Women Travelers - Offtopic but for women: Stylish sportswear in 2010?

Hi,

I'm becoming a member of a really superbe sportsclub in a 5* Hotel in a big city with an international public.

Hontesly, I do not know what to wear in 2010. One might say, this is not important :rolleyes: If we could avoid a discussion if it really matters or not, yes it does to me :D:D

Last time, I bought sportswear was a looong time ago and hontestly, Nike & Adidas won't do it for this place :D

Any sugestions?

THANK YOU!

When you say a sports club, do you mean a sports club in which you work out and sweat? If so, wear what you always wear when you work out. It's no beauty contest when you're on the elliptical. :D

I wear lycra shorts and a t-shirt. When it's cold I'll wear long lycras that feel great on your entire leg!

:D thank you for your answer... Of course, it was understood that it was "some kind of lycra" :) but the question aims to what kind of lycra or silk or ?? :D

I totally agree with you, it's not a beauty contest but fashion can make you feel better, somehow.

At least for the sports bag, I got it. It seems to me that there is no other sport bag than the one by louis vuitton which I actually hate, because it's plump and seen everywhere. And I do not like showing off Armani/... shoes to go to a sauna either (there are just hotel slippers anyway..)

So is there anything more stylish?

Hmm, all the celebs in LA where I used to live who work out at the tres expensive sports clubs/health clubs basically wear t-shirts, sweat shirts, spandex shorts or leggings, and usually aren't carrying LV or Armani.

I'd say if you're that concerned about it then head back to the club you've just joined & look at whatever the other gals are wearing & take your cues from them.

Cheers.

You may want to pick up Shape mag. It shows current styles on women working out and lists all the places to get them.

:D thank you for your answer... Of course, it was understood that it was "some kind of lycra" :) but the question aims to what kind of lycra or silk or ?? :DDanskin shorts and leggings I've purchased at outlets. Mine are black and charcoal.

I totally agree with you, it's not a beauty contest but fashion can make you feel better, somehow.What I often see are women (and men) wearing t-shirts of the marathons/charity runs/triatholons these people have completed or at least participated in.

You may want to pick up Shape mag. It shows current styles on women working out and lists all the places to get them.

Good suggestion. Shape, Fitness, etc, are probably good ones to peruse. And again, just stop by the new health club & check out what the people you want to emulate are wearing.

Cheers.

I'll echo the recommendation to check out what others at your club are wearing. One visit to my gym made it evident that women's uniform is lululemon (http://www.lululemon.com/), so I now own a few pieces from them (and love them!), but never feel out of place in any of my other workout clothes.

I belong to a private business club in my hometown and work out at the club. I'd second the "lululemon" advice... that seems to be the wardrobe at my gym as well (where women work out completely segregated from men). I've seen a bit of everything but most of the women are either CEOs/executives or the trophy wives of such and so they all tend to look somewhat elegant even while sweating.

My own personal rule is to dress to get my business done (i.e. my workout) but remember that the person next to me on the elliptical might be a future networking contact... and as such, I try to be appropriately pulled together.

I belong to a private business club in my hometown and work out at the club. I'd second the "lululemon" advice... that seems to be the wardrobe at my gym as well (where women work out completely segregated from men).Wow. You've got me curious about your gym. So your gym is segregated by sex? Is the exact same equipment whether stairmasters, exercise bikes, ellipticals, treadmills, rowing machines, stretching tables, all of the latest and greatest cardio equipment plus weights and circuit training for strength training multiplied by two so that the women have their own and the men have their own separate sets? Is it divided equally?

Definitely Lululemon. They look great and feel so comfortable on. I run, do pilates and play tennis, and I almost exclusively wear Lululemon for all three activities.

A few items to consider are:

Define Jacket (http://shop.lululemon.com/Define_Jacket_Brushed/pd/c/550/np/550/p/2816.html) - Probably the most universally flattering jacket on all shape. I have yet to see anyone look bad wearing this jacket.
Groove Pant (http://shop.lululemon.com/Groove_Pant_Regular/pd/c/560/np/560/p/1432.html) - Their famous & most popular pants.
Flow Y Bra (http://shop.lululemon.com/Flow_Y_Bra_IV/pd/c/520/np/520/p/1226.html) - Great looking sports that feels great on as well.

I would recommend going to the club a few times before spending a lot of money on exercise outfit. Generally no one cares or notices what you are wearing at the club. I just prefer to wear Lululemon because all their clothes look great on tennis courts and I don't have to buy separate tennis outfits.

Athleta (athleta.com) also has some great stuff and few others in the gym will be wearing it. Be forewarned, though, that everything fits small. I wear one size larger in their clothes than my regular clothes. There are lots of user reviews on their website, though, so you'll get some good information about how the clothes look, fit and wear.

You've got to be kidding. Wear what is clean, comfortable, and does not show too much skin. Don't worry what the celebs are wearing. In the wealthiest part of Palo Alto (where the Google exec Eric Schmidt lives) people wear baggy shorts and tee shirts. Sometimes their socks do not match. These people I am sure are as "wealthy" and "fashionable" I suppose but what you wear is entirely up to YOU!

Wow. You've got me curious about your gym. So your gym is segregated by sex? Is the exact same equipment whether stairmasters, exercise bikes, ellipticals, treadmills, rowing machines, stretching tables, all of the latest and greatest cardio equipment plus weights and circuit training for strength training multiplied by two so that the women have their own and the men have their own separate sets? Is it divided equally?

Yes it's completely equal - in fact, the women's gym is slightly nicer in that we also have a full Pilates reformer studio whereas the men don't. They let you tour both sides when you come through for a membership tour (as long as you schedule at an off time) and we were surprised too, especially having looked at other clubs. I expected a small closet for the women since our gym was separate.

It's nice - the men's gym is on the ground floor across from the grill so you can actually see into their gym so I could count the equipment any time I want. The women's gym is a floor below in the basement and there's actually a doorbell that rings anytime anyone walks down there so it's very private. Two staff members on the floor at all times and I've never seen more than 5-6 women in there working out and in the locker room at one time... so it's almost like having your own private gym. (Whereas the men's always looks very crowded.)

It's almost funny - we have all the same weight equipment but ours stays nice and relatively unused (and always clean and put away!) We have all the same locker room amenities - towel attendants, full size wood lockers for rental, steam room, sauna. But we also get fully-lit "make up" stations with salon stool chairs. :-)

When I did the membership tour, I asked about percentage of membership - it's 80% men. We toured two other business clubs downtown and one had a very sparse women's gym vs. a robust mens one. The other had a men's only gym (and women were given "privileges" to use a public health club about six blocks away).

Our overall club manager is a woman (and the overall fitness manager is also female) - I wonder if that makes a difference?

Yes it's completely equal - in fact, the women's gym is slightly nicer in that we also have a full Pilates reformer studio whereas the men don't. They let you tour both sides when you come through for a membership tour (as long as you schedule at an off time) and we were surprised too, especially having looked at other clubs.Just curious, why can't a prospective member get a tour of the gym during peak times? That to me would be the only time I'd visit a new gym so I could see just how crowded the gym is and what waiting times look like.

It's nice - the men's gym is on the ground floor across from the grill so you can actually see into their gym so I could count the equipment any time I want. The women's gym is a floor below in the basement and there's actually a doorbell that rings anytime anyone walks down there so it's very private. Two staff members on the floor at all times and I've never seen more than 5-6 women in there working out and in the locker room at one time... so it's almost like having your own private gym. (Whereas the men's always looks very crowded.)A doorbell? Only 5-6 women working out at a time? Where ARE the women?? Or are you working out maybe very late at night which may not be a popular time for women to be at the gym? I like the idea of the staff members—are they there to assist members with equipment, like assistance with spotting them? I work out at 5:30am and we have slightly more women working out at that hour than men.

It's almost funny - we have all the same weight equipment but ours stays nice and relatively unused (and always clean and put away!) We have all the same locker room amenities - towel attendants, full size wood lockers for rental, steam room, sauna. But we also get fully-lit "make up" stations with salon stool chairs. :-)Very nice! I imagine with so few women there, I bet the equipment looks relatively unused (especially the heavy free weights). :D

When I did the membership tour, I asked about percentage of membership - it's 80% men. We toured two other business clubs downtown and one had a very sparse women's gym vs. a robust mens one. The other had a men's only gym (and women were given "privileges" to use a public health club about six blocks away).Given your previous tours, your gym sets itself apart. Why would women even THINK to join those other gyms? There are nonsegregated gyms in your area I assume?

Our overall club manager is a woman (and the overall fitness manager is also female) - I wonder if that makes a difference?From your description, I bet it does. Is your gym part of a chain?

Thank you for taking the time to write about your gym, techgirl. :)

Just curious, why can't a prospective member get a tour of the gym during peak times? That to me would be the only time I'd visit a new gym so I could see just how crowded the gym is and what waiting times look like.

You can tour any time you want to. But I can't just go walking into the men's gym without an appointment. They don't set up appointments for a female to look at the men's gym in the middle of peak morning workouts. Why would they?

A doorbell?

Well that's the noise it makes. It signals us that someone is walking down the staircase to the lower level (which is only the women's gym). It's also key card access on the door - so basically the bell going off signals that someone has opened the door. Personally, I feel safer that way since we can't see the staircase or door.

Only 5-6 women working out at a time? Where ARE the women?? Or are you working out maybe very late at night which may not be a popular time for women to be at the gym?

It's an executive club... gym privileges cost extra per month. Maybe they don't want to work out in the basement of their office building or get ready away from home? Not sure. The gym opens at 5 am and closes at 8 pm so no late night hours. I've worked out between 7-9 am, at lunch, and in the evenings after 6 pm and have never seen a crowd. The men's gym looks like it gets a lot more traffic.

I like the idea of the staff members—are they there to assist members with equipment, like assistance with spotting them?

Yes, as well as free workout planning and other services. They also have full-on trainers available by the hour.

I imagine with so few women there, I bet the equipment looks relatively unused (especially the heavy free weights). :D

Everything seems to be pristine. I've seen them take a treadmill out and replace it within a day or two because the cable tv feed wasn't working properly. ;)

Given your previous tours, your gym sets itself apart. Why would women even THINK to join those other gyms? There are nonsegregated gyms in your area I assume?

The three I mentioned are all "private clubs" - the gym is just part of what is available with membership. From what I understand, the majority of club members select "dining/entertaining only" memberships which means they can use the upstairs dining rooms and casual grill, but cannot access the gyms.

Other clubs have their own draw though - The Fort Worth Club is the "old guard" club in town and has been around for a century. It's on the older side of downtown and popular with the folks my parent's age. (That's the one with no women's gym.) The Petroleum Club is much as it's name would suggest... a lot of oil and gas and real estate types. Both of those clubs are managed by ClubCorp.

Is your gym part of a chain?

My club was started by the Bass brothers when they built their skyscraper complex... they wanted a club that was accessible without having to go outside the building complex. We have a bit more of a new economy feel... Texas Pacific Resources is the largest tenant in our complex and TPR folks seem to be a good number of our members. A number of clubs worldwide have reciprocity with the club so while it's independently owned and managed, others can utilize the club.

Me? I just like being able to keep a locker downstairs from my office. And order food to go while I'm still changing after my workout (if it's lunch or dinner time). And it's nice for a business lunch on a windy or rainy day to not have to leave the building to entertain. :D

Adding my voice to the chorus voting for Lululemon. It's on the pricey side, but once you've tried them on you won't balk at the price. I bucked the trend for the longest time, saying "I'm not paying that much for glorified sweats." But finally gave in a the insistence of my step son, who's persuasive argument was, "trust me, this stuff makes any womans butt look absolutely-freaking-fabulous" and he wasn't kidding.

The best part is many of the pants are reversible to plain black, and they are the most comfortable travel pants on the planet, so they do double duty.

You can tour any time you want to. But I can't just go walking into the men's gym without an appointment. They don't set up appointments for a female to look at the men's gym in the middle of peak morning workouts. Why would they?Why make an appt to see the men's gym peak or non peak? :D I thought you meant that women couldn't tour the women's gym at peak hours.

It's an executive club... gym privileges cost extra per month. Maybe they don't want to work out in the basement of their office building or get ready away from home? Not sure. The gym opens at 5 am and closes at 8 pm so no late night hours. I've worked out between 7-9 am, at lunch, and in the evenings after 6 pm and have never seen a crowd. The men's gym looks like it gets a lot more traffic.Well you said it above. It's an executive gym and I'm guessing that there are more men executives than women executives.

Everything seems to be pristine. I've seen them take a treadmill out and replace it within a day or two because the cable tv feed wasn't working properly. ;)Nice!

The three I mentioned are all "private clubs" - the gym is just part of what is available with membership. From what I understand, the majority of club members select "dining/entertaining only" memberships which means they can use the upstairs dining rooms and casual grill, but cannot access the gyms.Got it.

Other clubs have their own draw though - The Fort Worth Club is the "old guard" club in town and has been around for a century. It's on the older side of downtown and popular with the folks my parent's age. (That's the one with no women's gym.) The Petroleum Club is much as it's name would suggest... a lot of oil and gas and real estate types. Both of those clubs are managed by ClubCorp.

My club was started by the Bass brothers when they built their skyscraper complex... they wanted a club that was accessible without having to go outside the building complex. We have a bit more of a new economy feel... Texas Pacific Resources is the largest tenant in our complex and TPR folks seem to be a good number of our members. A number of clubs worldwide have reciprocity with the club so while it's independently owned and managed, others can utilize the club.Interesting. What's intriguing to me is that the male and female executives who are members of the same club don't want to work out together but rather would prefer to keep things separately. Why limit the networking possibilities among these execs?

Me? I just like being able to keep a locker downstairs from my office. And order food to go while I'm still changing after my workout (if it's lunch or dinner time). And it's nice for a business lunch on a windy or rainy day to not have to leave the building to entertain. :DSounds good.

Interesting. What's intriguing to me is that the male and female executives who are members of the same club don't want to work out together but rather would prefer to keep things separately. Why limit the networking possibilities among these execs?

I think it's a southern thing. Traditional southern women don't want to be seen "undone".

At co-ed gyms here, you see a lot of gals working out in full hair/makeup. The other variety of females we get are the trophy wives of some of the executives (who have spousal memberships). I see them come sliding in for a Pilates session mid-morning - then they get done up and go to lunch upstairs.

Plus the club holds plenty of networking events so plenty of opportunity to network otherwise. And a few things with the gym (like spinning classes and the marathon training club) are co-ed.

To each his (or her) own. I happen to like it. ;)

Adding my voice to the chorus voting for Lululemon. It's on the pricey side, but once you've tried them on you won't balk at the price. I bucked the trend for the longest time, saying "I'm not paying that much for glorified sweats." But finally gave in a the insistence of my step son, who's persuasive argument was, "trust me, this stuff makes any womans butt look absolutely-freaking-fabulous" and he wasn't kidding.

Ok, you've convinced me & I didn't even start the thread! :D

Cheers.

I think it's a southern thing. Traditional southern women don't want to be seen "undone".

At co-ed gyms here, you see a lot of gals working out in full hair/makeup. I am amazed by that at this day and age but then again, I'm a northerner. ;)

The other variety of females we get are the trophy wives of some of the executives (who have spousal memberships). I see them come sliding in for a Pilates session mid-morning - then they get done up and go to lunch upstairs.The trophy bimbos exist above and below the Mason-Dixon. :D

Plus the club holds plenty of networking events so plenty of opportunity to network otherwise. And a few things with the gym (like spinning classes and the marathon training club) are co-ed.

To each his (or her) own. I happen to like it. ;)That's what's most important. :)

Uh - could we get back on-topic, which is clothing to wear to upscale health clubs.

If anyone else is interested in techgirl's private club's health facilities, perhaps they could PM her for details & to discuss the sociological aspects of it ;)

Cheers.

Uh - could we get back on-topic, which is clothing to wear to upscale health clubs.My apologies for side tracking. Ok....

You've got to be kidding. Wear what is clean, comfortable, and does not show too much skin. Don't worry what the celebs are wearing. In the wealthiest part of Palo Alto (where the Google exec Eric Schmidt lives) people wear baggy shorts and tee shirts. Sometimes their socks do not match. These people I am sure are as "wealthy" and "fashionable" I suppose but what you wear is entirely up to YOU!Absolutely. ^ Go with comfort and have a great workout.

If anyone else is interested in techgirl's private club's health facilities, perhaps they could PM her for details & to discuss the sociological aspects of it ;)

Maybe we need a private club forum considering that these topics come up around FT from time to time. ;)

Thank you all for the great advise!

-> I've finally put my outfit together and I love it. :)


I dared to ask as well the great looking girls in the spa... You were SO RIGHT!
Lululemon
No wonder that some of them look so amazing, it's not only clothes, the one who looked really amazing, was just Brazilian .. two other girls were Italian and really cared about what to wear... And those American girls do as well ...
At least, now I fit into the place :)


Thank you yo much!

Glad it worked out for you!

Cheers.

Thank you all for the great advise!

-> I've finally put my outfit together and I love it. :)


I dared to ask as well the great looking girls in the spa... You were SO RIGHT!
Lululemon



Good choice! Out of curiosity, which pieces did you buy?