Fashion | How to look good exercising!

Now we all know that exercising isn't the most glamorous of all things. You get sweaty, your makeup runs and sometimes your face does that annoying red - blotchy thing that just won't disappear (or is that just me?). Whatever exercise it is that you're doing, there's going to be a rather high chance that you're not looking great doing it! Of course, it can depend on what exercise you're doing but from my experience, if you're at Bootcamp, in a Personal Training session or even on a run, then chances are you're going to look a lot less hot when you're finished! I don't think I'll ever find the solution to sweating less whilst I work out, but one thing I have realised is that you can definitely look a little better if you're wearing the right kit! Ever since I started exercising 'properly' last year I have become obsessed with fitness clothing. New sports bras, leggings, tanks, you name it, I love it! Looking good whilst I exercise is slowly becoming an obsession of mine and I just cannot help myself from buying more and more. Through this post I thought I'd show you some of my faves and why I love them!

The first kit that I am currently obsessed with are these two lovely pieces from South Beach. The JoJo Crop* is literally one of the comfiest things I have ever worn. From receiving it in the post, to wearing it at bootcamp that evening it literally did not leave my body. If it was socially acceptable to wear sports bras all day long I would totally be wearing this one! I love how soft it is and how supportive it is. Now, I don't have the biggest boobs going, but I definitely still need quite a bit of support when it comes to running around a field! I'm a 32DD and this is a Small that I'm wearing in the pictures above. It fits so so well and really sticks those suckers down when it comes to actually doing the exercise and not parading around the field taking photos! At £15 it's so much better value than some of the bigger sports brands I'll be mentioning below and it does an equally amazing job!

The Marcia Leggings* are also a new favourite of mine. I have to admit when I first tried these on, I instantly hated them, but after completing a tough bootcamp session in them, they're one of my new favourites! I'm used to lycra when it comes to my leggings, I love how it sucks me in but is still comfortable to wear, but these bad boys are 90% polyester and 10% Elastane which completely threw me out of my comfort zone. Again I am wearing a small in the photos above, I'm a UK size 8 (sometimes 10 for my thighs and big bum!) but these were actually a tad too big around my waist. I have what my Mum likes to call a 'hollow back', which basically means that just above my bum my back dips in a bit making it difficult to find trousers or jeans that fit me perfectly - I like it as it means I have a big bum and small waist, but it can be a pain! These leggings fit me perfectly around my legs and thighs, but were a bit big and saggy around my waist and stomach, not something I would usually wear, but in this instance with exercise it actually wasn't a bad thing at all! They were so comfortable with running around the field and doing squats (see photos below for some pose-y action shots) the only down side to them was that they became a little scratchy when I was sweating and my body was heating up! Other than that, they're perfect for working out in and looking good! I love the design too, really nice to pick up what could be a boring pair of leggings!

Some of my other favourite pieces of fitness clothing are the three outfits below. In outfit One I am wearing a luminous orange crop from Matalan - (they don't sell this one any more but I've linked to a similar one). I really love the vibrancy of this sports bra and again it is really supportive. I'm wearing a size 8 and it fits really well, for just £8 Matalan have some gorgeous pieces for great value! In the same photo, I'm wearing a pair of Tesco F&F Active Leggings. For £14 these are such good leggings for exercising in! They can get a bit see-through as you squat (sensible underwear please ladies) but other than that they're a really great pair for what I like to call 'throw-away' sportwear - ie. the ones I don't mind getting really muddy, because they're really affordable and wash so well!

In photo number two, I'm wearing my favourite Adidas Techfit Sports Bra in Black; For £22 this one is a little pricier, but you can also get it in SportsDirect (I think). Again, it's really comfy and super supportive - I'm not sure what else to say about this one but for running and bootcamp this is my go-to for a basic every time! The leggings I'm wearing in this photo are the Nike Legendary Leggings  (I think, I cut the tags out) and I bought these in the Swindon McArthur Glen Outlet and so I literally cannot find these online anywhere, but I bought them for £13 reduced from £65, so they were an absolute bargain! These have to be my all time favourite legging for running in! I love the crazy print as it appears to slim me down a little and they're also so comfortable (I feel like this is a running feature here). They're also really really soft and fit really nicely. If Nike weren't so expensive, I'd have a LOT more pairs of these - back to the outlet soon!

Finally in my last image I'm again wearing the Matalan crop, but this time I'm also wearing the Tesco F&F active leggings in this crazy grey / black print. They're not quite the same fit as the black ones in my first photo but they are equally as good for exercising in. They have a panelled top which is great for sucking your stomach in (she says, having tucked it in for this photo - it was a progress photo from a couple of months back!) and again they're comfortable - not as comfortable as some of the rest, but I wouldn't say no to wearing them all day long! These ones are also slightly cheaper at £10 - total bargain!

As you can see I have a complete mixture of low and high end pieces within my ever growing collection - and this isn't even half of it! I'm so obsessed with buying new sports gear every time I see a bargain and am actually looking forward to pay day so I can get my hands on some more! What are your favourite brands for exercising in? Do you love a bargain like me? Let me know in the comments, I'd love some more inspiration!

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