We Tried the New Collection From Outdoor Voices
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Over the summer, it was announced that Ty Haney had officially rejoinedOutdoor Voices. The brand’sInstagram accountwas wiped clean and then filled with images of wavy-print shorts and sports bras, bedazzled hoodies, and pieces made from a new fabric calledBubble Wrap. Many of the designs are squarely athleisure, like a kelly-green skirt that could as easily be worn to play tennis as it would be to go out for drinks. Other pieces, like a cropped cardigan, looked almost like something you could wear to the office. And just this week, the brand expanded the line with anequestrian collection, which includes jodhpurs, rugby shirts, and “cowgirl” jeans.
We’ve long been fans of OV, so we were excited to see the relaunch of its updated stretchyexercise dresses, supersoftCloudKnit fabric, andlined gym shorts— and to try the new pieces from Haney’s return to the brand. To find out how the relaunch pieces compare to the originals, my colleague Sam Daly and I set out to test the OV Court collection. Here, you’ll find our thoughts on the pieces we’d wear to work out, the ones that are nice enough to wear to the office, and the ones that didn’t quite pass muster.
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Sam:I decided to size up on this sweater to an XL after seeing how small it looked on the model.(I’m five-foot-five and usually wear a size large, or a 10 or 12.)I’m glad I did, and I even wish Outdoor Voices had created a wider size range. The arms are short; my entire wrists get exposed regularly when I’m not standing with my arms at my side. The hem hits squarely at my waist, making it definitively cropped. Because it looked so teeny on the site, I wasn’t disappointed when I tried it out in person; it’s just not super-versatile, especially as we approach autumn. That said, I do appreciate that there isn’t gaping at the buttons in the chest area. The rounded collar is a nice touch, too.
Brenley:As ourresidentsweatertester, I was super-excited to try out this cardigan. For reference, I’m five-foot-five, a size medium in tops, a small in bottoms, and usually wear a size 4 or 6. I took my regular size, M, and, like Sam, felt that the arms were shorter than I was expecting, though I do consider my shoulders to be broader than my waist. The cropped fit also makes it a little less versatile — I typically prefer an oversize fit. I did like the material, a lightweight combination of mostly cotton and cashmere, making it a nice layer to have when commuting to and from a workout class. I went for the shade Mustang, which is a hot pink, and I love how the bright color makes it a statement piece.
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Sam:This was the first piece from the new collection that really caught my attention, and I’m happy to report that it did not disappoint. The fit is a little less boxy than other oxford shirts in my wardrobe, which is nice for days when I want more shape to my outfits. The fabric is so crisp and smooth, but not in a way that makes you feel chilly. It’s akin to being able to wear your nicest pair of pajamas outside. I know this isn’t technically an athletic garment, but I think I could lift some barbells in this. I can reach every which way with no pulling on the sleeves or back, and the buttons don’t gap around the chest. 10/10 for me.
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Sam:I own three pairs of Outdoor Voices’s (now-discontinued)FreeForm shorts, so I was game to try out a different fit. Overall, these are fine. I’m not sure I agree with the “medium-rise” descriptor. Maybe it’s my early-aughts trauma, but these feel low-rise to me. Basically, all my underwear peeks out the top when I put these on and requires some major adjustment if I don’t want horrific VPL. The main reason I love my FreeForms is because of how soft the fabric is. Whatever blend they used for the Gemini shorts is a very close second, because they are just as buttery smooth as promised. As a thicker-thighed person, I normally hate when shorts have elastic at the bottom of the leg opening. This wasn’t egregious on the Gemini shorts, but I could have done without it. I did notice that it was helpful for keeping the legs in place while jogging, but when I was doing exercises on the floor, it just made the legs hike up and cut into my thighs.
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Brenley:While this exercise dress looked promising online and even when I initially tried it on, I was ultimately disappointed in the design. The built-in sports bra and adjustable straps were highlights, but the lack of hidden shorts made this a challenging option for activities that require actual movement, like playing tennis or golf. Even walking my dog on a trail felt a bit worrisome given the lack of coverage underneath. The pleats are a fun bonus and a trend we noticed over the summer, but I much prefer the brand’soriginal exercise dress.
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Outdoor Voices Court Skort 2.5”
Brenley:The skort is made with the original Textured Compression material, so it has a medium-weight feel on the body. Unlike the Sporty dress, the skort has built-in shorts, which meant I gravitated toward it quite a bit more. The other features I loved were the thick, high-rise waistband and contrast stitching.
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Sam:I’m not a huge fan of sports bras — I much prefer myArq bras— but I was willing to give this a go since it seemed more tank-top-like than bralike in the pictures. Unfortunately, it squashed my boobs in the way that all bad sports bras do. I’m a size 36B, so I’m not sure why this caused such a flattening at size L. It wasn’t uncomfortable, per se, but it felt unflattering. I did like the feel of the bra, which felt more like a cotton tee than your typical overly smooth athletic fabric.
Brenley:I tried a size M, and my biggest gripe was with the material. It’s made in the brand’s mid-weight Textured Compression material, but it’s not as soft as I like my sports bras to be. It’s surprising for OV, since its fabrics typically hit the mark in the comfort department; however, it makes sense since the fabric is mostly polyester and only 14 percent spandex. I do appreciate that the straps are nice and wide, providing good support.
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Sam:I liked this bra a lot better. It has that typical athleticwear-fabric feel, which helped it remain fairly undetectable under my workout tee. The slimmer straps made me feel like I was wearing a normal bra. (Which might just be my goal with sports bras, I’m now realizing.) So there was no excessive boob squishing like the Orbit. However, I really had to tighten up the straps because I had severe nip slippage almost immediately into my workout.
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Brenley:Capri pants made a comeback this summer, and this OV outfit is certainly serving Carrie Bradshaw. Made from the new Bubble Wrap fabric, the Love bra and Grass Capri were my favorites of all the styles I tested, but you certainly won’t catch me wearing them in a Solidcore class. Though the Love bra, a bandeaulike top, isn’t super-practical for exercise (it’s just asking for a boob slip), I found the Grass Capri to be perfect for low-impact workouts like mat Pilates with weights or yoga. And I adore the Outdoor Voices script logo on the back waistband. The Bubble Wrap material was also a pleasant surprise since it’s soft and has an airy, cottony feel.
Our takes on OV’s new collection
Sam:I was pleasantly surprised by the fabrics, which were all delightfully soft and comfortable (in slightly different ways). I can see myself wearing the Sun shirt a lot, but the fit of the other pieces left a lot to be desired. Unfortunately, I can’t help but feel that both new collections — both the one we tested as well as the new equestrian-focused capsule — are steeped in the cultural shift back to “skinny is better.” I hope that Outdoor Voices’s push to be more fashion-forward than collections past doesn’t also see it cutting corners when it comes to size inclusivity. Most of the pieces only go up to a size XL — a size that, at the time of publication, is sold out in a lot of styles.
Brenley:This collection showed that now, more than before, Outdoor Voices is making a strong push for more fashion-y pieces that can transition from the workout studio or hiking trail to an afternoon on the town or an evening out. I agree with Sam that some of the pieces did feel rather skimpy and the sizing wasn’t very inclusive. There’s definitely a conversation to be had here around the skinny movement that seems to be silently percolating in fashion, and perhaps now in the activewear space (I’m a retired collegiate runner who spent plenty of time dealing with the pressure of being thin in my sport). While I loved the new buttery-soft Bubble Wrap fabric and the Love bra and Grass Capri combination, it’s honestly a bit unrealistic for every day and could be seen as “thinspiration.” As this was deemed OV Court, the Court skort 2.5” and Orbit bra are likely my only choices for my next pickleball outing.
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