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Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

Home » A Clothing Diary Week 9

A Clothing Diary Week 9

April 21, 2015
 
Some clarification is needed about how often I wear gym clothes, and where. Yes, I probably have gym clothes on EVERY day of the week – 6 days a week maybe at a minimum. BUT!!! I don’t wear them outside of my building unless I’m running outdoors. The gym where I workout is in my basement; residents of my building see me in all of my athletic glory (ahem…), and I might stop at the grocery store in the basement of my building after I’ve worked out (yes, my building has a grocery store. And a dry-cleaner…) but that’s as far as it goes.
 
Wearing gym clothes frequently is NOT an excuse to be wandering the streets in tons of too tight, too thin, or too brief clothing. Frankly, on any given day on the streets of Chicago, I see FAR too much of the intimate details of female genitalia. I’d hesitate to wear something like that to the gym; I can’t imagine being out in public while revealing that much about my personal bits and pieces…
 

scarf – Metropolitan Museum of Art Gift Shop, earrings – Majorica, tee shirt – Lands’ End, cardigan – Eileen Fisher, skirted leggings – Eileen Fisher, boots – Munro

earrings – Judith Jack, cashmere turtleneck – Milan, scarf – street vendor, jeans – Eileen Fisher, shoes – Munro

earrings – Majorica, cardigan – Lands’ End, brooch – vintage Trifari, shirt – Lands’ End, slouch pants – Eileen Fisher, flats – Thierry Rabotin

earrings – Rika, tee shirt – Lands’ End, sweatshirt – Lands’ End, waxed cotton jeans – Eileen Fisher, shoes – Munro

This shirt, from Orvis, is exquisite. The trim is cut on the bias – who DOES that anymore?

 

earrings – Lord & Taylor, silk shirt – Orvis, necklace – vintage, ballet flats – Thierry Rabotin, black capris – Eddie Bauer

Lots of Maltese Cross jewelry here!  Does anybody else have a recurring accessory motif?

 
love,
Janice
 
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Comments

  1. Beckie says

    Bias trim, darts, lapped zippers…this is why I sew for myself. It's almost impossible to find these kinds of details anymore, unless you care to take out a second mortgage.

    I love the black & white blouse with the red cardigan too!

    Reply

  3. Susan says

    Thank you for another week of what you wore. Your wardrobe is so similar to mine that I find this most helpful. I don't have a Land's End cardigan, but I am looking at them. I would prefer a cotton cardigan with three quarter sleeves though–our weather is quite warm and shorter sleeves would be more useful in spring/summer.

    Reply

  4. Anonymous says

    I really like your Maltese cross jewelry, it is an elegant design. The bracelets are particularly attractive to me because the wearer can enjoy the design as much as the observer.
    Totally agree with you about the aesthetics of gym wear. I go to classes and sometimes I don't know where to look!

    Deb from Vancouver

    Reply

    • Lo says

      I've found that the older a woman is at the LA Fitness where we go, the more she covers up and the looser her gym clothes are. The females and males of any age with lots of tattoos tend to be the ones who wear the least, I assume to show off their body art. Maybe it's our brutal sun, but I don't see many scantily clad people out and about here in Tucson. My husband and I wear T-shirts (his is long-sleeved) and long pants for our workouts, so we show nothing, any time of year. Depending on the gym, I think there's a kind of uniform that is acceptable, just like for people's lives outside the gym. I suspect that the folks who participate in hot yoga might wear a little less than we do and that would be okay there. On the opposite side of the coin, the trophy girlfriend of one of the high mucky-mucks came one day to work out with him at noon in my company's gym near Seattle. She was scantily clad in the "where to look" style. He was told that unless she covered up a LOT more, she would not be allowed to join him in the future. Funny, we never saw her again.

      Reply

  6. Anonymous says

    This is a great series as it really illustrates how little you need to create a stylish wardrobe. The new scarf is beautiful! Maryann

    Reply

  7. Anonymous says

    I have struggled to find gym wear that is comfortable, appropriate and modest but still works for weight training and aerobics, where you need flexibility and they wick sweat. Don't want to show my belly…or upper arms for that matter. But I don't want to wear sweats either. Those of us who need the gym most need help.
    Suggestions? Styles, brands?

    Reply

    • MDH says

      I have found that tops made of bamboo and cotton are a good mix for keeping me cool while I do my aerobics classes. Short sleeves are better than no sleeves, and the bamboo/cotton blend does wick, which is quite nice.

      I buy the majority of my workout clothes at TJ Maxx, although I bet Marshalls would have an equally nice selection.

      Reply

  8. MDH says

    I only wear my gym clothes to the gym and to walk the dog. I walk the dog when I get home from work, and will spend the rest of the evening at home in my workout gear provided I don't go anywhere else.

    I spend a fair amount of time around college students. I am always surprised by what the young women wear, especially to their on-campus jobs. I'm not expecting them to wear a business suit, but leggings with a short top always strikes me as a little too casual for the majority of student employment jobs.

    Reply

  11. AdcickAM says

    I wear gym clothes, and where.I see FAR too much of the intimate details of female genitalia. Tank Top, workout clothes, bodybuilding clothing, gym wear, gym clothes, gym gear, muscle shirt, gym vests, gym bag, golds gym, world gym, mens tank top, baggy workout pants, flag pants. fitness clothes mens

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