I talk a lot about Lululemon, buying, selling and best practices. But my real passion for the brand is based on the products it has been producing over the years and I want to take a minute to have some fun and talk about things I love right now.
Today, I’m only going to talk about things that are STILL available on the website, so if you like them too- you can have one of your very own!
I am absolutely loving this Scuba Hoodie. It is called a Scuba Hoodie *Stretch (Lined Hood) in Inkwell/ We Are From Space Printed October Inkwell. I don’t buy very many Scuba hoodies, partially because I already own 6 of them, and partially because I do find $108 expensive for a hoodie, but if they come out with one that has this pattern throughout, and not just on the sleeves, I will probably buy it.
These are so fun, but still classy, in my opinion. Recently, Lululemon released Raspberry Glo/ Plum Ziggy Wunder Under Crops, but the print, with that color scheme is far too ostentatious for my taste. I am glad I held out for these. The basic plum is more subdued, allowing me to rock one of my favorite patterns, without screaming for attention. For reference, the exact name of the ones pictured is: Wunder Under Pant *Textured in Ziggy Wee September Plum.
For me, this was a must have. This is a Salom Stripe Angel Wing CRB. CRBs are a staple wardrobe item and this one is too cute to pass up! (Don’t know what a CRB is? Check out my previous post on the slang and terms Lululemon fans use most often!)
Well, that’s all for now- Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think about my selections in the comments below!
UPDATE: I ended up returning the Salom Stripe CRB & Exchanging it for a CRB in Ziggy Wee October Angel Wing because the Salom Stripe was somewhat sheer and was too ‘polyestery’ in my opinion. Of Course, according to the tag, it was 85% Polyester, while the Ziggy Wee October Angel Wing one was 85% Nylon, so i guess I prefer Nylon. One is not necessarily better than the other, but the Ziggy Wee was definitely softer to the touch than the Salom Stripe. The Ziggy Wee October Angel Wing CRB is pictured below.
It doesn’t matter where you sell your item, you’ll have to prepare it for sale. The better you are able to prepare your item, the more likely it is to sell and fetch a high price.
Make sure your item is in the best condition it can be. You’ll want to make sure that your item is in the best possible condition before you list it. You should refer to my Last Post for tips on how to repair any damages your piece has suffered over the time you’ve had it.
Take lots of pictures of your item. Take your best camera and make your item look pretty. Smooth out the wrinkles, Fold it nicely along seams when you’re taking pictures at different angles. Take a picture of the full front, full back, any details that make the item unique like thumbholes, pockets, ruffles, zippers, etc. Take pictures of cuffs and the bottom hems on pants, as these areas tend to receive the most wear. Take up-close pictures of the fabric. If your item has a size dot, take a picture of that. I love it when sellers take a picture of the size dot because it guarantees that the item is the size stated in the auction. There have been countless times when I have purchased an item sold as one size, only for it to get to me and discover via the size dot that it is a different size. Disclose any flaws, no matter how small and take pictures of them. Also disclose if the item has even been altered, including hemming.
In a Previous Post, I talk about rip-out tags. This is where they come in handy. Take a picture of the rip-out tag. This helps buyer determine the size and most importantly authenticity because there are FAKES out there. This is especially important when selling items that are New With Tags. (Got Q’s about how to assess the condition of your item? Consult this post) Personally, I’m very cautious when contemplating purchasing items that are new with tags and I like to consult this blog if I have any concerns about whether an item may be a replica. I’ve also started a post about fakes that I update on a very regular basis entitled “Time To Talk About Fakes.”It has examples of fake Scubas, Strides, Wunder Unders & I update it everytime I find something new.
Does your favourite Lulu item have an Owie? In this post I’m going to try to give you some tips & trick for repairing damaged Lululemon items. I offer you these tips for whether you’re trying to maintain a piece in your own collection, or preparing to sell a piece that you’d like to improve before you sell it in order for it fetch the highest price.
Stains
Stains are by far the most common issue I encounter in my personal collection. My Aquamarine Pace Setter skirt get stained every time I wear it. It drives me nuts! But, it has no stains on it right now.
Aquamarine Pace Setter Skirt
Before you begin, you may want to check for color-fastness. Lululemon has had some issues with fabric bleeding in the past, which is why I ALWAYS wash my bright Lulu separately regardless of the number of wears it has received.
First thing I would try is a baby wipe, it removes deodorant stains fairly well, but you can try this approach for any light stain.
Plain old dirt is pretty easy to remove. I’ve has great results with plain old hand soap in my bathroom sink. If that doesn’t work try rubbing alcohol. This works especially well for non-washable items like gym bags. Soak a cotton pad in rubbing alcohol, and apply it to the stain.
TRY HAIRSPRAY. This actually works well for ink stains.
If it’s food, you might want to try club soda.
For the tough stains, or just to make sure something comes out the first time I wash it, I use OxyClean.
Of course, if none of these suggestions work, there’s always the dry cleaners. Mine loves me.
Rips & Tears
If your item has a rip in it, and you intend to keep it, by all means, try to sew it yourself if you are so inclined. However, if you intend to sell it, I would recommend that you have it professionally repaired.
In Lululemon’s Quality Stand, they specifically refer to the fact that you should be able to expect 5 years out of their clothes. I’ve heard of all sorts of legitimate and not-so-legitimate issues being solved in-store, or online by the GEC (Not familiar with the GEC? Read this post about the The Vernacular of Lululemon Addicts). For example, I know of a few cases where Scuba Hoodies that have been worn a lot, and loved, then “damaged out” (the term & process by which Lululemon essentially writes off an item and issues a gift card, often for retail value) after customers have gone into the store saying that their item has not lasted 5 years. Other times, they will address your specific complaint and offer you a repair. For example, I recently purchased a Free To Be tank top and the built-in bra had ripped seams. It was repaired and a week later, I brought it home. I have heard of other people bringing in their older Scuba hoodies, the zippers having broken and Lululemon offering to repair their zipper. If you item has ripped along a seam, I suggest that you bring it in and ask that it be repaired. If they refuse, refer to their Quality Stand and suggest that they damage it out instead. I am sure that they will repair it for you then 🙂
If you are not inclined to sew it yourself and it has ripped along a seam, regardless of whether you intend to sell or not, I will also encourage you to have it repaired by Lululemon. Lululemon uses a specific type of stitch, which is seldom available at traditional dry cleaners. In order to uniformly sew your Lululemon clothes, your drycleaner would need a sewing machine capable of a three-thread cover-stitch, or a serger with the same capability. (Check out the 600s class of stitch here for a better idea. These types of stitches are most often used for dance and swimwear.) These machines are quite expensive and are therefore generally not available at the dry cleaners.
Holes
Holes are difficult to fix, but it can be done. Twice, I have had a hole in a pair of pants. Both times I was able to repair it. The way that I do this, without it being offensively obvious, is by using as much of the thread, and as little of the fabric as possible while sewing the hole shut. It also helps tremendously if the hole is close to a seam. I’ve fixed one such hole and another time the hole was in the knee. I’m mostly referring to very small holes, but you can apply this technique to larger holes as well, it’s just much less likely to work. ALWAYS use a color of thread that matches the color of your garment. If you don’t, what I’m suggesting will not work. I have repaired my own items so well, using this method that I defy you to find where the holes used to be.
Pilling
Pilling is annoying. It is easily one of the most under-reported flaws in the Lululemon after-market and one of the most indicative on condition and the amount of use the item has received. I have returned a few items that were reportedly in “excellent” condition, only to have them arrive with an excessive (embarrassing) amount of pilling. It’s tough to capture pilling in pictures, but I do try to be as honest as possible. So, when I list my item, I always include a few close-ups of the fabric, whether it is damaged/ pilled or not. This increases buyer confidence, increasing my chances of a sale and a positive transaction. That said, there are ways to reduce pilling on fabrics, after the fact. You can purchase a Fabric Defuzzer.* (Canadians, you can purchase one here .) This is a Fabric Depiller. It is your friend. It does an amazing job at removing pilling and I’ve seen so many before and after photos from friends, that I know it doesn’t only work when I do it. Taking the time to remove pilling from your item will definitely increase its resale value. caution Don’t push too hard and make sure the fabric is flat, or risk putting a hole in your item!
I had a chance to de-pill and got decent photos of it, so I wanted to share them with you. Using a fabric depiller, I de-pilled a Cool Racerback I purchased recently, from a Facebook group member.
Before 1 After 1 Before 2 After 2
These “Before & After” photos are of both of the armpits of this Cool Racerback tank I purchased recently. It had overall pilling, but was especially pilled in both armpits. Thankfully, I had my trusty depiller, and was able to remove most of the pilling.
I would try investing in a lint roller too, they’re cheap and effective at removing dog hair as well as little fibres that are often attracted to Lululemon clothing.
Fading
Fading is a difficult issue to deal with. I hate that some of the Lululemon items has problems with color-fastness. I have had my own Paris Pink experience with bleeding. After the dye washes out, it looks faded and old 🙁 I have since started with Prevention, rather than trying to fix faded garments afterwards, but that doesn’t mean YOU can’t! I know plenty of people who have re-dyed their old Lululemon jackets, shirts, pants, you name it. There are plenty of dyes to work with, but I’ve heard/ seen success stories with Rit All-Purpose Liquid Dye, Black“>Rit Dye*. Don’t forget to let people know that an article has been hand-dyed by you if you ever decide to sell it!
Wax
Believe it or not this has happened. People spill wax on their items. Maybe you have. That’s why you’re going to take a paper bag and place it on top of the wax on the article of clothing and use an iron on it so that the wax sticks to the paper bag. This should work.
Missing Drawstring
You can call GEC and ask for a new drawstring. (Although, I’ve heard mixed results. Some people say that the GEC offers you a white or black one and other people say that the GEC refuses to help them, saying that it’s a use issue and not a quality issue.) I’ve also seen people take an old drawstring from something they no longer wear and thread it through their newer item.
Missing or Broken Aglets
Aglets are the small metal pieces on the ends of the drawstring. Lululemon’s usually say”Lululemon Athletica” on them. I have encountered items with missing aglets in the past and take the aglets from a drawstring I wear on the inside of my Still shorts using craft/ jewelry pliers and reattached them where they were needed on a garment where the only option is to wear the drawstring on the outside, like a hoodie. Some of Lululemon’s bottoms have holes on the inside of the waistband so you can choose to wear the drawstring on the inside or the outside of the garment simply by threading the drawstring one way or the other.
Peeling Logo: Has the logo on your pants begun to peel? Or on your favorite shirt? It happens. You can ask Lululemon to mail you a new Logo, or you can try re-ironing the current one you have to fix it. But it’s just a simple iron-on logo, so if it’s peeling, email Lulu’s customer service & ask them to mail you a new one 🙂
Broken Zipper: Personally, I think emailing the GEC is the best course of action to take for a broken zipper. If it’s a newer item, they might offer a replacement or to fix it, and if it’s a much older item, they might still offer to repair it, but they also might say that it’s a wear issue and not a ‘quality’ issue, so they could choose not to help you. A dry cleaner might be able to help you, or a seamstress. I had two zippers break on my Stride jackets because I was not careful when zipping them up, so my seamstress had to remove, then replace the zippers. It was a $20 repair, both times, but my Lulu is worth it.
Pulling/ Pulls
Depending on the fabric & the severity of the pull, you may just be able to turn the garment inside out & pull the string back through. Try that. If that doesn’t work, try emailing the GEC. They might give you a new one, they might not. Honestly, the material that the Swiftlies are made out of & of course anything knit, is bound to get a pull in it at one point. I seriously consider a swiftly purchase every time I make one because of the pulling issue. I know it’s 100% my fault if my Swiftlies get a pull because my nail got caught on them or if my cat decides to be extra “playful” that day, so I don’t bother trying to get a refund, but if you think it’s a quality issue, you might want to try the GEC.
I hope this article has helped you care for or improve the condition of your item. Happy selling!
Example of Lululemon Pique Fabric. To the left, Beaming Blue/Polar Cream Mini Check Pique Vinyassa Scarf. To the right, Wunder Under Pants in Black/ Deep Charcoal Pique
Determining the value of your item will help you set a selling price and my Last Post discussed some basic strategies for finding a selling price. In this post and future posts I intend to get a little more specific about patterns, styles and colours who both maintain and increase in value over time, seemingly regardless of the current market conditions. As I write this, I am convinced that it is a bear market, in terms of after sales. I have been selling things quickly at a discount from market price and I have noticed that items that have been priced at market value have not been selling. The main reason I believe that it is a bear market is that it’s Fall and Lululemon (as well as many other fashion designers) has been releasing many covetous items and serious collectors are stocking up on the new items instead of scouring eBay for deals on older items. This keeps prices low as people don’t have an infinite amount of disposable income to spend on their collection regardless of what pops up on eBay.
Some things retain their value better than others and of course, and I intend to cover as much of this as possible. Keep in mind however, that times change and markets are fluid, not stagnant. There are crazes and trends in this market as there are in all markets.
Let’s get started!
Fabrics: Some fabrics retain their value or go up in value better than others.
Herringbone: Herringbone looks like this:
Example of Lululemon Herringbone Fabric
These came in limited colors, with a few released over the years. They usually get released in Fall/ Winter and are super comfy & warm. They’re very soft. These sell for retail or slightly above anytime I see them at auction.
Pique: Pique looks like this:
Example of Pique Fabric
Pique is also a traditional Fall/ Winter release. It’s exceptionally warm and soft. These also sell well after market. They’re gorgeous and very soft. In my opinion they also maintain their condition better than herringbone, which I find pills more easily.
Both of these traditional cold weather releases retail for between $72 & $82, depending on whether they are full length pants or crops. I often see these selling for around $90 on the Facebook pages. (Don’t know what I’m talking about? Check out my earlier post) On eBay, as of this writing “Lululemon Pique Wunder Unders” sell for between $70 and $120. Lululemon has also made other items in Pique, which also sell well, but I’d like to continue on a more narrow, specific path, for now. Herringbone Wunder Unders are priced the same in retail settings, but perform slightly better on eBay selling for between $60 and $180. I have also seen these sell on the Facebook pages for around $90. Please note, however, that many of the Herringbone Wunder Unders I saw fetching the highest prices were also “New with tags.” Although, in my experience, “excellent used condition” would fetch nearly as much as NWT with the proper advertisement.
Charcoal Wunder Unders
Charcoal fabric has come back again this year, and it’s deliciously soft & silky. I love mine, but they pill incredibly fast. I would only buy these new. I bought a pair on eBay once, and it was pilly beyond belief. Embarrassingly so. I returned them. These hold retail value well, but I’ve never seen them fetch much more than that, and these don’t sell as well as other Wunder Unders used. So, my advice is get them if you like them, but don’t expect them to increase in value.
Determining the selling price of your item can be difficult. There are many factors to consider. When I sell, I always want to make sure I’m getting the best price possible, but time is sometimes a factor and I want to sell quickly. For now, let’s assume time is not a factor and that you have a few things sitting in your closet that you want to sell over the next few weeks. There are a few different approaches you can take, depending on your item. The very first thing I do, if I know nothing about an item is use the ADVANCED SEARCH application on eBay. If you know the name and colour of your item or how to find out what it is, which I discussed at length in my Last Post, then you can find out how much your item is worth, in most cases.
Using the all-knowing eBay Advanced Search Tool you can write key words like “Lululemon No Limits tank Pig Pink” and select “sold listings.” Then you can see what that item has sold for recently. This can be a starting point. When I list my items I don’t choose the highest selling price for an item, I try to average it out. You must also consider the condition of your item versus the condition of the items you’re seeing. If yours is NWT, maybe it is worth the highest selling price. You have to use your discretion when listing your item. You don’t want to under sell it but OVER Pricing your items, will not earn you any good will. Trust me it goes a long way.
I sincerely hope that the above helped you find at least one completed listing of your item. Sometimes that doesn’t work because there have been none of the exact same item as you have that have sold in the last 3 months. In this case you can input your search into Google and see if you can find any references to older eBay listings. You can also just use one of your search terms in the eBay advanced search tool like searching only “Lululemon NoLimits Tank” instead of getting color specific. This should get some results, then maybe you can find an average selling price that way. You can also search completed listings (not just Sold ones) to see what your item has been listed for in the past.
If you still can’t find a decent price you might want to try joining The Lululemon Report group on Facebook, most of the time the ladies there have helpful hints. Here is a Link, so you can Join the group! The Lululemon Report
Let’s say you have a shirt. It’s a few years old, but it’s still in good enough condition and you want to sell it because, well, you can. In a Previous Post I talked about Googling to see if you can spot your item in an image search. This strategy woks fairly well for newer items or popular items of items that are so unique that the terms work to find them. But let’s say you have something older and more basic with a few defining features, like a built-in bra and a ruffle on the side, but nothing that Lululemon hasn’t made ten versions of during the 15 years its been in business. You find lots of tank tops and lots of colours similar to yours, but not quite right and as you go through the images further into the results, you start seeing pants and Lululemon Logos and things that really have nothing to do with your search. This can definitely be frustrating. When I first started archiving my collection using PINTEREST, (Your new Best Friend), I spent hours searching for specific types of Groove Pants that I had acquired over the years. More on Specific Styles and their value later. Now when I buy something new I “Pin” the picture and note the Style and Colour as well. Some people note how much they paid, or the retail value. I think if I did that I would probably wonder why I spent my future Condo money on pretty clothes, but I digress.
So, Google isn’t helping you this time. This is when I resort to one of the major Lululemon blogs. If you even know sort of when you bought your item, you should be able to find it, or a version of it on Carolyn’s Lululemon Blog or on Cristina’s Blog. Sometimes Joyce’s Blog has Lululemon on it. For Men’s items I recommend searching Eric’s Blog. To be honest, I am fairly unfamiliar with the resale value of Men’s Lululemon clothing items, but that much of my advice can be applied to it, just none of my expertise. (eg: search tips can be used the same way, but later when I talk about the value of certain colors and styles, know that it applies to the women’s apparel side of Lululemon only.)
All of the above blogs are excellent sources of information, and some of them are entertaining too 🙂
When I search the blogs I check from the earliest time I think I could have purchased the item and I go through the archives and look at every page. Let’s say a few pages in I see the color “heathered ultraviolet” and that looks like the same colour as my tank top. (Keep in mind that I could be wrong but it’s kind of a “throw it at the wall and see what sticks” approach.) So, I search: “Heathered ultraviolet” Lululemon, click “images” and scroll through. There it is! I see my tank top in an old eBay listing and there’s the name too! Perfect. Now I know the Style name and the Colour name of my item. Once I do that, I can go and figure out what it’s worth. More on that later 🙂
UPDATE:
I just want to add a link to a fantastic resource. There’s a Facebook group that is devoted to specifically identifying various Lululemon items and if you can’t find something, you can always post a pic here and the ladies of the Lulu nation will help you figure it out.
Size Dot inside left (when worn) bra cup on No Limits tank.Size Dot inside left (when worn) pocket of Scuba Hoodie.Size Dot inside left pocket of Dance Studio JacketSize dot inside built-in pocket in waistband of groove shorts.Size Dot inside zipper pocket on back of Inspire CropsSize Dot inside Left pocket of Beach Runner CropSize dot inside left bra cup slot of Scoop Neck Tank
Size dots are hiding in some relatively consistent places on your Lululemon clothing. Recently, they have been reducing the number of items having size dots. If you can find the size dot it makes your article of clothing easier to sell as it confirms the size.
The condition of your item is the most important thing to most purveyors of Lululemon. Our wearable collection of art must be in its very best condition. But there are a few other things that are if not necessary, at least helpful in fetching the highest sale price for your item.
Most listings require the following information: Name, Size, Colour, Condition, Shipping and Payment information.
Name: Every single piece of Lululemon has a name. If you can find the name of your piece, you have a much better chance of selling it for what it’s worth. More on that later. Let’s say, for example, I have a Lululemon tank top and it looks like
THIS
lIt’s pink and striped and has a built-in bra. If we google those words and do an image search, after a few rows, we will find a top that looks similar and can determine both the Name of the Style of the tank top and the name of the Colour. Some Styles are more valuable and some colours of styles are more valuable than other colors. More on that later. This particular tank top is called a Pink Shell Black Sea Stripe No Limits Tank
Size: Most pieces of Lululemon clothing come with a “rip out tag.” Lululemon wrote a blog post about it. A lot of people prefer for the rip tag to be intact and in my opinion it contributes to the condition of an item. The rip out tag can also be consulted for clues regarding item authenticity, more on that later. Most importantly to this post, the rip out tag states the size of the item. Lululemon makes clothing ranging from sizes 2-12, as of the writing of this blog. They also make children’s clothing under a different name. More on that later. If your item is missing the rip-out tag, in many cases, but not all, Lululemon has conveniently installed a size “dot.” It is a small, white dot, placed somewhere, inconspicuously in the article of clothing. Translation: You’ll need to either: know where to look or start turning things inside out to find it. For example: Scuba Hoodie Size dots are located in the front left pocket, when worn. However, not all Scuba hoodies are equipped with a size dot. Many Lululemon bottoms have size dots in the pocket embedded in the waistband. Sizes can also be loosely determined by measurements and many Lululemon addicts know their measurements in specific tops and bottoms.
Colour: Colour can be determined much in the same way style can. Google is your friend.
Condition: I discussed condition determinations in my last post.
Shipping: If you’re posting on eBay shipping is pretty straight forward. You can choose free shipping, or calculated or do a flat rate, whatever you’re most comfortable with, really. Posting on a Facebook page is different. I try to go with what’s simplest. Sometimes I include shipping in my prices and other times I say “add $5” for shipping.
Payment: If you’re on eBay, payment has been simplified for you. If you’re selling on a Facebook page, you can state how you expect to be paid: PayPal or EMT (Email Money Transfer, a Canadian payment method as of this writing), and you’ll also want to state “as gift or buyer pays fees.” PayPal primarily protects the buyer, so I think it’s only fair that the buyer should have to pay for that protection. As long as you send your item with tracking and insurance and the item is in your stated condition, there should be no issues.
With these basic listing features your listing should look like this:
.* (Canadians, 
“>Rit Dye*. Don’t forget to let people know that an article has been hand-dyed by you if you ever decide to sell it!
