Review: Betabrand Dress Pant Yoga Pants

I was not compensated in any way by Betabrand or any of the 

other brands mentioned in this post.

Pants for People Who Hate Pants

Pants are one of those things that I absolutely hate purchasing, along with shoes (flat feet), bras, oil changes, and cat litter. More often then not, they tend to disappoint. When I do find a trusty pair of work pants, the style is guaranteed promptly disappears from the retailer's website and I will inexplicably gain or lose 5 pounds. (Remind me to write about the joy that is Crohn's disease in a future post.)

Enter the clothing retailer and crowdfunding company Betabrand's dress pant yoga pants. So what are these pants exactly? Betabrand claims that they "combine sophisticated styling with a soft, stretch performance knit. We think they'll be the most comfortable pants you ever wear to work."

Basically, they're yoga pants that you can probably wear to the office without getting fired.

Betabrand stalked me for a solid year before I caved and purchased my first pair of dress pant yoga pants earlier this year. I must've been hit with their Facebook ads fifty times over the past year, but while the concept appealed to me, the $78 price tag seemed a bit much. 

The pants are currently offered in four styles (boot-cut, straight-leg, leggings, and cropped-leg) and a variety of office-friendly colors. To add to the illusion of professionalism, they feature belt loops, a non-functional button and pockets, and a faux zipper. Because nothing screams "I'm an important business lady" like a zipper.

Too good to be true? I thought so, which is why I waited until I started working in an extremely casual office to put these pants to the test. Here's how it went.

Betabrand Dress Pant Yoga Pants - The Yeh

Comfort - 4.5 out of 5

Oh man. So comfortable. Having the ability to work a full work day without feeling pinched or squeezed is simply luxurious. There's not much to say except that they feel like you'd expect. You're essentially wearing stretchy yoga pants to work - it's as simple as that. 

If I were to recommend this to any group of people out there, it would be Crohn's sufferers. Not having to battle the ebb and flow of belly bloat is delightful. And, indeed, you'll find a whole underground community of IBD sufferers out there who sing the praises of these pants. There is nothing worse than having to wear a pair of restrictive pants during a flare up, especially when that pair of restrictive pants is two sizes two big everywhere but the waistline because of said flare up.

I knocked off half a point for mental comfort, which I'll address in the following section. 

Betabrand Dress Pant Yoga Pants - The Meh

Appearance - 3.5 out of 5

The comfort comes at a bit of a cost. With increased stretch and give comes a little bit of lumpiness. There's a reason the models on the site are largely over 5'9 and less than 130 lbs. 

At 5'6" and 133 lbs., you would think that I'm close enough to the template to make it work. Only kind of. While the medium, straight leg dress pant yoga pants are certainly forgiving when it comes to fit, they have a tendency to cling to all of my curves, including my subtle saddlebags. Granted, I've had this issue with plenty of other pants, most notably the J. Crew Minnie in stretch twill. The Betabrand version traverses the curves better than its J. Crew counterpart, but I still don't don't dare wear them in public with my shirt tucked in. The models make it so effortless and chic. Me...well, see for yourself. To be honest, I feel more polished and professional in a nice pair of skinny jeans.

Still, they do pass as dress pants in the workplace. I've paired them with blouses and blazers without any of my colleagues screaming, "THOSE ARE YOGA PANTS!" in the middle of staff meetings. I've even taken in a lunchtime yoga class in them. I'm just feel a little more self-conscious in them than I feel in a pair of lined trousers.

Length - 3 out of 5

A work friend of mine once empathized with my short-legged woes by saying that we both "had the body types of corgis." I'm 5'6", with the torso of a supermodel and the leg length of an Olympic gymnast. I had to Google this latter analogy to see if it's actually a thing. According to Teen Vogue, it is, with the average Olympic gymnast measuring in at only 4 feet, 8 inches tall. 

I digress. With a 29" inseam, I should've opted for the Petite option. But I always like to give my legs the benefit of the doubt. I figured that  I might have had a growth spurt in my 31st year of life and I was a gazelle and I just hadn't realized it yet.  

Of course, that wasn't the case. The minute after tried on the Regular (with an inseam of 32"), I tossed it back in the packaging and sent for the Petite instead. The Petite are a much better fit, though it's clear that these pants are truly designed to be worn with heels rather than flats. This kind of works against the whole notion of having dual-action (board room to yoga studio) pants. No one wants to be stepping on their hems while they're in down dog. 

Betabrand Dress Pant Yoga Pants - The Blegh

Care - 2 out of 5

While not the most delicate of trousers, the Dress Pant Yoga Pants do have specific care instructions. The Betabrand website suggests "Machine wash cold, lay flat to dry or line dry." That's great and all, but my husband isn't going to remember to seek out what looks like athletic pants from the wash and gently lay them out flat. Thus, I fear that my pricey pants might have an unfortunately short lifespan. 

I've noticed that all three pairs get a bit wrinkly. I'm a firm believer in not washing pants after every wear, but the dress pant yoga pants tend to look noticeably rumpled after a single use. I'd take a light ironing to them, but they also seem to be a bit prone to marking and smudging at the slightest brush, so I'm afraid of inadvertently scalding them. 

Just as an FYI - comments on the Betabrand site indicate that the pants shrink significantly after washing.

Price - 2 out of 5

With a price tag of $78, Betabrand Dress Pant Yoga Pants are comparable to a nice pair of trousers from Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, or J. Crew. However, despite its overnight success, Betabrand appears to be a fledgling company, so you're less likely to find a great sale.  I bought one pair 20% off ($74, including shipping and handling), another pair on eBay ($45 with free shipping), and my third pair with a pre-order discount ($68, including shipping and handling). 

To me, they're worth about $50 a pair, so the price is just out of my comfort zone. I'd give it a 3 out of 5, but I knocked another point off for their in-your-face financing options on their product pages. Guys, if you have to pay for your fancy dress pant yoga pants in monthly installments, don't buy them. Just don't. Put down your credit card and step away from the computer. Set up an eBay saved search and wait. Don't put yourself in debt for yoga pants.  And Betabrand, shame on you for telling people they ought to put themselves in debt for yoga pants. Come on.

Conclusion

Come to think of it, not only do I not like shopping for pants, I don't like wearing them all that much either. So consider that before putting too much stock in this review.  

I'd recommend Betabrand dress pant yoga pants if you...

A. Are fortunate enough to have a work situation that allows you prioritize comfort over appearance;

B. Aren't self-conscious about your curves;

C. Have an average to long inseam;

D. Are of means or can wait for a decent sale.

Still intrigued? Try them out. Betabrand's return policy offers 110% store credit or a refund to the purchasing payment method in addition to free, pre-paid return labels for domestic orders. Not bad. 

(But seriously, don't opt for the payment plan.)

Frugal February Pregaming

Knowing that my second annual Frugal February was on the horizon, I definitely spent a good part of January pregaming, both in the online and in-person realms.

My eBay history for the period between January 1st and January 31st is a bit shameful.  While I picked up some quality items, I may have gone slightly overboard.

Let's review, shall we?

Sidney Jacket from J. Crew
Retails for $248
Purchased for $80 (new with tags)

With this purchase, I fell victim to my own strategy.  I've been eyeing this jacket for months, but knew there was no way in hell I could justify spending $248 on a blazer.  And so, I set up a eBay saved search, set the price parameters, and waited patiently.  When it popped up in my subscription feed for $85, I submitted the lowest offer possible and snagged it.  Fits like a dream, too.

Plaza Coat in Wool-Cashmere from J. Crew

Retails for $325

Purchased for $122 (pre-owned)

In Fall, I decided that I had way too many winter coats and cut my collection from from 5 to 2.  However, back in October,  in my haste to secure a classic and versatile camel coat, I accidentally purchased a Lady Day Coat in a lovely but bold rust tone.  It's amazing how a tiny color shift can make a huge difference, but the coat I purchased was a bit too bold and autumnal.  I'll be reselling it on eBay once I have its replacement, which is due to arrive this week.

Blythe Blouse from J. Crew

Retails for $110

Purchased for $12 (pre-owned)

Despite last month's big-ticket purchases, I still let my budget-conscious conscience prevent me from going too crazy.  I very rarely spend more than $20 on an item, and the rest of my purchases for the month were no exception.  And hey, I really needed a black blouse!  It was a steal!

Linen Tippi Sweater from J. Crew

Retails for $72

Purchased for $10 (pre-owned)

Up to this point, every purchase has made at least a little sense.  Here's where it starts getting weird.  Sure, I love J. Crew's Tippi Sweater, but I, as a general rule, don't wear pink.  Out of all the items in my wardrobe, maybe 2 to 3 are pink, and all are the result of strange, impulse-driven eBay shopping. So...why?

Tressa Watercolor Shampoo in Hazelnut

Retails for $15.50

Purchased for $13 (new, never opened)

And this is the point where I lost my mind.  I thought that since I now spent an entire ten bucks on a pink sweater, I needed to dye my hair a non-clashing color.  And so I stripped out the dark red, dyed ash brown over it, and have spent the last month fighting a losing battle with my hair.  This shampoo was supposed to prevent brassiness, so of course I had to have it.  (It doesn't, by the way.) 

Other purchases include a vintage leather tote, a skirt that is neither in my size nor my preferred style, a pair of toe alignment socks, and teeny-tiny stud earrings in the shape of bees.

In short, I am in dire need of a monthlong retail detox.  Seriously, after January's aimless shopping spree, what more could I possibly need?

Tempting eBay Listings

The withdrawals are really starting to ramp up.

I went as far as to put an eBay Buy It Now listing in my cart yesterday.  Then, I screamed, "NOOOOO!" and clicked out of the window.  My co-worker, Emily, texted me and asked me where the banging on our shared wall was coming from.

My mother could sense my distress from 40 miles away.  She FaceTimed me and immediately exclaimed, "Don't do it!"

Let's go take a journey through the items I am doing everything in my power not to bid on...

Girls From Savoy Take Action Dress - Currently $12.50

I may or may not already own this dress in a different pattern.  However, I'd like to defend my desire for this dress by insisting that I could totally rock this color.  A redhead in teal?  Gorgeous, my friends. 

J. Crew Donegal Tweed Schoolboy Blazer - Currently $79.99

The J. Crew Schoolboy Blazer is the most comfortable and flattering blazer in the world.  I'm convinced that I need it in every color and material.  Velvet, tweed, wool, cotton in all the colors of the rainbow.  Don't argue with me.

J. Crew Cece Tortoise Ballet Flats - Currently $50

Remember when I mentioned that I hate shoes?  Shoe shopping really, really stresses me out.  This shoe, however, is the most comfortable shoe ever made.  It's chic, yet heavenly, and comes in solid and pattern styles in suede and Italian leather.  They're divine and I really could wear them every single day.  Sadly, they retail for the obscene price of $138.  $138...for flats!  

J. Crew Caribbean Tweed No. 2 Pencil Skirt - Currently $24.99

Look at this model!  Look at her!  She is so chic and effortless in her fancy skirt and her casual tee with her wavy hair.  She is everything I want to be.  If her life were for sale on eBay, I'd probably buy it.  Instead, only the skirt is available, and I can't even buy that because I'm a masochist.  

Slow Taper

Yay!  Awkward and unnecessary brush effects!

So, when they prescribe me prednisone, they tell me two things: my already round face will start resemble a moon and I must taper off the steroids slowly and carefully.  

Online shopping and steroids are sort of the same, right?  Both involve euphoria, mania, and ill-fitting clothing.  Totally the same. 

I'm slowly weaning myself off my beloved eBay in preparation for Frugal Fabruary, and my tapering plan consists of a three-step plan.  First, I frantically bid on every J. Crew item I could find while screaming, "I'm just not ready!  I can't get through February without a chambray button-down!  And patterns!  I need more patterns!"

Then, on January 21st, I decided enough was enough.  No more bidding on clothing.  Only cheap scarves and necklaces from China.  A lady isn't presentable without a striped infinity scarf.

As of today, I'm not to bid on any more items.  I can ride out the wave of my remaining auctions, but that's it.  This is the end.  For real real, not for play play.

Was that actually three steps or was it just a hot mess of thoughts?