township and Mason sisters Mariellen Moffo and Kristina Moffo Linberg, along with sister-in-law Heidi Moffo, originally hesitated to enter the business for fear of "being annoying."

"I didn't want to be that person," Kristina said. "But it surprised me because people would come to us."

Added Mariellen: "A lot of pyramids get a bad rap because it seems like you just want to sign people up underneath you," but LuLaRoe consultants are discouraged from recruiting mentees.

4. Sellers earn 45-60 percent of sales.

Taggart said LuLaRoe consultants' higher profit margins, ranging from 45-60 percent of sales profits, are "the highest commission I've seen in direct sales," noting that consultants seem to be making the most off the famous "buttery-soft" leggings that hook in new buyers.

5. You may never wear those yoga pants and that old T-shirt again.

Heidi Moffo had always struggled putting outfits together, until she encountered LuLaRoe.

"My husband has seen me so frustrated because I have nothing to wear. He was, like, 'Go buy this so I don't have to deal with you having this meltdown, and I like seeing you happy,'" she said.

LuLaRoe's clothing caters to all sizes, ranging from XXS-3XL, and (unofficially) works as maternity wear, too. Many women are attracted to the versatility of the outfits, which can be dressed up for work or down for home.

"With this line you can throw on a necklace and cute pair of shoes and look put-together but so super comfortable while running after kids," Taggart said.

6. LuLa fans have developed their own language.

Consultants and fans post selfies showing "How they Roe" that day, showing off their outfit combinations. And Taggart and Moffo sisters Kristina and Heidi enjoy the help of their "LuLaBros" -- the men in their lives assisting with the business. Since the company makes a limited number of each print, buyers hunt for their "unicorns," or a certain sought-after style and pattern, such as Bengal Tiger leggings for Cincinnatians.

7. Anybody can do it ... sort of.

The Moffo sisters and Taggart all invested a minimum of $5,000. Taggart said many consultants open an interest-free credit card, as she did, and are able to pay back the initial costs within a few months.

"None of us have business, marketing, or fashion degrees," said Mariellen Moffo.

8. Proceed with caution: It's addictive!

Heidi Moffo calls the addictive line "adult Beanie Babies," since availability of the clothes is limited, thus increasing demand. Consultants often have "pop-up parties," where they release photos of their inventory on Facebook at a certain time for purchase.

"I can't tell you how many things I've ordered while feeding my baby," she said. "I'm, like, 'Sold, sold sold!'"

9. LuLaRoe is the next step for polished "millennial moms."

Mariellen Moffo said LuLa is the perfect line for 30-something moms who have just had babies and need "cool mom clothes." These women have outgrown Forever 21, she said, but they still want cute clothes.