Just popping in to mention (again) how much I love my Girlfriend Collective recycled polyester leggings. I’ve had multiple pairs of these from size small to large (black) and have worn them for Pure Barre and lately to mom group *gasp.* You probably know that I am not one to wear leggings other than for exercise and the rare occasion I have a large sweater or tunic to wear with them, but now, if I know I have to be on the floor with Hawk a lot I’ve found my Girlfriend Collective leggings are an excellent option. With a long t-shirt and maxi cardigan to cover my ass of course…
When I heard that Everlane was coming out with their own recycled nylon leggings I was skeptical, given my track record with Everlane lately, but aside from that, disappointed. Not that other companies can’t do recycled nylon leggings, lots do, but I suppose I’m partial to one of the first companies to do so, a smaller company, and one that is more size inclusive (Girlfriend). I’ve argued before that I think Everlane should stick to fewer things they do really really well (like t-shirts, and maybe jeans? I don’t know anymore) and stop releasing SO MANY NEW ITEMS all the time. They’re starting to feel like Zara.
Girlfriend Collective uses a higher percentage of recycled material in their leggings, and they are COMPLETELY OPAQUE. I can testify to that after years of wearing them. From what I read/see, Everlane’s black leggings leave a lot to be desired in that regard. I’ve also read that they feel more like tights than leggings. If that’s your thing, then okay, but I like my leggings to be compressive, opaque, and smooth.
But anyway, like I said, Girlfriend Collective was there “first”, and even if they weren’t definitely doing it better (which they are), they’re doing it in more sizes, and in an altogether more naturally inclusive way. Everlane’s effort to be more size inclusive feels contrived and is a bit tired in my opinion. I continue to give them credit for what they did to disrupt the industry and make it more transparent, but they really come up short in many ways.
Just my two cents…care to share yours?
I have 4 pairs of leggings. 3 are GC for exercising and 1 is JP for lounging. I’m very happy and need no more leggings!
I’m not even sure Everlane makes t-shirts very well any more. All of mine are quickly getting holes where they rub against my belt buckle. None of my non-Everlane t-shirts have that problem.
I’ve never tried Girlfriend Collective but I absolutely love Miakoda. Have you ever tried them? They are amazing. Hope you’re having a good day.
Oh my gosh, I agree so much with everything here Grechen! In fact, I was a little ticked off that Everlane branched into this category. I have been thinking for a while that they aren’t really into encouraging the slow-sustainable shopping ideology very well these days. I have been struggling with the vast array they offer, it feels so… insincere…?. I have also worn Girlfriend leggings for about a year and I really love them! They are a great small company and I believe they fill a niche. I don’t understand why Everlane feels the need to compete here. It makes no sense. And it makes me question whether I want to continue to buy clothes from Everlane in the future, really. I just don’t know if they reflect my values anymore.
One of my pet peeves about Everlane is their nearly CONSTANT barrage of new items! How is that more sustainable? And another irksome thing is the feature that shows an item in different sizes: You actually have to have a wide range of sizes represented in order for it to be meaningful. Size 30 is usually (if not always) the highest they go. Not good, Everlane! I’ll be looking at Girlfriend Collective the next time I need leggings.
Girlfriend Collective leggings are the best. I love them for HIIT workouts, yoga, even travel. I wore my black ones a lot while tromping around the English Lake District and didn’t feel too sporty. My other go-to for exercise is Outdoor Voices, but the fit and price on GC is better. I only wish they’d release some normal length sports bras (I find the longline uncomfortable and the cropped bra seems to have disappeared) so I can get more staples from them.
I was also annoyed with Everlane – they should stick to what they know and I’m not going to them for athletic wear.
I wholeheartedly agree. My Girlfriend Collective leggings have worn and washed (in my Guppy bag, of course) so well. They are, as you pointed out, completely opaque. They look amazing on. I just feel fitter when I wear them, LOL! All kidding aside, their company ethos is much more in line with mine. I second yours and others’ comments that Everlane is quickly turning into the next Zara. I haven’t purchased anything there in ages.
100x yes! I love my girlfriend collective leggings and sports bra–I wear them all of the time and still looking great.
Hi Grechen,
Thanks for turning me onto The Girlfriend Collective.
I finally pulled the trigger on a pair of James Perse pants (my first JP item ever), on sale. I know you’ve loved JP and I wanted to ask you — is the quality still high for JP? I’ve read some reports that the brand has gone down in quality recently.
Thanks for your input! Jax