Good Sweat
What’s on top? 4 smokin’ hot summer workout tanks
The boutiques at Equinox are to fitness apparel what Barneys is to high fashion: Carefully curated little arenas of fitness fashion that have evolved in the five years that Karyn Riale’s been at the helm.
“We used to carry 90 percent performance gear and 10 percent fashion apparel,” remarks Riale. “Now it’s more like a 50/50 split with fashion brands like James Perse and Ella Moss performing well alongside performance mainstays like Lululemon, Hardtail, and Stella McCartney for Adidas.”
And recently, Equinox launched its own fashion label to fill what Riale calls “voids in the market.” So far, we’re loving their affordable Orange Label basics, which are flying off the racks.
With the summer fitness season upon us, we asked Riale for her take on the season’s hottest trends. “It’s all about the tops!” says Riale. “Nothing can compete with the tight, lightweight workout capris on the bottom. But on top we’re seeing lots of evolution.”
Specifically? Playful straps, jewel tones, fashion-y details, and mesh inserts are the trends to watch. We feature four of these smokin’ hot tops here. —Alexia Brue
1. Fun Straps
Double straps and faux layers, as seen on Puma’s Tech Performance Fitness Tank Top ($38), give new life to the tired tank and flatter shoulders and decollete. Spaghetti straps are also entering fitness fashion.
2. Jewel Tones
“I’m seeing jewel tones everywhere—deep pinks and purples, as well as bright blues,” says Riale. The Y-Back Cami ($71) from Beyond Yoga comes in all three of those colors (pictured here in Iris).
3. Details, Details, Details
There’s nothing plain cotton about the details in fitness apparel these days, like the gold-hued, tribal-inspired print on Anue’s Yoga Lunar Dress ($59.99). We also love the side drawstrings for instant ruching.
4. Mesh Inserts
This isn’t your 1980′s hair-metal mesh top. The mesh inserts in Nona Varnado’s new collection put a cool spin on this fabric, using it in panels to make the top look more chic and provide a cool breeze at the same time.
More Reading
Nona Varnado’s catwalk-worthy spin clothes
Tanya B: A bright light in yoga fashion
Athleta opens two New York stores this summer
I appreciate the advice on good summer workout gear, Well & Good. However, I can’t help but comment that I don’t appreciate the promotion of unreal body types that your lead photo for this article conveys. The model looks like she’s about to break in two! How about using a variety of body types in your photos, rather than just stick skinny ladies? No more one-size-fits-all fitness photos? Now that would make Well&Good a real trailblazer in the fitness industry! …Just a thought. :)
Point taken, SJ. This dancer-yogi is on the slim-and-trim side. That said, did you check out today’s Fridge Look Book with Laurel Holloway? Another body type entirely! http://bit.ly/j67Tj5
SJ – Just because a woman is naturally petite does not mean she’s not real, that she’s weak, frail, or about to break in two. I understand the desire to encourage the use of other body types in the media, but why tear other people down in the process?
namaste.
Great Comment LD. SJ I’m slender and I’ve worked very hard to get here by no means am i breaking in two on the contrary I’m stronger and healthier than I’ve ever been. Shouldn’t we learn to appreciate diversity in body types and not attack women who are slender by labeling them “unrealistic”.
Everything that this post says is so true! I will be using it as a guide for another blog post I will be writing for my blog, Fit For Summer!