Crane & Lion is a newbie brand jumping into the high-end activewear fray. They’re based in Boston and currently offering their first collection. Their line goes back to basics, emphasizing simple but functional pieces. They use soft shades of blue and pinkish-purple that definitely has sophisticated-New-England-lady vibes to me, although maybe that’s just because I know that’s where they come from. :)
What drew me to Crane & Lion is their broad size range: their products are offered in sizes 0-12. Note that these numerical sizes aren’t necessarily the same as lululemon’s and might not be the same as your streetwear sizing either, so check their size chart. One plus is that returns and exchanges are free, so it’s ok if you don’t get sizing quite right the first time.
The racerback tank looks like a pretty solid basic racerback with no frills. Compared to lululemon’s cool racerback, the cut in the front and back of C&L’s seems to have a bit more coverage in the front and back, plus it appears to be a little shorter.
C&L’s designer previously designed for DKNY, and the wrap sweater makes that pretty obvious–it’s almost a dead ringer for DKNY’s cozy wrap. Note that C&L’s version appears longer in the front, so there’s a chance it might drag on the floor for shorties when worn open. It doesn’t appear to have thumbholes.
I’m most interested to try their sports bra, which look like it has a good amount of coverage for bigger-busted ladies while not looking too bra-like. It’s very hard to find smaller sizes in sports bras that still offer reasonable coverage and support, so this is a refreshing find. It has removable cups, plus the wide straps look comfortable and wouldn’t cut in. I also like that the cut in the back looks like it allows for good shoulder blade mobility.
The bra tank is similar to the bra, just, well, longer. It has an iPhone-sized back pocket with a hole to string your earphones, although in the photo it looks like it might not be large enough for the latest generation of XL phones like the iPhone 6/6+.
The long sleeve tee has a little bit of colorblocking and a ruched accent in the back. Although it’s listed as moisture-wicking, note that it’s a cotton/modal/spandex blend, which will have a different feel than most workout tops.
C&L makes their bottoms stand out with a signature angled seam along the back of the legs and the butt. Their tights come in 2 varieties: a basic solid version and in a lightweight, heathered version. The originals are a nylon/spandex blend while the lightweights are poly/spandex.
Their capri pants have a little more flair than most of their other pieces. They’re currently sold out but will be back in stock later in March. In the meantime, here’s another detail photo of the layered mesh accent from their lookbook.
Lastly, C&L is running a 40% off everything deal now through Thursday night with code OVERTHIS. If you’re interested in trying out their line, now is definitely a great time to do it.
That’s a great deal! I love the simple styling with little details & muted palette. I’m planning on ordering the original tight (too bad the capris are sold out), long sleeve tee, and sports bra. With the discount it will be only $135! Thanks for mentioning this!
Ooh, what colors are you getting?? I like marlin and quicksilver both a lot for the tights. And all the tee colors!
I got the quicksilver tights, nirvana bra & white LS top. I ordered around 9 p.m. last night & it shipped at midnight!
Like I said on your blog, definitely looking forward to your review! Particularly interested about the bra and the ever-present “is it opaque” issue. That’s an awesome price for all 3 of those things!
I also got the LS tee in blue wan and the original tight in marlin. Hoping for nice quality!
Love it when you mention new brands! I like the understated designs and pretty colors. Also, thanks for using “flair” correctly, it is used incorrectly too often nowadays ;)
Heh thanks, I try really hard with grammar. :)
Who is using flair incorrectly? That’s disconcerting…
This stuff looks quite nice, classy and understated. Lululemon is getting a little too Lisa Frank To be charging $100 for pants.
Hahaha moody mirage just needs a little more neon and it would be totally Lisa Frank.
Thanks for the heads up! 40% off!? Okay, I’m going to try the racerback tank and bra. Tempted by the tights and LS, too, but I’ll show a little restraint. I was actually just poking around for some gear with this classic look, glad you found it for me ;)
Heh you’re welcome. ;) Let me know what you think!
Does the code make anything final sale?
Doesn’t look like it, but you could ask their CS if you want to be sure.
Love the look of this line! Thanks for posting about it and the sale! Can anyone comment on sizing vs Lulu? I agonized over the size charts and made a best guess on some things, but I’m not feeling confident.
I don’t have anything to add as far as sizing, but fingers are crossed that you guessed right! :)
I know this is too late, but I ordered two sizes in everything since returns are free…and then I got shipping free too.
I ended up ordering 2 sizes of the ones I was least sure about, too. I like how they even mention doing that on the website. Hope I guessed right! My order should arrive Monday, I think!