lululemon summer haul review: Some classics and surprise hits (2024)

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I wear a lot of lululemon. The gear is just so comfortable, technical and well-designed — mostly.

Sometimes lululemon goes rogue and overcomplicates clothes with bold cutouts or wild washes but the brand has thoughtfully designed pieces that can support athletics, movement and daily wear.

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Though this review is based on a recent lululemon haul, I have tenure in the stretchy gear as I’ve been dedicated to the brand since working there many moons ago — a thoroughly researched review.

Some of the latest pieces I’ve tried are more on the technical side and others are casual. I’ve tried and washed all of the items and am most pleasantly surprised by the Restfeel Women’s Sandal. Below, I go into more detail about each item and rank them from one to 10.

Ranking my favourite lululemon gear

1. Align High-Rise Pant (and the always-sold-out Align High-Rise Short 8″)
2. Restfeel Women’s Sandal
3. Dance Studio Relaxed-Fit Mid-Rise Cargo Pant
4. Scuba High-Rise Short 5″
5. Wunder Train Strappy Racer Bra A/B Cup (C/D Cup)
6. Align Cropped Cami Tank Top
7. Wunder Train High-Rise Ribbed Tight 25″

Details on my lululemon rankings

Align High-Rise Pant (and the always-sold-out Align High-Rise Short 8″)

Why they’re my favourite: They go everywhere with me — in all the ways. They have the perfect stretch to accommodate the bendiest of yoga classes while keeping their shape, making them great for movement and travel. I take Aligns leggings with me on every trip, no matter the distance, location or duration. They can be used at the gym, for exploration or in casual settings.

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Not sure why they’re called a “pant” and not a “legging” but whatever they are, they’re fantastic in any length. My favourite is the legging and 8” short (which I lost and is always sold out). I wear these leggings too often and therefore would prefer if the crotch was made from a more natural and breathable fabric — why I’m deducting a point off of a perfect rating.

I also love the Wunder Train High-Rise Tight — very similar to the Aligns, but with a “wunderful” drawstring. I’d rate the Wunders and Aligns both at number 1, however, not the ribbed version of the Wunders, listed way below.

Price: $98
Material: 81 per cent nylon, 19 per cent Lycra elastane
Sizes: 0 – 20 | 23”, 25”, 28”, 31”
Rating: 9/10

Restfeel Women’s Sandal

Why they’re my second favourite: My feet thank you, lululemon. The Restfeels are so comfortable and they stay on my foot well. I walked in them for hours for their first outing and they were perfectly comfortable. I was surprised to see they only received a 3.8/5 on the lululemon website, but after reading the comments I see that the slides don’t work for every foot. I have an average-width foot and wear a size 10. The shoes are true-to-size and fit like a foot glove. On the site I also saw the care instructions, which say “do not iron” — I fear the reason why lululemon thinks it’s pertinent to include this detail.

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Price: $88
Sizes: 5 – 12
Rating: 9/10

Dance Studio Relaxed-Fit Mid-Rise Cargo Pant

Why they’re my third favourite: I’ve seen many iterations of the Dance Studio Pant over the years — double-layered, extra thin, with more pockets, with fewer pockets…but they have always been super comfortable. Lululemon was founded in 1998, so styles have come in and out of fashion many times. I’ve bought and given away the Dance Studio Pants over the years, but am happy they’re back and thriving. They’re stretchy and great for dance, low-intensity activity, walking around the city and travel.

Price: $138
Material: Pocket: 86 per cent recycled polyester, 14 per cent elastane
Waistband: 88 per cent nylon, 12 per cent Lycra elastane
Body: 94 per cent nylon, 6 per cent elastane
Sizes: XS – XL
Rating: 9/10

Scuba High-Rise Short 5″

Why they’re my fourth favourite: They’re a comfortable, breathable cotton short — as advertised. The shorts are well-priced for their quality and have a nice length (feels longer than 5”). I will wear these shorts throughout the summer and might even sneak them into a fitness class that doesn’t have too many legs-in-the-air movements (they’re relaxed and wouldn’t offer the coverage I’m after). I don’t have anything negative to say about these shorts — they’re a basic, well-made short.

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Price: $68
Material: Rib: 97 per cent cotton, 3 per cent elastane
Pockets: 95 per cent cotton, 5 per cent elastane
Body: 70 per cent cotton, 30 per cent polyester
Sizes: 0 – 14
Rating: 8/10

Wunder Train Strappy Racer Bra A/B Cup (C/D Cup)

Why it’s my fifth favourite: My A’s give this bra an A. The Wunder Train Bra is first picked from the bra pile and I look forward to laundry day to get it back to the top. It’s comfortable and supportive enough for running. I like that there’s an elastic at the rib cage so it stays in place, but I don’t feel like I’m going to dislocate a shoulder when I put it on or take it off. However, I do feel like I’m in a forever fight with lululemon cups. After washing the bra, I always need to reposition the cups. I like the idea of removable cups and having that extra padded layer, but I don’t enjoy the time it takes to adjust them.

Price: $64
Material: Bra: 77 per cent nylon, 23 per cent Lycra elastane
Middle layer: 89 per cent Nylon, 11 per cent elastane
Bra lining: 83 per cent polyester, 17 per cent elastane
Sizes: 2 – 14 (and C/D Cup)
Rating: 8/10

Align Cropped Cami Tank Top

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Why it’s my sixth favourite: It’s a nice top for strolling around town or looking cute at the gym. I don’t like to show my belly so I would pair this tank with a high-rise bottom. When I exercise, I prefer to wear tops with more coverage — I’d wear this as a more casual tank. This tank is currently in style but I see it having a limited fashion shelf-life when exposed midriffs are no longer trending.

Price: $68
Material: Middle layer: 89 per cent nylon, 11 per cent elastane
Bra lining: 81 per cent nylon, 19 per cent Lycra elastane
Body: 81 per cent nylon, 19 per cent Lycra elastane
Sizes: 0 – 14
Rating: 7/10

Wunder Train High-Rise Ribbed Tight 25″

Why they’re my seventh favourite: I love the Wunder Train leggings because they’re just as great as the Align Pant with a much-welcomed added drawstring. However, I don’t like the ribbed material. I like how the ribbed material looks, but I don’t find them as stretchy as the non-ribbed varieties.

Price: $128
Material: A mix of polyester and lycra (too many variations to list) — full details available on the product page
Sizes: 0 – 14 | 23”, 25”, 28”
Rating: 6.5/10

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