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Sunday, October 10, 2010

Lululemon Flow and Go Tank

I went to the Lululemon store this morning for yoga.  But to be honest, I had a pilates training session scheduled later today so I didn't really need to do yoga this morning.  It was just an excuse to stay around and shop afterwards!  I like to shop with my eyes during yoga, then go straight to the items I want to try on after class.  It's very efficient that way.  Hehe.

Well today I had my eye on the Flow and Go tank.




I tried on the alarming/coal in a size 6, which is one size up from my normal tank size because they were out of size 4s.  I really liked it, especially the back!  I have to say this tank was very hard to put on though, which a million straps to figure out, and a built in bra that is supported by the two bottom horizontal straps that can be seen on the back picture above.  I think I finally got it on my 3rd try?!?  After I put it on though, it was worth the trouble!  It's a very sexy tank, and the back is very unique looking.  It's made of circle mesh and it's just so comfortable.  The size 6 fit fine through the body since it's supposed to be baggy, however, the chest was just a little too loose and I had extra fabric chilling under my armpits.  Also the straps that criss cross in the back were kind of falling off my shoulders too.  I didn't have it pulled all the way down like the Lululemon model has it on the pic above, so the back created a pooch which resembled a diaper bag or something.  So it wasn't going to work.  I had the store call the other stores nearby to see if any had a size 4 in this color. 

Well apparently this tank is super popular!  Because the SoCal stores just got them this week, and none of the nearby stores had a size 4 anymore.  We literally called every store.  Also I guess not all stores here got this tank to begin with.  Santa Monica only got oasis and citron, not alarming.  Kind of surprising since it's the largest store in the area.  We even called the GEC for phone sales and it was out of stock.  They then did a country wide stock search or something, and found a store in Seattle and a store in New York that had it.  Just when we were about to call up Seattle and have them ship it, the El Segundo store came back with a positive!  So, I had to drive my ass all the way down there.  I guess I really wanted this tank, otherwise I would've just said it's not meant to be and called it a day.  Luckily there wasn't any traffic at all, so I got there in 15 minutes.  I didn't have any time to try it on there because I had to drive all the way back to my side of town for my pilates session.  So it wasn't until I got home that I could put it on.

Hmm... now I'm perplexed.  The chest definitely fits way better in the 4 - more supportive than I thought it would be actually.  But the back "V" doesn't go as low as the size 6.  I really liked how well it draped with the 6 on, it kind of went all the way down and looked very effortless.  The 4, while not tight, just doesn't drape.  The neck strap and the two horizontal bra straps on the back are just a wee bit too tight for my liking too and I think the neck one would pull after a while.  Although my neck/shoulders are sore right now from being stuck with the 15 pound kettlebell in class yesterday when I was running late.  So that could be making my neck extra sensitive.  But otherwise I do love how this tank looks.  The front looks gorgeous too, and the color combo is great.  I never liked alarming much, but the color looks more muted in this top I think.  I also have groove pants from last year or year before, that has a band of alarming that would match.

So I guess I really need a size 5 for this tank to fit me how I want it to.  But I think I'm going to keep the size 4 and play with it so it falls well in the back.  And maybe it will motivate me to lose a few pounds too!  After all that work to get my hands on this tank, I feel like it's only principle that I keep it.  Haha.  But the tag will stay on for me to change my mind a million times a day!

17 comments:

  1. I am really going back and forth on this top as well. I tried it on today too, in a size 4 citron. I think I like the oasis the best, just debating whether or not to try and track it down. I really like the look of the top and it's super comfortable and breezy. The neck strap is a little annoying; I definitely noticed it tugging a little, although part of the problem was it getting tangled with my necklace, but I still think it would start to bother me more and more. I'm also really trying to imagine if I'll actually wear the top a lot. I think I would feel a little self conscious wearing it to yoga; no one else in my various studios wear such revealing tops and I feel like it will draw attention. It's also not supportive enough for me to run in, so I just think I might not wear it that much. I'm thinking of waiting for the return of the no limit instead. But the flow and go really is so cute and unique and I'm wondering if I will kick myself later for not buying it when I had the chance.

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  2. It took me three tries, too, to get it right. The pressure of the neck strap bothered me since that is where all the chest support comes from. I ended up returning mine because I figure Lululemon will either re-release the No Limit or come out with another similar circle mesh top. The new Power Dance Tank looks intriguing. I'm debating whether it's worth driving all the way to Glendale to try it on.

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  3. Sometimes different colors fit slightly differently so you might want to try the 4 on in another color. I've had luck with that.

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  4. @Anon 9:27: I know exactly what you mean. This top could be a little too sexy for yoga or the gym. But it's just so cute that you don't want to return it! I like the oasis one as well and thought it was really a coin flip between oasis and alarming, but I think I went with alarming because I thought it looked better with my skin tone. I wore it for a couple hours today, and the neck strap did make a mark on the back of my neck. But you could take that neck strap off the neck and tuck it in your chest hahaha. It doesn't look bad, but it's going to be less supportive. And your boobs may fall out during yoga!

    @Anon 10:08: I just hopped on facebook to check out Glendale's page and saw the tank. It does look interesting but I'd like to check it out in person because I'm not sure if it will look too much like maternity wear. It does look really comfy. Is it only available at Glendale? I didn't see it today at Brentwood. We did call Glendale today too for the Flow and Go and they never received any. Lululemon sure is tricky with how they distribute their inventory. I have actually never been to the Americana, maybe I should go check it out tomorrow!

    @Anon 10:09, I don't think I have the patience to hunt down a 4 in another color when it was so hard to get the alarming! But thanks for the tip!

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  5. I love this tank. I ordered the black when it came online and it arrived and I wore it to class and everyone was asking me about it. The next day the colors were uploaded online and I ordered both the oasis and the alarming. I think I'm going to end up keeping all three!

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  6. Thank-you for such a detailed review! I also ordered the 4 in alarming last week---it should be here on Weds, so it'll be interesting to see how it fits on me. I'm pretty sure I would never wear this to any workout or yoga class of any kind around here because it's super conservative here. I just want it for wearing around in the summer or spring if weather permits.

    What did you mean about Seattle or NY shipping the tank to you? I thought that stores don't ship? Or is that one of the so-called GEC warehouses or GEC-specific stores that will ship thru GEC to the customer? Because I'm dying for a Crosstrain or some other kind of pullover like that, but I haven't found any stores to ship. One in Hawaii wanted me to come in and pick it up, but I don't think it registered w/ them when I said that I was in OH, LOL.

    I liked the Oasis & the Black a lot also, but the Black (as well as the White) ones sold out w/in 3 hrs of going online & I couldn't get 2 when Oasis & Alarming were uploaded, so chose Alarming. Decisions, decisions!

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  7. Hi Pooki, I think if you go into your local store, they can do a search on their system for the item you are looking for to see if any other stores in the country have it. Then they call up that store for you and do a "bill and ship" or "buy and ship" or something like that, I forget the exact name. But I believe you do have to pay for shipping. I've never done it, but I almost did it yesterday and when I was there, someone else was doing the same thing with a store in Vegas.

    I also have done this with the GEC but I think it really depends on who you talk to. One time I was able to get something from a store in Chicago and they even shipped to me for free, though it came in a Steve Madden box.. LOL! I've only called the GEC like 3 times total for item check so the other times I got people who told me they were not able to ship from a store. So who knows! But I'd say talk to your store... good luck!

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  8. Thank-you, I will try that! I'm not getting my hopes up, though, as the "educators" at my store are major slackers.

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  9. I just got this Flow & Go, and I had a similar problem w/ the back, in my usual size of 4. It's not tight, but it just doesn't drape very well. Like whoever draped the original muslin needs to bone up on their draping skills or something. It just sits in a bunch above my bottom. Granted, I have booty for my size, so maybe if someone had a smaller bottom it would drape, I dunno. The neck strap was snug---I realized it more after I took the tank off 20 minutes ago and can still feel where the strap was. The 2 bra back straps are also a touch snug, but not as much as the neck. The other straps that cross in an X are fine. If anything, they might be a teensy bit loose. On the whole, I think it's cute enough, but I'm really starting to think that the people at Lulu, who make the samples, could upgrade their skills a bit. It's like they had changeover in that dept or something, as their fit this year is odd in so many pieces. :-((

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  10. It sounds like this tank fits us exactly the same way! Are you going to return it or keep it despite its fit issues? I really want to like it and keep it, but the more I think about it, the more I think it's kind of a waste of money since I won't be wearing it to the gym much, and probably won't be wearing it as casual wear due to the tight neck strap.

    Maybe I should swap it out for another awesome tank that will come out later... But it's so pretty...

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  11. Exactly the same thoughts that I had!! I wanted to like it sooo much, but tonight decided that for the money, I could get something else. Personally, I think the Fouette tank fits nicer & is more attractive on--but for that one I have to get a 6 because of the bust.

    The more that I think about the back of the F&G, the more that I think it's kind of "hoochie" (sorry, but that's what I thought when I saw the bunching). If it had draped correctly, it would be classy, but with a bad drape, it's hoochie.

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  12. Hi, last comment in this thread, just wanted to thank-you for letting me know about Lulu stores doing shipping if your store calls them. I asked my Lulu today & they said they do that also! I did wonder, tho, why they never mentioned it before when I'd express how much I wanted something but couldn't get it....brilliant sales techniques!

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  13. Hehe now that you mention it, I do kind of see it going towards the hoochier side. I guess it all depends on how you wear it and your body type. There's a fine line between sexy and hooch. Lol.

    Good to know your store does it too! You know I think a lot of people who work there don't offer this. I'm not sure why but I've also gone in to look for something (at diff stores) just to be told they are out. End of story. Maybe some people just are more helpful than others. But now that you know, you can take full adv of it! :)

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  14. I just got this top in the mail earlier this week. When I finally got it on correctly, I felt the next strap was a little tight and the shoulder straps were loose. The drape was really nice, so I didn't want to risk another size down (not that I could get another--these guys go fast), so i figured out that the straps were connected and just sewn in at the shoulders. I managed to take the threads out that were holding them there, so now the straps move freely and can be adjusted. I am super pumped! Thanks for bringing this top to my attention!

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  15. You know that's so interesting you said that, because I was looking at it trying to figure out if I could take out the stitches and have the neck strap move freely. So it works well? I think I will take it out of mine too. Any tips for me so I don't ruin it?? Hehe

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  16. I didn't have an actual thread puller tool, so I just used a needle and took my time pulling it out little by little, trying to keep the thread in tact if I could (just so I knew I wouldn't be ripping the fabric). When I finished both sides, I almost freaked out because I couldn't figure the straps out again and thought I ruined it! But it was just fine--just the usual 5 minute ordeal trying to figure out how the shirt works. Good luck!

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  17. Jennifer, you are a genius! I used scissors with sharp pointy ends, and very carefully took out the threads holding the straps in place and now it's perfect! I pulled the neck strap looser and it in turn pulled the back criss cross straps tighter. Problem solved! I can't believe it. It was sitting in my drawer ever since I bought it as I was still deciding on what to do with it. I'm so glad that it is now wearable!! Thanks for the info!

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