Fashion for the Plus-Sized Athlete

Reader Catherine contacted me with a fashion concern that I and probably many of you readers can relate to:

“Allie, where does a plus-sized woman find stylish yoga and gym attire? I can ever seem to find something that is flattering to my curves, supportive of my bust and isn’t shapeless knits in hum drum colors. Can you help?”

I hope so… I too have had this issue and often end up making streetwear workout attire (nicer fitted tees, capris and pants of stretchy moveable fabrics, etc.) because it is so hard to find cute workout gear. However there are some amazing companies out there that provide great gear for all sizes and shapes of women!

Athleta is a fabulous company geared exclusively to female athletes. Not only do they carry a multitude of their styles in plus size, they also carry tall and petite lengths for many of their active bottoms. I have shopped with them and have always been pleased with my purchases and the customer service. Their Cargo Tech Stretch Pant is a great item for cold-weather activities like hiking, and would be so sassy paired with their Love Tattoo 1/2 Zip (pictured, available in three colors). Athleta also offers dozens of styles of bras and categorizes them by impact level of the activity and whether you desire wireless or underwire.

Woman Within offers activewear in a bevy of colors and styles. I am partial to the Intimate Promises X-Back Tank with Built-In Bra (love when the tops are sold by bra size instead of generic sizes). The purple geometric print (pictured, also available in solid colors) is kicky and fun and would be cute paired with the Stretch Bootcut Yoga Pants from the same brand.

Junonia is an amazing company that provides gear for active women sized 14 and above. And when I say active gear, it’s not just a site of a few black yoga pants and sports bras. Swimsuits, ski apparel, tennis outfits, hiking pants and moisture-wicking everything imaginable. I love the Zippity Cami – great for the treadmill or the yoga mat, the little tank hides a super-supportive zip-front bra (FYI there is a printed version at a very nice sale price right now!). The Roll Waist Yoga Capri is comfy and of matching fabric so you can have just as sassy of a set as any other woman in the studio!

Go Figure is a site completely geared toward the woman who is a size 12 and up. The Dominique Sleeveless T-Shirt is hip and I love the color contrast; the Marla Skort is a great choice to be able to go from gym to grocery on a busy day. My favorite part of this site? Refresh any page and see multiple picture of REAL women sporting the duds – muscular, plus-sized, every age (picture to left from the Go Figure site). Very refreshing to see!