Let’s Talk About LeMuse Linen Dresses from Lithuania

Recently, I was invited to collaborate with LeMuse, a clothing line that was founded in Vilnius, Lithuania, in 2010, that specializes in handmade linen apparel for women. In exchange for my thoughts, I was gifted one article of clothing of my choice to style and share with you all, my friends and loyal readers.

I want to preface this review with a bit about brand collaborations and how I decide which ones are relevant to me and my wardrobe. Since I’ve been focusing much more on slow fashion in an effort to combat the negative environmental impacts of fast fashion, I’m much more particular when accepting a brand invitation.

I don’t want to be a hypocrite, so I do admit that I still buy fast fashions but I do it with much less frequency than ever before. Most of my fast fashion items are purchased secondhand, which falls in line with my conscience, but I’m not perfect and I still can’t resist cute clothing even when it’s not sustainable. But if a brand reaches out to me to collaborate and I disagree with their sustainability methods (or lack thereof) then I generally will not accept the invitation.

However, when a sustainable brand reaches out to me for a collaboration, as long as I can work the clothing into my personal style aesthetic, I will generally accept. This was the case with LeMuse. Although they don’t publish a formal sustainability report, the company states that they “are committed to sustainability and ethical practices, ensuring that our production methods respect both the environment and the artisans involved.”

Every article of clothing is made to order in their Vilnius studio which ensures less deadstock and wasted textiles. With a focus on minimalist silhouettes, fabric usage is maximized while textile waste is significantly minimized. Because all items are made on demand with the buyer’s specific size requirements, LeMuse creates clothing that will last longer in timeless styles that you can wear for years.

Once I determined that LeMuse’s ethical practices aligned with my own, I had to decide if the minimalist silhouettes would work well with my maximalist style. As it turns out, simple lines and solid colors are the perfect pieces for a layering enthusiast like myself!

When it came time to choose a garment to review, I was very much drawn to the long A-line silhouette of the SUNSET Sleeveless V-Neck Linen Midi Dress. It’s available in 16 different stunning colors which actually made it hard to choose just one! I ended up choosing the purple color because I’m always looking to add more purple to my closet (our school colors are purple and white) and this dress seemed like a comfortable option to wear to sporting events.

Obviously I didn’t wear any layers with this first styling because frankly it was just too hot for layers but the weight of the linen fabric is very substantial which will allow this dress to transition through all four seasons by implementing some creative layering techniques. I’m very pleased with the heavier fabric considering that I live in place where it’s winter for 8-9 months a year. The heavier weight of the fabric and the 87% linen/13% cotton blend also minimize the wrinkles that 100% linen fabrics are prone to. The fabric was a little stiff but the cotton blend eliminated the scratchy feel that some linens tend to have. I haven’t washed the dress yet, but I imagine the fabric will get softer with each wash.

I do have to mention that the dress I received looks very different from the picture on the LeMuse website. The product description calls this dress “a clean, easy slip that skims the body and lets the air move. A deep V-neck and slender straps, falling long and loose to well below the knee. Made from stonewashed European linen, so it feels lived-in from the first wear and breathes through warm afternoons and long evenings.”

I want to point out the differences between what I thought I ordered and what I got. First, the shade of purple shown on the product photo is much more muted than the vibrant purple dress I received. This is okay with me because I prefer the brighter color as it’s closer to our school’s shade of purple. Although the muted purple shown in the product thumbnail is really pretty, too.

The dress I received is a much fuller A-line silhouette that I personally wouldn’t refer to as a slip dress. I also think slip dresses should be a lighter weight fabric…like a slip…and skim closer against the body than this dress, similar to the one shown on the product page. The linen fabric is very heavy but definitely breathable on a warm day while the thumbnail photo makes the dress appear lighter and more sheer. Also, the straps are very wide, not slender like the description, and the V-neck is not very deep. But once again, these discrepancies don’t bother me as I really love the dress I did receive. In fact, I prefer it over the dress pictured on their website. So I’m definitely happy with my choice. But if you were to order the same dress, I just wanted to make you aware that it may be a little different from the picture and description on the company’s website. Ultimately, I think the quality of the dress I received far surpasses the my expectations based on the product photos.

Although the dress was made to order, it arrived much quicker than I had anticipated…like within a week…so it was waiting for me when we returned home from our vacation. I consulted the provided size chart when ordering which indicated that an XXL was my size. When I first opened the dress, I thought to myself, “My goodness, that is a very large dress. I hope it fits me properly.” Basically, it didn’t look like much on a hanger. But when I put it on, I was pleasantly caught off guard that it was love at first sight. Actually, it checked all the boxes for my ideal dress…

• Sustainably minded
• Natural fabric that feels good against my skin
• Comfortable
• Long, loose, and airy
• Flattering silhouette
• Has layering capabilities
• Can be worn throughout multiple seasons
• High quality and well constructed
• In a striking color (or pattern)
• Has pockets…that can actually hold stuff
• Machine washable (but hang to dry)

For my introductory styling of this dress, I kept it simple to allow the dress to shine. It came with a matching purple linen belt but when I belted the dress the volume of the fabric was just too much around my menopause tummy. Also, it has wonderfully deep hidden pockets on each side which scrunched up when belted adding even more bulk to my middle. I generally don’t ever wear the matching fabric belts as belts anyway. Since the strip of linen is super long, I decided to turn it into a neck tie instead and I really liked the effect.

When I realized my new purple and white cowgirl boots matched the dress perfectly, I was excited to bring them out for their first showing, too. I accessorized with an ivory necklace and earrings and my lavender and white bonnet. It can sometimes feel strange when I don’t wear multiple layers, but this minimalist outfit still feels like me.

Basically, what LeMuse might have messed up in marketing, they definitely made up for it in quality and customer satisfaction. I’m excited to add this beautiful purple dress to my wardrobe and will very likely wear it to a football game this year. The weather on game days dictates my outfits, but I have lots of purple things to choose from now.

As a thank you to you, my readers, LeMuse has offered you all a 10% discount on your orders. Just click here to shop and use discount code SHELBEE10 at checkout. Please keep in mind that the discount code will only work if you shop through the dedicated link provided.

To reiterate, although the dress is significantly different from the company’s description, it’s a beautiful high quality linen blend dress that I will wear for years to come. I would definitely take the chance and order another style or two from LeMuse. Some of my other favorites include the WHISPER Stonewashed Linen Kimono-Sleeve Midi Dress, the SUN V-Neck Stonewashed Linen Dress, the CHLOE Wrap-Style Linen Dress with Pockets, and the REGINA Printed Maxi Dress.

If you do end up adding a LeMuse linen dress to your wardrobe, I would love to know what you ordered and see how you style it!

Keeping it on the edge,

Shelbee