When I’m not working you can probably catch me at a yoga or spin class, hiking in the mountains, or chillin’ on the couch watchin’ Netflix. As you can imagine, I spend a lot of time in leggings, sports bras, and comfy shirts. I recently decided to treat myself to a few new pieces, as well as some new yoga and hiking accessories. I also tried out Fabletics for the first time, so I figured I would share my unsponsored and unbiased experience with you all (keep reading til' the end to find out).
So let’s start off with the accessories...
I set out on a mission to find a yoga wheel. I had spotted one at a Winners in Calgary months ago, but I wasn’t really sure that I would use it so I refrained from buying it despite the temptation. Last week, I checked a nearby Winners and had no luck. Instead, I ended up with 2 yoga blocks, a marble neoprene belt bag (AKA a fanny pack), 2 microfiber towels for hot yoga, and some resistance bands.
The next day, I hit up another nearby Winners and had some luck. Not only did I find a yoga wheel, but I found one that had been marked as clearance. The box had been torn and the wheel was marked down from $30 to $13. It’s not my favourite colour or design (Winners actually has some nicely designed wheels), but I went with the deal. Yoga wheels have been $50+ anywhere I have looked previously, so if you're interested I would recommend checking out your nearest Winners/TJ Maxx/TK Maxx!
I also found a travel yoga mat on clearance. As IF I needed another yoga mat, seriously. But it seems to be great quality. It is quite heavy despite being labelled as lightweight, so I wonder about weight restrictions and what limits this may impose on me while travelling. Don't get me wrong, it's much lighter than a typical Lululemon Yoga Mat; however, it's thin so I was not expecting it to weigh much at all. I suppose this has to do with the quality, as the mat seems to be durable and extremely well made. I was drawn in by the company's initiative to use biodegradable materials (tree rubber and cotton). Additionally, YOGO plants one food tree per mat purchased and teaches sustainable agriculture in developing countries.
You can read more about YOGO on their website, found here.
This particular mat retails for $64.99, and I purchased it for just $30. I'm very pleased with this purchase, and I am excited to bring this mat with me on my travels.
You can read more about YOGO on their website, found here.
This particular mat retails for $64.99, and I purchased it for just $30. I'm very pleased with this purchase, and I am excited to bring this mat with me on my travels.
I'd seen sponsored posts for this next item on Instagram and Facebook, and the ads got me good! Not only are they aesthetically pleasing (seriously, their colours are b-e-a-u-tiful), but they’re much larger than any of the other water bottles I currently have. Again, as IF I needed another water bottle. I’ve got my trusty S’well bottles, Nalgene bottle; and I recently donated an entire garbage bag full of various tumblers, water bottles, and travel mugs. But I couldn’t pass this one up. Call me crazy. I have received many compliments on this bottle at work, so no ragrets and all that.
This bottle is from Big Bottle Co. in their Blush Rose colour.
Bonus: $1 from every Blush Rose bottle sold goes to the McGrath Foundation.
This bottle is super lightweight, which makes it perfect to carry to and from wherever I happen to take it. The handle is also great as I often find my S'well bottle slipping out from under my arm. It's nice to have something to hold when your hands are full.
Next, I wanted to try out Forever 21’s athletic line. I’ve been hearing good things about the styles and the quality, so I figured if I was going to buy something trendy it should be affordable. It’s been ages since I’ve shopped at Forever 21, and I am pleased with the items that I ordered. I will note that the sports bra padding could be better fitted to the bras, and they can be visibly seen when being worn - particularly in the case of the mint bra. I may take the padding out later on, depending on how it holds up. I wasn’t sure whether or not to order a small or a medium, and now that I've received them I'll add that they seem to fit pretty true to size. I’m okay with my sports bras being a bit tighter, so I went with the small. If you’re not looking for a tight fit, definitely order your regular size.
Last, but not least, I ordered from Fabletics.
This post is 100% honest and unsponsored. When looking into Fabletics, I had a hard time finding an unsponsored review. I have heard that Fabletics can be difficult to cancel, and it is seemingly known for pressuring its customers into staying subscribed or failing to stop charges on customer’s cards.
This post is 100% honest and unsponsored. When looking into Fabletics, I had a hard time finding an unsponsored review. I have heard that Fabletics can be difficult to cancel, and it is seemingly known for pressuring its customers into staying subscribed or failing to stop charges on customer’s cards.
Still, the 2 for $24 leggings enticed me, and I signed up regardless – knowing full well that I could always call VISA and report the charges if I ran into any issues.
So here it is, my full experience with Fabletics – from signing up, to the 2 for $24 deal, the selection and styles, the quality, and the process of cancelling afterwards.
The sign-up process was easy, and involves a simple style quiz - outlined below.
After making my quiz selections and signing up, I was brought to a screen where I was able to shop Fabletics leggings. I generally chose the "I mix it up" category, as I figured that the legging styles and colours were curated based on my selections and I wanted the most options available to choose from.
I was pleased with the styles presented; there were several fits, colours, and patterns to choose from. Patterned styles seem to be mainly seasonal, and classic designs seem to remain for sale throughout the year. I ended up choosing the following two styles of leggings.
The leggings arrived quickly (5-7 business days) via Purolator.
The quality seems to be slightly subpar to Lululemon. This is not to say that they are not great quality! The Power Hold leggings are personally my favourite, as they are made from a bit of a thicker material. They are not quite as thick as a pair of Lulu's, but they are thicker than the Power Form leggings I purchased. Both pairs are opaque; and despite the fact that I probably should have ordered an xs instead of an xxs, the stretch of the fabric does not compromise the opaque colour (yay for not being see-through!). Overall, I am impressed with the quality and I would certainly purchase Fabletics again, on-sale or using a similar promo. However, for the regular price of $50+ I would go the extra mile, so to speak, and opt for Lululemon. I say this because Lululemon backs their products for years. If you've ever purchased anything from Lululemon that hasn't performed well, you ought to contact their customer service department. I believe that the company goes above and beyond for its customers, and for the extra $30-$60 at regular price I'm willing to opt for Lulu.
So with that being said, how about that Fabletics customer service? I was honestly a bit nervous to cancel given the stories that I had read. However, I’m a persistent individual these days and I’m not easily talked into sales. As soon as I received the package and tried the leggings on, confirmed that I would not be returning them, I called the Fabletics customer service contact number.
I had no issues getting through to a human being. The 24/7 Member Services number puts you straight through to an automated system that asks why you are calling, all you have to do is respond! That means no waiting through numbered menu options and hopelessly pressing 0, trying to get through to the right department. I was transferred immediately after stating, "cancel my membership." There was no hold, and my call was picked up right away. I verified my info and the woman on the phone clarified that I was asking to cancel my membership. I told her that I was and she asked why, before suggesting I keep my membership but continue to skip months. I was firm and stated that I was not interested in that option at this time (if you forget to skip, you will be charged and given a Fabletics credit). I was then offered 20% off of any purchase to keep my membership, and I again stated that I wasn't interested but offered my thanks.
And that was it. It wasn't overly pushy by any means. I was put on a brief hold, during which I received an email confirming that my account had been cancelled. The woman came back on the line and clarified that the account was cancelled and that I would not be receiving any further charges. In total, the phone call was 3 minutes long and relatively hassle-free. If you are not easily talked into sales, this should be a simple process. Remain firm and clear, and stick with your decision to cancel if this is why you are calling.
I will continue to monitor my credit card statements during the coming months to ensure that I do not receive further charges, but I am quite certain there will be no issues. If there are, I'll be sure to add an extra note to this post.
Overall, I had a positive experience with Fabletics and I believe the 2 for $24 deal is an amazing deal given that the quality of the leggings is quite good. I would recommend trying them out, and if you are interested in their subscription service I believe that it is worth a shot!
I had no issues getting through to a human being. The 24/7 Member Services number puts you straight through to an automated system that asks why you are calling, all you have to do is respond! That means no waiting through numbered menu options and hopelessly pressing 0, trying to get through to the right department. I was transferred immediately after stating, "cancel my membership." There was no hold, and my call was picked up right away. I verified my info and the woman on the phone clarified that I was asking to cancel my membership. I told her that I was and she asked why, before suggesting I keep my membership but continue to skip months. I was firm and stated that I was not interested in that option at this time (if you forget to skip, you will be charged and given a Fabletics credit). I was then offered 20% off of any purchase to keep my membership, and I again stated that I wasn't interested but offered my thanks.
And that was it. It wasn't overly pushy by any means. I was put on a brief hold, during which I received an email confirming that my account had been cancelled. The woman came back on the line and clarified that the account was cancelled and that I would not be receiving any further charges. In total, the phone call was 3 minutes long and relatively hassle-free. If you are not easily talked into sales, this should be a simple process. Remain firm and clear, and stick with your decision to cancel if this is why you are calling.
I will continue to monitor my credit card statements during the coming months to ensure that I do not receive further charges, but I am quite certain there will be no issues. If there are, I'll be sure to add an extra note to this post.
Overall, I had a positive experience with Fabletics and I believe the 2 for $24 deal is an amazing deal given that the quality of the leggings is quite good. I would recommend trying them out, and if you are interested in their subscription service I believe that it is worth a shot!
So there you have it, a fitness haul and a review all in one!
Feel free to post some of your favourite athletic brands to buy from in the comments below, I'm always looking for new places to shop!
Until next time,
- Courtney Lee
Feel free to post some of your favourite athletic brands to buy from in the comments below, I'm always looking for new places to shop!
Until next time,
- Courtney Lee
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