I’ve been wanting to try out and review Olympia Activewear ever since I discovered their first collection last year. I was really drawn to the minimalist design motifs and neutral color palette. Olympia strives to create modern, stylish pieces that range from loungewear to workout wear to casual wear. Along the spectrum of fashionable fitness wear, Olympia finds its niche more on the athleisure and fitness lifestyle side of things, which is underscored by the use of cotton and silk on some pieces.
The photos in this post were taken by my wonderful quilter/crafter/blogger friend, Maggie.
Disclosure: Olympia sent me these complimentary products to share with Agent Athletica readers. The thoughts in this post are all my own original, honest opinions.
One of my favorite pieces from the 2015 collection is the moto legging. I love the pleated knee accent. I got the motos in iron, a new steel grey Olympia introduced this year. I typically wear an XXS/XS or a size 2 in lululemon, and I got these in size P (i.e., XS). I thought these fit similar to other bottoms I have in XS, so I recommend sticking with your usual size.
Olympia’s technical fabric is a poly/spandex blend that’s really quite unique. It’s extremely lightweight, which makes these full-length leggings an excellent match for warm climates. The finish of the fabric is smooth rather than cottony, so it will not pill. It has a really interesting shine finish that gives it a luxe vibe reminiscent of silk. And indeed, the fabric has a much more silky feel than other poly blends I’ve encountered.
(P.S. The slick finish also means it repels pet hair. Major bonus for me!!)
All of Olympia’s gear uses elastic bands, a signature of theirs, often in interesting patterns to accent the design. The elastic is very soft and didn’t cut in on me at all.
As far as coverage goes, a bright colored pair of undies might show through, but I couldn’t detect any skin color or anything else that shouldn’t be seen in the obligatory squat/bend test. That said, I did notice the lightweight fabric is particularly prone to showing VPL, so be sure you have something seamless. I’m guessing that this won’t be as noticeable in darker colors.
Hardcore activewear connoisseurs might notice that Olympia does not use flatlocked seams. I believe the technique they use instead is a form of overlocking. Flatlocking is usually used to prevent chafing, but let it be known that I hiked 6 miles in these pants and was very comfortable, so I don’t consider this a downside at all, just something to note.
The petra tank is a racerback style with generously cut armholes and a high neck. Petra tanks come in both cotton and mesh, and I got one of each: jet in cotton and nude in mesh.
The easy fit of the petra tank makes sizing a piece of cake. My petras are both size P and the fit is loose and breezy without being too oversized. I bet it would also look great with a slightly less loose fit, too. The length is hip-length, close to booty-covering. The seams are finished at the neck and armholes, but raw at the hem.
The nude mesh is a warm tone of nude with pink undertones. The micro-mesh seems sturdy, but I will still have to take care not to snag the material. As you might expect, the mesh feels like wearing nothing at all, but it obscures things just enough if you want more than just a sports bra. This would also look great worn as a beach coverup, plus it could be styled casually with a cami or cute bra underneath.
The jet petra is a fairly light weight cotton, but thick enough to be opaque. I’ll wear this in many of the same ways as the mesh petra. Skinnies, heels, and some jewelry would dress this right up.
The T bra is a low-coverage, low-support style with the same poly fabric on the cups and T back. The band looked quite small when I pulled it out of the package, but not to worry, the elastic relaxes quite a lot. Happily, the cups did not cut in at all, which is always a concern of mine. My T bra is bone, an ivory color, but since the fabric on the cups is double-layered, I didn’t find the color to be see-through. Again, this is a size P. I’m roughly a 28-30D, and would recommend this size for a 30-32 band. It will probably work best for A and B cups, but could also be worn casually for C’s or even some small D’s.
Take note there are no slots for removable cups, so if you can’t live without them, you’ll need to sew some in. For these pics, I slid in some cups I had borrowed from another bra (they are not attached in any way but stayed in place reasonably well).
This bra was tremendously comfortable and did not cut in anywhere. It wasn’t particularly supportive/compressive on me, so I wouldn’t be able to wear this for burpees or box jumps, but I’d certainly wear it for casual and lower-impact occasions, like this hike.
Overall, I’m really pleased with all of my new Olympia additions. I have my eye on a few more things in their current collection and will be keeping my eye on their future releases. Despite the abundance of fitness wear options out there, Olympia stands out as something unique.
In this post:
Moto legging in iron / Petra tank in jet / Petra tank in nude mesh / T bra in bone
More of my favorites from Collection 2015:
Naxos crop in jet / Sion tee in nude / Bronte bra in bone/jet / Calypso shorts in jet
More colors and styles from Olympia Activewear:
If what you’re looking for isn’t in stock on Olympia’s site, the 2015 collection is also available on Carbon38, Revolve, and Free People.
Photos: Maggie of Pretty and Prickly
Location: Devil’s Bridge trail, Sedona, AZ
So is the xs size like a size 4 or a size 2
I would say like a 4. I’ll go back and clarify that in the post! :)
You look beautiful in those pictures. The outfits look awesome on you. It is too bad a lot of athletic companies are not easily available in Canada.
Thank you! I believe Revolve ships to Canada for free, although I don’t know about returns or customs fees.
I agree with the previous commenter, you look gorgeous and the pictures are amazing!!!
Thank you!!! :)
Great photos! You’re really selling me on the moto leggings! But that is a steep price for sure. Would you purchase these at full price knowing the fit/feel/quality now?
And OMG their naxos crops are SO COOL. You haven’t tried those suckers on by any chance, have you? Wow this company seems like a great find!
Thanks!! :) I have paid some pretty steep prices in my day ($115 for a pair of crops once–yikes), so I’m not sure if I’m the best person to ask, lol. The nice thing about the motos in particular is how versatile they are, so that helps you get a bit more bang for your buck. I wouldn’t rule out going back for a second pair in jet/bone, especially because they would actually be black leggings I wouldn’t have to lint roll the dog hair off of! Huge deal for me, lol. Occasionally, they do have coupon codes (or you can get 10% off your first purchase anytime via Revolve w/free ship and free returns to boot), so that helps tip the scales, although there’s no guarantee what you want will be in stock when a coupon code shows up, so that’s always a risk. Also, FWIW, if I can ever get the funds together, I do want to get a pair of naxos crops, and I would pay full price for those.
Sorry for the novel-length comment. :)
You really are a luxury athletic wear guru. You’re so helpful. Thank you!
Holy abs lady! You look amazing!! Awesome pics as well, the desert backdrop is stunning.
Thanks, Michelle. :) I had to wait a couple weeks because of bad weather, but I was dead set on the desert pics. I think it was worth the wait! :)
Great photos! Your back looks amazing!
Thank you. :)
Ditto. You look fantastic!
Aww shucks. :)
Sedona! This is a lovely backyard. The moto leggings really flatters you, esp the back shot. The fabric seems like a slightly thinner version of luxtreme? Love luxtreme.
Yes, very similar to luxtreme, but a bit more supple and, as you mentioned, not quite as thick. I love those types of fabric for bottoms because I can sit on the couch in them and not worry about the ever-present dog hair. :)
If that is a true statement about not having to worry about dog hair I am SO SOLD !!!!
Yes it brushes right off, it doesn’t stick at all like it does with luon/supplex. Since my dogs have corgi blood, they shed approximately one bunny rabbit worth of fur a week, at least, so it’s pretty magical!
Ohhh, gorgeous! Thank you for the reviews – I’ve been eyeing Olympia for a while. A couple questions… The Carbon38 site indicates that the leggings fit small to size and recommend sizing up, but it sounds like you disagree? Also, the bra doesn’t feel uncomfortable at the back of the neck at all? Thanks!
So, it can be tough sometimes for me to answer sizing questions since I am not a true size XS and that is what I got. Although the pants don’t slide around on me, they definitely don’t feel as small as most XXS I encounter, hence me saying they fit true. It’s also strange to me that C38 would use the words “snug fit” versus “comfortable fit”–isn’t activewear supposed to be snug? Strange. Anyway, if you are between sizes, go with the larger, but if you’re true, I’m not sure going up a whole size is necessary. And also, the bra is not uncomfortable at the neck. I’ve had others that were, but I didn’t really notice this one throughout the day like I have with others. The X bra looks to be the same in the front, but has a crossback if you prefer things lower on the back.
Thank you so much! I thought that was a weird way to put it, too. It sounds like tts is the way to go :)
Gotta say, the contrast between this and the current lulu snoozefest is slightly jarring!
Haha, snoozefest is pretty accurate right now. I doubt there will be any temptation for me on upload. Btw, if you do order something Olympia, do let me know what you think about sizing! Curious to hear another opinion.
You look better than their web model in this stuff. Re your VPL comment, what underwear brand do you recommend for activewear? I have never had anything special but have been curious about lulu’s or anyone else’s…
That’s an excellent question… I haven’t found a particular brand/style that works for everything. It’s actually been on my mind to make a concerted effort to seek out some more to try. I do like lulu’s mula bandhawear, they’re quite comfy, although not seamless. I hate hate hate lulu’s light as air though, at least the thong. I ended up throwing it out I hated it so much–horrible camel toe wedgie, the edges rolled and twisted easily, and generally just fit me terribly.
You look phenomenal!
Aww thank you Lisa! :)
You’re so buff and gorgeous!! Nice back/shoulder definition!
Thanks!! It’s nice to see results from all my suffering at the gym, lol.
Gorgeous photos! And I really love the whole outfit. It’s really classy and sophisticated. I need to check out this brand! Thanks for the great review!
Thanks Jenn! I agree, I like that the line is sophisticated and not too fussy. :)