There’s nothing quite like a good workout, although a bit of style can take even the sweatiest sweat session to a whole new level. If you walk in and out of the gym feeling your best, there’s nothing you won’t be able to conquer the rest of the day.
Because so many people make time to work out – and want to look good doing so – you’ll find it’s pretty easy to transform yourself into a fitness fashionista. With a few wardrobe swaps, product purchases and workout tweaks, you’ll be spiffy from start to finish.
Below are four tried-and-true tips for looking your most stylish during and after a workout session.
1. Wear Transition-Ready Clothing
Congratulations! You live in the age of athleisure, a type of clothing made for fashionable fitness lovers. Gone are the days of oversized, faded t-shirts and shapeless sweatpants: athleisure has brought us everything from matching bra-and-leggings sets, to gorgeously draped yoga shirts, to trendy sneakers that you won’t be shy about wearing to brunch.
An athleisure outfit will always be fun and stylish on its own, but you might have to put a little thought into it should you want to wear it out into the real world after you work out. Try choosing a base say, a pair of workout leggings with sheer panels that will easily go with sneakers, a sports bra and tank, as well as with combat boots and a slouchy sweater.
2. Work Out Hard, Sweat Less
Sweat is a sign of a good workout, but it’s not the only way to ensure that you’re doing it right. For most exercisers, the amount that you sweat is caused by genetics and the environment around you, so don’t let a steamy yoga session trick you into thinking it’s more effective than one performed at regular room temperature.
In fact, yoga and pilates are prime examples of workouts that don’t cause a lot of sweat, but can have an immense impact on your overall health. They shape your core, improve endurance and help you gain balance, three factors that certainly make you a more fit person.
More sweat-less or sweat-free workouts to improve your look both during and after a session include stretching, foam-rolling your muscles and static training, wherein you tone muscles by holding a weighted resistance move and feeling the burn.
3. Pack Your Gym Bag Wisely
A gym treadmill typically holds 74 times more bacteria than a bathroom sink. In other words, you want to make sure that you’re nice and clean after a workout session the gym harbors plenty of bacteria that you don’t want to take home with you.
If you’re going to get re-styled and on with your day immediately after a workout session, then you should make sure that your gym bag is stocked with all of the products you need to make that happen. Everyone’s freshening-up routine is different, as is every locker room. If yours doesn’t have a shower, for example, pack products that make it possible to cleanse: baby wipes, deodorant, dry shampoo, face wash, etc.
To that end, you don’t have to sacrifice your style when it comes to your gym bag, either; this is especially important if you’re carrying your gym bag with you as you head to a social event, to work, etc. Plenty of designers have jumped into the athleisure pool, as previously mentioned, and have brought stylish gym bags with them.
4. Give Skin a Post-Workout Glow
You might be wondering how you can give your skin a post-workout glow, since, well, the workout should do that. A good sweat session will certainly get your blood flow going and brighten your skin, but it won’t stay that way for long if left to its own devices.
That’s why the final step in looking stylish after a workout is perfecting your skincare regimen. After a gentle cleansing session too much exfoliation can be rough on skin that’s already dewy – slather your skin in moisturizer in order to regain the hydration lost while you sweated. Some exercisers might then layer on a bit of make-up in order to face the real world with an enhanced post-workout glow.
Of course, the most important thing is that you are working out and taking care of your health in the first place; however, there’s no harm in trying to look good while you do it. A little bit of confidence goes a long way, especially in the gym that heavier weight, that new class or that new contraption? No big deal when you’re feeling good.
