I really love a great Lulu- like find at places like Old Navy. I was originally disappointed that the Cabin Tee Long Sleeve in Black Swan wasn’t going to work out for me so I was on the look-out for a long sleeve tee with the same casual look as lululemon and the same softness as the Pima cotton so that I can layer it under things like Scuba’s or Wraps. I was surprised to see these crew-necks (almost a boatneck really) on the Old Navy website and went out in search of them at local stores to see if I could feel the fabric before buying. I sadly didn’t find them in store and since Old Navy was having a 25% off sale online I decided to place my first website order from them. Little did I know that Lulu would be releasing these new Ombre Stripe Cabin’s on Monday which I ended up really loving so I was all set to return these Old Navy ones as soon as they arrived but I ended up really loving them also and the soft jersey fabric was the winning factor. 

The shipping process was super fast and the items arrived 4 business days earlier than quoted. For $16.49 they are a really great alternative to Lululemon’s $68 version. They are TTS but if you want the same casual relaxed fit of the Cabin ii then I would size up one or even two depending on how relaxed you’d like it, especially for more arm and torso length. I have mummy tummy to contend with so I will probably layer a white Modern Racer Tank under this if I wear them with my jeans since they are a little sheerer than the Cabin which has two layers. I could return these for a size up but that means ordering online and waiting and I can’t be bothered. Muffin top be damned! One thing I really love about these is that the jersey material feels exactly like my Chirp Lux Remix only silkier. I also really love the contrasting stitch on these and the high cuffs at the wrist which is what I miss from the original Lululemon Cabins. The only thing this is really missing is the thumbholes and also the reversible option. I suspect that with time these will pill in the wash but thankfully I have two fabric shavers which I regularly use to groom my Lululemon clothes and for $14.95 after the online promotion code it just can’t be beat. Hopefully I’ll see these at my local store soon so that I can pick up a few more colors. The US side of the Old Navy website has them priced at $16.95 today with a 30% discount so make sure to grab them if your thinking about it. I only wish there were more colors to choose from. 

Old Navy Women’s Topstitched Crew-Neck Tees 

Lululemon’s Cabin Long Sleeve Tee ii

Green Agate, Size L

 Sunkissed Lime, Size L

See, slightly muffin top unfriendly but I can either layer with a white tank underneath or I can wear these with my Stills and Grooves for the ultimate mommy uniform.

Cabine Long Sleeve, Size 10

And my purchase from yesterday. I wore this top today with my jeans and it passes the muffin top test. Mostly because of the optical illusion of the stripes.

I managed to get to my store this morning to pick up my Chocolate Chili Chai from David’s Tea and also stop in at Lulu to see if they got the Apres Run Pullover.  Low and behold they did so I tried one on and LOVED IT! It’s pretty similar to last years Post Run Pullover and it isn’t the double layer with sherpa lining like the Don’t Hurry Be Happy Pullover, it’s just regular fleece. The color Black Swan in this was so stunning that even though I’ve heard rumours that there may be a Persian Purple version (nothing confirmed yet so not sure how valid it is), I couldn’t resist the Black Swan. I’m an 8/10 in scubas, literally depends on the color run on what size I choose but this was pretty nice fitting in the size 10 so I didn’t try the size down. I’d say it’s TTS, body skimming but not snug. Don’t size down in this one.

One notable thing about this pullover vs. the Don’t Hurry Be Happy Pullover is that the DHBH can be worn without an under layer since there are no seam details to irritate. The Apres Run has some upper back detailing that you will feel if you don’t have a tank or tee shirt underneath. Not at all a deal breaker just something to note. 

I also tried the new Ombre striped Cabin LS and loved it as well. The last color run was not flattering on me due to the length and my disproportionately long torso but the pattern on this really draws the eyes up and it doesn’t make me look disproportionate. I purchased it but I’m dying to see if other colors come out in this print. 

Apres Run Pullover

I’m going to call it a good upload because only one of my wish list items got uploaded and that means I didn’t have to bust my budget all at once. Although it sucked that last week was so early at 5:30am and today it started late at about 7:30. I was up at 6am. I got the Apres Run Pullover in Black Swan and If I like it (if it arrives) then I may sell my Power Purple Fuzzy Fleece Pullover. I really wanted the Cabin Long Sleeve in the Ombre stripe but I decided not to push my luck with online orders and wait to see it in store. I need to try it on anyways since the black swan one I tried on a while ago was a fail on me being too long for my already disproportionately long torso. The Ta Ta Tamer ii was tempting as well in that lovely Persian Purple but I don’t need it at the moment, I have a TTT that I wash and wear for each workout.  The Plum Stripe Scuba also tempted me in store the other day but I really don’t need a scuba hoodie.

What did you guys order today?

Apres Run Pullover Black Swan

Cabin Long Sleeve Tee ii

Ta Ta Tamer ii

Triumphant Tote  Persian Purple. 

Gorgeous in this color!

Scuba Hoodie Heathered Black Swan/Plum Classic Stripe

After my post last week about ordering issues on lululemon.com and their overselling hot items for the past several weeks your probably wondering if I’m going to chance it again tomorrow. Well, I think if one of the items I’m curious about pop up I will try it out but this time I will be using my credit card, that way if there are issues with processing my order I can contact my credit card company and have them cancel the purchase instantly instead of going thru the rigmarole of contacting Guest Education. 

I suspect there will be issues again if items like the Apres Pullover, Run: For It Pullover and the Pink and Heathered Black Swan Cool Racerback Tanks make it online. Those are hot items and some have popped up in product alerts for stores that didn’t receive those items so there is a lot of hype created already for them. The Heathered Dusty Rose Cool Racerback has been a sneak peek item on the website for the last two weeks so I’m pretty certain it will upload and there will be a lot of you guys in line to purchase it.   

Run: Apres Pullover

I was initially thinking of getting this Apres Pullover in Black Swan since I’d heard it had the sherpa fleece lining but a commenter yesterday said it wasn’t lined like the DHBH Pullover. I’ve also heard that the inside is lined with circle mesh and that doesn’t seem very cozy so I think I’ll stick with my Don’t Hurry Be Happy Pullover. 

Run: For It Pullover 

I really, really like this pullover. If this pops up I’ll order it for sure but I’m not positive I’ll keep it. Tech Fleece is quite warm for running and I think too warm for Vancouver. It also doesn’t have the stretch that other pullovers have so not as comfortable and a little bit stiff. Tech Fleece is a very short pile fleece that doesn’t feel as soft to the touch. 

 Cabin Tee Long Sleeve

This run of Cabin Long Sleeve Tees are too long for my frame TTS so I think the stripes will help visually draw the eye up instead of down. I’m almost inclined to size down in it to see how that looks. If this doesn’t look good on me though I wont be heartbroken since I found a couple of Long Sleeve Tees at Old Navy that are really cute and cheap.

 Cool Racerback Tanks 

I’d love a Heathered Black Swan CRB but I doubt it will show up tomorrow since only one product alert had this. 

 Scuba Hoodies

 Live Simply Jacket

 Scoop Neck Tank

 Chasse Leotard

Apres Run Pullover

There is no information on this pullover other than it is a run pullover and it’s called the Run For It Pullover. It looks like the zip up is slightly off centre in this photo…or the model didn’t get to adjust it properly when trying it on. Based on the timing of this I’m hoping that it’s a technical fleece pullover or a running luon. This is immediately on my wish list, especially in this color. As soon as I see more about this I will be sure to post.

**Thanks to Aimee who saw this today at her Portland, Oregon store we know that this is likely a brushed Luxtreme Pullover, priced at $118 and has ruching at the shoulders and an asymmetrical zip at the neck (from centre of left shoulder to neck).** I’m super excited to get this if it’s luxtreme because colors are so much more saturated in that fabric and it’s durable and stays looking new for longer. When the inside is brushed it feels very similar to running luon so it still has that cozy factor.

Ok, based on the creases I’m seeing in the hood I’m going to call this a technical fleece. Yummy! I waaaaant!!!

This is the bag we saw on the website as a sneak peek a few weeks ago.

Arabesque Bag

Run: Apres Pullover Black Swan and Coal 

This is another high pile ‘sherpa’ fleece pullover and since it comes in Black Swan I think I will give it a try. I love the cuffed hem of the Don’t Hurry Be Happy Pullover but I think the neckline and color in this one will be more my preference. 

Cabin Tee Long Sleeves

Live Simply Jacket Heathered Plum

 Heathered Black Swan/Plum Stripe Scuba. 

This one is gorgeous and I considered getting it this morning but decided to wait a few days

For the third week in a row lululemon has had major inventory to purchaser disparity on there online store.  The problem first ocurred with the Gratitude Wraps and then the Cuddle Up Jackets and now the Don’t Hurry Be Happy Pullover. I’m not sure why this has continued to happen after the Gratitude Wrap debacle where peoples paypal funds for multiple attempted orders where held for 30 days (reduced if you chased down lululemon who was able to override the hold to 5 days– but you have to call them first and ask them to do this). Customers can usually deal with minor mistakes in shipping or ordering, particularly when the issues are recognized and dealt with immediately, but when the problem continues to occur and the issue of overselling inventory online and holding funds indefinitely becomes a trend then your customers loose respect for your ability to handle ecommerce and they feel like you are not taking seriously the problem with taking your customers money as an interest free loan.

I have serious hesitation now with using the ecommerce site after I had my own issues with ordering this past upload. When the Don’t Hurry Be Happy Pullover was uploaded on Thursday I was up early and placed my order at 6:30am while there was plenty of inventory available. I paid by Gift Card which is usually the fastest method online since they can immediately debit the card. My order went to ‘processing’ and several hours later the pullovers had sold out. By early friday, many of the people that placed later orders while the stock started to dwindle where receiving shipping notices while the rest of us who placed orders when there was plenty of inventory where waiting to here one way or another what was going on with our orders. Living in Vancouver near Lululemon headquarters, my orders are usually processed and shipped within the same day, by next morning at the latest. On Friday afternoon I decided to call GEC to see what was up with my order since the item had sold out. I was told it was still processing and would likely be filled, they were just busy and again ‘really overwhelmed with the amount of orders that went thru on Thursday‘. If I didn’t get a shipping notice by Friday evening I should call them back.  Saturday I left a post on the lululemon facebook page since I didn’t have the time or the patients to wait for another 15 minutes on hold with the GEC, the response was that I should call GEC. Unfortunatly the educator that took my call was not able to see my order past what I was able to see and so he could not cancel my order and refund the money and he could not see if the order would be filled eventually. He promised that a GEC specialist educator with more ability to look at my order would call me the next morning but that call never came. Sunday afternoon I had to leave several posts on the main Lululemon facebook page before I had GEC call me back, promptly, after a more terse post. I had waited on hold for 20 minutes with them before the call timed out and so I was getting increasingly frustrated that my money was being held without a product allotted to my order and I just wanted my order cancelled and my money returned to me. When the educator called me back my order was able to be successfully cancelled but my gift card was not refunded until an hour later when I posted again on the facebook page that although my order was cancelled I still did not have my money back. The worst part of this entire fiasco was that I had to constantly chase down, and hound and be annoying in order to get a refund for my money. Not all customers will be as proactive in getting a resolution when they are discouraged after first attempting to get a resolution and are on hold for 20 minutes. If instead of an apology they are met with ‘well were really busy and overwhelmed with the volume of orders that occured on Thursday‘ they may be discouraged from pushing back for there refunds. Trust me, I don’t want to be bitchy when calling GEC and I don’t want to take a terse tone when leaving posts on the Lululemon facebook page because the problem is not the educators that are on the front lines and getting a major shit fest thanks to this issue, the problem is in the inventory issues and in how the educators are expected to deal with the resulting unhappy customers by the company. They need to have a better policy on how to cope with dissatisfied customers and offer prompt refunds. Operations management needs to do something to ensure this does not repeatedly happen and if it does there needs to be more available educators to handle call volume. It’s not fair to the customer and it is not fair to the employees having to field these calls. Empower all of your front line employees to be able to resolve customer order issues promptly. Repeatedly waiting on hold for 15-20 minutes and having your call dropped is not good customer service. 

It’s frustrating enough to have oversell issues happen to you as an online shopper and to see them repeatedly happening week after week but to have such hassle in trying to get your money reinstated is unacceptable. For customers that had to attempt several times to place an order using paypal and to have up to 4 order holds on their paypal accounts for up to 30 days is completely unacceptable. Having to repeatedly call, wait on hold, dig out your order information and relay the same information over and over again is time consuming and burdensome to your customers. My goal with this post is not to rant but to show lululemon this issue from the perspective of a dissatisfied customer, because only then will they take this issue seriously and hopefully change the inventory system that is failing them and hopefully they can address the issues with customers quickly and with understanding. 

This is an email response from Barnes and Noble for overselling a product which they followed up with giving the customer a generous discount for a future purchase.

This is the email response from Lululemon. Some of you received a $10 gift card and some of us have not.

Last week one of my blog advertisers, Frantic Fashion sent me a couple of items from one of the lines they are now carrying for kids called Yogini so that I could review them for you and offer my readers a further discount from what Frantic Fashions offers. Frantic Fashions is a ‘one deal at a time site‘. This means that each steeply discounted item that they offer you is only available for a limited amount of time. Once you’ve purchased your item from them it remains in your shopping bag where you can hold it while you wait for more items you may want to purchase and save on shipping, or you can have each item shipped as you purchase. I’ve seen some really great brands pop up on their site such as William Rast Jeans and Joe’s Jeans. 

When I received these items for both of my daughters I was immediately in love with the little lulu like Yogini outfits that arrived within two days and was perfectly packaged. I got two jackets and two pants, size 2 and size 4. The size 2 outfit is this static charcoal and senorita pink ‘still pants’ and ‘define jacket’ (those aren’t the actual names of the items but they are very much like the Lulu version). The Static Charcoal outfit is made out of spandex fabric but it’s pretty much static luon (only its resistant to pilling) The Black and Very Violet outfit is made out of a french terry that feels so soft and luxurious, just like the Lulu Lux/Beechlu fabric. The fabrics are treated with Chito Sante which has many benefits such as making the fabrics durable, static free ( = non pilly, non pet hair magnetizing), anti-bacterial and odour resistant. The sizing ran a bit bigger than standard kids sizes which I appreciate because I buy my kids clothes big so that they grow into them. The length for both pants are quite long and I found my 4 year old was able to wear the size 2 or the size 4 with the legs rolled up. Both outfits fit very well on both kids and the added length of the pants as well as the stretchy fabrics will be very appreciated when they hit those inevitable and often growth spurts. I really love the value of these items, the ‘Grooves’ retail for $43 (Frantics price is $25.75) and the Contrast jacket retails for $57 (Frantics price is $32). Basic pocket pant ‘Stills’ retails for $40 (Frantic price is $24). These are great prices for kids clothes and I love that the sizes start at 2 and go to 14 since the Ivivva line is too big for my kids. 

For my lovely readers, Frantic Fashion is offering you a savings of $5 on the purchase of $5 and over (limit one use per account). Your discount code is ‘Lulumum’. Please let me know what you get with your discount. I’d love to know what deals you scored. 

 Ruched neck colar with really great, durable zipper and a zipper guard. 

Cute little logo

 Perfectly sewn cuffins and thumbholes on the jackets.