Gym Belle Q & A: Where to Buy Workout Clothes in NYC
R, a newbie runner, asks: Going workout clothes shopping. Where? Want the hot pink Nike stuff... And other stuff... Lululemon for yoga wear? And where is best for Nike? Niketown? I figure you are an expert in the field...
I don't know that I'd call myself an expert, but my workout clothes collection is rapidly outgrowing my closet. For yoga wear, I am a huge Lululemon fan. In fact, I wear their clothes to yoga, to Physique 57, to run and even to CrossFit sometimes. (I also wear Lululemon to brunch, the movies, airports, conferences and the office on weekends.) Lulu outfits are cute and comfortable and they never seem to wear out or look old no matter how many times I wash them. I also like Beyond Yoga's super soft tops for yoga-type activities. (Check their website for great sales that justify the shipping costs.)
I struggle with running shorts for some reason. Lululemon's don't fit me at all and neither do most running brands'. The only pair that I truly can say I love were a freebie from New Balance. They're super comfy and stay where they're supposed to. I keep meaning to buy another pair of those, but it hasn't happened yet.
Some of my favorite running tops for summer are from Track & Field, which opened its Madison Avenue location earlier this year. They make super lightweight tank tops, and each item of clothing you purchase comes in its very own tube. The tubes are made out of corn so they are totally biodegradable. I use mine for bringing home wet bathing suits. Be forewarned, though, Track & Field is a Brazilian company, and their clothes run insanely small.
If you're brave enough to handle Niketown, I say go for it! I find their massive NYC store a little intense, but they do make some cute stuff. When I shop, I'll check out The Running Company, City Sports and the Equinox stores, but I also shop online for running/workout gear. My favorite online boutique is Team Estrogen. They have a huge selection and great brands. That's where I discovered the CW-X sports bras that I love.
Hands down, my favorite gym-chic items right now are my Monrow 3/4 length sweatpants. (Good for lifting on a not so hot day or just running errands.) On a more fiscally responsible note, I'm a huge fan of Target for cotton shorts/tanks.
Happy shopping!
-Gym Belle-
3 Comments
Reader Comments (3)
Great post! You always look super cute- I'll have to try out your tips!
Ali :)
Aw, thanks, Ali!
lululemon is a great place to buy lululemon online, but I wanted to let you know that we have our own little lululemon outlet where you can buy online.
Check us out when you get a chance!
namaste