Cloudy day, sunny painting, stretchy clothes

[Top: Athleta | Bottoms: SOLOW]

These pants are by SOLOW, and I only have good things to say about them. SOLOW is manufactured here in the US. These pants are made out of their signature fabric, Eclon. Their Eclon performance fabric is wicking and Blue-Sign certified sustainable (although, I haven't researched what Blue-Sign sustainable means). I do know that these pants are really soft, feel cool in a hot class, and are not see-thru. The fabric is really stretchy and comfy and appears to be made extremely well. I expect that these pants will last me a long time, and I like that I am supporting jobs here in the US by purchasing them. These pants are actually navy, with orange contrast stitching.

The top is by Athleta, also soft, stretchy, and cool. With a sports bra underneath, you are good to go. I think it is a little too long in length though, so it starts to roll up at the bottom. With a little adjusting, it's a fun top. I like the detail embroidery on the back of the shirt.

The Yoga Pant and Your Behind

Some may be perturbed by a discussion of clothes related to yoga, as yoga has nothing to do with what you wear. In fact, some choose to practice yoga naked. However, for most people, no matter how present in your practice you may be, when you can clearly see your neighbors butt-cheeks in class, you can't help but be distracted. Pants that appear to be comfortable and well covering in a dimly lit store room, may turn out to be shear when bending over in day light. Three components of yoga pants lend to this dilemma- the size, color, and fabric. It may be of interest to you purchase yoga pants that actually cover your behind when doing yoga. Here are some tips for choosing a pair of pants that will not betray you in the studio: (adapted from Emily Leaman)

Size

Simply put, pants that are too small are see-through. If you bend over and the pants get that sheen, it means they’re stretching too much. When the fabric gets pulled beyond its limits, the weave gets wider than it’s supposed to—giving everyone around you a view of your backside. Solution: Go up a size.

Color

Black’s your best bet if see-through’s a concern. Stay away from grays, which tend to show more, and leave your pastels for lounging only: “They’re not the most flattering.”

Fabric

Paying attention to the fabric is key. Plain ol’ cotton is not the best choice because as you move and stretch, it gets thinner and thinner—and eventually won’t bounce back. You want reinforced compression fabric (i.e. lycra or lycra-nylon blends) that feels thicker to the touch, especially around the butt area. This stuff’s intended to stretch over and over (and over and over), and return to its original shape. Athleta’s brand-name fabric is called Supplex; the Lululemon version is called Luon. Both stretch in several directions—up, down, diagonal, side-to-side—and are meant to endure serious wear-and-tear. Which means, with proper care, your behind will be covered for years to come.

What to Do at the Store

When you’re shopping for yoga pants, don’t be afraid to hit the floor and do some stretches in front of the mirror. Notice how the fabric pulls and stretches, and ask an honest friend to pay attention to your behind. If you’re shopping alone, ask a staffer to do it—hey, it’s their job. 

And remember to check them out in good daylight!

Baby steps

My brother and I. circa 1985

My yoga teacher said this in class today and I wanted to write it somewhere so I don't forget it: "What you think today, you will be in five years. So think that you are beautiful and gorgeous." I'm beginning to think its true, that what we think in our heads we create in our life.  So I'm going to give myself permission to think a little bit brighter and a little bit bigger.

Similarly, I read this article today about having the courage to dream big dreams for your life. Its funny, how dreaming big is a no brainer in kindergarten, but somewhere along the way of life, we get beat down a little too much and big dreams become a little too ridiculous and a little too scary.

Maybe it doesn't have to be that way. Apparently, we can start just inside of our heads, thinking better thoughts. That's not so scary. And then, perhaps take a few small steps.

You should know, I think baby steps are totally underrated. I love them. Oftentimes, a few small actions in one direction create a wave of enormous change. One time, when my brother was about seven, he was playing in the cotton fields at our house in Texas. He decided to make a tiny hole in a irrigation canal to make himself a little pool. In a few minutes he had flooded a field.

I think it could be like that.


The encouraging article is here.
Take note the author is wearing teeki's recycled-from-plastic bottles-pants. The California Fall Hot Pant to be specific. This is a blog about yoga clothes after all.

Lululemon

   In my last post, I had in poor judgement mentioned that Lululemon pants were made in sweatshops in China. I had read something to that effect, on another blog. I've since retracted that statement. I thought about it and realized I did not actually know how Lululemon pants were made.

I began some surveying research to find out where other yoga apparel is being manufactured.  I contacted a yoga clothing company (who I will tell you about later) and asked them where their yoga pants were manufactured. They wrote back right away and told me their pants were made in a very well respected factory in Hong Kong, who had fair labor laws, and that this was also the same factory that has produced clothing for Lululemon, DKNY, Athleta, Sundance, and others.

Then I went on to Lululemon's blog and found an article about their global factory environments. They have factories in Canada, the US, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Peru, Israel, Bangladesh, Cambodia and Vietnam. I had had a conversation earlier that evening, in which I said that if I actually sold clothes, I would go to the factories from which they were ordered so I would know first hand the conditions of the people who were making them. Well, it made me very happy to see that Lululemon actually does send their employes to visit the factories producing Lululemon apparel. Lululemon has an entire page on their website describing how they select and inspect their factories, along with pictures of the factories themselves, and a picture of a girl smiling while sitting at a sewing machine. You can read about their factories here and here.

So I feel a lot better about Lululemon after reading their statements about global sourcing and manufacturing. It appears that even though they manufacture their clothes overseas, their clothes are not manufactured in sweatshops. They have made available more information on their policies then other companies I have seen. Although.. the picture of the girl smiling while at the sewing machine is somewhat suspect. 

A quote from Lululemons blog:

"...our educators in our lululemon stores were requesting more information on how and where our products are made. They wanted to provide our guests with a full understanding of our global factory environments so they could then have authentic conversations as to how our factories operate" 

So, way to go asking questions about sourcing, yoga wear shoppers! I hope we keep being inquisitive. It's a good way to keep these mega companies accountable.

How do you feel about global sourcing and buying yoga wear? any thoughts?

Recycled plastic bottles into yoga pants! Yes!

Hold the phone.

You can create yoga pants from recycled plastic bottles.

You can buy these pants and they are cute.

AND they are all USA made, something else to feel good about.

I want to order ten pairs!

My favorites are the sun short denim.. they look like cute denim cut-offs.


And these Hot Desert Pants:

The company is called Teeki, and you can find them here. They also have swim wear and active wear tops made from the recycled plastic. You can read about their eco process and the story of their company on their website. Reduce waste and support jobs in the USA. These yoga clothes are winners in my book. They are even less expensive then other yoga brands!

Yoga Bandeau

The Yoga Bandeau Top (images courtesy of Heidi Hat)

I've seen some bandeaus appearing in new yoga wear. There are several cute options for these strapless tops here from heidi hat. Also, Tonic has a red bandeau in their fall 2012 collection.  I wonder how they hold up through a class. Do they stay in place or slowly slide down like headbands always slide off my head?  Has anyone tried them in class yet?

ALO- leggings that have seen better days.

{Cami: Similar|Leggings: here}

Do you ever have that one piece of clothing you like SO much that you hardly wear it? Fearing the detriment of the washing machine, or unforeseen accidents with red wine at happy hour? This is what these leggings have been to me. I got enough compliments on these pants every time I wore them, I began to wear them less and less as I wanted them to last as long as possible.

This top and bottom are from ALO.  These are the Energy Capri Leggings, and are flattering in cut and wick away sweat well. Also, as I mentioned... people notice them. I was ready to sing ALO's praises in this blog review, especially since their leggings are much less expensive then comparable brands. These capri bottoms are only $52.00, compared to $75.00-$98.00 and upwards for crop pants from other yoga brands. However, (insert sad face here), after some washings, these pants have developed a hole... It's like all my fears have been realized.  

I've had the pants less then a year and I was conservative with how I cared for them--  these pants have never seen the inside of a dryer.  The hole is along the seem that runs along middle of my butt. I think the material has become thinner over time. So lesson learned, you can pay less for some pants, but they may not last as long. For what a good pair of yoga pants will run you, you should expect them to last you for years. See this article by FitSugar, on why you may want to invest in a good pair of yoga pants.

The white cami has held up really well after almost a year. It practically still looks new. It's too bad yoga tops are usually more time-sensitive to trends then bottoms, as it seems ALO's cami's will out last their pants. .

LUCY SALE!

 

Lucy is having a sale! [here] They have a big selection marked down, and for a limited time, they are taking 25% off all items already on Sale. It's a Sale on a Sale. I like it.

Hello, Sweaty Betty.

I want these shorts.

 

I know we are in fall now, and winter is just around the corner, but I saw some shorts like this on a yoga instructor one time and I've been looking for them ever since. I've just found them, and they are made by a company called Sweaty Betty. Sweaty Betty is a British women's active wear brand, and only until recently have you been able to buy their clothes online in the USA. They have a really great website-- You can watch a short video of a model wearing any of their clothing items on the runway, giving you a better idea of what things really look like.

I love tiny bows. I also love that the length of these shorts is somewhat adjustable with the ties. Most yoga shorts are super short, and as you may know, often referred to as 'bootie shorts.' While I do prefer wearing these shortie shorts in a heated class to help me stay cooler, I do sometimes worry if my derriere is sufficiently covered in a down-dog. I mean really, your typical yoga short leaves NO room for error. I would feel a little more at ease having a few extra millimeters around in case some new found flexibility should occur.

Hopefully I'll get these babies soon, and I can test them out in the studio. I've never owned Sweaty Betty before, so I'm excited to report back to you on my findings.

Beyond Yoga

 {Top: here|Bottom: here}

Beyond Yoga apparel holds a special place in my heart. The signature fabric of Beyond Yoga is soft. Crazy, ridiculous, soft, and breathable. When I'm thinking about what to wear to a heated yoga class, I peruse the clean clothing I have left and evaluate based on how cool and comfortable it will be in 105 degree heat.  Most often I end up grabbing my Beyond Yoga tops and bottoms.

(photos by Lauren Alisse Photography)

These pieces are some of Beyond's staples. The bottoms are gathered crop leggings that I have in four different colors. Both the top and bottoms have held up well thru numerous washings, as I have yet to notice any fading or fraying. And as typical for Beyond wear, they are remarkably cool and soft. Things to look out for with these leggings : In certain colors (especially the lighter ones) they are noticably shear and you have to wear some decent coverage underneath them. This can be a problem, because instead of your nice bottom, all anyone will notice are your panty lines in these things. Also, they tend to run a little large-- I wear a size smaller then I would normally wear with other brands.

The top is their original, no-nonsense cami. It's your go-to for when you want to show off your perfect natarajasana more then your shirt.