It is getting cold in Ohio, and I’m a big, wimpy, cold baby. My hands and feet are always cold, and I amuse myself in the morning sometimes by rolling over next to my husband and putting my ice-cold feet on his legs to give him an arctic jolt right before the alarm goes off.

From November through May I just can’t get warm, so I layer myself up with turtlenecks, fleece, and thermal socks, which are not the most appropriate attire to practice yoga in. I decided I needed to go in search of the ultimate yoga top, one that would keep me warm before class starts, keep me comfortable and breathe when I get into a challenging vinyasa flow, and then keep me toasty as I cool back down into savasana. Oh, and the shirt also has to be comfortable and clingy, so it covers me when I’m up in front of a class. That is a hell of a lot to ask from a piece of clothing, and I wasn’t sure I would find the complete package.

I’m going to start teaching yoga for real early next year, so I also figured it was time to get rid of my faded cotton yoga pants and T-shirts and look for some professional-grade yoga gear.

Luckily, Mondetta Performance Gear (MPG), producers of active- and yoga-wear clothing, came to the rescue and suggested I try out a few of their products, and I have spent the past week sporting some of their really fine, fashion-designed yoga togs and putting them to the test.

Radiant long-sleeve workout top; Sizes: XS to XL; Colors: Magenta and Arabian; Price: $45.

When I first took the Radiant long-sleeve top out of the package, I thought to myself, There is no way this lightweight top is going to keep me warm. I put it on and immediately noticed how yummy it felt against my skin. The fabric is soft and luxurious and has a gorgeous floral-pattern detail combined with a silky collar and cuffs. Not only am I thinking that I’m going to be styling in yoga class, but this shirt looks like something I could wear under a jacket for a night out on the town. The shape of the top fit to the silhouette of my body with just enough cling. A word of warning: You can see through small parts of the “burn-out” pattern detail, but a sports bra underneath did the trick for me.

I wore the shirt to an all-day yoga-teacher training class in a large room that can get chilly when you sit still for a long while. I noticed other students pulling on extra layers of sweaters and shawls as I sat comfortable in my Radiant shirt all afternoon, never once reaching for my fleece jacket. This in itself is a miracle of modern clothing science!

When we did our yoga-class workouts, the shirt moved with me, clinging to my body. I went through a challenging series of asanas, and the breathable fabric kept up with the vigorous pace of the class and my rising body heat, never leaving me too hot or too cold, but just right.

I loved the Radiant shirt so much, I have even slept in it a few times and stayed nice and warm but never felt overheated. I’m sure this will make the folks over at MPG very happy, because their goal is to develop performance-driven apparel that feels so great, you’ll want to wear it for everyday use. Cha-ching! They hit the mark with the Radiant top. I am warm, comfy, and will feel radiant standing in front of my yoga class wearing this shirt.

MPG was nice enough to send me two additional tops that I also gave a test-drive.

Ursa long-sleeve workout top; Sizes: XS to XL; Colors: Magenta and Arabian (blue); Price: $45.

Ursa is a lovely long-sleeve top with breathable mesh and a really cute back “key-hole” loop design. This shirt also felt like butter on my skin and kept me warm and at a comfortable temperature during my yoga workout. I got a lot of positive comments from my fellow yoga students on this one, and I’m sure it will be another go-to yoga shirt this winter.

Fleet racer-back tank top; Sizes: XS to XL; Colors: Black and Magenta; Price: $44.

This racer-back tank top has a peek-a-boo open-front yoke design. Apparently, someone did not get the memo that I was looking for warm yoga togs, because this top is just a little too sexy-rexy for me in the middle of winter. It fits great, shows a little cleav, and has really cool ergonomic seam details down the front. I’m probably a little too shy just yet to wear a shirt like this in front of a yoga class, but I’m thinking I will be rocking out in it by the time summer comes along.

If you’re curious about MPG’s yoga pants, I was also provided with a pair of essential warm up pants that absolutely rocked my world. I wore them home after class and didn’t want to take them off. All of MPG’s products I tried just felt absolutely yummy to wear, and they performed just as well.

Here are a few more cool things to know about MPG:

• They are offering Daily Downward Dog readers a 25% discount on all retail purchases through December 31, 2010. Just use the coupon code DDDF17X4KP upon checkout to get the 25% discount.
• MPG also gives back and donates a portion of gross annual sales to the Mondetta Charity Foundation (MCF) to ease suffering in Africa.
• Each time you purchase an MPG product, it comes with a removable tag with a code to utilize in an online Get Fit Giveaway, where you can win weekly and monthly prizes.
• They are offering Daily Downward Dog readers a chance to win free MPG activewear.

Giveaway Details

One lucky Daily Downward Dog reader will get the chance to be fashionably warm this winter with the selection of either the Ursa or Radiant shirt. In order to win, you have to play nice and do at least two of the items listed below:

• Go to www.mpgsport.com and take a look around at the products on their Web site. Once you are there scroll down to the bottom of the page and sign up for their newsletter.
• Pick out a product you love on the MPG Web site, click on the product to get more details, and use the handy EMAIL THIS PAGE button to send a gentle nudging e-mail to someone you love, and let him or her know the perfect gift to give you this holiday season.
• “Like” MPG on their Facebook page, and while you are there, check out the photo of Lucien Postlewaite, principal at the Pacific Northwest Ballet, on their wall. He has a beautiful smile, among other things.
• Follow @MPGtweet on Twitter.
• Tweet this giveaway on Twitter with mentions of @MPGtweet and @downwarddog and a link.
• Post this giveaway with a link on Facebook.

Leave a comment below and let me know which actions you have taken, and you will get an entry for each action. No need to leave a comment for each action; just leave one with all the juicy details. If you are feeling a little love for the Daily Downward Dog and want a little extra credit, you can also score some additional entries if you join the DDD e-mail list, RSS feed, or follow the DDD on Facebook or Twitter.

This contest is open to all residents of the U.S. and Canada and will be open until Thursday, December 2 at noon, when one lucky winner will be randomly selected from all entries. The winner will be notified and able to select either the Ursa or Radiant top in the color and size of his or her choice.

I’m feeling warm and fuzzy about MPG and this awesome giveaway! Please join in the fun, and be sure to check out all the other cool products (they have products for men too) and the MPG Cliq blog at www.mpgsport.com!