Walking into the women’s athletic apparel section at any store- be it Target, Scheels, or the Nike Outlet- the section looks fairly similar. There are racks of short nylon running shorts, skin-tight spandex tops, and a wall covered with fluorescent sports bras. I have always thought of these clothes as simply being comfortable and efficient. After all, aren’t these clothes designed for the wearer to be able to twist themselves into even the most complicated yoga positions? If these clothes are meant to be ultimately about comfort then why are they all so low cut and from fitting?
Maybe the reasoning for the second layer of skin that we all know (and love) as yoga pants is not necessarily for their barely there comfort. Perhaps the fit leads women to simply feel as though they are already in better shape once they put them on. I know that I tend to walk with more of a “strut” when I’m wearing these tight black pants and once I moved this action from my unconscious to conscious thinking, I noticed the same thing from other women. This body practice seems to be a commonality between many of us, at least on the University campus.
Working out at the rec center I sometimes notice that I feel I’m in better shape simply based on what clothes I wear there. Maybe the reasons that these pants have become so popular over the past year is because of the way women feel in them. The praxis, or the stuff we do, seems to be affected by things so seemingly separate as what we are wearing while doing them.
The confidence that some women feel while wearing these clothes can be associated with our “other-oriented emotional economy.” If this internal voice is in fact male as we discussed in class, it would only make sense that hip-hugging pants would be a confidence booster. We feel that men think we look good and therefore we feel good.
Add to this the nature of workout tanks for women and the matter becomes more apparent yet. These clothes emphasize the best parts of a woman’s body, while adding a “suck it in” factor to body areas that may not be as perfect. These factors likely have impacted the status of these clothes as being well loved by a wide section of the population.
Picture Citation: http://www.bestbrazilianjeans.com/store/images/nova1.jpg
I'm sorry that the picture didn't work! It is of a woman wearing a tight workout tank and yoga pants. There is a link at the bottom of the page that can be followed to view the picture. The joys of technology.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading this post because I think this is so true. But also, I think a lot of girls wear these yoga pants because they get a reaction out of guys as well. Most guys love the skin tight, form fitting leggings or spandex. I mean, there is even a website for it that I want to share...
ReplyDeletehttp://girlsinyogapants.com/
It's just a bunch of photos of girls in yoga pants that anyone can upload to the website. Much like YouTube.
This post makes a good point. I never really thought about how workout clothes are marketed and are not always necessarily the best for getting the most out of a workout. Not to mention, workout gear can cost a fortune if you are buying the real deal, and not just Target knockoffs. Yoga pants are now worn all around outside the gym, and I think it is for the chief reason that girls like the way they look in them to guys, and not so much for the reason that they're super comfortable which is why they say they wear them. The point you make is true as well about how cute you look in workout clothes can affect your attitude towards working out.
ReplyDeleteYeah,
ReplyDeleteAnd I run in Patagonia Baggies.