There are myriad ways to elevate your activewear game and get extra milage out of your workout threads beyond the studio—take flared leggings that are office-friendly or a cropped sports bra that legitimately works as a top, for example. Still, fashion ruts happen—even with your athleisure clothes. So what should you do when you need fresh ideas for styling your spandex wardrobe staples?
It never hurts to go looking for fitness fashion inspo, and what better source than women who literally wear it all the time? To get some insider intel, I reached out to three savvy, activewear enthusiasts—Alala founder Denise Lee, SoulCycle’s senior vice president of public relations Gabby Etrog Cohen, and The Rope creator Amanda Kloots—and asked them for their best pro tips for pulling together sporty looks you can rock anytime, anywhere.
Scroll down to see the go-to activewear styling hacks they each swear by.
Gabby Etrog Cohen
Post-workout essential: My Iro leather jacket—it’s sturdy with a great structure, which is a good complement to workout wear. Also, the Scotch & Soda leopard and floral print bomber jacket makes any outfit festive.
Go-to shoe: Gucci slides are my new Birkenstocks this summer—I’ve been living in them!
Casual Friday staple: Lululemon Align leggings in a crop or 7/8 length depending on the weather—they’re so soft; I feel like I’m not wearing anything. I’ll pair those with a distressed SoulCycle T-shirt, and a zip-up hoodie—anything from Cotton Citizen to Aviator Nation—and sneakers.
Activewear malaise fixes: Sneakers for life. I’m a huge sneakerhead—I must have 30 pairs of Nikes that I’ve collected over the past 20 years.
Amanda Kloots
Post-workout essential: After I go to the gym, I’ll keep my leggings on but throw on a great T-shirt like my Monrow x Something Navy. I have an amazing jean jacket from Bloomingdale’s with stars on it that I love—I’ll layer those two pieces with my leggings. I also ditch my sneakers and put on my rose gold Birkenstocks.
Go-to shoe: My Adidas Stan Smiths.
Casual Friday staple: I love to wear some of my cool sports bras outside of workouts. My favorite ones to do this with are from Michi. They have designs that have sexy straps that look really cute under a T-shirt, tank, or crop top. I also love Monrow, Phat Buddha, and Free People Movement.
Current go-to leggings: Right now, I’m wearing a new Beyond Yoga set—the leggings are high-waisted so they feel good all day long, and the material they use is incredible—like you’re wearing pajamas!
Denise Lee
Post-workout essential: Right now, Alala’s mesh drawstring hoodie is my post-gym go-to piece. It’s loose—so it won’t stick to your body if you’re sweaty—and it’s made of all mesh, which means you can dry off and still look amazing.
Go-to shoe: Your sneaker choice can really change an activewear look from gym to street. I wear a very functional Nike Metcon when I work out, but once I’m out of the gym, I like to switch into a more fashion sneaker. I’m currently obsessed with my Yeezy Calabasas Powerphase and my Jordan 3s, in kids’ sizes.
Athleisure styling MO: I love a mix of unexpected elements and textures. I like wearing my workout pieces with ripped jeans, silky wide-leg pants, or statement jewelry. I’ll wear a mesh tee and barre bra with a pair of black jeans or vintage Levi’s.
Casual Friday staple: Sweats! I love pairing them with a cut-off old rock tee and some statement sneakers or Adidas slides.
Activewear malaise fixes: When I do feel like I’m in a rut, I like to switch things up with a new color legging—like navy or spice colors this fall—instead of my basic black. And I knot, tuck in, or cut up my tops for a different look.
For more fitness fashion inspo, here are the activewear trends expected to be super buzzy this fall and 16 denim jackets to rock with your leggings for a cool post-workout look like Gabby Etrog Cohen.
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