This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s spring editorial intern Kelly Xiong. Find her on Instagram at @k.3lly. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
Activewear fashion has been very popular recently. More and more women are getting into the gym one way or another and we want to look cute doing it — and no this has absolutely nothing to do with the “male gaze”. Looking and feeling fabulous in the gym can help boost your confidence and even performance. Whether you’re in your Pilates princess era or you’re a diehard muscle mommy, I have tried enough activewear over the past few years to find and recommend something for all the gym rats out there.
Sports bras
When it comes to weightlifting and pilates, you typically don’t need a sports bra with high support. These workouts do not require high-intensity cardio and bouncing around so you can get away with something lighter. The Gymshark minimal sports bra has become very popular since its release. It is the perfect sports bra for the girlies with smaller chests. Many gym-fluencers rave about this piece and how cute it is for a reason. It makes lifting twice your body weight that much more fun. There are also many dupes on Amazon and other fitness brands’ websites. The minimal sports bra look is super in right now and I see so many girls at my gym rockin’ it. I’ve also found that this is a great top for back day. The open-back style of the sports bras will show off the back gains like crazy.
For Pilates, I’d recommend a safer option. The Gymshark Elevate sports bra or the Oner Activer unified twist sports bra. Both provide more coverage and support so no accidents and slips happen. Though you could also wear these to the gym for lifting if you’d prefer. They are simply a little more Pilates-friendly than the Gymshark minimal sports bra, since lifting usually doesn’t require as much moving around as pilates.
Leggings
The best leggings I’ve tried thus far are the Gymshark adapt fleck seamless leggings. They are wonderful for weightlifting. It’s very compressive and stretchy. I wear this one on leg day a lot during the winter seasons because it still shows off the glute pump like nobody’s business. This won’t give you that prominent cheek separation but that doesn’t mean it won’t still be seen.
If you want leggings with the ultimate cheek separation and glute enhancement, I would recommend any of the NVGTN leggings. The fabric of these leggings is lighter and stretchier than the typical Gymshark ones. It also feels thin and soft to the touch so you can really move around in these. The one downside is that because of NVGTN’s thinner fabric, it pills very easily — so be careful around dumbbells and barbells. But other than that, they are amazing leggings for any type of workout.
Shorts
NVGTN is also known for its shorts. Similar to the leggings, you will get the ultimate cheek separation. The shorts are definitely more tall girl-friendly than short. The 5-inch inseam of the shorts can very quickly look like full-on biker shorts if you’re on the shorter side like me. And yes, you can just pull them up higher but then you’d have too much scrunch around the pelvic area.
For the shorter girls, the Yeoreo cross-waist shorts and the Aurola Dream collection shorts do wonders. Both have a 3-4-inch inseam so there won’t be excessive scrunching around the pelvic area just to make your glutes pop. The fabric of these leggings is also very soft and stretchy. It allows for lots of movement. I would recommend the Yeoreo shorts for weightlifting or any other in-gym activity because they have shorter inseams, it may not be the best for all other forms of activity. The Aurola and NVGTN shorts are more versatile and you could honestly wear them for any form of exercise.
Tops
The Gilly Hicks strappy plunge tank makes for an amazing workout top or even just a regular top. The strappy back allows for breathability during exercises. It is also not super cropped you can also wear it outside of the gym too — like say, to class. This top looks very similar to the famous Lululemon align tank, except cheaper and just as cute — if not cuter because of the back design. Its stretch, moisture-wicking fabric, and the breathability of the back allow it to be worn for any form of exercise. Plus, you’ll look good doing it.
Have you tried any of these items? And what is the best activewear brand? Let us know in the comments!
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