There are times in my workout that I feel like dying in between, and I might have sworn once or twice never to come back. But whenever I find new cute clothes to wear, I suddenly feel motivated to revisit the local yoga center. But it is not as simple as you think.
Choosing good-quality activewear can sometimes be more stressful than the workout itself, especially when you just can’t decide which piece to get. One of your gym buddies may swear by Sweaty Betty, and the other one just totally loves Lululemon. And you wonder how they differ from each other or if there’s even much of a difference.
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What is Sweaty Betty?
Sweaty Betty is an all-around activewear and lifestyle brand designed to embolden women of different colors, sizes, and shapes. The company aspires for all women to feel cared for and to find the strength to stand up and stand out through their line of activewear.
Initially a small boutique in London and focused on yoga, they want and work hard to make fitness an available option for everyone globally. And they make sure to keep it in style. Sweaty Betty offers you a wide range of tops, bottoms, underwear, jumpsuits, outerwear, swimwear, and accessories for your workout or yoga session.
Say like, you want to shop for power leggings and all-day leggings in one go, Sweaty Betty has got you covered.
What is Lululemon?
The vision started in Vancouver, Canada, but the community became global. Lululemon is one of the household names when it comes to yoga and workout clothes. They safeguard the quality of their products to ensure maximum performance without sacrificing the comfort of revved-up athletes.
Catering to both men and women, Lululemon offers a diverse clothing and accessory options for activewear or loungewear. It goes as far as giving you the freedom to choose your preference of clothing.
Suppose you want a lesser piece of clothing for a lighter and breathable yoga clothes option. The choices are there; it’s up to you to choose.
How Are Both Brands Similar or Different?
No matter the market they target, which is those who keep an active lifestyle, Sweaty Betty and Lululemon still differ in ways more than you think. They are known to many as some of the refined brands in the fitness community.
Lululemon directs its market in providing quality and high-performing activewear to serious athletes. And Sweaty Betty is more like a “feel good, look good” brand as its passion is to empower women to be bold and strong. They may be similar for the fact that they are ”for the women,” however, they have their differences.
Brand Offers
Sweaty Betty and Lululemon both offer women’s clothing in wide ranges. You can shop in either of the brands if you are looking for maximum comfort, be it in the gym or at a coffee shop. Both brands offer activewear and loungewear for women, along with accessories and equipment.
If you want a one-stop-shop for a good women’s tank top, pants, power leggings, sports bra, and even hats and scarves, Sweaty Betty and Lululemon is the place to look. Both brands also offer different clothes for various activities and sports like running, golf, yoga, and workout.
However, if you are shopping with a male friend, a more suitable brand is Lululemon, as they offer men’s apparel in the mix. Your male friend can definitely shop for activewear and loungewear together with you.
Retail Store Locations
Source: Lululemon
Lululemon operates in more than 50 states in America, with over 384 stores. They also have approximately 80 stores in Canada. However, if you are from outside the US and Canada, you cannot shop or order online because Lululemon does not extend its high-end offer to other countries. At least not yet.
Sweaty Betty is a more available option for those living outside the US and Canada. Apart from the multiple stores they have in the US and Canada, they have approximately 24 stores in London, over 30 shops in the UK, six in Hong Kong, and one in Ireland and in Singapore.
Brand History
Sweaty Betty was founded by Tamara Hill-Norton, whose father was in the Navy. She grew up used to having an active lifestyle as they moved a lot and experienced different things. And when she moved to college, she wanted to keep that lifestyle only to find out that women didn’t have many options back then.
She started Sweaty Betty back in 1998 to give activewear a little twist and shape compared to the dreary design of then’s sports and fitness industry. She opened her first store in Notting Hill, and the rest was history.
Lululemon, also founded in 1998, started only as a vision in Vancouver, Canada. What only started as a studio day job and a night yoga hobby soon became a standalone store two years later.
They strived to create a place where both men and women can feel comfortable while allowing them to gear up in a safe space to learn and discuss their passions. Lululemon, over the years, became a household name in all aspects of healthy living—mind, body, and soul.
Benefits of Each Brand
Source: Sweaty Betty
Sweaty Betty focuses its energy on encouraging women of color, sizes, and shapes. The brand keeps and encourages body and self positivity in all women, regardless of your intention for working out. They support and emphasize women’s right to be valued and heard.
This brand shows through its advertisements, models, and products that women deserve quality and style.
Lululemon, on the other hand, pushes women and men to their utmost potential. They target all aspects of your life from the moment you wake up to the time you go to work and back home again. The brand encourages you to live a lifestyle where you can be your best version without restricting you, especially uncomfortable clothing.
Disadvantages of Each Brand
Sweaty Betty only caters to women, but that does not make men less worthy of quality products and support. In today’s time, men are just as vulnerable as women, and they need just as much support.
Lululemon may cater to both men and women, but the thing with this is the brand focuses more on professional or more serious athletes. And most people who are looking into the brand are not high-performing athletes trying to win gold medals. Some are just home buddies trying to decide what to wear on their first yoga class.
So, I think there’s a big gap in this target market. Also, one downside of the brand is it is not offered in countries outside the US and Canada, making it harder for people, even professional athletes, to acquire this product.
Conclusion
I find that wearing quality and comfortable activewear makes a workout more bearable and sometimes even motivating. But sometimes, looking for a good pair of leggings or sports bra can be more stressful than the workout itself.
I think Sweaty Betty and Lululemon both offer good-quality activewear you can get comfortable in. However, I would go with Sweaty Betty as I personally love to work out or do yoga with a mission to empower myself. If I feel like what I’m wearing encourages me to see myself positively, I would be even more motivated to do some yoga or spend an hour in the gym. But that’s just me.