Manduka is a well-established yoga brand that sells one of the top yoga mats in the market. Although I’ve been off the yoga bandwagon for a while, I used to practice quite frequently and loved Manduka’s mats (I use their signature Pro). They’ve been a trusted name in the industry for years, so I was really intrigued when they announced the debut of their new clothing line. I wanted to know if their clothing would be as rock-solid as their mats, so I ordered a couple of pieces to try.
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For the top half, I ordered the cross strap bra in their newly released shade of blue, delmara. I liked the simple yet strappy silhouette, and I love beautiful blues. Delmara has a light heather look to it if you look closely.
I ordered the bra in a size XS. I typically wear a size 2 in lululemon’s energy bra, which is a similar style to this one. If you’re between sizes, you’ll most likely want to go with the larger size, since I would say mine feels a bit smaller than most XS bras. It fits me like a dream. It’s incredibly comfortable, and I can (and did) happily wear it all day.
The fabric is a blend of recycled polyester, conventional polyester, and spandex. It’s soft and smooth but has a slight cotton feel to the touch. Although the fabric feels nice on the skin and isn’t too heavy, it still might not be ideal for super-high sweat activities. After all, Manduka’s tag line for their clothing collection is “made for yoga”.
That said, “yoga bra” doesn’t have to mean “flimsy”. I would classify this as a medium support, medium coverage bra that is again similar to lululemon’s energy bra. The band is wide and very substantial, making it comfortably supportive. Removable cups were also included with the bra for added coverage and shape.
Besides the strappy back, I like the curved seam accents that help visually shape the bust as well as the slight V neckline. Note that there is a seam down the middle of the V that has a very tiny lump of fabric where the corners are sewn together. This doesn’t make contact with my skin at all so it’s not uncomfortable, but it’s something to watch out for.
Overall, I’m very happy with this bra and would consider ordering another, especially if this one holds up well over the coming months.
Next up: the crops. These I ordered in dark heather grey, a staple color that I’m surprised isn’t already in my closet. The fabric is recycled polyester with spandex, a slightly different fabrication than the bra above. They were totally opaque on me, even in a bend. Again, the fabric feels smooth with just a hint of a cottony feel to them. The fabric is overall pretty lightweight and thin, though still opaque and comfortable. Compression is light, as it is with most yoga bottoms. It has a high stretch, flexible feel that’s ideal for things like yoga. So, when they say “made for yoga”, they do mean it. (Of course, I’m still going to wear them for other things, too!)
The waistband is ultra-wide with a medium-high rise, just a bit below my belly button. It’s higher than lululemon’s wunder unders, but lower than a full-on, ultra-high rise. The waistband feels great–it contours nicely against the body and is really comfortable. There’s a slit pocket in the front of the waistband.
As for sizing, I also ordered an XS for these. The length is a medium, 3/4 crop length that just clears the widest part of my calf (I’m 5’3″). I’d say they fit true to size. I normally wear a 2 in lululemon’s wunder unders, and these fit a little bit bigger than those, probably closer to a lululemon 4. All told, they’re a great pair of basic, versatile capris.
Overall, I’m definitely impressed with Manduka’s clothing line so far. They seem well made and are reasonably priced compared to the competition. I would buy from Manduka again.
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P.S. Some of Manduka’s collection is also available from REI and Zappos.
carrie says
cute! I’ve been thinking about pulling the trigger on a couple of the manduka items at REI to see if i like them. (and woohoo for a good return policy!)
thanks for reviewing – this is super helpful since those crops were one of the things i have been admiring!
Suzanne | Agent Athletica says
Btw, some of their stuff is on Zappos too, which also has a really nice return process.
Nicole says
Another great review! Not sure if you’ve done this in the past, but I’d be interested in your thoughts on the best anything-higher-than-“medium” support sports bras. Big busted ladies (I’m a 32DDD) want to look cute, too, and there must be options other than the ta ta tamer.
Guest says
Hi Nicole. I have this issue too. After much trial and error, I’ve focused on two brands. One is panache sport (sold at athleta and lingerie stores) and the Moving comfort Fiona bra. Good luck!
BD says
There’s also Shock Absorber (my preferred), which comes in a very wide range of sizes and decent colors on sites like Herroom.com. But I know the panache sport Guest mentioned is really popular with a lot of busty ladies!
Guest says
Btw, I had an awful customer service experience with herroom.com. Be wary of ordering from them or you will not be able to return or exchange anything if you get the wrong size. Stick to a lingerie store or Nordstrom if you can. I find the panache sport gives a really nice shape in addition to being an effective sports bra. The ta ta tamer doesn’t work very well for me.
Suzanne | Agent Athletica says
Fair point. :) I usually stick with medium support because it’s generally enough for me. Also, I find underwires very painful, so that’s another reason I tend to steer clear of many higher-support bras. I’ve heard good things about VS sports bras, if you haven’t already tried them (I haven’t because they don’t make a 30 band). I’ve been thinking more about ordering some higher-support bras for a test drive, though, so your comment is definitely helping to push me in that direction!
To echo BD, I did have a couple of Shock Absorber bras way back when. I really liked them, though I retired them years ago.
Annette says
just want to say you always make the clothes look so Amazing!! I’ll follow your blog’s reviews more closely from now on. My ‘love affair’ w/Lululemon is over as I was treated so bad last night at a store :(
Suzanne | Agent Athletica says
Oh no, so sorry to hear that Annette! : I hope you can find a worthy replacement. There are lots of other great brands out there. :)
Samantha Simons says
They both look great on you! I’ve been eyeing the crops but can already tell based on your review they’ll be too long and gapey at the bottom. Definitely will be trying other pieces though. That blue color is gorgeous!
Suzanne | Agent Athletica says
Yes, I can’t resist a good blue!! :)
Jenn @ Dashing in Style says
Love both of these. Putting them on my wish list to ponder and see if I can justify! I’ve never heard of this brand, so thanks for the review!
Suzanne | Agent Athletica says
You’re welcome, Jenn. :) Curious to see what you think if you give them a try!
Stephanie H says
Thanks for the review! I have a couple questions – first, do you think the bra would be supportive enough for running? (I’m a 34B, and I usually wear energy bras and stuff your bras for running). My second question is that I looked the bra up online that you reviewed and the color looks very different to me. The online color looks like it’s more of a sky blue, but the one in your review looks more of a medium shade of blue – which color is more accurate? Thanks!
Suzanne | Agent Athletica says
I think it’s comparable to an energy bra in terms of support, but I don’t know if I’d wear it running. First of all, the straps are not as flat as the energy bra, so I’m not sure if that would be uncomfortable over a long run (I found it comfortable for casual, all-day wear though). Second of all, the cottony fabric, like luon, might not be as comfortable for running either. This is just speculation though, since i haven’t worn it running. As for color, it’s not quite as bright as the website’s photos, but also just slightly brighter than my photos. So, somewhere in the middle. :) Blues are always tough to accurately capture.
Cristina Hoover says
That sports bra has been a dream come true! I tend-to prefer the shoulder contour of a racerback, but after getting tired of feeling like having to dislocate an arm every time trying to climb out of them (while having sweated like a pig, LOL!): I’M SO GLAD SOMEONE is making a crossback design where they *don’t* skimp on just giving you a cheap spaghetti strap connected to a narrow bodice banding(!). THIS has the contour and support just the same as a racerback….while being SOOOO EASY to change in and out of!
I’m a 36D and, the combination of the generously wide front band as well as cup shaping (avoiding the dreaded “uniboob blob”) feels totally comfortable and confident.