Persistence pays off, kids! After nearly a month of begging my friends and family for their precious votes, I have been named a 2013 Oakley Ambassador. With great power comes great responsibility, but it ALSO comes with great perks-- like a full Oakley wardrobe for the next three seasons. Praise!
I laughed, I cried, and I rolled around in a pile of new spandex when I received my Spring/Summer 2013 shipment. After I collected myself, I put my new gear through some serious testing. Here are some of my favourite pieces from the collection.
Have you ever put on a piece of clothing and felt like a ninja? Granted, it would be hard to disappear into the night with these electric blue bad boys (reflective trim: good for safety, bad for ninja tasks), but the moment I put these pants on, I felt fast.
That's why I chose them as my bottom of choice for the Whistler Half Marathan 10K race. Shorts simply wouldn't cut it for the June-uary Whistler weather, and I'm pleased to say that these pants performed. I ran the race 5 minutes faster than when I practiced the course on three seperate occasions. I'm not saying it was BECAUSE of the pants... but it probably was. Something about the seams and the stretchiness-- and did I mention they also come in NEON YELLOW? Be still, my beating heart.
"What is this zany pattern?" was my first thought upon pulling out these billowy shorts. They reminded me faintly of shorts I might have worn for gym class. I wasn't sold immediately, but still popped them on for a run. That's when I saw the light.
It felt like I was wearing nothing at all! Nothing at all! Nothing at all! I have never really thought about what it might feel like to run naked, but now I think I know. These shorts are DOPE and the pattern just makes them even better. They claim to "let you move without restriction"-- TRUTH!
These guys come with an inner lining. Now, inner linings are a controversial topic for me. I typically cut them out of shorts immediately upon purchase. I wouldn't dare do that with these shorts, or else I would be at risk of ACTUALLY running wearing nothing at all and possibly receiving a ticket for indecent exposure. However, I don't really NEED to cut them out. Unlike other linings, this one isn't too tight or chafey. How's that for a visual.
All hoodies are NOT created equal. I have gone through various phases of hoodiehood, and I think I have entered the Age of the Oakley Hoodie. Let's review:
- Zipper pockets. Oh, what a concept! Why do so few hoodies have zipped pockets? A must.
- Thumb holes. There's something about a hoodie with thumb holes that just feels so right. It's like a onesie for your arms.
- Soft. The softness of the fleece is optimal. It's not stiff like some other hoodies I have worn in the years past, and it's warm without being heavy. And it's functional, too: the fabric actually manages moisture for you. Science!
The West Coast might be the Best Coast, but it is also the Challenging to Dress for Coast. Sunny when you leave for work? Don't worry, it'll be pouring when you leave. Wearing your Wellies? Ha ha, just kidding, the weather is 27 degrees and sunny now. Have fun with your sweaty feet.
This jacket solves all #WestCoastPeopleProblems. It is very lightweight and squishes down to fit in the bottom of your purse, or possibly a pocket (that might look funny though). It will protect you from the harsh winds and rain and is the perfect spring outer layer. Oh, and what's that tucked into the collar-- a HOOD? Yes please. This hair doesn't straighten itself every morning.
The best for last. I am passionate about these pants. I am wearing them as I write this article. I may never wear another pair of pants again.
Those who know me know that I love a good legging. Well, these are more than a legging. THERE'S SOME FLARE. It's not a crazy amount of flare-- like, I could be in a headstand in yoga class and they wouldn't fall down around my knees (does that make sense? Remember, I'm upside down). But the flareness makes them look like normal pants and they are such a refreshing change from your standard leggings.
I don't know what kind of unicorns the Oakley people had to kill to make these pants, but they fit like magic. The fabric is delightfully stretchy yet thick, but it DOESN'T go shiny when it's stretched out (I call it the "you should've ordered a size up sheen"). All I want to do is touch my legs. Like a good yoga pant should be, these are flattering. A+++++++
You can check out the entire Oakley's Women store here. Yes, the life of an Oakley Ambassador is full of trying times.
