Carbon38 Review: Botanica Collection Lace Up Twisted Seam Legging + Lace Up Back Bra

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About Carbon38

Carbon38 sells high quality, fashion-forward workout gear from around the globe and has been featured absolutely everywhere. They believe that activewear is the new denim and are all about getting women motivated to look chic and sweat!

I am so much more motivated to hit the gym when I have cute clothes to work out in. Up until now my splurge go-to was Lululemon. With lululemon, I was tired of getting the same ol’ designs season after season. Carbon38 works with different designers and each collection is unique and delivers excitement to your wardrobe.

I always love hearing the story behind a brand. The founders are Katie Warner Johnson and Caroline Gogolak. Both started out as professional ballet dancers and reconnected at Harvard before moving to New York City to pursue careers in finance. And both have (insanely) impressive backgrounds. Prior to working in finance, Caroline also did business development for Intermix + YSL and she’s a certified yoga instructor. Katie is a celebrity trainer (her clients include Emmy Rossum, Erin Andrews and Demi Moore) and taught at Physique 57.  I’d say they possess the perfect background of fashion, fitness, and finance that all go into the creation and success of their brand. Carbon38’s corporate office now thrives in Santa Monica, California.

Carbon38 Review: Botanica Collection – Lace Up Twisted Seam Legging + Lace Up Back High Neck Bra

The Lace Up Twisted Seam Legging and Lace Up Back High Neck Bra are from Carbon38’s Botanica collection. The collection debuted in February 2018. The entire collection offers floral prints and white and nude tones. I especially loved all the lace-up designs which make me think they got some of their inspiration from Alo Yoga‘s lace up pieces.

Lace Up Back High Neck Bra

The Lace Up Back High Neck Bra was surprisingly my favorite part about the outfit. Up until this review I only liked the aesthetics of their bras. Carbon38’s bra fit was never my favorite. This bra proved me otherwise. The bra fit and feel are VERY comfortable. The bra is also very affordable ($65). The enclosed elastic band at the bottom allows the top to stay put throughout your practice. The fabric is very stretchy and opaque (not see-through). The fabric of the bra is the same as the leggings. The bra has built in cups and medium support, which is great for women with larger cup sizes. If you buy this bra definitely SIZE UP.

I ended up sizing up to a medium and it fit perfectly. I wear a size 8 in lululemon for size reference. I am definitely keeping the bra because the fit is perfection!

#1 Size: Per Carbon38’s size chart I went with a size medium in bottoms and tops. I wear a size 6 in lululemon bottoms and size 8 in lululemon bras for reference. The fit is compressive and form fitting. I recommend sizing up in the Carbon38 Botanica collection.

#2 Style:  The Botanica collection offers long leggings, bras, tanks, and sweaters. In this review I am focusing on the Tanjung leggings which are long length and have macrame details on the side of the pant.

#3 Inseam:  Inseam measures 29″making it great for taller women.

#4 Rise: High rise fit sitting at my navel. The rise on the front of the pant is 7″ and back is 8″.

#5 Waistband: The waistband is tall and measures 3″. The waistband is constructed with an elastic band that hugs the waist in for a slimming and stay put fit.

#6 Fabric

• Fabric Content:
  • 72% Polyamide and 28% Elastane blend
  • Fabric comes in three colors: Floral Print, Nude and White
• Fabric Feel: The fabric feels different from their Takara leggings. The Botanica fabric is much thicker, feels smooth and has a lot of stretch. The fabric feels and fits the same as Carbon38’s Sayang Collection. I would compare the fabric to Girlfriend leggings in regards to their thickness and durability.
• Fabric Performance:
  • Leggings have a considerable amount of compression as the fabric is thicker than the Takara fabric.
  • Fabric is moisture wicking and quick to dry.
  • 4-Way Stretch allows the pants to stretch and contour to the body.
  • Wrinkle Resistant
  • Antimicrobial fabric prevents stink.
  • The fabric is very thick and durable. I would consider these abrasion and pill resistant.
• Opacity: The printed floral leggings are white backed. Unfortunately, the entire collection was not opaque. I wore black underwear and could it see underneath the printed and solid fabrics. I would wear nude colored underwear to resolve this issue.
• Fabric Features:
  • Lace-up design with mesh panel underneath.
  • No visible logos
  • No pockets

#7 When to Wear: The Carbon38 Botanica Collection is meant for low to high impact sports. I would also wear the leggings seasonally during Spring and Summer because the colors are so bright.

#8 Cost: All Botanica Collection leggings are $155. They’re expensive but the quality is great.

#9 Gusset: The Botanica Collection pants come with single layered, triangle gussets. The gussets are sewn into the pant with flat fell seams.

#10 Stitch Seam: The leggings are constructed using flat fell seams for a smooth, skin tight look and feel.

#11 UPF Protection: Not disclosed but I am pretty sure there’s some protection in the fabric as the fabric is thick.

#12 Made in China. Designed in Los Angeles, California.

#13 Care Instructions: Hand wash the leggings in cold water and hang dry. I hang to dry on a foldable drying rack such as this one. Always avoid bleach and hot water treatments.

Should I Buy Carbon38’s Botanica Collection?

I am 50/50 on this collection.

I had to pass on the Botanica collection leggings. However, I highly recommend the bras. I love what Carbon38 offers but this collection one fell short of my expectations. I was excited for nude leggings but the waistband combined with the twisted seam made my hips look bulgy. It made me look like I had a muffin top AND bottom. Oye!

The sports bra was a winner. I am going to keep it and wear it with black or colorful leggings. They look great with my Niyama Sports Hakuna Matata leggings.

Where to Buy Carbon38

Shop at Carbon38 and use code SHMGY25 for 15% off your first two orders. Enjoy free shipping AND returns on purchases of $200+.

You can also check out their sales section for awesome deals on Carbon38 apparel and other brands.

You can also find great Carbon38 deals on the following third-party marketplaces such as:

• eBay
• Mercari - Use code SYVFUT for $10 off your first purchase. 
• Poshmark - Use code SCHIMIGGY for $5 off your first purchase.

Carbon38 Giveaway!

I am also running a Carbon38 giveaway for the rest of 2019! One lucky winner will win a $100 USD gift card to Carbon38! That's enough for a pretty pair of Carbon38 leggings or anything else you've been eyeing. Winner be notified on New Years Day 2020! Good luck everyone!!! Winner will be notified via e-mail and on the Schimiggy Reviews newsletter!

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If you liked this post, you might like these articles too:

• Carbon38 Review and GIVEAWAY: Takara Leggings
• Carbon38 Review: Sayang Collection in Dahlia Red
• ALO Yoga Review: High Waist Moto Leggings
• Weekend of Wellness and Visit to the Carbon38 Bridgehampton Store
• Tanks A Lot Carbon38: Guide to Finding the Perfect Carbon38 Tank Top

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