Lululemon helps yogis get the right fit

The benefits of yoga are well documented -- better flexibility and balance, a sense of calm and well-being, stronger, leaner limbs. But for those of us who are not perfectly proportioned, the struggle to find well-fitting yoga gear can be more difficult than a backbend -- and can make yoga's rewards seem out of reach.

Fortunately, Lululemon Athletica has been offering complimentary shortening of its yoga pants since the Vancouver-based shop's inception in 1998. With two local stores -- in University Village and Bellevue -- there's no longer any excuse for Seattle women to let ill-fitting apparel rattle their tree pose.

And you don't have to decide on the spot if you want your newly purchased pants taken up. "You can have them hemmed for the life of the garment," says Lululemon community relations representative Amy Stone. "Many people take months to return and ‘give up' their pants for a few days to have them hemmed."

If too-short pants are your Achilles' heel, there's good news for you, too. Most Lululemon pants come in two lengths, regular and tall, so longer yogis also have options. And the company's soft, stretchy yoga pants are preshrunk, so you don't have to worry about post-alteration shrinkage. Need more encouragement? Sleeves, straps and tank tops can often be altered as well, unless a unique seam or feature prevents it, and Lululemon stores will hem Lululemon products purchased at wholesalers like Zum in Belltown.

Looks like you're running out of excuses to hit the yoga studio.

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