Lululemon Dawsonville outlet review

I’ve wanted to go to a Lululemon outlet since I knew they existed. I love getting a good price on Lulu.

But until now the closest to my house were Myrtle Beach—6 hour drive and Orlando—11 hour drive.

In August, a Lululemon outlet opened in the North Georgia Premium outlets. It’s a 90 minute drive from my house. I learned about this 2-3 weeks ago. And when I was an hour horth of my house getting my car repaired, I tacked this on the end of my trip.

The store really was a mix between the warehouse sale and a showroom.

Scarf wall. 

• The interior was pretty spartan. It wasn’t warm like my local showroom (with candles and wood floors). But it was functional.
• There was a small men’s section and a TINY kids section. 75% of the store was women’s clothes.
• Clothes were arranged by type: a wall of bras, leggings together, capris together, tanks together, longsleeves together—and arranged by size. 6 together etc. There was a wall of bags and accessories.
• Most of the clothes had their final sale price marked on them. Some of the clothes were MORE on sale: $24 sports bras, $10 off long sleeves, $29 tanks. The educators said they change their sales daily, so I’d go back.

Selection
A vast majority of the stock was items currently on markdown: things that won’t move. (high neck sports bras that most people don’t like, a strappy tank that has poor reviews on the website.)

It was slim pickings for favorites and I spent more than an hour carefully looking through all the racks.
• I had wanted some more Cool Racerbacks. There were a few in 4 in neon orange, but nothing in my size.
• There were NO swiftly longsleeves. I found a short sleeve in 1 color. It might have been the only one in the store.
• As for crops, they were still expensive. I tried on a pair of run inspires from a few years ago. Still $69 so I passed. There were a lot of wunder unders from 2 years ago, some jet crop slims. If you wanted any crops in black, they were only in stock in 12.
• There just wasn’t a lot in my size (a 6). There was a ton of cute stuff in size 12.

I was a tad disappointed in the selection, but that’s probably better for my wallet. Here’s what I got.

• For Matt: tank top $29 and shorts $39 (price online)

• For me, I stocked up on $24 sports bras. I got an energy bra, a floral print invigorate bra, and two light support black bras that I figured I could wear to yoga. I’m always reaching for black yoga bras. (There really weren’t that many bras. Maybe a dozen in my size).
• I got a blue swiftly short sleeve.

• I found a yoga tank for $29 (I was hoping it was a run tank, but it’s not. It's the reveal racerback and it's cute but it rode up A TON during yoga.
• I got a black casual long sleeve, just because it was comfy.

• I eyed the scarves for $24, but didn’t know who I’d buy them for (as a gift)

I wanted some shorts, but there was nothing interesting in my size (again super small selection). Just lots of micro mini tennis skirts. I looked at the crops, but didn’t see anything I was interested in. Lots of previous season dud styles.

I had wanted a yoga mat, but they had one pink super thin mat and a bunch of thin yellow ones. They all looked thinner that I’d like.

I’d go back to the outlet, but I think the key is buying what’s on the sale of the day. Everything else isn’t that great of a value. Unless you’re just looking for an older style. But it was really nice to be able to try so many different styles on.

Ramsey Free Week Recap

It's free week at my university's student gym. That means any gym member can take any class they want for free. The only caveat is you have to get a space in the class—meaning there has to be enough space or equipment for you. Some of the classes have lines to get in. So it's always good to get there early to ensure you have spot. These classes are way busier than later on in the semester. Most of the classes are PACKED. They try not to turn people away. They try to squeeze as many people in as possible. So that might mean the late comers have to share equipment. Or for some classes they'll cut the line off. Usually if you're there 10 minutes earlier you'll be fine. It's also a tryout phase—meaning there will be lots of newbies in the class so you don't have to worry about not knowing the workout. Probably half the class won't know the workout so you won't stick out.

Day 1: TRX Yoga
I miss TRX and I liked yoga so I decided to try this class. I got there good and early and got equipment. This class had spots for 23. A few girls came in about 10 minutes late and there wasn't equipment for them.

The first half of the class was yoga. We started out with breathing and mindfulness and moved on to downward dog and other poses. So an average yoga class.

The second half of the class was TRX. It was yoga on TRX so you got a better stretch. We did Y holds and T holds. We did floor work with hamstrings, glute bridges, planks and pikes (so hard! I used to be better at these!). By the end only a few people were left. I was trying to #beastmode through it, but I couldn't do as many pikes as I used to.

Overall, I LOVED the class. It was such an amazing stretch for my shoulders. Because of the TRX you can really stretch deeper than you would when pushing against the floor. (I'm pretty flexible so this was exactly what I needed.)I felt really good leaving the class. Like I'd just had a massage or a chiropractic adjustment. I went in with an achey back and left feeling awesome.

Overseen in this class: International student working out in jean shorts.

Day 2: Yoga
I did Friday yoga and this class was packed. They probably packed 40 people into the tiny studio. I don't think they had to turn anyone away.

This was your average yoga class, not my beloved power yoga.I think the instructor was taking it easy for all the newbies. I like my yoga on caffeine, so I'd really like a more difficult class. The instructor said we'd do headstands and crane later in the semester. So there is hope for it.

We did the usual poses. We did some variations of tree pose—harder versions, arms out, arms swaying etc.  She said to try it with your eyes closed. WHY IS IT SO MUCH HARDER WITH YOUR EYES CLOSED!?! This blew my mind and I must get better at this immediately.

I like the time this class is offered. If I do take it again, I'll count it as an off day.

Overseen in class: Girl in front of me working on in a cotton onesie sleeper that was so short I could see her 80s satin underwear. I didn't even think they made underwear like that anymore.

Day 3: Bodypump

I've always been intimidated by this class. It's always packed to the gills full of girls and giant barbells. 60 minutes of weights!? Sounds awful.
But I do need to add strength training to my regimen and it's free week so I should try classes and see what I like.

I'm not sure if I've picked a barbell since freshman year of college, so I didn't know what to expect.

Equipment for this class: a mat, a platform, a barbell and plates.

I got a barbell (which was surprisingly light. NOT 40 pounds) and a set of small (2.2), medium (5.5) and large (11 pound) plates.

I put the small and medium on each side for the warm-up (deadlifts and upright rows). I survived! I thought I maybe could have added weight.

There were squats and overhead lifts. It was kind of what I was expecting. I didn't die really until the third or so exercise about 10 minutes in when my arms started to shake. I persevered.

The second half of the class was leg day. It was squats. I DIED on the lunges, which was weird because I run and can do lunges. I was just so tired at that point. We did some work lying back on the bench (like a weight bench)

We changed weights throughout the class. I did most of the class with the small and medium or just the medium on the bar. I watched what the one instructor was doing and that was a good weight for me. We also used the plates as free weights—for tricep extensions and then the small plates for some exercise that killed my shoulders (out of the side and back like you're pulling a bow and arrow.) We also did pushups after my arms were tired.

The next day my quads were sore as well as my shoulders. Good sore. I knew I'd be sore.

I'm thinking about adding the class to my routine. I just don't know what fits yet.

I'd wanted to take the 7 p.m. yoga too, but the gym early for a training so it wasn't offered anyway.

Day 4: Power Yoga
I went to the usual room for yoga. But the yoga class was actually upstairs. So at 12 minutes till I went upstairs and was about #20 in line. Then the fire alarm went off for the gym and the entire gym had to evacuate. There were about 2,000 people shuttled out of the building: lots of people working out, waiting to take classes and about 500 people in a lecture (maybe a mandatory club sports meeting). So we all waited outside in the grass. About 20 minutes in—they decided to cancel the classes and I went home and walked my dog.

I ran this morning so it was okay. Maybe I needed the rest? Apparently the fire alarm had been going off all week.

Fire alarm crowd. About 30 minutes in. A ton had left. 

Day 5: More TRX Yoga
Maybe I should have tried a different class, but I wanted to do this class again. This class had a lot of people come in late (after it was full) and there wasn't equipment for them. And I found that extremely distracting. The teacher was having to teach two groups. I'll look forward to smaller classes later in the semester.

On Tuesdays, there are barre classes that I might do later. There's an Insanity class, which I might be too chicken to try. I die just doing 10 minutes of Insanity abs. 60 minutes!? I'm scared. Today I was too tired to do the class. Maybe on a week I've been a slug and really need to torch some calories.

I didn't do the last day of free week. I have a standing Wednesday class that I try my hardest not to miss.

So that's it I'll buy an all access pass soon.

Closing thoughts:
1. Don't be afraid to go to the student gym. Yes, it's super busy. But if you show up early and pay attention you will be fine.(Also classes tend to be more popular during the school day and slightly less packed the closer you get to 8 p.m.)
2. Maybe I should have tried more classes. I still haven't tried Total Body Tone or spinning with the instructor I liked this summer. But I guess I have all semester.
3. Glad I survived free week: early closings, fire alarms and all.

Fabletics Review: Sheer Crops and Poor Quality

This is my first fabletics order in months.

I've been obsessed with neon lately so I really wanted to order some neon. AND I got a 10% off birthday coupon, so I bought a few things from the March picks. (Ordered at the end of March. I did NOT like a single one of the new April pieces.)

Here are my thoughts.

Salar crop in Wildflower, $44.95

I loved these as soon as I took them out of the bag. I even wore them to my birthday party. So cute. I liked how compressive they were (LOVE THIS.). The print was cute. I love black crops. I love black and white. These had just enough of a print to be fun, but not make my thighs look HUGE (like prints do.) The crops are white on the inside, which means the black is printed on white fabric. I thought the online photo made it look like they had pops of yellow in the middle of the flowers. But it's just a two color crop.

And here's the kicker: Fabletics crops look like CRAP after you wash them. These crops faded a ton with one wash. And got all kinds of pet fur on them from other clothes in the wash. I didn't wear them enough at home for them to get any fur on them, but they came out of the wash super furry.

Here's my worn once crops (see how faded) against
• Worn 50+ times Lululemon crops (left)
• Worn several times Splits50 with a black and white print (right)

All laundered exactly the same: machine cold wash with gentle detergent and line dry.

They look practically grey. They were a slick black brand new.

WTF. I thought since these felt different than my other Fabletics crops they wouldn't have this issue. They were very sporty feeling going in. Coming out of the wash, they looked like I'd worn them for five years. I have 3-year-old crops from Groupon that look better.

After the SECOND time I washed them the black dye faded into the white and there was blue ink on the white flowers around the crotch. WTF. I haven't ever had a crop fade like this. LITERALLY THE WORST CROPS I HAVE EVER PURCHASED.

I called and got store credit. (I had to call and listen to minutes of this guy talking about "pretty" and how quality tested their clothes are. I think NOT for the quality testing. I think this is the first piece in 17 years that I've had bleed in the wash.)

Salar crop in neon yellow, $34.95
These crops are sheer. I was sure they'd be. But the tag popped off while I was trying them on so I guess I'm keeping them.

The color is great. I really like it. It's almost obnoxiously neon. But they're so sheer you can read the size tag through the crops. Even nude underwear show through. Wear a long shirt with this. These are by far the sheerest pants I own. But for $35 not that big of a loss.

Mosa tank in neon yellow, $24.95

I wore this running the other day. The color is great. It has a half layer of mesh in the back under the visible layer. It wasn't too heavy and it was soft. I wasn't sure what it did. Was it supposed to help with sweat and back breakouts?

And my tank wasn't too soaked through after at 3.5 mile trail run.

I ordered an XS, which fit well.  (I'm a 6 in a Lululemon Cool Racerback, small in Nike or Under Armour) but I do like my tanks more fitted. (I've got an athletic build, small chest and hips, and my waist does no cinch in like some girls.)

Malindi bra in neon yellow ($19.95)

This is a cute sports bra. Nothing to write home about. It matches the crops. It bra cups. I'd recommend this one of low impact activities. The description says medium impact, but I wouldn't run in it. (Ordered size small, fits like a small in other brands, small in Lululemon.)

Overall:
1) I usually return 90% of my order. I'm only returning the faded crops for this one. I might have tried to return the sheer yellow crops but apparently I need to keep them.

2) This is why I buy Lululemon. The crops wouldn't fade. And if they did, returns would be easy peasy. I had to have an awkward conversation with someone in India. I did not understand what they were saying.

Still not a fan of Fabletics. I just keep the membership in case there's something I want. (And I have points towards free crap in their rewards program. Still mad that it went from a free outfit as their reward to their clearance crap that no one wants.) And now I have store credit. I could have pushed for a return, but I didn't feel like being that horrible. (Though I should get a refund for craps that poor quality.)

UPDATE
I returned the crops that bled—three weeks later I get an email admitting there was an issue with those crops and sending me a $10 credit.

Travel Worthy Activewear

I have never been a light packer. I was the girl that brought everything from formal wear to Pringles to summer camp. But with airlines get stricter and stricter with carry-ons I've had to pare down.

I wanted to pack especially light for a recent trip to D.C. because if I had to check a bag, I'd miss my shuttle home. So I packed the bare minimum. And activewear is so versatile, it's most of what I packed.

Here are the activewear pieces that I got the most mileage out of on my recent travels (Lululemon unless otherwise noted)

Hi elephants!

1) Vinyasa Scarf
I wore a grey herringbone vinyasa scarf—and it is just perfect for travel. It wore it looped around twice in the airport. I got hot and put it on my suitcase handle while I waited. On the plane, I got cold, so it worked as a wrap/blanket. And it was great to have in D.C's chilly weather. It's soft, stylish and super functional. Will definitely bring this scarf next time I travel. I might even need a second scarf.

Vest and 5 mile long sleeve. 

2. Down for a Run Vest
I tried this on in the store for giggles. I had no intention of buying a $139 vest. And then I looked in the mirror. It is cute, so flattering. And it has a million pockets. I waited a week and broke down and bought it and then wore it every weekend.

This is what I wore in the airport—so I didn't have to carry a purse. It has two pockets that are big enough for a wristlet mini wallet. It also has two pockets on the side that can fit a can of Coke. It's stylish and more hands-free than a purse. I stocked my mini wallet, inhaler, winter hat, and anything I'd usually carry in my purse when I went out.

I sent a pic to my sister—she thought it was perfect for moms, but needed a spot for a pacifier.
This vest is a winter staple. I wear it all the time.

Upgraded to exit row on my rerouted flight through Charlotte.
Lots of leg room. Love my jet crops.

3. Jet Crop Slims
I wore these pants in the airport because they're comfy and don't have metal. And I could dress them up or down if need be. They're something I can wear ALL day. (They feel kinda like pajamas). I ended up wearing them the next day to walk around the zoo, and pulling them on over my leggings when I was in a hurry to get from a last minute trampoline class to rush to the airport.

4. Athleta ponte pants
These are my dress yoga pants. They packed well and didn't wrinkle. They work well for a dressy business conference.

5. Align leggings
I packed these because they can work as leggings under a dress or workout leggings. It was freezing in DC so I wore them under a dress when I went out for lunch, and wore them to an exercise class that night.

6. &Go Where-To Dress in grey (grey is sold out)
I got this on mark down and where it every week. It packs well and doesn't wrinkle. It's comfy and has a pocket that's perfect for a hotel room card. I like that it dresses up well for a T-shirt dress. I got the short sleeve, so I can slip a sweater on if I'm cold/want to dress it up.

I brought some other activewear: I wore a 5 mile long sleeve on the plane, and got too hot, and got too hot again at the zoo. I brought some purple leggings for trapeze.

 I ended up buying a black Cool Racer Back from Lululemon near the Whitehouse and wore it that night for trampoline class and I think twice since. I'm always looking for a clean black tank.

And I wore everything I packed in my tiny carryon suitcase and laptop bag—except a pair of shorts I brought in case I wanted to run on the treadmill. But I walked so much around D.C. that I decided I didn't need to run. (And I did two more trampoline classes than I'd planned and still had clothes for this :)

Oh, and I missed my shuttle home anyway. There was light snow in the forecast so it took 40 minutes to de-ice my plane going home, so it was really late coming in. #Fail.

New brand for activewear: Werkshop

Mastering the awkward picture. 

Dragon crops. OMG. I'm in love.

I really like to have workout clothes that standout and when I saw these Wekshop dragon crops I knew I had to have them. They are so bad ass. And dragons! I love dragons. 

I got these in the mail and immediately wanted to wear them. But I decided the girls in my barre class weren't bad ass enough to appreciate them, so I wore them to flying trapeze, which seems like the most appropriate place to wear dragon crops. Hello flying?

Blooper real from flying trapeze. Keep your feet together and don't ball up your fists. Maybe I just felt like Super Man? 

I tried them on and my first thought was SQUISH. They are very compressive. But not too compressive to move in. They were fine for flying trapeze—a lot of piking and balling your body up. I had no issues.

These are a light colored and I had no issues with opacity, because the detailing around the butt is dark. I had black underwear on and it didn't show through and didn't show lines. The inside of the pant is white. 

And I really liked the detailing on the butt—the horns. I thought it made my butt look cute, but dangerous ;) 

And apparently, you can wear these with a swimsuit for SUP yoga. (SUP yoga classes were sold out when I tried to sign up recently.) 

Fit: Runs small. I'm a 6 in Lulu and ordered a medium in these. They fit quite snugly. I've never worn a large in my life, but I might try one on to see how it fit. That said, the medium is the right size.

My husband said he wanted a pair. An XL would probably be too small for him. The owner of trapeze said he wanted a pair too. I think he needs a pair.

Verdict: I love these crops. On my budget, I can almost afford a new pair a month ($88 plus $5 shipping). I want the panther ones, and the octopus one. Who am I kidding? I want them all. Werkshop does a great job of making appealing prints: Hearts for Valentines Day, butterflies, fruits, kale—all sorts of themes. 

Fingers crossed for a Labor Day sale. 

Mail Day: Lulu haul for the week

This is what I got in Lulu WMTM last week.

1) Swimsuit. Ordered this Thursday morning, arrived Saturday morning.
I have the black and white stripe bikini and really needed a one-piece for boogie boarding. My sister lives at the beach—and I feel like the current tries to take off my bikini bottoms. Figured a one-piece was the answer. This swimsuit fits really well. The mesh panels are a nice detail. And I think this would be a good suit if I take up lap swimming at the gym. If the black one goes on markdown, I'll buy it in a heartbeat. $29 for a $108 swimsuit. I like that price.
The only drawback of the swimsuit, is that it shows a little more butt that I'd like it to. (I do have a big butt for my size.)

2) Sculpt short
I have this quest to find shorts that look good on my big quads. With a 6 inch inseam, these are longer than some of the Lulu shorts, so I thought I'd give them a try. You can wear them as long as you want—they stretch out. I think I'm on the fence on these and we'll see if I'll wear them. I need more shorts, so this is a step in the right direction. Think I'm going to pass on ordering this in another color. $29 is a good price but I don't love them enough to get another pair.

3) 105 singlet in heathered jeweled magenta
I love the 105 singlet and am so sad they're not making it anymore. When this one went on markdown, I snatched it up. $39 isn't the best price and this was the slowest of my orders to arrive. I ordered it Tuesday (that's when they added it to WMTM) and it got here the next Wednesday. The color isn't as bright as I'd like (like the CRB), but it's nice and I've already worn it. I'll keep an eye out for a brighter tank in the mean time.

Lululemon for $19—yes please

Once a year, Lululemon has an online warehouse sale where you can get Lululemon at a steep discount. Lululemon doesn't really go on sale so this is kinda awesome.

I bought too much.

Here's what I got:

• Shan't Surf Hipster, $19
I love my Lululemon bikini. It is so awesome. Meaning, it really works for my athletic body type.  I've been looking for pieces to mix and match with it. This will work perfectly. Huzzah!

• Groove shorts for $24
I wanted another pair of shorts. I had my eye on these, then last week they were in We Made Too Much last week for $39 or so. They disappeared quickly—before I could decide if I wanted them. For $24 I'll take them.

• Find Your Om scarf, $34
I wanted this scarf since the day it came out (but didn't want to spend $59). I have a budget for workout clothes and by the time I could make another purchase, this scarf had disappeared. I'm happy to get it at a sale price. I love black and white and love scarves. I can't wait to wear this.

• Wonder Under Crop in black and regal plum, $39
I love my Wonder Unders and have wanted another pair. And $39 is a steal price for crops of any brand: Nike, Under Armour. I love this purple so I'm excited about these (normally $82).

And I should have been done after that, but they mark items down as the sale progresses, so after some price cuts I bought even more. (I need a support group).

$9 the small towel.
I already have one. It's great for my gym bag. I wanted another one, so I could have a towel while I wash my other towel.

• 50 rep bra for $19
This is a great price for a sports bra. I already have this bra in black and white stripe and like it. And I'm always washing my sports bras. I could definitely use a few more.

• Sweat to Swim Fast Bra, $19
Hybrid Sports bra/swimsuit top—works for me. I had my eye on this and when it dropped to $19, I snatched it up.

• Yin to You Sweater, $34
I watched this sweater in January/February in We Made Too Much. It got marked down to $59 and I could never quite bring myself to buy it. They marked it down to $34 and I decided I needed it. I got the blue and am hoping it will fit.

• Stash it crop for $34
I can always use another pair of crops. This is a great price (normally $88). I opted for the black animal print, though I'm worried I should have gotten plain black or the ones with the reflective transformers decal.

I'm pretty excited about my purchases. I would have liked a few tanks or tops, but they didn't have a lot I was interested in.

A lot of people were complaining about how underwhelming the sale was. And yes, a lot of these pieces were previously marked down, but I got a few things I'd been looking at at significant discounts. These are good prices for workout clothes—period, regardless of luxury prices. I just hope I love most of them.

But that's my Lulu budget and then some for the month. So just hoping they don't sell out of anything new and cute in the coming weeks.

How to Afford Lululemon

Lululemon is the company famous for $100 yoga pants. It seems so ridiculous really. Who would over pay that much for yoga pants?

Here's the thing. The clothes are super nice. The fabric is soft. The pieces are well made. And if you don't 100% love a piece, bringing it back is hassle free.

So why would you pay $100 for yoga pants? Because they're made really well and you'll wear them all the time. You will feel amazing in the clothes—because they fit you well and because you feel like some part of some not so secret awesome society.

So how do you afford Lululemon?

1. Start small. 
My first piece of Lululemon was a sports bra. It was $48. I really wanted a bra with a strappy back and I was at my local Lululemon for a free barre class. I decided that sports bras typically run $20-$50 so it was doable to spend that much on this piece. It's not really that much more than a normal bra.

2. Budget.
I spend too much on clothes. I wish I could save up for a new car and not spend the money every month, but I do. So I set aside $100 a month for clothes and shoes. So work clothes, new running shoes, workout clothes. That's my budget. So if I don't need anything else, that means 1-2 new pieces of Lululemon a month. So set a budget, and then you know what you can get. Or if you need to save for a purchase.

3. Sale pieces.
Lululemon doesn't really go on sale. Their sales model is based on pieces selling out super quickly and about 90% of their merchandize is sold at full price. But there's that 10%.

Every Thursday at around 11 a.m., they'll mark down a few pieces online in their We Made Too Much section (that's their term for clearance). So $90 pants are $70. And $52 tanks are $39. This can help you save money. The pieces are final sale. No returns or exchanges. You'll need to know what size you are. So I always check out the markdown rack at my local store. It's usually out of season pieces, clothes that didn't sell well and items being discontinued. Then I can try them on and see if I want them.

There are also Lululemon outlets. The closest one to my house is in Orlando (11 hours away).

Lululemon does quarterly clearance sales. March 19th, they marked down a lot more than usual. And once a year Lululemon does an online warehouse sale. This year the sale was July 16-17. It started 11:30 p.m. July 15 and ended around 6:30 p.m. July 17. It was over quicker than expected. There were about 140 pieces on sale to begin with and about 70 pieces when the sale ended. (I posted about what I bought), but you can get $80 crops for $40 and $50 sports bras for $19. Pieces sell out quickly and some (not all) of the prices will drop as the sale progresses. I kept checking for price drops and ordered a few things on the last day of the sale after the prices dropped. Hands down, these are the best prices of the year and your best bet to snatch Lululemon up at a good price (if you don't live near an outlet.)

4. Goal pieces
Set a goal and reward yourself. When I ran 3 miles in under 25 minutes I bought myself a pair of Lululemon tracker shorts. I love them. I wear them twice a week and need another pair. Next goal: run an actual 5k, instead of laps around the track.

5. The staples. 
If you're a Lululemon newbie, go to a showroom and try on some Wunder Unders and see what you think. Their classic pieces that feel great on. And you can slowly build up. One pair of crops, one pair of shorts, a sports bra, a tank, some casual T's. Gradually build your collection based on what you need and what you wear often. I think if you buy an $80 pair of crops and wear then 1-2 times a week for 3 years, that's money better spent then the $40 crops you never wear (I have a lot of those.)

So that's it. You can now get a Lululemon addiction. You can stalk the blogs—get the Thursday preview of the Tuesday releases. Check what's new in the clearance section and plan your next purchase.

Only by the time you have money for it, it will probably be sold out ;) Lululemon stuff sells out fast. But they come out with more stuff every week. So if the crops you want sell out before your Lululemon budget rolls over, there will be more crops. And other brands. Or maybe you don't need to spend the money anyway.

Crops I wanted but sold out super fast. I didn't have the money :( 

Lulu in the office: Super comfy work pants

I'm always on the lookout for workout clothes that I can covertly wear to the office. At Lululemon, I eyed a pair of Jet Crop Slims that looked like I could wear to work. I took them into the fitting room and couldn't not buy them.

They were so comfy. I wore them to work the next day with heels and a long top. It worked great. I'm 5'5 and these pants are the perfect ankle length on me. (Note: Inseam on a size 6 is 27 inches not the 23 in the product description).

Cons: To wear to the office, wear a long shirt, the top with the pleats looks too athletic. And the pants do sag a little. I tried rolling the pants over once. But it wasn't too bad.

The pants fit true to size. I'm consistent a 6 in lululemon bottoms. I could not have sized down as some of the reviews say. They fit me perfectly in the thighs—I have very muscular quads.

I almost bought a second pair, but decided to save my money. I might if they go on markdown.

Wahoo for Lululemon in the office.

What to wear: Flying trapeze

When I try a new sport or venture, I wonder what I should wear.

Twinning with Martha. Clearly you should wear a purple tank and black crops :) 

For flying trapeze, here's what you should wear:

1) Sunscreen.
Flying trapeze is outside. If your class is during the day, put SPF on before you leave the house.
(You don't want sunscreen to make the bar slick, so if you put it on at the facility, wash your hands immediately after.)
Also, you can't fly with sunglasses on. You can wear them while hanging out though.

2. Leggings or capris. 
The website asks you to wear pants that cover the back of your knees, so leggings or capris. The guys catch in the same tight pants as the girls ;)

If you're a dude, you could wear running leggings under shorts or just wear shorts.

3. A fitted top that won't fly up.
You're going to be upside-down. You don't want a super baggy T-shirt that's going to fly up over your head. A popular choice is a tank with a built-in bra.

You'll also be wearing a safety belt over your tank for the entire time. You want something that will tuck under this.

4. Keep your hair up.
And you'll want your hair up in a ponytail or braid, so it's not in your face.
My ponytail would actually was too long and kept swinging into my face (during catches.) Next time I need to remember to braid it or loop it so it's not as long.

What not to wear:
1) You don't fly in shoes.
You can fly in socks. Leave your shoes at the bottom of the ladder. You don't want a shoe flying off and hitting someone (especially your catcher.)
2) Jewelry. 
They're going to ask you to take off bracelets, watches, big rings etc. Leave those at home. Safety first.

I had my hair in a bun so it wouldn't whip me in the face. 

What I wore:
Athleta running tank and Lululemon Top speed crops. (Lulu's crossback tank has since been my go-to for trapeze.)

Also, you're going to get chalk all over you. I like to wear light colors—for night classes and for the chalk.

Fabletics: cancel my membership

It's been a year and I'm canceling my Fabletics membership.

Top reasons
1. I don't like their new rewards program.
I was THIS close to getting a new free outfit—anything I wanted. And then they changed the rewards program so now I'm THIS close to getting free crappy sale stuff that isn't selling. Seriously, there is nothing in the rewards section that tempts me. It's cheap tanks and sports bras with no support. I contacted customer service about how this new program screwed me over and the canned email suggested I buy a new outfit to look fabulous this weekend. ?? Really?

2. I don't actually wear most of the Fabletics clothes I've purchased.
• The sports bras offer no support.
• The capri's cut into my calves and don't hold up well after washing.
• And the tanks are just cheap and make me look like I have lumps when I don't. (I've tried up a size, it doesn't help.)
• I wear my stuff from other brands more. I don't need more stuff I won't wear.

3. I don't like their outfits concepts. I have a lot of athletic clothes. I might want a pair of capris or a top. But never is everything I want in the same outfit. It's cheaper to buy an outfit when crops are $40 and you have to pay $8 shipping, but shipping is free when you spend $50. So I end up buying outfits and then returning them. And it takes forever for the returns to process. I'd rather buy a top or a pair of shorts, not get a top I'll never wear because it's as cheap as shopping.

4. I'd rather save my money and buy Lululemon.

My overall impression of Fabletics: It was fun for a little while. I had fun ordering outfits, but I just don't wear the clothes I bought from them.

Should you try it? You might like it.

There are some other subscription boxes I'd like to try.

Part-time Lululemon model

I feel slightly like a Lululemon shoulder model in this picture. :) 

Today I discovered Lulelemon. They had a free pure barre class at their studio so I decided to go and the result is this picture and some sore glutes.

Lululemon has been on my radar for awhile—$100 yoga pants that are see-through. That whole scandal alerted me to the fact that yoga pants could cost $100. (I thought Victoria's Secret $50 pants were expensive.) But I was curious why people would pay that much and what the big deal was. Was there something more than the lemming effect that led college students in my day to wear Chacos (so comfy) and North Face jackets?

Lululemon opened up a showroom in my town and I drive past it all the time. I liked them on Facebook and they offer free classes all of the time (yoga, cycling, juicing classes), but this week I decided I was going to go to the Pure Barre class (because I can't really afford the class, but would love to go. And I think I'm taking some barre classes later this week in Atlanta.) I convinced a gym friend to go with me (I did ask several people) and we went out there. (She said she only hates me a little bit now).

1) If you do a class a Lululemon, bring your yoga mat. I forgot mine, but they have a few you can borrow. Their mat felt great under my feet. I was a fan.

2) The Pure Barre class was crazy intense. I forgot how bad at it I am. It's nonstop directions. Tuck and pulse and then once you've figured it out, you're on to the next movement. I think I'd get better at it if I took more classes, but their normal rate is $195 a month. Ouch! I do think it's something I should work on, so I'm holding out hope for a groupon or sale, but given how many of their classes are full, I'm not sure that's going to happen.

I survived the class (with only three corrections from the owner :) And then I decided to look around. The clothes are so stinking cute. They had a cute long sleeve purple top ($68) that I was eyeing. I wanted to try a headband ($12) because I bet theirs would stay on. I ended up getting a sports bra, because I really wanted a strappy one. I also got a $59 sweater. It was on sale (and their sale is final sale). It was a really nicely made wool sweater with thumb holes and kangaroo pockets. I think it would cost that much anywhere else. I plan to wear it to my conference this coming week. So I guess they got their money's worth out of their free class—a lot of people bought stuff.

And while I didn't buy any $100 see-through yoga pants, I am a fan. Their stuff is cute and made well. Now, I just have to wait for a sale. (Do those ever happen?)

PS) When class was over, the retired university gymnastics coach (a local celebrity) came in and shopped a bit. Since I blogged about gymnastics recently (and she was at the sneak peek) I thought that was a nice tie-in.

Adult Tumbling

I brought my camera to tumbling class this week.

This is me working on a bridge kick over.

I usually start kicking over from higher up and work down to one pad. This is the kick over from two pads. (It's easier when you start from higher up and have more leverage to kick over from). I can get to one pad after about 10 minutes.

I am THIIIIIS close to getting a bridge kick over from the floor. I still need a tiny push from Megan or Helen (in pink in the back).  And looking at this picture, I need to get my arms straighter under my shoulders and not bend my elbows.

Here's my bridge. I was showing Lindsey the difference between arms below your shoulders and arms angled out. It's hard to open up your shoulders to get that straight angle, but it makes bridges and easier.

The thing I like about tumbling is the more I work on it, the more flexible I get. Now, I can do a back bend no problem. I couldn't a month ago. And I like to think I get a little better every week.

Flips…
I'm still working on my flip. I don't feel like there's a lot of progress, but I'm getting closer, I know it! I have to do about 10  bad flips to warm up and then I get some flips closer to landing. I saw some of the photos about me not going high enough and the very next flip I did higher. Next week I'm going to take over the tumble track and try flipping on there. I think the footing with the run, run punch and trampoline confuses me. I think the tumble track might be simpler. That or get the high mats out again. I must get this!

Bad flip. Much too low and too open. I landed on my butt, which is better than my head.

Fabletics Women's Sportswear: my review

Sample outfits on Fabletics.

I am always on the hunt for cute workout clothes—preferably on sale.

I kept getting Pandora pop-up ads for Fabletics. They were on my radar for cute workout wear, but I could never find the cute capris in the ads actually in stock.

By chance I happened to click on Fabletics on the first of the month when they release new products. And I found some capris that I had to have. I bought them immediately.

I went ahead and signed up for the VIP membership. They're an online subscription retailer where you can buy an outfit every month. If you sign up for the VIP membership, you can get better prices, but  the catch is you have to remember to login the first of every month to buy or decline the month. I could live with that, I thought (though I do have huge doubts.)

They also have a new member signup deal where your first outfit is $25. The catch is you have 48 hours from signing up to redeem that deal. So only sign up for their service if you want to buy immediately. I'd signed up a few months ago for their service (not the VIP membership), so I couldn't get the $25 deal. And I didn't really want any outfits. (I have a ton of workout clothes). I just wanted the capris (cute capris that aren't black are hard to find.)

For my first time ordering, I got 20% off the capris. It took a while to get a shipping confirmation, but after that they came in shortly. And they were the wrong size. I'me between a small and an extra-small in workout pants. I opted for the xs, because that's what they said a size 4 was. I'm a 4. I couldn't even fit my thigh in those pants.

I exchanged them. And exchanges are easy enough. You exchange them online. And when you put the return pair in the mail, they'll send out the new pair. (During this time, I was worried that they would sell out of the smalls.) Finally, my capris came in the mail. The smalls fit. They seemed to be a good quality. The exchange was free and I was happy about that.

First capri I ordered from Fabletics.

The next month, I wanted a pair of printed capris and it took forever to find an outfit I liked. (The site sells workout wear in terms on outfits. See image at top.)I like the bottoms and the tops, but never in the combinations they pick out. And when an outfit is $50 and the pants are $40 it makes sense to go ahead and buy the outfit. I found two outfits with the tops and bottoms I liked—and when I went to order that night, a lot of the styles that were there that morning were already sold out. I picked an outfit, added a top in the sale section and they offered me another top for $10 so I added that for my August outfit.

The outfit came in the mail. The capris (now that I know what size I am) are adorable and I wore them right away. The sale top was a lot cheaper than it looked online, but was okay. The top that came with the outfit and the $10 add-on tops were extremely cheap. I took one look at them and knew they were going back. They were also huge. I went ahead and ordered a small—after having to order up in the capris, but the small was way too big.

This top was cheaper than it looked, but for $20 it was okay.
TjMaxx has the same kind of stuff for the same price, and you can try their clothes on.

This top runs big, is super cheap and I had to call to return it.

I tried to send these tops back online, like I did last month. Only I couldn't. It said I had to call their 800 number and talk to someone weekdays between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. It was 8:50 p.m. when they sent me this message so I called them the next day. I was only hold for about 4 minutes before getting a girl who called herself O'Hara (what Indian girl calls themself O'Hara? And clearly she was at an overseas call center. Very thick accent.) It took five minutes for her to understand that I wanted to exchange two tops for a pair of capris. And then she returned one top for the capris and gave me a refund for the other top. It took her a while to figure out that I wanted the RIO RUN CAPRI IN BLUE LAVA. I said that like 10 times. Why I had to talk to her to do this, I don't know. It was annoying. I'd rather do this online. But no language barrier.

But a least she let me return the items. I was worried, I was going to have to dispute the charge on my credit card and/or cancel my Fab membership. I was fully prepared for this conversation.

Then, the return label she promised me took forever to get to me. I expected it to be in my inbox when I hung up the phone—that's the speed of email. But after our 9:30 a.m. conversation I got the return label at 6 p.m. After the post office closed. So much for having that taken care of that day.

Verdict: Would I recommend this service? Maybe.

I HATE that you have to buy in outfits. I never like two of the pieces that come together. I like some of the tops and some of the bottoms, but not in the combinations they choose. I just have a lot of workout tanks and don't need their tanks.

Their tops are EXTREMELY CHEAP. I might never buy another tank from them again. I like dry-fit performance tanks—not cheap see-through cotton.

That said, they do have a good variety of workout wear, that other ladies at the gym probably won't be wearing.

Sizing: I think their pants run small and their tops run big.

Annoyances: Their wish list feature currently isn't working. Their search is also not user-friendly. You can search by products by name (desio, flourish, but can't search for "blue tank" or "pink lava capri".

VIP membership. I'm very way of this. I don't mind checking in on the first of the month. That's easy enough to remember, but I worry it will be a pain in the ass to cancel in a few months when I'm tired of this service (when my husband yells at me for having too many workout clothes. It's probably deserved. It's an addiction.)