Fashion-Forward Friends Find Way to Swap More Affordably
Ursuline Academy senior Livia Lange aims to make a difference for her fashion-swapping peers with a new resale website, LivToBe.com.
The membership-based site allows girls in their teens and college to buy and sell clothes without having to pay extra costs.
Livia credits her love for reading, traveling, and helping people with inspiring her to make a difference.
“A few years ago, I was introduced to the works of Maya Angelou, and I have used many of her inspirational quotes,” Livia said. “The inspiration for LivToBe was derived from one of her quotes, ‘When you don’t like a thing, change it. If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it. Don’t complain.’”
That idea came into play when Livia and girls she knows noticed that resale sites would require a 30% commission to sell clothing.
“We didn’t like how these mainstream sites worked, so rather than complain about it, we decided to modify the model,” Livia said.
The girls wanted a site that made it easy and affordable for girls to buy and sell fashion.
Other than a flat membership fee, LivToBe doesn’t require any additional costs.
Girls are able to buy and sell as many clothes as they want, only paying credit card and shipping fees to complete the transactions.
LivToBe’s fashion-loving founding members also attend Episcopal School of Dallas, Highland Park High School, and Bishop Lynch High School and include graduates who now attend the University of Texas and the University of Alabama.
Site members have learned about girls elsewhere who have had bad experiences with resale sites. Through social media, LiveToBe leaders hope to reach more schools and grow their website.
The idea is to post photographs wearing fashionable clothing at events.
“We love to have variety in our posts, so it’s not often that you see anyone post in the same outfit, especially in a close time frame,” Livia said. “We love to swap clothing, share our fashion sense, and be part of a diverse community.”
At a launch event this spring, LivToBe members had a blast selling clothes and meeting guests. In the future, they plan on having an in-person back-to-school event and are excited to continue building more connections.
Livia plans to attend college this fall to study business and law, while continuing to grow her brand in more places. “Our goal is to grow the brand and build lasting friendships, while having some fun along the way!”
