I’m a girl. I think we’ve clearly established that. And I’ve always been somewhat of a girly girl. In kindergarten I refused to wear anything but dresses with big bows on them. As a high school goth I veered toward the dramatic skirts and lots of makeup variety. However, since birthing 3 boys and living with a fourth I’ve become, well, kind of a princess. I blame all the testosterone.
Cardio Queen
So how does all this frivolity translate in the gym? As far as primping is concerned, there are two basic categories: general hygiene and looks. For my workouts I try to accomplish the former and not worry about the latter. For instance, I now shave my legs and pits every day and I think everyone at the gym is grateful for that. I don’t wear makeup to exercise but I don’t wash it off before I work out if I’m already wearing it either. And I don’t even own any matchy-matchy Nike outfits.
But small indulgences have been creeping in. I paint my toes which considering they are always covered by tennies is probably just icing. I also try and keep my work out gear in the same color family and I like my clothes to fit. Here’s my confession: I get ridiculously excited for any events for which I get to dress up like the symphony or a nice dinner out or… the Hip Hop Hustle YouTube video shoot (tonight, baby!). You know, the important things. So it was inevitable that I would eventually confront the ultimate girly girl workout piece.
Running In A Skirt
I mentioned the other day that I have always been leery of running skirts. Sure they have shorts under them but if you’re going to wear shorts why not just wear shorts and leave all the extra fabric off? The few skirts that I had tried on were either a Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman short-and-tight or were so utilitarian as to be completely fug, like running in a 1950’s girl scout uniform.
Enter runningskirts.com. They saw my little post and offered to change my mind by sending me a running skirt to sample. At first I was nervous as their mascots, the impossibly gorgeous Running Twins, set a high standard. Anything would look good on those two Amazons. (Side note: the twins, with their abs of steel, are even moms. Of babies under 1. Girls are amazing.) But I pushed my fears aside and wore it to the gym today.
My butt has never looked so good in work out clothes.
It was the perfect length and clung to my butt just enough to show it off. The waistband was wide, laid completely flat, and didn’t cause anything to squish out above or below it. It even had the cutest little flare at the bottom so it wasn’t binding at all. I couldn’t stop checking myself out in the mirrors on the weight floor (yeah, I even annoyed myself). I was h-o-t hot.
Then Gym Buddy Allison and I tested it out for its intended purpose by running a few miles around the track. It moved like a dream and I felt downright bouncy in it. Maybe a little too bouncy… Allison, in further testament to what a good friend she is, ran behind me for a few steps to make sure everything was staying covered. And it was.
But all was not sunshine and roses. Unless you are talking rosy cheeks. Of the nether variety.
The one problem with the running skirt was that it came with attached panties, a la Anna Kournikova. They were fine while I was running – no chaffing – but for anything else they were quite revealing.
CrossFit today called for 3 sets of 50 back extensions and 50 situps. Of course, our back extension machine, a machine with a high embarrassment potential even minus the skirt, is right in the middle of the weight floor. Let’s just say I had to use Allison as a human shield and couldn’t fully extend.
Next up, situps! Problem: the weight floor is surrounded on all sides by the track – except one wall of mirrors. Eventually I found a corner wedged between the Gravitron and the Smith Machine where I could aim my tushie at the wall. Allison christened it “the cleavage corner” and banished me to it for all three sets.
My workout completed, I headed to the stretching mats to… do anything but stretch. (Children, today we learn that Charlotte is not an aggressive bikini waxer.) Instead I sat on the mats with my knees held primly together while Allison theorized, “Maybe the problem isn’t the panties. Maybe you just need to be more comfortable with showing them, you know like tennis players.”
“But with tennis, you rather expect to see undies. I don’t think people come to the Y looking for flash dance.”
“You could start a trend!”
Or I could just stick to running in it.
Note: I tested out the “running skirt” style. This style comes with the mesh panties attached (never felt so nicely ventilated, I tell you). Running Skirts also has an “athletic skirt” style with attached compression shorts that make it suitable for yoga, kick boxing etc.
Make sure and check out MizFit in a skirt today! Girl is one hot mamacita!!
Now I’m dying to know what kind of girly concessions you make for your workouts! Are you a ratty tee in the basement kind of girl or do your dri-fit tees match the swoosh on your shorts (and socks and shoes and headbands)? And men – chime in and tell us if you guys notice our shenanigans and what you think of it.
I do mostly weight lifting and very little cardio now, and I had to try out the running skirt even though I don’t run. I got one at Target the other day, and I was surprised how comfy it was. HOWEVER, the problem came when I laid down on the weight bench to bench press. This skirt has little shorts attached, but you can’t really tell that they aren’t just underwear. I don’t think I’ll be buying anymore. I’ll stick to shorts!
Thanks. Now I want to try the skirt. I’m supposed to be on a buying diet!
Where are you getting your Crossfit workouts? Today was the CF Total on the main site.
Kristy – I so hear you!
AT22- I write my posts several days in advance (I know, I’m so Type A) so the day I wrote this (sat?) CF was “Michael” with the 800m run etc. You are correct, today was the CF total. And I sucked.
Some days I workout like a girl, others I don’t. On days that I do, I rock my skort. It has full hot pink shorts underneath that cover what needs to be covered while still allowing my girlness to shine through.
And, I’ve been known to match my running shoes to my shirt. But just once or twice while I was teaching group ex. Hey, when you’re center stage, you should dress the part. 😉
Thanks for doing the skirt piece. There was a blurb about them in this months Runners World and I was very curious how it could be and couldn’t imagine it being saucy and functional at the same time.
I can honestly say I’ve never worn a running skirt. 🙂
Im sold and SMITTEN with the skirt too.
NEVER thought I would be.
beyond that? nothing 🙂
outside of the gym? nothing either so it’s not a shock.
M.
Ooooo, I’m so glad you tried this out – I’ve been wanting to get one just because it sounded fun! All my workout clothes are very bright and sorta match (at least in my mind). Hot pink shorts? Check. Aqua tank top? Check. Teal blue sports bra? Check. What can I say, I don’t want to get hit by a car!
I love the skirts to run in, and ones with compressions shorts for riding my bike. They’re also great to wear around town (since I usually wear workout gear anyway)and look just a little more put together. But I don’t wear them for strength training, as I’ve noticed the shorts have a tendency to bunch when you do too much non-running movement.
Hmm I just don’t think I get the skirt in the gym thing. I guess everyone feels differently when they’re exercising, but I like to feel strong and tough and not worry about things like fashion, or be conscious of what i’m wearing. I just like to be in the zone.
Yeah! A cancan dancer! I use to be one of them back in my dancing days!
And what do you mean no matchy-matchy Nike outfit? Get outta here.
Well, you know where I stand, I like to look cute when I work out. Like you, no make-up is added and or taken off for a workout, but I definitely do work on matching things up a bit. Okay, quite a bit.
You ought to check out my last post, because it highlights the extent of my problem.
As for running skirts, all the ones I have include compression shorts, and I would not walk around the gym showing my derriere thankyouverymuch.
For some reason, doing something a little tough like running, swinging a kettlebell, lifting a “heavy” weight while being a little dolled up makes me feel even tougher.
Overgrown tomboy, reporting in.
I’d wear ratty t-shirts if they wicked better. But aside from the need for hi-tech fabrics, I pretty much butch it up at the gym.
Shocking, I know.
The vast majority of women at our fitness center dress pretty good, but then U.F was just voted the number one party school in the country yesterday, so they have to be ready at all times to get the party startrd.
Don’t see too many wearing skirts, however. Something to look forward to, I’m sure!
Great post! I really want to try the skirt. I like being a girl.
I don’t really match my outfits. But they mostly consist of black yoga pants and some kind of tank top. No makeup is put on or taken off. My toes are always done and my fingernails are usually done. 🙂 My hair is a mess at the gym…but I’ve got pretty nails. 🙂
Oh, and bikini wax or not, I would not do the panty type skirt. I would have to have the one with the shorts under it.
I have a running skirt from the wonder twins, too. I haven’t worn it for a while, I had this phase with my running where I felt so lacking that I didn’t want to draw any extra attention to myself, such as wearing a sassy skirt. I need to pull it back out again and see if it still fits! their skirts are extremely comfy for running, but I could see it being a problem during other workouts.
The only time I ever wore a skort was the day I forgot my gym pants and I was teaching…one of the members in class was nice enough to let me borrow an extra (clean) skort she had with her.
I normally wear gym pants with a Brazilian cut. http://www.vumawear.com/ – there’s Brasil Sul which makes my tummy roll over (so I don’t buy those) but the Margarita’s are awesome. I have to restrain myself from checking myself out all the time, and it’s really all about the pants (they hold everything in). They come in really cute patterns too.
I love my running skirts!! However, unless you get the compression shorts underneath, they are only going to be suitable for running in. I haven’t tried this brand but lots of other running skirts and they all have positives and negatives about them.
Seems like each skirt has a different workout.
When I was little I used to be uber girly girl. I think I’m still kinda girly, although when it comes to exercise I’m usually not girly in the least. My workout gear primarily consists of basic tank or an old t-shirt, and either my really really old sweats or else some shorts. In the winter I pull out all the stops in wearing lots of layered long-sleeved shirts with a shiny maroon vest over top and some kind of toque… I am DEFINITELY not a fashionable exerciser (WhatNotToWear? Come buy me pretty workout gear? :)).
Thanks for testing out that skirt for us! It sounds great as long as you stick to cardio while wearing it. I’ve never had a running skirt but it could be fun!
Charlotte, last week when I was away, I wrote posts in advance and then posted them – and they posted to the day I wrote them not the day I published them. How do you tell it to publish that day instead of the day you wrote it?
My pre-wife runs in these skirt/shorts and she loves them. She said they are just more comfortable and don’t ‘ride up’ as much as shorts.
Plus they look hot. That’s me talking.
Cute post! I met the twins at a marathon trade show. They are adorable. I bought a skirt and kinda liked it, but not for long runs. I need a sturdier wasteband or something. I felt like it would slip off. Weird, I know.
PS: It was always my dream to have 3 boys! Just gotta find a hubby first. ha ha.
I keep looking at the workout skorts at Target and thinking about them. Totally frivolous for me, but why not?
I do all of my working out at home now. So, not so girly. But I wear lots of workout type clothes for my everyday wear – racerback tanks that wick away sweat, yoga pants. I HATE wearing lace-up shoes, though, so I’m lacking there.
I need to be more girly. I’ve become entirely too utilitarian in all ways, and it’s making me feel old. On Saturday I bought an expensive frilly bra and panties, and WOW what a difference in how it made me feel. So, maybe I do need girly workout stuff.
I like the tough tank top and jeans look with long flowing hair and makeup. It makes me feel sexy too.
When I work out at home, it’s anything goes, clothing-wise. When I’m at the gym I’m usually teaching, so I do doll it up a bit. But my newest fashion accessory is my fabu elbow brace! Tres chic!
(Have a bright pink running skirt from Activa. Love it! For walking.)
i like the running/workout skirts … but again, only for cardio.
and i was so the must-wear-dresses-every-single-day to kindergarten type, too. i refused to wear jeans and the only shorts i remember wearing were purple with a butterfly on them.
must explain why i never wore dresses in high school (except homecoming and even then i was forced) and barely tolerated skirts.
I love the skirts. I also paint my toenails…..Another thing I do is I find cute t’s to wear that are fitted. My kids love my Paul Frank monkey T. It make my boobs look like they might actually be an A cup versus a “no” cup. Hence, the reason I wear a skirt, so nobody mistakes me for a boy.
I am so not girly at the gym. I throw on a sports bra or 2, an old tank top that is too big for me, and while I try not to clash too bad, I don’t worry about it too much. The only thing I “splurged on” is a new pair of pants for 10 bucks since my old ones were falling off my arse. My hair is in whatever pile I can force it into to minimize the sweat dripping into my face. I lose about half my lipstick and look way funny doing it. I care absolutely NADA about what I look like at the gym. I just don’t want to flash my naughty bits and I’m happy.
Now, outside the gym, I have to be perfectly matched (shoes match the sunglasses match the sweater match the rest of the outfit), always have lipstick, a necklace, and earrings on or I feel naked, and wear skirts because I want to at least a few times a week. So it’s totally a gym thing. 🙂
I’ll have to look into running skirts. I just bought two swim skirts (a black one and a brown one to match my various swimsuits…), and I love them.
I was especially grateful for them last week at the pool when my BIL accidentally goosed me (he blames a game of tag with a niece and no contacts… whatever…) It was nice to have more fabric between his hands and my backside.
Pingback:Gym Etiquette: Ma’am, your sports bra is showing [Reader Question] | The Great Fitness Experiment
Pingback:Gym Etiquette: Ma’am, your sports bra is showing [Reader Question] | Instant Health Fitness