Welcome to Racked's Fitness Week: five days of workout coverage to kick your New Year's resolutions off right.
Image via Beyond Yoga.
Gym clothes: In our opinion, they're the most fun part of working out. Buying a new pair of leggings, fresh sneakers or just a better sports bra always makes exercise more fun. Racked's editors have curated an epic list of 51 sources for stellar gear, whether you enjoy yoga, Tracy Anderson DVDs, cycling, swimming, running or just looking like sporty while doing errands. To make it even more fun, we've included lots of under-the-radar brands that you won't see on everyone else's butt. Not that you were looking.
Image via Purusha.
For the Yoga Freak
You don't need heavy-duty hold or high-performance fabrics, you're just looking for something that's comfortable, stretchy and will provide cover during those Sun Salutations. The below brands offer that and more: find eco-friendly fabrics, wild prints and unique styles that won't be on the back of every Lulu-clone in class.
· Beyond Yoga: The leggings are amazingly soft and flattering. Bonus: They offer maternity. [Site]
· Bodha: Ultra-high-end, elegant line out of Australia constructed of natural fibers such as wood, silk, cotton and wool. [Site]
· Purusha: Colorful and bohemian pieces made in limited quantities in LA. They love pastel tie-dye. [Site]
· Yas: This yoga studio launched its own line of sporty separates with lots of skull prints. [Site]
· Teeki: Super-sexy (lots of colorful cheetah) yoga wear produced, interestingly enough, from recycled plastic bottles. [Site]
· Electric Yoga: Designer Michele Bohbot (of Bisou Bisou) channels her obsession with yoga into this clean collection. It's filled with classic, solid-colored gear adorned with the occasional lighting bolt. [Site]
· Onzie: Onzie's got something for every kind of yogi: ultra-tight shorts for Bikram enthusiasts, kooky prints for those looking to stand out, one-pieces for the truly bold, and looser-fitting styles. [Site]
· Vimmia: Chic and high-tech for majorly athletic types. [Site]
· K. Deer Haute Yoga: Your one-stop destination for crazy prints of all sorts. [Site]
Image via Nike.
For the Runner
Whether you are fighting polar-vortex-level chills or simply need something that'll won't ride up on the treadmill, you've got options with these brands.
· Lucy: No-frills gear at reasonable prices. [Site]
· Marmot: Marmont's ThermalClime line eliminates the excuse that it's too cold out to run. [Site]
· Nike: The go-to for sneakers and anything else you need for your trek. [Site]
· The North Face: Windstopper tights will keep out frigid air while neon jackets are like a giant "I Am Right Here" arrow, making you less likely to get nailed by an oncoming vehicle. [Site]
· 15 Love: Offers colorful jogging shorts as well as leggings and fitted tops. [Site]
· Lolë: From puffers to ear warmers to gloves, there's everything you need for winter conditions. [Site]
· Outdoor Voices: For the casual runner that's very concerned with looking cool. [Site]
Image via Rapha.
For the Cyclist:
Cycling clothing isn't all butt-padded shorts and aerodynamic helmets (though there is a lot of that). A new wave of companies strive to make clothes that look stylish enough to be worn off-bike.
· Urban Legend: Budapest, Hungary-based hipster cyclist line. Urban Legend seeks to solve problems that city bikers encounter, and has created a collection of wind- and rain-resistant gear that wouldn't look out of place at brunch or work. [Site]
· Athleta: Gap's fitness brand does a great job of covering all the bases at affordable prices, cycling clothes included. [Site]
· REI: I'm-training-for-Tour-de-France types should shop here. [Site]
· Outlier: Outlier launched with a pair of pants designed for urban cyclists, and has since expanded into a full line of well-designed performance gear for workouts or just everyday. [Site]
· Rapha: Stylish and functional for serious cyclists. [Site]
Image via Seea.
For Swimming and Surfing
Style and substance for competition-level pool action or your dream Hawaiian surf retreat.
· Speedo: A legend in the industry and a go-to for one-pieces that are practically second-skin. [Site]
· TYR: Looking to compete in a tri? TYR is fully-stocked with competition-worthy swimwear. [Site]
· Dolfin: Similar in style to Speedo, but with jazzier colors and prints. [Site]
· Bantu: Pricey, colorful swim and surf apparel that's made in Africa. [Site]
· Basta Surf: Well-designed, though itsy, bikinis that'll look great up on that surfboard. [Site]
· Seea: Truly novel surf attire, from one-pieces to rash guards. [Site]
· Pret-a-Surf: One of the first brands to mix high-design and women's surf wear. [Site]
· Lisa Marie Fernandez: Neoprene two-pieces that won't budge, whether you're lounging or actually taking on waves. [Site]
Image via Under Armour.
For Cross-Training and General Gym-Going
Just the basics here: good-quality apparel that you can wear to fitness classes, to lift weights or to slowly pedal up and down on the stair climber while watching The Bachelor.
· Under Armour: What began as a undershirt line for sweaty men has transitioned into a full-range of clothing for all men's and women's fitness needs. [Site]
· Adidas by Stella McCartney: This is one of the best-known designer fitness collabs for a reason: everything is very cool yet also functional. [Site]
· Nux: Compression apparel in a range of colors and styles, some with fashion-y details such as cut-outs, off-shoulder drapes and sheer paneling. [Site]
· Moving Comfort: Moving Comfort has been offering women's gym apparel for more than 30 years. Of special note is their sports bra selection, which contains many options for bigger busts. [Site]
· Hey Jo: Care for Euro-fashionable leggings made out of the finest Italian jersey? Find them here. [Site]
· Work Out Life: The Aussies sure know how to do activewear. Sydney's Work Out Life splits its focus between performance and "life," offering great styles for each. Bonus: the brand puts an emphasis on using organic cotton. [Site]
· Splits 59: Splits 59 is slowly taking a bite out of the legging market with its wide selection of stylish, slightly-futuristic workout options (note: they're currently having a big sale). [Site]
· Old Navy: A surprisingly good resource for fitness apparel, with one Racked editor noting that, "their pants really keep it all together." [Site]
Photo via Michi
For Tracy Anderson Lovers
Low-cut leggings, sexy sports bras and stylish sneakers mark this breed of fitness aficionado.
· Body Rock Sport: Pleather sports bras. Black snakeskin-print pants. Tops with lace inserts. You get the picture. [Site]
· Palm Beach Athleticwear: Racked knows for a fact that Tracy owns one of Palm Beach Athleticwear's sports bras (this strappy one). Also find backless cover-ups (oxymoron?), mesh items and more hot things that will certainly garner attention during hip hop dance class. [Site]
· Michi: High-fashion meets the gym. Expect lots of black, cut-outs and interesting silhouettes. [Site]
· Bia Brazil: Bright and revealing, just as it goes down in Brazil (we imagine). [Site]
· Body Language: A Racked editor favorite for its scrunch-top leggings—flattering and comfortable. [Site]
· Prima Studio: Adorable, body-conscious clothing for women who are confident in their midsections. The selection includes cropped sweatshirts and slinky leggings. [Site]
Image via Monrow.
For People Who Just Like Looking Sporty
Crave that pre-workout sporty look, without any of the sweat or effort? Here are countless ways to get ultra-casual, from designer tees to fitted sweats so nice, it would be a crime to actually perspire in them.
· Naked Sports Bras: Sports Bras with novel, tan-through straps, hence the name. [Site]
· Bella Luxx: This line perfectly captures the dressed-down allure of LA with drapy skirts, tops and sweats. [Site]
· LnA: Some of the softest and most stylish tees out there. [Site]
· Monrow: A truly fun loungewear brand with a wide assortment of sweats. [Site]
· Theory 38: Theory's design-focused sportswear line is way too posh to actually hit the gym in. [Site]
· T by Alexander Wang: The king of sporty fashion. Wang has expanded his T line from its basic cotton-modal origins with materials like lightweight leather and silk chiffon. [Site]
· Soft Joie: Bohemian brand Joie's loungewear line is filled with weekend-perfect pieces like striped long-sleeve shirts and slim sweatpants. [Site]
· Solow: Leggings that say "I'm going to the gym," but are comfortable enough for hours of couch-based procrastination. [Site]
· Shopbop x SoulCycle is Post-Workout Loungewear Heaven [Racked]
· 50 Insanely Motivating Fitness Instagrams to Follow [Racked]
· All Fitness Week 2014 Posts [Racked]