Many of you may recognize the name Eion Finn from the Lululemon website or from seeing his DVD’s The Pursuit of Happy Hips, The Blissology Project and Power Yoga For Happines 2 The Surf Edition in Lululemon stores. Eion Finn has been a Lululemon ambassador since the very beginning and it’s hard not to notice and recognize this hunky surf yogi on the cover of his DVD’s whilst browsing the tank wall. 

Oprah Magazine mentions Eion Finn on page 40 of the June 2011 edition and proclaims “We like this guy!” I’ll have to agree with her on this one. I own two of his DVD’s and although the Power Yoga for Happiness Surf Edition is a bit hard for me at the moment (it’s hard core upper body and core work) I really love his The Pursuit of Happy Hips DVD. It’s challenging but not overly hard, It’s a great workout and the scenery throughout Vancouver and Whistler is amazing. Reading this short article has reminded me I want to start using these DVD’s again while my running is a bit aimless after my half marathon.

Have any of you tried his DVD’s yet?

Eion circa 1990                              current picture of Eion. 

I am really, really liking the Paradise Short Shorts in black and white print. I love wearing board shorts to the beach or pool, especially when I’m running after my kids so I’m excited about getting these. I think the little ribbon embellishment detailing around the pockets is so pretty and whimsical which is a nice touch on this type of a short . If the Short Shorts are too scandalously short on my muscular legs then I like that there is the Long Short option. Thanks to The Cali Lulu Buyers for once again providing first images of what’s new in store.

Light Up Tank Wee Stripe (?) Pink Mist and Surge 

The Light Up Tank is Identical to the Speed Up Tank with the exception of added reflective taping at the straps on the Light Up. 

Last years Light Up Tank in Pig Pink. I’m glad this years Pink Mist version doesn’t have the grey contrast stich going down the front. I find the stitch was figure flattering but I prefer the solid color versions of this tank. I think my favourite is the Surge though. Much as I love pink, Surge and other jewel tones are gorgeous in Luxtreme.

Thanks to a member of the This Just In on Facebook we have the first images of the much anticipated (by me especially!) Loop De Lulu Dress. I am totally in love with this dress for several reasons. First, the price is fantastic! also, It’s Vitasea, has a built in bra with removable cups, optional wide straps, and pockets!!!! Annnnnnd it’s so adorable!!! Thanks for providing the pictures, Cali Lulu Buyers and Florance from This Just In!

Catherine Zeta Jones was spotted in Lululemon in this Daily Mail  news article. She’s hanging around on the movie set for Lay the Favourite being filmed in New Orleans. I wonder if her outfit will be part of the movie? I look forward to watching it since it has Joshua Jackson in it, a handsome Vancouverite. 

Catherine is wearing Deep Breath Tank in Black/Heathered Blurred Grey/Black Citron Tinted Canvas Super and the Salutation Crops in black and looking quite lovely despite the rollers in her hair. I’d read reports that Catherine Zeta Jones has come forward with a mental illness (bipolar) and I applaud her for her bravery. Mental illness is still highly stigmatized in our society so it can’t have been easy for her to publisize her illness but I’m sure it helps reduce the stigma to have celebrities come forward. 


*Thanks to reader Beth for sending me this link!

I forgot to mention yesterday in my Review of the Waltz Pants that they are very, very long. They will most likely require hemming for most people but unfortunately Lululemon does not have the machine required to give you the same raw edge/surge stitch that’s on the bottom of these pants. If you would like to keep this same stitch, and I think it probably works best with this style of pants, then you are probably better off paying yourself to get a seamstress to hem these for you. The positive thing about that is you can probably get one hour service and have your pants back right away.

I’m not planning on getting anything on tomorrow’s upload based on what we’ve seen this week and last week in stores with the exception of the Waltz Pants. If they are uploaded in Coal/Blurred Grey I may be swayed to try them out since I really liked the ones I tried on yesterday. Will they be too warm for summer do you think? I really love them but I don’t think I have an actual need for them so I’ll likely pass  reluctantly. I can always be swayed by a new Modern Racer Tank and am patiently waiting for this years summer dress but I doubt that it will be uploaded tomorrow. 

What are you hoping to snag tomorrow?

Full Eagle Tank

Scuba Hoodie Surge

Circuit Tank

Bliss Tank

Power Dance Tank

Run: Willpower Tech

I purchased this Chai Time Pullover which has recently been re-released back in November in this same Dark Classic Sports Grey (there is also a blurred grey available). Since then I get a lot of questions from readers asking me how the delicate fabric has worn over time and if I recommend it. I realized that I have a much newer Mudra Wrap in similar fabric and color purchased in early April so I can show you a comparison. I’m happy with both purchases and use them frequently. My Chai is well worn, enough that I probably wouldn’t sell it on the exchange, but I still like to wear it a lot and I expect that a fine knit like this would show some wear over time. I really love wearing the Chai over top of a Modern Racer Tank and when I feel like wearing something a bit more put together then a sweatshirt but not quite dressy my Chai Pullover or Mudra Wrap are my go to items. None of my knits have snagged or developed holes but there is a fuzziness to the Chai Pullover as well as some pills under the arm which I pick off occasionally. Again, shedding and fuzzing is something I expect with a knit so I’m not fussed by this at all.

I wash all of my clothes using Country Save Powdered Laundry Detergent ever since I experimented with cloth diapers and learned about maintaining absorbency and wicking properties in fabrics. It’s a low residue, zero fragrance (which takes some getting used to), zero optical whitener powdered detergent and it washes clothing beautifully for dirt cheap and is adaptable to HE front loaders. Low residue detergent is really the key for preserving fabrics and maintaining moisture wicking qualities so I’m pretty married to using this detergent with all of my clothes. It doesn’t hurt that this detergent is also dirt cheap. Anyways, I also wash my delicate knits all together, occasionally with things like my Pima or Vitasea Modern Tanks and Tee’s, and keep my Mudra Wrap and Chai Pullover in a mesh bag and then lay flat to dry on a wire laundry drying rack. My point is that I’m as careful in the washing of my fabrics as is possible so this is a pretty reliable measure for you.

Overall I would say that the Chai is definitely worth getting if you love the style and aren’t fussed by a bit of shedding in the knit and are willing to wash it carefully.  If your someone that likes your clothes to be pristine and perfect after several washes then the fuzzing and pilling in the underarm may bother you. I love wearing my grey Chai over my Pink Mist  or Tango Red Modern Racer Tanks.

Chai Time Pullover Static Dark Classic Sports Grey

This image has been altered using ‘clarity’ setting on my iphone so it’s not super accurate as far as lighting goes but it’s made the pills in the underarm more visible and you can see the fuzzing over the front of the shirt. Chai Pullover on the left and Mudra is on the right and although the Mudra Wrap is not as fresh as the day I purchased it, the knit is still tight and has minimal fuzzing and shedding.  

This is an unaltered photo with the Chai Pullover on the left and the Mudra Wrap on the right. You can see a bit of the fuzzing on the Chai. The worst fuzzing is across the bust and in the underarms. I don’t think I would trust a depiller to remove the fuzzed fabric on a fine knit so I pick the pills of myself and smooth down the fuzzy areas with my hands. Static tents to make it worse but I don’t use fabric softeners and the sweater doesn’t look sloppy when it’s on so I’m not bothered by it. 

I tried on the Waltz Pants (retail for $98) today fully expecting not to like them. I saw them in store yesterday and there were things that sort of turned me off of them and so I poo-pooed them and didn’t give them a fair chance. The things that turned me off at first were the unfineshed edges on the bottom hem and at the bottom edge of the waist fabric. It’s basically a raw edge with a surge seam over it which makes it look really casual, especially since these are luon light and not the regular weight luon used in Still Pants or Relaxed Fit Pants.  I was worried that the waist would be really lose fitting, sag down or just not feel supportive enough around my waist so that it would stay put. The pants are reversible so the waist panel fabric is not stitched down so you are able to flip it around the other way and adjust how it sits on you. I also didn’t care for the Canvas Print on these ones that I tried on but I wanted to see what the waist fabric looked like in stark contrast against the black pants so thats why I chose those to try on. Also, I thought these pants had the hidden cinch cord at the bottom that lets you adjust the length into crops or to save you from getting them hemmed but they actually do not.

As soon as I tried these on I was in love. I found the waist very comfortable and supportive enough that I don’t think I would be constantly hiking them up. I tried them on in a size 8 and I’m between an 8 and a 10 in bottoms (10 in Wunder Unders and Wunder Grooves, 8 in Pique Grooves Relaxed Fit Pants and Lulu Pants). I found the large panel of contrast fabric at the waist really, really flattering and feminine. Sadly I’m wearing a non lulu loose fitting shirt that doesn’t allow you to see how lovely the waist of these pants look, but with a Cool Racerback, Power Y or Modern Racer the waist of these will accentuate a curvy waist and flatter large and small hips alike by creating balance. I really like how the band at the waist balances your lower half with a slightly flared leg. The pants were very long on me and would need to be hemmed so that you see the full affect of the flared leg but I wanted to show you these pants on a fuller figure without yoga proportions. I ended up passing on these today because I didn’t get to try on the blurred grey/coal version or the solid black which are the ones I most like. I would love to see these in black with a pink mist waist. The Blurred Grey/Coal may go on my Upload Thursday wish list.

There is no adjustable hem on these pants so this picture shows the additional fabric used to create a knot. 

I really like this color in the pants. This picture came in my product alerts today but when I click on the image it took me back to the Lulu website and not the product description page. 

Run: Split Shorts

Description

• This short-length, low rise technical running short was made for winning marathons!
• Ultra light swift is wicking, quick drying & breathable – virtually weightless
• Soft wicking ultra light liner
• New lightweight smooth, wide waistband with anti-stink circle mesh against your skin
• Continuous drawcord
• Storage! Secure back zipper pocket & 2 gel pockets on the front
• Undo the button to increase mobility
• Chafe-resistant – flat seams