Our office is divided: Half of us are Beyoncé stans and fans, while the other half leans more on the side of “cool, but not sure if it’s for us.” But we were all intrigued by her new athleisure line, Ivy Park, when it was announced last month.
The announcement was classic Bey: sexy, fun, strong. So when we heard the new line was coming to our local Nordstrom today, we wanted to be among the first to try on the pieces.
What we liked:
1. The price: For the most part, Ivy Park was priced similarly (if not lower) with popular brands we usually wear, like Athleta and Lululemon. A pair of shorts was the cheapest at $26 (our editor bought them!), while the priciest item we tried on was a $115 sleeveless jacket, which was way too much for a jacket that couldn’t keep us warm. The website shows some pricier items, too, most of them tops and jackets.
2. The fit: Once we found our sizes, we were golden. But the pieces seemed to go between being true to size and a little big. A pair of leggings were my perfect fit and were comfy during my dressing room squats session. We even found a sports bra that fit perfectly, and if you’re a woman who works out (especially if you’re larger than a B cup) that is major. Sizes ranges from XXS (size 2) to XL (sizes 12-14).
3. The materials: The T-shirts are super soft and the gray shorts are the perfect “Netflix and Chill” bottoms. In addition to more loungy pieces, the actual athletic leggings and sports bras were high-quality materials we’d be proud to sweat in.
What we didn’t like:
1. Where was the color? We get it, Bey slays in all black, but printed leggings are really our jam around here. It just didn’t ring true to the super stylish Beyonce we know and some cool patterns would have really made it worthwhile. We were expecting something a bit more unique.
2. The selection: It was just launch day, and some stores sold totally out, but the selection in the store doesn’t compare to what we saw online.
3. The fit: Yeah, OK, we said we liked the fit, but it was inconsistent. While one pair of pants fit perfectly, another pair of logoed leggings in the same size were too tight and gave off that “you can wear this to the gym but, for God’s sake, do not bend over in them” feeling. A super-cute bomber in my usual medium size was too bunchy in the shoulders for me. And the jogging pants made us feel more frumpy than fashion-forward fitness. Also, can some curvy ladies get a little more love? Having a booty can easily put one in a size larger than XL.
4. “Formation” wasn’t blaring from the Ivy Park section. Come on, I couldn’t have been the only one thinking it.
You can watch the whole dressing room experience here.
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