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LULULEMON FIT REVIEW: REJUVENATE WRAP TRANSFORMATIONAL, STILL MOVEMENT WRAP AND DAY TRIPPER DRESS

by May 22, 2018

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LULULEMON FIT REVIEW

I know these items are older items but I recall there being some interest in them. I was slightly interested in relaxed wraps because I saw a friend wearing one and it looked cute on her.

REJUVENATE WRAP/SCARF TRANSFORMATIONAL

I really liked the way the Rejuvenate Wrap draped on the hanger so I grabbed it to try on. And it was pink. I’ve never tried one of these wraps on so I wasn’t quite sure how to wear it. So, I went for the most obvious way. It was a lot longer than I expected. I wish there was a way that I could have turned it horizontally so there’d be more wrapping around me, while my arms were in the holes. This way it would be shorter. I’m sure there is a way but I couldn’t figure it out quickly and I didn’t want to read the tag. Although it’s kind of like a blanket wrapped around you, there still was some structure to it. It’s a nice wrap but I’m not sure how many times I would wear it. I hardly wear my On the Go Poncho, which you can find on eBay here.

STILL MOVEMENT WRAP

The Still Movement Wrap is more functional for me but it’s not really a wrap, which is what I was looking for. It actually looked better than I expected. I really like the different knit patterns and how lightweight it was. The back slits draped nicely (when my arms were down) and didn’t open up much (when my arms were up). It did feel like you were wearing a wrap because there was no constricting waistband or front closure. It’s an option but with warmer weather coming, it’s not something I’d buy right now at full price.

DAY TRIPPER DRESS

The Day Tripper Dress is a very roomy TTS. I’m fairly sure most of you will size down in this dress. This would probably be a good dress to wear to/fro the beach/pool. Tee shirt dresses don’t really work for me because it gives me no shape. And because it’s cotton, it doesn’t drape like modal, rayon or other materials would. What I really liked about this dress was the back. The back cut out gave an otherwise plain dress an interesting detail. I think it would look cute over a bathing suit or a strappy bra. One thing is for sure, this dress was really, really comfortable. I would definitely lounge around in this dress. I just wish it were a v-neck.

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May 22, 2018 4 comments

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LULULEMON FIT REVIEW: LULULEMON LAB CAPSULE — SWERVE TIGHT, UNION TANK, MITRA PARKA, ENFOLD SHORT AND ATLIN DRESS

by May 16, 2018

written by

I was drawn to a corner of the store because there was a small Lululemon Lab capsule of muted colors with different textured fabric. When I approached, I felt the material and was very interested in the fabric. An Ed approached me and said, “You’ve found our Lululemon Lab collection! We’re the only other store in the United States carrying it.” Apparently, Lululemon Lab can only be found in Vancouver or New York City. During my Google search, it was hard to find official Lululemon links describing Lululemon Lab. The main page only lists the two locations. The Ed told me that Lululemon Lab is a collaboration of high-fashion designers and Lululemon designers creating athleisure wear in the “lab”. The collection is NOT technical athletic gear. It is purely streetwear. She also told me the special fabric, Cupro, is exclusive to the Lululemon Lab collection. You will not find the fabric in any other Lululemon gear. The capsule in Santa Monica was very limited. I believe I tried on everything except for the regular length tank. It didn’t seem interesting enough to me.

GENERAL LULULEMON LAB CAPSULE COMMENTS

The Lululemon Lab collection is TTS and consistent with Lululemon’s athletic gear sizing. So, if the item looks like a roomy, relaxed TTS, pick the size you’d wear in similar Lululemon styles. The collection looked like urban athleisure streetwear because of the colors, which was pretty much shades of black and grey. The Cupro fabric is silky soft and has a very nice hand feel. It is lightweight and something that feels nice against the skin. There is some elasticity to the fabric but no compression at all. So, don’t try Lululemon Lab thinking you’re going to get the same compression as Full-On Luxtreme. The stretchiness feels more like regular leggings or pantyhose. One thing I noticed about Cupro was it did not slide on as easily in form fitted items. It sort of stuck to your skin so you had to pull and smooth.

I could not find any links to purchase Lululemon Lab online directly from Lululemon. It appears these are in store items only. So, if you are interested in any of the items I tried on, you will have to ask for a phone sale or go to Santa Monica (for the limited capsule) or the Lululemon Lab stores in Vancouver and NYC. I did find several Lululemon Lab items on eBay. Here’s the link to the eBay Lululemon Lab page, or see Lululemon Lab eBay selection at the bottom of this post.

Aside from the fact that this collection is not athletic gear, the most shocking thing to me was the price point. I could not believe how expensive they were! For the price point, you could get designer athleisure streetwear with more style. In all honesty, I don’t really understand the collaboration with fashion designers and Lululemon technical gear designers. It didn’t have the clear design of fashion and it didn’t have the value of technical fabric and design. I thought is was a melding of the weakest attributes from both worlds.

The reason why Santa Monica got a small capsule of Lululemon Lab items was to test the market. I’m not sure how well it will do, even in a fashion city like Los Angeles. I approached the section because it looked different than the usual Lululemon. Once I saw the prices, I wanted to walk away. The only reason why I grabbed anything was to try them on for you! If I was going to spend that much money on fairly simple pieces, I’m going to buy designer clothes. I think the fact that several of the Lululemon Lab pieces (brand new with tag) were priced below retail is an indication of what the general Lululemon connoisseurs feel about it. It’s either that or the capsule Santa Monica received were items priced at the high end rather than low or mid-range. I was surprised to see low markups, if any, considering the pieces are hard to get items unless you live in Vancouver or NYC. Then again, the Lululemon Lab pieces on eBay may reflect a broader spectrum of offerings than what I was privity to in Santa Monica.

union tank and swerve tight front

SWERVE TIGHT AND UNION TANK

I was drawn to the tight because of the mesh detailing and when I felt it, I wanted to try it on. Cupro is very soft and silky feeling. This tight was TTS and slightly long. I had difficulty pulling them on because the fabric was sticking to me. I had to do a lot of pulling and smoothing to make the tight look nice and even on my legs. And even then, it still bunched in areas. It’s not like pulling up regular Lululemon tights. The waistband was slightly higher than the usual high rise tights. The seam details were typical Lululemon but the location of the mesh insert had a different “fashion” feel to it. More like the edgy streetwear-ish designs of Alo Yoga. It’s sort of a cross between Alo Yoga’s Coast Legging, Elevate Leggings and Set Leggings. These leggings felt like I wasn’t wearing much but different than the “naked” feeling of Nulu. I think because the fabric pulled differently than Nulu; it didn’t move with you as seamlessly. These tights will definitely not hide any lumps and bumps. I was surprised with the $158 USD price tag considering it was made from Cupro, which is found in many clothing items. The one nice thing is that Cupro is made from recycled cotton waste.

I picked the Union Tank over the regular length tank (which was a relaxed fit and simple scoop neck design) because it was a mesh tank. It reminded me of a designer mesh tank I purchased. I thought since it was Lululemon, I’d be able to wear it to my sweaty workouts. Unfortunately, not. This tank was TTS. I think I would have preferred it in a regular length rather than cropped length. I liked this tank because it was a true mesh, like the Mesh on Mesh Jacket reviewed by Cristina here and the Mesh on Mesh Pop Over reviewed by me here. But the fact that it’s not technical fabric, wouldn’t work for me. And the $88 USD price was outrageous. (Please excuse the odd look I created because I wasn’t wearing a better bra. I wanted to be comfortable so I wore a bandeau top under the tank I wore shopping).

Lululemon Lab Capsule - Mitra Parka

MITRA PARKA

The Mitra Parka was the reason why I went to the Lululemon Lab corner of the store. I was drawn to the color of the fabric. Imagine military camo with all the colors mixed to create a single color — not quite brown or green or tan. (My pictures don’t really capture the color well). It was also an uneven pigment with splotches of brownish black. The color had a really nice texture to it. This jacket is oversized, as a parka should be. This is my TTS and I probably could have sized down. But the shoulders and sleeve length seemed to fit right. Although I don’t think there would have been much of a difference in a size down. I thought the front of the Mitra Parka looked overwhelming and boxy on me. It’s probably because of the big square pockets from my waist to my hips. There is an inside drawstring to cinch in the waist, which I did but was un-noticeable from the front. The Mitra Parka looked much better from the back. I actually thought it looked cute. When I looked at the price tag I gasped! It was $428 USD!!! Obviously, it’s a definite no for me. If I’m going to spend that kind of money, I need something that’s more functional for Los Angeles. Now, if Lululemon made an asymmetrical, cropped moto jacket with this fabric and color, I’d probably be all over it.

Lululemon Lab Capsule - Enfold Short

ENFOLD SHORT

I was interested in the Enfold Short because it was a short that looked like a skirt. Ahhh . . . remember the skort days? Although at the time it was popular, I wasn’t interested because I thought it was for *old* ladies. I guess I’ve become an *old* lady now. LOL. This short is TTS. It was ok; nothing special about it. If I were to wear casual shorts, this wouldn’t be a style I’d pick. And if I wanted a skirt look, I’d just wear a skirt. Although I think there’s definitely some ladies out there that could rock this short and style it well. Perhaps if I had another top (nothing in the store would have made it work) I might have liked it better. But for an odd short, I definitely wouldn’t pay $108 USD.

Lululemon Lab Capsule - Atlin Dress

ATLIN DRESS

The Atlin Dress had potential if I could make it into another dress. Hahaha! What I liked about it was the looseness, length and fabric. What I didn’t like was the mock turtleneck. What’s the point of having a mock turtleneck on a sleeveless dress? If it’s warm enough to wear sleeveless, I don’t want anything covering my neck. I think this dress would have been much better if it was a v-neck shift dress with the shoulders cut in a bit. The Cupro fabric drapes really well. Even though I think I should have sized down in this dress, I didn’t think it looked overly big on me because of the way the fabric draped. For $168 USD, there are much better casual dresses out there!

Find More Lululemon Lab Items on eBay Right Here:

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May 16, 2018 23 comments

The Best Anti-Aging Skincare Line! Colleen Rothschild

by Cristina May 16, 2018

written by Cristina

Colleen Rothschild Friends & Family Sale for 25% off with code FRIENDS25

Sale good through 5/20

I’m often asked what skincare I use, especially when people find out I have rosacea. I am extremely, extremely picky about skincare and I’m very careful. Many of you know that I love my Deciem and have mostly been using those products for the past two years for skincare, I really credit it for taming my skin issues (along with my occasional use of my prescription when I have severe flare-ups). Thankfully my rosacea is currently under control so I’m now really focused on finding the best anti-aging skincare for me and my 38 year old skin, and I’m open to carefully sampling other things. I’m nerdy about ingredients so when I got to see the products in person at the blogger conference I went to last month, I was really blown away by some of the ingredients. BHA and AHA, copper peptides, silver, salicylic acid, retinol… I was initially drawn in by the cleansing balm which I had heard a lot about (and my skin LOVES cleansing balms), but I was so impressed by the other products. I really loved the product lineup. Because of my skin issues, I don’t get to sample a lot of expensive skincare and sometimes even really excellent skincare just doesn’t play well with my skin. Its very problematic spending money on something that ultimately won’t work for you, not just because you have to deal with returns but because the aftermath of bad reactions can take weeks to heal. Most of the brands at this conference were giving samples of products out so I was expecting a little jar of something or other to try out with Colleen Rothschild, but when I got to talking with the rep and told her about my skin issues she started helping me pick out product after product to try. I was gifted a HUGE bag of full-size products which is honestly the best way to test out a full line for a long period of time. They gave me so much product that I was 1lb away from having to pay additional fees on my luggage at the airport, even though I packed very light. I was just blown away by their generosity and kindness, especially knowing that all these products may very well not work for me which would mean I probably wouldn’t post about them – and so it was really about ME trying the line and making sure it worked for ME. This post is not at all sponsored by them, I just got to try their products for free and really love them.

I’ve been dutifully testing out these products this past month and really love all of them. I’ll share my testing notes below. I only had one minor issue with the Extreme Recovery Cream and all the rest of them will be repurchases for me within varying levels of priority.

Take advantage of the Colleen Rothschild Friends & Family sitewide sale!

The Best Anti-Aging Skincare

Extreme Recovery Cream – this one was actually really great as a nighttime rich and healing moisturizer. I loved the texture and it made my skin look amazing in the morning thanks to hyaluronic acid which works to plump up and hydrate your skin, drawing in moisture from the environment around you. My minor issue with it was that it’s so rich that after a week of using it I got a couple of milia spots. They are now gone and I stopped using the cream but I now know it’s too rich for my skin and I probably will try reintroducing it as an occasional nighttime mask instead of a nightly moisturizer. It may not have been the cream but I strongly suspect that it was.
Dual Enzyme Polish – I love a good gentle AHA exfoliator. I can use glycolic acid and salicylic acids occasionally but for frequent use I need gentle AHA. This one is incredible. It smells insanely good, it deep cleanses with gentle mechanical exfoliation and it leaves my skin bright and luminous. I love that this also has comfrey extract which is very soothing for my rosacea. I use a small dab of this on my skin post work out, pre-shower. I like the feeling of really getting the gym sweat off my face and exfoliating at the same time and the cooling comfrey is especially nice after a gross, sweaty workout on a muggy day.
Clarifying Detox Mask – Charcoal masks are THE THING that every skincare brand is doing. It’s an incredibly popular ingredient because it’s detoxifying and binds with toxins and yada yada. I was skeptical that I would like this one because I find charcoal masks kind of basic, and also really messy. They dry hard on your skin and just feel icky and I’m always really dry after. This one is so great though and I love it. I’ve used it three times now and the texture is really different from other charcoal masks I’ve tried. It’s somehow hydrating? It has glycolic acid, charcoal and micro silver so it really cleans out your pores and resurfaces your skin (thanks to the glycolic) I’m not generally a mask person but this one is probably the first thing I’m going to repurchase. It fills a void in my skincare arsenal and it’s so pleasant to use. It also has a really cooling feeling on the skin which is great when you have rosacea. Rosacea skin tends to flush and run warm. If you like masks, and you like charcoal, this is a mask you have to try.
Retinol Supreme Eye Serum – I’ve tried eye creams before and haven’t really gotten into using them regularly. I have a few from Deciem I use when I need to remedy something but otherwise, I hate the feeling of lotion around my eyes and don’t feel they do much. I really loved the sticky gel texture of this one. It felt like the retinol really stayed on my skin and it felt hydrating. I wake up with a noticeable difference with this one when I use it and I like that the retinol is doing some long-term skin correcting, not just providing a temporary plumping. If you like a gel/serum type of eye product, you will like this one. If you prefer an undereye lotion/moisturizer type of product, they have this one as well. I prefer serums.
Radiant Cleansing Balm – I firmly believe that switching to cleansing balms as my skin cleanser has been the most important skincare change I made concerning my rosacea. It’s the most gentle way to cleanse your skin and the easiest and least damaging way to take off makeup and sunscreen. I love this one and really love that it comes with a muslin cloth. In my cleansing balm research, I’ve heard a ton about this one by Colleen Rothschild and it’s one of their best sellers. If you have sensitive skin, acne, rosacea, dry skin, eczema, I really urge you to start using a balm cleanser instead of a soap based cleanser.
Beauty N 9 Face Oil – I regrettably did not get a sample of this product but I also really love face oils. This is one of their best sellers and I really want to order it with my charcoal mask.
Age Renewal Super Serum -This serum is fantastic. It’s full of peptides and has copper in it which I’ve been loving as an ingredient in my Deciem stuff. Beware of this if you have a copper allergy.

I have a few other products I haven’t gotten to crack into yet. The salyclic acid, the sheer renewal cream and mandelic acid. I’m really looking forward to trying those too!

By the way, CANADIANS, we get free shipping on orders over $199, or a flat rate fee of $19.99.

Shop The Sale Here:

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May 16, 2018 0 comments

The Lululemon Upload

The Lululemon New Product Upload

by Cristina May 15, 2018

written by Cristina

“The Lululemon New Product Upload is live!

This past weeks posts (lots!): The Lululemon Australia Upload, Fitting Room Try-Ons at Anthropologie, Athleta Fit Review Part 2, Athleta Fit Review Part 1, Lululemon Everywhere Bag in Quicksand Review

Currently in a very frustrating situation with Lululemon over my attempted order of the Love Crew III. Have you been having issues with check out at all, particularly with PayPal check out?

Apparently, according to Lululemon GEC the Love Crew III in Eton Blue is fully sold out but the website doesn’t show real-time inventory. My paypal funds are now being held for 12 days, and this will also happen to you if you attempt to place an order for an item that is sold out, but the inventory is not updated on the website in real time.
This was Lululemon’s statement to me: “Unfortunately the item is out of stock and that’s why it bounced. Our inventory doesn’t update in real time, so the website hasn’t updated. I’m so sorry.”

So, shoppers beware!

On Pace Crop On Pace Crop Sun Dazed Multi Blue

On Pace Tight

Wunder Under Hi Rise Tight Sun Dazed Multi Blue

Define Jacket

Lululemon Define Jacket

Ebb To Street Tank

Ebb To Street Tank Lululemon Ebb To Street Tank

Lucid Lime Cool Racerback

Lululemon Cool Racerback

Lucid Lime Speed Up Short

Fast & Free Tight

Fast And Free 7/8 Tight II

Love Crew II Eton Blue

On Pace Long Sleeve

Lululemon On Pace Long Sleeve

Such A Cinch Jacket

Will The Wave Long Sleeve One Piece

Will The Wave Long Sleeve One Piece Eternal Wave Starlight Black

Ahead By Miles SS (Mrs. O did a fit review of this here)

All Tied Up Expression Tank

All Tied Up Tank Expression

Speed Up Crop Ruby Red

May 15, 2018 18 comments

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The Lululemon Australia Upload

by Cristina May 15, 2018

written by Cristina

The Lululemon Australia Upload sneak peek is live! Last weeks Lululemon Australia post is here. Lots of sneak peeks here. I’m loving the blue Sun Dazed Multi Print. We also have another new digitally placed floral print which is beautiful. I suspect both of these prints will be on today’s North American uploads.

Don’t forget to read Mrs. O’s post on Athleta part 1, and Athleta part 2 try-ons if you’ve been curious about her thoughts on the brand. She has part a 3 coming soon AND a Lululemon Lab fit review as well! Those posts will likely be up tomorrow after today’s upload posts.

Shop The Australia Lululemon Upload
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May 15, 2018 1 comment

fashion fashion & style Fit Review nordstrom Uncategorized

Fitting Room Try-Ons at Anthropologie: The Embroidered Peasant Blouse Trend

by Cristina May 14, 2018

written by Cristina

I LOVE The Embroidered Peasant Blouse Trend. It just suits my casual vibe so well. I love a pretty, feminine, eye-catching embroidered detailing and I love a cool and airy top that’s perfect for summer. I’ve always loved embroidery detailing so this is a trend I’m fully on board with and will wear the hell out of it for this spring/summer season, and wear it year after year whether or not it’s on trend.

Fun fact about me. I also used to really love Anthropologie. I loved it so much that I started a blog for it alongside my lulumum blog. It was so hard tending to two separate blogs though (one for fitness apparel and one for Anthropologie items) and then if I loved another brand where did I share that info on? I’m really glad that I’ve evolved this blog over the past few years into something that is much more me and encompasses all of my fashion interests, athletic or otherwise. I’ve really been enjoying sharing different content alongside the fitness stuff. And I love that we now have Mrs. O contributing her fashion interests as well!

This fitting room try-on at Anthropologie was done on two separate trips. I managed to stop in yesterday after my mother’s day brunch because the store was right across from the restaurant, and they had a sale going on. And my husband and kids were feeling indulgent.

Perennial Blouse

This top caught my eye, and I grabbed it, put it down, grabbed it, decided I wasn’t going to get it, decided I would, the lineup was too long so I put it back. I put it back because the one I tried on was a slightly too small for me (it was a 10, I typically go between a 10 and 12 at anthro). The reviews online say this top fits small and very snug in the arms and I would say that’s true based on the size too small I tried on. It wasn’t uncomfortably snug in the arms but I felt like for summer I’d probably want a bit of extra movement and looseness. It was definitely a tad shorter than I prefer though so the 12 would have been the right size. Unfortunately, the store was sold out of 12’s, and when I got home to check online it was sold out of all sizes. I was able to locate a 14 after patient online stocking (bookmark any of these tops if they are sold out, but you want them. They keep popping in and out of sizes, even after a month). I’m worried that the size up will be too big and boxy so it may be a return once it arrives, but the 12 hasn’t popped up online yet. This top is cotton which is lovely for summer, and the colors are so vibrant and beautiful. I often get fixated on design details and lately it’s been the combination of green and pink (Remember this dress?). I’ve also been fixated on paint splatter prints and polka dots, and black and white embroidery. This blouse was my top pick from yesterdays try-ons.

** update! The size 14 just arrived and it fits perfectly. I’m actually really surprised it’s a 14 because it’s not much different from the 10. Slightly longer and the sleeves are perfect. I’d be curious to see how the 12 fits in comparison since the shift between 10 and 14 is so slight. I definitely recommend sizing up in this since it doesn’t look oversized or boxy like I worried it would.

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Adelina Embroidered Blouse

This top was my TTS 12 and I although I didn’t absolutely fall in love with it on the hangar, it had that black/white contrast embroidery I like so much so I grabbed it. The fit was very flattering on. That deep v and flutter sleeve really brings the eye up to the bust line and away from a pear shape. I’m not sure why this top didn’t make the final cut for me at checkout other than I really gravitated to the green one. This is something I’ve bookmarked for markdown watch though. By the way, I use Shoptagr for sale alerts.

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Bisbee Embroidered Top

This top is GORGEOUS! I tried it on in Dallas and it’s still available online. I’d say this one was a top pick, except for the price. The price point is slightly higher than all the other tops I’ve tried on so I definitely need this one to go on sale – but I love it. This was a size 10 and it fit just fine.

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Victoria Embroidered Cami

This is another top I tried on in Dallas. I fell in love with it but didn’t want to pay USD prices on it while on vacation (and spending on other things like meals and transportation). I figured I’d check to see if the Canadian stores had it, but when I did, I saw that it was sold out everywhere. It’s since popped back online though so I want to snatch it up. The reason I love this top so much is that it’s identical to a short sleeve blouse I got from anthro two years ago (I wear it a ton). The embroidery and background is all the same (natural white with contrasted black embroidery), the only difference is this is the cami version and it has cute little pom poms at the bottom. The size 10 fit fine, as did the 12. I was pretty torn on sizing. I think I’d go with a 10 (12 shown here) because the straps were just right.

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Embroidered Fable Top

This top was one I got from my last Pretty Flowey Tops For Summer post, although I tried it on in another colorway. Again, I didn’t purchase it in store but then later regretted it. When I saw that it was on sale online I went ahead and ordered it. I ended up finding out I had a credit at Nordstrom (over paid my Nordstrom card at some point) so that made it an easy decision. This is a size L, and it fits a bit oversized. I like the size though because it makes it a super cool and breezy shirt. I love that I can dress it up with jeans and these pretty wedges (purchased here), or denim shorts and flip-flops. I wore it both ways this weekend and felt really casual yet put together.

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So that’s it! Lots of peasant top options to wear to all those summer BBQ’s and while out on vacation, or while imagining you are on vacation somewhere.

Shop the Embroidered Peasant Blouse Trend here:

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May 14, 2018 17 comments

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ATHLETA FIT REVIEW (Part 2): TROPHY SEAMLESS 7/8 TIGHT, TROPHY SEAMLESS BRALETTE, ECLIPSE 7/8 TIGHT, CHAKRA 7/8-SCALLOP BRA, MESH CHI TANK AND MINDSET VEST

by May 11, 2018

written by

Welcome to Part 2 of my Athleta Fit Review! Athleta Review Part 1 is here. I only tried on two tights, two bras, one tank and a vest. This is where I need your help. If there’s a particular tight or pattern you’d like me to try, leave it in the comment section. I know there are a lot of tank and bra options but I didn’t have the energy to grab more. Again, if you have requests for tanks and tops, let me know. Athleta was the last store I went to (end of the Promenade). I think next time I’ll have to start at Athleta and work my way south on the Promenade.

TROPHY SEAMLESS 7/8 TIGHT AND TROPHY SEAMLESS BRALETTE

I picked the Trophy Tight and Trophy Bralette because it reminded me of Lululemon’s Reveal Tight and Reveal Crop Top. The material and construction were very similar. The main difference was the thickness of the fabric. It is definitely more opaque than the Lululemon Reveal Tight. It had a smooth feel to it and felt comfortable. Had I seen the Trophy Tank, I might have tried that on instead of the Trophy Bralette. I tend not to wear tops like that. I think I liked the Trophy Bralette better than the Trophy Tight. Although the tight is 7/8 length, it is quite long and fit me like a full length tight. I stayed TTS in both items. They are both made of recycled nylon, which is an added bonus. But I wonder if it’s one of the reasons why the material feels hotter to me than Lululemon. This style of tight is not something I gravitate towards, which is the reason why I don’t wear Lululemon’s Reveal Tights. But for those of you that like Reveal Tights, you might enjoy these tights as well.

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ECLIPSE 7/8 TIGHT, CHAKRA 7/8 BRA – SCALLOP BRA AND MESH CHI TANK

I selected the Eclipse 7/8 Tight because it reminded me of Lululemon’s Inspire Tight/Crop (which I love). The Eclipse Tight is made of a sweat-wicking, slightly compressive fabric (similar to Luxtreme but less compressive and slightly hotter). It also has UPF protection, which is definitely a great bonus. I liked the fit of these tights but the front pocket drove me nuts. In the close up of the tight, there’s a crease where the inside pocket flap overlaps the actual pocket. (I don’t know if a top pocket flap is necessary. I’ve never had problems with front inside pockets that didn’t have an overlapping top flap.) No amount of straightening would make the waistband smooth. The back of the waistband also wouldn’t stay smooth. I think if it had more compression, the waistband would smooth out.

For some reason, on the Athleta website, the bra is only searchable as the Scallop Bra. Because the bra I tried on didn’t have cups inside, I didn’t want to upload a picture of the front. Let’s just say the ladies were perky! There was ventilation at the front center of the bra where you would sweat; so I thought that was a nice feature. This is definitely a light support bra for low impact activities. I like the way it looked in the back. I stayed TTS in this bra, which is an XS (32D cup).

I was drawn to the light pink color (Ballerina Gown) of the Mesh Chi Tank. The fabric of this tank is very similar to the fabric of the Sculpt Tank. It also has UPF protection. I stayed TTS is this tank. I thought this was a nice tank that was flattering on me. I particularly liked the mesh in the back. This is definitely a tank I will consider. The more I think about it, I think I’d purchase an Athleta tank before I purchase a tight.

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MINDSET VEST

I thought this would be a nice sleeveless cover-up to/fro the gym just for an extra layer; that is, until I tried it on! The Mindset Vest is made of modal, which was silky soft and a lighter weight than the Santorini Dress. I tried it on in my TTS but I think I should have sized down to an XXS. But even with a smaller size, I don’t think it would have fit right. The problem for me is the drawstring neck. It was hard to adjust to make the vest would drape well. If I tightened it, it would gather too much and pull the hem awkwardly. If I loosened it, I thought it just looked like a shapeless blanket over my shoulders. I also think the length of the vest was too long for me. I definitely like the idea of a modal vest/cover-up but not this one. What do you think?

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May 11, 2018 13 comments

Uncategorized

ATHLETA FIT REVIEW (Part 1): Santorini High Neck Printed Dress, Santorini High Neck Mix Stripe Dress, Brookfield Dress, and Side Gather T-Shirt Dress

by May 9, 2018

written by

You asked; I answered! I know many of you (especially Canadians) are interested in Athleta and wonder if it’s worth the extra cost to get Athleta items shipped to Canada. To the extent I can help with fit reviews, I’m happy to do it. I spent all day Monday in Santa Monica hitting multiple stores to bring you fit reviews from other brands. So, Cristina and I will be rolling out fit reviews in the near future. We thought we should start with the Athleta Fit Review. I tried on many things and am dividing the post into three by category. The first, dresses. Second, technical gear. Lastly, vacation/streetwear.

By the way, The Adidas Deerupt I reviewed the other day are currently on sale! Click here to buy them on sale>Adidas Deerupt

As you all know, I have yet to purchase an Athleta item. I keep going and trying things on but for some reason, I don’t like anything enough that compels me to make a purchase. So, this is where I will need your help. I don’t check Athleta often and am not “in the know” for the new items. (Although I’m on the email list for special sales and events). When there’s something that interests you, feel free to leave a comment about an item. I’ll do my best to do a fit review in a timely manner.

GENERAL COMMENTS ABOUT FIT

For those of you that are new to Athleta, their sizing runs from XXS to XL or from 00 to 16. Like Gap and Old Navy, I think sizing is generous. During this recent trip, I received sizing guidance from a sales associate. I told her that I wear a Lululemon size 4 and for most other clothing a size XS, S, 2 or 4. Based on my information, she said I would be either a XXS or XS and for numbered clothing size, I would be a 0 or 2. She was very accurate about my size. For bras I am either a XS or S. My bra size is 32D (on the smaller size of the d cup) for reference. Surprisingly, some of the wide legged pants in a 0 were loose on me around the waist and hips. So, if you’re more up and down like me, you should be aware of that fact. While I could have fit into size XXS in tights, my personal preference is to go with an XS. I like to have some wiggle room because depending on the day of the month, I might be up or down in weight. And on the off chance I gain weight, I want to still be able to wear most of my gear without purchasing new gear.

SANTORINI HIGH NECK DRESS — PRINTED AND MIX STRIPE

When I grabbed these two dresses, I didn’t realize they were the same style because they were located in different sections in the store. These are made of sustainable modal with UPF protection. The fabric has a nice weight and hand feel to it. It is an empire cut dress which is flattering on most figures. The only problematic thing may be the high neckline for ladies with a very full cup. I think the shoulders were cut at a nice angle and would flatter most shoulders (wide and narrow). The dress hem hit right above my knees (I’m 5’6″ with short legs). The dress draped nicely around my waist and hips. Because of the weight of the fabric, generous cut and empire waist, this dress would be very forgiving and hide perceived “flaws”. In the Santorini Printed Dress, the store only had a size small, which I thought was too big. I tried on an XS in the Santorini Mix Stripe Dress and I thought that size fit me better. But I think I could have worn either size. I think the print is not as flattering on me because the pattern placement made me look “bigger” than the mix stripe which creates a “thinner” silhouette. For a good quality modal dress, the price is fair. But I don’t know why I’d pay that amount for another designer but not Athleta. The only explanation is I have a bias against spending that much at Athleta. In all honesty, for an out and about dress, I think I can find a better dress at a better price from other brands/designers I wear. This dress isn’t for me but I can imagine many of you liking it.

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BROOKFIELD DRESS

I first tried this dress on in a size XS and the sales associate thought it looked too big on me. Because the lightweight fabric didn’t have “weight” like the modal, this dress didn’t follow my silhouette as much as the size down. So, in the pictures, I’m wearing a size XXS, which would be the size I would get. This dress is made from recycled poly and is perforated for ventilation. This would be a great dress for hot summer days. I would probably get it in a bright color rather than in black but the store didn’t have an XXS in any other color. This dress hit slightly above my knee. Between the two, I think the Santorini Dress is cut better for me but I really liked the lightweight fabric of the Brookfield Dress. If you’re in between sizes, I’d recommend going a size down. However, a size down might be a problem for fuller cup sizes.

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SIDE GATHER T-SHIRT DRESS

I found this dress near the cover-ups because it can be worn as a cover up or a dress. I was drawn to it because of the cinching at the sides. Unfortunately, the smallest size they had was a S. I think I would have gotten the Side Gather T-Shirt Dress in an XXS. Because this dress was two sizes too big, it didn’t “skim across” my body as it was designed to do and it was too long. It is supposed to hit right above the knee. This dress was made from a lighter weight modal so it didn’t feel as “heavy” as the Santorini dress. I like the weight of this dress for summer afternoons. I’d probably prefer the weight of the Santorini Dress for summer evenings. For a dress that can act like a plain cover-up, I thought it was priced too high. I think it’s more reasonable at $79 or $89. I don’t think I’d spend $98 for a dress like this. But on markdown, it would be a consideration for me.

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I had so many items to try on that I didn’t search for more dresses. On this shopping trip, I just grabbed things that were obvious and easy to grab. After perusing Athleta’s website, I may have to go back to try on these dresses:

Draped Crew Dress

Sunlover Hilo UPF Dress

Rincon Dress

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May 9, 2018 44 comments

Lululemon lululemon women’s bags

Lululemon Gym Bag Reviews: Lululemon Everywhere Bag in Quicksand

by Cristina May 9, 2018

written by Cristina

I haven’t done Lululemon Gym Bag Reviews in ages!! It’s been a long time since I’ve purchased a new Lululemon gym bag for work. This small gym sack intrigued me because of the beautiful rose colour.

As I’ve lamented many times, lululemon used to make the most beautiful and functional gym bags. lululemon gym bags came in every design and print possible. I’ve link a few below that I love. Gym bags from the past two years are good too, they aren’t as luxurious as the older styles. lululemon gym bag backpack are still the best there is.

The Everywhere Bag

My video is supposed to show you the zipper smoothness. Hopefully, it works. After the video I have several more detail photos.

First off, the colour of this workout bag is stunning. I want to get the Festival Bag in this colour as well. I have a few Must-Haves on my gym bags list. You can justify a few bags if you also use them as travel bags. You could have a specific airport carry-on bag and a gym-specific bag, which wouldn’t be too crazy. I like my items things to be multipurpose, though. I need to have a padded laptop pocket, not to mention the crossbody strap option. Important is a zippered closure.

Zipper detail

The vast opening at the top zips closed. The zipper at the top is great because it allows some security while travelling. Still, I hate how the zipper design on top sticks out and isn’t integrated into the design. This leaves big gap openings on either side of the bag. An integrated zipper is a much more elegant style.

Pocket details

There is a large zippered pocket on the inside, but there is also a smaller zipper pocket on the laptop sleeve. Water bottle mesh pockets and removable shoe pouch are extra features.

The outside of the bag has a single narrow zip pocket in the front. This is an adorable sized bag for both travel and the gym. The bag accommodates so much stuff!

What fits in this gym bag

Olympic weightlifting shoes

Sneakers

Jump rope

Wrist wraps

Lifting straps

Water bottle

Change of clothes

small gym bag dimensions

The dimensions are: 40cm x 16cm x 30cm (16″ x 8.5″ x 12″) and the volume is 23L. The laptop pocket fits up to a 15″ computer. I wish they used lbs for the bag’s weight (as in, guaranteed to lbs) instead of providing volume measurement.

Some critiques

I don’t love this bag, which coincides with the zipper issue, is the trapezoid shape from the sides. This shape makes the top opening pretty narrow, creating a fair bit of tension on the zipper. My zipper opens fine with only slight stickiness where the zipper wants to curve and buckle. A wider and more structured opening would help the zipper run smoother.

I also wish the crossbody strap was either longer or adjustable. It’s pretty short for a bag this size. While the bag is empty, it’s straightforward to wear this crossbody. Still, as you begin to fill it and take up space , the strap becomes a awkward length.

I like this bag, and I’m considering keeping it. It’s been a long time since a Lululemon gym bag caught my eye. It’s not without a few faults, but they are not deal breakers for me, ink it’s a nice multipurpose bag. If you are looking for bags for gym and work, or specifically a weekend bag by lululemon, this is a great option for you.

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Older Lululemon Gym Bag Styles on eBay
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lululemon gym bags

top 5 women’s gym bag options for you

1. An innovative new lululemon duffel

Barrel Duffle Bag 24L with Mylo™

A beautiful duffel bag that features a woven shoulder strap made from mylo – a faux leather made out of mushrooms! I love the unusual shape of this bag, coupled with the woven faux leather straps.

This product features Mylo™: an innovative material made from renewable mycelium, a.k.a. the underground root system of mushrooms. It looks and feels like leather, and is designed for lower environmental impact

the best lululemon duffel - Barrel Duffle Bag 24L with Mylo

2. Practical bag for gym and work

Quilted Embrace Tote Bag 20L

My number one for gym/work bag combo is the Quilted Embrace Tote. It makes the best bag fo work thanks to how light weight it is, and the elegant quilting. Not only is it cute, but it’s also super functional! Including an interior padded pocket for a large 16” laptop makes it perfection!

best bag for gym and work -lululemon quilted embrace bag

3.The best lululemon back pack

Everyday Backpack 2.0 23L

What makes this backpack the best? Firstly, the fact that it’s water repellant is pretty ingenious. With a trolly compatible sleeve, and a 16” laptop sleeve this bag is teaming with functionality. For those reasons, this back pack also features as a great option for travel.

4. lululemon travel bags are really the best

Wunderlust Backpack 25L

There was a tie between the Everyday Backpack and the Wunderlust Backpack for this spot. We also see the 16” laptop pocket, and water repellent fabric in this bag, but it is comparatively bigger than the Everyday. Another key point is that the wunderlust bag features a lot more external zippered pockets.

5. lululemon gym bag with shoe compartment

City Adventurer Large Duffle Bag 29L

Stylish and functional, and perfect for the gym! Shoe and ‘sweaty things’ bags always came as a bonus with almost every lululemon gym bag. I’m not sure they still offer that feature but some of their bags now have specific compartments for your shoes or dirty gym clothes.

shop bags featured in this guide

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May 9, 2018 12 comments

Zen Garden Multi Wunder Under Hi Rise Tight Mesh

The Lululemon Upload Uncategorized

The Lululemon New Product Upload!

by Cristina May 8, 2018

written by Cristina

The Lululemon New Product is live!

Lots of posts this past week in addition to the Lululemon New Product upload post. Check them out here: Adidas Ultraboost vs. Nike Epic React The Lululemon Upload Lululemon Fit Review Pretty Flowy Tops For Summer Lululemon Store Photos Platform Wedge Sandals

So far I’ve ordered the new Get Going Dress. Mostly because it goes up to a 12 and I always found I wanted to size up in past clingy dresses from Lululemon and they NEVER come in a 12. I don’t have my hopes up that I’ll like the fit of this one on me since it’s NULU and a clingy design that doesn’t flare out much, but the fact that I can size up in it is fantastic. It will go so well with my new platform wedge sandals that I just wrote about. The other item I ordered is the In Movement Crops in Deep Coal (not new). If you’ve been following me on social media you will see that I’ve started back at the gym full force, and I’ve fallen in love with my In Movement Crops. Mostly because they don’t constantly slide down on me like my Fast & Free Crops, they are just as soft and silky, they are breathable and cool, they have none of that mesh paneling nonsense. I just love them. I also have a gym hack where I put out 4-5 complete gym outfits on my dresser so that in the morning I can’t decide not to go because I don’t have time to sort out my clothes. My pile of gym outfits is missing another pair of neutral In Movement Crops. Purchase justified!