Whether you have a New Year’s resolution to exercise more or have been working out for ages, having an activewear capsule wardrobe will make it easier to stick to an exercise routine.
Most activewear capsule wardrobes I’ve seen don’t work for me. Maybe they assume the wearer doesn’t sweat much, or does laundry more than once a week. This is not the case for me. When I exercise, I’m working hard and sweating and there is NO way I’m going to wear those clothes again until they’re clean. I exercise 5 to 6 times a week so I need, at minimum, 6 tops and bottoms. The nice thing about a capsule wardrobe is that you can adjust the numbers to make it work for you.
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Creating An Activewear Capsule Wardrobe
Just like any other capsule wardrobe, start with a color palette. I prefer to stick to mostly neutrals for activewear because you will most likely have fewer pieces than a regular wardrobe. Neutral colors enable all the pieces to go together. Black, white, and gray are easy to find for activewear but pick what makes you happy. The one place I like to add color is for my running clothes so that I’m visible outside.
- 6 sports bras
- 5 tank tops or t-shirts
- 2 long sleeve tops
- 3 shorts
- 3 leggings
- 2 shoes – I have 1 pair for indoor workouts and 1 pair for running
- 1 sweatshirt
- 1 vest (optional)
I prefer tank tops to t-shirts because I hate fiddling with my clothes when I’m working out. Since I’ve been working out at home I usually wear a sports bra and leggings but if I run outside I’m definitely going to wear a tank top over the sports bra, lol! But choose what works for you and what makes you feel confident.
I used to scoff at the idea of spending decent money on work out clothes or cute activewear. This was before I really got in to exercise or fashion. Now, I understand the power of clothes and how wearing something that makes you feel good makes a difference in your attitude. If you don’t feel good in your old, ratty gym clothes, you probably won’t want to work out. No shade if that’s what you wear when exercising! You do you! But if you’re looking for a bit of motivation to get moving, choose clothes that you like and make it easy to change in to them with a capsule wardrobe.
You might like: Winter Capsule Wardrobe
Shopping Links For Activewear Capsule Wardrobe
If you already own some activewear then use what you have and add or replace as needed. Gym clothes don’t last as long for me as regular clothes since they are worn harder and washed more often.
Amazon Activewear
There is a wide price range for activewear on Amazon and if you prefer a certain brand you can probably find it here.
Sports bras: High Impact good for running/cardio | Medium impact good for most workouts | Zip-front closure (good for people with poor shoulder mobility who find it difficult to take off a regular sports bra)
Tanks/Tees: My favorite tank tops | Tank top | Muscle tank top | Cross-front cropped tank | 3-pack tank tops | 2-pack short-sleeve t-shirts
Long-sleeve tops: Performance tee | Running shirt
Shorts: Biker shorts | High-waist yoga shorts | Running shorts | 5-inch running shorts with zipper pocket | 4-inch running shorts with zipper pocket
Leggings: Mid-rise leggings | High-rise leggings | Fleece-lined leggings |
Shoes: My favorite indoor training shoes | My favorite running shoes | More affordable training shoes (very good reviews) | More affordable running shoes
Sweatshirts: Pullover hoodie | Pullover cross-front sweatshirt | Pullover 1/4 zip fleece | Full-zip hoodie | Full-zip thermal hoodie
Vests: Water-resistant vest | Running/hiking vest
Old Navy Activewear
Old Navy often has sales on their activewear so make sure you get it at a good price! They have a HUGE assortment of leggings.
Sports bras: High-impact, zip-front closure | Medium impact | Light support, low impact
Tank tops/Tees: Muscle tank (so many cute ones!) | Short-sleeve t-shirt | Twist-front cropped tank
Long-sleeve tops: Lightweight top | Mock-neck twist front top | Performance tee
Shorts: Running shorts with liner | 4-inch running shorts | 5-inch compression shorts | 8-inch compression shorts
Leggings: High-waisted leggings | Light compression leggings (very good ratings) | High compression leggings | Mid-rise leggings | Yoga pants
Sweatshirts: Cropped pullover hoodie (it’s not too short!) | Pullover hoodie | Quilted hybrid zip hoodie | Pullover 1/4 zip fleece | Zip-up hoodie
Vests: Packable vest
Nordstrom Activewear
I really like the Zella brand from Nordstrom but you can also get Nike, Champion, and Adidas if you prefer those brands.
Sports bras: Long line bra | Low-impact | Medium-impact
Tank tops/Tees: Tank top | Workout tank | Cropped tank top | Twist-front cropped tank | Short-sleeve t-shirt
Long-sleeve tops: Twist-front top | Performance tee
Shorts: High-waist biker shorts | Mid-rise biker shorts | Running shorts with liner | Compression running shorts
Leggings: 7/8 length with pockets | The best leggings | Yoga pants
Shoes: My favorite running shoes | Indoor training shoes (lots of good ratings)
Sweatshirts: Pullover sweatshirt | Zip-up track jacket | Twist front fleece hoodie
Additional Exercise Tips
If you are looking for workout videos on YouTube I suggest Fitness Blender, Chloe Ting, and Sydney Cummings. Sydney posts new workouts EVERY DAY at 5 am so there are no excuses. She uses weights in most of her videos so if you don’t have weights at home, look for no-equipment or body weight workouts. Bodyweight workouts are great if you’re just starting out. You won’t be nearly as sore afterwards and you still get a good workout. I also suggest getting a set of resistance bands like these.
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