Athleta

Athleta does a superb job in marketing athletic wear to a growing population of active females. Their motto — «Power to the SHE» — was in full effect during their grand opening party which I attended this evening. Despite the crazy lines to both get in the store and to try clothes on in their dressing room, every employee I spoke to was pleasant, very helpful and knowledgeable about their products. Swimwear and casual to/​from wear (i.e. fashionable yet functional clothing you can throw over your workout clothes) were displayed in the front half of the store with the majority of athletic wear (running shorts/​skirts, active wear tops, yoga pants/​capris) in the back.
I’ve had my eye on their swagger skort online for a while and was hoping to get it this evening but it was such a crowd-​peaser that it sold out in under 30 minutes of their soft opening — that’s a testament to their brand and products! The employees there informed me that I could order any item from their website using their in-​store kiosk and as a result, shipping charges would be waived (similar to JCrew’s red phone ordering situation). So after picking up a few pairs of chaturanga yoga knickers, a second glance tank and a balsa burnout dress in store, I ordered the swagger skirt at their kiosk and put my credit card to rest for the evening.
I’m looking forward to testing out my new gear and I’ll write an update after having used it for a few workouts. So far, I’m loving the fit and feel of the items I’ve purchased — now to put them to the sweat test!