Category Archives: published articles
What to Wear to the Gym
Here’s an article I wrote for See You At Seven recently, a great resource for couples who are looking to save time and money and find fun date night ideas. This one is about what to wear to the gym. Enjoy!
The new year marks new beginnings, and if one of your resolutions in 2011 is to get into shape, lose weight, or be more active, you’re in good company. According to CNN, the number one New Year’s resolution in America is to lose weight. For a husband and wife, a double gym membership might be just the ticket to get the ball rolling on your resolution this year.
“It’s very important to have the right clothing to exercise in. If you throw on an old T-shirt or sweats, it’s not inspiring.” – Cheryl Tiegs
Something that helps me get out the door to the gym are great exercise clothes. If the only time you wear exercise clothes is when you’re breaking a sweat and the workout clothes are appealing – having attractive workout clothes may be that extra motivation you need to get onto the treadmill.
- Opt for a t-shirt or an athletic tank top with a built-in bra (for women). For those who perspire a lot, choose a darker color top, like gray, to avoid sweat stains in the armpits. Sleeveless tops may also be a good choice for air circulation.
- In colder weather, layer a hoodie sweater or long sleeve tee for extra warmth. You can always shed the layer as you heat up.
- Shorts are a popular choice among men and women. Track pants are a comfortable, durable option for men. Long black pants, like the LuLuLemon variety, or cropped Capri length-pants are great for women who want more coverage.
- If you’re in the market for new workout clothes, look for materials that wick away the moisture, keeping you comfortable and dry throughout the workout.
- While form-fitting clothing is optimal to help avoid injury on gym equipment, make sure you have adequate ease in the fit to be able to move freely. Plus, a too-tight fit draws undue attention to the body and any of the figure variations you may prefer to keep under wraps.
- A good running shoe is suitable for the majority of work-out activities at the gym.
- Things to avoid wearing to the gym include ultra short-shorts, a sports bra on its own (unless you’re into being gawked at, of course), overly baggy clothes, jeans, and flip-flops.
For couples who want to get in shape in 2011 and spend more time together, why not get a babysitter and hit the gym together? Whether you grab ellipticals side-by-side or attend a yoga class together to de-stress and relax, working out as a couple will help you improve your health, your image, your confidence, and your marriage.
Copyright 2011 Cable Car Couture. All Rights Reserved.
Infusing Personal Style To Professional Attire in 2011
Recently I had the pleasure of writing an article for Startup Princess, an online resource for women entrepreneurs, about professional attire and personal style. I’ve gotten permission to republish the article for my readers — enjoy!
With a little personal style, even a traditional black blazer can be your own! Copyright Cable Car Couture
When you think of professional attire, is a traditional navy blue pantsuit with a predictable white collared dress shirt the first thing that comes to mind? It very well may be! As an image consultant, I’m happy to tell you that dressing professionally doesn’t need to be boring or predictable. For 2011, let’s infuse personal style into your business attire.
There are several things you can do to bring personal style into your professional attire. In the photo sequence below, we’ve shown you five different ways to style a versatile black blazer, infusing personal style into each. From left to right:
- A traditional black suit gets an infusion of personality with a red top and matching obi belt, providing drama and pizzazz with the color contrast and unique styling.
- A black skirt suit can be easily paired with a vibrant teal turtleneck. When you take the jacket off, you have an attractive hourglass silhouette.
- A satin empire waist blouse with abstract shapes blends beautifully with the black blazer and the brown pulls out the color of her eyes. As an unmatched suit with white pants, the look is professional, yet accessible. (My black kitten, in the bottom left corner of the image, matches perfectly!)
- Rolling up the sleeves on the black blazer gives this traditional staple a trendy, relaxed look. Combine that with dangly earrings and a billowy silk blouse in a floral floral print and the look becomes more informal.
- With the rolled up sleeves, the jacket is right on trend with on the boyfriend blazer look and is a fun combination with the vintage tunic and dark wash skinny jeans. The look is youthful and decidedly creative.
As you can see, it’s not just what you wear, it’s how you wear it.
Here are some ways that you can add personal style into your professional attire in 2011:
- If you’re required to wear a suit jacket but you feel overwhelmed wearing the traditional style jacket, look for one with a curved collar instead of the standard angular lapel. The rounder shapes will soften the look for you.
- To spice up your suit jacket, try accessorizing. A brooch, matching belt, or colorful scarf will go a long way in adding some flair.
- To soften the professional look, trade in your collared shirts for blouses in colors that complement your personal coloring. For example, if you have brown hair, blues will look great on you.
- Wear a vest. The vest has made a major comeback recently. Buttoned up, a vest can emphasize a great waistline, or be left unbuttoned for a more relaxed look. Vests even look terrific over Tees.
- Try a cardigan. The softer version of the suit jacket, a cardigan will provide you an extra layer to help you look more capable, but can also give you added warmth and coverage to hide any figure variations like a full bust or leftover baby weight.
Do you still feel clueless about personal style? If you’re dying to discover your personal style, I have an easy exercise for you.
One thing I recommend for my clients to do is go through fashion magazines, pulling out pictures of clothes, accessories, and looks they love, then start a Personal Style file. This simply exercise is a great way to help you recognize what your unique personal style embodies. Starting a Personal Style file will allow you to identify your personal style preferences and give you ideas for items you can add into your wardrobe this year.
Nobody said business attire has to be boring. Add some personal style to your work wardrobe and create a look that’s that uniquely yours!
Copyright 2011 Cable Car Couture. All Rights Reserved.
