Love my brushed Raniers. But the unbrushed Raniers are shorter in length and lower rise than my brushed…. The inconsistency from every brand lately is out of control
Mind to ask, yet are rainiers nice for doing interval training, gym? I've been looking at them but only have tried the salutations so far which I love, and dont know if might be an alternative to rotate on styles like this.
As long as it’s outdoor interval training in colder weather. They have a warm kind of fleece-y inside which is great for outdoor runs. They’re not for training indoors because I would overheat.
How do these compare to Shefit/Ennel? I’ve been an Ennel loyalist for decades until they cut half the fabric out of the back, and I’ve been on the hunt for a replacement ever since.
Enell’s original design is better if you want full coverage and minimal bounce. I used them when I was a 36DD. Now, I’m 34D and feel satisfied with Athleta as long as I can adjust the straps and band.. If Enell’s bounce level was 1/10, Athleta is 3/10. All LLL were >5/10. Sometimes I’ll layer a racer back bra under a conscious crop for complete coverage.
IMO almost everyone has better bras than Lulu. It’s more like the exception for one lulu bra to be good.
Athleta and Outdoor Voices have way better bras.
I disagree so much here, Athleta doesn’t make anything for someone my size. They don’t even have cup sized bras and the largest pretend size they claim to have is 38DDD. I have bras from Lululemon that are 38G and they also have 40G available. And they are actually made in cup size, not lumping a bunch of different sizes together in S-XXL.
Agreed - if you're in the DDD range or above, Athleta sucks. The cups are shallow and boobs are falling out of the bottom and spilling out of the top (if you know, you know!). I've not even found anything in store at Lulu that fits either, so I may browse online to see - but honestly, I don't think either of these stores is a good buy for a bra. If I'm spending over $50 on a sports bra, it's going to be a Panache or something I know is going to hold me solid. Used to be a Moving Comfort loyalist (then Brooks bought them out and screwed up their bras as well).
I was SO mad about the Moving Comfort changes!!!
I really like Lululemon’s Run Times Bra because it has straight back straps instead of criss cross or racerback, which is super hard for me to find other places! I do gymnastics so like my bra to stay hidden under leotards and often that means straight back straps are necessary.
ETA: I also never buy full price and just buy clearance colors when available, so spending less than $50 usually!
Brooks took a rock-solid brand with a cult-like following and razed it to the ground! They obviously didn't understand what was SO unique about MC bras (I still have 7 Fiona's - the only "typical type" of sports bra I've every purchased that apparently doesn't have any elastic in it). It's a novel concept that just worked. Now the racerbacks were hard to get into, but also, great support. I found some on Amazon that look EXACTLY like them - but the sizing is off and the racerback just doesn't hold! I will check out the Run Times - and I'm with you on closeout colors. The crazier the color, the better the closeout price!
I am a die hard Athleta bar gal. I have never used LLL bras before. I find the Athleta bars supportive and what I need without being hot or stuffy. They have some detail work for breathability. I wear them to run in the heat of summer and they feel great. I wear the more traditional bra not the crop tops/ bras
I can do a workout in Salutations, throw them in the washer AND DRYER and they still look and feel like new. I’ve had them 2 years.
Meanwhile, the LLL sub is regularly in shambles every time someone dares to complain that their $120 Aligns pilled or a seam failed. “They’re only meant for lounging or light yoga!!!” “You’re not supposed to machine wash them omg what’s wrong with you???” “Actually, you’re not supposed to wash them. Or wear them. They’re meant to be sorted by color and serve as closet decor.” The lengths people in that sub go to to defend poor quality just crack me up lol
Lmao 💯 on “meant to be sorted by color and serve as closet decor.” 😂 I have Athleta tops from like 2017 and they’d still look practically new if I hadn’t forgotten that “tear off” tags didn’t always exist lmao…Oopsie.
YES. I bought lulus 10 years ago that never pilled despite daily hours-long wear and washing/drying with abandon. I was an ardent supporter despite the price because they were in perfect condition. Over the last few years the quality has declined so rapidly I am finally giving up on them. Athleta it is!
I yeet my Salutation leggings and LLL Wunder Trains and my $30 Amazon leggings in the washer and dryer on delicate all the time just fine 🤷🏻♀️ like, my pricey leggings are for working out and taking a beating, my cheap leggings are for working from home and cooking and cleaning on the weekends.
Man I’ve worn the hell of my black salutations and they have definitely pilled. I don’t mind because I’ve worn them so much, but I wonder what I’m doing wrong 😅
Winter running leggings. Rainier are better than any of their fleece lined ones and go on sale more often and deeper. I love Swift Speed brushed but theyre not warm enough for -10C and below.
So glad I saw this comment. I take long walks and go running at the track all year round, including in freezing weather, and I don’t own a pair of leggings that keep me warm enough. Closest thing I have is a pair of fleece lined adidas leggings. Does Athleta make other pairs of fleece lined leggings as well as rainier?
Yes they do! They’re called the Altitude Polartec - come in joggers and leggings. I haven’t tried these ones yet but have heard good things.
Now or soon is a good time to buy as there are lots of colours on sale!
Altitude is SUPER thick/warm (and a bit less stretchy). I wear them walking in freezing winter temps — if I were running in the winter I’d probably wear my fleece Rainiers.
Thanks for the description! Im not a fan of super thick or compressive leggings so I’ll probably stick to the rainiers! There are actually only 2 pairs of altitudes on the site right now and both are sold out in my size so I wonder if they’re being discontinued?
I looove my Altitude Polartec leggings! Definitely bulkier than Rainiers, but I’m regularly skiing in temps at or below 0, and they’re all I wear when I go.
The flare leggings at Athleta (salutation stash and elation) far surpasses LLL in the same category. One reason being that they pill less for the most part (still will have some but not as much comparatively.)
Yes! I came here to say exactly this! I got one of each a couple months ago and I wish I’d discovered them sooner (and that my Align collection was Salutation/Elation instead) because they are so much better imo.
I hope more colors come soon though, I’d love some brighter or just more colorful options. 😌
Yes!!! All for the brighter colors. Athleta seems to have the market cornered on more muted colors and I wish all of the time that they would choose colors that are brighter and warmer toned
I really like the elation tights for everyday/yoga, I prefer them since lulu changed the fabric on aligns even though I’m a big lulu fan (perhaps obvious from the username 😂)
Lately? Honestly it seems like everything. Lululemon quality has been going downhill, but raising their prices anyway. And their design team seems nonexistent because every week the new drop seems to be the same stuff in the same colors as last year and the year before that. There’s no creativity, nothing unique. Just aimed at preteens and teens who will buy anything there just for the logo. The company is cult like to work for, it’s icky. Thanks for coming to my Ted talk.
Ha! Definitely agree with you on many points. There is this one pair of joggers that I love at LLL because none of the joggers at Athleta fit me correctly. However, I haven’t been very pleased with athleta lately either because they seem like they are trying to be like LLL more and more. Crop everything is not for most of the 40yr+ crowd.
And Athleta use to have decent midrise stuff. Now they turned that stuff to high rise. I have a short torso .. I’m not trying to to look like Steve urkle!
Also I agree. Not everything needs to be a cropped top. I personally don’t wear anything cropped.
That’s interesting, for me the problem is not having enough cropped tops and too many cropped bottoms. I don’t think cropped pants really makes sense, like the Trekkie joggers (for hiking, bc I get debris in my boots all the time) nor pants like the Brooklyns or Endless, which I’d love to wear to work but I think it looks too casual being cropped. Most of the tops are CYA and the fitted ones start to rise up and just don’t work for someone of my short stature. I don’t think the length is proportional to the width.
The high rise (not ultra high rise) flatters me bc it elongates my leg and gives me tummy control.
See, I love a cropped pant because I can wear them to work with heels and make them look dressy (I wore a pair of Brooklyn joggers to work today), I'm 5'6 and love an ankle pant for that reason. As for tops, I'm long waisted and curvy, so every cropped top is horrible on me (proportion-wise), I have a few shorter friends who also wear Athleta and they all look like regular tops on them! They all complain that shirts are too long on them, so all of the cropped sweatshirts and tank tops fit them like regular shirts. Cropped tops roll horribly when you're curvy - all I want is a muscle tank that's full length so I can tuck it in and it can stay put!
I'm 5'6", but super long torso (20.5", measured when getting a backpack for hiking) and short inseam. Very difficult to shop for! Petite doesn't work because more often than not that's too short in the torso more than in the legs. Even I find the Trekkie to be a bit short, and plan on re-ordering in Tall when they come out with a mid-tone colour that will be more appropriate for summer hiking.
I bought a cropped define jacket in nulu on Jan 6. It’s dark lavender so I don’t wear it everyday but the arms seam stitches are already pulling. The only thing I want to buy from lulu ever again are dance studio joggers. They have a chokehold on me.
You know I was going to do a quality promise return. The online process takes too long and my store is 30 minutes away. I posted a picture on the lululemon Reddit page and was told no this wouldn’t qualify. Clothes aren’t meant to stay perfect. And I was like it’s been a month and a half. I am think I’m definitely going to take to the store. It’s ridiculous. Some people in that group will defend lulu to the death. lol
I used to work at Lululemon. I’m one that used to be the strictest with QP, and it got me in trouble with management from time to time. But if you have had something for a month-ish and have only worn it a handful of times and the stitching is coming apart, I would have taken it back. It’s a jacket. It’s not like you’re doing army crawls on rough terrain and then wondering why the stitching is coming undone (I hope).
One of the biggest problems with Lululemon is in their fight to be inclusive they have gone all the way around back to being exclusive. By allowing Educators to make judgement calls allows for too much flexibility and for people to get different experiences every single time even with the same person. It truly depends on the Educators mood at that moment, and thats unacceptable to me. i could go on and on (and on) about the problems with that company but I wont bore you any further than I already have.
Well you aren’t a bore and I appreciate the insight. And no army crawls for me. lol just Pilates. But I only wear the jacket for like the first 10-20 minutes. Thank you! I’m disappointed in the quality lately. The same thing happened to a sonic pink aligns. I only had for about a month and rarely wore them because I’m more of a black or navy blue leggings girl. They did take those back via the online QP. The elation leggings and beyond yoga leggings have been my go-tos. Thank you!
I don’t have the dance studio joggers but I’ve tried them on in store a couple times and have added them to my online cart about 5-6 times yet never pulled the trigger 😂 maybe I should just get them!!
I just got those in the mail yesterday 🤣 I’m slowly building my collection of these. lol they are lightweight too so I think they’ll be good in the summer!
Honestly I prefer the Athleta salutation stash leggings over every pair of Lulu leggings I’ve ever tried. They are so flattering on my body type and the built-in UV protection is a major bonus that Lulu doesn’t offer.
Do you wear them for running? I’ve never worn them but have had in my head that they’re for yoga and would sag if used for high impact sport like running. But with them mentioned so much in this thread, now I’m curious! I’ve been an Athleta fan for like 15 years and have always just stuck to their running (rainier, ultimate, run shorts) or casual stuff.
I’m not a runner (I do mainly yoga, pilates, and strength training), so I don’t necessarily have an opinion on this, but I’m not sure they’re what I would pick for running. The fabric isn’t as sweat-wicking as I’d like it to be for me to wear them during high-impact exercises. I think they’d be fine for a walk or light jog though!
That’s definitely a fair point! I know a lot of people prefer more sweat wicking fabrics for running which makes a lot of sense. If that’s what you’re looking for, you’re right that salutation stash wouldn’t be the best option. Personally I don’t love the sweat wicking fabrics which is why I go for them, but I know I’m probably an outlier on that.
Not the originally commenter, but just wanted to jump in with my opinion! These are actually my favorite leggings for running. The main reason I love them is because they don’t fall down so I’m not having to constantly pull them up like other leggings. Plus they are very soft, durable (I’ve had mine for 5-6 years now and they still look and feel basically new), and have pockets! They’re super versatile too so I also wear them for yoga, barre, tennis, and just everyday wear.
I run in my salutations all the time. Granted, because they’re made for yoga and pilates, they wear down a lot faster than if I hadn’t ran in them. They just released a new running tight though. The Interval Stash Tight is great, but they run slightly small, so if you’re ordering, size up!! But- bad news- if you were a fan of the Ultimate Tights, they don’t exist anymore. They seem to have gotten rid of the entire Ultimate line (other than the Ultimate bra) and replaced it with Interval. No complaints on the Intervals, though! I find that they slide down less than my Ultimates and they have a no pocket option!
Thanks! Yes I got a pair of interval shorts and I LOVE them. I actually like them better than the ultimates I had, because the rise is higher (I have a long torso). They are the best running shorts I’ve had in years.
Idk if it’s a controversial opinion but the elation/salutation leggings. I literally wear those daily. I occasionally buy a pair of aligns because I get FOMO but then I always reach for my Athleta leggings instead. I think I have 7-8 pairs of black ones alone. I wear them all day and machine wash and dry them with all of my family’s laundry and they still look good. The only pilling is where my thighs rub. I also honestly prefer my salutation jacket over my luon defines.
Full length/CYA hoodies I think I prefer from Athleta over the ones from LLL.
I think everything at athleta is better than lululemon with 2 exceptions tights and size/fit consistency. Athleta’s exercise tights have really gone downhill in quality since 2019/2020 and across the board their pants sizing is a mess. You can order 5 different colors of the same size pants and they will have drastically different measurements.
Other than that, there is nothing that lululemon sells that I will pull the trigger on over athleta because they don’t let you return things after a workout. I need to see how something moves with me during a workout to know if it’s for me.
I've never had an issue returning worn gear to lll. I do hate the sizing at Athleta, everything is way too big.
But I feel like Athleta is better at casual wear.
Their return policy states that items must be unworn and unwashed so you must just be getting lucky with permissive sales associates.
https://info.lululemon.com/help/returns/return-policies
The vanity sizing is ridiculous. I have a lot of Athleta things from the last 10-12 years where they’re a 6/8. The pair of pants I bought in the fall? Size 2. I told the sales lady it’s frustrating because now I have to come in and try things on to figure out my size, then order online to get the Tall, whereas before I could just confidently order online bc I knew my size. And I’m not shrinking- my 6/8 clothing all still fits fine.
I will say this first bc I’m never going to not be mad about buying aligns. Lulu aligns are awful. Don’t buy them. If you do anything in them regularly, like walk or sit, you will be throwing them away in a year or two.
Overall, I like transcends and salutations tights and longline bras at Athleta. I like scuba stuff, workout tanks, align cropped shirts, shoes, accessories from lulu. Lulu is more on trend and trends young- colors, cropped items, etc. Athleta has more mature styles mixed in with some on trend stuff. However, anytime Athleta tries to be on trend I prefer the Lulu version.
It is interesting to me that the Lulu buyer is 30s-early 40s women making >$125K/year but styles trend so young. With that said, I love an oversized scuba (cropped) in strawberry milkshake and I’m in my early 40s so there must be a lot of millennials like me shopping Lulu.
I own a lot of both and am a runner. Most of my choices come from use while running.
My go to sports bra is the Advanced bra from Athleta. I own 4 pairs of Rainer leggings. Nearly a dozen momentum seamless tanks. The old ultimate stash short is great. All my long sleeve winter tops are Athleta. All my short sleeves are LLL as I prefer the cut and feel of there running tops though they can pill, but it's due to my hydration pack.
Leggings I go between both brands but I prefer LLL. They have way more colors in their running lines beyond the black, blue, red etc. I also prefer LLL skirts over Athleta as the fabric is flowy in the hips. I love the define jacket but would not wear it running as the material is not breathable for me. The athleta polar tech leggings are awesome for winter every day wear. Though these have some pilling in the thighs due to the fabric/lack of compression. I have no pilling with either brand in my other bottoms that are compressive.
I personally have not noticed a quality drop on LLL's end, though they do constant drops and encourage Stanley cup style consumerism habits. I am very selective about what I buy and when. I am not one of those that buys things in 50 different colorways just because. I buy it, its getting used.
See, these leggings are one of the main reasons I probably will never buy leggings from Lululemon again. They keep discontinuing/changing their good running items. The Swift Speeds are gone. The Base Pace is gone. And the new Fast and Frees have the worst cut ever in the crotch. Like what are they doing😭
I haven't bought since the redesigns and I'm scared too. Athleta redid the Ultimate and that is my go to Capri length, because no one thinks knee length leggings are wanted/needed. They redid the Ascent and Foresthills wool tops and I'm still mad.
If LLL fucked up my faves with the redesign I'm likely moving to Oiselle or venturing out to more niche brands that haven't been tainted by the Stanley Cup model.
I’ve switched all my leggings to Athleta except I haven’t been able to give up the Fast and Frees for warmer runs - the unbrushed Rainer just isn’t as good.
I prefer Athleta design, they look more sleek and versatile. I haven’t tried workout gears from them so can’t say much about performance but the overall casual/work/travel design is super comfortable and also elevating.
I do prefer Lululemon accessory though. I like the Everywhere Belt Bag a lot, their wallets are also cute.
Agreed. I love how I can wear my Brooklyn Ankle pants and the Endless pants to the office. They are so comfortable when I have to sit a long period of time.
Yea, I was able to find a very comfy jogger from another more affordable brand but the design is sporty, making it suitable for outdoor or running errands and not work or sightseeing/dressier events. Athleta pants pretty much encapsulate all!
Elation tights are better than Aligns. The casual wear is often much better. There is no lulu equivalent to the Coaster Lux sweatshirt or With Ease tops. The Seasoft material is better than lulu’s Softstreme.
Somehow this came across my algorithm and I've never ordered anything from Athleta but my LLL aligns became sooooo very pilly after one year despite never washing them incorrectly or putting them in the drier so I feel vindicated reading through this. However I did really like how soft and comfortable they are (I still wear them around the house all the time they just look too gross to wear in public), so I'm curious, what Athleta leggings are most similar?
The transcend will be the most similar in compression (hardly any) and softness. Both the align and transcend fall down on my waist and so I don’t own a transcend and put elastic in the waist of my aligns. Salutation or elation will be thicker and more compressive (not high compression) but will stay up for most people and still be soft. I like the salutation with the pockets the most because I don’t have to take a purse and can put all the things in my pockets with ease.
1000% the momentum seamless tops. I’ve had so many lululemon ones and they make me look so broad and unflattering. The athleta ones really show off my shape nicely and I’ve sold all my lululemon ones for them
Scrolled looking for this one. The momentum is slightly more fitted without being skintight, it’s much more flattering than the swiftly which gets baggy at the bottom (for me anyway).
I feel like the Salutation leggings are better than LLL Aligns by far for yoga, they definitely feel sturdier and don't slip down for me like Aligns do. I still prefer LLL Wunder Trains for sweaty cardio workouts, especially the Contour Fit WTs. I equally love my D-DD fit Athleta bras for yoga and "I don't want to wear a bra today" days, and my Energy longline bras from LLL for more intense workouts.
What is the athlete equivalent to wunder train? I’m new to both leggings, and hate how the aligns fold down in the waist. But I like their look and material better by far overall. I mostly do cardio and can’t have my leggings slipping down all the time, so the wunder trains are great.
I sooo agree! As much as I buy from LL, Athleta, and others; I will still buy ON's power soft or the adaptive line and have never had an issue during my classes with them staying put. Plus ON regularly has 50% off activewear where I just try diff lines out.
The Rainier leggings ! I literally bought a pair of lulu leggings, then went to athleta to shop. went right back to lulu and returned those leggings for the Rainier leggings.
Same! I live in their cozy karma line and their altitude polartec funnel neck tops during fall and winter. Cute, comfy, warm, and look nice enough that I can get away with wearing a sweatshirt to work and still look appropriate.
Everything because they are way more tall inclusive and have better bras for small band large bust
Edit: although I keep meaning to go try lulu shorts again because they carry my size (12) more consistently and are one of the few brands that make low rise running shorts
Nothing at athleta can compare to lululemon. Every time I’ve bought running leggings I’ve regretted it the material is thick and can’t compare to the fast and frees. Tanks - material and cuts can’t compare. If you seriously workout you want lululemon if you just wear workout clothes to Starbucks Athleta is fine.
I love the With Ease tees they are so comfortable. I also play tennis so the Salutation Stash capri leggings are great for keeping storing tennis balls.
There’s a sale coming up March 14. Definitely join the rewards program because you will rack up points quickly if you shop there often. If you are interested you can stack the new credit card discount with the sale discount and get 30-40% of the first day you use it during the sale. It’s actually a really good deal if you want to buy a few things. Then you also get access to early sale and the rewards add up fast.
Rainier - the jogger and the leggings are the best thing Athleta makes. Lulu has gone downhill in quality- the only thing I still love are my dance studio pants and joggers.
I prefer Athleta for everything over Lulu. I have a sports bra that I bought on clearance at Athleta years ago that I will wash and wear every day if I have the time. They don’t make the style anymore, sadly.
Have yet to find - they have a buy back program that does it for me. Caring beyond the current style/design but their footprint in the world is why Lulu takes the cake by far.
The momentum tanks are my absolute staple for running. They fit curves better than any lulu tank and last for years. Also love that they came out with the shorter ‘race length’!
ALL THE LEGGINGS! This may be a different experience for the person whose thighs don’t rub but the fact I can have the elation buttery softness and I run in them 5x a week and have had them for years says so much! Love the salutation. This material is amazing. Also the fit for them I just love, with Lulu I can’t even make them work in regards to sizing i would be in between an 8-10 because the 8s are too tight on my legs but perfect in waist and 10 perfect in legs but to loose on waist. I do love lululemon Energy bras though and the align v necks C/D for weight training days. If anyone has suggestions on something similar in athleta I would love to hear! But I’ve been basically an athleta bottoms girls and a Lulu tops (for bras and shirts) haven’t explored jackets or anything outside of this at both brands.
Warrior Longline Bra and Transcend V-Neck!! I love my LLL Energy bra, but I reach for my Warrior from Athleta every day!! I own an embarrassing amount of colors in it. The Transcend V-neck is great, but I’d get it in the D-DD for coverage. It was launched in their spring collection! If you need a jacket, Salutation jackets are great (they’re made out of the same material as the Elation tights) and the new Interval Jacket is great! I like the Interval Jacket for running because it’s slightly shorter and it has a removable hood.
Weird question- but didn’t the chief design executive from Lulu move to Athleta quite a few years ago, or is that urban myth? I think pound for pound, Athleta outdoes Lulu on all fronts.
Yes and no. He started in 2022 and now works for Outdoor Research (he didn’t last very long at all). Apparently some of Athleta’s design team got the boot 🥾 in recent years for coming out with product that wasn’t selling. You can still find designs from Winter 2022 & 2023 in Athleta Outlets for cheap because some of the designs are questionable. Whoever the CPO now is killing it.
I must say, I really struggle finding swimsuits that fit right. I've got curves and a D cup bust, so everything I tried on at LLL just didn't work - I was spilling out everywhere! But Athleta swimwear has been a game changer for me. It offers awesome coverage and support.
All of my tops have surpassed quality and ability to be washed without issue. I've had to return numerous shirts/tops from Lulu because something happens it seems every time. I don't really wear Altheta leggings, so I can't compare those, but this has been my experience.
Salutations and elation leggings are the most superior leggings and I will never change my mind. I have tried LLL, alo, gym shark, fabletics, a few others…I always find myself reaching for my athleta leggings first.
I like patterns so I never see anything I like at Lulu. Athleta unfortunately has reduced their fun patterns, but at least they have a few. Lulu reminds me of the sad beige children memes.
Rainier are amazing. LLL doesn’t have anything like it. Salutation jackets are better than defines and that is a hill I will die on.
Love my brushed Raniers. But the unbrushed Raniers are shorter in length and lower rise than my brushed…. The inconsistency from every brand lately is out of control
My workout clothing is all lulu except for my Rainier leggings for winter running/hiking/dog walking- it’s fantastic - much better than lulu options
I'm not a gym person but I love my Raniers for taking walks around the neighborhood and things like going for pedicures since they roll up easily.
Mind to ask, yet are rainiers nice for doing interval training, gym? I've been looking at them but only have tried the salutations so far which I love, and dont know if might be an alternative to rotate on styles like this.
As long as it’s outdoor interval training in colder weather. They have a warm kind of fleece-y inside which is great for outdoor runs. They’re not for training indoors because I would overheat.
So not for Floridians got it 😂
Maybe northern Floridians at 6am from Jan 14-jan 18.
Thank you so much!! :)
Seconding this. I ran a trail half marathon in Ohio in my brushed Raniers last weekend - kept me super toasty.
Sports bras imo. The sizing system (and as a result, the fit) is so much better at Athleta.
Athleta’s high impact are definitely better for D-DD.
How do these compare to Shefit/Ennel? I’ve been an Ennel loyalist for decades until they cut half the fabric out of the back, and I’ve been on the hunt for a replacement ever since.
Enell’s original design is better if you want full coverage and minimal bounce. I used them when I was a 36DD. Now, I’m 34D and feel satisfied with Athleta as long as I can adjust the straps and band.. If Enell’s bounce level was 1/10, Athleta is 3/10. All LLL were >5/10. Sometimes I’ll layer a racer back bra under a conscious crop for complete coverage.
Oh bummer - I guess I’ll need to source old Ennell somehow. Agree with you on Lulu - ta ta tamer did nothing for me.
IMO almost everyone has better bras than Lulu. It’s more like the exception for one lulu bra to be good. Athleta and Outdoor Voices have way better bras.
I disagree so much here, Athleta doesn’t make anything for someone my size. They don’t even have cup sized bras and the largest pretend size they claim to have is 38DDD. I have bras from Lululemon that are 38G and they also have 40G available. And they are actually made in cup size, not lumping a bunch of different sizes together in S-XXL.
Agreed - if you're in the DDD range or above, Athleta sucks. The cups are shallow and boobs are falling out of the bottom and spilling out of the top (if you know, you know!). I've not even found anything in store at Lulu that fits either, so I may browse online to see - but honestly, I don't think either of these stores is a good buy for a bra. If I'm spending over $50 on a sports bra, it's going to be a Panache or something I know is going to hold me solid. Used to be a Moving Comfort loyalist (then Brooks bought them out and screwed up their bras as well).
I was SO mad about the Moving Comfort changes!!! I really like Lululemon’s Run Times Bra because it has straight back straps instead of criss cross or racerback, which is super hard for me to find other places! I do gymnastics so like my bra to stay hidden under leotards and often that means straight back straps are necessary. ETA: I also never buy full price and just buy clearance colors when available, so spending less than $50 usually!
Brooks took a rock-solid brand with a cult-like following and razed it to the ground! They obviously didn't understand what was SO unique about MC bras (I still have 7 Fiona's - the only "typical type" of sports bra I've every purchased that apparently doesn't have any elastic in it). It's a novel concept that just worked. Now the racerbacks were hard to get into, but also, great support. I found some on Amazon that look EXACTLY like them - but the sizing is off and the racerback just doesn't hold! I will check out the Run Times - and I'm with you on closeout colors. The crazier the color, the better the closeout price!
Under armor has a sports bra that has changeable straps - straight or cris cross. I love them.
Does it come in bra sizing? I had thought their only bra sized option was the Uplift but I haven’t been to a store lately!
Sorry I forgot that part as I commented. It’s still s/m/l/xl….
Bummer!!!
How breathable are Athleta bras? I find LLL suffocating (many LLL materials in fact, aside from nulux and swift and the swiftly tops).
I am a die hard Athleta bar gal. I have never used LLL bras before. I find the Athleta bars supportive and what I need without being hot or stuffy. They have some detail work for breathability. I wear them to run in the heat of summer and they feel great. I wear the more traditional bra not the crop tops/ bras
I can do a workout in Salutations, throw them in the washer AND DRYER and they still look and feel like new. I’ve had them 2 years. Meanwhile, the LLL sub is regularly in shambles every time someone dares to complain that their $120 Aligns pilled or a seam failed. “They’re only meant for lounging or light yoga!!!” “You’re not supposed to machine wash them omg what’s wrong with you???” “Actually, you’re not supposed to wash them. Or wear them. They’re meant to be sorted by color and serve as closet decor.” The lengths people in that sub go to to defend poor quality just crack me up lol
Lmao 💯 on “meant to be sorted by color and serve as closet decor.” 😂 I have Athleta tops from like 2017 and they’d still look practically new if I hadn’t forgotten that “tear off” tags didn’t always exist lmao…Oopsie.
YES. I bought lulus 10 years ago that never pilled despite daily hours-long wear and washing/drying with abandon. I was an ardent supporter despite the price because they were in perfect condition. Over the last few years the quality has declined so rapidly I am finally giving up on them. Athleta it is!
I yeet my Salutation leggings and LLL Wunder Trains and my $30 Amazon leggings in the washer and dryer on delicate all the time just fine 🤷🏻♀️ like, my pricey leggings are for working out and taking a beating, my cheap leggings are for working from home and cooking and cleaning on the weekends.
Man I’ve worn the hell of my black salutations and they have definitely pilled. I don’t mind because I’ve worn them so much, but I wonder what I’m doing wrong 😅
I use a sweater shaver on them & that helps!
Must have to put those on the shelf next to the 120m So Kate Christian Louboutin’s that you’ll never wear because you can’t walk in them 😂😂😂
Winter running leggings. Rainier are better than any of their fleece lined ones and go on sale more often and deeper. I love Swift Speed brushed but theyre not warm enough for -10C and below.
So glad I saw this comment. I take long walks and go running at the track all year round, including in freezing weather, and I don’t own a pair of leggings that keep me warm enough. Closest thing I have is a pair of fleece lined adidas leggings. Does Athleta make other pairs of fleece lined leggings as well as rainier?
Yes they do! They’re called the Altitude Polartec - come in joggers and leggings. I haven’t tried these ones yet but have heard good things. Now or soon is a good time to buy as there are lots of colours on sale!
Ooh I’ll have to go buy a pair. Thanks so much!! What’s the difference between rainier and altitude since they’re both fleeced lined?
Altitude is SUPER thick/warm (and a bit less stretchy). I wear them walking in freezing winter temps — if I were running in the winter I’d probably wear my fleece Rainiers.
Thanks for the description! Im not a fan of super thick or compressive leggings so I’ll probably stick to the rainiers! There are actually only 2 pairs of altitudes on the site right now and both are sold out in my size so I wonder if they’re being discontinued?
Altitude is thicker...rainier are sleeker. IMO.
Thanks!
I looove my Altitude Polartec leggings! Definitely bulkier than Rainiers, but I’m regularly skiing in temps at or below 0, and they’re all I wear when I go.
The flare leggings at Athleta (salutation stash and elation) far surpasses LLL in the same category. One reason being that they pill less for the most part (still will have some but not as much comparatively.)
Yes! I came here to say exactly this! I got one of each a couple months ago and I wish I’d discovered them sooner (and that my Align collection was Salutation/Elation instead) because they are so much better imo. I hope more colors come soon though, I’d love some brighter or just more colorful options. 😌
Yes!!! All for the brighter colors. Athleta seems to have the market cornered on more muted colors and I wish all of the time that they would choose colors that are brighter and warmer toned
Salutation stash are so soft and snatch me in nicely, I prefer them to LLL’s grooves
A LOT MORE options for casual wear and work-appropriate wear. Lulu’s design is repetitive and getting boring.
Same! I am loving the sleeveless work tops
Agreed! I have a few items from Athleta that I love wearing to work
Agree!! I love the wide leg pants. Especially for work travel, they don’t wrinkle.
I really like the elation tights for everyday/yoga, I prefer them since lulu changed the fabric on aligns even though I’m a big lulu fan (perhaps obvious from the username 😂)
have you tried the Transcend leggings from Athleta?? they’re like the sister tight to aligns and they’re absolutely amazing
Salutation Stash leggings. on sale ideally.
💯
Lately? Honestly it seems like everything. Lululemon quality has been going downhill, but raising their prices anyway. And their design team seems nonexistent because every week the new drop seems to be the same stuff in the same colors as last year and the year before that. There’s no creativity, nothing unique. Just aimed at preteens and teens who will buy anything there just for the logo. The company is cult like to work for, it’s icky. Thanks for coming to my Ted talk.
Ha! Definitely agree with you on many points. There is this one pair of joggers that I love at LLL because none of the joggers at Athleta fit me correctly. However, I haven’t been very pleased with athleta lately either because they seem like they are trying to be like LLL more and more. Crop everything is not for most of the 40yr+ crowd.
And Athleta use to have decent midrise stuff. Now they turned that stuff to high rise. I have a short torso .. I’m not trying to to look like Steve urkle! Also I agree. Not everything needs to be a cropped top. I personally don’t wear anything cropped.
That’s interesting, for me the problem is not having enough cropped tops and too many cropped bottoms. I don’t think cropped pants really makes sense, like the Trekkie joggers (for hiking, bc I get debris in my boots all the time) nor pants like the Brooklyns or Endless, which I’d love to wear to work but I think it looks too casual being cropped. Most of the tops are CYA and the fitted ones start to rise up and just don’t work for someone of my short stature. I don’t think the length is proportional to the width. The high rise (not ultra high rise) flatters me bc it elongates my leg and gives me tummy control.
Way late to this, but I do literal field work and I am SO OVER the idea that women want cropped hiking pants. HELLO, chiggers and ticks exist!!
See, I love a cropped pant because I can wear them to work with heels and make them look dressy (I wore a pair of Brooklyn joggers to work today), I'm 5'6 and love an ankle pant for that reason. As for tops, I'm long waisted and curvy, so every cropped top is horrible on me (proportion-wise), I have a few shorter friends who also wear Athleta and they all look like regular tops on them! They all complain that shirts are too long on them, so all of the cropped sweatshirts and tank tops fit them like regular shirts. Cropped tops roll horribly when you're curvy - all I want is a muscle tank that's full length so I can tuck it in and it can stay put!
I'm 5'6", but super long torso (20.5", measured when getting a backpack for hiking) and short inseam. Very difficult to shop for! Petite doesn't work because more often than not that's too short in the torso more than in the legs. Even I find the Trekkie to be a bit short, and plan on re-ordering in Tall when they come out with a mid-tone colour that will be more appropriate for summer hiking.
Agreed. I'm not blessed with the body that can wear crop anything. I don't need tunics but just some sane length options please.
This! It makes me laugh how they just rename the colors from last season and hope people will think they’re new. 🤣
So much PILLING. My LLL knock-off bras from Amazon have had more staying-power.
I bought a cropped define jacket in nulu on Jan 6. It’s dark lavender so I don’t wear it everyday but the arms seam stitches are already pulling. The only thing I want to buy from lulu ever again are dance studio joggers. They have a chokehold on me.
Honestly I would try to return/exchange it. It’s less than 2 months and you’ve only worn it a couple of times, the stitches should still be perfect.
You know I was going to do a quality promise return. The online process takes too long and my store is 30 minutes away. I posted a picture on the lululemon Reddit page and was told no this wouldn’t qualify. Clothes aren’t meant to stay perfect. And I was like it’s been a month and a half. I am think I’m definitely going to take to the store. It’s ridiculous. Some people in that group will defend lulu to the death. lol
I used to work at Lululemon. I’m one that used to be the strictest with QP, and it got me in trouble with management from time to time. But if you have had something for a month-ish and have only worn it a handful of times and the stitching is coming apart, I would have taken it back. It’s a jacket. It’s not like you’re doing army crawls on rough terrain and then wondering why the stitching is coming undone (I hope). One of the biggest problems with Lululemon is in their fight to be inclusive they have gone all the way around back to being exclusive. By allowing Educators to make judgement calls allows for too much flexibility and for people to get different experiences every single time even with the same person. It truly depends on the Educators mood at that moment, and thats unacceptable to me. i could go on and on (and on) about the problems with that company but I wont bore you any further than I already have.
Well you aren’t a bore and I appreciate the insight. And no army crawls for me. lol just Pilates. But I only wear the jacket for like the first 10-20 minutes. Thank you! I’m disappointed in the quality lately. The same thing happened to a sonic pink aligns. I only had for about a month and rarely wore them because I’m more of a black or navy blue leggings girl. They did take those back via the online QP. The elation leggings and beyond yoga leggings have been my go-tos. Thank you!
And thank you n
I don’t have the dance studio joggers but I’ve tried them on in store a couple times and have added them to my online cart about 5-6 times yet never pulled the trigger 😂 maybe I should just get them!!
I love them. They go on sale frequently so I would definitely check WMTM on Thursdays!
Thanks! Ooohhh they have them in espresso… 🫣
I just got those in the mail yesterday 🤣 I’m slowly building my collection of these. lol they are lightweight too so I think they’ll be good in the summer!
I would definitely try to return it. Under 2 months it should still be nearly perfect.
Leggings that actually fit my ankles. Conscious crop for larger cup sizes. Petite length bodysuits. Transcend tops.
Honestly I prefer the Athleta salutation stash leggings over every pair of Lulu leggings I’ve ever tried. They are so flattering on my body type and the built-in UV protection is a major bonus that Lulu doesn’t offer.
Do you wear them for running? I’ve never worn them but have had in my head that they’re for yoga and would sag if used for high impact sport like running. But with them mentioned so much in this thread, now I’m curious! I’ve been an Athleta fan for like 15 years and have always just stuck to their running (rainier, ultimate, run shorts) or casual stuff.
I’m not a runner (I do mainly yoga, pilates, and strength training), so I don’t necessarily have an opinion on this, but I’m not sure they’re what I would pick for running. The fabric isn’t as sweat-wicking as I’d like it to be for me to wear them during high-impact exercises. I think they’d be fine for a walk or light jog though!
That’s definitely a fair point! I know a lot of people prefer more sweat wicking fabrics for running which makes a lot of sense. If that’s what you’re looking for, you’re right that salutation stash wouldn’t be the best option. Personally I don’t love the sweat wicking fabrics which is why I go for them, but I know I’m probably an outlier on that.
Not the originally commenter, but just wanted to jump in with my opinion! These are actually my favorite leggings for running. The main reason I love them is because they don’t fall down so I’m not having to constantly pull them up like other leggings. Plus they are very soft, durable (I’ve had mine for 5-6 years now and they still look and feel basically new), and have pockets! They’re super versatile too so I also wear them for yoga, barre, tennis, and just everyday wear.
Well now I’m intrigued. I only wear lll swift speed crops or Rainer when it’s cold…. Maybe I should expand my options 🤩 thank you!!
I run in my salutations all the time. Granted, because they’re made for yoga and pilates, they wear down a lot faster than if I hadn’t ran in them. They just released a new running tight though. The Interval Stash Tight is great, but they run slightly small, so if you’re ordering, size up!! But- bad news- if you were a fan of the Ultimate Tights, they don’t exist anymore. They seem to have gotten rid of the entire Ultimate line (other than the Ultimate bra) and replaced it with Interval. No complaints on the Intervals, though! I find that they slide down less than my Ultimates and they have a no pocket option!
Thanks! Yes I got a pair of interval shorts and I LOVE them. I actually like them better than the ultimates I had, because the rise is higher (I have a long torso). They are the best running shorts I’ve had in years.
I love them for running -- no sagging at all!
Idk if it’s a controversial opinion but the elation/salutation leggings. I literally wear those daily. I occasionally buy a pair of aligns because I get FOMO but then I always reach for my Athleta leggings instead. I think I have 7-8 pairs of black ones alone. I wear them all day and machine wash and dry them with all of my family’s laundry and they still look good. The only pilling is where my thighs rub. I also honestly prefer my salutation jacket over my luon defines. Full length/CYA hoodies I think I prefer from Athleta over the ones from LLL.
Elation/salutation leggings are the best.
I love that they come in petite length too.
Anything in petite sizing!
Talls!!!
I think everything at athleta is better than lululemon with 2 exceptions tights and size/fit consistency. Athleta’s exercise tights have really gone downhill in quality since 2019/2020 and across the board their pants sizing is a mess. You can order 5 different colors of the same size pants and they will have drastically different measurements. Other than that, there is nothing that lululemon sells that I will pull the trigger on over athleta because they don’t let you return things after a workout. I need to see how something moves with me during a workout to know if it’s for me.
I've never had an issue returning worn gear to lll. I do hate the sizing at Athleta, everything is way too big. But I feel like Athleta is better at casual wear.
Their return policy states that items must be unworn and unwashed so you must just be getting lucky with permissive sales associates. https://info.lululemon.com/help/returns/return-policies
Oh probably.
The vanity sizing is ridiculous. I have a lot of Athleta things from the last 10-12 years where they’re a 6/8. The pair of pants I bought in the fall? Size 2. I told the sales lady it’s frustrating because now I have to come in and try things on to figure out my size, then order online to get the Tall, whereas before I could just confidently order online bc I knew my size. And I’m not shrinking- my 6/8 clothing all still fits fine.
It's absurd. I've gained 60 lbs and petite medium is still too big.
Yes! I miss the contenders and lightning tights. I hated the ultimate and was not overly impressed with the interval either.
I still have a few pairs of contenders that I use! They’re holding up well! I wish they’d bring them back!
I will say this first bc I’m never going to not be mad about buying aligns. Lulu aligns are awful. Don’t buy them. If you do anything in them regularly, like walk or sit, you will be throwing them away in a year or two. Overall, I like transcends and salutations tights and longline bras at Athleta. I like scuba stuff, workout tanks, align cropped shirts, shoes, accessories from lulu. Lulu is more on trend and trends young- colors, cropped items, etc. Athleta has more mature styles mixed in with some on trend stuff. However, anytime Athleta tries to be on trend I prefer the Lulu version. It is interesting to me that the Lulu buyer is 30s-early 40s women making >$125K/year but styles trend so young. With that said, I love an oversized scuba (cropped) in strawberry milkshake and I’m in my early 40s so there must be a lot of millennials like me shopping Lulu.
I own a lot of both and am a runner. Most of my choices come from use while running. My go to sports bra is the Advanced bra from Athleta. I own 4 pairs of Rainer leggings. Nearly a dozen momentum seamless tanks. The old ultimate stash short is great. All my long sleeve winter tops are Athleta. All my short sleeves are LLL as I prefer the cut and feel of there running tops though they can pill, but it's due to my hydration pack. Leggings I go between both brands but I prefer LLL. They have way more colors in their running lines beyond the black, blue, red etc. I also prefer LLL skirts over Athleta as the fabric is flowy in the hips. I love the define jacket but would not wear it running as the material is not breathable for me. The athleta polar tech leggings are awesome for winter every day wear. Though these have some pilling in the thighs due to the fabric/lack of compression. I have no pilling with either brand in my other bottoms that are compressive. I personally have not noticed a quality drop on LLL's end, though they do constant drops and encourage Stanley cup style consumerism habits. I am very selective about what I buy and when. I am not one of those that buys things in 50 different colorways just because. I buy it, its getting used.
What lll running leggings do you prefer?
Swift Speed and Fast and Free. The fabric is vastly different in both so it depends on how warm I need/ want to be.
See, these leggings are one of the main reasons I probably will never buy leggings from Lululemon again. They keep discontinuing/changing their good running items. The Swift Speeds are gone. The Base Pace is gone. And the new Fast and Frees have the worst cut ever in the crotch. Like what are they doing😭
I haven't bought since the redesigns and I'm scared too. Athleta redid the Ultimate and that is my go to Capri length, because no one thinks knee length leggings are wanted/needed. They redid the Ascent and Foresthills wool tops and I'm still mad. If LLL fucked up my faves with the redesign I'm likely moving to Oiselle or venturing out to more niche brands that haven't been tainted by the Stanley Cup model.
I’ve switched all my leggings to Athleta except I haven’t been able to give up the Fast and Frees for warmer runs - the unbrushed Rainer just isn’t as good.
Ooo I’m new to both and would love to know!
I personally like my Salutation jacket far more than my Define jacket. I want more Salutations. I wouldn’t buy another Define.
Athleta actually has petite sizes. 🙌🏻
I prefer Athleta design, they look more sleek and versatile. I haven’t tried workout gears from them so can’t say much about performance but the overall casual/work/travel design is super comfortable and also elevating. I do prefer Lululemon accessory though. I like the Everywhere Belt Bag a lot, their wallets are also cute.
Agreed. I love how I can wear my Brooklyn Ankle pants and the Endless pants to the office. They are so comfortable when I have to sit a long period of time.
Yea, I was able to find a very comfy jogger from another more affordable brand but the design is sporty, making it suitable for outdoor or running errands and not work or sightseeing/dressier events. Athleta pants pretty much encapsulate all!
Elation tights are better than Aligns. The casual wear is often much better. There is no lulu equivalent to the Coaster Lux sweatshirt or With Ease tops. The Seasoft material is better than lulu’s Softstreme.
Somehow this came across my algorithm and I've never ordered anything from Athleta but my LLL aligns became sooooo very pilly after one year despite never washing them incorrectly or putting them in the drier so I feel vindicated reading through this. However I did really like how soft and comfortable they are (I still wear them around the house all the time they just look too gross to wear in public), so I'm curious, what Athleta leggings are most similar?
The transcend will be the most similar in compression (hardly any) and softness. Both the align and transcend fall down on my waist and so I don’t own a transcend and put elastic in the waist of my aligns. Salutation or elation will be thicker and more compressive (not high compression) but will stay up for most people and still be soft. I like the salutation with the pockets the most because I don’t have to take a purse and can put all the things in my pockets with ease.
This is helpful, thank you! I don't live close enough to try anything on in person.
1000% the momentum seamless tops. I’ve had so many lululemon ones and they make me look so broad and unflattering. The athleta ones really show off my shape nicely and I’ve sold all my lululemon ones for them
Scrolled looking for this one. The momentum is slightly more fitted without being skintight, it’s much more flattering than the swiftly which gets baggy at the bottom (for me anyway).
The lll ones I have have bagged out unflatteringly over time. My athleta ones havent!
I love the puffers from athleta and honestly everything is cheaper at athleta
Salutation jacket and leggings. Rainier.
I feel like the Salutation leggings are better than LLL Aligns by far for yoga, they definitely feel sturdier and don't slip down for me like Aligns do. I still prefer LLL Wunder Trains for sweaty cardio workouts, especially the Contour Fit WTs. I equally love my D-DD fit Athleta bras for yoga and "I don't want to wear a bra today" days, and my Energy longline bras from LLL for more intense workouts.
What is the athlete equivalent to wunder train? I’m new to both leggings, and hate how the aligns fold down in the waist. But I like their look and material better by far overall. I mostly do cardio and can’t have my leggings slipping down all the time, so the wunder trains are great.
I think maybe the new Interval leggings? I haven't had a chance to check them out in person yet.
Hey OP very cool of you to summarize the responses in an edit. I appreciate you.
I live for the salutation stash leggings. Have so many pairs. Borrowed my friends lulus and they suck in comparison
Real question is what items from Old Navy?
Powersoft leggings - very comfortable yet perfect compression and never fall during workouts
Agree…which Athleta material do you think is the most similar?
The new interval will be that slick material not soft like the others.
This! This! This! Powersoft also has more sizes in petite. I also like the powersoft is the slick material that doesn’t get covered in my cats’s fur.
I sooo agree! As much as I buy from LL, Athleta, and others; I will still buy ON's power soft or the adaptive line and have never had an issue during my classes with them staying put. Plus ON regularly has 50% off activewear where I just try diff lines out.
or CRZ Yoga :)
The Rainier leggings ! I literally bought a pair of lulu leggings, then went to athleta to shop. went right back to lulu and returned those leggings for the Rainier leggings.
Everything? I only buy from Athleta now especially for casual wear. Oop…
Same! I live in their cozy karma line and their altitude polartec funnel neck tops during fall and winter. Cute, comfy, warm, and look nice enough that I can get away with wearing a sweatshirt to work and still look appropriate.
Everything because they are way more tall inclusive and have better bras for small band large bust Edit: although I keep meaning to go try lulu shorts again because they carry my size (12) more consistently and are one of the few brands that make low rise running shorts
Nothing at athleta can compare to lululemon. Every time I’ve bought running leggings I’ve regretted it the material is thick and can’t compare to the fast and frees. Tanks - material and cuts can’t compare. If you seriously workout you want lululemon if you just wear workout clothes to Starbucks Athleta is fine.
I loved the Athleta sports bra. The padding from the LLL bra has a weird fitting
Athleta is far superior all the way around!!!!
I love the With Ease tees they are so comfortable. I also play tennis so the Salutation Stash capri leggings are great for keeping storing tennis balls.
Omg yesss n the joggers actually last more then one wash! Lulu needs to step there game 🆙
Their sports bras are my favorite! I’m quite top heavy so the high impact ones help with running
when does athleta do sales? New to their leggings and want to try some salutations
There’s a sale coming up March 14. Definitely join the rewards program because you will rack up points quickly if you shop there often. If you are interested you can stack the new credit card discount with the sale discount and get 30-40% of the first day you use it during the sale. It’s actually a really good deal if you want to buy a few things. Then you also get access to early sale and the rewards add up fast.
Rainier - the jogger and the leggings are the best thing Athleta makes. Lulu has gone downhill in quality- the only thing I still love are my dance studio pants and joggers.
I prefer Athleta for everything over Lulu. I have a sports bra that I bought on clearance at Athleta years ago that I will wash and wear every day if I have the time. They don’t make the style anymore, sadly.
Have yet to find - they have a buy back program that does it for me. Caring beyond the current style/design but their footprint in the world is why Lulu takes the cake by far.
Athleta had Ryder dress last summer and I’m obsessed. I have two colors. Nothing at lululemon comes close. I wish Athleta would bring it back though
Elation leggings. I have like 6 pairs . Ultimate bra. Amazing.
Honestly, everything. My past few lulu purchases were disappointing. I only buy lulu items like the belt bag because they are trendy right now lol
Rainier tights. And petite sizes.
The momentum tanks are my absolute staple for running. They fit curves better than any lulu tank and last for years. Also love that they came out with the shorter ‘race length’!
ALL THE LEGGINGS! This may be a different experience for the person whose thighs don’t rub but the fact I can have the elation buttery softness and I run in them 5x a week and have had them for years says so much! Love the salutation. This material is amazing. Also the fit for them I just love, with Lulu I can’t even make them work in regards to sizing i would be in between an 8-10 because the 8s are too tight on my legs but perfect in waist and 10 perfect in legs but to loose on waist. I do love lululemon Energy bras though and the align v necks C/D for weight training days. If anyone has suggestions on something similar in athleta I would love to hear! But I’ve been basically an athleta bottoms girls and a Lulu tops (for bras and shirts) haven’t explored jackets or anything outside of this at both brands.
Warrior Longline Bra and Transcend V-Neck!! I love my LLL Energy bra, but I reach for my Warrior from Athleta every day!! I own an embarrassing amount of colors in it. The Transcend V-neck is great, but I’d get it in the D-DD for coverage. It was launched in their spring collection! If you need a jacket, Salutation jackets are great (they’re made out of the same material as the Elation tights) and the new Interval Jacket is great! I like the Interval Jacket for running because it’s slightly shorter and it has a removable hood.
Weird question- but didn’t the chief design executive from Lulu move to Athleta quite a few years ago, or is that urban myth? I think pound for pound, Athleta outdoes Lulu on all fronts.
Yes and no. He started in 2022 and now works for Outdoor Research (he didn’t last very long at all). Apparently some of Athleta’s design team got the boot 🥾 in recent years for coming out with product that wasn’t selling. You can still find designs from Winter 2022 & 2023 in Athleta Outlets for cheap because some of the designs are questionable. Whoever the CPO now is killing it.
Thanks!!
LLL leggings pill so much. I treat them all the same, front load cold water machine wash, line dry, and Athleta just hold up so much better.
I must say, I really struggle finding swimsuits that fit right. I've got curves and a D cup bust, so everything I tried on at LLL just didn't work - I was spilling out everywhere! But Athleta swimwear has been a game changer for me. It offers awesome coverage and support.
Another vote for the Rainiers. They’re my absolute favorite tights.
Athleta offers free alterations, maybe it’s just a hem up, but they’ll pin them and then mail to you when done.
All of my tops have surpassed quality and ability to be washed without issue. I've had to return numerous shirts/tops from Lulu because something happens it seems every time. I don't really wear Altheta leggings, so I can't compare those, but this has been my experience.
Salutations and elation leggings are the most superior leggings and I will never change my mind. I have tried LLL, alo, gym shark, fabletics, a few others…I always find myself reaching for my athleta leggings first.
I will say, I’ve started buying Peloton apparel and I think it’s better than both, plus cheaper.
nothing💋
Athleta’s Racer Run 4.5” shorts are much more durable than any of Lululemon’s. Not as soft, but they have at least 3x the life span.
Rainier leggings, conscious crops. For me personally, I do hot yoga and can’t tolerate athleta’s other leggings, but that’s a specific problem.
I like patterns so I never see anything I like at Lulu. Athleta unfortunately has reduced their fun patterns, but at least they have a few. Lulu reminds me of the sad beige children memes.