Fabletics review: Fitness apparel membership launches in France

I’m a sucker for stylish workout clothes. I have no problem admitting that and believe that looking the part at the gym is half the battle. You won’t catch me working out in an old t-shirt and worn out pants from 2005. And if we’re being honest, my closet back in the U.S. probably had more gym outfits than non-gym ones. Over the years, I’ve cut back as my salary and priorities have shifted but my eye always gravitates toward the colorful Nikes over the 4-inch heels. And in France? Cute gym clothes cost even more than they do in the U.S. so I make do with what I have. Until now. Fabletics has launched in France and I’m a tad obsessed. What’s Fabletics and why am I loving it?

Read on for my Fabletics France review!

Fabletics review: France site launch

When I get new arrival or promo emails from Lucy, Sweaty Betty and Splits59 (a few of my faves), I salivate. I’m a huge window shopper (I swear I’ve cut back on my online shopping addiction. Really). But the problem is, many sites that I’d buy from in the U.S. either don’t exist in France at all or if they do have a French version of the site or ship to France, the prices are astronomical and it’s not even worth it. So when brands and sites I love launch in France I can’t help but get a little giddy.

I’d recently heard about Kate Hudson’s fitness subscription membership venture on the interwebz. The affordable and stylish Fabletics (sister site of JustFab) has been gaining popularity in the U.S., so when I realized that it had launched in Europe earlier this month, my interest was piqued and I had to check it out. Within five minutes of browsing the site, I had signed up and ordered.

The basics:

What is Fabletics?

Fabletics, a collaboration between Kate Hudson and the folks at JustFab, is a subscription activewear site that makes looking good affordable. From their site: “Fabletics apparel focuses on fit, function and style, offering complete, coordinated Outfits for your workout and beyond.” All of the pieces are Fabletics’ own brand.

How does Fabletics work?

You sign up with your email address, take a short quiz about your style preferences, body type, etc. and are given a page of outfit options. If you choose to buy, your first outfit is 50% off (awesome deal, really, and available on the U.S. and European sites) starting at just $25 with my link. By signing up you also have access to VIP pricing. There’s no membership or enrollment fee to have access to the VIP pricing.

So as a VIP, you have the option each month to either 1) buy one of the outfits recommended for you via email on the 1st, 2) buy something else on the site 3) buy nothing at all. And if you choose to buy nothing, just pass by the 5th of the month, and you’re not charged. If you do choose to buy an outfit, you pay $49.99 (it’s 49.95 euros on the French site) or a slight bit more depending on what you choose and that usually includes two or three pieces. For comparison’s sake, a pair of Wunder Unders at Lululemon and a basic sports bra and tank will run you upwards of $150, so on price alone Fabletics is already looking pretty good.

What else? Shipping and returns are free. The site says there’s no cancellation fee if you’re looking to cancel the service and you can do so at any time by contacting Fabletics by mail or phone.

So if you’re thinking that you don’t need a new outfit every month (you don’t??), or you don’t really have it in the budget, I hear you. Fabletics gives you the option to pass for as many months as you want. Just opt out before the 5^th and you won’t be charged for anything at all.

And right now you can use my link here to get your first order at 50% off (at US$29 for the WHOLE outfit) which makes it crazy affordable, so why not?

 

What I got:

Being that July 2014 was my first month trying out Fabletics, I didn’t know what to expect. Everything seemed to be on the up and up but would the quality be any good and would the sizes work? Yup and yup. I chose the “Sicily” outfit all in black which is comprised of three pieces: the Miri Tank, Gaviota Capri and the Sevan Sports Bra. Everything was great quality, not scratchy or cheap feeling at all, arrived quickly and looked just like the pics on the site. Really.

Piece 1: Miri Tank

Equal parts stylish and sexy, the Miri tank is made of a soft material that is long enough to keep you covered and versatile enough to go with just about anything you own. From the front, it looks like a normal strappy tank but the back is where the party’s at. The back is open and strappy so you can get a little breeze when you’re getting your sweat on (which is awesome because my gym doesn’t have a/c). I found that it fit true to size.

And here I am showing off the back view of the Miri tank w/the Sevan sports bra. You can move the straps to make them wider if you like that look better:

Piece 2: Gaviota Capri

Ever since I saw a pair of mesh workout pants from Lululemon (but for well over $100) a little while back that sold out, I’ve been itching for a similar pair and the Gaviota Capri fits the bill. Sometimes with workout pants, they can be on the thin side and pretty much see through when you’re doing certain exercises, but not these. The material is sturdy, almost thick, and the style is exactly what I was looking for. They can even double as regular street clothes with shoes other than sneakers. Super cool, super buy.

Piece 3: Sevan Sports Bra

This bra reminded me of a few Nike seamless dri-fit bras I have so I knew I’d love it. It slips on easy, is soft and is perfect for low-impact activities. There are no built in support cups or underwires. The behind the neck strap is loose enough to not be annoying and adds a little flair to a regular old sports bra.

 

Bottom line

After trying everything on and taking the pants, sports bra and top for a spin at the gym, I actually got compliments and was so incredibly impressed with the quality (and opinion didn’t change after hand washing everything and going for round two). I think Fabletics is an awesome site for affordable and stylish workout clothes and you’ll love it if you’re a tad fitness clothes obsessed like me. It was money well spent and I’m looking forward to next month. Getting a package in the mail is always fun.

You can check out the Fabletics U.S. site here or the French Fabletics here and get a killer deal on your first order.

Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored Fabletics review. I paid for my workout clothes with my own money. Some of the above links are referral links meaning I get credit if you sign up.