By Jaclyn Day
Whatever happened to sweatpants and ribbed tanks? When I walk into mylocal gym, it’s evident that stylish gym clothes are the rule, not theexception. Some of my friends have complained that there’s more pressuregetting dressed for yoga class than for work!
Instead of worrying about how trendy your workout clothes are orwhether you’ll fit in among the other women at your Zumba class, focus on theitems below instead.
Function Over Form
Above all else, your workout clothes should work for whatever physicalactivity you’re doing. For example, yoga pants aren’t a good option for runningor biking, but would work well for a dance or stretching class.
Quality Counts
Workout clothes are built for longevity, but make sure you choosehigher quality fabrics and brands whenever possible. This may mean you spendmore money initially, but consider that you’ll be sweating through theseclothes and then laundering them often.
Keep Your Options Open
If you’re like me and prefer to vary your workouts or try differentclasses at the gym, it’s good to keep a small assortment of workout clothes athand so you are prepared for any activity or weather problem. Here are a fewideas to get you started:
Sports Bras
Yoga Pants – Thefit should be snug around the waist and hips, but loose through the knees andankles.
¾-LengthLeggings/Tights (Black or Gray)
Ankle-LengthLeggings/Tights (Black or Gray)
Tanks – Stickwith neutral colors for more pairing options.
LightweightJacket – Look for one that’s wind resistant.
Don’t Forget Accessories!
The right accessories can mean the difference between a boring, shortworkout and a long, rewarding one. Consider sport-specific footwear (i.e.,running shoes instead of cross-trainers); an iPod/iPhone armband and headphones; a sports watch or mobile phoneapp and sports socks.
Jaclyn Day lives near Annapolis, Md., and writes a popularblog about affordable fashion and style. She and her husband hadtheir first child in January. Visit her at blog.jaclynday.com.
