I had two $10 coupons for Dick's Sporting Goods for volunteering at the Pittsburgh Marathon and running the 5K. My husband wanted to buy some tees, so I gave him my coupons and we headed to Dick's. I assumed I wouldn't buy anything because I know most of the apparel Dick's sells is from Nike, and I am boycotting Nike because they sponsor dog abuser Michael Vick.
But when my husband found me after five minutes of picking out tees (which is about all the time he ever spends shopping), my hands were loaded with tanks. "I think I'm going to need those coupons back," I said. They had a much bigger selection than just Nike. Here's what I got.
I got a summery yellow striped Endurance Racerback tank from Lucy. I didn't even know Dick's carried Lucy! Lucy was my first foray into athletic clothes beyond Target and Old Navy years ago, and I used to buy a lot from them.
This racerback tank is short, which makes it good for pairing with skorts (I'm wearing an Athleta relay skort here). It also has a higher neckline than most of my other racerbacks. The fabric is just okay. I think I am spoiled from the super soft fabric of Lululemon's Cool Racerback and Athleta's Chi tanks. Still, I really liked the color and will wear it a lot in summer. It was $29.97, on sale from $49.
Next I got this loose-fitting tank from Under Armour. It is tissue weight and airy, so I thought it would be great for summer running. The fabric felt soft--not Lulu soft, but still nice. It was $18, on sale from $25.
I liked this tank a lot and thought I might even buy more for what seemed like a good full-price cost of $25. And then I wore it. I put it on in the morning with a jacket over top to walk my dog and then go to the grocery store. When I took my jacket off after just two hours of wearing the tank, I found that the fabric had pilled!
I guess it pilled from wearing a jacket over it?! The jacket was Lululemon's Forme jacket made of their Luon fabric, which is soft, so it wasn't like I was wearing anything abrasive or scratchy. I was shocked. I hear so many negative comments about Lululemon being so overpriced but here's the thing: My Lululemon clothes last forever, and I wear and wash them constantly. I am still wearing the same black crops I bought four years ago, and they have never pilled. If Lululemon had been the one selling this tank, you better believe that customers would be ranting and posting negative reviews everywhere, and it might even make it to the media. Should I not have expected much from this tank because it was cheap? I guess it's true, you really do get what you pay for.
My other gripe with this tank was the tag. The tag itself felt like it was made out of cardboard and was very scratchy. So I cut it out, but then the cut part scratched my back. So then I had to cut it down more and even cut a bit into the fabric to get all the tag out. Many of the brands I buy (Lululemon, Yogasmoga) uses rip-out tags, so ripping out the tags takes one second and the area is completely smooth afterward. Moral of the story, I would not buy this tank again, even at the sale price of $18.
The third thing I got was another UA top. It was $25.97, on sale from $34.99. The front is basic, and the shape is boxy--not super flattering, at least on me.
What sold me is the back, which is a really interesting design. The whole back is made of mesh with an open back, and I like that the design allows for wearing a regular bra instead of a racerback-style bra.
However, because of the fabric issue I had with the UA tank, I'll be returning this top.
I hope to have better luck with the tanks and bras I ordered from Lorna Jane. I'll be getting my package this week and will post a review next week. Labels: Fit Review, Lucy, performance review, UA, workout outfits
