Every year for their annual SeaWheeze weekend (a half-marathon + yoga/music festival in Vancouver), Lululemon releases a special-edition collection sold only at their pop-up SeaWheeze Showcase Store the day before the race. Thousands of people line up days in advance, camping out until the Friday morning opening to get their hands on limited-batch gear.
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This year, one particular line of the collection (literally) flew off the shelves. An exclusive print on five items—the Speed Tight, Crop, and Short, plus the Pace Perfect Bra and Baller Hat—completely sold out in 21 minutes. Each piece is covered in an allover iridescent reflective paint-splatter print…a first for the brand. And the first we—or anyone else, clearly—has ever seen.
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The pants, which retail for $298 CAD (around $235 USD), first popped up on eBay on Friday for about $500, then steadily increased to about $800 USD (that’s $1,000 in Canada, where many are selling from). The $68 (CAD) hat alone is now listed for $350 (USD) and people are bidding on it. Lululemon 911, a Facebook group dedicated to auctioning off Lulu gear, has seen bids as high as $700 CAD for the pants (possibly even higher—it’s hard to keep track as the posts delete when the auction ends).
Why the obsession? Sure, the print is rare—every SeaWheeze collection is a bit different year to year, and there’s no word yet on whether Lululemon will introduce a similar pattern in their regular line. But the print is also pretty unique: It seems to utilise coloured reflective fabric, a fairly new innovation (just a couple of years ago, only silver reflective existed). And it’s equally cute in broad daylight (imagine a pastel rainbow splatter) as it is dramatic at night (when hit with flash, you basically glow in the dark…in colour).
Whether you wear it to yoga or during an outdoor run at dusk, the gear will definitely get you noticed, especially by those who know a thing or two about Lulu. [Full disclosure: I received the hat and crops as a gift and wore them to the Sunset Festival, and at least a dozen people, police officers included, swarmed me to find out about them. I’m afraid to see what would happen in New York.]
All that said, if you don’t want to drop a month’s rent on a pair of leggings (and we don’t blame you!), we found some options that have a similar vibe, though not the same tech, at a fraction of the price.
If you want to go for full-on shine and sparkle, this is the pair to wear. They may not be as reflective but they’re stretchy, comfortable, and rock a high-waist.
Buy it: Purusha People Ocean Rainbow Leggings ($100, amazon.com)
This pair is really similar thanks to its gorgeous rainbow splatter print. You’ll be the talk of your yoga class!
Buy it: Terez Women’s Rainbow Foil Tall Band Leggings ($86, terez.com)
For a more comfy, relaxed option in the reflective-wear family. Plus, you can’t beat that lifetime North Face warranty.
Buy it: The North Face Reflective Joggers ($75, thenorthface.com)
We love the capri style of these bright rainbow leggings. It’s like your Lisa Frank notebooks from elementary school found new life on your yoga pants.
Buy it: Terez Women’s Iridescent Oil Spill Tall Band Leggings ($80, amazon.com)
In case you are a Lululemon purist, get the same reflective action but with fun black and white polka dots instead.
Buy it: Lululemon Speed Tight V ($149, lululemon.com)
These stunning leggings from Under Armour may look like standard black leggings by day. But under a black light, those stripes really light up.
Buy it: Under Armour Luminous Women’s Studio Leggings ($90, underarmour.com)
Take the cutout leggings trend to the next level. This pair really brings on the rainbow luminescence, making you the trendiest person on the running path.
Buy it: Style Reform Hologram Legging ($75, stylereform.com)
If you’re looking for a slightly different take on the paint-splatter trend, why not try these leggings? They rock a white background instead of a black background so that you stand out of the crowd.
Buy it: Wear It to Heart Sprinkles High Waisted Leggings ($82, amazon.com)
This article originally appeared on Women’s Health.
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