Play Off the Pleats Tennis Skirt Review – Lululemon
I’m a big fan of tennis, which means I own more than 10 tennis skirts and have tried on 10+ tennis skirt brands! I recently splurged and bought the Play Off the Pleats tennis skirt by Lululemon.
Continue reading for my detailed review of the Play off the Pleats Tennis Skirt.
Topics Covered:
- What I love about the Play Off the Pleats Tennis Skirt by Lululemon
- What I didn’t like
- Review of the Play off the Pleats Skirts for playing tennis vs. running
- The best size to buy (size 4 vs. size 6) in the Play off the Pleats tennis skirt
- Review of whether the Play off the Pleats Skirt is too short
Play Off the Pleats Tennis Skirt Review
Overall, I like the Play Off the Pleats Tennis Skirt.
Big picture: It’s a great skirt because it’s 1) the best skirt/pair of shorts I’ve found for running and 2) super cute.
Prefer to watch a YouTube video with a review of the Play Off the Pleats Tennis Skirt? Check out this video by The Jeans Fit.
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Play Off the Pleats Skirt by Lululemon – What I Loved
1. Cute Color – I Love the Play off the Pleats Skirt in Blue Cast (Light Blue)
When I went into Lululemon, I fell in LOVE with the Blue Cast (light blue/light green) Play Off the Pleats tennis skirt. Most of my tennis skirts are dark blue, black, or white. Why not get it in a pretty color?!
Play Off the Pleats Tennis Skirt in Blue vs. Pace Rival Skirt in White
When I asked the store associate for her opinion on whether to buy the Play Off the Pleats Tennis Skirt or the Pace Rival Skirt, she suggested the Play off the Pleats Tennis Skirt.
It not only looked more flattering (read more below), but her words were, “We will always sell the Pace Rival Skirt. We won’t always sell the Play Off the Pleats Skirt, and as much as I love the white tennis skirt on you – the light blue looks even better.”
The Play Off the Pleats skirt in light blue is so feminine and pretty on the eyes. I just love it!
Colors for the Play Off the Pleats Tennis Skirt
In addition to Blue Cast, The Play Off the Pleats Skirt also comes in Cherry Tint, White, and Black. If you search eBay, you can also find older versions of the skirt in Cool Breeze (light blue), Grey Sage, Peach Pink, and Cayenne (red).
2. Pockets – So Many Pockets!
I love taking walks outside, and it’s great when you don’t have to carry a purse with you! The Play Off the Pleats Skirt has pockets on the left and the right-hand side (under the skirt; built into the spandex shorts), a small pocket in the front, and a zipper pocket in the back.
I can easily fit my credit card and COVID mask in a plastic bag in one pocket, my iPhone 11 Plus in another pocket, and my keys in the front pocket.
3. AMAZING Skirt for Running
My FAVORITE thing about the Play Off the Pleats Skirt is that it is THE BEST for running. I used to only wear leggings for running (I love the 90 Degree Leggings on Amazon!), because they 1) preventing chafing on the thighs and 2) had three pockets to hold my credit card/mask, cell phone, and keys.
With the Play Off the Pleats tennis skirt, I can fit everything I need in the pockets, and know that my thighs won’t rub together and cause chafing. Way better than shorts or wearing leggings and being too hot!
4. Grippers to Keep the Shorts from Riding Up
The Play Off the Pleats Tennis Skirt is the ONLY tennis skirt I own with grippers. Tennis players are either “all about the grippers” or they hate grippers. I can go either way.
I’ll admit that the grippers get the job done. The spandex shorts do NOT ride up while playing tennis or running. So more needing to pull your shorts down constantly!!
The grippers are also GREAT for running. You don’t have to worry about your shorts riding up, your thighs rubbing together, and chafing!
5. Cute and Feminine Skirt (Better than Shorts!)
Why wear shorts when you can wear a cute, feminine skirt with shorts underneath?
The Play Off the Pleats Skirt is way more feminine than spandex shorts, and it’s flattering too. The ruffles on the side are cute and feminine, and it’s simply just a good-looking skirt.
6. Washing Machine Friendly
I don’t hand-wash any of my workout clothes. Everything goes into the washing machine on medium/hot or medium/cold water. I get too sweaty to want to hand wash everything. My clothes need a good spin in the washing machine!
I’ve tossed the Play Off the Pleats skirt into the washing machine a few times now and have put it in the dryer for 5-10 minutes before hanging it up to try. So far, the skirt has held up.
Play Off the Pleats Tennis Skirt – What I Didn’t Like
You can’t have an honest review without sharing what you didn’t like. Here’s what I didn’t like about the Play Off the Pleats Tennis Skirt.
1. Too Tight Around the Thighs
I’ll admit it. The tennis skirt grippers are too tight around the thighs for me. The skirt works well for running, but the skirt is bit too tight for. (Note: I couldn’t go a size up. I wear a size 6 in the skirt and the size 8 was too big.)
Honestly, I wear the skirt for running, and then I take it off immediately when I get home. It’s not comfortable like my other tennis skirts. It’s too tight!!
I never choose to wear the Play Off the Pleats tennis skirt for casual walks, tennis, or hiking outside. It’s just too tight not and it’s not comfortable.
Want a more comfortable skirt? Check out this article, which has suggestions for the best tennis skirt brands for women with more muscular thighs (like me!).’
Also, check out this video – where I share my FAVORITE tennis skirt brands. Basically, ALL of them have more room around the thighs than the Lululemon skirt! (And please subscribe to my channel!)
2. It’s Pricey
Most tennis skirts are $50+, so asking $68 for a tennis skirt (especially by Lululemon!) isn’t bad, but it’s also not inexpensive. If the tennis skirt were $48, I’d love it much more.
Want a cheap tennis skirt? Check out this article.
3. Shows Sweat!!
Most of my tennis skirts are polyester and spandex, so don’t show sweat too badly. I remember the first time I wore the Play Off the Pleats Tennis Skirt to a casual tennis practice and was HORRIFIED!! at the sweat showing through. The thin material on the outside just shows sweat more than the material on my other tennis skirts.
4. Not Great for Tennis
The Play Off the Pleats Skirt says that is “designed for tennis,” but I actually HATE the Play Off the Pleats skirt for tennis.
The reason? I don’t like the grippers! Some women swear by grippers on their tennis skirt and some women hate grippers. I personally hate the grippers.
The main reason I DON’T like the grippers are:
1) Too Tight. They are comfortable around my thighs
2) Hard to Stash tennis balls
The grippers just made the shorts too tight for me and uncomfortable.
Plus, the grippers mean that you HAVE to keep tennis balls in the pockets of the skirt vs. easily slipping them under the spandex shorts. I found it to be more cumbersome and time consuming to lift my skirt and put the tennis balls in the pockets versus easily slipping the tennis balls under my shorts.
Plus, the grippers mean you can only hold two tennis balls (one in the pocket on the right and one in the pocket on the left) vs. three or four tennis balls (two under the shorts on one side and one under the other side).
5. Shows Wrinkles
The thin, outer material of the Play Off the Pleats skirt shows wrinkles, unlike my other tennis skirts. Not a big deal, but kind of a pain.
Overall Review of the Play Off the Pleats Skirt for Tennis and Running
Play Off the Pleats Tennis Skirt Review for Tennis – 2 Out of 5 Stars
Overall, due to being too tight and being a pain for holding tennis balls, I give the Play Off the Pleats Skirt 2 stars out of 5 for playing tennis. (Sorry Lululemon!!)
As much as I want to love this skirt, I find myself reaching for my KYODAN, Lija, and Jockey tennis skirts instead for tennis.
Play Off the Pleats Tennis Skirt Review for Running – 4 Out of 5 Stars
https://www.instagram.com/p/CDv66tPjcgX/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
The Play Off the Pleats Skirt is AMAZING for running. It holds everything I need with the pockets, the grippers keep the shorts down, and it is way more attractive than wearing spandex shorts.
I’d give the skirt 5 out of 5 starts if the areas around the thighs was a bit roomier.
Play Off The Pleats Tennis Skirt vs. Pace Rival Skirt at Lululemon
When I went to Lululemon, I tried on both the Pace Rival Skirt and the Play Off the Pleats Skirt.
I’ve seen DOZENS (not exaggerating!) of women in the Pace Rival Skirt on the Beltline in Atlanta. The white skirt is very popular!
When I tried on both skirts, the Play Off the Pleats Tennis Skirt looked much better on me. I didn’t love the horizontal lines on the Pace Rival Skirt, and it lacked the cute, feminine flare and ruffles that the Play Off the Pleats skirt has. It just seemed boring to me.
FAQs About the Play Off the Pleats Tennis Skirt
What size should I get in the Play Off the Pleats Tennis Skirt?
I’m 5’ 6” and weight 135-140 pounds and bought a size 6 in the Lululemon Play Off the Pleats Skirt. From the Lululemon reviews online, some women say that the skirt fits true to size while others say it fits a bit smaller than the other Lululemon shorts and skirts.
In general, Lululemon tends to run a bit small. For example, I’m a size 6 at Lululemon but a size 4 at Anne Taylor and J Crew.
Is the Play Off the Pleats Skirt too short?
Some reviews online say that the Play Off the Pleats Tennis Skirt is too short.
It’s 13”, which is the standard length for most tennis skirts are.
Is 13 inches too short? Not in my opinion. Yes, it is short – but not too short (and I’m relatively conservative with my skirts!).
Should I get the Play off the Pleats Skirt in White or Black?
I like white more. It’s more feminine and pretty. Plus, white is the more “fashionable” color to wear in tennis.
Here’s me wearing white for a match day!
https://www.instagram.com/p/CB83SgKD-12/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
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Lots of love!
Chrissy from The Jeans Fit (Just a girl who is passionate about health, fitness, athleisure apparel, tennis, and Pure Barre!)
