Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. When I need an outfit, I often end up at Aritzia — and have done so for at least a decade.
Ariztia was founded in 1984 in Vancouver. It carries several in-house brands including Wilfred , Babaton , TNA and many more — touting it as a destination for “Everyday Luxury.” Aritzia, and its various brands, offer a range of styles, functions and price points, making it an easy go-to for casual wear, office attire and event garb.
When I need a new outfit for an occasion, I usually run into an Aritzia in a last-minute panic and ask one of the always-stylish personnel to select something for me. However, my least favourite part is the fitting room situation, which has evolved over the years. I remember the stores never had mirrors in the individual fitting rooms and you’d have to come out to use the central mirror.
But e-commerce has changed the game, especially when paired with Aritzia’s 14-day return policy . I appreciate Aritizia’s fashion, Canadian roots and the vast yet procured selection of styles. In the past, I’ve usually only explored Ariztia’s office-chic or event-appropriate clothes, so I was excited to try other lines that the brand offers, including its Butter , Sweatfleece and Seamless collections.
I’ve worn, rinsed and washed (and repeated) all of these items — below, I rank them from my most to least favourite. 1. The Effortless Pant | The Effortless Short Why they’re my favourite: The name does the item justice.
The Effortless collection is great for the effortless, a fancy brunch or even working the red carpet . The pants (and shorts) are extremely versatile — they can be dressed down with a graphic tee , dressed up with a nice shirt or worn to work with a blazer . They’re comfortable, wash nicely and don’t crease too much when travelling.
The Effortless Pant is a wardrobe staple. The pants come in shorter, short, regular and tall as well as Curve-Fit — and they come in over 20 colours. Price: Pants, starting from $148 | Shorts, starting from $98 Material: 100% polyester Sizes: 00 – 16 Rating: 10/10 2.
Contour collection — Crew shortsleeve bodysuit | Squareneck bodysuit Why they’re my second favourite: The contour line is ready for everyday adventure. I love that these shirts/onesies keep me feeling taut and looking sleek. They’re supportive but not too tight.
I also like that these are onesies because I like my shirts tucked in. The bodysuits have snaps at the crotch, so they’re easy to put on and off and it’s simple to use the bathroom. These bodysuits look great with the Effortless pants/shorts or denim bottoms.
Price: Starting from $58 Material: 94% nylon, 6% elastane Sizes: 2XS – 2XL Rating: 9/10 3. Cozy Fleece Mega Sweatpant | Cozy Fleece Mega Raglan Hoodie Why they’re my third favourite: I’m a sucker for sweats — I’m also loyal. Event wear is to Aritzia as leggings are to lululemon and sweatpants are to Roots .
I wasn’t expecting to love the Cozy Fleece Mega Sweatpant and Raglan Hoodie as much as I do. They are so big and cuddly. I get excited when they’re clean and ready to wear — they take significant space in the washing machine and dryer — worth it.
The only thing to note, which has decreased as I continue to wash and wear, is the fluff from the inside sheds. I’m not sure if this will affect the sweats’ longevity, but so far, so cozy. The sweatpants come in three lengths and tons of colours and the sweatshirt is also available in many hues.
Price: Sweatpants, $75 | Hoodie, $90 Material: 78% cotton, 22% polyester Sizes: 2XS – 2XL Rating: 7/10 4. The ’90s Marlo Hi-Rise Baggy Jean Why they’re my fourth favourite: These would be a 9/10, but they’re a tiny bit short for me (I’m 5′ 10”). They’re long enough that I can still wear them and I will because they’re flattering and comfortable — no easy task for a pair of 100 per cent cotton jeans.
The ‘90s Marlos are the perfect balance of baggy and straight-legged. They’re high-rise and they accommodate my sturdy thighs. They seem like they have a bit of stretch to them even though there’s no lycra in sight.
These are now my go-to jeans. Price: $128 Material: 100% cotton Sizes: 23 – 32 Rating: 8/10 5. Tuberose Dress Why it’s my fifth favourite: I’m not a dress person, but I like the Tuberose.
I like that it’s fitted on top and flowy on the bottom. It’s flattering and comfortable. I brought it on a trip and it didn’t crease in my suitcase, making it a great travel piece.
I appreciate the adjustable straps and the midi length. It’s an easy-breezy dress that can be worn casually with sneakers or elevated with heels. Price: Starting from $188 Material: 100% recycled polyester Sizes: 2XS – XL Rating: 8/10 6.
Seamless collection — Smooth Seamless Giselle Hip Tube Top | Smooth Seamless Willow Longsleeve Why they’re my sixth favourite: Aritzia’s Seamless collection is refined casual clothing. They’re basic pieces, like shirts and bodysuits, but they’re fitted and appear more formal than a regular tee. I generally dress casually, so appreciate the Seamless collection so I can still rock a t-shirt and pants and feel more put together.
The Giselle Tube Top stays on well — I don’t have to adjust it throughout the day. Price: A range Material: 94% nylon, 6% elastane Sizes: A range Rating: 7/10 7. The Farrah Hi-Rise Wide Jean Why they’re my seventh favourite: They look nice and fit well, but they’re a bit stiffer than my comfort-first self likes.
They’re longer than the ‘90s Marlos, so that’s a plus, and they look just as good (if not a bit better), but I feel more restricted in them. Because I put comfort before style, the Farrahs come lower on the list than the Marlos and all of the super-comfy clothes above. Price: $128 Material: 100% cotton Sizes: 23 – 32 Rating: 6/10 8.
Golden collection — BUTTER New Cheeky Hi-Rise Legging | BUTTER Hold Tight Bra Top | BUTTER Limit Zip Longsleeve Why they’re my eighth favourite: What’s this 8/10 collection doing at the bottom of my list you may be asking — the Golden/BUTTER collection is just not my favourite for athletics. It’s very comfortable and super soft, but I’ve literally seen too much with the leggings. This collection is great for everyday wear, but they’re not my favourite for working out because they go just a little bit sheer when stretched, like in a downward dog.
I like to wear the leggings casually with the hoodie . The bra is great to wear all day, it’s also enough support for me to run in (I have a small chest). The zippered long sleeve is a bit short for my liking.
Overall, I enjoy the Golden collection for the way it feels. Price: A range Material: 80% nylon, 20% elastane Sizes: A range Rating: 8/10 Shopping Essentials is a category written by research-obsessed shopping experts. Explore product reviews, recommendations and launches — plus behind-the-scenes info on your favourite brands and hidden gems — learn more here or sign up for our newsletter .
rmann@ postmedia.com instagram.com/randimann.
