“Looking good can be half the battle.”
Whether it’s hot yoga or a hike, gathering the willpower to exercise can be a struggle - trust us, we know. But all too often working out what to wear can be just as daunting as the workout itself. Sometimes it seems like every sports-bra is a little too tight, every pair of leggings just a bit too camel-toey (definitely a word). Working out should be all about feeling your best, which can be hard to do without the right equipment. So we asked passersby about the workout wear that makes them feel the most confident and comfortable to attain peak performance.
Outdoor Voices
Recommended by lyndsey Butler, Holly Liss, Rachel Nguyen, Dianna Cohen, Georgie Greville, Jill Singer, Katy Hallowell and Verena Von Pfetten
Outdoor Voices is for “Doing Things” a slogan so ubiquitous you’d be hard-pressed to go a a single day in NYC without seeing it on one of their signature tote bags. The brand successfully blurs the line between activewear and fashion with their tastefully minimalist aesthetic rendered in high performance tech fabrics. Dianna Cohen specifically recommends the texture compression leggings and freeform bralette, while Verena Von Pfetten swears by “their techSweat for heated yoga.”
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Girlfriend Collective
Recommended by Puno Dostres, hallie gould and ariel roman
Girlfriend Collective focuses on ethically made sustainable sportswear by using eco-friendly production and recycled fabrics. They are most well-known for their leggings, which are made from old water bottles (though you’d never be able to tell based on how soft they are). Hallie Gould says you can either wear them to the gym (“if you’re into that”) or just to grab a coffee (“more my style”). They’ve also broken free from modern day sizing tyranny and offer bra sizes from a 30A to a 44DD and legging sizes to fit anywhere from a 22 to a 58 inch waist.
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Alo
Recommended by kim ing and Katy Hallowell
Alo specializes in yoga clothing which looks great from street to studio. The brand is “comfortable and long lasting” says Kim Ing and is popular among celebrities (their clothes have been spotted on the likes of Taylor Swift, Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid). With a focus on mindfulness and a desire to break down the barriers between style and comfort, Alo has exploded in recent years.
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Adidas by Stella McCartney
Recommended by jill lindsay and caitlin mcmullen
When one of the world’s biggest activewear brands joins forces with a legendary designer, you can expect impressive results. We especially recommend a piece if you’re looking to incorporate color and bold pattern into your workout wardrobe. As with all Stella McCartney products there is a major focus on sustainability and ethical production across the line.
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Nike
Recommended by Jill Singer and ariel roman
Do we even need to tell you why? Nike has reigned supreme at the top of the sportswear pyramid for time immemorial and it isn’t changing anytime soon. Chances are you already own and love one (or several) Nike pieces. Don’t just buy it because everyone else does though, it’s a great go-to for an unparalleled variety of athletic basics as well as fresh approaches from a rotating cast of fashion collaborators.
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Other recommendations include Year of Yours (as recommended by Molly Surno), Nagnata (as recommended by Kim Ing) and Fabletics (as recommended by Caitlin McMullen)
Words by Mathilde Hjertholm Nielsen