As Meridith and I strolled along Pearl Street Mall checking out the BolderBOULDER Expo a few weeks back, we came across a pretty purple tent. Being purple, and being that purple is the best color in the world, we were immediately curious. As we got closer we could see the tent was full of cute tops and pants and bras and every good thing (in the way of athletic wear, anyway). Stewarding the tent was a very nice person named Debbie Pedersen. Debbie is the force behind My Inspire Wear, an athletic wear company with an agenda, and one that Meridith and I could easily get behind.
In Debbie’s words, she is an entrepreneur that is committed to inspiring the world and giving back to non-profits that focus on breast cancer prevention. The apparel is made of bamboo fabric, which is extremely soft, breathable, moisture-wicking and eco-friendly. She says “My Inspire Wear wants to motivate you to be the best you can be! Inspirational products include tank tops, pants, skorts, headbands, water bottles, socks and even tees and briefs for the guys! If you know a breast cancer survivor, check out the zipper pocket sports bra, specifically designed for post-surgery. This bra is like no other on the market!”
Methinks Debbie is good people and My Inspire Wear is doing good work for the cancer community, for the planet, and for women. When Debbie gave us each a bra to take home and try out, we were stoked! I think I can honestly say that they were a hit pretty much immediately. Here’s why.
I love the Breathe bra that Debbie gave me. If she only knew how perfect it was for me because sometimes I really need a reminder to just take a moment and breathe. If I could, I would have chill pills on auto-refill. Luckily, I have yoga.
Although I’m not as busty as some…scratch that. Although I’m not as busty as most women, it’s still a challenge for me to find supportive sports bras. For the most part, many I try are overkill for my A cups or are super flimsy and made for hanging around the gym but not working out in the gym. All looks and no substance.
The My Inspire Bra was just right for me, giving me enough support for running, cycling, and vinyasa flow yoga while still feeling light, cool and comfortable. I even wore it to work under my dress clothes. Bamboo is one of my favorite fabrics for its softness and moisture-wicking qualities, as well as its sustainability. And it’s still feminine and pretty!
This will likely be my go-to bra because it isn’t loaded with tight elastic or spandex that feels constrictive like most of my other sports bras, instead I’m just supported and happy and running freeeeeeee!
The bra that I was given by Debbie to try is the “achieve” bra and I can say I definitely did just that!
I have a few bamboo shirts and I truly love the soft, breathable material. However I wasn’t sure how a bra would stand up to my… um, my girls. I’ve been blessed with a larger chest (how’s that for looking on the bright side of life?) and I don’t want to hurt myself while working out. As such, I tend to lean toward things I know work for me – that includes bras, sneakers, food, and workouts.
In the interest of branching out I decided that June would be a time for me to try new things! I’ve taken the month off from running due to my plantar fasciitis but that doesn’t mean I have to sit still. We all know that’s impossible!
My “testing” of this bra was threefold. First, I slipped this bra on immediately after the Bolder Boulder race to hang out with Jenn and her family. Don’t worry, a shirt was involved too! It was so comfy (and I was so tired), I wound up sleeping in it that evening; that was awesome too.
The comfort during two non-workout events spurred me on to give it a true test: a spin class. My dear friend Brandi teaches at the recently opened Upcycle, a really cool spin and yoga studio in my area. I’ve always wanted to check out spinning and I figured two birds, one stone!
What goes with a message bra? A message shirt, of course! Donning my Inspire bra and my Don’t Forget to be Awesome shirt, I arrived at the studio, ready to roll. Brandi made sure I knew how to set up my bike, assisting other newbies too, and then we were off, journeying through songs and tedious hills!
For forty-five minutes, we jammed out to awesome music and I sweat all over the bike, the floor, my water bottle, and my bra and my shirt. From the seated position to standing from my saddle during the “hills”, my chest felt good and supported. I bopped up and down, the girls did not. Trust.
You can see from this picture we took after the class, my shirt isn’t at all sweaty besides a bit under the armpits. Easy breezy! The bra, not the class. The class was a workout!
Did the bra “achieve”? You betcha! And so did I.
Another pleasant surprise, My Inspire Wear is affordable. *Gasp* I know. Their pants are under sixty bucks, and these bras? $19.99 folks. That’s like, unheard of. Debbie is so fantastic that she even gave us a discount code, scoot10, to share with you guys. We highly recommend checking them out!
