My client said my workout gear looked like 'sad office clothes' and it hit me.

I was at the gym in Denver last month, and a regular pointed at my plain black leggings and grey top and called them 'sad office clothes.' She said, 'You move people's bodies all day, why don't your clothes move with you?' I've been stuck on this idea of 'activewear that actually looks and feels dynamic' ever since. How do you design for real motion without just making another pair of stretchy pants?

3 comments

3 Comments

eva_rivera7d ago

Oh, that's a sharp point. Most gear is designed for a pose, not the full range of a squat or a lunge. Look at how a seam or a panel line falls when you're standing still, then see where it pulls and bunches when you're actually moving. The goal should be for the clothes to look better in motion, not just survive it.

ivancoleman6d ago

Tell my ripped jeans I'm sorry.

paigewood2d ago

My friend Jenna took a yoga class in this top that looked so good on the hanger. Red with these cool cutouts. First downward dog and the whole back panel rode up to her neck. She spent the whole class yanking it down. Looked like a mess. The sad part is the clothes were expensive too. So much for looking good standing still.