Insightful Athlete: Lululemon Store Visit

Whoo hoo...catching up on my last Store Visit tonight! I went to Clarendon yesterday and tried on some of their newest items:

I'm always a wee-bit happy to be in Lululemon not wearing Lululemon. I wear workout clothes enough its nice to mix it up. Wearing a Massimo Dutti sweater vest and blouse, skinny jeans, and flip flops. (Thank you Lulu-lighting for making my biceps look man-ish...I promise you they don't look that big in real life.)

Skinny Will Pants, size 6

I really liked the Skinny Will Pants in Inkwell. They were made of that denim-like material. They were really comfy, but I passed them. I haven't really figured out how I prefer wearing the Skinny Wills. I like pairing them with flip flops and Converse Chucks, but that's about it. Most of my workout shoes look too bulky. If you love the Skinny Will Pants, you'll love them in this color.

105f Singlet, size 2
On Your Way Bra, size 6

I was happy to snag a Heathered Medium Grey 105f Singlet. (Keep in mind I always size down in these because they are huuuuge.) I have the Forme Jacket and the Cool Racerback in Heathered Medium Grey and I wear them more than any of my other colors. Not only are they a great neutral, they are ridiculously soft. The 105f Singlet is soft, but not as soft as my Forme Jacket and Cool Racerback. I got it to give my Cool Racerback a break. I've over-worn it so much it is starting to pill....plus I prefer wearing 105f Singlets to workout in.

I really liked the On Your Way Bra. It reminded me a lot of the All Sport Bra....pretty much the same amount of support. I also liked having the Inkwell version as a good neutral. I have 23 sports bras and none of them are navy! I think I'm done for awhile in the sports bra category after this one!

Refresher Tank and Wunder Under Crops, size 6

I liked the style of the Refresher Tank, but it does run small. I normally buy size 4 in Cool Racerbacks, and this tank was too small in a size 4. I did size up to a size 6 and it was much better. The size 6 Refresher Tank fit like my size 4 Cool Racerback.

I did really like the Bumble Berry Wunder Under Crops. If I didn't already have 5-7 crops in pinks and reds, I would have bought these. The color is gorgeous and they seemed pretty opaque.

Wunder Under Crops, size 6

I tried the Sashiko Wunder Under Crops, and I couldn't say that I hated them! They were on the tighter size...my TTS felt really compressive even though I would say I'm on the lower end of a size 6. I liked them but didn't love them so I passed.

Tracker Shorts, size 6

I really wanted these Inkwell Tracker Shorts to work but they were TINY. I originally tried a size 4, but I couldn't squeeze my rear in them! (I spared you of the photos!) Usually they run so large I have to size down, but my TTS 6 didn't even work on these. I don't think there was much give in the material.

Wunder Under Pants, size 6

I did get to re-try on the floral platoon Wunder Under Pants (WUP). They were exactly like the first pair I tried on....completely opaque and made of that denim-like material. I liked them, but I didn't know if I would get a ton of wear of them so I passed. Really pretty though. I liked the pattern placement of the ones I tried on.

Stride Jacket, size 4

I tried on the Stride Jacket and I was not impressed! Granted, I didn't get to try my TTS (sold out)...I could already tell the fit was going to be an issue. The size 4 was too small in the hips and the chest and shoulders didn't pull. I have a feeling if I get my typical size 6 it will be too loose. It's ok...I'm a huge Forme Jacket fan, and those don't work on everyone...so I'm not too bummed that this one doesn't work on me.

Note - I also went to Tyson's Corner today to return the Ambassador Tank at Athleta. I tried on a few things, but I realized I left my phone in the car. I tried on the following things:

Bordeaux Drama Cotton Roll Down WUC/WUP - I tried on both the pants and the crops version of the Bordeaux Drama. I did love both pairs. They are both equally very soft and 100% opaque. My only complaint was the fact that they had little black flakes in the material. I decided against them since I wanted to wear them casually with brown tones.

Heathered Slate WUC - I tried on the WUP a few weeks ago and liked these just as much. They are soft and opaque. I am worried about sweat showing on these so I passed on them.

Forest Green Ebb to Street Crops (Markdown) - These were on markdown... I really liked the color, but I can't seem to find a pair that fits me well. My TTS fits a little loose on the butt, yet the seams pulled across the rear. They weren't marked down enough to justify the price.

I couldn't help getting an On Your Way Bra in Inkwell. I have a lot of "pretty" bras, but not too many supportive bras. I really like Victoria's Secret Angel Bras for support, but every once and awhile Lulu surprises me with something I like.

As you can see in the photo, this bra is VERY similar to Lulu's All Sport Bra. The only difference in fit is the bottom part of the band. It seems to taper in a little bit more than the All Sport Bra. They are about the same in the neckline and support.

I think this is a great alternative if you are not a fan of the Energy Bra. I find this more supportive and flattering for my body type. For some reason, the Energy Bra doesn't fit my shoulder muscles very well, and it makes me looks like I have "spillage" in the back. I still prefer VS Angel Bras because of the adjustable back, but these and the All Sport Bra are a close runner up for support.

From Left to Right: Cool Racerback, Refresher Tank, SE Ribbed Cool Racerback

As you can see, the Refresher Tank is a little shorter than the Cool Racerback. I think my favorite cut is my Clarity Yellow SE Ribbed Cool Racerback. It still has a scoop like the Refresher Tank but has the skinner back and length like the Cool Racerback.

Laid on top of the Cool Racerback, the Refresher Tank is a little wider...but it is a size 6 while the Cool Racerback is a size 4.

I did note the Nylon/Lycra combo because this tank does feel silker and thinner. The material feels much different than the Cool Racerback even though they are both supposed to be made of the same fabric. I'll try to compare it later to a Cool Racerback with the same Nylon/Lycra %.

Just to show you the fit of the Refresher back. I don't think the wide back is as flattering as the Cool Racerback. I think if you have muscular shoulders, it can look too small on you. I do like the skinnier straps and shorter length for jeans though.

Overall, I really like the fit of this tank for casual wear. I like the smaller straps and scooped bottom. It's a great alternative, but I still have a soft spot for the Cool Racerback.

Quick Rant - While I like the Refresher Tank as an alternative, I will be seriously pissed if Lululemon replaces the Cool Racerback with these! Seriously!! I have a pretty short "do not touch" list and they already took one of them off. No touching Cool Racerbacks, No Limits Tanks, Forme Jackets, and Inspire Crops. They just finally got all the kinks worked out in the Forme Jacket last fall. I can safely buy one in any color and they are all really close in fit (unless it is a high polyester fabric). No Limits Tanks just got chopped.....Seriously Lulu....we will be not on speaking terms all winter if the Cool Racerback goes away.

I did manage to order the Bordeaux Drama Inspire Crops, and I am TOTALLY LOVING the new distribution center! Sorry that it adds a few more days for the West Coasters, but the new location is AWESOME for East Coasters. It used to take 8 DAYS for me to get a Lulu-order. I would order on the old Monday Uploads and I wouldn't get it until the following Tuesday. This time, I ordered late Wednesday night and received it on Saturday. This is much better....I hated having to cycle through another week's upload before I even got my previous week's order delivered. Hoping this is a happy medium for everyone though there doesn't seem to be any benefit for the West Coast.

I really liked the waistband of these and found them 100% opaque. I ended up wearing them around all day today and didn't have to adjust them once. I am a little annoyed that I bought the Bordeaux Drama In the Flow Crops. They still have my size in stock online so it will be hard to resell them. I definitely won't wear them now that I have the color in the Inspire Crops. This makes me wish that Lululemon had a return policy like Athleta's!

Couldn't resist getting the 105f Singlet. I already wore it today with my Bordeaux Drama Inspire Crops. I like that the stripes are not as noticeable. It fits the same as all of my other 105f Singlets.

Here's the 105f Singlet with the On Your Way Bra and Bordeaux Drama Inspire Crops. I really like this combination!

The outfit also looks good with my Post Practice Cardi! What did you guys think of my loot this week?

If anyone in the US will be by a store today or tomorrow, I would really love a Here to There Dress in Bordeaux Drama in a size 6....I will pay PayPal, shipping, taxes, plus tip! I have a really important event on Tuesday and will be unable to make it to my local store. Please contact me via email if you run across one!