6 Totally Worth-It Lululemon Products You Should Buy (and What You Can Skip), According to Former Employees

Available sizes: 2-14, B-DDD; comes in medium (pictured) and high-support versions, as well as longline versions

Overall, the brand’s bras have mixed reviews from former employees. (The most common complaint is that they just don’t have enough support for larger chests.)

One thing most everyone agreed on? The Energy Bra is the one to get. “They are the only sports bras I wear,” says Alyson Dolan, who worked as an educator at a store in Michigan for two years. Made with Lululemon’s much beloved Luxtreme fabric, the Energy Bra is designed for yoga and training and features sweat-wicking, breathable material and a comfortable amount of stretch.

For Kimberly Ricks, who worked at Lululemon for eight years in three states, it’s her go-to option for teaching spin classes—and doing pretty much everything else in, too. “It’s hands-down my favorite bra, for any activity,” she says. “Whether the regular style, the longline style, the high neck style—I love all of them. They’re super comfy.”

Colors available: Varies by style

Available sizes: 0-20, in several lengths and styles

Leggings rule all at Lululemon, so leaving that category off this list would be unthinkable. But former employees say that finding the right fabric and style of legging is highly personal. One style that got only positive reviews is the Fast & Free Legging, a running tight made from the brand’s super lightweight Nulux fabric.

“I work out pretty hard, and they hold up really well for workouts but then also transition well to in-between, so you don’t have to worry about whether they’re going to pill or snag,” says former Lululemon merchandising leader, Amanda Giladi. With an internal drawstring to ensure they don’t ride down (even when they get sweaty), plus two large side pockets and several small waistband pockets, the Fast & Free are some of Lululemon’s most technical leggings, but they don’t sacrifice comfort.

Colors available: 6

Available sizes: 0-20, in several lengths and styles

A Lululemon pant that isn’t a legging? Gasp! Dolan says the Dance Studio Pant is a total sleeper hit—they’re sweat-wicking, stretch well, and “have Kim Possible energy,” she says.

Ricks says the pants were her first-ever purchase as a Lululemon employee back in 2010, and she lived in them up until a few years ago when it was finally time for a new pair. It’s not hard to see why—the pants are highly versatile and can be dressed down post-workout or dressed up for a more elevated athleisure look. There are also drawstrings at the ankle so you can wear them either as joggers or flare-style pants.

Colors available: 4

Available sizes: 0-20, in several lengths and styles, including short sleeve and racerback tank versions

Take a look around your next barre or yoga class, and you’ll almost certainly spot a Swiftly Tech Shirt. (The long-sleeved version is especially popular.) “I know one of the big selling points is that they’re anti-microbial,” says Giladi. “You can wear it and get it sweaty and it doesn’t pick up that after-sweat stink or funk.”

Giladi says the fit is flattering enough to wear the shirt even beyond her workouts, and it also works great as a base layer in the winter. “I’ll toss it under a sweater when it’s cold outside,” she says.

Colors available: 3

Available sizes: 0-14

Splurging on functional, versatile, durable products doesn’t have to feel like a splurge at all. That’s why Giladi loves the Down for It All Vest, a wind-resistant, water-repellent layer for running in cold weather (but as the name implies, it’s versatile enough for nearly anything). “I still have the first one that I bought,” she says. “It’s still in amazing condition and I am not kind to it. I run in it, I wear it in the city, I wear it to work. It should be disgusting and it’s not.”

Samantha Diaz, who worked at several stores in Michigan, also vouches for its durability. “It’s low maintenance—it washes and dries really well,” she says. “They tell you not to put their stuff in the dryer, but I’ve been sloppy with that, and I’m still using it years later.”

Former employees aren’t the only ones who love the Down for It All Vest: Giladi remembers customers “losing their minds for it” when it came out every year. “It functions as a light jacket on its own, you can throw it over literally anything, and it packs up into the tiniest thing—you could put it in a fanny pack.”

Colors: 7

Sizes available: mini, 1L (pictured) and 2L versions

Lululemon lore has it that the now fan-favorite Everywhere Belt Bag started as part of the employee uniform, for them to hold their phones while out on the floor. “Customers started saying, Hey, what is that bag?” says David Michael Gay, who worked as an educator in New York City. “Because of that demand, they released it, and it would always sell out. They’d come in and then suddenly they’d all be gone.”

Today, it’s no surprise that you can spot these bags in the wild constantly. Its multitude of color options, perfect-sized pockets for daily essentials, and reasonable price point makes it a top choice for travel and everyday wear alike. (Both Giladi and Gay say it’s still their go-to everyday bag.)

Colors available: 10+