It’s almost February, which means… just a few months until the Tenacious Ten! We are so excited to be putting on our 2^nd annual Tenacious Ten in our hometown of Seattle. Saturday, April 21^st at Gas Works Park. Need a little extra motivation to register? Well here you have it!

Top 10 reasons to register for the Tenacious Ten in 2018!

1. Take a running tour around Lake Union. It’s beautiful! And... the Fremont Bridge won’t go up during your race.

2. You can choose the 10k OR 10 mile (although the 10-mile distance is going fast!)

3. Jess Barnard is singing the national anthem.

4.Pace groups will be led by Oiselle Nesters (maybe Sally will lead your group!)

5. We’ve got a Ten10 training plan just for you!

6. If you register in the Oiselle store at University Village in the month of February, you get $5 discount (even higher discount with Oiselle purchase!) AND a free Oiselle hat.

7. Race packet pickup has a sweet Oiselle pop-up and photo ops with Oiselle elite runners and designers!

8. Free race photos for download!

9. Registration gives you entrance to goal setting and race preparation talk with Lauren Fleshman, Friday April 20^th. 

10. You’ll thank yourself for getting TENACIOUS. Register here!

BY: TAMMY WHYTE

I always enjoy the start of a new year, as it's a natural time to reflect on how the previous year went and the goals I want to accomplish in the year to come. 2017 was a great year for me as a runner. I set 3 new PR's, including breaking 1:45 in the half marathon which is something I've been chasing for years. Because of this, writing goals for 2018 seemed to be more of a challenge. Time goals are always the first things to come to mind, but I knew I didn't want 2018 to just be about hitting certain times. As a member of the Volée, and as a coach of other runners, I have found my growing community to be even more important to me - both in my success as a runner and in my ability to rebound from the challenges that come from putting in the miles day after day. So, connecting community to my goals in some way made sense. Does having only one time goal scare me a bit? Of course! The destination has always been my primary focus in the 7+ years of my adult running life, but I've decided that my 2018 running goals will be more about my journey - the community, the training, and the fun.

From running on a State Championship high school team, to overcoming injury with the help of her Stanford teammates, to now building new relationships with Oiselle... Haute Volée 1500m runner Rebecca Mehra reminds us of the power of support. 

Team, teammates, teamwork… all words that have become incredibly important in my daily vocabulary over the years. Teammates are those wonderful people in your life who have a shared mindset and goals, are there for you at your best and your worst, and in turn become your friends for life. 

I spent this past winter vacation at my parent’s house in Los Angeles, hanging out with many of my high school cross country teammates. To this day, many of them are still some of my best friends. In fact, throughout the years since high school, these friends have been in varying states of fitness, but still roll out to run with me, take my splits at workouts, and cheer me on when I need it most. We battled through workouts in the blistering heat during our afternoon summer practices, and through the frustrating losses of multiple years of 2^ndplace finishes at the state meet. But no matter the conditions I was ready to leave it all out on the cross country course every time, because I watched my teammates around me doing just that. We were on a mission together to succeed - a synergistic enthusiasm to run and win together. Finally, my senior year both the boys and girls teams won the state meet in cross country. Though some may say it was a coincidence, I would beg to differ… it was our team-oriented nature that made all the difference.

Fast forward to college, and my running career didn’t come as easy- I had many more lessons to learn about being on a team. Though my high school teammates taught me how to work towards a goal, dealing with the ups and downs of injury was not yet in my wheelhouse. When I got my first stress fracture winter of my freshmen year, I was beside myself. Getting back into shape was so tough! I am forever grateful though that I had a teammate who was willing to drive me out to running trails every weekend, and stick with me through my slower paces as I inched back towards racing shape. This teammate of mine had experienced a few stress fractures, so understood that it’s easier to get through hard times with company. From that point she and I became training partners the remainder of that year. Thereafter both she and I had our best track seasons, stronger than ever after conquering our injuries, together. As true teammates. 

When I began to approach professional running, I was concerned I wouldn’t find as much fulfillment with it as I no longer was going to be operating on a “team” in the traditional sense. I no longer would be living with my teammates, reporting to practice at the track daily, and sitting on a bus to go to meets. But as a Oiselle Haute Volée athlete I am actually surrounded and uplifted by thousands of other women with whom I share a mindset and goals. This summer I was halfway across the world competing against another Haute Volée, Sasha Gollish, and we later bonded over our shared Oiselle identity and became great friends.

This group of inspiring, competitive, and compassionate Oiselle women are trailblazers in the running community, and I couldn’t ask for a better group to now call my teammates.  

Speaking of teammates it's the last few days of our Oiselle Volée opening! To join us click here!

She’s not just a sexy number (Pantone number 18-3838 if you must) but an idea…a lifestyle…a history…a yummy condiment not unlike Welch’s Grape Jelly and other sweet things from childhood.

We couldn’t miss out on the Ultra Violet, color of the year, so it appears throughout our Spring 18 Collection.

But 2018 will be a celebration of ALL THINGS PURPLE.

We salute you Ultra Violet, beloved number 18-3838, you might be trendy today – but we love you forever.

The color purple is often associated with royalty, nobility, luxury, power, and ambition. Purple also represents meanings of wealth, extravagance, creativity, wisdom, dignity, grandeur, devotion, peace, pride, mystery, independence, and magic.

Photo by Little Pickle Press

Alice Walker got purple:

“I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it.” - Celine in "The Color Purple"

Purple combines the stability of blue and the energy of red.  

Our dearly beloved Prince, RIP, explained the meaning of "Purple Rain" as follows: "When there's blood in the sky – red and blue = purple... purple rain pertains to the end of the world and being with the one you love and letting your faith/god guide you through the purple rain."

I never meant to cause you any sorrow. 
I never meant to cause you any pain. I only wanted to one time to see you laughing. I only wanted to see you .Laughing in the purple rain Honey, I know, I know
, I know times are changing. 
It's time we all reach out for something new, that means you too. You say you want a leader but you can't seem to make up your mind I think you better close it and let me guide you to the purple rain - Prince

Purple is a feeling:
How does the color purple make you feel? People often describe this color as mysterious, spiritual, and imaginative. Purple tends to occur rarely in nature, so it is viewed as rare and intriguing.

“I was very against pink and purple when I was young, because they were girls' colors. But that was only because I didn't want people to write me off for what I can do. When I got into my 20s, I decided that was stupid.” - Danica Patrick

Jimi Hendrix Pruple Haze By David Dehner

“Purple haze all through my brain, lately things dont seen the same
Actin funny, but i dont know why....excuse me while i kiss the sky” - Jimi Hendrix

Purple gets our vote:
In the early 20th century, purple, green, and white were the colors of the Women's Suffrage movement, which fought to win the right to vote for women, finally succeeding with the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1920. Later, in the 1970s, in a tribute to the Suffragettes, it became the color of the women's liberation movement.^[46]

The power of purple.
The ultra-love of Ultra Violet.
There’s a million takes… all of them beautiful.

BY: NICOLE FREEMAN

“The greatest teacher, failure is”- Yoda.

I’m a big Star Wars fan. Whether or not you’re a fan of a galaxy far far away, I think there are themes which resonate with endurance athletes. In the latest flick, Luke Skywalker decides it’s time to quit and turn his back on the people counting on him. But in a critical moment, Yoda reminds him that the story of success is long, and failure is a key character.  

Something about reframing your perspective to embrace failure is inspiring. Honestly, I wish I had realized this earlier in my life -- fear of failure kept me sidelined for far too long. But I’m familiarizing myself with failure. It’s a bummer, no matter how many times you fail, it’ll always be a bummer. But I’m learning to be okay with that.  And since the road to reaching a goal is long and marked with failure, it’s helpful to have good company. And I can’t think of better company than the Oiselle Volée (shout out to @BigAppleBirds). I could gush forever about how these women have enriched my life. But to keep it short and sweet, it’s nice to know there are people in your corner. We’re there for each other to ease the sting of failure but also there to celebrate the victories. 

I don’t really need to think about what my goals for 2018 are, because they are pretty much the same as 2017 #alwaysfailing. I know these goals will take years. I know the chances of reaching them this year are slim. But, ultimately, they’re what I want to accomplish. So, I’m preparing myself to fail better this year. I’ll let myself marinate in my disappointment but then come away with positives. And above all, I’m really grateful to have the opportunity to learn from a teacher like failure.

The best athletic fabrics serve many masters:

1. High performing - yep, they take the sweat like a champ.
2. Ready to move - can easily run, jump, roll, or leap.
3. Strong but soft - enduring, but so wonderful to wear.
4. Beautiful to the eye - rich and consistent in color.

At Oiselle, we're very picky - only choosing among the best on the market. And it takes a lot for a fabric to win its way into our line.

Introducing Hawkeye: a pin-hole knit that checks off all of the boxes. And that, when combined with two of our other winningest fabrics - including Nelle™ Compression and Mio Mesh - produces styles that are as ready to workout as they are to go out. From the run and the race - to the rumble! All of the above.

LAYOVER TANK

Birds fly and so does this tank. It combines our new pin-hole Hawkeye fabric with two overlapping layers of the always beautiful (but always lasting) Mio Mesh. The result is a simple but elegant design that brings subtle movement and visual interest...a bit of flight, even when you're not flying.

HAWKEYE 3/4 TIGHTS

We know because they tell us: the ladies love a 3/4 tights. And they love tights in our Nyelle™ Compression because it's soft, stretchy and forms to the body without having to tug or pull. We added asymmetrical interest in the lower legs, with our new Hawkeye fabric - which will also keep your legs cooler, for those warmer days when you still want to wear leggings or tights.

HAWKEYE CAP SLEEVE

When is a running top more than a running top? When it has fierce, mesh-inset panels that show off a graphic arrow design. Combining the new Hawkeye fabric with our light and lovely Mio Mesh that provides both visual interest as well as high heat ventilation. A shaped hem makes it all the easier to wear.

HAWKEYE TANK

A sister style to the Mio Mesh Tank, the Hawkeye Tank includes both our new pin-hole Hawkeye fabric in the front with our Mio Mesh back design that is specifically designed to benefit runners. All smooth and high neck in the front - combined with visual interest in the back. Looks beautiful with any of our new sports bras, including the Team Bra and  Ballard Bra.

MIO MESH DRESS

Unchanged from seasons' past - with the exception of our new Hawkeye fabric being the under-layer of the dress. Still light and effortless, the two fabrics work together to create a dress with beautiful motion - that's ready to travel the world.

Haute Volée Pole Vaulter and Oiselle staffer, Kristina Owsinski, explains what team has meant to her throughout her athletic career. 

Team: a group of players forming one side in a competitive game or sport.


My Definition of Team: A community that supports me, pushes me, and holds me up when I’m down. My Tribe.

I’ve been an athlete my whole life, but weirdly never felt as though I was a part of a quote on quote, “team.” I’ve always participated in individual events that reflected individual performance. Gymnastics until I was 14 and Pole Vault until now. From this, I’ve had to create my own definition of team.

On youth teams and in High School I may not have had this exact definition but I knew that we would always have something in common that brought us together. From High School to College I went in with the same mindset and my college teammates never let me down. They pushed me every day to be the best athlete I could be. I had so many moments of success on the track and every single occasion was shared with the people who helped get me there.

Transitioning from a college team to pursuing a pole vault career on my own was scary. I knew I needed help but I had no idea how to ask for it. I think this mindset comes from society constantly telling us success must be earned individually. That despite our individual identities, we all start on a level playing field... clearly this isn’t true. It ingrains the practice of never asking for help, never depending on a community to lift you up or push you to your greatest limits, and I think those are all the aspects of being on a team that I love.

The definition of team has changed for me over the years. As I get older and more competitive I need a team behind me not for my greatest accomplishments but for my lowest lows. Joining the Haute Volée team here at Oiselle has given me the comfort of being able to turn to people when I fail. However, the biggest gain I’ve felt from joining the O family has been from my Volée team members. There are women all over the world that I feel have my back. We are all a part of this community that believes in supporting and empowering women and I have never felt so connected to so many people I’ve never met. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve teared up from hearing the same story of the cowbell corner that kept someone going. I understand why community is so important.

Although I’m not a runner and I don’t get to experience a cowbell corner during my competition, the love and encouragement I get every day from the wonderful people in my Oiselle community are equivalent. For me I know this isn’t the last definition of team I will form. I will gain more and give more for the rest of my days because I know how important it is to find your tribe and love them hard. 

The Volée is now accepting new members. Click here to join us!

Body movement. Therein lies happiness. And ladies amiright, all we really need is a sports bra and a pair of shoes and we’re good to go. (Okay, bottoms too, check)

Our Spring 18 sports bras collection is both a reinvestment in the styles we know you love, as well as an expansion into new designs and fits. Between new fabrics, new designs, plus a range of coverage and support, there’s a lot here for the women who love to run!

TEAM BRA

The new Team Bra is a sister bra to the beloved Hi Ten! An identical silhouette, it is the sports bra that is comfortable enough to also be a daily bra. Whether worn on its own, or beneath layers, the branded silkscreen also brings the chutzpah.

Design team insight:

- We updated the liner to a more supportive eyelet mesh. In addition to better support for high impact, its structure improves moisture management during intense exercise, keeping you drier.

- We updated and reinforced the straps with encased elastic - which prevents the strap from collapsing and more evenly distributes weight.

- Compression level 1 – high impact for A/B cups

LESKO BRA

A favorite person and style! When we first debuted this sports bra I noted that, just like its namesake Sarah Lesko, it was ready for action (I mean, c’mon, Lesko is Chief of Shenans!) As a sports bra, it’s been an ideal choice for A/B/C cup women who are looking for mid-level front coverage and good support.

Design team insight:

- We updated the liner (same as all of our bras this season) with our more substantial eyelet mesh that improves overall support.

- The straps include encased elastic to reduce collapsing of the fabric, and the chest band has a new, cleaner construction/stitching.

- Did we put birds on it? Yes we did.

- Compression level 2 – high impact for A/B/C

BRILLIANCE BRA

We’ve made some important tweaks to the Brilliance Bra this season – with improved padding at the shoulders, a new bonded, flat construction adjustable clasp, and more supportive liner.

Design team insight:

- The new liner fabric and adjustable back clasp all work together to form a more comfortable feeling where it matters most.

- The bonded clasp is exceptionally soft with no edges to scratch or rub.

- Compression level 2 – high impact for A/B/C

BAE BRA

The Bae Bra returns as a well-loved favorite. The body fabric, Nyelle™ Compression is incredibly popular because it’s both soft and supportive. This style’s wide but adjustable straps make it easier to customize to your body length.

Design team insight: Our mighty mesh, in the rear center of the bra, might look delicate, but it’s incredibly strong. The mesh makes it ideal for not only running, but cross training, spinning, and other indoor training where sweat levels increase.

BALLARD BRA

We’ve long been known for our strappy style and the Ballard brings it! The newest style to our line up, the Ballard has a double strap system that is also very secure and in our beloved Nyelle Compression. Mesh detailing at the front provides both additional coverage and a beautiful design line.

Design team insight: From small cups to bigger, a lot of women want longer front length in their bras, and higher sides – both to prevent boob spillage. Staff wear testers rate the Ballard highest in this area, making it a great choice for running at A/B/C cups, and low impact or daily wear for D or DD.

MOJO BRA

New! The Mojo Bra combines the compression and functionality of a sports bra with the design interest of a daily driver. Flat, comfortable straps and removable cups have already made it a favorite at the nest!

Design team insight: We combined three great fabrics, including Plya™ Stripe, Nyelle™ Compression and athletic mesh to deliver ideal comfort. Pair it with an open back top and voila!

HIGHLY STRUCTURED SUPPORT

For those of you who have expressed that you'd love to see Oiselle sports bras include significant internal structure, as well as independent band and cup sizing, please know we hear you - and are working on solutions. In the meantime, if you need a running sports bra with significant support/engineering, we recommend you check in with our friends at Title Nine who have some great options.

As always, if you have any questions about our newest styles, or how to select your size, please don't hesitate to email us at [email protected]

Head up, wings out!

What is the meaning of team? We queried some of our Haute Volée: "What has team meant to you throughout your life? As you've pursued your athletic career how has the team dynamic changed? What were the differences from a high school team, to a college team, to a team that includes women who run for passion, and women who run for profession? In what ways has a team pushed you to grow, or kept you inspired?"  

First up, Becki Spellman, marathoner, mom, and coach. 

I loved running from the beginning, to a fault. When I met my teammates for the first time, I was 12, I had no idea the impact they would have on my life. I was a selfish, arrogant, do it on my own sort of athlete... I took my team for granted. My teammates taught me that others counted on me, and how to trust and count on them. I spent most of my time with them, we shared goals, fears, excitement, and failures alongside each other. I loved it. I felt loss moving to college, and fear of the unknown.

My college teammates became my family. I grew with them and felt connected to their hopes and dreams. We supported one another, fostered each other’s dreams, and challenged each other to dream bigger on and off the track. Running allowed us to be there for one another through the good, the bad, and the downright ugly of growing into adults while chasing scary dreams. When college ended, I could not wrap my mind around not having a team. I remember telling a teammate I could not believe it. The sound of our footsteps was comforting, I relied on them for so much and the thought of losing that would not register as reality. I had a strong support system around me but missed my teammates every day.

In 2009 when I found Oiselle, neither the Volée nor Haute Volée were in existence, but I felt a sense of closeness with the Nest. I knew there was something special about Oiselle. Oiselle knew at its core how a team enriched lives, and strengthened souls, beyond just running partners. It understood that connections could cross any distance, and give strength to relationships through sport. With the formation of the Volée and Haute Volée teams, I have met incredible women at all levels of the sport. A new team, with no end date. I rarely go a week without speaking to some of my Haute Volée and Volée teammates. We talk when things get rough, when things go great. We share our biggest hopes, dreams, fears, failures, and successes, not just in running but in life.

I am surrounded by thousands of women who support me and give me the incredible opportunity to support them. I know now that my heart could not understand the reality of being teamless, because it knew it never would be. Somehow I knew there was a team, even if not yet made, waiting for me, with open arms to embrace my passion, my imperfections, my highs, my lows, and to give me people to invest my love and passion for sport and life in. While I miss the day to day time spent with my teammates of the past, the support, connections, and friendships are every bit as strong from my incredible Volee teammates. I am forever thankful to my teammates past and present for showing me how beautiful it is to be a part of something bigger than myself. 

Becki

The Volée is now accepting new members. Click here to join us!

When you graduate from college.

When you graduate from self-doubt.

When you stop trying to fix other people.

When you need some sister time.

When you want to see what your body can do.

When you want to remember what your body can do.

When you don't have time for therapy.

When you want to run for something bigger.

When you want to find a squad.

When you’re a leg woman.

When you enjoy poop jokes.

When no one else will listen to your run stories.

When you need to take yourself less seriously.

When you need a safe place to risk and fail.

When you want to learn from others.

When you’re recovering from loss.

When you need reminders of how to fly.

When you want see and share humanity.

When you need a cheer squad.

When you need a run, eat, laugh, and high five squad.

When you need to get out of your own head.

When you need to get out of your own house.

When you need to first put on your own oxygen mask.

When you want to do something that’s just for you.  

When you want to learn from strong women.

When you want to run in service of others.

When you want to show how that uterus won't fall out.

When you want to sleep better.

When you want to de-stress and woman-up.

When you need accountability.

When you want to feel alive.

When showing up for others fills your soul.

When being showed up for grows your heart.

The Volée is now accepting new members. Join us.

Volée team member Miranda Santee shares her prologue card, and the big goals she isn't afraid to chase.

Last year I set the big, scary goal of running a 3:25 marathon. I loved having a goal that I wasn't quite sure I could reach. With each workout, I started to slowly build up the confidence that I could run a 3:25. The last month of training took a major toll, though, and my confidence started to decrease. I had nagging pain each run that wouldn't let up. I felt tired. I was having major GI issues, and I was unable to run the last 2 weeks of training due to getting sick. I toed the line on race day sick, tired, and with no confidence. It showed, as I ran/walked to a 4:30 finish, missing my A goal by over an hour. 

I've reflected back on that scary goal a lot, wondering if I set myself up for failure by choosing a goal that I wasn't really sure was achievable. But if I've learned anything through that experience, it's that the scary goals are the ones worth going after. Although race day didn't turn out the way I wanted it to, I trained to a 3:25 marathon for that entire cycle and nailed my paces more often than not. My goal for Eugene is to break (and preferably crush) the 4 hour mark. I think some races are meant to fulfill big, scary goals, and others are meant to help you get there. My big, scary goal is to BQ within the next year, and building up my confidence while chipping away at my time in Eugene is going to be a major stepping point in getting there. Sub-4, I'm coming for you! 

Since their launch in 2016, Spandos have celebrated the bold and the beautiful; the fun and the fierce. And while it’s true the prints lead the way, the secret sauce of Spandos is in the fabric. Made from an ultra-premium compression knit that is known for preventing sheerness, our Plya™ Interlock is one of a kind.

So what’s new in 2018? Just some small updates that improve fit, and an expanded collection!

A NEW SPANDOS SPORTS BRA

Designed with the same silhouette as our super popular She-Roes Sports Bra, the Spandos Racerback Bra is a simple style – but packs a lot of punch in terms of support and compression. The +20% spandex in the body fabric makes it ideal for running – up to a C Cup, and great for low impact beyond that. Same as all of our Spandos, the product information is sublimated right onto the garment so there are no tags or flags or moving parts.

UPDATED SHORTS

Spandos Mini Shorts: We kept the short shorts with the 2” inseam, but we reduced the height of the rise, both front and back, as we found that it prevents the legs from riding up.

• Shorts rise front: 8" (front rise of Spandos Capri is 9")
• Short rise back: 13" (back rise of Spandos Capris is 14.5')
• Inseam: 2"

Spandos Shorts: We created Spandos Shorts with a longer inseam for more leg coverage. In tandem with the Spandos Mini, the front and rear rises have been reduced slightly to prevent the legs from riding up.

• Shorts rise front: 8" (front rise of capris is 9")
• Short rise back: 13" (back rise of capris is 14.5')
• Inseam: 4"

Spandos Capris: Back by popular demand and 100% unchanged. Enjoy!

Our newest print, the Downtown Print – commissioned exclusively for Oiselle – is one part paintbrush, one part city lights, all parts vibrant color. We love how one piece of Spandos in this print can be worn with almost any color under the sun (or stars or moon).