If I could wear my CrossFit sweats and yoga pants and tank tops with built-in bras every day, I would. But sometimes CrossFit casual is too casual for everyday.
If I could wear dresses and fancypants every day, I’d do that too. But I like to be comfortable and sometimes fancy is too fancy for everyday.
For those in-between days, when my sweats are too dressed down and one of my ball gowns is way too dressed up (which, admittedly, accounts for most days if I’m leaving the house), I tend to wear what has become my absolute favorite style of clothing: tailored activewear. By that I mean highly functional clothing made from fabrics that are suitable for hiking or yoga or camping or biking or even some running, but cut and styled in a way that totally disguises how deliciously laidback they really are.
And because I plan to wear them a lot, they need to be sturdy and capable of surviving tons of washes, too.
It’s that happy place where form meets function, chic meets comfort, pretty meets practical.
I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com), May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agreed to use this product and post my honest opinion on my blog. Opinions posted are my own.
Let’s talk about prAna
I’ve written about prAna before, when I worked for FitFluential.
What’s better than fashionable fitness wear that is designed for comfortable, unrestricted movement? Fashionable fitness wear that supports social good and strives to achieve a low ecological impact.
Through Moms Meet, I was able to actually sport some prAna items for the first time, and I will be honest: I’ve been wearing them pretty much non-stop since they arrived.
If you’re unfamiliar, prAna started out as mainly yoga and climbing gear, handsewn by Beaver and Pam Theodosakis in a garage in Carlsbad CA. The word prAna is an ancient Sanskrit term meaning breath, life, and vitality of the spirit: a term that evokes mindfulness and connection, both within and to the world around us.
They’ve evolved into a major active apparel company with an emphasis on adventure and the outdoors, and they’re awesome in a lot of ways:
- Sustainable fabrics: Organic cotton. Recycled wool and polyester. Drought resistant hemp. Responsible down. Ethically sourced and manufactured, with the environment in mind.
- Fair trade certified: Fair Trade standards ensure that garment workers have safe working conditions, a voice in the workplace, higher earnings, and that women are treated equally.
- Fair labor: In February 2015, the Fair Labor Association accredited prAna’s social responsibility program, verifying their efforts are aligned with our commitment to human rights.
- Environmental standards: prAna’s partnership with bluesign systems ensures fabrics meet the highest environmental and human safety standards.
(You can read more about prAna’s extensive commitment to sustainability and a small footprint here.)
The Cali dress
prAna’s Cali dress is a Veeda performance knit, which is 45% recycled polyester / 45% spun polyester / 10% spandex / 100% essential for your closet.
It’s got a built in padded shelf bra, and a high waist that’s very forgiving for those of us that forgot that bikini bodies are made in the winter. The skirt is a near perfect length— I have real issues with dresses being too short— and I love the racer back.
I dress it up, I dress it down, I wear it layered with sweaters, I wear it as-is with just a pair of sneakers to run errands and go on impromptu hikes. It’s become my go-to wardrobe staple.
The Annexi Pant
Fun story: I wore these pants to see Office Space (Movies on Tap: cult classics + local beer tastings) and was asked about them, and when I said they were prAna, she misheard and thought I said Prada. So, that’s the level of classic styling and careful tailoring and overall impression of quality we’re talking about here.
The fabric is 53% hemp, 44% recycled polyester and 3% spandex. The color I have is black herringbone, which looks really snappy, and you guys look at the elastic waistband.
I love these pants. They have give, but they don’t sag by the end of the day. They have pockets but aren’t bulky. They make one’s posterior look perky.
I’ve really put the Annexi pants to the test, wearing them everywhere and washing them constantly, and they still look new.
How does prAna fit?
It’s always sort of nerve-wracking to order stuff online, especially when you’re fitness minded and have to accommodate an athletic build. When I was running exclusively and at my slightest, I was able to squeeze into an XS, but stuff tended to be too short. At my CrossFittest, my waist was still pretty trim but I was a solid medium due to my shoulders, butt and thighs.
I’m not nearly so muscley as I was then, but I’m still bulky. (Like Mac on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, let’s say I’ve been busy cultivating mass.)
Both the Cali dress and Annexi pant are size medium, and they’re very forgiving. When I shed a few more pounds, they’ll hang even better, but I feel good in them now. So I’d say they are true to size with a little wiggle room.
Where to find prAna sustainable fitness apparel
Well, online at prana.com of course (OMG, make sure to check out their bathing suits), and when you use code MOMSSG you’ll receive 15% off your entire order, excluding sale items.
You can also find prAna stocked in outdoorsy retail shops like REI, Eastern Mountain Sports and Backcountry.com. Full list of locations here.
