I shopped at Alo Yoga and Lululemon to find out if they’re any match for each other. The winner was clear.

This Lululemon store was located at 520 Broadway in the Soho neighborhood of Manhattan.

There were lots of winter styles to look at, from yoga pants and leggings to bodysuits and jackets. I was surprised to find a trendy, wool cardigan in a leopard print.

There was a wide range of colors and fabrics too.

I was not expecting Lululemon to have cargo pants. But of course, as they are what cool Gen Zers wear, it was smart for the brand to have their own take on the trend.

Lululemon also has a lot of activewear options for men, as well as basic casual clothing.

Some of the men’s pieces didn’t make sense to me, like the New Venture Blazer, pictured above in off-white and black. These blazers were very thin and made from a performance fabric which, according to the tag, is water-repellent and wrinkle-free. (Even though clearly they were a bit wrinkled.)

It’s an interesting concept, but I just couldn’t imagine many men wanting to wear a blazer that looks like you’re about to work out in it. Plus, I have a feeling most men don’t think of Lululemon as a destination for office attire.

For example, this men’s sweater contained 43% merino wool, 27% alpaca hair, 25% polyamide, and 5% elastane.

She wrote my name on the door, which was a nice touch.

Either my head is abnormally large, or Lululemon makes its neck holes very small. I got stuck for a few seconds as I pulled the skin-tight bodysuit over my head. Once I finally made it through and caught my breath, it fit nicely. And the fabric was very soft.

The bodysuit is made from Lulu’s Wundermost fabric, which is 79% nylon and 21% Lycra elastane. The company introduced Wundermost last quarter as its “softest fabric ever,” CEO Calvin McDonald said in an earnings call.

“Wundermost launch has been met with great initial response from our guests, and we’re excited to keep bringing innovation into this new franchise,” he told investors.

Meanwhile, the Softstreme ribbed zip flared pants were comfortable and felt stylish. Though they were a bit too tight and I worried that if I went up a size, they’d be too long for my short legs.

I liked the jogger-style sweatpants. They were comfortable and fit well.

I’ve been loving half-zip and polo styles lately. Even though this was a sweatshirt material, the quilting and thickness was warm enough to wear as a jacket on moderately cold days.

I was very impressed by how Lululemon struck a balance with these cargos. They successfully put their own spin on a trend by making them not too baggy and using a cotton-blend fabric that felt like a performance material. I could see the pants being a bit more daring for some of their customers, but they’re still approachable for the target Lulu shopper.

I’d never shopped at Lululemon before, so I knew I had to try their famous Align leggings. They were tight, but still pretty comfortable and soft. I could see why so many people like them for working out or just running errands.

I visited the Alo flagship store in Soho, located at 96 Spring Street, across from another activewear brand, Vuori.

At first, I thought I’d walked into the wrong store. I didn’t see much yoga clothing or activewear.

There was a lot of faux leather.

For those of us wondering why it’s called Alo Yoga, there’s some artful photography of yoga poses and a mannequin sitting in “easy pose.”

I finally found some leggings and sports bras among more fashion pieces like faux-fur coats and a bustier top.

This wrinkly, plastic raincoat looked like a trash bag. And an odd, waxy film appeared to be wearing off on one jacket already.

These sweatpants contained 65% cotton and 35% polyester. Later, I found a men’s sweater that was 100% cashmere.

The men’s section carried basics like sweatshirts, shorts, and athletic pants. It seemed to focus more on comfort than on fashion trends.

The lighting in the fitting room was bright in some places and then dark in others, which made it difficult to take good pictures.

The leggings came in a pretty emerald green and had contrasting details. They were really tight, even though they were my normal size. Once I finally tugged them into place, I noticed the fabric was neither a soft nor performance texture. They felt restrictive to any major movement.

Underneath the tank, I tried on a sports bra that matched the leggings. It was cute, but I couldn’t picture myself working out in it. The fabric was uncomfortable and the band was too tight around my ribs.

The fit was unflattering — too bulky in places I’d want more fitted. The rib-knit fabric was soft on the outside but rough and thin inside. The full set was more than $200, but I could find the same quality and style at H&M or Shein for less than half the price.

The leggings were alright, but I don’t remember much of note about them. They certainly were not a pair I’d spend $128 on.

I wasn’t impressed with Alo as an activewear destination. It seemed to focus much more on trendy styles and non-athletic pieces. But even some of its fashion choices were questionable. A lot of the fabrics used felt very low-grade for how high the prices are.

I also didn’t like how prominent the Alo logo is on much of its clothing. While some might like the obvious branding, it was too distracting for me.

If I never walked into the store again, I wouldn’t miss it. There are plenty of options available for those interested in fast fashion or activewear, but Alo isn’t doing either well. The company is going to have choose one to focus on and improve if it wants to stand out in a crowded space.

Overall, I was much more impressed by Lululemon. I get the hype.

The company has honed in on its target customer and developed its product to focus on quality, without sacrificing style. It’s struck a balance between comfortable, wearable pieces and fashion appeal.

Many of its styles are takes on current trends, without getting too far off-track from its core product. I can see why so many Lululemon styles are timeless and circulate though resale. While not all of its style choices worked, most of the store was cohesive and made sense for its target customer.