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Everyone knows it can be hard to get up to go work out. Crawling out of bed, throwing on some ratty old sweatpants, an ugly T-shirt 3 sizes too big (that probably belonged to an ex-boyfriend), and ill-fitting sneakers you’ve had since college, is the most anyone can ask, right?
Wrong.
Wearing workout gear that looks good can make you feel good.
“If my workout clothes fit my body and suit my style, I start my workout feeling better about my body,” says Dara Hartman, ambassador for the fitness clothing store Bandier and personal trainer/fitness fashion guru at The Dogpound. “Go to the gym in something that makes you feel good about yourself, in something that is comfortable and fits, but also lets you express you. Accentuate the parts of your body you are proud of. Show off your hard work! If you think your back looks amazing, wear a strappy sports bra or a fun top with open-backed detailing and show it off. If it’s your legs, wear shorts or tights. Feel good about wearing your clothes. I like to wear crazy patterns, colors, and interesting cuts or mesh panels that are more striking. Because I’m pretty small, I like wearing crop tops–not to show off my abs, but because I feel like they make me look longer and taller.”
Dara Hartman from The Dogpound. Photo: Alisha Siegel
Fashion magazine Well + Good even followed Dara for a week last year to showcase her fashionable fitness attire. Some of her favorite workout outfits include Bandier’s printed leggings and her signature crop top!
Three Keys for a Fashionable Workout:
- Wear shoes that fit. In a high intensity workout, your feet take the brunt of the punishment. Having shoes that fit well are paramount and can save you from ankle, knee, and back injury. Ditch your worn out running shoes that never fit quite right, and look for the proper shoe for your individual workout needs.
- Find workout clothes you feel good wearing. Have a few outfits that are reserved for the gym. You don’t have to splurge on fancy leggings or strappy sports bras, but you should walk out the front door feeling positive. Feeling good about yourself and how you look before you work out will put you in a constructive mindset, and you may see yourself working harder, more effectively, and consistently. With all the amazing fitness attire out there, you can capture your unique personal style–whether it’s basketball shorts and loose fitting tank, or skin tight leggings and bandeau–get dressed, get out there, and smash it!
- Own your sweat. No matter how you walk out of the gym–flushed and glowing, or drenched and salty– own your sweat! Those pit stains are your badge of honor. You worked it, and you worked it hard.
Ok, now hit the showers!
*Use Dara Hartman’s code DARA15 for 15% off Bandier apparel at www.bandier.com
-by Reyna Abraham