…because elasticated waistbands are EVERYTHING.
Given that Mark and I had visited New York before and ticked off every touristy thing in the book, this time round we took the ‘live like a local’ approach. That meant finishing off my book in a little patch of green in the centre of Soho, meandering from coffee shop to coffee shop and giving a Pilates place a go that was literally next door to our hotel (note: I’m well aware that actually being a New York local probably consists of avoiding Time Square like the plague and being packed like a sardine on the subway heading to and from work – we took the idealistic ‘weekend‘ approach). During said pilates class I came into contact with my dream girl squad. All the women were beautifully turned out, didn’t sweat and all wore Outdoor Voices head to toe. One women even wore a Celiné Trio Pouch Bag in red to class and I’ve been thinking about it ever since. I’m such a sucker. In that moment, with sweat dripping into my eyeballs I knew what I had to do…
So swiftly after class (and after a shower), I headed to the Outdoor Voices shop which was again, conveniently a stones throw from the hotel (I told you 11 Howard was the one). Now the reason I knew that these girls were in O.V clobber was because I’ve tried a couple of things from them before (they ship to the U.K from their website – hooray!) and I loved everything I tried. They have an aesthetic that’s easy to spot; panelled leggings, often in muted colours, all high-waisted and with matching crop and bra tops. Everything’s soft, brilliantly made and makes you feel like you’re part of the NYC pilates squad the minute you put it on.
The store and the shopping experience were pretty much perfect – no surprises there. If you want some pictures of inside, I featured O.V in my ‘New York Shopping Guide’ blog post, but it was completely Instagram-worthy and the staff were more than happy to help. I piled into the changing room with half the shop and left wanting to purchase half the shop.
In the end I settled for one complete new outfit that consisted of four pieces. You can’t really spot the Athena Crop in these pictures, but it’s a medium-support sports bra, with a racer back that comes down to almost belly-button depth. It’s a great one for you if you get really, really hot in the gym and you want to whip your top off, but don’t fancy having your belly completely on display as it comes down so low. Next up is the Catch-Me-If-You-Can Hoodie, which might just be the softest sportswear piece I’ve ever purchased. The Merino Muscle Tank is a mid-weight fabric with a crew-neck and cuts in a flattering way on the arms – I love this cut for the gym as it’s covering, whilst also letting your pits air out. Finally, I’ve saved the best till last – the 3/4 Two-Tone Warm-Up Legging. I mean – just look at them. They’re so comfortable, so soft, don’t show sweat (I know! Shocker!), come up to high-waist – they’re basically everything that I love in a legging.
A couple of tips if you do fancy buying anything. Firstly the sizing is more on the small side. I can squeeze my muffin top into a small, but it fits much more comfortably into a medium – especially with the leggings. Also note how I’m wearing the 3/4 length leggings here – I’m 5’7″ and they’re almost full length on me. This is a brand made for the leggy among us, so if you’re on the shorter side then opt for the 3/4 and cropped lengths.
If you’re going to invest in O.V then the first priority has to be leggings. Whilst the tops, crops and jumpers are nice, they are all things you could find made to a similar quality from brands that are slightly cheaper and easier to source here in the U.K (try Active in Style, ASOS and Nike for alternatives). The leggings are unlike anything you’d find anywhere else. I like how they’re a little bit branded, but in a way that isn’t super obvious. I must also note that they perform exceptionally well when getting really sweaty in the butt and crotch area. Tried and tested – now there’s a mental image for ya.
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So there you have it. Do I look like a cool girl who resides in NYC and goes to Pilates classes at the weekend with my Celiné Bag. LOLZ. A girl can dream. Speaking of New York, today’s video is all about the things that Mark and I purchased clothes-wise whilst we were there. I know – I managed to rope Mark into a whole video. What a babe…
Photos by Lauren Shipley
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