I did so because I wanted to spur a conversation centered around the value of investing in good workout gear.
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not about to start preaching the "active wear as day wear" trend, and suggest you all run out to Lulu or some other horrendously over priced fitness store to start scooping up black spandex capris and oversized, plain scoop neck tanks. I am NOT trying to get you all to start looking like this:
I mean, let's face it. I don't care how good you look in your black workout spandex. That sh!t isn't meant to be worn around in public. You just look dumb doing it.
However!! What I want to demonstrate today is that with some smart shopping and an investment in a handful of quality fitness pieces, you can easily expand your current everyday wardrobe and save yourself some time and effort when it comes to packing for the gym (and doing laundry after).
Here are a few examples of what I mean, based on actual outfits I've worn in the last month:
And a variation on the striped capri, from a workout perspective anyway:
As you can see, with the investment in a few key high end workout items, I've been able to mix and match three entire work outfits that transition seamlessly into a workout later in the day. And even within these sets, there's lots of options - for example, I've paired the amigo shirt with the lace capris and it looks fantastic. And I bet you could do the teal skull shirt with the striped leggings as well!
So ... where am I going with all this?
Well, a few places.
First, I've seen a handful of people comment on InkNBurn and how it's a little on the pricey side. And I definitely understand how some might have a little sticker shock when first looking into any brand of quality workout gear, especially if you're new to the workout world or have been using old t-shirts and shorts at the gym (but I certainly don't understand that comment when it comes from the mouth of experienced workout folks who shop at Lulu or similar ... who are paying even higher prices for something with no design to it that's not even made in the USA). By demonstrating the above, my hope is that folks who are hesitant to purchase something based on price alone can see ... a well designed fitness piece is worth the investment when you consider it can work into your everyday wardrobe as well.
Second & Third - I'm trying to share my gains with you. Not only have I been able to cut down my laundry significantly by multi-purposing my outfits (like I show above), I have been saving a ton of time and hassle in regards to packing for the gym and changing once at the gym. Which in the end, these two factors all boil down into convenience ... and let's face it, the more a workout is inconvenient, the more likely you'll not want to do it, right?! So, I'm trying to make it easier for you to be motivated to work out!
Fourth - for me, having fun and fashionable workout gear like this has made a huge difference in my mind set when it comes to actually working out. I've learned that, for me, having things that I enjoy wearing and that I feel good in, makes me (1) look forward to working out and (2) helps me enjoy my time during said workout. By having a handful of pieces like the above, I've come to enjoy being active much, much more. Depending on your own fashion sense, this may not be as big of a motivating factor in your life. But you can apply this to fit & function as well, since higher end pieces typically feel better on and allow you to be more comfortable as you work. So if you want to throw the fashion piece out, at least there's that factor working for you.
So, when you combine all the above factors, and remember that in making the right selection when it comes to purchasing workout gear you may also end up adding some fun new items to your wardrobe ... in the end a more expensive piece of workout gear really isn't so bad. As long as you can launder it right to get the gym stink out for future non-gym wear (more on this in a future post).
And just in case you think I'm blowing smoke ...
No comments:
Post a Comment