Oiselle: Gear to Make the Journey More Enjoyable

Oiselle makes some of my absolute favorite running apparel, and I try a lot of different brands thanks in part to Run Oregon. The biggest reason why Oiselle is one of the best is because their products are “Designed By Women, For Women” and that’s very apparent when you slide on one of their pieces of clothing.

The designs are well thought out, the materials are of great quality, and everything is so cute. Though I feel their wheelhouse is running clothes, their apparel is also great for yoga and other athletic endeavors, not to mention it’s great for wearing casually too. My latest Oiselle haul included the Luxe Wing Tank, the Essential Bird Long Sleeve, the Flyout Chill Hoodie, the Essential Bird 7/8 Tights, and the High Rise Roga Shorts.

Looks

Let’s talk about my most favorite new piece of Oiselle – the Luxe Wing Tank. Every time I wear it, I get compliments and “where’d you get that?” questions because it’s very unique and flattering. Upon first glance, you’ll see another cute tank, but look closer and you’ll see the wing cut-out design on the left shoulder.  I got it in a size 6 in the color called Stratus, which is a heathered light blue color. I typically wear a small in tanks, and the size 6 was a perfect fit. It also comes in the colors Black, Saffron, and Twilight.

The Essential Bird Long Sleeve comes in a few styles: The Alpenglow/Larkspur color pattern with “Oiselle” scrolling down the back, the Ivory color with the “Give Em The Bird” design, and Black with the classic Oiselle birds in an “Arm Flock” traveling down one arm. I got this last one in a size 6 which was again, the right choice for my body.

I received the Flyout Chill Hoodie in Ivory but it also comes in Stratus and Alpenglow. Again, I got a size 6. It has a very simple look but is a great multi-tasker, which you’ll hear about further into the review.

The Essential Bird 7/8 Tights came in a size 8. I tend to get leggings in a large, and the size 8 fit well. I got them in classic Black, but they also come in Juniper, Redwood, and Empire. They have a great high waist, and the 7/8 length (a 25” inseam,) will hit some at mid shin, but on my 5’-4” body, they come all the way down to my ankles. The Essential line also has shorts available as well as a 3/4 length.

Oiselle makes several styles of their best-selling Roga Shorts..The standard Roga, the Toolbelt Roga, the Mac Roga, the Toolbelt Mac Roga, and the High Rise Roga in both a regular (4” inseam) length and a long (6” inseam) length. I received the High Rise Rogas (regular length) in the pattern called Wyld Flower.

The other pattern available is called Flower Burst and you can also get them in Black. I’ve long been a fan of Oiselle’s patterned apparel and the Wyld Flower was no exception, as these are beautiful in real life. I got them in a size 8. If I had bought these shorts, I likely would have gotten the long version) because my thighs feel more comfortable in longer lengths, but these are very comfortable.

Function

The Luxe Wing Tank is perfect for the summer. It covers modestly with a flattering scoop neck but also stays cool. The cutout patterns in the back are unique and function as a cooling agent as well (though I wonder what sort of tan lines I’ll get as I wear it throughout the summer).

The Essential Bird Long Sleeve is a great option for a long run when the days are a little cooler or for an evening summer run when the sun is going down. It’s a great staple long sleeved option. The sleeves are nice and long and the thumbholes ensure you’ll stay warm enough without a pair of gloves. I would’ve loved the “Give ‘Em The Bird” style but that was so popular that it sold out.

The Flyout Chill Hoodie is a triple threat. This is the shirt that’s the perfect outer layer if you are headed out for a hike or a run. The Brrr° Triple Chill Effect® technology has cooling minerals to help cool you down when you get hot and it’s also got UPF 50+ protection built in. It’s got a contoured scuba-style hood with a ponytail opening in the back. It really is the perfect shell for any occasion and will be great when the weather is a little cool or a little hot also.

Due to the simplicity of no side seams on the Essential Bird 7/8 Tights, there should be no chafing to worry about.  They are also meant to be compressive, so they stay up and move with you on your run. The thing that sets these apart from many other running tights is the 2 in 1 waistband pocket in the back. There’s a zipper pocket inside another pocket, and it feels a lot like having a built in Flip Belt.

The High Rise Roga shorts took a popular style and added a high-waisted option for women like me who like a little tummy control. As I get older, I don’t want my belly exposed, especially while I’m running, so these are a dream. These have a 2 in 1 back center waist pocket with zipper closure for all your essentials. It’s nice and large, so you can easily fit your cell phone back there too.

Construction

The Luxe Wing Tank is the softest tank in my drawer right now. If you’re familiar with Oiselle, you may already be familiar with their Luxe line because it’s known to be like heaven against your skin. You won’t want to take it off and it’s stretchy and dries quickly when it gets sweaty. It’s luxurious, as the name suggests.

As with all Oiselle gear, there’s purpose in the design of the Essential Bird Long Sleeve. The infamous (and brilliant!) watch window is intact on both sleeves so you can glance at your wrist without pulling your sleeve up and as already mentioned, there are also thumbholes. The raglan sleeves are super flattering.

The Flyout Chill Hoodie also has the watch windows and thumbholes on nice long sleeves. As mentioned, it has UPF 50+ protection and cooling, quick-dry fabric that wicks away moisture and dries quickly. The material is soft and forgiving.

The Essential Bird tights are not only compressive, but the high waistband is nice and wide, so it will hold in your belly and there won’t be any jiggle. As previously mentioned, there are no side seams so you’ll have nice clean lines. There are no drawstrings or seams anywhere around the waistline and the tights are nice and stretchy.

The High Rise Roga shorts have a built-in technical liner (so going commando won’t feel weird in these) and four way stretch so they are great for any body in motion. They are both stretchy and flowy.

All of the clothes reviewed were made with bluesign® approved materials.

Fit

The Luxe Wing Tank is considered a relaxed fit but it’s form fitting in the best way – built for a woman’s curves.  It’s length hits me below the belly button. I have a long torso and I’m not a fan of crop tops, so I’m glad this covers me adequately when paired with high waisted shorts or leggings. It’s also not awkwardly long like many tanks and though it hugs curves, it’s a gentle hug, not something that clings to my fluffy love handle parts. It’s not tight around the shoulders and it won’t chafe under your arms.

Per the website description of the Essential Bird Long Sleeve: “Our favorite gear is the gear that we forget we’re wearing.“ This shirt is a relaxed style and like all of Oiselle gear, it’s made of super comfy and quality material. There are no annoying seams and it’s very stretchy and breathable.

The semi-relaxed fit of the Flyout Chill Hoodie makes this an easy candidate for layering. It’s looser than the other long-sleeved Oiselle shirts I own but it’s still built for a woman’s body. The sleeves are great for women with long arms and the length falls about mid-hip.

The Essential Bird tights move well with your body. They are not, in my opinion, constrictive. Though I felt that the size 8 worked well, I think I could have gone with a size down since there was no drawstring or top seam in the waistline. Putting my cell phone in the back pocket weighed the waistline down just a tad on a 4 miler, so I probably wouldn’t wear these in this size for a double digit milage run. There is considerable stretch to them, so if you’re between sizes, you could size down for more high impact workouts.

The High Rise Roga shorts are semi-fitted and relaxed. They will hold you in for support at the waist and then keep you cool with the breezy material beneath that. They are some of the most comfortable shorts I own, with no tightnesss around my hips, which are on the wide side.

Overall/For Consideration

It’s no secret that I love Oiselle and there are many reasons why, all outlined above. Oiselle understands the needs of women and the clothes cater to those needs. The materials never feel cheap and the clothes last a long time. You won’t be pulling, tugging, or itching any of their apparel and you likely won’t notice it at all until someone compliments you on it. Some of Oiselle’s gear costs a bit more than other brands, but the first time you wear an Oiselle piece, you’ll know where that money went.