You’d be unlikely to find athletic gear, like lululemon, in a fashion magazine but some of the women here insist that the Cool Racerback deserves to be. The tank is a fundamental part of their daily outfits.

melorin

why I love cool racerbacks
“They’re so versatile. I wear them everywhere: circuit classes; running; to and from yoga and on the weekends under jackets and blouses with some heels added and you have the perfect casual outfit. Also they're so easy to pack when travelling.”

the colours
“I love the bright coloured ones; they're great to add some pop to my wardrobe when I need it. My favorite colour is the rubber ducky. I get so excited when new colours arrive!

dressing them up
“My current favorite summer look is wearing a cool racer back with a cardigan over top, paired with some shorts or skinny jeans and some flats. I’ll layer it with a couple of unique necklaces draped over and a fun, coloured purse.

Melorin is a purchasing manager raised in North Vancouver. One of her favorite place she's travelled is Gili Islands in Indonesia.

heathered grapeseed CRB tank

carolyn

why I love cool racerbacks
“I love the Cool Racerbacks because they’re extremely simple. I love simple because I wear yoga clothes all day long and I want to be able to style them up when I’m going to and from the studio. They’re just so versatile for me. They look really good layered but often I only wear one while I’m doing yoga to reduce on laundry.”

the colours
“I love all the colours they come in. I’m really into the pastels, especially heathered grapeseed, which isn’t a colour I’d normally wear. I love the heathered tango red too because you don’t see a lot of them. The heathered ones hide the sweat well; it blends in a little bit.”

dressing them up
“I love the length of them. You can wear it with any kind of pants; you can have it hanging over your pants or shorts or have it tucked in, like with a high-waisted skirt. Usually I dress them up with a scarf and I wear a lot of cardigans. They all look great under my cardigans and jean jackets. In Vancouver the weather is so changeable; it’s nice to have an extra layer in your bag to put on if it gets cold; and they fit into every single purse I own.”

Carolyn is a yoga instructor for Semperviva and YYoga as well as Ambassador for the lululemon on West 4^th, Vancouver. She does a lot of yoga and a lot of smiling.

surge CRB tank

elim

why I love cool racerbacks
“The Cool Racerback is my favorite because I can wear any type of support under it. I can wear it with a Flow Y bra (or my new favorite the Arise Bra) or any one of my standard bras; for minimal to full support. I wear them for running, Vinyasa and Hatha yoga.”

the colours
“I have five white Cool Racerbacks. I love them. I wear them on their own or layered underneath other coloured tank and shirts.”

dressing them up
“I'll wear my Cool Racerbacks with anything. I love to wear them under my power mesh tops from the lab. I’ll dress them up by putting a blazer over the top or just with jewelry and leave my hair down.”

Elim is our Photo Studio Coordinator and Stylist. She loves to people watch the streets of Vancouver and has goals to work in a certain magazine in New York City.

pink mist CRB tank & wren CRB tank

bailie

why I love cool racerbacks
“The length is awesome which makes it a perfect layering piece - I throw it under a favorite shirt and ta da! ready for the office and yoga without messing around with a change of clothes. I love how light and breathable this tank is too. I usually pair it with the Arise Bra and my trusty Wunder Unders for working up a serious sweat in one of those impromptu Spin or Power Vinyasa Flow classes.”

the colours
“My favourite colour is Wren. Not only is it named after a lovely little bird but olive green is an amazing transitional color - beautiful in the summer but dark enough for those colder months.”

dressing them up
“For me it's all about the layers.  It's perfect under my loose flowing tops paired with some worn in cutoffs, great sunglasses and a beloved necklace.  Hello Sunday beach day! Or I’ll do a long jersey, high-waisted skirt and maybe a pair of amazing wooden wedges.”

Bailie is a proud member of the Men’s Team working as the Allocation Analyst (aka – gifting the stores with new product … whoop!).  Born and raised in Calgary and, yes, still loves the Calgary Flames.

They all said it in different ways ('versatile', 'simple', 'favourite', 'ta-da!') but the way that the Cool Racerback's can switch from sports gear to street-wear and back is what makes it one of our essentials.

Let us know how you use your Cool Racerback. Join the conversation with lululemon on Facebook.

Let’s face it; no-one wants to wear a helmet when they ride. We’d much rather sport a summery straw number or a jauntily angled fedora; or better yet, let our waxen, flaxen hair flow behind us like streamers from our childhood handlebars.

safety first

I’m more than happy to give someone a piece of my mind but, if possible, I don’t want to leave pieces of it on the road. The problem is, no matter which of my helmets I wear, I feel like a dork; like the kid with the over-protective parent (I’m pretty sure if my mom had her way I’d be wearing knee and elbow pads too and only riding in the park).

style at last

Recognizing that sometimes statistics aren’t enough to convince cyclists to don a lid, the latest helmets have done for protective gear what Twilight did for pale people. Here are some of our favourite new stars.

nutcase & sawako furuno

Yes, Nutcase and Sawako Furuno are still very much helmets but so much cooler than the rest. We love the nutcase slogan: “I love my brain” and the watermelon design is a great reminder of what would happen if our own melons were to hit the pavement. We also love the designs from Sawako Furuno and the attitude that if you’re going to wear a helmet, at least have fun with it.

yakkay

These helmets put the “yay” in Yakkay (somehow). The cool looking hats are just a disguise; they can be slipped off and changed to match your outfit. One of our favourites is this horse helmet design we saw on Garance Doré. The compact helmet has been designed to meet rigorous European safety standard. Safety and style: first equal.

lacoste cork

One of our lululemon alumni, Kyle Ferguson, designed the lacoste cork helmet concept as part of a project at Emily Carr. Though not yet in production, the cork helmet takes a great step away from the traditional plastic-not-so-fantastic helmets and feels more like a piece of clothing, less like a haz-mat outfit. If you want to see this helmet become a reality, contact Kyle.

There’s a theory that drivers drive more carefully around cyclists with helmets; they presume that someone confident enough to ride without one knows what they’re doing. How does a helmet that doesn’t look like a helmet fit into that theory?

If you are reading this in the back seat of a car while en route to Palm Springs for the Coachella Music Festival, congratulations! You have made a fantastic life decision. Our resident music maven couldn't agree more. Inspired by Coachella, Alexis offered to share her sage advice on the subject of summer concerts. We happily obliged (and took feverish notes).

alexis talks coachella

I had the pleasure of attending the 2006 Coachella Music Festival and had the time of my life. Unlike an indoor concert, which is also rad, outdoor festivals are about more than just great music. It’s about taking part in a weekend experience that revolves around joy, human connection, and just letting go and living in the moment.

Music creates the possibility to completely ditch our traditional views on boundaries. If you want to muscle your way to the front of the crowd, panting off every word of your favorite song without thinking about personal space and mingling sweat, you can. Stop and think about the wonder of that, really. Where else would you do this - the bus? The possibility to drop our inhibitions and lose ourselves in a beautiful moment - what a revolutionary and special opportunity.

what to see & hear at coachella

If you're headed to Coachella, take note of the list below. It may possibly have the longest title and it surely has the most valuable information you need for the weekend.

Top Five Bands In The Fine Print of The Coachella Poster That You Will Be Bummed About Missing In Five Years If You Don’t Go Now

Yelle – Can you say ‘dance party’ in French? You will be able to after this kinetic show.

City and Colour – Your eyes aren’t playing tricks…there IS an extra ‘u’ in ‘Colour,’ eh! These Canadian dudes are absolutely amazing.

Two Door Cinema Club – All my friends in the know swear these guys are the next big thing. See them now before you’re paying triple digits for club shows.

The Foals – See above statement.

Delorean – Any band that names themselves after the car in ‘Back To The Future’ can’t suck – it’s science!

The biggest little wristband

lex's guide to summer festivals

As a veteran of many outdoor music festivals, I can tell you that there are things that you will be happy you have with you – items that can save your happiness and keep you grooving. (We're talking about more than the wristband to get you inside the gates.) If you're Coachella-bound, you've already packed but there is still a long season of summer concerts ahead. Take my word and be sure to pack the following, no matter which festival you flock to.

Top Ten Items You Must Pack In Order to Keep Your Sanity

Lip balm – Running around in the summer heat? No matter how much water you drink, you will be dehydrated.

Fanny pack – Trust me. You think a trendy bag is a great idea for your perfectly planned hipster outfit? You won’t be thinking that when your keys are on the bottom of the mosh pit at Kings Of Leon. We actually make a wicked fanny pack perfect for hands-free partying. You can most likely find it at your local store. 

Denim cutoffs – They go with everything, they get better the dirtier they are, and nothing is hotter than a white tank, a bikini top, and your favorite old jeans hacked up.

Wunder Under Crops - I’m not even saying this because I work at lululemon, guides honor. When I went to Coachella (pre-working here), these were my staples. Perfect for changing into post-show if you’re camping, a great layer under a mini-dress if the weather is cloudy, great for the tired drive or flight home…you will be glad you packed these.

A really stylish hat – You can take any outfit from 0 to 60 with an original and stylish hat – plus sunburns are SO passé (Mom alert: remember your sunscreen!)

Floral-print minidress – The trend of the season and hippy-ish enough for your Woodstock moment.

Jewel-tone lipstick – You can be wearing the most boring getup ever but swipe on rich coral lipstick and VOILA! You are the most on-point member of your crew.

Comfortable shoes that aren’t ugly – So we wouldn’t want you to wear orthopedic shoes with your designer frock, but heels + crowds + grass fields and your dogs will be barking. My grandma used to tell me to be good to my feet and I think you should listen to my grandma.

The lucky owner of the biggest little wristband

Rock star sunglasses – They will be in every picture from your weekend. If they are the weak link in your bag, fix it – you will regret beat shades.

Socks – Your feet are going to be dancing machines. Slather on moisturizer and throw on socks during your voyage home. They won’t be as trashed when you wake up in real life.

Now go! Have the weekend of your life! And write us to let us know how it went – we are vicariously living in the moment through you (and Jacqueline, the lucky owner of that sexy wristband). Shine on you crazy diamonds!

Max on a weekend excursion up to Whistler

what is a goal you’ve achieved that you’re proud of?

In my previous career I was a graphic designer and got a taste of the garment biz at one of my many jobs. When it was time to move on, I knew that I wanted to stay in this business and lululemon was the only company aligned with my lifestyle, values and goals. Through sheer persistence and determination I managed to get an interview, but there was nothing here for me. I then met with Chip... again...nothing. Discouraged, I reluctantly went back to design work. Almost a year passed and I realized that I needed to make something happen fast. So at 30 years old, I took a part-time educator position at Oakridge mall. I shared my head office goals with everyone, and within 6 weeks was hired as the Trims and Notions Developer. Seeing a path for myself within the company, I set my next goal to become a Sourcing Manager. Again, I put it out there, wrote it in my goals and worked my butt off to get both trained in the business and IN business (by doing my MBA... which was a massive goal in itself). Three years later, I achieved my goal and was offered the position of Sourcing Operations Manager for Accessories.

Max possibly making an inspirational speech about achieving goals…

what is your favourite way to sweat?

I'm a bike nut! Mainly I'm a roadie guy who likes to dress up in bright coloured spandex and go really really fast. Lately though I've been playing a lot of bike polo (look it up!). Apart from fitness, my bike is my main mode of transport and takes me wherever I need to go. When I'm not on my bike, you can find me doing the occasional yoga class or cursing at Rob during our twice weekly circuit training class.

Max considering a donut mid bike race!

where would you love to go?

I am completely infatuated with Sweden. It's liberal, progressive and beautiful. Plus it’s a major cultural hub churning out amazing art, music and fashion (all things I love). Watch out Stockholm... I'm coming!

Max on a previous adventure to Costa Rica !

why do you love working at lululemon athletica?

I love the concept of setting goals. Everything of note that I have ever achieved in my life was due to setting a goal and going for it. I feel completely supported by my coworkers and management and am given the freedom to be an entrepreneur in my role. I am free to make mistakes and am encouraged to learn from them when I actually do mess up. I get to travel, work with inspiring people, take on interesting new projects and be surrounded by hundreds of beautiful women!

how does your role elevate lululemon?

In my new role, I will be elevating lululemon by sourcing best-in-the-world accessories suppliers and aligning them with our quality and vision. These suppliers will be able to provide all of our accessories product needs all while working towards sustainability in their business practices. One of my main goals will be to streamline our internal process flows to reduce both physical and operational waste and create an environment where accessories sets the bar for sustainability and efficiency within lululemon.

Check out our continually evolving and expanding set of possibilities on the lululemon careers page.