This is the last part to my Athleta Fit Review.  I noticed that the Athleta store was merchandised by category, which had a nice flow to the store.  I don’t think Lululemon categorizes in that way.  So, towards the back of the store near the dressing rooms, I noticed a section for vacation and travel wear.  I thought it be nice to wear casual clothes made from performance fabric and crafted for comfort.  I selected a couple of pants and tops to try.

TRIBECA CROP PANT, PACIFICA WRAP TANK AND AVENUE JACKET

Lately, I’ve been wearing a lot of wide leg pants because they are comfortable, cool and forgiving.  Sometimes it’s nice to not feel constricted since I practically live in my tights.  I liked the fact that the Tribeca Crop Pant was a dressier style.  It is made from recycled poly and is very lightweight and cool to the touch.  I initially grabbed a size 2, which is my TTS, but it was too big.  The sales associate suggested I try on the size O.  It fit better but was still a bit loose in the waist.  From the front, I thought the pants were fine.  The problem occurred when I looked behind.  For whatever reason, the cut of the pant made it look like I had a wedgie.  I could pull it down for a second but the minute I moved, the pant would creep up my backside.  That is the reason you don’t have a photo from the back; I was too embarrassed to upload it.  Despite the way the back fit, this would be a no for me because I don’t think the sizing was right and it didn’t look great.

I thought the Pacifica Wrap Tank was very nice.  I didn’t realize it at the time but this tank can be packed down into the pocket located in the back.  This tank has UPF protection and is a to/fro top for swimming and other water activities.  I thought the side ruching was very flattering and the fit was nice.  This tank is TTS.

The Avenue Jacket was a last minute grab on the way into the dressing room.  I noticed Lululemon recently uploaded a similarly designed jacket, The Find Your Flock Jacket.  I was drawn to the Avenue Jacket because of the lightweight material, simple design and drawstring hem.  This jacket is made of recycled poly.  I tried on my TTS but I think I should have tried on a size down.  This jacket was just ok for me.  Maybe it was too simple.  I’m not sure if I like the collarless aspect of it.  I’m going to try on the Find Your Flock Jacket so I have a real comparison.  I think for a lightweight jacket, I prefer the length of the Lululemon version.  But for those of you that like longer jackets (and a lower price point), this may just do the trick.  Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of the tag.  The Avenue Jacket is $98 USD.

CHELSEA CARGO PANT

After the disappointing side cargo pocket of the Lululemon version, I thought I’d try a cargo pant from Athleta.  The Chelsea Cargo Pant‘s cargo pocket placement was better than Lululemon’s Move Lightly Pant.  (See my fit review here).  It also did not bulge out.  But that the was the only positive about this pant.  The fit was all wrong.  I tried on my TTS and it was way too big in the waist and hip area but the legs were slim cut.  The sales associate advised that a size 0 was probably the right size.  While it fit better in the waist, it was still cut funny around the lower abdomen and hips.  It created a belly bulge where there was none.  No one wants that!  The worst part of the pant was the back.  For me, the pocket placement was all wrong.  Worse than the Tribeca Crop Pant, no amount of tugging down got rid of the wedgie.  (At least the Tribeca Pant didn’t have back pockets and the legs were wide so the wedgie didn’t creep up as much around my toosh).  I uploaded the picture because until you see it, you won’t understand how bad the fit was.  (This is me taking one for the team!)  While Lululemon’s cargo side pocket placement didn’t work for me, the overall fit of the pant was much better.  This is a definitely no.

CHELSEA WIDE LEG PANT, MARINWOOD POPLIN SHIRT AND REVIVE TANK

The Chelsea Wide Leg Pant was the best one I tried on; and for the style, it was priced reasonably at $89 USD.  Lululemon’s similarly designed wide leg pant, The Noir Pant, is priced $30 higher.  (I do love my Noir Pant.  See my fit review here).  This pant is made from recycled poly and has UPF protection.  It was cool to the tough and had a nice drape to it.  For these types of relaxed fit pants, my TTS is a size 0 not a 2.  I tried on both sizes and because of Athleta’s generous sizing, the size 0 fit better.  In the Noir Pant, I’m a TTS size 4.  It’s worth noting that Altheta’s sizing is fairly consistent across all types of pieces; it’s just me getting used to what my Athleta TTS is.  I still haven’t figured it out.  With Lululemon, I can look at the item and guess fairly accurately what items need to be sized down, stay TTS or size up.  Unfortunately, I’m just not there yet with Athleta.  Out of everything I tried on at Athleta, I think the Chelsea Wide Leg Pant was the item I liked most.

Because I’m always envious that my husband having the option to wear Lululemon button down shirts, I quickly grabbed Athleta’s women’s version.  The Marinwood Poplin Shirt probably wasn’t the right “dress shirt” for me to try.  I generally need a more tailored and structured dress shirt.  And if it’s supposed to be a relaxed fit, I need a softer cotton shirt (not texture/feel but stiffness).  Athleta only had this shirt in an XS.  I think I needed an XXS to get a real idea of the fit.  In any event, I don’t think this shirt did much for me and I felt like I was wearing my husband’s dress shirt.  Unfortunately, I again didn’t take a picture of the tag but this shirt is priced at $69 USD, which is a reasonable price for a dress shirt.  I think taller ladies can rock this shirt.  It’s a nice vacation shirt.  It just didn’t work for me.

The Revive Tank is made from very soft modal.  Because it was such a lightweight modal, I thought it might be a bit sheer but it was not.  This is a great lounging tank and the double strap made an otherwise plain tank a little more interesting.  I’d consider getting this tank in another color.  This tank is TTS and slim fitting but the modal is very forgiving.  It’s not tight like Lululemon’s luon and nulu CRBs.  (Just so you know, Lululemon has 3 colors in a full size run in the original CRBs.)

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