Today, I broke my resolve in waiting it out to see if there would be Herringbone Wunder Under Crops and brought home the Runder Unders in Herringbone. I didn’t try them on in store and figured I’d be taking them back tomorrow but they are most definitely keepers with only the slightest of criticism of them. 

What I love about them is that instead of brushed luon, they are RULU which is more breathable and less warm yet super soft and snuggly. I worried that they wouldn’t be as compressive but that doesn’t seem to be a problem. They stay up and feel firm on without showing anymore than what I already show in wunder unders. The waist is luxtreme on the inside so they feel smooth around the middle and I have less of an issue in these with muffin top than I do with Wunder Unders. I love the seam down the outside of the legs as well, but I don’t like the seam that sits on the front of the leg bellow the knees. That seam peeks out quite a bit with my lower boots and just the top of the seam shows when I wear my taller boots. I wish that seam wasn’t there because the whole wonderful point of these pants is that they are stylish enough to wear out yet will double as running pants. I also wish there was no reflective logo on the bottom calf. It just adds to the sportyness of them and may keep them from being acceptable in none athletic situations where as eliminating that panel and the reflective logo from such a visible area would truly make them double duty. The bottom hem can be flipped up to expose a band of reflective tape which is so functional for running, and I love that you can just tuck them away and hide that detail. The front lower leg panel just looks so sporty. Well….my mom thought they either looked like running pants or riding pants so I guess the ridding aspect of that is dressy. These are my TTS size 10 and feel super comfortable and not snug at all. I definitely would not size up in these since RULU tends to have more give in it than luon or especially brushed luon which is more compressive. I’ve read that the Herringbone WU’s are a size up item, to a tight TTS and I can definitely see that, but these don’t feel tight at all. 

I have tear the tags of lust on these and really want to keep them but I will be prudent and keep the tags on and wait and see if there is a cropped version, or WU Crops in Black Swan herringbone or the rumored Wunder Under Rose Herringbone Black WU’s. These sure are nice though. 

 Paige Tall Riding Boots mostly hides the leg panel with the exception of a little peaking out over the top. 

you can see that leg panel here above the top of my boots (Veronica Slouch)

Devotion Tee LS

My Tender Violet one that I ordered on upload is due to arrive today but I’m thinking of returning it. I tried it on at the store and the fit and length are perfect but as you can see in this picture it’s not exactly a ‘loose’ fit or looser than Cabin LS’s/Every Yogi LS so the thinness of the single layer of vitasea really shows and clings to every lump and bump around my middle. It’s otherwise perfect and I think if it was double layered I would be keeping it. I also think the fabric is thinner than the double layered Every Yogi LS.

The Creamsicle Define Jacket

Run: Bundle Up Jacket & Run With Rover Pants

I looked at this one yesterday as well and it is super, super soft. It feels really nice. One think I don’t love though is that there is an extra bib in the front that you can unzip and remove which is supposed to add warmth. I wish this jacket was two layers of jacket, an entire down inside that could be zipped in or out, and the outer layer. I would have snatched that sucker UP!

 Run With Rover Pants

Alberta Lake Swiftly LS with Run: For Your Life Crop

 Runder Under Pant and Run First Base Tank

I’m really surprised how much of the Raspberry Glo Light shows thru on the black side. You can see it in the other photo as well. 

 The Raspberry Glo shows thru here as well, unstretched.

 Free to Be Tank in Creamsicle Pop

Update October 27:  Scuttlebutt is that the Define is in fact being discontinued with colors to be phased out by mid November and black to be phased out by December. Replacing the Define Jacket is the uglier, much shorter Shape/Shape Me Up Jacket from 2009. Probably cheaper to produce and less material used. How are we liking the downgraded Scuba Hoodie, Wunder Unders, Flow Y, Power Y and Grooves?? Yah, me neither. It’s a huge turnoff. I’m 5’4 but I have a long torso. One of the biggest draws of lululemon for me is that the tops and jackets are/where much longer on me than from any other brand and hit me at the most flattering length. Way to go Captain Concordia! This is just dumb. 

On the other hand, I’ve heard from a very reliable source that Lululemon is re formulating their luon to be more like the better quality luon from pre 2010 (why do they need to ‘re formulate’ what they already once had??) Luon, if you can believe used to be of really heavy duty quality and wore much better and was not sheer, did not pill, didn’t require special handling and looked and felt much, much better. Apparently, lululemon head office knows the luon quality is shit these days and they are working on bringing back what they were once known for. This will probably be released in 2013. 

** Checked this with two very reliable sources and this is not an accurate report. It’s possible the Ed that claimed the Define is being retired misspoke and meant to say the In Stride/Stride Jackets**

A reader left a comment earlier this morning sharing that she was told at her local Lululemon that the iconic Define Jacket is being discontinued. I’m checking with anyone I know that is in *the know* to see if they’ve also heard these rumors and I will update you as soon as I know more. Lululemon puts out about 5-6 different Define Jackets each month and lately there has been a lull in stores as to how many colors they are getting. Just before the Angel Blue Define Jacket came out there was a long lull of no new Defines being delivered and that was a little strange. I also have found it really strange (and have kept quiet about this) that the Define Jacket hasn’t had a price increase like everything else has. It’s the cheapest jacket they have at $98 and probably the most functional. Whenever someone asks me ‘should I get this Define Jacket or this  ______ (insert item), I almost always say ‘go for the Define, its a way better value’.  But, I don’t put these cockamamie shenanigans past them unfortunately. 

This is a really surprising decision that I’m not quite understanding. Most lululemon spotting on TV shows and movies and on movie stars in real life are the most flattering and iconic designs they’ve put out. Scoop Neck Tank, Define Jacket, Groove Pants/Wunder Unders. There is a reason these designs are chosen by the stylists.  You never, ever, ever see items like the Happy Hippo Harem Pants or with something like the Run With Rover Pants in magazines and on movies or even out in real life. Those designs are unflattering, transient and disposable fashions that people don’t spend a lot of money on, not the designs that made Lululemon what they are known for. This direction really makes me sad because it really shows the powers that be are more interested in pumping out designs that are short lived trends in low quality (hello having to return a shirt worn for 1 hour the other day!!) and huge margins rather than with sticking with the designs that have worked so well for them and stood the test of time. Spend less time innovating the next big trend and focus on getting the quality back on track on the designs that are universally loved and stand the test of time. 

Other rumors and whispers I’ve read about items on the chopping block: Stride Jacket and In Stride Jacket, Dance Studio Jacket and Scoop Up Tank, XL CRB’s. Items being mucked around with are the Inspire Crops, Power Y’s, Flow Y’s and all gussets. 

This picture of the new Runder Under Pants caught my attention because it shows an Alberta Lake version with a pink contrast on it. This is the reverse side of the Solid Black ones online now. I wonder what other run items will be coming in this new pink and what pink it is (Raspberry Glow Light). Please, tell me it’s not a repeat of Paris Pink. I’m totally overloaded with all pink and all orange. 

Upload…take 2! All of the same items uploaded the other day so nothing for me. I had ordered the Devotion LS and CRB in Tender Violet on the phantom upload though. Anything for you guys tonight? 

Here is an Australian sneak peek of the newest Run: Back On Track Tank with some Rose Herringbone Polar Cream panels on the side.

Devotion LS Tee

Tender Violet Free to Be Tank

I wasn’t really a fan of this color when I first saw it but I must say I’ve warmed up to it. It glows in most pictures much the same way Power Purple glows so hopefully I’ll like it as much in person when my CRB arrives. 

New slim fit Grooves

 Tender Violet CRB with Side Angle Pants

This is on my wish list for tonights upload but it’s a try on first before I commit. I never got a chance to try on last years version and I really regret that so I really want to give these a try. But, I worry how flattering the print will be on me and if the brushed inside will make them too thick and warm. 

 Alberta Lake Herringbone Wunder Unders and Black Swan (bottom) Wunder Unders

If you where online yesterday to catch the surprise accidental upload and you placed an order, it’s looking like most customers today are getting shipping notices. I myself got my shipping notice a few hours ago so I guess I should expect a delivery on Thanksgiving monday. I’ll likely stay up on Monday night to see the upload again (blogger duties and all) but I’m sure it will be all the same items which you can see in the Surprise Upload post with pictures of all the items that were uploaded. I’m hoping for some black, coal or black swan Wunder Under Crops to come up so thats what I’m keeping my eye on but they were not uploaded yesterday. 

Creamsicle Pop Scuba Hoodie 

Wow, this one is bright!

Tender Violet Wunder Under Crops *reversible

these ones are double layered fabric and actually are reversible. I wish the Bordeaux Drama Reversible ones where like that. 

Rose Herringbone Black Define Jacket, Tender Violet CRB peaking out

I love this Define Jacket and it’s definitely a keeper for me. I wonder though if there might be a Polar Cream version. 

 Back to Class Jacket over the Polar Cream Cool Racerback

Creamsicle Pop Free to Be Bra with Tender Violet Wunder Under Crops

I’m now able to view the upload and even place orders although I’m reading that most people are still not able to do that and the website is completely down. This new jacket, Run: Bundle Up Jacket has a feature called ‘Luxchange‘ which is the hood that can be interchanged with other ‘Luxchange‘ items. Interesting marketing compelling the customer to buy several items out of this line. I like the look of this jacket, especially the hood and collar, but I’m not loving the color blocking and since I’m not in the market for a new jacket it’s an easy pass.