Lululemon

[Jen12]

Is anyone else here a Lululemon addict? I went in there for a $12 headband and found a running skirt on markdown....end result was $50 instead of the $12 I walked in there intending to spend!

Anyway, they just came out with a cycling jersey, which is very flattering and very lightweight and slightly longer than most jerseys I've found. Unfortunately it's only in black or white right now and it's only in stores. I haven't seen it on the website, but if you're a Lulu addict, check it out.

[Crankin]

No, because nothing there fits me. The clothes are made for people over 5' 5", not us shorties. I went in one of their stores once, tried on a bunch of stuff and none of it fit or even was flattering.
I'll stick to cycling manufacturers for cycling clothes and Athleta for my running, yoga, and hiking stuff, because they make petite sizes.

[indysteel]

I have a few of their yoga tops. Nice material, bad fit. One of them is really long. I don't need a yoga top to cover my butt. It's not an area I want to highlight necessarily and it makes me look even shorter. The other yoga top won't stay put over my rather small chest. I dunno; I'm just not impressed, especially for the price.

[Owlie]

I have never heard of this place. I did a quick search. We have a store here, apparently. It's in Hyde Park (old money neighborhood)...that seems to explain a lot.

[shootingstar]

I don't look specifically at yoga-oriented clothing. But was shocked at the pricing. Don't know how they stayed alive this long when many other competitors.

They are Canadian.
Made press recently because their stock is sliding.

[indysteel]

I don't look specifically at yoga-oriented clothing. But was shocked at the pricing. Don't know how they stayed alive this long when many other competitors.

They are Canadian.
Made press recently because their stock is sliding.

When DH and I were in Chicago this past March, I noticed Lululemon stores every few blocks. We went into one of them, and while I got friendly service, the store kind of turned me off. I love yoga and want it to be accessible to more people, but the overt commercialization of it turns me off. I realize there is lots of money to be made on yoga and yoga-inspired clothes, but I think I'll stick to just buying stuff online so it's not quite so in my face.

[Crankin]

That's exactly how I felt.
Believe me, I like nice yoga clothes (or any clothes), but something just turned me off about this place.

[Trek420]

I went in looking for capri shorts. At my height most just look like high water pants on me :o Right now I'm wearing board shorts, I got at Title9, they look like capri length on me.

The sales person said if I find a pair I like they will shorten the hem for me, no extra charge :) I like that emphasis on service.

Still I prefer Title9 for athletic and other gear .... and TE of course :D

[jessmarimba]

I'm a Lucy fan for yoga gear. Mostly b/c they have an outlet store in Williamsburg, VA that has some super awesome deals. I'm pretty thin, but I'd have to weigh about 25 pounds less to look "good" in Lululemon.

[Jen12]

Wow! I'm surprised so many people dislike the brand here. I don't wear it for yoga, I wear the clothes for CrossFit and running, but I find them to be very flattering and well constructed. I don't mind paying for quality and after trying the workout clothes at Target, JC Penney, Nike, etc, I found I'd rather have a smaller wardrobe of better items. And at five feet tall, it's nice to shop at a place that does the hemming for me.

Jessmarimba, I also like Lucy!

But I get that any brand can be less than ideal for a certain body. JC Penney has a very cute line of workout clothing - can't think of the name right now - but the clothes just don't fit me at all, no matter which size or style I try.

[itself]

I just purchased a Lululemon long underwear top. I am looking forward to using it in the colder weather. It is supposed to fit pretty tightly. I am hoping it will really wick the sweat so I don't get cold. Very reasonably priced when you look at Icebreaker (which I love) and Ibex.

I will give feedback when I get a few rides in.

[VeganBikeChick]

Not a fan of Lulu either. They don't seem to have large enough sizes for me (12-14), at least the last time I shopped there a couple years ago.

I LOVE Title Nine! Looking through their catalog is like Christmas for me. Their clothes are well made and fit well.

[ny biker]

I've never bought anything from them, but I'm a fan of them now.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/team-specialized-lululemon-resurrects-high-road-womens-team

I tried on some of their sports bras a few months ago. They didn't have any that worked for me, but that's because most sports bras don't fit me right. The people who worked there were very helpful.

[7rider]

Last Spring there was this news story of an employee getting murdered in a Lululemon store near here. The more the details came out, the more bizarre it became (http://www.wtop.com/?nid=41&sid=2545101) :eek:. So I just think of Lululemon (which I always want to call Lulumon) as "twisted employee murder store." I've never shopped there...and gosh, I don't think I ever will!

[ny biker]

Last Spring there was this news story of an employee getting murdered in a Lululemon store near here. The more the details came out, the more bizarre it became (http://www.wtop.com/?nid=41&sid=2545101) :eek:. So I just think of Lululemon (which I always want to call Lulumon) as "twisted employee murder store." I've never shopped there...and gosh, I don't think I ever will!

I always thought of it as "lulumon" too! Until the news broke of that murder and I heard them pronounce it on the tv news.

There's a store in Tysons Corner, which is the mall I shop at most often. They used to collect bottle caps for recycling, which I thought was nice, though I never remembered to bring my bottle caps to them.

I got over the "someone was killed here" thing after the DC snipers killed a woman at the Seven Corners Home Depot, which is a few miles from here. I fell asleep that night listening to all the sirens out on Rt 7. It was a horrible thing and I was very moved the first time I went there after it happened. I rarely shop there, but that's because there are other Home Depots nearby with less traffic and parking lots that are easier to navigate.

I think they installed a stained glass window at the Bethesda lululemon store in honor of the woman who was killed.

[Becky]

I LOVE Title Nine! Looking through their catalog is like Christmas for me. Their clothes are well made and fit well.

I love the products that Title Nine carries, but it makes me crazy that they come up with their own names for things and rarely list the manufacturer or the manufacturer's model name. It's difficult to comparison shop when you don't even know who makes a product, and it strikes me as deceptive.

[itself]

You girls are tough on Lululemon! I just put the long underwear top on last night and it is so yummy feeling! The sales reps in the store also told me that the company loves to hear from their customers. They want to get feedback on their products so they can improve them.

[jessmarimba]

I love their stuff! I just can't justify spending that amount of money on athletic clothes. Or on any clothes. Particularly in a city like Denver when people send some pretty quality, high-end stuff to the thrift store on a regulat basis. If I could wear athletic clothes to work, it would be a different story...my pilates teacher lives in their clothes :)

[Biciclista]

what a great thread. YOu guys are a riot. So I'll add my 2 cents. I never heard of them but it's a cool name. :-)

[pll]

I love the products that Title Nine carries, but it makes me crazy that they come up with their own names for things and rarely list the manufacturer or the manufacturer's model name. It's difficult to comparison shop when you don't even know who makes a product, and it strikes me as deceptive.

+1. That drives me crazy with Title 9.

[itself]

Well, I have been on two rides with my lulu lemon long sleeve top. It was low 50s, with a polyester shirt over it. Disappointed. I was soaked both times. I wore my lightweight ibex top tonight and was dry as a bone.

[Raiza]

I quite like lululemon yoga clothing but my ribcage keeps me from going any size lower than a 10! I have two tanks, two crops, had them for a few years now and use them mostly for yoga. Other than fading of the black of the crops, everything has kept its shape and original colour. Is it cheap? No, but neither is the Prana or the Athleta stuff.

I can't knock a company that sponsors a cycling team with Canadian Olympic goddess Clara Hughes on it.

Specialized lululemon Team link:
http://velociosports.com/

[CommuterChick]

I picked up a top of theirs in a secondhand store a few years ago, frankly it was the most flattering top I owned til the Skirt Sports Sexy Back Tank entered my life. But then I went into one of their stores -- wow, I'm a convert. Spent $45 on the most flattering, best fitting sports bra I have ever owned. And I am a 36C, size 12. Also found a great top on their clearance rack, too long but they hemmed it for free. I'm good with Lululemon.

[Tillybug]

I think Lulu is more of a Canadian thing. We just love our Lulu!!! If you go to any store here it is always packed, upbeat, and full of willing and helpful sales people. Most of the time you have to wait for a fitting room!

I have great luck with their yoga stuff.

I do find it fits really nice and the quality is amazing. I have several pairs of pants and crops that are over 5yrs old and still look brand new :)

Their "Tata Tamer" sports bra is the best thing since sliced bread, and the "Head Banger" head band is amazing under my helmet to cover my ears and it wicks.

I have spoken to several reps of the company to come out with cycling stuff. They have done a few things over the years but nothing that great in terms of riding gear.

I am also surprised many of you are not fans. Too each is own I suppose :)

[M-Rad]

I like some of their yoga bras b/c the bras don't hang too low and therefore doesn't interfer with my HR monitor.

Their other stuff is way overpriced. I know some of their yoga pants are supposed to make your butt look good. I find just the opposite. I found yoga style pants at Marshall's that make your butt look 1000 times better for $15 than LuLu's $100 pants that make your butt look huge.

Plus LuLu is very popular where I live. After a while all the women start to look like clones.

[Crankin]

Yep, and you have to be at least 5' 5" for the pants to not be several inches too long.

[VeganBikeChick]

I went in again because I lost some weight recently and figured I could finally fit in some of their clothes. Nope. I'm a solid size 12, 5'4, and nothing fits. Their sizing only goes up to size 12, which, being Canadian sizing, is a US 10. I'm sad that they don't consider us on the larger side of the sizing spectrum.

[ny biker]

I tried on a bunch of their tank tops recently because I was looking for something to wear at the gym (for weight training, cardio). Nothing fit. Tried multiple styles in the same size, some were too small and some were too big. Tried a larger size for the ones that were too small, and then they were too big. Got annoyed and left.

Wound up buying a PI cycling tank top instead. On sale from TE!!!

[jessmarimba]

Totally unrelated to the topic at hand - everytime I see the name "Lululemon" I hear it pronounced like "Oprah" was saying Liz Lemon's name on that one episode of 30 Rock.

and I'm probably the only one who knows what I'm talking about, so I'll go away now...

[Reesha]

The ladies (and even some of the gents) that I teach are all little Lululemon clones. I'll stick with Patagonia for high end general athleticwear because it's great and doesn't have the same super-ubiquitous branding. LLL is definitely a status symbol at school no different from Uggs, Sperrys, Northface etc etc.

[leah]

I too, was pretty freaked out about what happened at the Bethesda store. (That is my closest store.) but my addiction got the best of me. Now I mainly try to stay away as I always walk out having spent silly sums of money.

I have to admit I'm not super crazy about their new cycling kit, though I had been clamoring for them to make "real" cycling gear. No offense to anyone who likes it - it's just a little too loud for my taste and I don't want to be a walking advertisement for Specialized.

I wish they'd come out with some high quality understated pretty jerseys that are not so logo-ed out.

[ny biker]

I'm past caring about branding. I wear Uggs in winter because they keep my feet warm and fit better than similar boots made by other companies. If lululemon had a tank top that fit me, I would have bought it, despite the high price.

I do appreciate their sponsorship of the Specialized-lululemon cycling team.

[Reesha]

Eh, St. Louis is the kind of place where it really is like a clone hoard at times when it comes to trends and they stick for years and years. I'm not arguing that there aren't legitimate reasons to like and wear these products, but personally I avoid buying the status symbols that my students are all clamoring to sport each day.

[Selkie]

The ladies (and even some of the gents) that I teach are all little Lululemon clones. I'll stick with Patagonia for high end general athleticwear because it's great and doesn't have the same super-ubiquitous branding. LLL is definitely a status symbol at school no different from Uggs, Sperrys, Northface etc etc.

Patagonia is my favorite, as well. For the most part, the clothes are cut for more athletic body types. Reading the reviews on the website lets you steer away from items that wouldn't work for you.

[shootingstar]

Lulumon is based in Vancouver area.

I did visit one of their outlets. And couldn't justify plunking down the bucks when I could go elsewhere to get similar stuff with a different brand.

Not that I need tanks, pants or shorts like lulumon anyway. So I'm pretty boring. :p

I like pantagonia but find their stuff expensive. I did buy a winter jacket that they made, even though the price tag made me blanch abit. I don't regret the decision since its usefulness was proven especially when snowshoeing on some very cold winter days ! But normally I do start to look a lower price brands..and their features first.

[socalgal59]

Not a fan. Grossly overpriced. Gap Body is produced in the same factory and cost 1/2 of what Lulu charges. No petites. I have an Altheta, Lucy and Gap here and buy petites off the rack--for a lot less than Lulu. Even if I could find a pair of pants to fit at Lulu, they expect me to come back in 3 to 5 days so they can hem them.
Why would I make two trips to their store for a regular size when I can go to the competition and get an actual petite in one trip?

I workout 5-6 days a week; run and cycle. My workout clothes take a beating--what I've purchased at the other stores have held up extremely well. Can't say the same about Lulu; several of my personal trainer's clients gave her gift certificates for workout clothes this Christmas because we were tired of seeing the poor woman in Lulu's with holes--expensive as heck, yet doesn't hold up.

[jessmarimba]

I looooooooove GapBody. They carry a pretty good selection at a store on my way home from work so I catch some pretty good clearance and sale prices there, too. Although I have to laugh at the sizing compared to normal Gap clothes. My butt/thighs require much larger sizes on the bottom than I expected, lest I end up with see-through pants during forward fold. :D

[M-Rad]

Not that I would ever buy it, but what does the LLL cycling jersey look like? I couldn't find it on the website.

[M-Rad]

Never mind, found it. Dunno looks a little too butch.

[pangaea99]

I didn't really see the point in lululemon because they don't really seem to make much in the way of cycling clothes.. BUT TODAY! they posted all sorts of new stuff especially for cycling. DROOL:

http://shop.lululemon.com/products/clothes-accessories/go-long-outfit/Presta-Jersey?cc=5244&skuId=3451606&catId=cat230013 - polka dot purple jersey!!

http://shop.lululemon.com/products/clothes-accessories/sweet-ride-outfit/Presta-Packable-Shirket?cc=7408&skuId=3454820&catId=cat230013 - i would get this in yellow- i wonder how actually wearable this would be on a ride or if I would overheat quickly...

http://shop.lululemon.com/products/clothes-accessories/women-shorts/Presta-Padded-Short?cc=0001&skuId=3456599&catId=cat230013 some nice long shorts too.

I might make that jacket/shirt my present to myself once i get from an obese to just overweight BMI. 11lb to go.

[indysteel]

Meh. The proportions on those cycling items just seem off to me. Although their yoga tops are too long for my tastes and body, I can at least understand wanting a longer yoga top. But I don't really need or want my cycling jersyes to hit me mid to low hip. Nor did I want whatever I put in my jersey pockts to rest that low. And what's up with the length of the jersey's sleeve? It looks like it just bunches and binds around the arm pit. That doesn't look comfy. Finally, the length of those shorts is also just weird IMO.

Sorry; I realize that it's all a question of personal taste, but I feel like they're going out of their way to be different and I'm not sure those differences serve a utilitarian purpose.

[pangaea99]

You make some good points- especially the pocket thing. I usually wear capris because I don't like shorts to be short lol so I like the length. Also, I have a long torso so I appreciate long tops though maybe they should have put the pockets higher.. I dont know how useful those zip pockets in the front would be though, I feel like they're in an awkward spot right where you bend your hips though Ill probably still end up buying it! haha.

[shootingstar]

The polka dot purple-white top is cute.

But most of the time, I do not wear tight tops when I cycle. It's just me. (No I don't wear tight tank tops, etc. either when cycling.)

I just find it cooler to wear a bit looser jersey tops when I bike in the summer. Perspiration wicks away more easily if fabric isn't wrapped snugly around my abdomen. It's enough that my shorts are form fitting around my bottom and waistband when it's 100% humidity.

I can see some women liking the top for something slightly different if they aren't cycling a long distance. ie. a half hr. or 1 hr. easy cycle somewhere

[jessmarimba]

The jersey length looks like it might be fine on me, but it's hard to tell. The sleeves do look weird though, like they would chafe right at the front of the armpit. Maybe the sleeveless one would work better, though?

And the presta skirt...hahahaha :eek: I'd look like a peacock with that thing on. The last thing I want to do is hide a padded behind with lots of ruffles and extra volume!!

[indysteel]

They describe the length of the jersey as butt covering, which is why I'm assuming it's pretty long, maybe even for the long-torsoed. Most of my jerseys hit me at the top of my hip. I have a new Terry sleeveless halter top that fits longer and it's not flattering on me thanks to some curvier proportions. But even it doesn't cover my butt.

Of course, it's a matter of personal preference.....:)

[GLC1968]

I'm not sure how I feel about those tops being so long. At first glance, I liked it (I'm also a long torso person) but those appear really long so they might be too much. I LOVE the back of the tank, and I'm thinking about ordering it. What I don't like about the polka dot jersey is that the part of the back most exposed to the sun is in dark purple. I usually prefer light colors on my back in that spot. The bunching of the fabric in the armpits is what happens any time I wear a cap sleeve. Big guns will do that to tops. ;) Though, that model doesn't exactly have massive arms, so I'm not sure what the deal is...

I love the shorter shorts with the tiny little ruffle (that I think is reflective) at the butt seam. I'm not sure how it will look when walking around, but on the bike, it's probably quite cute. And I'm thinking that the pockets at the back waist band are a good idea. I like those pockets on my run tights, so why not on the bike? We'll see though... (again, I'm considering placing an order)

The skirt is entirely too much 'froof' for me!