Thursday, November 12, 2009

Wardrobe Malfunction?


Good Morning! I am hoping that some of you will be able to help me out. For the past several weeks, with the advice and consent of my husband, I have been getting up early to go for a walk/jog/run. Most days, I am home in time to shower and dress for the day, and this is a great luxury. Some days, however, it makes more sense for me to stay in my workout clothes for part, or even all, of the day. For example, on Fridays we have an outside gym class with the kids in the afternoon, so changing into real clothes is just a waste of time.

Here's the problem: my current workout gear is black yoga pants and a t shirt. I feel like they are a bit obscene to go out in public, especially if I am trying to fit in daily mass. I have solved this by tying a large sweatshirt around my waste to cover my bottom, but I think that might actually make it worse? Are there better choices available which would still be comfortable for running and could scoot right into my day? Something that would pass for "that cute mom in a ponytail went for a run this morning" rather than "hey, do you think that woman ever showers?" or "is she auditioning for a def leopard video?"

12 comments:

Unknown said...

How about a long cardigan with a tie at the waist? It would be cute with yoga pants, give you the coverage you want and look more pulled-together than a sweatshirt around the waist. Even if you don't run in it, you could keep it nearby to throw on for errands.

That being said, I've heard horror stories of women getting awful staph infections from staying in sweaty clothes, so I try to make a habit of doing so even if I don't have time to shampoo... a ponytail or headband is totally acceptable.

Unknown said...

a habit of rinsing off, that is.

Right Said Red said...

LOL. The def leopard video line is hysterical.

As for wardrobe, I think a pulled together workout outfit is essential if you want to stay in it all day and look like you are a sporty mom as opposed to a mom who doesn't care about her appearance. How about a pair of adidas (or some other name brand) pants with a coordinating t-shirt and pullover running top? You can always find stuff on sale at a sporting good store (like Dick's) or even a discount store like Kohl's. Kohl's usually have some great name brand workout clothes. I'd go with a sleek/silky looking material (not cotton material like sweatpants). I think the key is to buy something that looks new (as opposed to a pair of old sweatpants) and that is a full coordinated outfit. I don't normally work out in clothes like that, but I also usually have time to change and shower. If I don't have time to change, I wear one or two more put-together looking workout outfits.

Kat said...

Mary Alice, this is something that I've struggled with as well. I finally have come to the conclusion that, since I spend a lot of time in work-out style clothes (because I sometimes don't get to shower until naptime, etc.), it makes sense to spend some money to buy a couple of nice work-out clothes. This goes totally against my instinct, which would be to spend no money on workout clothes and more money on nicer "going out" clothes, but the reality is that much more time is spent in exercise clothes these days. Especially if I want to go to a morning Mass or somewhere else where I need to be presentable, I think I need to bite the bullet and make this investment.

On that note, does anyone have suggestions of places to buy maternity exercise clothes? I haven't found much, so any suggestions would be appreciated!

Mary Alice, I've also found that I spend lots of time in pajamas, and should probably invest in a couple of nice pairs of pajamas as well.

Juris Mater said...

I think running, and then homeschooling, in a Michael Phelps style black unitard would solve most of your problems. With the increase in speed from your aerodynamic sleekness, you'll probably shave enough time off your run to allow for a shower afterward anyway. Furthermore, it dries so fast you could just shower in that and scoot right into your day. Or not shower at all. You'll feel great, look great, fit right in at Mass. Black is flattering. Def Leppard goodbye. Grease/Olivia Newton-John HELLO. Your kids will be so proud of you at gym class. The concern about staph and yeast infections still stands, but everything's a tradeoff.

Kate said...

If you look for stores that sell 'active wear' you can find a lot of cute exercise clothes that can pass as all-day wear. Hanes has some cute track pants that are comfy and offer more coverage than yoga style pants.

And someone asked about pregnancy - I think duematernity has a line of active wear!

texas mommy said...

Kat...running skirts makes a maternity skirt with biker short underneath. http://www.runningskirts.com/PregnancyFitness.html

B-Mama said...

I was in TJ Maxx the other day and was overwhelmed by the racks and racks of workout clothes they have! I said to myself, "I will NEVER spend full price on this stuff again!" MA, you will have no choice but to look "put together" in a workout way and so cute! Kat, it might also be a place to find larger sizes that don't cost as much to cover maternity style. As for the full-body Phelps unitard, JM, you may have to special order for that one. lol. :)

JMB said...

Here's my 2 cents: It kind of skeeves me out to hear that you don't shower after working out. I've found that the shower doesn't take nearly as long if you don't have to wash your hair. So wrap up your hair in a shower cap or a towel, hop in the shower and you can be in and out in under 5 minutes flat.

Buy two workout outfits that fit you well. I'm a big fan of Nike running pants (modern fit). They wash well and keep their fit for a long time. If they are too long, take them to the tailor and have them hemmed. Buy the jacket that goes with the pants. They are usually longer and hit at the top of the thigh, not the waist. Believe it or not, they are very flattering.

So, after your run, jump in shower and throw on the clean outfit. It's a no brainer. Put the other in the wash for the next day. Buy the whole outfit so you look put together. You will feel great.

I totally agree with the other poster that you should buy the best quality of the type of clothes that you wear every day.

Mary Alice said...

I just want to clear the air and reply to the comments about my hygiene:

I don't shower on the days when I take a 15-20 minute walk around my neighborhood -- this is not a proper workout I am talking about.

If I went for a three mile run I couldn't get about my day without showering.

Sometimes I know that I am going to run later in the day, but I am trying to force myself to still get up and walk to keep the routine of being up in the morning and to get some alone time to refresh. Then, I can run while the kids are at the gym class, for example, and then we come home and everyone showers. So, it makes sense to stay in workout type clothes all day.

Jennifer Frey said...

Hey Mary Alice,

The simplest solution to your problem is just to change clothes. I know that isn't the answer you were looking for, but I really think it is the best one. I don't think people should go to Mass in workout clothes as a rule (though if it comes down to it, God would rather have you there no matter what you are wearing), and no amount of cute workout clothes changes this. I think it is best to dress to the occasion/situation when you can. No need to look amazing when you workout so that you can pass muster at Mass. Save the money on expensive workout clothes and just change into something more appropriate.

I change clothes pretty often during the day. In part this is because I currently work from home, and so I have my "around the house" clothes on for part of the day, and my "out in the world" clothes on when I actually need to run errands and be around other humans. I also change clothes when I need to work out (which is usually just some pilates on my bedroom floor). For me, this is a really simple task, and since I like putting together an outfit, also sort of enjoyable.

I know what you're thinking: isn't this a waste of time? I don't think so. At least for me, changing clothes takes all of 2-5 minutes, at most. I use that time to think about what I'm about to do next and other planning, and also to take a moment to take care of myself. Another benefit is that you end up having to wash clothes less often, because typically your clothes aren't messed up after just a few hours of use.

Also, I completely disagree that it is weird or gross that you don't shower after a workout. If you are like me and don't sweat or smell much, then WHO CARES?

Mary said...

Gap, J.Crew, and others make cute knit skirts made out of the same sweatsuit-type material as yoga pants/running pants. (They're usually in the lounge/workout section of their websites. They'd work fine for a quick 20-minute walk. Pair one with a cute tank top or two and a hoodie (short-sleeved for summer, long-sleeved for winter - I have cute hoodies from Gap, Old Navy, Ann Taylor Loft, etc.) and wear for Mass and your 20-minute walk, then switch the skirt for yoga pants or running pants and remove the hoodie when you need to run. Would take 30 seconds -- likely wouldn't need to even take off your shoes to switch bottoms!