Disclaimer: I was given a Tough Girl Tutu to review. I received no other compensation for this post and I made no promises about what I would say. The following opinions are totally my own.
I am a fan of the girly running outfit. Considering my athletic pursuits growing up were all in ballet (yes, I was a serious bun head), there’s a certain poetic justice in my now wearing a tutu to run, which is something I NEVER imagined myself doing. Also, I think we’re saying something significant when we can be tough athletes and competitors and still stay looking like the beautiful women we are (Katherine Switzer agrees with me:).
I had first heard about the Tough Girl Tutus on the Another Mother Runner Podcast and I knew Dimity and Sara weren’t the type to tell me something was awesome when it wasn’t, so I was very excited when mine came in the mail!
I went with the leopard print and it’s absolutely adorable. I love that the ruffle at the bottom is black. Also, it has two strings in the front to attach your bib. I chose not to do this for Wine and Dine as the bibs are huge and I felt like it covered up too much of the skirt, but for any other race (without a drink voucher at the bottom;) this would have worked great and helped me avoid the whole “I can’t get this darn bib straight no matter what I do” anxiety. And yes, this is a very real thing for me.
They do not come with built in shorts, which, for me, is awesome because I can either wear shorts, capris, or tights depending on the weather.
What I couldn’t have anticipated is that the 13.1 miles of the Wine and Dine would be entirely in the pouring down rain! A lot of my friends were quickly altering their costumes for the weather, but I felt confident my tutu would hold up.
It ABSOLUTELY did. Not only did I not even feel like I was wearing it, it didn’t have any trouble in the rain and in fact, dried faster than any of the rest of my clothing when we finally got to a dry place. As I said in my instagram pic right before the race “this thing is a tough girl tutu not a big diaper baby made of sugar tutu! Bring on the rain!”
I should also tell you that I have a huge problem with anything that scratches, itches or rides up during a race. It’s why I never go to over the top with costumes, even in Run Disney races! I think I have mild sensory issues because this can seriously ruin my day. I can tell you I was amazed that the fabric never scratched and nothing rode up. It stayed right where it was supposed to! I’m an 8 on the bottom and got a medium and it is a little tough to get over my hips, but it would have to be to stay put. I definitely think I got the right size.
This was at about the 12.9 mile marker. I’m still smiling and it’s still in place!! The color on the shirt looks different because it was SOAKING WET! |
They have several colors to choose from and if you’re really into race costumes, you could use any of them as a base. I know Sara and Dimity wore their’s for their Elsa inspired costumes (stole this pic off the internet without their permission somebody go tell them to email me if it’s not OK!).
Now on to the giveaway! I’ll announce the winner here and on the FB page! Good luck! I’m off to figure out which one I want next! The Walt Disney World Marathon is only 9 weeks away and I have to get serious (about what I’m wearing AND about my training!).