She Woke the Monster...

...the Lulu monster, that is.

For years, I'd avoided Lululemon, vowing never to set foot in the store because, as I claimed, "the second I try something on, it's game over and I'm buying the entire store."  Finally, while I was up visiting my friend Katie, she dragged me in to a shop and forced me to try on some running tights.  This is why she is one of the worst influences ever on my shopping habits my best friends.

Note: if you are not a runner/compulsive workout fiend go ahead and scroll right on by the rest of this post.  It's only going to bore you.  Also, if you're a yoga girl, half of what I'm about to say about fabrics will not apply to you so feel free to ignore it.

The second I tried on those tights, I knew there would be a problem.  Luxtreme is an excellent compression fabric - it does it's job without feeling like you're being squished to death (Nike, take notes), or immediately riding up (Under Armor, I love you, but you are so guilty of this!).  However, I wasn't completely sold.  You see, (TMI alert) I sweat a lot and wasn't sure Luxtreme was up to the task of keeping me dry and comfortable over long distances; a 15 mile run sealed the deal.  I was hooked.

In the few months subsequent to that first Lulu purchase I've popped in countless times and tried quite a few of their fabrics.  I have to say, the only one I trust while running is the Luxtreme.  Everything else results in my being soaked after two or three miles.  I'll still use tops in other fabrics to lift weights or go to spin class, but I won't run in them.  You can tell Lulu's forte is yoga gear as a lot of their "running" gear is still improving.

Now, on to the fun stuff; here are some of my Lulu recommendations  All of these are items I personally own and have run/lifted/spun in:

The Run your heart out tight is perfect for running outdoors in the winter, and the ruffle/reflective strip detail on the back is so cute!

The Inspire crop II is great for outdoor runs in the fall and spring when it's chilly, but not freezing:

The Run free tank is cute and great for sessions with my trainer, but I wouldn't recommend it for running:

Items change seasonally and I've found the stores carry more extensive inventory and have better sales than the website.  All items pictures above are currently available at lululemon.com.