I wonder if when Karl Lagerfeld infamously stated…
“Sweatpants are a sign of defeat. You lost control of your life, so you bought some sweatpants.”
He would have ever predicted the rise of Leggings as not just an essential workout pant, but as activewear worn casually by day or more recently, as fashion-inspired sports luxe.
There is no denying that in Australia and around the world, women are in pursuit of the best workout leggings; ones that can withstand the fiercest of gym workouts or be teamed with casual wear to create the ultimate athleisure look.
With our love affair for active wear not likely to let-up, I thought it would be worthwhile to explore the topic of leggings with tips on selecting your perfect pair.
First Base: Finding the right Workout leggings
If you’re just getting into exercise and haven’t yet found your passion for a particular sport, the best place to start is with Workout leggings. Forget where you are today on the fitness spectrum, Workout leggings should make you feel like the goddess that you are. My tips for finding the right ones looks like this:
- Invest in leggings made with quality Fitness Wearfabrics; you want to know 100% that there is absolutely no see-through in the fabric and that it’s firm enough to support your shape and hold in any wobbly bits (no need to feel bad about this, I haven’t met a woman yet who doesn’t have at least a bit of this going on!)
- Opt for Exercise Pantsthat will make you feel confident; black leggings comes to mind here. Across the globe, black leggings remain the quintessential Workout pants in any active woman’s wardrobe.
Women Gym equals Getting Busy
Perhaps though you’re no novice. You love getting to the gym for some time-out. Headphones in, cardio on. Or maybe, you love the feel of muscles burning under the strain of a great weight session. In this case, finding the best gym leggings is essential.
Gym Wear used to be more about function and less about fashion, but not anymore. Gym wear has come a long way in appealing to our desire for femininity while also catering to our differing shapes, sizes and level of training prowess. When thinking about Gym Gear for your wardrobe, here’s what I would suggest:
- Spend the money on a good pair of Gym Pants; you’re sweating during your workouts, often bending over and stretching on the floor – your Gym tightsneed to be able to go the distance with you and hide any notable sweat patches. If there was one Gym clothing piece that I wouldn’t play cheap on, it’s this one.
- As a side note, Gym clothingbrands often change their fabrics to suit the seasons. This means that Gym Apparel often comprises heavier fabrics in winter, while in summer you can find lighter fabrics that keep you cooler. Summer also sees the inclusion of breathable mesh fabrics; if you really heat up during exercise, look for breathable mesh as it will keep your body temperature in check no matter what the outside temperature. Keep this in mind when you are making your purchase and select styles most appropriate your training needs and your natural body temperature.
Yoga - more than just Yoga pants
If the gym isn’t your scene, perhaps Yoga is. Whenever we think of Yoga we tend to immediately think of Yoga pants. They are the ultimate staple in yoga clothes and they need to be a few key things:
- Comfortable and flexible – able to take you from a downward dog to a warrior pose without any need for an awkward Yoga leggings“readjustment”!
- Practical – providing you with ample coverage across your stomach and derriere despite any contorted shape you find yourself in. All too often Yoga clothesare designed poorly leaving women feeling uncomfortable and worse, embarrassed, when they find they have more skin exposed to the sun king than they wanted. Choose Yoga clothes for women from reputable designers. After all, the upside is greater comfort and confidence for you.
- And finally when it comes to colours, the staple remains Black yoga pants. But if you want to take a walk on the wild side (which I would highly encourage), opt for pattern leggingsto differentiate yourself in class.
When I started designing active wear leggings, I was a bit younger and a bit greener, meaning I loved to design styles with a low waistband! But of course, the second I went to train – be it yoga or gym – I just didn’t find that my workout clothes were practical. Perhaps with age comes wisdom (!) because nowadays my focus is unashamedly on high quality high waisted leggings. High waisted leggings ensure that a woman’s silhouette looks svelte and beautiful, while also ensuring that the leggings truly are fitness clothing capable of going the distance. As an active woman this peace of mind has become more important to me with age because I expect quality and performance…(and I want everything sucked in!).
Getting the fit right
Every woman likes to wear their fitness clothing in a size most comfortable for them. Some women love workout clothing that fits like a second skin! While others prefer active wear leggings to be firm, but not so tight. This is a personal choice but one thing I would say is don’t opt for compression tights if, for example, you’re not comfortable wearing them, yet looking to wear leggings to work for extended amounts of time. Compression tights are incredible for recovery (ie if you’re training for a marathon) or for long haul flights (particularly if you’re concerned about deep vein thrombosis) but they aren’t a mandatory in your workout wardrobe if you are simple an active woman seeking out high quality athletic wear. There are plenty of other fitness clothing choices that will do the job you need!
How to wear leggings ultimately comes down to your individual style and creativity; with so many colours, pattern leggings, prints and embellishments added to designs, there is no end to the choice. Have fun with it, showcase your unique flair and ignore Karl Lagerfeld ☺
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