Fashion and fitness go hand in hand!
It is clear that women are moving towards being comfy, casual, but also stylish and cute!
Fitness fashion is yielding a $97 Billion dollar market with new competitors stepping into that market each month. Bigger brands such as Victoria's Secret, H&M, Under Armour, and Nike are all battling companies such as Luluemon, Fabletics, and many other online based fitness apparel companies.
The important thing is to make sure that function and comfort go hand in hand. Yes, it is nice to have cute workout attire, BUT is it functional for being at the gym and doing fitness activities?
Why do fitness clothing cost so much!??
Regardless if you are purchasing name brand fitness attire, they are typically more expensive than other clothing. Companies can afford to charge more for fitness clothing because they put a lot into making them. Fitness clothes typically are made of material that will dry quickly, keep you warm (or cooler), limit or aid to prevent body odor, UV protection, and sweat wicking capabilities. When it comes to fitness clothing you really do get what you pay for. Higher performance clothing will cost more BUT they will also last longer and withstand the fitness abuse.
Do your fitness clothes fit properly?
This is probably one of the biggest issues that I personally see with women (and even men) at the gym. Make sure that your clothes fit correctly. Clothing that is too tight can potentially cause you to reveal parts of your body that you do not typically want to share in public. Having clothing on that is too big can become an obstacle and potential hazard as they may get in the way while you are working out.
Ladies, looking at things as simple as your sports bra, did you get the correct size? When shopping for sports bra’s you want to make sure that the cup covers your entire breast. Any spillage over the top (and sometimes coming out on the bottom) of your bra means it is too small. If you feel that your bra is not “tight” enough to contain your breast during a workout, look into getting “high intensity” sports bras. Several companies offer options for those women who want to have a lot of bra support while they are working out.
It is clear that women are moving towards being comfy, casual, but also stylish and cute!
Fitness fashion is yielding a $97 Billion dollar market with new competitors stepping into that market each month. Bigger brands such as Victoria's Secret, H&M, Under Armour, and Nike are all battling companies such as Luluemon, Fabletics, and many other online based fitness apparel companies.
The important thing is to make sure that function and comfort go hand in hand. Yes, it is nice to have cute workout attire, BUT is it functional for being at the gym and doing fitness activities?
Why do fitness clothing cost so much!??
Regardless if you are purchasing name brand fitness attire, they are typically more expensive than other clothing. Companies can afford to charge more for fitness clothing because they put a lot into making them. Fitness clothes typically are made of material that will dry quickly, keep you warm (or cooler), limit or aid to prevent body odor, UV protection, and sweat wicking capabilities. When it comes to fitness clothing you really do get what you pay for. Higher performance clothing will cost more BUT they will also last longer and withstand the fitness abuse.
Do your fitness clothes fit properly?
This is probably one of the biggest issues that I personally see with women (and even men) at the gym. Make sure that your clothes fit correctly. Clothing that is too tight can potentially cause you to reveal parts of your body that you do not typically want to share in public. Having clothing on that is too big can become an obstacle and potential hazard as they may get in the way while you are working out.
Ladies, looking at things as simple as your sports bra, did you get the correct size? When shopping for sports bra’s you want to make sure that the cup covers your entire breast. Any spillage over the top (and sometimes coming out on the bottom) of your bra means it is too small. If you feel that your bra is not “tight” enough to contain your breast during a workout, look into getting “high intensity” sports bras. Several companies offer options for those women who want to have a lot of bra support while they are working out.
Are you buying the right type of workout clothing?
For fitness junkies that have long and difficult workouts, you want to make sure that your clothing will not add any difficulty to your workout. Wearing clothing that is mostly made of cotton can create an additional barrier. When cotton gets wet, it gets heavy and does not dry quickly. The best type of material to look for in fitness attire would be polyester and/or Lycra blends. These materials were created and designed to pull the moisture from your body and also dry quickly.
Are you properly taking care of your fitness attire?
First, do you let your clothing dry BEFORE you put them in your hamper? Putting dirty and damp clothing in a hamper can cause them to grow bacteria! The best option is to hand wash your fitness clothes in luke warm water and a light detergent (and also allowing it to hang dry). But realistically, most fitness junkies go through one-two pair of workout clothes a day! This is what I suggest you do, turn your clothing inside out (most of the sweat and other things build up on the INSIDE of your clothing). In COLD water add ½ as much detergent as you would typically add to a normal load of laundry. Too much detergent can actually get trapped in the clothing! Also steer away from fabric softeners because those can also get trapped in your clothing and cause them to lose their stretch. If possible hang your clothes up to air dry OR you can use tumble dry on your dryer. You can also use the lightest heat setting on your dryer. But be warned! Excessive heat can cause your clothing to shrink and damage it.
For fitness junkies that have long and difficult workouts, you want to make sure that your clothing will not add any difficulty to your workout. Wearing clothing that is mostly made of cotton can create an additional barrier. When cotton gets wet, it gets heavy and does not dry quickly. The best type of material to look for in fitness attire would be polyester and/or Lycra blends. These materials were created and designed to pull the moisture from your body and also dry quickly.
Are you properly taking care of your fitness attire?
First, do you let your clothing dry BEFORE you put them in your hamper? Putting dirty and damp clothing in a hamper can cause them to grow bacteria! The best option is to hand wash your fitness clothes in luke warm water and a light detergent (and also allowing it to hang dry). But realistically, most fitness junkies go through one-two pair of workout clothes a day! This is what I suggest you do, turn your clothing inside out (most of the sweat and other things build up on the INSIDE of your clothing). In COLD water add ½ as much detergent as you would typically add to a normal load of laundry. Too much detergent can actually get trapped in the clothing! Also steer away from fabric softeners because those can also get trapped in your clothing and cause them to lose their stretch. If possible hang your clothes up to air dry OR you can use tumble dry on your dryer. You can also use the lightest heat setting on your dryer. But be warned! Excessive heat can cause your clothing to shrink and damage it.