Does anyone remember in about 2016 when Girlfriend Collective first launched and sent everyone a free pair of leggings? That was my first introduction to the brand. If I’m being honest, I didn’t really love the first pair of leggings I got from them.
From there, the brand got bigger. Recently, it feels like I’ve been seeing them everywhere. Girlfriend is one of the few athletic wear companies with high marks in sustainability, so I felt like I had to give them a second try. Let me tell you – I’m glad I did.
I ordered a few things but ultimately only kept the Dylan Bra and the Sport Skort. Sports bras are on regular rotation in my wardrobe; I wear them under flannels, with shorts, to the gym, under my overalls… You can probably find me in a sports bra at least 4 days a week, sometimes every 7 days a week. I love the sports bra. It’s flattering, fairly moisture-wicking, and comfortable. But the real game changer is the sport skort. The sport skort is a must-have and absolutely lives up to the hype.
It has a sleek design, which fits like a simple knit skirt. Since it doesn’t have seams, it looks great for casual wear and can even be dressed up to go out. I personally love pairing it with a crop top and oversized linen shirt for the summer. It’s sold out fairly often, but I think getting on the waitlist is worth it.
Sustainability Review:
Good on You rates Girlfriend Collective as “good.” When it comes to sustainability, Girlfriend is actually walking the walk. Overall, I recommend reading this rating on the brand for more detail.
In general, they use recycled materials and ensure fair and ethical practices across their supply chain. When it comes to activewear, this is one of the few brands I recommend. They are tackling the hard issues across their manufacturing and workforce while also practicing diversity and inclusion.
One of the things I really love about the brand’s image is their focus on diversity. There are a variety of different body types and skin tones that make me feel included and represented as a consumer.
From a sustainability perspective, I’m impressed with what Girlfriend has thought of as a brand including the reduction of fashion waste. If you ship any used Girlfriend pieces back to them, they will recycle them and give you a $15 credit towards a new piece! Overconsumption remains one of the biggest industry problems, and this program aims to improve circularity within the industry.
Quality:
I’ve now worn these products for a workout and all day walking in the city and I’m happy to report that I experienced no weird sagging, snags, or unflattering stretching. The fabric holds its shape and wears well.
Sizing:
Girlfriend Collective’s fabric does not have as much stretch as I’m used to in athletic wear, however I still think their sizing is true to size.
I chose a medium in the skort (I usually wear a size Medium/8/28 or 29 in any pants/bottoms/jeans). I ordered a large in the top and while I probably could have done a medium, I was more comfortable in the large. My chest is one of the harder things to fit and as a 34G, I am very happy with how the large fits both my bust and underbust. Since this is pretty in-line with my usual sizing, I think the brand is overall true to size.
Ease of Return:
I’m happy to note that returning merchandise with Girlfriend solidly falls in the “easy” category. If you’ve never used Happy Returns, let me walk you through the process:
- You initiate a return with Girlfriend.
- Girlfriend provides you with a return barcode.
- You take the return to the nearest Happy Return location (usually a nearby store).
- You get a refund immediately after shipping!
I returned a pair of shorts that fit (no quality issues), but ultimately, I did not find them flattering on my body type.
Note:
As a reminder – I’ve been working with Google as a paid early tester for their new Thank with Google pilot program. This experimental feature is a creative and fun way for you all to connect with me and show any and all appreciation for my work by sending virtual stickers! There are a few spots on my website (including in my posts and sidebar) where you can choose to purchase and send a virtual sticker and even include a personal note (when you send a paid sticker) that goes directly to me! If you choose to try it out, please let me know what you think and – as always – I’m grateful for all your support.
