Like most people, until recently my fitness regime had consisted of extortionate gym memberships that got utilised somewhere in the region of twice a month.
It's no surprise therefore that my gym kit is even more pathetic than my attendance record; my 'sports bra' is basically an old bra which a size smaller than my current size and therefore restricts the jiggle. I only just invested in a pair of good running trainers to suit my gait last week - ever the over-dresser my previous training footwear had been a pair of inappropriately fashionable neon pink Air Maxes.
If you'd have seen me in the gym a couple of months ago, puffing at the treadmill at a speed level of about 5, you would have chuckled sympathetically at what was clearly a newbie out of her depth.
The pictures from a recent trip to Paris were exactly what I needed to kick me into action however - me barely fitting into my favourite pair of trousers and being cheated out of the colour black's promises to shield a multitude of sins. That and the fact that a lot of my clothes have been bought from China where the sizes run smaller than expected - something I really should have grasped by now. Alas optimism has kept me ordering the smaller sizes and I am now left with a heap of clothes I never wear due to my inability to bend over without flashing the people behind me, or stand up straight without brandishing a hideous camel toe.
So now I go very regularly and actually take my training pretty seriously. However as you can probably tell by my previous choices in footwear, Sportswear is not my forte. Anything with a visible sports logo on it is instantly rebuked by me, and don't get me started on the gym bags. I had recently bought an American Apparel duffle bag that had looked a nice burgundy colour on the website but in reality is a garish red that matches
none of my outfits, sporty or otherwise. I set about trawling the web for some suitable alternatives and decided to take into consideration that there will soon come a time that someone will actually want to hire me to do 'fings' for money at some point, and I would therefore have to carry this gym bag to and from work a lot of the time. Well there was no way I'd dare be spotted with a bag the color of a fire hydrant, especially if I'm working an office job with a dress code. Unfortunately the alternatives in the female sections of my desired websites were coming up short also. I needed something with lots of space to fit my gear and any materials I may need for work. It also needed to have side pockets for my oyster card, purse etc and it
had to be wearable to suit most of my clothes. A girlfriend of mine flicked a light bulb switch in my head when I bumped into her as she was on her way to spend a few nights with her boyfriend. Her overnight bag was a marvelous Ralph Lauren holdall which fit all of her garments and managed to make her look fabulous.
I followed suit.
Though Ralph Lauren is a bit (a lot) out of my current price range I took to the web again, but this time in pursuit of men's holdalls. I managed to find this gem from ASOS which cost around £35 and also came in black, although I strongly suggest getting it in a chocolate brown like I did, as it shows up just a few shades lighter than black anyway and will go with EVERYTHING in your wardrobe.
As you'll see from the pictures, I have already placed my gym gear in there, but I still have so much room I could fit like three small toddlers in there (however this would be highly unethical and I strongly advise against attempting to prove this theory).
Have a gander and then if like me, you like to keep it practical yet fashionable ladies, you must get searching for a men's holdall.
After all, nobody on the commute has to know you actually
work for that body right?
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