Nancy Rose Performance Gear: Review and Giveaway! (contest closed)

Stealing a line from my favorite Crossfit-man-blogger, Chris, “Look good, feel good, do good.”

When it comes to Crossfit, I may be a sweaty makeupless mess, but I always like stylish Crossfit workout gear. I know, that’s not the point, but I won’t deny remarks on the flattery of yoga pants on a Crossfit girl’s body really don’t seem to get old to me. They don’t call me “Hudy Booty” for nothing.. 😉

I was approached by Nancy Rose Performance to review two of their popular products: a Relevé tank  ($74) and their Plank crop ($72); and of course I said yes! Cute, stylish, new workout gear designed by an elite gymnast who combined her love of athletics and fashion- sold. When I first received my items, I noticed how much care was taken in the package delivery. The items came in a cute little reusable tote bag, and wrapped with care.

What I Love

• Colors: While lately I have been wearing some bolder colors, you can never have too many black pants, and the neutral styles and prints of the Nancy Rose collection make these pieces perfect staples to any workout wardrobe.

• Material: I have historically bought inexpensive brand workout pants which often fail the “squat test” or show sweat through them, but the thick compression material on these pass all the tests. They do not ride up nor fall down and withstood multiple Crossfit workouts.
• Style: I love the straps on the back of the tank, and love the built-in bra cups. The tank has a very flattering shape at the top to clearly show off shoulder and back muscles, which is a huge plus. The pants are probably one of my most favorite workout capris now. They are extremely figure flattering, and even though I may already have a bit of a booty, they advertise these capris will give a little “lift” where it is needed.
• Washing: Both pieces can be tossed in the drier, but like most of my other workout clothes, I washed them and laid them flat to dry. The pants were like-new after being washed and dried, and the shirt was a bit wrinkly, but that tends to happen to a lot of things that I air-dry (does anyone else have this problem?) I have a love/hate relationship with the removable cups such as these, as it is easy to reshape after washing, but also a pain to have to put them back into place.
• Customer Service: Thankfully, the pieces fit perfectly and I did not have to do any returns or exchanges, but when I asked about the policy if my outfit did not fit (especially for someone who may pay a hefty price for the set), they were happy to answer any questions that I had, plus offer free shipping and returns.

What I Less than Love

Based on personal preference alone and nothing against the quality of the clothing, here is where the outfit fell short for me:

• Style: The top isn’t very practical because of the tie on the side for Crossfit or weightlifting. I tried multiple ways to tie it, but couldn’t find one that the knot or bow wasn’t getting in the way of me doing my thing. This probably would be fine for wearing to yoga or a low-intensity workout, but if I was picking the outfit myself, I would have opted for a more streamline design, such as their Warrior Tank (which looks perfect for Crossfit!).

Update: Since I first tried this shirt on, I realized I just had no idea how to tie it! When I expressed my concern about the styling, the staff at Nancy Rose informed me that it should wrap around an additional time, thus eliminating the knot in the front, and making it a bit more functional for my use. I still would prefer a tank without it, but it made a lot more sense when worn properly!

• Price: I am a bargainista, and would have a very hard time paying more than $25 for a shirt, let alone upwards of $75. I could possibly justify paying so much for the pants since they are more of a basic workout wardrobe staple, but still the price tag is a bit of a deterrent to me.

Overall, I am pleased with the quality and fit of the outfit, with the only major issue being the price, but know that you are getting quality tested and gear, with free shipping and returns for guaranteed satisfaction. Nancy Rose carries sizes 2-12, with an easy to follow sizing chart to ensure that you are getting the right size.

To keep up with Nancy Rose Performance and be the first to know about new styles and products,  you can follow them on Google+, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest, or Facebook!

If you would like to have an opportunity to win your own outfit, enter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway