What to wear to workout

On personal style in arenas that are strangely resistant to it

Hello! Happy New Year!

I love this season. New beginnings, a chance to start fresh, an opportunity to assess where we are at and where we want to be going.

For the past year, I’ve been struggling with a low stakes style conundrum every time I go to workout. I exercise about five days a week, either going to F45 or doing a 3-4 mile run. These are not the sort of activities that support a cute Pilates outfit. And athleisure really bums me out.

Lately, I’ve been texting Cami various versions of:

I hate not feeling like myself! There’s simply nothing about this outfit that makes me feel like me. At the same time, I need my workout fits to be practical. I like the occasional low intensity exercise class, but most of the time, I’m sweating my ass off and heaving heavy weights around a room. I can’t wear jewelry or a nice jacket.

The issue has made me exceedingly jealous of my sister, who has beautiful tattoos and armpit hair, and always looks like herself regardless of what she’s actually wearing (see below):

My sister at the gym in Portland

After talking it out with Cami, I realized that what bothers me the most is the workout top. The bottom part of my outfit — leggings when it’s cold, bike shorts when it’s warm — feels pretty inevitable. But a workout top? I shudder. I need support — but the tops that offer it feel very CorePower Yoga circa 2014.

Cami’s advice to try infusing my basics with more personality inspired me to stop by Favorites and find a couple vintage shirts.

Ignore the Stanley Cup…I’m desperately trying to wean myself off but my dislike of the branding is at odds with my passion for hydration.

The shirts instantly gave me a bit of a boost. I bought two, but I’ve been gravitating toward this Penguins one because I’m passionate about ice hockey drawn to the heavier weight of the cotton. I’ve noticed that lighter-weight t’s — the super-soft kind that I’m drawn to when dressing normally — kind of cling to my stomach and boobs when I’m exercising.

I got so excited about this revelation (lol) that I started wearing my hilariously dumb platform Uggs to class — then switching into running shoes once there. This lasted a few days, and while it was nice and warm, it started to feel a bit extra. I also recently learned from a Gen Z that the platform Uggs are out and mini Uggs are (back) in. Serves me right for trying to jump on a trend.

If I had endless money to invest in workout fits, I’d buy these On Running x Loewe shoes, a few more pairs of basic booty shorts (bonus points if they come in brown, neon orange, or light green), and a bunch of Comme Si cotton socks in unexpected colors, in addition to a few more vintage t’s.

Thank you for coming on this journey with me. May 2025 be infused with delightful personal style and great snacks.

Zoë