Yes, fitness apparel or workout wear is supposed to be comfortable, but that doesn’t mean you can’t look stylish and fashion forward at the same time. If you believe the gym is the one place you can literally roll out of bed, throw on some old shorts or baggy old sweats and a t-shirt and show up without anyone batting an eye, think again! While the gym is primarily a place for exercising and working out, it’s also a prime spot for people watching and meeting new people for making friends. Your choice of comfort clothing can say a lot about you and be a way to make a statement about yourself, so you really don’t want to be sending out the wrong message. So even at the gym and the simplest of clothing, there some basic fashion rules in order to work it out right!

Here’s a look at some Tips on What Works and What Doesn’t in Fitness Fashion-

• Don’t over do it. You don’t want to be that woman decked out in shiny tights, bright leg warmers, the wrist sweat bands and headbands and every workout accessory known to man. Keep it simple, plain and modern, you don’t want to send out the ‘I’m stuck in the 80′s’ vibe.
• Don’t under do it either. If you’re one of those lucky people with the perfect abs and well toned body, I know you’re dying to show it off. But there is such a thing as exposing too much skin. Most of the your other exercisers will agree that while you may look great and be proud of yourself, it’s not nice to rub it in everyone’s faces.
• Underwear…Don’t exercise in it and don’t exercise without it. What I mean by that is, exercising in only your boxer shorts, bras or anything else that looks like underwear should be avoided at all costs. Seeing people stretch in their tighty whiteys is unpleasant for everyone around you. On the other hand, for the sake of comfort don’t skimp out on wearing any underwear at all under those baggy shorts or a bra under that tank top.The last thing you want is to give other gym-goers an eye-full of something they may wish they hadn’t gotten.
• Wear the appropriate innerwear. On the subject of under garments, it’s just as important to wear the right kind, especially for women. Regular bra during workouts more often than not, don’t offer enough support which can be both uncomfortable for you and unsightly for others (or draw too much attention, if you know what I mean!). Look into and sports bra or an exercise bra for extra support.
• Flip-Flops and Jeans are a No-No. Wearing non-athletic shoes while working our isn’t just a fashion faux pas, it’s also dangerous and could lead to injury if using the treadmill or other exercise machines. The shoes you wear for exercise are probably the most important part of your workout wardrobe, the provide padding and work as shock absorbers, the also provide the much needed grip for many exercises, so invest in a separate pair of gym sport shoes especially for working out. Jeans are just not appropriate exercise wear, they don’t have near as much stretch as you require to be comfortable and allow you the freedom of moment. Wear appropriate athletic clothes when working out.
• Wear comfortable but not worn out. It’s ok to sweat, get a little stinky and dirty when working out, that’s shows you’re actually working out, but don’t come to the gym in clothes that already emanate a disturbing stench or bear suspicious stains. And similarly wearing clothes with giant holes or that are so worn they don’t look like they’ll tear any second should definitely be avoided. If you insist on wearing that favorite old t-shirt of yours past it’s expiry date, at least make sure it’s clean and presentable, if not save it for when your not out in public.

*Image credits: yogacarashop.com (Bright White capri pants with contrast stitching), photos by YoGeek Mami and lululemon athletica on flickr

With New Year’s just over, I bet on many a new year’s resolution list is the exercise regularly or get fit point. And we’re here to help you get a kickstart fir that fitness regime by dressing the part. Working out is such a psychological thing and to motivate yourself to do anything high energy or high impact the proper attire can help a lot.

Many people question the use of special workout wear or fitness apparel vs just wearing a regular old baggy t-shirt and loose fit sweats. While we can give you the whole boo-ha of how special active wear designed by the big companies and brands use special technology in their fabrics that absorb moisture and help in your fitness regime. While those points are valid, the bottom line is that it is more psychological than anything, if your goal of exercising is to feel good in your body, why wear clothes that make you feel big and frumpy when you ARE exercising? Workout apparel closer fitted to the body actually helps you move a little bit better offering you greater ease of movement. Wearing more fitted clothing has also proven to be a motivating factor while exercising, as you tend to be able to see the shape of your body and the parts engaged in the exercise and not. This keeps one on their toes and plays a role in wanting to get in better shape.

The first thing to consider when buying fitness apparel is the type of exercise you intend on doing. For example, if you’re doing yoga which is low impact, the moves are slower and you don’t sweat much you can look for fabrics that breathe easily like cotton mixes. Yoga apparel should have stretch and extreme movability. The colors for yoga tend to be muted and on the earthy side rather than bright popping shades. Wearing clothes in the colors of the chakras are great stimulants when practicing yoga. For high impact exercises like aerobics, jogging, spinning etc. you want materials that will wick away moisture and not lock it in. Some fabric use a technology that actually moves the moisture off your body to the outer layer of the clothing, keeping you dry while working out. You also need to consider proper support in your top or sports bra when doing such activities. Bright colors and cheery prints are great for high impact workouts, it will make it that much easier to get inspired and motivated to put it on and go work out.

Own one set of staple or essential workout attire- a well fitted bootcut draw-string or elastic waist pants in a solid color like black, a well fitted tank which can be layered or worn with a sweatshirt should be a universal staple in every woman’s wardrobe whether they work out or just lounging out. This out fit is works just as good outside of the gym as inside.

*Photo Credits: photos by lululemon athletica on flickr.