In Danville and areas alike, Lululemon is practically embedded in its teen culture. From workout clothes to fashion trends, it’s a widespread brand that many teenage girls own in their wardrobe. What makes this athletic brand so popular compared to others, and why are consumers willing to pay so much for it?

Lululemon Athletica was originally founded in Vancouver, Canada, and began as a small retailer for yoga leggings and athletic wear. It eventually evolved into a massive multi-million dollar company. 

Many consider Lululemon’s apparel and products expensive. Lululemon charges up to $128 for a single pair of leggings and about $58 for an athletic tank top, according to its website. Its most popular leggings, the Align leggings, cost $98, and the Wunder Under leggings range from $98 to $118.  

Some leggings are made out of Luon, a combination of 86 percent nylon and 14 percent lycra, which provides the leggings with a softer cotton-like feel to them. Other leggings are made out of Luxtreme, a fabric combination of 69 percent nylon and 31 percent lycra, which are best for high-impact workouts because of their sweat-wicking abilities.     

Given the quality material that Lululemon provides, I recommend Lululemon leggings for girls as they serve a variety of activities. As a high schooler who wears the Lululemon leggings myself, I believe that the priciness is justified by its quality.

Monte Vista High School sophomore Kate Vavra agrees with my preference. She wears the Align leggings daily and enjoys wearing the Wunder Under leggings for tennis practice. Vavra decided to get Lululemon leggings when she became more invested in tennis. 

“My mom wanted me to wear nice tennis clothing so it would last because I was wearing them a lot,” Vavra said. “The leggings were worth the money we were spending on them.” 

Despite the major price tag, Vavra said she has bought multiple pairs of leggings from Lululemon. Vavra admits that these items are quite pricey but argues that the products are good quality and ideal for intense physical activity. 

“I wish Lululemon was less expensive because I feel like everyone should be able to afford good athletic clothing,” Vavra said. 

On the other hand, sophomore Jasmine Sayed has not purchased any products from Lululemon and finds their products to be overpriced. Instead, Sayed wears Nike leggings when she plays basketball with her friends and for MV’s team because they are a better alternative that is more affordable, she said. 

“I think the maximum price I would pay for leggings is $30 to $40, but definitely not $100,” Sayed said.

While some girls wear leggings for physical activities, others might wear these leggings for the teenage fashion trend. 

“I think Lululemon is such a trend, especially their leggings because they look really good and at the same time are comfortable,” Sayed said. 

Lululemon’s Wunder Under leggings are quite popular amongst dancers and runners. Sophomore Olivia Radding competitively dances for the school dance program and afterschool dance studio. Radding said she enjoys wearing the Wunder Under leggings because they are breathable and reduce sweat, which makes them the perfect pair for dancing.

“The leggings help me improve my dancing so I don’t have to worry about overheating when I dance,” Radding said.     

YouTuber Shannon Henry, who has 48,000 subscribers, has worked as an employee at Lululemon for over six years. She is also a famous Instagram fitness guru and runs a fitness and fashion blog. In her video “Lululemon Employee Try-On | Top 8 Must-Have Items Explained,” she recommends buying the Wunder Under High-Rise 7/8 length leggings.

“Those are the perfect in-between [length] as you can wear them as a crop with a bit of breathability and you can wear them as long pants that cover your ankles up,” Henry said. 

She also suggests purchasing the Align Pant leggings that are made out of Nulu fabric, which is a breathable material with a soft feel. They differ from the Wunder Under leggings because the Wunder Under leggings give a “hugged feeling,” and the Align pants have a more delicate feel to them. 

“They feel super super soft and it feels like butter honestly,” Henry said in her video.

All in all, Lululemon Athletica products are quite pricey, but in the end, some of us think the price is worth the quality one receives. 

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