Disclaimer: pvBody offered to send me a free trial outfit, but all opinions shared here are my own.
There are a lot of monthly subscription companies out there right now offering a wide range of trial products, from healthy food and exercise gear to makeup and fashion. One company I’d been hearing a lot of good things about from fellow bloggers was pvBody, which is why I was excited when one of their team members reached out and asked if I’d be interested in working with them.
The thing that interested me most about pvBody was the fact that it is solely centered around affordable workout wear. The team at pvBody has developed relationships with brands both large and small and are able to leverage those connections through savings passed along to their subscribers. As of the time that I am writing this review post, they are also getting ready to launch their own line of workout wear, called Ellie, which will be rolling out to new subscribers starting on February 1. You can customize your selection each month based on whether you plan to use the outfit for running, yoga, Pilates, cardio, etc. By taking the style quiz, you are also able to choose whether you want pants, shorts or capris; bold or muted colors; and more.
After you have taken the style quiz, their team hand picks the pieces for you. pvBody sent me a free trial outfit. I told them that I was a runner who preferred bold colored tops and muted color bottoms. A few days later, a package arrived on my doorstep with an incredible workout ensemble.
The shirt is from Lolë and came in a bright royal blue (almost purplish depending on the light) color. It has a scoop neck, stretchy wicking fabric and a UPF of 50+. There is also a conveniently small pocket on the back right side of the shirt that is perfect for a key or an iPod shuffle.
The pants are from American Apparel. I loved the dark grey color and the fact that they also had a secret pocket at the top of the waist. Again, it would only hold a key and possibly an iPod, but if it means a more hands-free run then I’m sold.
Fortunately, I soon had the opportunity to test out the gear and see if it really would hold up. Phoenix had 30-degree temperatures a couple of weeks ago (I know, shocking!) and I also wore this outfit again during my NYC trip. Both runs were flawless – the shirt and pants didn’t ride up in the least and wicked away sweat perfectly. There were no embarrassing dark spots to be seen, which is quite the change from my normal workout wear. I was instantly hooked.
Judging by the normal retail price of these items (I couldn’t find the exact Lolë shirt but a similar one ran $36), the normal price for this entire outfit would be around $84. Still cheaper than certain other big name stores who shall remain nameless, but not exactly what I want to pay on a normal basis for workout gear. Had this not been a trial outfit, the cost for pvBody to send it to me monthly would have been $39 instead (with a 20% discount off the normal subscription price of $49.95).
I hope you all know by now that I am not one to give a huge sales pitch on behalf of a brand unless I really respect it, which is definitely the case here. A new workout ensemble for 54% off the retail price is pretty awesome. It’s also really easy to make returns (free), pause or cancel subscriptions, so you won’t be locked into anything impossible to leave – another reason why I am so impressed with what pvBody has put together. I think the most interesting thing will be to watch what happens with the launch of Ellie on February 1. The pvBody team has said that these clothes will be every bit as awesome as the big name brands, so I’ll be curious to hear what current subscribers think.
I’m looking forward to trying out the service myself with the 20% discount I mentioned, and am excited that pvBody has offered Eating Bender readers to do the same: you can sign up and receive 20% off here! If you’re at all interested, I definitely recommend checking out their website and taking the style quiz. You can also find pvBody on Twitter and Facebook.
Have you heard of pvBody or do you currently use their service? If so, what do you think? If not, how would you feel about having workout gear shipped to you?
I’m truly curious to hear what others think of the subscription phenomenon.
Abrazos,
I agree! Their stuff ROCKS! And that top is super cute
Thanks, Erica! 🙂
Looks like a cool service – will check them out! Cute quiz. My fav workout clothes brand is by far Zella (sold at Nordstrom). Still expensive but about half the cost of Lulu.
I haven’t heard of Zella, but I am going to have to check it out! Thanks for the tip!
So apparently I’m the Cardio Queen according to these ppl. Thanks for sharing. I love sites like this. I didn’t know there was one for workout gear. I’m checking them out now, the prices are quite affordable. New York looked amazing as ever. I love going there. The dress is beautiful too. Enjoy the weekend.
Glad you’re intrigued, Joi! Thanks for the kind comments on the dress, too. Hope you had a wonderful weekend!
I’ve heard some not great things about this company, mostly that they sold people on the idea of getting lululemon and high-end athletic stuff for $50 a month, and now they’re selling an unknown private label. A lot of people feel it’s a bait and switch situation.
I can definitely understand where people are coming from, especially those who signed up within the past month thinking they would be getting high-end products indefinitely. I actually didn’t even hear about “Ellie” (the private label) until after I had agreed to work with them, which made me hesitate before I posted this review. But as it was explained to me, you can still pause or cancel your shipments at anytime, so current users aren’t locked into any long-term subscription if they decide that they do not like the quality of the Ellie clothing. There are also free returns and exchanges.
I completely agree, though, that this new offering may not have the same draw without the big brand names (although I’ve been looking at some of the new clothes from Ellie and they seem awesome). That said, I don’t think the company was purposely trying to “bait and switch” because they still offer so many ways to sever ties if customers are no longer happy. Still, I can understand where people are coming from and appreciate you sharing what you’ve heard, Kelly!
I’d never heard of PV Body before except for on one other blog.. I’ll have to check them out! I totally didn’t realize American Apparel made workout wear, btw — I looooooove their tshirts and leggings, but thought that was all they sold!
I didn’t realize they made workout wear, either, but the pants are awesome!! I’m going to have to check them out in more detail now!