I was brave this weekend. I went to the mall at 3pm on a Saturday afternoon… and it was a damn zoo in there. I suppose I can’t blame everyone for having nothing else better to do than get in my way because my presence contributed to the congestion, so… yeah. I dealt with it. The things a girl does to get her hands on some tea tree face wash from the Body Shop.

I deserve a prize alone for dodging all the “do you want to buy a second to get a third free?” offers within the span of 30 seconds. I need one bottle of soap. One, please. NOT THREE. Una botella por favor.

I hit up both Athleta and lululemon, and believe it or not I spent money at Athleta and NOT lululemon. *gasp!*

Here’s the Athleta fun. Pieces featured:

• Voyager Tank ($64)
• Essence Double Layer Tank ($49)
• Highline Hybrid Summiter Tight ($47.99)
• Sculptek Skinny Jean Grey Wash ($98)
• Stripe Contender 7/8 Tight ($89)
• Stellar En Route Dress ($118)

I’ve got to say, Athleta has come a long way from the days when they were a bunch of floral hippy ‘Mom’ outfits I wouldn’t be caught dead in, and I’m here for it. Does that mean I’m getting old?

Sizing Notes: I’m 5’9″ and wearing M in all the tops, and a mix of M-8-10 in the bottoms. I am an 8 on top at lululemon, and a 10 on the bottom.

Athleta Voyager Tank ($64) in black

Shown here is an M. Feels like wearing Speed Shorts. Very light and airy. Plenty of space to hide a food baby. I can see this tank being perfect for a BBQ on the hottest days of summer when you want to feel like you’ve hardly got anything on.

Essence Double Layer Tank ($49) in white

I liked the heavier weight & opacity thanks to the double layer, it’s a soft knit material. However, the cut wasn’t very flattering in the front, and the hem curved up in back so that it was actually longer in the front. Click to enlarge the photos to see what I mean. Wearing an M.

Highline Hybrid Summiter Tight ($47.99)

Pardon the incredibly overexposed photos. Had to do *something* to show the contrast in the paneling in the front of the legs and the sides. I honestly think these are a steal for $47.99, and almost bought them online a couple days later.

But, I already own the lulu Sleet Sprinter Tight and it wasn’t necessary to add a second water/windproof pair of tights into my rotation. They’re a specialized type of pant that you’re happy to have when you need them, but don’t wear all that often. Flexible, high rise with zip pockets on both the side and back. I am probably going to regret not snapping these up. Wearing an 8. They were a shimmy to get into, but sizing up to a 10 in Athleta generally leaves me with a gap in the waistband.

Sculptek Skinny Jean Grey Wash ($98)

Originally snagged a 10 off the rack, because while I’ve managed to keep off most of the weight I lost from Seawheeze training last year, I still haven’t been an 8 in a hot few minutes. The 10 fit decently, but not like a glove.

I asked the ladies working there if these pants stretched, and they said YES. Size DOWN. So, I cautiously asked for an 8 and pulled them on, praying I didn’t end up looking like a sausage.

MUCH BETTER. I left them behind because I ended up falling in love with the next two items and had to leave *something* behind in store. But then, I got home and realized my skinny gray StitchFix jeggings are almost 3 years old and are getting a bit threadbare in spots. Got my money’s worth out of those. Took the 25% off coupon they handed me on the way out the door and ordered the 8 about an hour ago. See you in 5-7 business days.

Stripe Contender 7/8 Tight ($89)

These. Tights. <3 If lulu isn’t going to bring back the quiet stripes, then a girl’s gotta look elsewhere for her horizontal flattery.

The minute I put them on, they felt amazing. Then, I looked in the mirror. Coming home with me, no questions asked.

They have a mid-rise with a drawstring, and zipper pockets on the side of each leg. I did the bend test last night with red underwear underneath, and I am happy to report that because the pattern is woven (thankfully not printed), they keep color and are NOT SHEER. HOORAY 😀

Stellar En Route Dress ($118)

Lastly, this dress. I love dresses by lululemon because they look great, but technical fabrics are game changers. They hold you in but stretch all at the same time, and BREATHE.

While I didn’t have an occasion in mind, I put this on and immediately felt like a million bucks (which is saying a lot after those striped tights). So, a woman always needs a flattering basic LBD in her back pocket for a last minute fancy event, right? Yes, yes she does. So this dress now belongs to me.

Three cheers for having a 25% off Friends & Family Discount (thanks, random poster I saw on the paper towel dispenser at CrossFit!) for helping to make this shopping trip not hurt so bad.

While I’ve been cooling on lululemon’s style change over the years, I have to say that Athleta’s also changed recently, but for the better. Anyone else finding more pieces at the store down the corridor lately?

Usually I walk into Athleta already carrying a red & white shopping tote around, but this weekend it was vice versa. Walked into lulu carrying an Athleta bag on my arm. I felt like such a traitor, but THOSE TIGHTS AND THAT DRESS THOUGH.