Hey guys! For the last year and a half, I’ve taken fitness more seriously and have made exercise a part of my daily routine. If you know me, I absolutely despise sweating. Ever since I was a kid, I hated working out or physical activity (other than dancing). I was that kid who hated PE in school, and even would sit in the shade at recess instead of running around like the other kids. I think that the fear of sweating and my mentality is what kept me from enjoying exercise. I never believed that I could do it, and told myself that I wasn’t good at it. This last year and a half has been a learning experience for me, and has helped me to not only get in shape, but also gain confidence in myself. I’ve also learned that I get motivated when my workout outfit is cute. For some reason, the more cohesive my outfit is, the harder I work out. Look good, feel good, right?
This summer I revamped my workout wardrobe to motivate me to keep up with my exercises. I am definitely not one to splurge on clothing, so my choices in athletic-wear were from affordable lines! I’ve narrowed my favorites down to three brands; Old Navy, Fabletics, and The ‘Iwa Company. All brands have items less than $50, which I think is a steal for what you’re getting. The items that I’ve chosen to feature are leggings and sports bras. I usually work out in a regular cotton t-shirt , tank, or long-sleeve, so I don’t buy too many of those unless it’s a design that I like. To me, a good sports bra and leggings will make a workout great. Let’s get to it!
Old Navy
Old Navy is the first feature. They have a good selection of tops, leggings, shorts, sweats, and sports bras. Their sports bras range in support depending on the workout intensity and your bust size. My favorite is the Light Support Strappy Sports Bra. To me, this is the right amount of support that I need, and I love the strap detail. The fabric is a light and breathable cotton, and is even comfortable enough to wear to sleep. Also pictured is a mesh panel 3/4 length black legging. The legging material is silky, but doesn’t slip down because of the elastic band. I’ve bought many Old Navy sports bras and leggings over the years because of the cute patterns and cost. They’re perfect for dance practice! If you catch the sales at the right time, there’s a good chance you can find some great prices.
| Pros | Cons |
| Comfortable fabric | The legging’s waist band will stretch out over time |
| Great support for all workouts | Some other leggings are thicker fabric, and get very hot (not ideal for Hawaii) |
| Old Navy always has a sale on their athletic-wear | |
| Cute patterns |
Fabletics
Next up is Fabletics, and I will always suggest this brand to others! I’ve even bought some Fabletics items for friends as birthday gifts. With the 2 for $24 leggings promotion for starters, it’s hard to pass up. I fell for the sign-up promotion, and love the leggings I bought! There are some months that I will waive the subscription because I don’t want anything, but when I feel like treating myself, I’ll go through the sales for membership holders. The items are more expensive than Old Navy’s, but there is a greater selection of items. There are even some items that are best suited for a certain type of exercise. I like their leggings because the fabric is thicker and is great for everyday wear as well. These leggings have no problem with the squat test! Some even come with pockets which is a plus. For all my tall girls out there, these actually go all the way to my ankle!!! That is so hard to find. For someone who is 5’9″ – 5’10”, it is really hard to find leggings that are full-length and not the awkward 7/8th length. The leggings that I have on are a solid black with a mesh panel on each side.
The bras that I bought are for a light workout (floral print), and a medium-heavy workout. What I like about the floral sports bra is the colors, and the design! I’ve gotten many compliments on this sports bra. The maroon bra is one of my favorites that I own. The back has a clip to turn the straps into a racerback for extra support. What’s so cool about this style is that there is a bra clasp that’s flat! Ladies, isn’t it the WORST to have to take off your sports bra after a sweaty workout? The fabric rolls, you have to distort into weird positions to pull it off, and sometimes I barely have any energy left to fight it. With the bra clasp, there’s none of that. It’s great quality, and there’s no fuss afterwards.
| Pros | Cons |
| Various levels of support | If I don’t want to buy anything that month, I have to remember to waive that month’s subscription |
| 2 for $24 leggings when you sign up! | The sales are good discounts, but not the styles I want |
| Cute items for working out and can double as athleisure |
The ‘Iwa Company
Throughout this year, with COVID especially, I learned the importance of supporting local businesses. Wherever you are in the world, I’m sure that your community can use the support to purchase from their local businesses. One business that I have supported is The ‘Iwa Company! They are located on Kaua’i, an island north of O’ahu, and have the cutest colors. They have limited restocks, so being able to score an item or two makes me feel like I won the lottery. You’ve been warned, their items go FAST! The quick sell outs are a true testament of how great their items are. The quality of their sports bras and leggings is amazing. Their leggings are around $45 for a pair, and the sports bras/crop tops are around $30. This is another brand that I cannot rave about enough. Plus, I always justify my purchase with the fact that I’m supporting a local business.
The leggings are the softest that I own. The material is thin, but also pass the squat test and aren’t see-through. For all my dancers out there, it feels like performance nude tights – they’re that thin and comfortable! At first I kept having to pull up the waist band to stay up, but when you work out, the heat activates the fabric to tighten and stay up. How cool is that?! The sports bra is great quality as well. Take a look at how cute the straps are in the back! Both items are great for all types of exercises and I am looking forward to buying more items in the future.
| Pros | Cons |
| Supporting a local business | If you get a light colored legging, your sweat will show through |
| Feels AMAZING | Limited quantity, so you need to act fast! |
| Cute designs and they are always changing it up with new seasonal collections |
There you have it! My honest review about the three brands that I have used over the summer. As you may have noticed, I love high-waisted leggings. I think that they’re the most comfortable to work out in. I would like to say that I am not a fitness guru, but these are what I’ve found that worked well for me and my body type. When I have a coherent workout fit, I swear that my exercises feel a lot better afterwards. Give these brands a try, and let me know what you think! Until next time..
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