Upon firing up the app to check upload this evening, simply the photos on the front showcase page were enough to make me spout off out loud to no one: “oh my god, not more f*cking black and white.” Shebori, Splatter, Graf black white, Ombre, oh my.

HOW MANY more monochromatic prints is lululemon going to shove down our throats this year? Yay, you can easily mix and match them all, but then you start looking like a scrambled Pay-Per-View signal in the 90’s when you refused to pay for said program.

Fun Fact: Once upon a time the Backstreet Boys did a PPV special. I sat and watched that scrambled signal for the entirety of the show. Showing the scramble as opposed to no signal at all is actually pretty genius, come to think of it. Once you realize what you could have if you just ponied up, so close that you can see(ish) and hear(ish) it, you buy it. I was maybe 14. I didn’t buy it. Nor did Mom/Dad or whoever’s house I was at that night. Good times.

Last year lulu held off until Black Friday to drop their special edition reflective line. I wanted those reflective lizard Pace Tights, but not for $298. I crossed my fingers all year long they’d go on markdown. They languished for full price online until approximately a month ago, and then they disappeared. Welp, the reflective gimmick is back again, in a similarly reflective scheme and equally stratospheric prices.

Wah and a half, 2016 edition.

5 Faves & a Dud – 10/25/16 Upload

Favorite #1: Speed Tight (Splatter) ($298) in splatter reflective

The price tag. Oh, price tag how you will discourage me this year like the price tag discouraged me from the sweet reflective lizard Pace Tights of 2015. One oddity I noticed this year, last year’s reflective SE tights came in the full gamut of sizes. This year, only 4, 6 and 8 are available for sale. Am I the only one to feel that cutting out size 10 is a pretty bold move?

Favorite #2: Cool Racerback II (Splatter) ($68) in black/splatter reflective

One more reference to the reflective splatters and I’ll step away from the shiny stuff. Although I’ve refused to give in to the CRBII movement, I do enjoy the subtle hints of reflective splatter in back. If I am feeling wealthier than usual one day before this one sells out, I may bite the bait.

Favorite #3: Speed Short ($58) in ray

Fun Katy: COLOR! BRIGHT COLOR! YAAAAAASSSSSSS!

Practical Katy: I love these. I really f’in love these. But if history is a good indicator of the future, if I buy them I’ll never wear them because I’ll be too worried about getting them dirty.

Fun Katy: BUT THEY’RE NEON. I WANT TO DRESS LIKE A HIGHLIGHTER.

Practical Katy: But, crossfit and burpee dirt. You don’t want to ruin them.

Fun Katy: BUT… NEON!!!!!

— My internal monologue for the remainder of the evening

Favorite #4: Free to Be Tranquil Bra ($52) in fall net white black/ray

As illustrated above, I quite enjoy a strategic pop of neon in a workout outfit. This colourway with the fall net white black and ray are a perfect combination. If the Free to Be Zen Bra is more your style, it also comes in this fun combo.

I will admit, I still haven’t tried on the FTBT or FTBZ bras yet. I was in my local store for a quick 15-20min on Sunday, but had to scoot. Why? Trader Joe’s and the Patriots game were in the near future and I was running out of time to get home. What’s watching your favorite team without SNACKS? Boring. Healthier, but boring.

Favorite #5: Layer Me Turtleneck ($78) in black or emperor blue

I don’t care if you classify me as an old fuddy duddy on this one, this is PRACTICAL. I love to wear my lulu in the winter, but sometimes the crew necks just aren’t enough for when an extremo cold snap comes through. Turtlenecks usually aren’t made of tech fabric and cut with a slim, flattering fit, so that’s an added bonus. The basic design makes this one easy to stick with a skirt and some leggings and call a winter outfit.

I found out this week that I’ll be going back to Aspen for work for a few weeks in January, and you bet your bottom dollar this will be going up and down the mountain with me. To my skiing and snowboarding readers, this one’s for you. Huzzah!

The Dud: Wunder Under Pant (Hi-Rise) ($98) in graf black white

The print, it’s just too busy for me. Plus, with the lighter details, it’s a ton of dye printed on white luon. Any habitual lulu shopper knows by now that means the pattern will lighten up the second you bend or stretch any which way while wearing this print. Not worth full price. Wait to see them on WMTM if you’re into these. I’ll be surprised if they don’t end up there in due time.

What else to spend $$$ on?

• One of the newest patterns is Shibori, which is a tye-dye effect. The Energy Bra Shibori and the Wunder Under Pant (Hi-Rise) Shibori come in a black/white, black/emperor blue or black/darkest magenta color scheme, which are actually pretty fun. If the reflective stuff weren’t also dropped this week, they’d have squeaked into the top 5.
• Speaking of the reflective splatter goods, there are 4 items altogether. In addition to the 2 listed above, there are also the Hotty Hot Short and the All Sport Bra. Suprised not to see reflective Speed Shorts this year, usually they’re a shoo-in.
• Another unique drop this week is the Wunder Under Pant (Hi-Rise) Ombre, subtly dip-dyed. Colourways include: ombre greyvy, ombre black and ombre darkest magenta.
• Really not understanding why someone would spend $58 for a shapeless piece like the Brunswick Muscle Tank. This isn’t the first they’ve come out with along these lines this year. Perhaps there’s a market for it that I personally don’t notice.
• Herringbone’s a perennial favorite, so grab yourself a Define Jacket for the winter months if you’re into them.
• Just an observation: the fall net toxic black/black (seen in the Pace Rival Crop) remind me a lot like the black/yellow swirly pattern from this year’s Seawheeze lot.
• Another observation: I like how lulu is now starting to note inseam lengths on various styles of pants & crops. Super helpful!
• ANOTHER black & white pattern. Don’t think I didn’t see you, digi pixie black pitch grey. I see you right there in the latest Wunder Under Crop IIIs.
• The duddy print of the evening, graf black white also made its way to the Tracker Short IVs, Energy Bra and Wunder Under Crop (Hi-Rise) Full-On Luxtreme. Oh geez. Fullux in a hi-rise pant? Those babies will never stay up until you break a sweat.
• Darkest Magenta dropped last week and I was too tired to write a details section then, so just in case you want this flattering color adorning your hind quarters, here are your options:
  • Speed Tight IV
  • Inspire Tight II
  • Speed Tight V (Brushed)
  • Align Crop
  • First Mile Tech Tight
  • Ready to Rulu Pant
  • Tracker Short IV
• The Rest Less Pullover is backkk… but called a Restless Pullover this go around. The design in the front is a bit different this year. Think of it as a thicker Swiftly LS for an extra $10.
• The design isn’t new this week, but it took me until now to realize the bra in the Work the Circuit Tank is built in. Heh.

There we have it. While there are some bright spots (literally – those Speed Shorts!), it’s still pretty muted. Enjoy the colors on the trees outside, because it doesn’t look like we will be getting too many brights as lulu winter continues along.

Anyone snag any new pieces this week? Internal monologue on those shorts. Still happening. Kind of want that turtleneck. There’s a decent chance I’ll buy that turtleneck. I’m such a snooze sometimes. 🙂