I made my quarterly pilgrimage to a lululemon store this past weekend, and did some obligatory try-ons to share. Here’s the first half–I’ll get the second half up written up in the next couple of days. This installment focuses on some of the cold weather gear that’s recently been released.
Reviewed in this post:
Fleecy keen jacket – white
Base runner pants – heathered fuel green
Kanto catch me 1/2 zip – wee stripe heathered black
Kanto catch me long sleeve – mini pop stripe dark fuel forage teal
For reference, I am 5’3″ and typically wear a lululemon size 2 in both tops and bottoms.
Fleecy keen jacket – white
I had high hopes for this jacket after so many people raved about it. I couldn’t help but pick up the white version to try, since it’s such a beautiful pure white. I love all the details of this jacket. There are so many thoughtful features as well as design motifs that really reinforce what lululemon does so well. I love the contrasting pops of black throughout. The jacket also felt very warm. I got hot in the dressing room with this on even though I only had my energy bra underneath. Warmth-wise, I’d say it’s actually pretty comparable to my fluff off jacket from a couple years ago (though of course I didn’t wear the fleecy keen out in the cold to tell for sure).
In my true size, the jacket fit well through the waist, bust, and shoulders. It was nicely fitted and flattering while still leaving room for a layer or two underneath. I don’t recommend sizing up, instead stick with your normal tank/top size. Unfortunately, it fit me poorly at the hips:
In this photo, you can see that there’s quite a lot of extra room at the bottom, where it flares out oddly. I’m not a tall person by any stretch of the imagination, but it seems like this flare was intended to hit along the curve of the hip, when on me it was a couple inches too high. Basically, the jacket was kind of shaped like an “A”. If this wasn’t an issue, I would’ve had a hard time leaving it at the store.
In terms of fit and style, this jacket still beats the crap out of anything comparable I’d find at, say, REI. Still, pretty as it is, I wasn’t prepared to throw down $200 bones plus tax, since the hips didn’t quite fit right and since the white probably would only stay white for all of 3 days. :)
Base runner pants – heathered fuel green
It’s hard to resist a pair of rulu pants. The fabric is soft and cozy, like sweatpants but somehow better. Everything about these pants screams relaxing. The heathered fuel green does look pretty casual, but if styled right, it doesn’t have to look like you just rolled out of bed. In my usual pants size, I have a bit of extra room throughout the leg and could layer crops or leggings underneath. I felt like I could have comfortably sized down (had it been available) for a somewhat more tailored look. What killed these pants for me is everything below the knee. Because they’re too long for me, they end up stacking above the cuff, and because of that cuff, it would be an ordeal to have them hemmed. If these had been a tapered leg with a plain, hemmable cuff, it’d be a much easier sell for a shorty like me. My rolldown sweats from Alala are similar enough, so I’ll stick with those for now.
Kanto catch me 1/2 zip – wee stripe heathered black
Some have said this year’s rulu has been going downhill compared to the quality of years’ past. I can’t say that I totally disagree there. I touched the white herringbone and heathered sapphire kanto 1/2 zips on the hanger, and I thought both felt bad. They weren’t very soft, and the heathered sapphire especially felt quite thin. I do recommend avoiding the heathered rulu colors for that reason. The wee stripe definitely felt the best out of those three, and generally felt close to older rulu. Overall, this is a decent top. It fits pretty well, the length is just right, and the seaming at the bust didn’t bother me as much as I thought it might.
It also has a generously-sized zip pocket. The pocket opening sits at the front and wraps around the side, though it’s pretty inconspicuous when zipped closed. There’s also the obligatory cuffins.
That said, overall I prefer the look of last year’s race your pace 1/2 zip (for comparison, pics of the RYP are here). That one had a more flattering curved seam at the waist, and the rulu was more consistently good last year. If I were to spend the money, I’d probably rather hunt down last year’s iteration than buy this one new.
Kanto catch me long sleeve – mini pop stripe dark fuel forage teal
Along a similar note, I also tried out the kanto catch me long sleeve. This had a really nice fit. The front seams are nicely and flattering, and the neckline is flattering, albeit reminiscent of a baby onesie. This one also has a little zip pocket in the back as well as reflective details near the wrists.
Lulu tried to incorporate extra coverage on the hand so that this actually covers the middle knuckle of my fingers. This is nice in theory, but in practice ended up being strange-looking and reminiscent of a duck bill. And yes, it did flare even if my hand was straight. I imagine the extra length here would also mean it’d be hard to pull the cuffs out of the way when you’re not using the thumbholes. If you took away the weird cuff flare, this would’ve been my favorite rulu LS in a couple of years (I didn’t love either last year). Next time, lulu, I say stick with cuffins!
Finally someone else is mentioning the weird kanto long sleeve cuff! I’m a habitual thumbholes user and just couldn’t get over how it lay, almost defeated the purpose of keeping the hands warm by creating a bubble for the air to go right up. That and it just looks strange.
Yes, exactly, the big opening basically just funnels the air right in. : Hoping there’s a different rulu LS style coming this winter! I don’t even think I’d buy the kanto on MD–just too odd at the cuffs!
The Base Runner pants are really cute, but I can see what you mean about the bottom part. I also tried on the Fleecy Keen, and the bottom fit me well but I have big hips. I think I’m the only person who doesn’t like that jacket though. I don’t like the style of patches of glyde fabric on top of rulu, and it doesn’t make a lot of functional sense either (if it’s raining or snowing or even just windy, I’d rather have my full torso protected instead of patches of it). I haven’t even tried the new Kanto rulu tops. I got sooo many rulu tops in the spring when they were all marked down and really cheap. I’d only buy another in a spectacular color, which is unlikely that we’ll see.
Good point about the glyde vs fleece. It looks fun, but isn’t as practical, weather-wise. I generally have to stay away from fleece anyway, though, since the dog hair embeds itself so badly.
I have a pair of herringbone base runner pants from last year and my roommate has this year’s fuel green ones. We both have them in size 2. Her’s are a good 2-3 inches longer than mine, so you may want to look into finding a pair from 2014 – they’ll probably be the perfect length for you!
Hmm, interesting point! I’ll have to keep an eye out for them.
The fleecy keen is big around the hips for me as well, so I’m not a fan. I have one from last year, and it’s one of my regret purchases because I never wear it. The sleeves are too short for me, and if I had sized up the bottom would have fit even worse. (I’m a similar body type but I’m almost 5’10” so sleeve and pant length are an issue for me too!)
I do love my base runner pants… I have four of them from last year, and the Bordeauxs and green from this season. I like that the pockets are a little more straight down the front of the leg and a they’re a little longer so the pants don’t have that dumpy look that some sweatpants with pockets can get.
I also have a few of the Kantos and I like them, but it took me a bit to warm up to them. I almost returned, but it was like my eye had to adjust to the neckline. I wear them a lot, and I think they’re a good under-layer for sweaters. They’re a different style for me so I bought a few, and they’re a lot more versatile than I thought they’d be. And for me, the sleeve length is a huge plus. I get the thumbholes sewed closed on some pieces because they don’t fit right and they make my sleeves look too short!
Glad I’m not the only one who had those fleecy keen trouble. Good point about the kanto LS for your long arms–I can see how that extra length would really help! ;) I’m still crossing my fingers for a different rulu LS before the season’s out.
I love this years base runners,the length is great for me actually. Even though they advertise them as reversible when they truly are not? Even the educator couldnt sweet talk out of that claim (like they normally do) when i put them on inside out and walked out to prove it. I still had to buy though, I walked away last year to come back the next week and found out they were completely sold out.
I’m glad the base runners work for you! I’m kind of happy they didn’t work for me, since I have PLENTY else to spend my money on lately–oof. Weird that they’re marked as reversible. Like you said, definitely not!
Considering how nice the Crane and Lion (?) long sleeve looked on you in your last review – these just don’t look as nice at all!
I really wish they’d make some of the pants in talls. As it is, apparently we only wear black/gray/navy DSP, they don’t make many prints in the pace rival skirt in tall anymore and the base runners look ridic on me – like i’m waiting for a flood. :(
Sadly I feel like Lulu has lost me. I don’t even have a desire to go into the store anymore and I used to go weekly. It’s been a good several months since i’ve stepped into a store – and then it was to get something repaired and I didn’t even shop.
True about fit, though I am a little partial to rulu since it’s thicker. I could’ve sworn I saw a few colors pop up in tall DSP lately–dark fuel, wine berry, etc–but I don’t keep up with these things, clearly. ;) I feel your frustration from the other end of the spectrum though!
Saw a couple of kanto LS on WMTM, are you wearing a 2 in the photos? Wondering if I should size down or up. I’m between a 2 and a 4.
Yes I’m wearing a 2, which is my normal size. It fits true to size and the same as other rulu tops, imo.
Did you do a review on the Wunder Unders you are wearing in the first pic? I have them and not a fan….anyone else. Just dont love the material. I have a few Wunder under pants and these are the only ones I am not a fan of?
Yeah I did, it’s in a separate post here: http://www.agentathletica.com/try-on-reviews-all-meshed-up-tights-tight-stuff-tights-align-pants/ The fabric is definitely different from the usual wunder under fabric. Personally, I like the tighter weave (though I didn’t buy them), but it’s definitely not everyone’s cup of tea.