From Canada.com
We all want a great yoga butt -- but can we afford it?
Rebecca Osler, Vancouver SunPublished: Monday, January 30, 2006
As Vancouverites, we suffer from no shortage of breathtaking scenery. Despite their tiresome rhetoric about the endless drizzle (read: jealousy), show me a tourist from Eastern Canada who doesn't go home secretly yearning to import the North Shore mountains on a clear day, the downtown coniferous oasis of Stanley Park, and the perfectly proportioned posteriors.
Yes, I did just lump rumps into our bevy of signature sights.
We West coasters have discovered the well of eternal butt bliss -- we know it's not just the sun salutes that keep us looking so svelte, it's the yoga wear we do them in. I dare say Lululemon should be anointed a religion, having earned a devout congregation by forgiving a multitude of sins. We've all heard of anti-aging creams instantly taking 10 years off our faces. Well Lululemon pants mystically lift 10 cheeseburgers off our backsides.
It doesn't stop there. Lululemon has also soared where sweats stumbled, merging uber-comfort with style that can strut straight from the gym to a Kits coffee shop.
Will our fanatical obsession with yoga wear outlast the bicycle short rage of the late '80s? Only time will tell.
But for the time being, we're hungrier than ever for flared athletic pants. Lately budget knock-off stores like One Tooth, G-1 Fashion, Angela Fashion and J76 Casual Wear are springing up on every trendy strip. It's a phenomenon I call Fool-u-lemon.
Offering goods at half the price of the originals, Fool-u-lemon stores are tempting. But of course, one wonders how much quality has been sacrificed to attain those rock-bottom rates. With the help of Lori Charko, a yoga teacher and owner of Body Harmony Yoga Studio in North Vancouver, The Vancouver Sun pitted two cheaper outlets against Lululemon counterparts.
We West coasters have discovered the well of eternal butt bliss -- we know it's not just the sun salutes that keep us looking so svelte, it's the yoga wear we do them in. I dare say Lululemon should be anointed a religion, having earned a devout congregation by forgiving a multitude of sins. We've all heard of anti-aging creams instantly taking 10 years off our faces. Well Lululemon pants mystically lift 10 cheeseburgers off our backsides.
It doesn't stop there. Lululemon has also soared where sweats stumbled, merging uber-comfort with style that can strut straight from the gym to a Kits coffee shop.
Will our fanatical obsession with yoga wear outlast the bicycle short rage of the late '80s? Only time will tell.
But for the time being, we're hungrier than ever for flared athletic pants. Lately budget knock-off stores like One Tooth, G-1 Fashion, Angela Fashion and J76 Casual Wear are springing up on every trendy strip. It's a phenomenon I call Fool-u-lemon.
Offering goods at half the price of the originals, Fool-u-lemon stores are tempting. But of course, one wonders how much quality has been sacrificed to attain those rock-bottom rates. With the help of Lori Charko, a yoga teacher and owner of Body Harmony Yoga Studio in North Vancouver, The Vancouver Sun pitted two cheaper outlets against Lululemon counterparts.
LULULEMON (five locations, including 2113 W. Fourth Ave., Robson Street and Metrotown)
Baja Shape Jacket, $99
Reverse Groove Pant, $93
Charko considers herself something of a Lululemon aficionado. She owns 14 pieces and can attest to their longevity. "Even though these clothes tend to be more expensive, they have definitely proven their value, in that they have essentially been worn once a week for at least two years," she says.
Beyond the flattering fit, Lululemon's claim to fame is its luon fabric (86-per-cent-nylon, 14-per-cent Lycra), which definitely breathes.
The Baja Shape Jacket we tested came in an appealing blue-violet shade called "twilight," and the stitching was sturdy. The material felt tough yet not heavy and the interior of the coat had a soft finish. The sleeves also folded over into "cuffins," handy makeshift mittens lest your yoga studio has tried to meditate away its heating bills.
Charko had no complaints about the pants, either, which fit with typical Lululemon charm.
The only downside: while Lululemon designs are certainly flexible, some people have no wiggle room in their budget for the chunky price tags. Before you can say "om," you've dropped a couple hundred dollars on a single ensemble.
Scorecard
Cut: 9
Fabric: 10
Cut: 9
Fabric: 10
Worth the price? Yes, but not affordable for everyone.
J76 CASUAL WEAR (six locations, including 1162 Denman, 1445 W. Broadway and Park Royal Mall)
Baja Shape Jacket fake, $59
Groove Pant fake, $49
We were both impressed with J76's valiant attempt to duplicate the same jacket and bottoms. They didn't skimp on the details, either: the jacket had cuffins and both pieces had reflective moon-and-star logos in familiar locations.
"They felt and looked great," says Charko. "But I wonder about the breathability."
The composition of the items is 86-per-cent nylon and 14-per-cent Spandex. At at glance, that could be mistaken for the same weave as the Lululemon goods, but Lycra and Spandex are not necessarily equal.
To be fair, their tags do claim to wick moisture, but the jacket definitely felt slightly flimsier.
"I'm not convinced that the body temperature would remain consistent and comfortable throughout the day," says Charko.
However, she would consider purchasing the items based on esthetic appeal.
The jacket, which came in a cheery bubblegum pink, emulated Lululemon's style. It had the same curvilinear stitching on the bodice, minus one track alongside the exposed zipper (on the original it's concealed under a flap). No bum rap for the pants, which weren't reversible but looked fab all the same.
Baja Shape Jacket fake, $59
Groove Pant fake, $49
We were both impressed with J76's valiant attempt to duplicate the same jacket and bottoms. They didn't skimp on the details, either: the jacket had cuffins and both pieces had reflective moon-and-star logos in familiar locations.
"They felt and looked great," says Charko. "But I wonder about the breathability."
The composition of the items is 86-per-cent nylon and 14-per-cent Spandex. At at glance, that could be mistaken for the same weave as the Lululemon goods, but Lycra and Spandex are not necessarily equal.
To be fair, their tags do claim to wick moisture, but the jacket definitely felt slightly flimsier.
"I'm not convinced that the body temperature would remain consistent and comfortable throughout the day," says Charko.
However, she would consider purchasing the items based on esthetic appeal.
The jacket, which came in a cheery bubblegum pink, emulated Lululemon's style. It had the same curvilinear stitching on the bodice, minus one track alongside the exposed zipper (on the original it's concealed under a flap). No bum rap for the pants, which weren't reversible but looked fab all the same.
Scorecard
Cut: 9
Fabric: 8
Worth the price? Yes
ANGELA FASHION (five locations, including 1055 Georgia, 2821 W. Broadway and Metrotown)
Jacket, $35.99
Groove Pant fake, $27.99
"My experience with fitness clothing is you get what you pay for," says Charko.
Angela Fashion definitely wins for lowest price point, but the quality isn't in the same stratosphere as Lululemon.
"If the shopper's number 1 concern is 'the look,' you may find some good deals," Charko admits.
While the tight-legged pants make the grade for casual wear (to a bar, for instance), their 66-per-cent-polyester, 26-per-cent-cotton and eight-per-cent-spandex makeup forecasts heat waves for anyone who attempts sports in them.
The jacket looked reasonably stylish, but was a little on the short side.
If you're really strapped for cash but are willing to overlook puckered seams, Angela Fashion does have a cotton pant with coloured waistband for $15.99 and a crop version for only $13.99.
Also, we particularly loved the cute pink version of the whisper tank, which is a steal at $21.99.
Scorecard
Cut: 6
Fabric: 4 (cotton pants), 7 (whisper tank)
Worth the price? Yes, but for casual wear only
Cut: 6
Fabric: 4 (cotton pants), 7 (whisper tank)
Worth the price? Yes, but for casual wear only
rosler@png.canwest.com
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