Thursday, January 13, 2011

Which Is the Lesser of Two Evils?

We all knew this day was coming right?  The day the Juicy Couture track suit (or insert any brand of velour/terry sweatsuit) would loose steam.  Word on the street, or rather the halls of every top retailer that built a hundred million dollar business off this single track suit, is that the Juicy empire is sinking faster than the Titanic.

Might I add that buyers are scrambling to find a replacement for this lost revenue and they're hoping to find salvation in a yoga pant.  A yoga pant?  I have heard from several reliable sources that market research is showing today's woman, especially today's mom (that's us ladies), wants to be even more casual and is turning to the yoga outfit to fit the bill. 

So now I ask you, dear friends, which is really the lesser of two evils?  Ladies can make all the quips and mocking jokes you want about a tonal colored track suit, but is walking around the grocery store in a pair of yoga pants all that much better?  Unless you plan on doing downward dog in the produce section, should we really be falling back on that as our wardrobe staple?   At least you can wear platform wedges with your track suit (that is a joke in case you were wondering).

Are the buyers right?  Have us moms turned from the track suit to the yoga pant as our daily wear when running errands?

*I cannot confirm nor deny whether my opinion is slightly influenced by the fact that I own a couple of tracksuits that I still wear, hold the butt imprint and bedazzled rhinestones.  Those pants are damn comfortable and I'm not quite ready to trade them in.  Sue me.

16 comments:

  1. This post is so funny - and I for one would be more than happy to see the butt-imprinted look go OUT. That is such a bad look! I do love my yoga pants, I'll admit, but try to make the effort at an actual outfit most days of the week!

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  2. Well, as a pregnant woman, I would live in a velour track suit if I could.
    Sadly, anything I wear looks awful so it's really a wash.

    I don't mind the tracksuit, I DO mind the butt writing. I saw too many high school girls with words like "hot" and "bootylicious" emblazoned across thier rear end. If it's bad on them, it's horrible on us.
    Bt sometimes you don't even want to wear jeans and flats. So, yeah, wear the track suit--yoga pants can be far less forgiving.

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  3. Ideally, I'm for not wearing any gym wear (track or yoga) outside the gym. Only in case of emergency!

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  5. I do own a Juicy velour track suit, but I found it at Ross for $35, and that is with both the jacket and the pants. Fortunately, my butt is not advertising how juicy it is when I wear them, instead there is a small bedazzled crown on the right hip. Subtle enough, I thought. And on the jacket? The same crown on the back, but again, quite subtle compared to their other track suits I've seen. I wear it proudly to the grocery store when I realize I am out of milk at 6am. Other than that, it is my favorite outfit for days I know I won't be leaving the house. (So comfy!) I already look like I'm only 16, I don't need to go out wearing my pajamas and convincing people of their suspicion...especially since I have a two year old. Don't want people thinking I'll be on next season's Teen Mom.

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  6. I owned multiple JUICY outfits.
    It's the one fashion choice I will always regret.


    I think us mummzies should reclaim the cute "khaki/white button up shirt" look when heading out to run errands.
    No more PJ's at Trader Joes!!

    :)

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  7. I'm totally over the "suit" wearing the matching top and bottom is a little too OC sorority girl from 2005. I think the Yoga pant is more me, but not really as a fashion statement. I for one am always on the go in my workout clothes - just a fact of life if I want to get the kids to school and fit a workout in, there are many days I must run errands in my exercise clothes. If I spent too much time worrying about weather it is ok to wear them to target or the market I would never get my workouts in. I try to wear a cute cardigan or zip up over but for me the fact that I can exercise is most important.

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  8. Let me clarify Miranda. I do not hold question the woman that runs her errands after or before ACTUALLY doing yoga (or working out). What I find interesting is that these retailers have identified a woman who goes to her closet to get dressed for the day and picks out yoga pants as her wear of choice. Not to do yoga in, but to go run errands, go to lunch, go to the dentist office. This is what I don't understand. Yes, to some picking up a Juicy track suit to get dressed in, sans butt print or not, may be offensive. but at least with the tracksuit you don't actually work out in it. SO there is not this weird question when you're walking around all day of "did she just come from the gym?" get it?

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  9. that photo makes me cringe. i can't go there. and your wedges joke made me laugh.

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  10. I try to avoid leaving the house in athletic wear UNLESS I'm leaving to workout. Yes, I may stop at the store in my gym clothes on the way home, just like I would shop in my church clothes on my way home from church - for convenience. But I'm not a fan of being lazy when it comes to what one wears. I don't feel the pressure to look like Jackie O. to run to Target, but my mom and grandmother taught us to "take pride" (their words) in ourselves and to put a bit of effort into looking presentable to leave the house. Their words stick with me, and I try to teach the same lesson to my own kids. Call me old school.

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  11. I get your point Andrea, but based on Lululemon's huge success (featured on CNBC yesterday) at selling $80 plus yoga pants I think there is a customer and rightfully so. Nice yoga pants; although you don't need to spend that, actually look cute to me - throw on a cute tee and a scarf with some Tom's I think that is a sporty look to go to playdates, sat morning tee ball, or to get your nails done. Maybe not the everyday uniform, but something that does belong in your closet for the days when you need and want to be comfy. You can make it look good and not frumpy just because you are choosing to be comfy doesn't mean that its lazy.

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  12. This post is funny! I never liked those advertisements on the toosh thing but I do love me my sweat pants. I feel in love with Ann Taylor Loft's last year and toss on cute tops and running shoes. On bad days. But I must say, I do love black yoga pants more. I do yoga daily, so it's not that I am just wearing them and not using them. But the reasons I love them:

    1. with a cute sweater and slides, I am totally presentable and look put together.
    2. when i pair my yoga leggings with a cute "dress-like" top, again, comfort, casual, cute and put together.

    With that said, I still wear jeans and such but I am all for making your yoga pants look cute!

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  13. I allow myself to wear my black yoga pants one day a week! They are sooooo comfy-its my favorite day! LOL But let it be known that this day is the one I am bumming around the house, cleaning, doing projects etc. I will wear them to the store but that's as far as it goes. But yes, I am SO over the Juicy matchy set look. Its very 2008 LOL

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  14. You are a riot! No words on tush's for me...never you mind mine is a tad bit ahem larger than average. Chalk it up to me just being old fashion. Femininity and modesty is shot at best in our current society, so while I see your post holds both value and tongue in cheek, the track suit vs. the yoga pant are the least of our worries. I'm all good so long as you keep PJ's for the bedroom and your workout clothes don't make me hide my son OR husband's eyes. Just so we are crystal my tone is light and heartfelt and not at all baiting. Love the post, funny and insightful = perfect combo! XO

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  15. Oh. Em. Gee. I really loved this post and I am super excited to weigh in (It is midnight on Friday and is really the first time that I have had to sit down to properly write this).

    A) I consider myself to be "in the know" on fashion and I cannot give up my Juicy pants (haven't worn or bought the hoody since 06). I have NEVER bought a Juicy outfit that was bedazzled on the butt or elsewhere. But my original cut Juicy pants still hit the rotation every now and then. Errands, camping, slumming around the house. LOVE.

    B) The YOGA pant has been off the hook. You know where I work and we are making BANK off of that pant. Lululemon does it even better and we are doing everything we can to win their marketshare! All of our research has found that Yoga wear is the NUMBER one theng that women want to wear when they get home from work or on the weekend! I don't think that tight, spandex pants are as comfy as my velour pants that have room to breath.

    C) I still prefer to get dressed, in an outfit that doesn't remind me of PJ's OR workout gear but I understand the appeal. So the lesser of two evils...to me they are equal based on a preference and I would still give the "eye" to a woman wearing either. Haha.

    Thanks for the fun question. :)

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  16. LOL! Love the "insider" perspective, although I agree with you - at least in my area the yoga pant is WAY more popular than the track suit! I see moms picking up their kids from school wearing yoga pants ALL THE TIME. :)

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